The Blessed Isle

Late January of this year saw my return to the island of Cyprus.  I had last visited in 2005 as a Christmas surprise for Matthew, who worked there for a year while we were dating.  Although my last visit to Cyprus also took place in the winter, I did not have many memories of how the island itself looked. I think I was much more excited about seeing a boyfriend I hadn't seen in months and getting to meet all the new friends he had made.  It probably didn't help that I was horribly jet-lagged on that occasion.

But starting from the UK meant that the jet-lag was non-existent so I was wide awake and in awe for the whole trip.  In the ancient world, Cyprus was known as "The Blessed Isle", so named because of how rich in minerals and sea life it was, and for how abundant the harvests were.  It is an apt descriptor.  For a Canadian, to be able to eat outside several times a day in January, to feel the sun on my skin and  to see the open, unfrozen Mediterranean was absolutely thrilling!  It felt so foreign, like maybe I was in a dream that was lasting for a week.

Enjoying the Mediterranean.

Matthew had his first-ever Cypriot coffee on our last day on the island.

Our excuse to go to Cyprus was that Matthew's friends and former co-workers were getting married.  What a joy to actually be close enough to go!  The bride's best friend suggested we keep the visit a surprise so it was fun to just casually stroll into the church before their rehearsal and stun them!  So, that was the motive for going, but we decided to make a holiday of it and stayed for a week.  I am quite enjoying having a job where I get paid to go on vacation!

Rick and Madara walk out of the church as man and wife!

The happy couple

 

The Cyprus team back together again! Matthew worked with Madara and Renate during his time in Cyprus.

Our first and last day on the island were spent in Paphos, where we had also gone on a day trip during my last visit.  We had spent most of our time in the archaeological park on our last visit, but had missed out seeing all of the ancient churches.  So we went and saw Ayia Kyriaki, the ancient Greek Orthodox Church, now used by the Anglican and Catholic communities in Paphos.  There I got to climb up into the pulpit (one of those ones that wraps around a structural pillar) which was a weird dream of mine.  I don't know if I was technically allowed to, but there was no barricade and no one to tell me not to!  Just outside of the church is a ruined agora, where Paul's Pillar can be found (as in, St. Paul, formerly Saul, who became a missionary) and we strolled through admiring the ruins and the mosaics and befriended a delicate kitty.

Ayia Kyriaki in Paphos.

St. Paul's Pillar in the ruined agora.

The interior of Ayia Kyriaki.

I try out my hand at preaching.

The pretty kitty we befriended among the ruins.

After our visit we ate a little cafe where we could stare at the ruins and we made friends with two other cats while we ate.  I had forgotten how full of cats Cyprus is.  Legend has it that St. Helena (the mother of the Emperor Constantine) stopped in Cyprus on one of her journeys. When she heard of their difficulties with mice, she was said to have gifted them some cats and to this day the cats are know as St. Helena's cats and can be found everywhere. For the rest of our trip every time we ate outside or went to a park we were sure to make a few feline friends.

Having gyros outside of Ayia Kyriaki.  On a patio in January!

Queenie (bottom) and her friend kept us company while we ate.

Later in our trip we saw about three groups of cats this size all having their dinners at dusk in the park.

The bulk of our time in Cyprus was spent in Nicosia, where Matthew's friend Maggie generously lent us the use of her beautiful flat while she was away traveling for work.  I have always wanted to live in a house with real shutters and for 5 days, I got to!  We left the front and back shuttered patio doors open as much as possible to let the breeze through the flat, and I had a ball taking care of all the plants in Maggie's pots and garden.

The Flat where we stayed.

Leaving the shuttered doors open in January!

Watering Maggie's outdoor plants.

After the wedding, Matthew and I just did whatever we felt like on that particular day.  We went on a lot of walks to all of his old haunts, including his old flat, we hung out with friends, visited the Greek Orthodox priest that he befriended while living there and has kept in contact,  and sometimes were just plain lazy!  Going on walks was my favourite part of our vacation because the scenery so fascinated me.  I still cannot get over palm, orange and lemon trees just growing in people's yards!  And cacti - oh my!  What a beautiful world we live in. :)

Lots of hedges and bushes were flowering while we were in Cyprus.

I thought these were lemons, but apparently they are papayas! How neat!

Crazy cactus!

Palms in Paphos.

Palm tree leaves grow right out of the ground and the trunk comes later.  Weirdly wonderful.

I liked that there was a natural cavern in these rocks in Paphos.

A cacti...hedge? Near Paul's Pillar in Paphos.

I like rows of palms.

The countryside between Paphos and Nicosia.

Oranges and terra cotta rooves.

Me under the palms in my favourite park in Nicosia - only they've taken away my fountain!

Matthew points to the awesome plant-life.

Palms surround the Venetian wall in Nicosia.

Matthew at his old flat in Acropoli, Nicosia.