On yesterday’s road trip, we went in search of the climatic extremes that Cyprus has to offer.
MT. OLYMPUS
The very peak of the Troodos Mountains is marked by Mount Olympus and the village of Troodos. At almost 2000 meters (6400 feet) above sea level, this area receives a fair amount of snow during the “rainy season” in Cyprus, which provides locals with an opportunity to ski, snowboard, and sled in the middle of a Mediterranean island.
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We were underprepared for the snowy conditions at the top of the hill, which as you can see provided low visibility and a wet ride up the chairlift |
KYKKOS MONASTERY
Our next stop, since we were in the region, was Kykkos Monastery. The monastery has a long tradition in Cyprus and is famous for its icon (religious painting on wood) of the Virgin Mary holding Christ as a child. The icon is said to be painted by the Apostle Luke, which is important because he was an eye witness.
The monastic complex has grown and changed substantially over the centuries, and what we are able to visit today is a highly renovated and clean cut edition of a religious community. The extreme wealth of the church is expressed through the recently laid mosaics and painted frescos that line the walls. The interior of the church is covered in brand new frescos (wall paintings) and the iconostasis at the front of the church is a shimmering gold, ornately cut iconostasis, which is a stand for the impressive display of icons (including the Virgin and Christ Child mentioned above even though it is mostly covered).
MAKARIOS' TOMB
Not far from the monastic complex is the Tomb of Archbishop Makarios III. Makarios (as he is generally called) is one of the most iconic figures of the modern Cyprus state. He was the archbishop and political leader during the transition from British Colonial rule to the self-determined state of the Republic of Cyprus and later was the target of a failed coup by a Greek military junta in 1974 (five days after which the Turkish military intervened). He died only three years after the island became divided.
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PAPHOS
We ended the day in Paphos as the sun set over the harbor.
i love all the road trips you take. did you get an international divers license to make all these trips?
ReplyDeleteA Fulbright English Teaching Assistant named Amy is the driver for all of these road trips. She has an incredible ability to drive all day and not get crabby which I am extremely thankful for because I'm not so sure I would have the patience for the wrong turns and windy roads. To answer your question though, no you do not need an international driver's license to drive here.
ReplyDeleteDo I understand that you rode up the chairlift? Please make a comparison to a local (US Midwest) ski area. Do you know the typical ski temperatures and the length of the season? The sign implies that the parking is public owned. Was the ski area owned by a private group or the Cypriot government? Did you notice the charges for lift tickets?
ReplyDeleteWe did ride up the chairlift! It was 2 euros to ride round trip up and back down (charges for a full day lift ticket was something like 20-25 euros). From what we could tell, it was the only lift and couldn't have gone up more than 200 vertical feet (slightly taller than Sunburst Ski Area maybe?).
ReplyDeleteThe Cyprus Ski Club & Federation sounds like it started during the British occupation of the island in the late 40's and they continue to put on any events that occur at the hill. I guess I'm not sure if it's a state run institution or not: http://www.cyprusski.com/MAIN/default.aspx
Here's a link to the history of skiing in Cyprus: http://www.skicyprus.com/troodos/history/