NOTE: This is a first attempt at putting pictures up and captions so I hope they are sunchronized. If not try to connect them!
Hi everyone! It is good to get your messages and pictures. Here are some from this morning!
Here Marain is peeling an apple as we stop in the village of Galata. It is about 60 km west and slightly south of Nicosia. The apples are just coming in season and so we bought two kinds - delicious and gala. Notice that behind Mom that we are in the mountains as far as they go here - up to about 2000 m.
A Cypriot beauty who is seen holding a branch of the national fruit - olives. I have found some olives in a store which are less salty and so I really enjoy them for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
If you look carefully in this photo, you not only see the mountains but the terraced mountains suggesting that every available space is used for cultivation.
You know I like doors and this is one on the church which is a few pictures down the list. Note that the painting above the door was vandalized by one of the marauding nations - probably the Turks because as Muslims they have no tolerance of Christians and their art!
A beautiful specimen evergreen of some form which seemed so lush in the arid conditions which cover the island at this season of the year. The landscape is at its worst as we approach the end of the dry season. Rains should begin in another month or so.
Marian ringing the bell outside the old church. This is a world heritage site with all of its nearby churches. The one in front of which she is standing (no picture) is actually a church built over a church to protect it from further deterioration. It goes back to the fifteenth century and was built after the 14th century invasion of the Venetians.
Marian and the tank! Both seem to work well and are solidly built! The cart lacks power which necessitates a lot of shifting and turing off the AC!
Here's the little old church I mentioned. I have been in it previously and the art is magnificent but unfortunately is declining with age - like us!
Figs are a frequent metaphor in Scripture and this is an example of soon to be ripe figs. The fresh ones taste so much different than the dried ones and are certainly less sweet.
This is the last picture in Galata and as we were getting into the car I saw this nearby pine tree with this expressive bark - so deeply fissured which reminded me of some of the old faces I have seen - weathered and deeply grooved with the passage and ravages of time. This trunk seemed to speak of trying times in the mountains with the weather modulating from the cold snows of winter (there is snow in Cyprus mountains - 3 to 4 feet!) to the desert-like conditions at the end of the dry season. But through it all, it has developed a deep bark (skin) which protects it even in the severe experiences of weather to continue to grow and overcome!
Now on to the village of Kakopetria - bad rock - here a small stream used in past centuries to power a nearby mill rushes down the valley wall bring coolness and refreshment. The dude in the picture refused to move until a picture was taken!
Here the stream goes under a Roman style arched bridge to flow along the valley floor and reaches Galata where the oldest water driven mill in Cyprus still works! I like this scene for the mysterious invitation it seems to relay.
The next pictures are from the old village area as will be evident. Here, an outdoor oven, similar to the ones we have seen in Quebec are still used to bake the daily bread - Everywhere I go I see the Scripture come alive in new ways!
A narrow side street - no cars fit along this one - with potted plants and wooden balconies reached by steep wooden stairs closer to being a ladder than stairs - space here on the side of the valley is in short supply so every square metre is precious!
The sign at left gives the name of the street but for us it should be only a foot path since no vehicle can hope to navigate!
These next two shots are of the church tower in the old village - the church is still used and has been recently refurbished. I love the stark white against the deep blue of the sky here. The second shot uses an olive tree to hide some less attractive aspects lower down.
Look carefully here! This is the main street of the village. Notice the overhanging second storey porches and the three people in conversation on the street. This is a vehicle street - only one car wide! Reminds me a little of the York Shambles in England.
I stopped to take a picture of the bowl of figs and immediately from the left the lady came out. I guess she was watching behind a curtain. We bought some of the grapes which were soooooo goooood! They were probably grown on someone's trellis nearby! Mom also purchased a bottle of rose water - actually this lady made it and I think somehow she gets the water to smell like roses.
Here are some of the preserves which the same lady made - one of them, actually the dark on quite a ways away is actually green walnuts which have been preserved, shell and all! I tasted one in a restaurant and it was creepy - what you know is hard - the shell - through the preserving process has become soft and is nothing like the texture you expect. The flavour - sweet like the syrup. Below are jars of the preserved fruit in larger pieces and below that are what she called marmalades. Jams, I guess!
Another interesting street scene.
These are the type of grapes we bought and could have actually come from this arbor!
Some dude who found some water to wash off his sticky hands from the grapes!
Two flower - - - pots! Marian wants to bring one like on the left home - in her dreams!!!
The type of signs we deal with now - Greek and English. 
Marian shot this one of a lady preparing barbequed chicken for the tourist trade which flocks to this town. I was warned not to try and go on Sunday as the narrow streets would have made navigation virtually impossible with the tank!
On the way home we stopped at a bustling grocery store where we picked up some things we needed. I am holding only part - about half of a squash which I anticipate will be like our butternut squash - at least I hope so! I asked Mom if she could use it to make a pumpkin pie but we don't have a pie plate! I will see what we can improvise!Well. I hope you enjoyed out trip as much as we did! We are now home and had our lunch about three o'clock! It was very delicious - half a ripe tomato each, half a cucumber each, some purchased red beet salad (just a little) I had five large black low salt olives, and then a little chicken with vegetables which were left overs. While waiting for the left overs to warm, we toasted a Cypriot pita (oval rather than round and slightly different texture) and shared it with some tatziki! Such healthy eating! We are starting to enjoy it!
Any of the pictures is much larger but I downsized them to show you by email. Perhaps if you know a way to get bigger pictures while being small file sizes you could let me know. I know they are much better large! If you would like to see any of them larger, please let me know.
Until next time - our love to each and everyone of you!
David
posted by David & Marian Sloss @ 6:24 AM
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