Pre Christmas Weekend in Eastern Cyprus

On a crisp Autumn morning we jumped in the car, left Pissouri and headed towards the Eastern side of the island. Our base for our short stay was the Pyla/ Orolinki area,  which lies just East of the town of Larnaca. 

We met up with our old friends, Paul and Jude and headed over to the traditional Christmas market in the forest. This was a impressive market with nearly 200 stalls and a variety of food and drink outlets.

Our first stop was at the Soli gin stall where they were giving out samples of the three types of gin that are brewed locally.

We then made a quick stop at the Czech beer stand where a very informative guy told us about the different Czech beers he had on offer.

We continued walking through the forest path that were lined with an unbelievable variety of good on sale, mostly hand made.

We finished off our evening with a visit to the Porche bar where we were made very welcome by the owner and the locals.

Two Christmas markets in Cyprus

The first Christmas market took place at Elea golf course near Paphos, Mandy and Tania strolled around the numerous stalls that were selling food and handmade crafts.

There was a live DJ playing festive tunes as Father Christmas turned up to give out gifts to the children.

A small classic car show was just outside the clubhouse and Mandy made sure that she had her photograph taken with the star of the show, a classic Rolls Royce. 

The second Christmas market took place, on a very chilly afternoon down in Pissouri bay, the main road was closed off to allow some stalls to be set up and for the guests to walk around in safety.

The bars and restaurants did a roaring trade and it was good to see so many locals supporting the occasion. 

As dusk fell, a Christmas tree was lit up and singer, Ben Mills, entertained the large crowd, as a small stage was set up on the side of the street.

A small train with a couple of carriages was giving the children a ride around the local streets. 

Brandy tasting in Pissouri

 The G. Theophanous Winery was the venue for a brandy tasting afternoon in Pissouri. Along with brandy tasting the guests also enjoyed some lovely platters of food.

The tasting room was intimate, with stone walls and wooden beams that told stories of time and tradition. The air was infused with the sweet, caramel-like aroma of aged brandy, mixed with subtle notes of oak and dried fruits.

Their host, George, guided them  through the tasting, starting with the youngest, lightest brandy. It was smooth and spirited, leaving a fleeting warmth as it slid down. 

Interesting fact: This winery is the closest to the sea in Cyprus,  less than a mile from the Mediterranean sea. 

New Podcast - Beyond the engine room

Rob's new podcast as a ex Marine Fitter and his Life, work and travels in Ship Repair.

Now available on Spotify, Apple podcasts and You Tube,

Pelendri Zivania Festival

 We set out on a crisp November morning, excited for the Zivania Festival in Pelendri. Our friends Steve and Mary joined us, eager to experience the lively festivities and, of course, sample some of Cyprus's famed Zivania. As we entered Pelendri, the village was buzzing with life—locals and visitors alike filled the streets, wandering among stalls offering everything from handmade crafts to delicious Cypriot sweets. The aroma of souvlaki cooking over open flames wafted through the air, mingling with the crisp mountain breeze.

The village square was where the heart of the festival beat strongest. A traditional Cypriot band played on stage, the lilting sounds of the bouzouki mixing with upbeat folk songs. We joined the crowd, clapping along as locals danced, the joy on their faces contagious. Steve and Mary couldn’t help but be swept up by the energy, and we laughed as they tried a few steps with some locals, their enthusiasm more than making up for their lack of rhythm.

By early afternoon, we made our way to the Symposio restaurant, where the owner, Nicos, greeted us warmly. He treated us like family, ushering us to a large table and soon, a feast arrived. The meze kept coming—tender lamb, halloumi, tahini, and a parade of other traditional dishes, each more flavorful than the last. Nicos insisted we try his favorite Zivania, and we toasted to good friends and a wonderful day.

As the sun dipped behind the mountains, casting a warm glow over the village, we reluctantly

our farewells and set off back to Pissouri. The drive home was filled with laughter and contentment, our hearts full from a day of tradition, friendship, and true Cypriot hospitality.

Pafos FC in Europe

European  conference football returned to the Limassol stadium with the match between Pafos FC against Astana of Kazakhstan.

On a notably cooler evening in Cyprus, the crowd were bundled up against the drop in temperatures. 

Pafos completely dominated the game but wasted numerous chances in front of goal .

Pafos had to wait until the 87th minute before Anderson headed in a deserved winner.

Halloween and The Big storm

The charity group, The Pissouri jewellery club held their Halloween party in the Ampeli restaurant.  There were a number of good costumes and along with quality food and spooky drinks,  a good night was had by all.

A huge electrical storm, said to be the most severe in fifeteen, swept into Cyprus on Saturday and Pissouri felt the brunt of it. We were sitting in the Pissouri square coffee shop when the heavens opened up, along with high winds the streets soon resembled small rivers as the water cascaded down. 

As we sat enjoying a quiet drink, the door burst open and approximately 30 youngsters came running in try to escape the weather. 

The Mystery Bus trip

 It was an early start on a beautiful morning for this year's Mystery Bus trip. We joined around 35 people who boarded the bus in Pissouri and headed towards Limassol and then to The Troodos mountains. 

Our first stop was a The Katerina Cyprus Sweets near the village of Dhoros. The number of homemade sweets, jams and picked items is very extensive. 

We then drove towards the Troodos mountains, slowly climbing upwards through the tree lined vallies. Our destination was The Troodos botanical gardens. We walked over to the visitors centre where we listened to a talk about the mountain  region and the history of the local asbestos mine by a Park ranger.

We then had some time to stroll around the small garden area and  admire the forest  views towards Limassol. We did notice  the drop in temperature as we were at nearly 2000 metres. 

We then stopped off at a view point that overlooks the site of the old Amiantos Mine, which once again gives tremendous views of the surrounding area.

We drove on through Platres and continued the steep descent to the outskirts of the village of Omodos where our next stop was the Oenou Yi winery. 

Firstly we went out out onto the veranda to take in the view of the surrounding vineyards and the village Omodos just a kilometre away.

We then took a informative tour of the  fermentation plant, the storage area, the bottling plant and the area of wooden casks that stores their "Holy Cross" .

Then we walked up to one of the tasting rooms where we tasted 3 white wines, one red wine and a glass of the Holy Cross desert wine. We then bought a couple of bottles of our favourite wine, the Xynisteri.

Refuelled and it was back on the bus and we headed for our lunch stop at Agios Amvrosios at the Sykaminia taverna. 

Lunch was a mini meze and a bottle of wine from the local Zambartas winery served in the taverna's picturesque courtyard .

From Agios Amvrosios it was the just a short journey back home to Pissouri after an enjoyable day out. A big "Thank you" to Tanya and Bob for organising the whole day out.