Oktberfest at Aphrodite Hills

Along with a number of friends we had the pleasure of attending an unforgettable Oktoberfest evening at the stunning Aphrodite Hills Golf Course in Cyprus. This luxurious resort, known for its world-class golf and breathtaking Mediterranean views, transformed into a Bavarian wonderland for one night, bringing together the best of German culture, beer, food, and live music in an idyllic setting.

The venue was adorned with classic Bavarian décor—think blue and white checkered banners, long communal tables, and the warm glow of festoon lights hanging under the evening sky. The smell of sizzling bratwursts and freshly baked pretzels filled the air. The serving girls were dressesdin tradional serving costumes and a number of male guest were decked out in Lederhosen.

The entertainment for the night was equally impressive. The Manaloop Project Duo kicked off the evening, filling the space with an eclectic blend of live electronic music. Their performance was unique—mixing smooth beats with live instruments, they created a chilled yet dynamic vibe that got everyone swaying in their seats, building anticipation for the night ahead.

Then, as the night unfolded, the headlining act took the stage: Minus One, a renowned rock band in Cyprus, and they did not disappoint. Their energy was infectious, and as they performed both classic rock hits and original songs, the crowd couldn’t help but get on their feet. The fusion of rock music with the festive Oktoberfest ambiance was a perfect match. Minus One delivered a high-octane show, and by the end of their set, everyone was cheering for more.

Football night in Kolossi

 Rob and Peter drove over to the Alphamega stadium in Kolossi to see the football match between Aris Limassol against Omonia Nicosia.

 Aris Limassol secured a hard-fought 2-0 victory against Omonia Nicosia in an intense evening clash at the Alphamega Stadium, with drama unfolding through two crucial VAR decisions and a red card that shaped the outcome.

From the start, Aris showed attacking intent, pressing high and looking dangerous. Omonia's defense held firm in the opening minutes, but Aris came close several times.

The final whistle saw Aris Limassol celebrate a hard-fought win, with the combination of smart defending, crucial VAR decisions, and Omonia's wastefulness contributing to their victory.

Kieran & Chriso's Wedding reception

 Nestled in the serene, traditional Cypriot village of Alektora, this enchanting evening wedding celebration took place in a sprawling outdoor venue, surrounded by towering palm trees adorned with delicate strings of fairy lights.

This was the venue for the Wedding party of  Chriso and Kieran. We had been kindly invited to the evening reception by Kieran's parents, Sarah and John.

On arriving at the venue we were greeted by a lone piper dressed in full regalia. The guests then lined up to to meet and greet the happy couple and their parents in a beautifully andored marquee. 

The evening's entertainment mirrored the mix of the Scottish and Cypriot cultures. It started out with some modern chilled music played by a local DJ. This was followed by some traditional Cypriot music played live on a  bouzouki and organ.

Next came a local singer, Kirsty Dewar, who soon got the guests up on to the dance floor. The happy couple then cut the cake and toasted their guests as fireworks lit up behind them.

Traditional Cypriot hot and cold food was served throughout the evening as well as a complimentary bar.

A Cypriot Wedding in Pissouri

 There’s something magical about village weddings, especially when they unfold under the vast Cypriot sky and we were kindly invited to the evening wedding party of Argyris and Stella. We took the short stroll over to the venue with Mary and Steve, Lowri and Ollie.

The happy couple had been married earlier in the day at St Andrew's, our local village church in Pissouri.

The wedding party took place on the village's football field, string lights were hung from one end to the other, weaving a twinkling canopy of stars over the festivities. 

Local musicians filled the air with the melodic sounds of the bouzouki and violin, playing traditional Cypriot folk songs that echoed through the village of Pissouri, as the locals took to the dance floor to show off their Greek dancing skills.

Cardiff visitors , Podcast and an Anniversary Lunch

 We drove over to Paphos  to catch up with our two friends, Mike and Kath, who were over on holiday from Cardiff, UK.

Rob and Mike grew together in the Grangetown area of the City. They went all through Junior school, High school and college before losing contact and only meeting up again last year.

Using Artificial Intelligence to make a podcast about this Blog.

To celebrate Mike and Tina's wedding anniversary they kindly invited us for Sunday lunch at the Two Arches taverna in the village of Prastio, we were also joined by nine other guests.

Georgenia and the family made us feel so welcome at their typical Cypriot taverna.

We started off our lunch with salad, toasted bread, a variety of dips and local olives.

 The special on the menu was Kleftiko,  lamb slowly cooked in an outside oven over several hours, served with Cypriot potatoes. 

We finished off with honey covered pancakes and Cypriot brandies.

Kato Pyrgos - Day 3

 We woke up to a change in the weather, strong winds blew in and the life guards put out the red warning flags on the beach.

We hopped into the car and headed towards the lookout point that sits on the outskirts of the town, close to the Turkish border of Northern Cyprus. 

The lookout point has superb views of the town and in the other direction are views of out to Morphou bay. There is a small ruin at the top of the lookout point but sadly no information about it.

We the stopped off at Drakas beach for a coffee at a local cafe that overlooks the small beach.

 For lunch we visited Alexis restaurant that sits right on the seafront, infact some of the waves crashed over it the courtyard of the restaurant. 

The Alexis is primarily a fish restaurant and we all enjoyed our meals sitting outside, underneath old grapes vines that gave excellent shade from the afternoon sun.

Kato Pyrgos- Day 2

 The day started with Rob going for a walk around the beach as the dawn broke over Omega bay.

After breakfast we made our way over to the Omega beach bar that sits above the bay next to the hotel. The Omega beach bar has undergone renovations and has a lovely shaded area next to the restaurant overlooking the sea.

We made base camp and the wandered down to the beach for a cooling swim in the sea.

In the evening we made our way to the Klimataria restaurant  to watch a local singing duo. There was a good crowd of locals who took to dance floors to show off their Cypriot dancing skills.

The owner of the restaurant was even kind enough to drop us off back to our hotel.