Pafos - sunset/night stroll

The last video actually comes with a story: Zara and I had decided to fly out to Cyprus together. When we were in the check-in queue, we got slightly worried that we might not be able to sit together on the plane. So we came up with a fail-safe plan: if we couldn't get seats next to each other, I'd get down on one knee and propose to her in front of everyone!

Luckily, we didn't have to go through with our plan because we got our seats. But we both thought we should keep an eye out for an engagement ring whilst in Cyprus should we need it for our return flight back to England. Of course, there was absolutely no way I was going to convincingly kiss my 'fiance'. But we figured a sparkly ring might just do the trick.

Kourion/Pafos - road trip

On our road trip to Pafos via Kourion, I remember telling Dafni how I thought Cyprus was really barren - not quite the lush green you'd imagine this island paradise of Aphrodite to be. But apparently, summers here are so hot and dry (what with the recent drought) that only in the cooler and wetter winter months does the island take on its fertile Mediterranean appearance. For now however, the contrast between sun-baked earth and refreshing sea is simply spellbinding.



You can't hear very much except for Keane's (Dafni's Key-Anne) Somewhere Only We Know playing on the speakers but Zara's giving the low-down of the day's highlights thus far. And Pan is this Cypriot bloke reading Engineering at Cambridge who I think is absolutely yummy.

Kourion - Kourion beach

Lunch

Kourion - Sanctuary of Apollon Ylatis

Kourion - Ancient Kourion

Annexe of Eustolios




Amphitheatre

We (or maybe just the girls) thought it'd be a great idea to dance the syrtaki on stage and perform in a (ruined) amphitheatre. Don't even ask. Please ignore my camp inflexion at the end of the video.

Early Christian basilica




House of the Gladiators

Kourion - Kolossi Castle

Cape Greco - fish meze

Agia Napa - Nissi Beach

Agia Napa - night out

Mexican restaurant

Ambassaden bar

Club Seed

*photos have been censored due to illicit content

Protaras - Konnos Beach II

Protaras - Blue Spice

From left: Dafni, David, Zara, me.

This was where it all lead up to: our first ever debut performance of the syrtaki at the open-air restaurant and pool bar of the Blue Spice hotel. When Dafni's old dance coach heard that we'd been (trying) to learn the syrtaki, she suggested that we perform after her own dance school's show at the hotel.

We weren't sure at first but we did turn up just to watch the show and have a good night out. Well, when I say we, I meant David was uncomfortable with dancing a Greek folk dance in front of Cypriots who obviously know the dance well. But word got around the hotel, and I don't think the locals would have let a bunch of tourists (let alone tourists who dance) leave without dancing the syrtaki for them.

Note to readers:

1. Please excuse the bits of fudging at the start - apparently there are many different variations to the structure of the dance.
2. Please also excuse random people in the shootage - there wasn't a good vantage point (or at least, there wasn't enough time to secure a good vantage point).
3. Please also excuse the loud whistling which would have probably blown your eardrums by now - Cypriots like to do this during their dances.

All in all, please excuse the poor quality of the video although the camerawoman did a pretty darn good job of it, I have to say.

Note to self:

The syrtaki is not a Latin American dance; fast spins, hips moving from the core, as well as kicks with good preparation and recovery are not appreciated. :p Although I'm sure my coach would still tell me to watch out for my posture and timing. ;)

We spent the rest of the night having impromptu dance lessons on traditional Greek/Cypriot dances. What can I say? All in all, it was quite Fun!

Protaras - Fig Tree Bay II

Yeah, so apparently it's Fig Tree Bay. We've all been calling it Victory Bay since the night we spent on it counting shooting stars. I didn't get a close-up shot but the signs all said 'Fig Tree Bay' in large bold uppercase letters.

Larnaka - Steph's bar

Alcohol. Karaoke. Enough said.

Lefkosia - lunch @ Shiantris

One of Lefkosia's hidden delights, Shiantris is named after its memorable owner who cooks up a fantastic array of seasonal beans with lemon, parsley and olive oil, and for carnivores, some meat dishes such as afelia (pork stewed in wine) or baked lamb. He greets everyone vociferously, pats people on the back and brings out fruit and Turkish delight after lunch. The restaurant was moving to a bigger space across the road, so it should be able to accommodate a few more hungry lunchers. A great place to immerse yourself in local life and cuisine.

Lonely Planet - Cyprus

I was greeted (albeit not vociferously) and we did get fruit after lunch. BUT we didn't get Turkish delight AND I didn't get my pat on the back. Humph!

***

When Dafni was in secondary school, she joined - aside from her other geeky interests such as the Ecology Club where she planted trees and cleaned up swamps - some sort of peacekeeping corp which aimed to reunify the divided island of Cyprus. During her membership with the society, she participated in conferences held in the States where both Greek and Turkish Cypriot students discussed (I presume) ways and means to bring the two parts of the island together. She also apparently organised a football match that had been postponed mid-match due to the 1974 invasion at the Green Line where both teams finished off the long-overdue match. Zara - who used to be on the basketball team, the netball team and the volleyball team in secondary school - says that she used to beat up girls from the Ecology Club. And Dafni thinks I'm taking the mickey whenever I mention the peackeeping corp but we all love her though, really.

North Nicosia - Buyuk Han

North Nicosia - Library of Sultan Mahmut II

North Nicosia - Selimiye Mosque