After a quick tour of Nicosia we headed for the South-East coast with the beautiful beaches and trendy bars.

Good times with the Poullis clan in Nicosia. Families are growing, and the seeds are back safe (literally)!

Another visit to memory-lane! We used to camp here, back in the late 80’s. Now, everything has changed, except of course the water and the rocks.

Quite the moving reunion. How not to! I saw cousins I haven’t seen for ages. I saw their kids that grew up. Spent the night with my daughter Aliki and her friend.
I love you all. It’s been awesome to see you all and reconnect.

Going back to our unique camping spot at the Baths of Aphrodite area was both cleansing and moving. Takis Takkas is gone, but I could still feel his presence everywhere. His youngest daughter, now in her 30’s, was then only a newborn baby.

According to the legend, Petra tou Romiou (Πέτρα του Ρωμιού – Rock of the Greek) is the site of the birth of the goddess Aphrodite (aka Venus).

The present name Petra tou Romiou  associates the place with the exploits of the hero Basil as told in the Digenes Akritas. Basil was half-Greek (Romios) and half-Arabic, hence the name Digenes (two-blood). Legend tells that the Christian Basil hurled the huge rock from the Troodos Mountains to keep off the invading Saracens.

Petra tou Romiou is a famous Cyprus landmark, widely depicted on post cards and tourist brochures.

Petra tou Romiou

Up at the tourist pavilion

Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty, emerging from the foam in this very area.

Up at the tourist pavilion

Up at the tourist pavilion

Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty, emerging from the foam in this very area.

Up at the tourist pavilion

Kourion (Greek: Κούριον) or Latin: Curium, is an ancient Greek city on the southwestern coast of Cyprus, the surrounding Kouris River Valley being occupied from at least the Ceramic Neolithic period (4500-3800 BCE) to the present. The most significant excavated remains on the acropolis of Kourion are dated to the Hellenistic to Early Byzantine periods. In the mid-1st century Christianity was introduced to Kourion, presumably by Saints Paul and Barnabas during Paul’s first missionary journey.

Despite the scorching heat at noon, we walk around the theater and enjoy the spectacular views of the sea shore below. In every corner Paress asks: “Daddy, is this new? Is that new?” She is pointing to the modern spotlights, to the modern stage, the aluminum rail bars. “No honey, there was no electricity back then, 2500 years ago”. I think she is now beginning to grasp the notion of 2500 years of history …

Ancient Theater, Kourion

Paress was chasing a lizard!

Spectacular view from up there!

Spectacular view!

Really like the new roof protective shield!

Paress was impressed with the floor mosaics!

Floor mosaic.

Floor mosaics. Nowadays, we only choose carpets...

New protective roof. Really liked it!

Modern stage. Theater and concerts still going strong!

Paress was chasing a lizard!

Spectacular view from up there!

Spectacular view!

Really like the new roof protective shield!

Paress was impressed with the floor mosaics!

Floor mosaic.

Floor mosaics. Nowadays, we only choose carpets...

New protective roof. Really liked it!

Modern stage. Theater and concerts still going strong!

On our way to Aphrodite’s Baths, I couldn’t resist stopping by the Kolossi Castle in Limassol and offer Paress a unique opportunity to visit and actually enter a real castle!

Kykkos Monastery, founded around the end of the 11th century (Greek: Ιερά Μονή Κύκκου or Κύκκος), is one of the wealthiest and best-known monasteries in Cyprus. Big thanks to my dear cousin Marios for driving us there, up on the Troodos mountains.

Mackenzie Beach in Larnaka was always beautiful. Now ever better, with a lavish bar scene!

What a day! First live soccer match for Paress! Big “thank you” to my cousin Sophocles Poullis.

We have arrived to my birthplace, the island of Aphrodite, Goddess of love and beauty. Cyprus, a golden – green leaf, thrown in the Mediterranean Sea…