Early start with Jane and Bill as we go to the village of Kakopetria in the Troodos Mountains. Larnaca to Nicosia and then turn left inti the mountains, the farthest reaches of which are snowcapped and nearly 2000 metres above sea level. We don't go that high, but we do start encountering a different Cyprus, with clear air and more forests than fields.
Kakopetria, when we reach it, is charming and many of the houses in the old village have been lovingly restored. The oldest are supposed to date back as far as the 14th century. The village name is a compound meaning bad rock, a reference to one or more of the huge boulders that have rolled down the mountain side. Much of the charm is in the way the traditional stone and wood houses nestle in narrow lanes on slopes that are forested and cut by rushing streams crashing over the rocks. There are also house sized museums with olive and wine presses as well as a small church intriguingly named metamorphosis sotiros, meaning transfiguration salvation.
There was a traditional mill, dating back to the 17th century but the island stopped producing enough wheat and the mill fell into disuse. But there has been quite a bit of restoration and is now a wooden hotel and restaurant next to the mill. We explore the village and take photos of the lane in Jane's painting. Artistic licence has let her happily leave out the overhead wiring, as we can't do. Then a lovely lunch of grilled melt in the mouth trout from the mountain stream and south over the mountains and through little villages until we reach Limassol and head back to Larnaca. Super day.
