Nicosia, Cyprus

Since early last fall I've been granted an amazing opportunity- I've been writing and editing for Cyprus "PULSE" Magazine, a new lifestyle magazine on the island published by Pericles Nicolaides. I've written editorials and a few articles about various topics and I have to say that I'm flattered by the opportunity to take part in something so new and exciting. A few months ago I had the opportunity to travel to Cyprus to experience the island for myself, to meet the people and taste the flavors. Cyprus is really a paradise. 

I was received by our friends,  Phivos and Popi Nicolaides, they are the two of the most gracious hosts I've ever visited! 

On the first day of my visit we walked through old Nicosia and I fell in love with the character & charm of the old neighborhood and its buildings. Nicosia has been the capital of Cyprus since the 10th century. 

A narrow street in old Nicosia. 

This is the door on the House of Hadjigeorgakis Kornesios. This was originally a Venetian Building and it's probably one of the most important 18th century buildings in Nicosia. 

House of Hadjigeorgakis Kornesios

Phivos & Popi pose in front of the magnificent door of the House of Hadjigeorgakis Kornesios.

A deteriorated balcony. I can only imagine how beautiful this once was. 

These metal plaques are on the street. If you follow them, they will direct you to the city walls. 

 Very quaint & welcoming.

I love taking photos of doorways and windows. It was fairly difficult to take photos of some of the doorways because the streets are so narrow and there isn't much space to work with but I love how quaint the neighborhood is.  This entrance is beautiful. 

 Here's the Famagusta Gate. It's the only one of Nicosia's three old gates within the southern sector. Now it's the Lefkosia Municipal Cultural Centre where it hosts various exhibitions and performances. 

I've read about the Famagusta Gate before and it was almost surreal for me to  actually stand in front of it. A great experience.

Archbishop Kyprianos bust and the Agios Ioannis Cathedral. 

 Another narrow street. 

Eleftheria (Liberty) Monument in Nicosia constructed a few weeks before the Turkish invasion in 1974 and not yet inaugurated, for obvious reasons. 

Hamam Omerye...I didn't have time to experience their services, but one day I will make the time.

Inside Hamam Omerye 

A cafe near the Hamam. 

Inside Agios Antonios church in the old city of Nicosia. Popi is glad to explain details about the church to some English tourists. I was lucky to have the best tour guides as my hosts.  Listening and learning from their personal experiences was intriguing and I learned a lot from them. 

A cat in the garden  just outside of Agios Antonios church. 

Walking along the city streets we found a really cool motorcycle,  a perfect photo opportunity! 

I can imagine this is a fun place...

 Ledra Street off of  Eleftheria Square links the old Nicosia with the modern city. 

Phivos made a new acquaintance while waiting to cross the Green Line.  Another great photo opportunity! 

Later, we crossed the Green Line into the Turkish occupied side of Nicosia. There is a noticeable difference walking from one side to the other. On the Cypriot side there are elegant, modern shops and just beyond checkpoint on the Turkish occupied side is a marketplace. 

Silk cocoons for sale. 

In the courtyard of the Great Inn. This is a beautiful structure with an intriguing history is considered to be one of the finest buildings on the island. 

 A view of the Selimiye mosque, originally the Roman Catholic cathedral of Agia Sofia, is the oldest, and one of the finest examples of Gothic art in Cyprus, the work of the French masons who accompanied the Crusades. 

As we walked back to Ledra Street in Nicosia we stopped to chat with a friend of Popi & Phivos. 

Myself with Molly Zoeller(she graced the first cover of Cyprus Pulse), her fiancée Alkis,  Marios  and his lovely wife, Efi. 

We walked a lot that morning and after enjoying a nice lunch with new friends, we rested and then packed up and drove to Paphos for the weekend. 

While visiting, I was lucky enough to spend some time with the wonderful-sweet dog Buddy. 

I had a wonderful time in Nicosia, I have nothing but fond memories and throughly enjoyed my experience. I consider it an honor to have such warm and generous friends. 

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Mother's Day

A few beautiful images for Mother's Day...

 Personally, I think that there's nothing greater than being a mother. I'm always busy and it seems that I'm always tired- but at the end of each day I'm smothered with little hugs and kisses, and that feeling is incomparable. 

~Happy Mother's Day~

One of my Mother's day surprises. 

Signs of Spring

Spring has officially begun and even if it arrived with cold temperatures and rain, it's a welcome sight after a long winter.  And, although the calendar tells us it's spring I still love to rely on nature's cues. I love all of the spring flowers and blossoming trees. I try to get outside as much as possible to take in the awakening of my surroundings. 

Here are a few photos that I've taken recently that capture some signs of spring...

Tiny daisies blanket the landscape at a park...

These are my zoumboulies. They smell amazing!

Almond blossoms 

Almond tree

 Apricot blossoms

And finally, my littlest blossom loves to pick spring flowers for me. 

***

Happy Spring! 

Apokries 2011~ Clean Monday

Cute isn't she? This was the first of many hats and masks that she would bring home from school during Apokries/carnival season, which has kept us busy for the last few weeks. 

 My little bird says, "Chiou, chiou." 

I'm on the PTA/syllogo at Alexandra's school and we made soutzoukakia sandwiches for the children on Tsiknopempti or "Charred Thursday." Tskinopempti is the beginning of Apokries/Carnival in Greece.  Each sandwich consisted of 2 small soutzoukakia  and fries. We served the children at around 11:00am because many of them are finished with their day by noon. Alexandra is always thrilled when I'm at school helping with these events. What's really cute is that a lot of the children refer to me as "Ms. Alexandra" because they don't know my name but they know that I'm her mother. 

She had a wonderful time. 

One week later we had a costume party to attend. The kids were so excited and  I have to say that shopping for new costumes this year was a lot of fun. Alexandra was an angel, Foti a ninja, Izabella was Hannah Montana(again), and I wore a festive hat that Alexandra selected especially for me. 

At the party. 

There was a clown that entertained the children for a few hours. Here's Alexandra with her "weiner." 

By the end of the night, the balloons lost their cool shapes...somehow. 

So the costume party was over and we had the weekend ahead. This year we didn't go to Kozani or anywhere to see a parade. The weather forecast  for the weekend was cold and snowy so we decided to stay close to home. 

And the forecast for Clean Monday/Katheri Deftera was even less promising.  

The morning was dreary and gray. I started cooking the traditional  bean soup, fasolada, early so that it would be ready and warm when we returned from flying our kites. It's tradition to fly kites on Clean Monday and you can usually look up and see kites in the air everywhere throughout the day-which wasn't the case in our area this year. Since we didn't fly kites last year because of the snow and cold we experienced in Kozani, we promised the kids that nothing would keep us from going out this year.

As soon as we left the house to fly our kites it started to rain, then snow and then it rained again. But it didn't matter, we were going to stick with our plans. So, we drove to a beach nearby and found a nice open area, which was easy since there was only one other family at that location braving the cold weather, it was very quiet. I have to admit that this was the first time in my life that I flew a kite on a beach over the water. Very cool, except when you see your kite going down! Luckily, we were able to maneuver our kites away from the sea a few times and I'm happy to report that none of them took a dive. 

Alexandra flying her kite. 

 It's the first time she managed to keep one up on her own. 

Foti is always totally into it. I bought him a new kite this year and he couldn't wait to fly it.  

Although we managed to keep this one up in the air for a bit, we were mostly disappointed by its performance. 

His old- but trusty Spider-man kite flew much better. 

Foti flying his Spider-man kite. 

 Here's a shot of Izabella flying her Dora kite. She's had this one since she was two years old. It's still flying strong, even in the rain & snow. 

Izabella taking a break from the wind and snow. 

It did get very cold and after about an hour of fun we were frozen so we packed up and went home where I immediately served hot chocolate and coffee, a perfect way to warm up. And since everyone was hungry it was time for lunch. 

I served lagana, which is traditionally served on only one day each year...Clean Monday. 

Here's the fasolada I made. I've used Maria's recipe for the last few years and the kids love it. It's just as delicious as it looks. 

We also had olives and a side of  "paprika" to spread on our lagana. 

And finally, Makedonikos Halvas. 

Izabella dips her lagana into her fasolada. 

After lunch we lit a fire and relaxed- watching the wicked weather outside while staying cozy and warm inside.  This was one of the the quietest Apokries seasons that we've had since living in Greece and it was wonderful. Kali Sarakosti.

***

~Kyra Sarakosti~

Alexandra's Kyra Sarakosti  ~with no mouth which represents fasting, her hands are crossed in prayer and she has seven feet to represent the seven weeks of Lent. A foot is removed after each Saturday that passes until Easter. 

***

Frost

Winter has been mild this year but most mornings everything is covered in frost. Sometimes everything is so white that the kids try to convince me that it had snowed during the night. I say the same thing with every frost, "Looks like Jack Frost has been busy"...and then I explain the difference between snow and frost and they're  still thrilled. One by one they make trails in the frosty grass- the same way that they would in snow. 

I knelt down on my knees to take these photos while Foti stood patiently watching. The kids are very patient with me and my camera. The most wonderful part of my obsession with photography is that they're learning by watching. From uploading to editing and then posting on my blog- one (or all of them) is always near. When I started this post Foti was anxious for his turn on the computer. After he saw me upload the photos of the frosty leaves and blades of grass he asked if they were from the morning that he stood by my side. When I told him that they were, he wanted to look closer, enlarging them so that he could inspect the frozen images of the frost.  As soon as I finished showing him the photos, I talked about Jack Frost and read a few poems to him.

 Here's one classic that he enjoyed listening to me read. 

***

Jack Frost Poem 

~ Hannah F. Gould~ 

The Frost looked forth one still, clear night,

And whispered, “Now I shall be out of sight;

So, through the valley, and over the height,

In silence I’ll take my way.

I will not go on like that blustering train,

The wind and the snow, the hail and the rain,

That make such a bustle and noise in vain,

But I’ll be as busy as they!”

So he flew to the mountain, and powdered its crest;

He lit on the trees, and their boughs he drest

With diamonds and pearls; and over the breast

Of the quivering lake he spread

A coat of mail, that it need not fear

The downward point of many a spear

That he hung on its margin, far and near,

Where a rock could rear its head.

He went to the windows of those who slept,

And over each pane, like a fairy, crept;

Wherever he breathed, wherever he stepped,

By the light of the morn were seen

Most beautiful things; there were flowers and trees;

There were bevies of birds and swarms of bees;

There were cities with temples and towers; and these

All pictured in silvery sheen!

But he did one thing that was hardly fair–

He peeped in the cupboard, and finding there

That all had forgotten for him to prepare–

“Now, just to set them a-thinking,

I’ll bite this basket of fruit,” said he,

“This costly pitcher I’ll burst in three;

And the glass of water they’ve left for me

Shall ‘tchick’ to tell them I’m drinking!”

***