Cyprus

Clare's House

I have been taking a few days holiday in Cyprus, staying with Clare in her lovely house here.

My first impressions of Cyprus on the journey from Larnaca were not altogether good. There was a lot of litter, not much green vegetation and a lot of ugly new villa developments which seemed to have completely replaced the local vernacular. Away from the coast however things improved and Clare's little village of Pachna still has a few of the old stone houses, Clare's among them.

We have spent the last few days in the Troodos mountains - the pine forested, rocky centre to the island. Here, development has been controlled and there seems to be more respect for the natural environment. The old centre of the village of Kakopetria is virtually 'unspoiled' and one can glimpse the original Cyprian architecture. The houses are built of rendered mudbricks, have large balconies on their upper floors and the houses are tightly packed together in a maze of tiny streets. No need for air conditioning with an architecture which has developed to respond to the island's climate. So sad that Cyprus has lost so much of it's heritage.

Kakopetria

...and yes Jon, Clare's house has a swimming pool.