Trip To Spring

From Avdimou to Episkopi

Finally the rainy and cold winter is over, but just as the grey clouds are gone so is Philip who's instead of Brexiting has Brexined, leaving the task of any further exploration for me.

Since we have moved out of Limassol, I enjoy my days more, especially now that everything is so green. The countryside has many charms but as the Cypriot spring is a very limited period, I better get going! One a sunny Saturday morning I decided to look around in the "neighborhood" and spontaneously turned right after Pissouri, following the sing of Avdimou bay.

The road immediately became bumpy and narrow, curves after curves, and in no time I found myself in the middle of endless rapeseed flower fields and vine lands.

I have always loved this time of the year, when everything is so colourful. Its just makes me smile.

The sea was already visible on the horizon and it took only another 2-3 minutes to reach the bay. For the first sight it looked liked I ended up again in some abandoned places. Ruins, a forgotten sunbed and a few chickens were my only companion there.

The water was calm and blue, a pleasant sensation of the cool spring breeze was tickling my skin and in a short distance I could see a dome or chapel like building that I just had to have a closer look on. Not a single person was around, I could only hear the birds and bees and the slow stream of Avdimou river, which I followed until it reached the sea. The shore was pebbly and surrounded by deserted buildings which were used for storing carobs until 3 decades ago.

I have climbed up to the top of the red cliffs where the small, abandoned dome was laying. According to what the locals can recall, it was a small Muslim monument but by now its one time glory has faded away for good. The view from there however was really beautiful.

For a brief moment I have contemplated to let the inner child win and roll down the green crop field but then I remembered, there would be no one there to assist me with a broken ankle so I slowly walked back to the car, planning my next destination.

I must admit, exploring alone was not as fun but it was still just morning hours so I did not want to go home yet. I kept driving towards the village hoping to find something equally beautiful as the beach was. Apparently Avdimou and its surrounding area had more to offer than I could have imagined. Once I left the village behind old olive trees and wild-growing shrubbery followed me on the way. I stopped the car and walked through a chamomile field until the edge of the rocks.

I thought my ears were ringing because I happened to hear some fast water flow from somewhere below but no matter how hard I looked, I didn't see anything. Challenge was accepted though, I had to find the source of the noise so I quickly got back in the car and drove along the main road until I saw the Waterfall sign.

I have an admiration for waterfalls, but in the same time I can be picky when it comes to their heights, after having visited some dripping "taps" people generously called waterfalls. This time however I was not left disappointed. The hills around formed distinctive valleys and small canyons, and the water was crashing from the edge of a cliff with great force, falling into a big, green "crater".

I have climbed to the edge of the white, flat rocks despite the warning signs and sat down to enjoy the breathtaking view.

There was no way to trek down the hill without a guide and proper kit, and again, the same prospect of a broken ankle was still not appealing so I stayed still and enjoyed my time, hanging my legs above the abyss.

It was way past lunch time and I was in two minds whether or not to go home, driving back as slow as I could and just when I reached the exit to Pissouri sign on the motorway I stepped on the gas and continued my trip to the unknown.

I knew I did not want to go to Paphos or any populated places so I took the liberty and turned away from the town at the first round about. I drove through Konia, Marathounta and Armou before arriving to Episkopi which I have previously heard of. The village is hidden in a wonderful natural environment on the east bank of the Ezousa river.

But the thing I wanted to see the most was the big Rock. For some mysterious reason locals also refer to it as Meteora of Cyprus, but I must admit it was hard to find any resemblance between the two places.

It was however truly beautiful. Photos cannot really give back the feeling of how tiny we are, when standing at the feet of the Great Rock. The tranquility and silence was magical. A young boy was around only, playing on the wooden stage, singing loud and using the echo of the valley as amplifier.

Under the rocks I saw the ruins of a small church, which I later learnt, was the home of Saint Ilarionas and destroyed after an earthquake at the same time when the rock itself got damaged.

A new church was built later on the peak of the hill from where a steep trekking trail allows you to climb the rock. ( I still have to improve my lung capacity before I dare to climb!)

My day was about to end, the air became colder and the sun was setting in an hour so I had nothing else to do but get back home finally.

The peace, calmness, the wildness of the locations has made my trip truly amazing.