Cyprus Walking Friends

Coming from a part of Canada renowned for its hiking, I wasn't sure what to expect in Cyprus. We were certainly impressed by what we found! We walked from east to west, over mountain tops, through valleys, into villages, and to monasteries. We saw vineyards and toured a winery. We learned so much about the history and geology of the Troodos as well as the lush and abundant flora and fauna.

We can't say enough about our leaders. Christine planned an excellent itinerary that both challenged us and took into account our walking style and ability. She creatively managed the reduced number of daylight hours by recruiting other drivers and adapting the itinerary.

She shared with us her limitless knowledge and her passion for Cyprus, the Troodos, and walking. But most of all, her warmth made us feel we were longtime friends.

Merlyn walked with us for some of the days. She was a wonderful asset as well, providing advice and aids from her physiotherapy experience to deal with sore joints.

Sue walked with us on Saturday, Thursday, and Friday. Like Christine, she was warm and had a great sense of humor. She also was an avid naturalist, showing us moufflon tracks and enabling us to have an actual moufflon sighting.

We were both delighted with our accomodation. The first night we stayed at the Olive Cottage, a darling little house that met our needs perfectly. Christine and Sue had stocked up the fridge and we had ample provisions for breakfast and lunch. They even provided a thermos for a warm drink and an umbrella in case of rain.

The next night saw us falling into the lap of luxury at the Villa Manderina. We had wonderful rooms, baths, and a private veranda. Heather, who runs the Villa Manderina, pampered us throughout out stay, making delicious and nutritious breakfasts, lunches, and suppers. She made some wonderful Cypriot dishes and generously shared the recipes. She was also such a warm and friendly person. It was always a pleasure to come downstairs and visit with her and Charley Boy, her lovely ragdoll cat.

My sister and I joked that we felt that we had been adopted by the Trimiklini community. We went to quizz night at the taverna on Wednesday night, we were invited to a Cypriot dinner by Merlin's Tony on Friday night, and Heather even invited her neighbors to supper one night to meet us. We were facinated by the active lives everyone seems to lead, complete with volunteerism, language, cooking, and dance classes, to name just a few!

Christine, Sue, Merlyn, Heather, and Tony we thank you so much for an unforgetable week!

Gaby and Ursula

XXOOXX