Driving into Kathikas you first notice how narrow and winding are the streets. Stone buildings, tavernas, grocery stores and homes line the streets. Note the plastic food totes, all bottled beverages come in glass or plastic & a deposit are required. Red terracotta blocks stacked in front of the building are typical building material throughout the island; did they run out of stones? Doubt it!
These are huge hot pink geraniums growing over a courtyard wall. Olive trees and Oleander bushes bloom alongside for color and privacy. A feast for the eyes!
The welcome center is the original 1-room school house. Inside was beautifully cool; it featured displays of agricultural products, maps, flora and fauna of the region and chairs for resting. Big round item is a terracotta pot; we saw these all over the island. At one point they may have held water (or wine), but now seem purely decorative.
OOPS In the visitor's courtyard are these two stone busts, one a Cypriot statesman and the other appeared military. (The writing was all in Greek) They sit at the edge of a large stone square and with the Greek Orthodox church on the other side, appear to anchor the village's gathering area.
The best tended garden ever seen, immaculate. The figure by the doorway was a wonderfully dressed scarecrow. The silvery patina on the weathered wood, the aged stone structure, the chicken coop on the left and not a weed in sight - what a delightful find!
Scott was intrigued by this aged-metal lock on a garage door. It seemed purely old world.
So appreciated the old structures gracing the streets with the dignity of dowager aunts. Imagine these large doors and windows thrown open to capture the cool sea breezes.
Geraniums, growing along side a whitewashed wall, are taller than Christine (well, that isn't too difficult). The large aloe growing in upper courtyard, the scroll-work metal fence and the utilitarian water pipe and faucet certainly caught Scott's eye.
Delightful entrance to a private courtyard just across the stree from the vegtable garden. A typical blue door, offset with hanging baskets, terracotta pots and the wooden tough all filled with blooming flowers was just too pretty to pass unappreciated. We wondered about the fenced roof and the up-side-down horseshoe on the lintel.
Oops, must have really like this photo!
Being up in the hills, the climate is ideal for wine growing. We noticed numerous homes with grape arbors, but this was the only 2-story affair. Again, we observed the walled, private courtyard that was entered thru double doors. Thick, trellised vines (see well-pruned example by the door) and plantings of olive trees offer shade, as well as, bountiful harvest.
With all that walking, we worked up an appetite. We heard of Imogen's Inn Taverna from a Scottish couple at The Last Castle (Christine's favorite meal). Imogen's features about 15 shaded outside tables and a large, delightfully dark and cool rustic inner room. Shared a Keo beer (our last of the trip) while enjoying the wait for our entrees. Lunch of stuffed cabbage leaves, spinach pie and eggplant/lamb mousaka was excellent. Yes, that is three entrees, but we were running out of time and wanted to try everything that looked good on the menu.
Just after lunch we walked down the street and turned the corner to this lovely little side street. Of course Christine had to see if there were anymore hidden treasures in this lovely little village.
There was, at the back of the building, a bonus of more carefully tended pots: cactus & succulents, geraniums, oleaners, herbs. Brilliant, simply brilliant...Kathikas Village was exactly what I'd pictured a Cypriot village to resemble: small and closely set rock buildings, vine-covered courtyards, pots large and small overflowing with flowers in a riot of colors and blue doors/windows. Exploring this village on foot, we were rewarded with glimpses of daily life. Turning a corner on a back street we found an old woman (dressed all in black) sitting in the shade shelling peas. Our efforts brought well-tended gardens & lovely little homes, simple but pristine. Another vegtable garden was border with huge plants we'd never seen - artichokes! We heard two women (again all in black) chatting in a courtyard, who paused congenially to greet us as we passed. Olive trees, as well as, lime, lemon and oranges trees spilling their colorful bounty over the high walls were another bonus. It was a splendid 3 hours spent wandering about an absolutely delight-fill village.
One last photo, this of a curved doorway on a flatiron building. It's well weathered and peeling Mediterranean blue paint offers a glimpse, in a doorway, to Cyprus' turbulent and romantic past! Love to All,
Scott and Christine
lovely picturess of kathikas, we are staying there right now
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