Beautiful Barcelona - The Basilica

We all have a list of places we wish to visit, but sometimes when we actually get there, they can be a bit of a disappointment or we can find that they are not quite as we had imagined. I have always wanted to visit Barcelona and on this occasion, I was delighted to say that it was even better than I had hoped, or imagined it would be!

The city has such a lot of charm; from its stunning gothic quarter and winding cobbled streets to its vibrant cafés and restaurants. For many pole the highlight is undoubtedly the Basilica of the Sagrada Familia designed by Catalonian architect Antoni Gaudi. It is indeed an amazing sight although much of the outside was covered due to maintenance and reconstruction work, when I visited. But this did not reduce its splendor!

Outside, the famous Gaudi façade is amazing. The intricacy of the stone masonry is quite breath-taking; telling the life story of Jesus from his birth to his crucifixion.

            Inside the cathedral the stain glass windows shimmer beautifully with light through the neo-gothic designs.  Gaudis’ inspiration is for the internal design of the Basilica is the splendor of nature. The internal vaults have been created by pillars which resemble tree trunks stretching to the ceiling; creating an intricate illusion of an indoor forest. I have added some photos to give a visual impression, but the feeling of peace and tranquility, despite the many tourists, is something which cannot be captured here, in mere words!

The external facade

Stained glass and pillars

The illusion of the forest

The baldachin of the presbytery

This hyperboloid structure caps vault of the apse!

The suffering of Christ

Having a wonderful time!

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Oroklini Spring 2013

As spring announces its welcome arrival, there is enough sunshine in Cyprus to warm any weary heart. No one can deny there has been a lot of stress in the village, since the financial crisis, but Cyprus has a historic and vivid history, and the current drama is yet another chapter in its long and colourful story. Having lived Oroklini village for seven years, I have seen many changes, there are more bars, more shops, and much more development; but despite all of the changes, the village has retained its character and is surrounded by natural beauty. Oroklini Lake is a wonderful place to spot both common and unusual birds species. The lake is famous for attracting flamingos and also the Black winged Stilt and the Spur-winged Plover. The wetlands look beautiful at dawn, and it is not unusual to spot bird watchers out there at sunrise!


Oroklini is a traditional Cypriot village of immense character, set against a stunning mountain backdrop. There are many stone built, traditional white washed houses, such as my friend’s house in the second picture. This photograph was taken by my husband and is featured on the cover my new mystery novel (set in the village), Buried In The Hills.


In answer to the question, I am often asked from abroad, has tourism been affected in the village? It is spring and there are already plenty of visitors, from many different countries and cultures. Oroklini is a beautiful, peaceful place of undeniable character and will continue to cast its spell on the hearts of its residents and visitors - while there is still sunshine and Cypriot charm, Oroklini will survive beautifully.

Oroklini Lake

Village View

 St. Arxagellos Church - Over 500 Years Old

Oroklini  View

Oroklini Hills - At The Top!

Oroklini Hill & Miltos Tavern

Adventures in Austria

Originally featured in the Larnca News, which seems to have disappeared!

Just a three hour flight from Larnaca on Austrian Airlines takes you to the beautiful city of Vienna. The land of Mozart, exquisite cakes and the Viennese Waltz. After the blistering heat of Cyprus, the cooler climate and beautiful scenery make Austria a perfect place to escape too, in the hot summer months.

There are some good deals to be had in Vienna, especially for internet bookings. Our stay at The Imperial Riding School Vienna, a hotel in Rennweg came with a very good breakfast which was included in the price of the room as a special offer. It was an imposing, busy hotel, three stops on the tram from the city centre.

 

Vienna itself is a magical place, full of beautiful architecture and famous coffee houses. The main attractions are; the cathedral, which is called Stephansdom, the Hofburg Palace and the Kunsthistorisches Museum. The cathedral was dark, gothic and atmospheric, but due to the renovations taking place on the outside it was difficult to see it in its original state.

 

The Hofburg Palace, summer home to Emperor Franz Joseph and the Empress Elizabeth or “Sisi”, as she was known, was breathtaking in its luxury and opulence. It takes a full morning to view the Imperial Apartments and see the amazing wealth and treasures contained with in them.

 

The most notable art gallery is the Kunsthistorisches Museum, which contains an impressive selection of famous paintings. There are works from Raffael and Francesco Guardi, Bruegel, Caravaggio and Peter Paul Rubens. My favourite painting is The Tower of Babel by Pieter Bruegel the Elder. Probably the most well known paintings is the “Madonna of the Cherries”, by Titian.

The museum building is of a unique design. It is adorned with gold and marble and it contains a wonderful café which serves some of the most delicious Viennese cakes you can imagine!

After an inspiring weekend in Vienna we moved on to Salzburg by train. The travelling time varies depending upon which route you take, but the fastest arrives in just under three hours. Salzburg is a very different city from Vienna. It has a more cosmopolitan feel and it is extremely busy. The main attractions for visitors; are the imposing Hohensalzburg Fortress and Mozart’s house (before he left for Vienna), and of course, shopping in the scenic cobbled streets.

A short trip from Salzburg (forty minutes by bus) and you are surrounded by glorious lakes and mountains. We stayed in a lovely hotel in St. Gilgen, a village on the edge of Lake Wolfgangsee. From there it is possible to take a boat trip around the lake and visit St. Wolfgang, where you can catch a stream funicular to the top of the mountain and observe the stunning views.

Many people choose Austria as a hiking destination, but there are many less demanding walks, along pathways through the wild flowers, scattered across the hills.

Austria is especially beautiful in the summer and it is very accessible for travellers from Cyprus.  It was such a nice restful holiday; we will definitely do it again!

 



The Beautiful City of Vienna

Kunsthistorisches Museum

 Hotel Balcony View St. Gilgen

Fuschl

Lakeside View St. Gilgen

 

The Park St. Gilgen

A Rainy Day in St. Wolfgang

       

Polis & Latchi

Why would anyone need a holiday when they live in Cyprus?

 Even us island dwellers enjoy taking a break from home occasionally.   My favorite spot for a holiday in Cyprus is the village of Polis, which is just over a thirty minute drive along some very scenic mountainous roads from Paphos.  We have found a very quiet hotel with its own stretch of beach, containing turtle nests as seen in the picture below.  You need to get up very early to spot the baby turtles emerging from their nests, usually between five thirty and six o'clock in the morning is the best time.  Both last year and this, I have managed to spot a baby turtle bravely making its way across the pebbles and shingle to the sea. They are mid brown in colour and very tiny.  It is very inspiring to watch these creatures emerging from the sand and struggling through their epic journey to the water.  Once they have been picked up by the current, you can  hold your breath while watching them swimming bravely out into the sea.  I am told that they always return to their original birthplace to make their own nests in future years - a lovely thought!

My other favorite pastime like many on this island is messing about in boats. Below you can see me in my favorite boat  the Santorini. I have of course slowed down dramatically so that my husband can take the photo. I don't do slow... normally!  The perfect trip if you are new to the area or on holiday is to hire a boat from Latchi harbor and take the thirty minute trip to the Blue Lagoon, which is every bit as gorgeous as its name suggests.  There you can pick-nick and swim in the stunning bay in its lovely turquoise water.  What a wonderful day out!

I am such a safe driver!

The beautiful Blue Lagoon

Latchi Harbor

The harbor & cafes

Turtle nests-the turtles appear around 6.a.m- a wonderful sight!