Rainstorm in Paphos! When it rains, it rains so hard the roads flood in minutes!
Cyprus in January is a whole lot different to the UK – and a whole lot more pleasant!
During the daytime it’s generally sunny with temperatures reaching up to a maximum of about 20 degrees C and an average of 17 degress C.
When the sun dips below the horizon the temperature drops very quickly to an average of 5 degrees C – a big change – remember to carry a jumper or jacket with you!
January is a busy time in the vineyards of Cyprus
The countryside of Paphos district on the western slopes of the Troodos is wine growing country. Villages like Stroupi, Polemi and Fyti are surrounded by many vineyards.
The situation is changing. Apparently EU Grants no longer favour viticulture, so many of the vines are being ripped up to grow other crops. Despite that, there are still many, many vineyards, and January is a busy time for the farmers.
Caves in Kato Paphos decorated with religious artifacts
Paphos comes in two distinct parts; Kato Paphos being the bit beside the sea, Ktima Paphos being the old town perched on a hill. The divide between the two is an escarpment – at places quite a steep cliff.
Into this cliff there are caves in a number of places. They’re all a bit spooky, in different ways. Many are used for religious purposes, though for what religion isn’t clear.
Getting back out into the sunshine, the walk along beside the escarpment is good, especially to the east of the Kato Paphos bypass. The rock formations are pretty interesting, and the peace and quiet is a million miles from the bustle of Paphos. As you walk along, look out for shapes that remind you of things.
Lady in red - the Alfa Romeo Giulia Super 1.3 in Kato Paphos
My wife’s always had a thing about Alfas. She reckons they’re sexy.
So the squeal of delight as we drove through Kato Paphos wasn’t she’d won the lottery, it was she’d seen an old Alfa.
A couple of days later we were passing that way again, so stopped to check it out.
FxPro Cyprus Rally 2009: Car no. 133, a Subaru Impreza 2007 driven by Toshi Arai and Glen MacNeall on Special Stage 6 near Agios Nikolaos. 13 March 2009
UPDATE: Click to see pictures of the FxPro Cyprus Rally 2009 and also the 2009 Troodos Rally.
In March 2009 the FIA World Rally Championship returns to Cyprus. Between the 13th and 15th March, the world’s best rally drivers will storm through some of Cyprus’ stunning countryside. The picturesque tracks of the Troodos mountains will once again reverberate to the sounds of high-tech, high-speed rally cars!
Get great pictures of Cyprus Rally action!
The wreck of the Demetrios II - stranded on rocks just off Chlorakas, Paphos, Cyprus, 15 January 2008.
As you travel along the main road from Paphos to Coral Bay, you can’t miss the shipwreck just off the coast at Chlorakas.
Local knowledge of what it is and how it comes to be there is pretty thin. So for the curious, here’s the story.
