Walking Ancient Paths

When I remember our visits to places overseas, it is difficult to not think about foods we liked that we can't get in the States. In Cyprus, I ate oregano potato chips for the first time. Oregano potato chips are just what they sound like: Potato chips with oregano sprinkled on them. Seasoning potato chips with oregano might sound odd, but I thought they were delicious!

In fact, oregano became one of my new favorite spices while we were in Cyprus. I started putting it in everything I could, from eggs to salad. In Greek culture, oregano is used a lot in cooking. Along with rosemary and thyme, which we purchased from the vegetable market in Kiti, we dried oregano and brought it back to the States with us.

It would be so nice to be able to snack on some of these oregano potato chips right now!

Cyprus - Storage Pots

The Archaeological Museum in Larnaca has been closed for renovations while we have been in Cyprus. But we were able to walk around outside and examine some artifacts. These storage pots were brought from Kalavasos, a village not far from Larnaca. These pots are from the 13th century B.C. I must admit that I thought it was cool to stand next to storage pots that are over 3,200 years old! Notice how tall they are. I am 5'11" and they are quite a bit taller than me. They were probably used to store grain or other dry goods.

Cyprus - Copper

Where did the name "Cyprus" come from? I have not found a definitive answer to that question but it seems most plausible that it derives from the Classical Latin phrase aes Cyprium, which means "metal of Cyprus." The phrase was later shortened to "Cuprum." Cyprus has copper mines and used to export a significant amount of copper.

In downtown Larnaca is a small shop filled to overflowing with copper wares. The man who owns the shop was making small copper souvenirs when we stopped in. He believes that the name of his country was indeed derived from its copper production.

Cyprus - Flamingos

Cyprus has several salt lakes. Some are in Larnaca, near where we live. We arrived in Cyprus in the heat of the summer when the salt lakes were dried out. But it rained a bit during the last couple of weeks and the lakes began to fill.

Salt used to be one of Cyprus’ main exports. Unfortunately, the salt can no longer be harvested for human consumption, purportedly because the nearby airport has polluted the lakes.

During the winter, when the lakes have water in them, thousands of flamingos flock to the area. These are a type of flamingo called Phoenicopterus roses, or Greater Flamingo. We had been told that the flamingos do not normally migrate here until January.

But I wanted to see these flamingos and God is concerned even about little desires like this one. So, one day as we were driving by one of the salt lakes, we spotted a group of flamingos! We pulled over and took some photos. They are rather awkward creatures but somehow they are also graceful. They make little squawk sounds.

Cyprus, and Larnaca in particular, created an advertising slogan: “They always come back.” This refers not only to the flamingos, but also visitors. 60% of visitors to Cyprus return to this island for vacation. Many of them are Russians and British, but there are people from many other countries as well.

When I came to Cyprus, I did not know about the flamingo migration. And when I learned about it, I thought we would be gone before the flamingos arrived. Seeing them was a little unexpected delight.