POLEMI THE TULIP VILLAGE OF CYPRUS
Jasmine, Orange & Lemon blossom, Roses, Almond Blossom, Fresh Bread, Wood smoke and Cedar trees are just a few of the perfumes blowing gently through our hillside village of Polemi, walking to the shop for a litre of milk, with birds singing, cockerels crowing and dogs barking is very different from the fumes and traffic noises we were used to in England. Wild Tulips grow in the fields and a festival is held every spring in its honour. The village has a Tulip Society dedicated to protecting the Tulip.
We now live in a rural, agricultural village which is rich with vineyards, apple and citrus orchards, our house is surrounded by vineyards and one or two small holdings where we witness the culling of the celebratory pig and the odd chicken or two and the Cockerels have no sense of time. Funny tractor trailer vehicles putt-putt their way through the lanes, loaded with wood, vine leaves and aging Cypriot relatives, 4x4s are driven down cobbled paths leading to patch work style plots of land. September is busy with grape picking and tired faces are found grinning at our front door giving us gifts of carrier bag after carrier bag of grapes, all colours, sizes and flavours, this is followed by gallon containers of homemade wine!! The locals are so friendly and generous; we are given eggs, grapes, figs, tomatoes, aubergines, peppers and almonds on a weekly basis! Communication is based on mime, pigeon English and Greek, it can be amusing at times but a good way to break the ice. Some find it hard to say my name so I am known as Nissi and Peter is the Greek name Petros.
Hic!!
QUICK GRAPE JUICE *Microwave method
Put two cups of grapes in a glass measuring container and place in microwave oven for four minutes. Grapes will pop out of their skins. Strain the grapes, add sugar to taste add ice.It takes me forever to buy a loaf of village bread as I am stopped by Cypriot friends along the way and would offend if I did not sit and join them for coffee, by the time I have arrived at the bakery I am flying high on caffeine!! Kalimera Καλιμερα (good morning) is called to me in all different directions and the children love to call hello in English and then explode into a fit of giggles…yes walking to the shop is a pleasure and no longer a chore. We have cold spells during the winter because we are higher in the hills than Paphos but the welcome is always a warm one. We have been accepted into the village and we have many Cypriot friends eager to share with us the traditions of this friendly island. Green Monday is the start of Lent and is a sight to behold, families gather for picnics and barbeques in their hundreds, playing games by the beach or in the forests, adults flying kites with the same enthusiasm of the children clinging for dear life on the end of the string, the aim is to get yours the highest and so many techniques are used, our friend Kristakis used pebbles in a plastic bag to maintain balance and Pete & I having been invited on the family picnic at Agias Georgios became caught up in the excitement of the day, oohing and ahhing at every shape flying. In true Cypriot style XZenia and Kristakis stopped an English couple out for a walk, they were offered a seat suddenly found themselves eating and drinking at our table eating from our vast supply of food and village wine. The reason it is called Green Monday is because no meat is eaten until Easter Sunday (or as we know it Souvla Sunday because of the barbeques loaded with meats various!).
Green Monday, XZenia, Pete, Mama Efienia and friend, the English lady, Kristakis and Glynis
My greatest moment was Easter /Πασκα 2006 when I was invited to join the village ladies to bake bread for Easter, Easter in Cyprus is celebrated in a great way, it is considered as their first celebration and Christmas their second. The aroma of the Bread and Flaounnes /Φλοθννες (cheese loaves baked only at Easter) waft around the village as the women use the fire ovens outside in the yard, there is a frenzy of activity from early hours of the morning and then it’s time to sit, listen to the birds, gossip with a frappe on the front porch whilst the bread is baking, this was an experience I shall never forget, that and midnight mass, where Guyfawkes night, Easter and Christmas is rolled into one in the church courtyard where the village bonfire burns brightly and the children hold sparklers, parents sing and pray and I watched on realising that this was community spirit at its best.
Mama Efienia with the first Easter Loaf and Halloumi Cheese
My friends joined us for a celebration of my 49th birthday
left to right: ANNA (our Landlady & that beautiful smile is always there!) Zenia, myself, Mamma Efienia (Zenia's Mum) Thespina (Annas Mum who shares the same birthday as me but is 3 years younger, she makes everyone welcome in her coffee shop) and Gillian the welsh rarebit with a yorkshire accent! Gill is a very good neighbour and friend and shares the same interest as me, Cross stitch and produces some fantastic ones.
2008
Snow arrived in the village....Brrrrrrrr
www.polemi.org
Our lifestyle in the village of POLEMI is so different to the one we had in the United Kingdom.
We have friends from various parts of the world who have given us a completely different outlook on life.
Surrounded by cool blue tranquil waters of the Mediterranean Sea, Cyprus is the island where you can be yourself, dress as you want, eat and drink fresh food, soak up the sun and enjoy local wines from its many village vineyards and wineries.
These people have worked all year nurturing their harvest, rain falls
for only a few days in the year and the hours spent in the fields in
searing temperatures makes me admire their skills and I admire even
more their ability to still get up the next day and do it all over
again! 
I love watching lizards running from rock to rock, Peter spends his time looking for various different species of reptiles and we have seen Wall Lizards, Aghama Lizards, Praying Mantis, Chamelions, Tarantulas, Black Whip Snakes, Skinks, small red Scorpions and Ghekos.
There are many beautiful birds on the island, some are visitors, I love to see the colourful Bee eaters against the turquoise blue sky, my parents were lucky enough to witness this sight when they came to visit one September. Every day we see something new that excites us and has us rushing out to buy yet another reference book!!
I am a huge fan of the FIRE FIGHTING HELICOPTERS..They are so important to the island in the dry season, I have waited two years to get a picture of one flying over the vine yard and today7th July 2007it happened over our home!! They fought for hours to save a village Gioulou (eeowloo) near the top vineyards of Polemi, so brave. At dark twilight they flew home, hoping they had fulfilled their task
Homeward bound
This patchwork island inspired my poetry writing and there are several poems dedicated to Cyprus and one to Polemi in my book
FROM MY HEART INSIDE MY HEAD
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