Ayios Ioannis Part 2
Time To Be Nosey
The doors to the yellow building had doors that were slightly ajar, so I poked my head in to take a look...
Storage
Inside there was a host of old possessions, mainly kids toys. there were a lot of bicycles, for instance.
Gathering Dust
How long had they been stored like this, and why? Perhaps they come out every summer. These shots were taken in June, so they would have had nearly a year to get this dusty.
We didn't stay long in this building, as it might still be somebody's property. Once we were back outside we took the right fork in the road and walked around the front of the mosque.
Mosque Front
There is an EU funded project to make sure the mosque is kept maintained. I noted a similar project in the abandoned village of Evretou. I can understand why people would want to preserve the mosque in Ayios Ioannis, but Evretou is now on the banks of the Evretou Reservoir, and is in a state of complete abandonment. What is the point of preserving it? And if you are going to preserve Evretou Mosque, why not the mosque in Foinikas? That could certainly do with some TLC.
More Street Signs
I liked this one because it was named after Arch Bishop Markariou II. He never seems to get much of a look in.
Page 3 of 8
Related Blogs:
Ayios Ioannis - Part 1
We haven't explored the further reaches of the Diarizos Valley much, especially not the hilltops that head towards the Xeros Valley and Paphos Forest. We've been rectifying that recently, and in this blog we want to take you on a visit to Ayios Ioannis. We thought it would be a smallish village, but we were in for a surprise. This blog is large, so we have split it in two parts. The second part will be published in a day or two.
Abandoned Villages - Vretsia
Cyprus has more than it's fair share of abandoned villages. The troubles caused the displacement of both Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots.The environment itself has caused other villages to be abandoned for reasons of safety. Whatever the reason, the abandonment caused emotional pain and suffering to the affected people. So is it right to right a series of blog articles on them? I thought about this for a while, but decided that yes it was. Cyprus is a land built on antiquities, and these villages are just the latest example. I had no problem blogging about a Necropolis after all. However, some of these villages, and especially Ventris, do still get visits from the displaced families. So if you do decide to visit these places on the strength of these articles, please bear that in mind, and treat them with respect. The urban exploring motto "take only pictures, leave only footprints..." nicely sums it up.
Abandoned Villages: Zacharia
Nestled on the side of the Stavros tis Psokas valley, it is easy to miss Zacharia. To get to it you have to drive through the nearby ghost village of Melandra, and you might be tempted to end your adventure there. But if you persevere, you will find another abandoned village waiting to tell its tale...Related Pages
MapAyios Ioannis - Part 2
In the concluding part of our visit to Ayios Ioannis we continue through the village before visiting an old abandoned school, and finish up gazing down upon the Xeros Valley and Paphos Forest.
Good Pages To Visit
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ListBlog Locations
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eBookCyprus Road Trip 01: the Kathikas - Panagia Loop
Let me take you on a journey around the region of Paphos, Cyprus. Starting at Paphos itself, we travel to Akoursos, then Kathikas, Kritou Terra and Simou. We continue past Lasa and Kannaviou, before taking in the delights of Panagia. Getting a bit more adventurous, we visit the abandoned villages of Statos and Agios Fotios, before passing through Choulou, Letymbou and Polemi, and rejoining the main Paphos - Polis road.
The route is suitable for all types of vehicle, and requires no off-roading. The guide contains about 130 photographs including shots of all the road signs you need to pay attention to, as well as some of the highlights you may experience along the way.
There are also several maps which will help you keep your bearings.
You can do this journey in a day, or you can break it up into chunks. You can also do it in reverse, to get some completely different views. It is entirely up to you.
