The Troodos mountain ridge is one of Cyprus’ most beautiful sights.
I feel sad for those tourists who visited Cyprus but never got to sample the healthy mountain hair, see the beauty of the mountain peaks, the powerful conifers and the huge boulders. They all create an unforgettable atmosphere for a picnic in the open air.
Welcome!
A Picnic in the Mountains
We’ve already written about a picnic by the sea. The picnic area we will tell you about today is located 2km away from the Troodos monastery, which we’ve described in a previous article.
The last few kilometers of the road to the monastery twists and bends around the mountain. At the next turn we see the picnic area, which is divided by a small mountain spring.
The wooden tables seem tiny against the background of the huge stones covered with multi coloured lichen. You can choose a table under a wooden shade, or in the shadows of the trees.
It’s seldom hot here – the mountain temperatures differ by about 10 degrees from those of the shore.
Organising a picnic is an art, although not very difficult.
Personally I don’t like dirty tables, drinking wine from plastic cups or using plastic cutlery, even in a forest. The boot of the car can hold everything necessary for a wholesome meal in the open air. It is, however, another matter regarding the barbeque. I buy a disposable grill, which I find copes very well and doesn’t take up too much room in the car.
Shashlik
Today our meal is simple – fresh herbs and grilled vegetables with mutton. I have described my mutton shashlik recipe in a previous article. The table has been laid and I’m going now to cook the shashlik.
There are special concreted areas, designed for this purpose to minimise the chance of fires spreading, and covered to protect from the elements.
We chose a cosy spot amongst the boulders, with a water fountain next to us – it’s wonderful! There is a children’s playground just 15m away with swings, benches and stairs. Steps lead to a fully stocked and tiled toilet. What more is needed?
A Children’s Playground in the Mountains
While dad cooks the shashlik, the children are having fun on the swings. It’s quiet, calm and relaxing.
There are only a few holiday makers here on a weekday, and you can barely hear them at the nearby tables, the only sound is from the wind and the birds.
There will, of course, be many more people here on a weekend, at least half the tables will be occupied and there will be the sound of different music playing. There will be lots of fun and smells of cooking.
I can’t say I’ve ever seen any bad behavior from people – no alcohol related brawls or traffic police lying in wait for people leaving the picnic site.
Dessert today is watermelon, cooled in the cold water of the mountain spring. Well fed and having walked by the spring, we slowly collect our rubbish and load up the car. Nothing is hurried today.
On the drive back we contemplate the time spent as a family, a happy few hours spent quietly in a civilized corner of nature.
