Bicycling to Polis and Back, October 2, 2000

On October 2, I bicycled from Coral Beach to Polis and back (click here for a map). It was a long uphill climb into the mountains followed by a long downhill glide to the coast on the other side, and likewise again on the way back -- in direct sunlight for nearly the entire trip. Although the total distance was only about 60 to 70 kilometers, it took nearly all day.

Click on each image to enlarge it.

P0001521.jpg The municipal parking lot in Pegeia.
P0001522.jpg Many of the buildings in Cyprus had solar water heaters like these.

P0001525.jpg This being the end of the dry season, everything is quite dry. I think that the place where I started is close to the top left-hand corner of this picture.
P0001528.jpg Sheep crossing!
Later, on the way back from Polis, I had to stop at one point to wait for a flock of sheep to cross the road.

P0001530.jpg More dry scenery, and still no shade. Compare this picture with P0001551.jpg.
P0001533.jpg A dry stream bed. Compare the coastline with the one in P0001552.jpg.

P0001535.jpg I stopped for lunch at a construction site, hoping I could sit in the shade of the unfinished villa. Next door was a vineyard, where George Malietzis (shown here) was harvesting grapes. He normally works as an engineer in Pafos, but took time off from work this day to finish picking the grapes on his farm. He was very friendly - he brought me an entire armload of grapes to put into my pannier!
P0001539.jpg In a small mountain village (Kato Arodes?), I stopped to buy a drink at a small store whose proprietress spoke no English and wore traditional black garb. I would have liked to take her picture, but was afraid of being discourteous.
This tree was in the parking lot for a museum (which, unfortunately, was closed).

P0001541.jpg Note the flag emblems in the wall above the door of this building. Also, note the building's run-down appearance. The village appeared to be pretty poor -- quite a contrast to the fancy tourist villas I had seen down near the beach.
P0001542.jpg A chimney on a building in the village. The building was built into the side of a hill, and its top was at the same level of the street I was on.

P0001547.jpg Beyond the trees is Polis. I went farther than this, but I'm not sure if I actually reached the Polis city limits or not -- around 3:15 I turned back so that I could return to Pafos before dark.
P0001551.jpg This is nearly the same scene as in P0001530.jpg, but the hills now cast shadows because the sun is lower.

P0001552.jpg Here's nearly the same view of the coast as in P0001534.jpg, but this time in the late-afternoon sunlight.

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P0001521.jpg	The municipal parking lot in Pegeia.	P0001522.jpg	Many of the buildings in Cyprus had solar water heaters like these.
P0001525.jpg	This being the end of the dry season, everything is quite dry. I think that the place where I started is close to the top left-hand corner of this picture.	P0001528.jpg	Sheep crossing! Later, on the way back from Polis, I had to stop at one point to wait for a flock of sheep to cross the road.
P0001530.jpg	More dry scenery, and still no shade. Compare this picture with P0001551.jpg.	P0001533.jpg	A dry stream bed. Compare the coastline with the one in P0001552.jpg.
P0001535.jpg	I stopped for lunch at a construction site, hoping I could sit in the shade of the unfinished villa. Next door was a vineyard, where George Malietzis (shown here) was harvesting grapes. He normally works as an engineer in Pafos, but took time off from work this day to finish picking the grapes on his farm. He was very friendly - he brought me an entire armload of grapes to put into my pannier!	P0001539.jpg	In a small mountain village (Kato Arodes?), I stopped to buy a drink at a small store whose proprietress spoke no English and wore traditional black garb. I would have liked to take her picture, but was afraid of being discourteous. This tree was in the parking lot for a museum (which, unfortunately, was closed).
P0001541.jpg	Note the flag emblems in the wall above the door of this building. Also, note the building's run-down appearance. The village appeared to be pretty poor -- quite a contrast to the fancy tourist villas I had seen down near the beach.	P0001542.jpg	A chimney on a building in the village. The building was built into the side of a hill, and its top was at the same level of the street I was on.
P0001547.jpg	Beyond the trees is Polis. I went farther than this, but I'm not sure if I actually reached the Polis city limits or not -- around 3:15 I turned back so that I could return to Pafos before dark.	P0001551.jpg	This is nearly the same scene as in P0001530.jpg, but the hills now cast shadows because the sun is lower.
P0001552.jpg	Here's nearly the same view of the coast as in P0001534.jpg, but this time in the late-afternoon sunlight.