The Old Copper mining hole near the village of Mitsero. Commonly called the Red Lake.
Up until fairly recently Copper had been mined in the country for thousands of years and the naming of Copper itself originates from the Greek name for Cyprus, Kypros or Kyprou. Looks to me there still might be a kettle or two worth of copper still to be had, with a bit of engineering effort.
Up until fairly recently Copper had been mined in the country for thousands of years and the naming of Copper itself originates from the Greek name for Cyprus, Kypros or Kyprou. Looks to me there still might be a kettle or two worth of copper still to be had, with a bit of engineering effort.
The Big Hole.....The Red Lake. This section of the mine was used for extracting pyrite until it ceased to be around 1967 and the mine itself was opened out to leave the 'Big hole' Red lake. Nearby to this opened mine section was a Gold mine which stopped operations in 1945.
The whole mine area of the Red Lake was called 'Kokkinopezoula' mine. The water in the Red Lake has been determined to be toxic (Oh really!!)
A five minute dip in here will give you a superb all year tan.
While the Night time can bring a grainy Black and Grey, with some fog
From Mid April until Mid June. The vanishing puddle
Further Around
Karaman, Karmi, on the North Side of Cyprus sitting against the Besparmak/Pentadaktylos mountain range where many old renovated places like this sit. A very pleasant and nicely looked after village it is too.
The majority of these properties originally belonging to Greek Cypriots who fled the North circa 1974. Now the properties have been bought, leasehold from the TRNC government by British, Germans, Scandinavians. A full leashold is renewable after 49 years
I would like to think both these buildings are close to the same era of construction. One was thought to be worthwhile restoring the other not so.
The one on the Left is in Karaman/Karmi the one on the Right is around the back streets of Lefkosa/Nicosia
The one on the Left is in Karaman/Karmi the one on the Right is around the back streets of Lefkosa/Nicosia
The Restaurant in Karmi, North CY, with the Five Fingers mountain range (Besparmak/Pentadaktylos) in the background
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This Greek Cypriot chap once possessed a number of properties in Karmi. Here he visits the village to see them now occupied by strangers. But he still owns the original title deeds
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A long shot of the same mountain range (Besparmak/ Pentadaktylos) from the Greek Cypriot side. Taken from a district of Aglandjia (Platy) with the Turkish flag, (15km away,North) which illuminates at night, seen on the hill. A bit like in Britain where you have White horses or people emblazoned on a hill but this here is a little more political.
The brownish section in the upper middle of the shot, fields etc, is the Buffer Zone. The Green Line. Called the Green line because of a green felt pen marker drawn on a map some years ago to distinguish the separation. Obviously no brown marker was available at the time but calling it the Brown line???......Not so poetic, me thinks. |
So, the Turkish Cypriots have the Besparmak mountain range stretching...........and the Greek Cypriots have the Troodos mountain range stretching.........
That seems fair enough to me. A piece of pie for everyone!
That seems fair enough to me. A piece of pie for everyone!
One of many roads to no persons land which are NOT ALLOWED to pass. This serene 'Heavily Fortified' border section from South CY into the Buffer zone or Green Line used to be the main road from Nicosia to Larnaca on the South coast. Its in need of maintenance due to no traffic for 45 years, aside from white vehicles with blue emblems on patrol or the occasional tractor to deal with the fields.
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The Freshly painted and decorated sentry post at the crossing almost appears like a display piece what with the sandbag trench and all. Nobody was in at the time of my visit. I will be attempting a drive through this border crossing at some point and see how far i can get before being arrested for breaking the UN charter, clearly stated on the signpost. We shall see......
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But why all this 'Border, Green Line' stuff still exists in this day and age is a total load of bemusement to many apart from the fact that its very useful for external influence's and strategic operations. Below is taken from the Cyprus Mail of a survey which was published in April 2019, the survey was not necessarily by the Mail.
‘Despite the pessimistic prospects for a solution, Greek Cypriots said they would prefer to live together with Turkish Cypriots, 56 per cent, versus the 39 per cent who did not, which was an improvement compared with the end of 2017 when 53 per cent went for cohabitation against 41 per cent who opposed it.
Thirty-eight per cent feel disappointed with the current situation in Cyprus, 24 per cent expressed concern, and 12 per cent were angry. Only 10 per cent said they had hope and felt optimistic.’
Thirty-eight per cent feel disappointed with the current situation in Cyprus, 24 per cent expressed concern, and 12 per cent were angry. Only 10 per cent said they had hope and felt optimistic.’
Under fairly heavy guard by at least Two chained Rots who seem to have permanent residency, this remnant is lying nearby the end of the abandoned Lakatameia airfield runway mostly now dug up since around 2013. This is the remains of a DC6 which was damaged, rather fatally, at Larnaca towards the end of the 70's. It was then decided to move it to Lakatameia Airfield, (maybe for some sort of training purposes?) But eventually left to the dogs.
The wreckage can't be seen from anywhere in the surrounding area and is only found by turning the corner of a 'lane'
The wreckage can't be seen from anywhere in the surrounding area and is only found by turning the corner of a 'lane'
Gettin Kinda Hot
L to R: the start of the procedure to make one of the tastiest Cypriot meals, Kleftico ; That little piggy went to market and got slightly unlucky, ended up in a ships galley in Larnaca port ; Boys will be Boys and about a week before the Easter weekend they get a little overexcited and torch a bit more than a bonfire (which they seem to get arrested for anyway!) But they get away with this slightly extreme business. The rest is just rubbish.
I will publish more of these themed snaps from my vicinity as they seem to be a regular occurrence
Yes, the famous Ouzo Candle......?
The reason for the candle in the bottle in the first instance was due to power cuts taking place across many parts of the island because of an explosion of stored munitions near the Vasilikos Power station which blew out some of the plant. The story was that the stored munitions were getting too hot! This was the middle of August and temps were reaching 40c. the candle couldn't handle it and bottled out as they say. Taken in 2011, the Ouzo was long gone before the photo. The candle was made in China. |
Views and Oddments put together
.Jumble and collecting stuff, that is for the most part of life totally useless, is a great obsession in CY but this shack is slightly on another level.
Not sure whats really going on with this 'Householder' Those Greek speakers among us and looking at this will have a good idea where it is and whats being put across, still a bit bonkers though. No harm in it either. Just worries me that my house and garden area is beginning to look fairly on par with this. Its a CY thing. Pikeys for those that know! Clearing the overgrowth and weeds after the winter growth must be fun...... |
Some Daft snaps with mainly Daft comments
At another Supermarket, in the car park, this cat was adamant it was his space. Not long after this shot was taken the cat was squashed by a lone female driver reversing into the space in a rather large and expensive SUV type vehicle. The cats OK though, just feeling slightly level headed. The female driver was pissed of with the cat spray on her tire
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A couple of remnants from the Cyprus railway which stretched horizontally across the middle of the country from 1905-1951. Its a shame no railway exists in Cyprus anymore. My guess is that these wagons originate from the Cyprus Mines Corporation which was an extended bit of the original railway and finished operating around 1974. That year being fairly significant in the islands history.
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The Doors
Doors..... Doors can have character. Doors can say a few things. Doors can have style. Doors normally open and close. Doors shut things out or keep things in.
We cant live without Doors, True. And in most cases when you open a door your intention is to go through it!
Here's just a few so, straight on through to the other side...........Its the basic content for these pictures.
Someone told me "There's plenty of postcard pictures of Cyprus Doors" True BUT...try putting these on the Postcards!
We cant live without Doors, True. And in most cases when you open a door your intention is to go through it!
Here's just a few so, straight on through to the other side...........Its the basic content for these pictures.
Someone told me "There's plenty of postcard pictures of Cyprus Doors" True BUT...try putting these on the Postcards!
This door has a secret agenda, another door behind it.
More doorways opening soon......
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