The Arkamas is a national trust area of Cyprus and stretches for miles from St. Georges Bay to Aphrodite’s Baths, very near Latsi/Latchi which hosts a beautiful Marina.  However, beware I would not recommend you attempt driving across the Arkamas in a small vehicle as it is miles and miles of very rough terrain, great fun but you definitely need a larger vehicle, preferably a 4 x 4 or pickup truck.  The views along the way are stunning with lots of different coves at which you can stop and be virtually the only person on the beach.  After driving several miles from St. Georges where you will pass Banana plantations and Orange Groves you will see Lara Bay which is famed for the turtles which come annually, there is also a small restaurant at Lara Bay if you want to stop for some refreshments.

The Arkamas is a National Trust area so picking of plants etc. Is forbidden but you do see some interesting sights along the way, for example look at these pictures of these huge pigs we passed nearby Lara Bay.

 

 

 

Then further along towards the Latchi end we passed lots of goats grazing on the bushes, even saw a Dalmatian goat!

 

St. Georges & the Arkamas, Paphos, Cyprus.

 

St. Georges is a beautiful quaint peaceful and quiet fishing area just outside of Paphos.  There are no shops but you will always find an ice-cream van parked up if in need of cooling down.  If you go to St. Georges early in the morning you will see the local fishermen come back with their catch, otherwise if you go later in the day you can just enjoy the beautiful peaceful cove with the fishing boats moored up.  Or you can relax on the very small beach and dip in the sea and look across the bay to the views of the Arkamas Peninsular.  All cars are suitable for reaching this point as it is easily accessed from the main road from Paphos to Coral Bay.

Have a look at some of the photos below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now living in Cyprus I like to be adventurous with trying new food so one day when I saw a lady in the supermarket picking up some fruit with some tongs I thought I would buy some to try, not really having a clue as to what they were.  I thought the tongs were being used for purely hygienic reasons and so followed the example and picked mine up with the tongs.  However, when I got home I took one out of the bag to show my husband – Big Mistake!  I quickly realised that all the prickles (now I know them to be called glochids) had embedded theirselves into my hands like splinters.  It took me several days to pluck them all out with tweezers, they are so fine that you cannot see them but you certainly feel them!   Now I realise why the tongs were being used.  I then dumped the fruit in the bin as did not want to endure any further pain due to my lack of knowledge!

A few days later we visited some friends in the Troodos and I was explaining what had happened and asked them if they knew what the fruit was called – they are known as `prickly pears’ and their Latin name is the Opuntia.  They grow everywhere in Cyprus and the fruits are abundant; you can also buy them in supermarkets.   The fruit is normally ready for harvest during late Summer August/September.  Our friend explained and demonstrated the use of a special tool to pick them to avoid getting splintered and advised to make sure you do not pick them on a windy day otherwise splinters/prickles could go in your eyes and cause serious problems.   Then once picked you cannot handle so to peel you stick a fork in one end and then cut away the prickly skin with a knife and scrape into a bin, avoiding touching!   Then you are left with a delicious fleshy juicy fruit, however you do need to eat them more or less straight away as they rapidly lose their nutritonal value and can ferment once peeled.

There are also some medical studies which state the prickly pear helps reduce the levels of bad cholesterol and the pectin in the fruit can help reduce diabetic’s insulin requirements.  I would imagine they would also be a good trespasser deterent if planted strategically by garden walls/fences.

Why not buy a five bed detached property with Swimming Pool and outline planning permission for a four bed detached home and have a vacation home a few miles from the Celtic Manor Resort on the outskirts of Newport the home of the 2010 Ryder Cup.  Rental prices for one week are around a staggering £15,000 per week!   This five bed detached home is situated in a quiet cul-de-sac in the rural village of Undy, which is just 10 minutes drive from the Celtic Manor resort also benefits from planning permission for a further 4 bedroom house.  The Celtic Manor a leading golf and business resort within Europe and also has excellent gym facilities, it has 3 top class courses, a £10 million clubhouse along with a floodlit golf academy. It's a fitting home for what is known as the world's 3rd largest sporting event and will be a focus for millions of golfing enthusiasts from around the World.

It seems mad to pay out such extortionate rental fees when you could buy a property for the event and then either keep as a vacation home in a typical UK Village or as a rental investment. The accommodation comprises - Huge Lounge (approx 30ft x 20ft) with Sky TV, full broadband access, patio doors leading onto heated swimming pool. Dining Room, Kitchen/Breakfast Room, Utility room. 5 Bedrooms - all doubles.  Master Bedroom with Ensuite bathroom with Jacuzzi Bath and steam room/shower cubicle, Separate family bathroom, Gym.

The house is set in large gardens of approx 0.75 acre with patios and bar-b-q and is within walking distance of local typical village pubs, restaurants and shops. There are 3 other local golf courses nearby including St. Pierre.  Also of course you can hire your car from www.rhinocarhire.com

Owners are moving abroad so looking for a sale in 2008.  Asking price £525,000.  See the aerial photograph below and contact us by responding to this blog.

Fried foods should only be cooked in Olive Oil as per the advice of Dieticians and Doctors and recent studies which show that Olive Oil is the most suitable oil for frying because it remains stable due to its anti-oxidization agents even at high temperatures.  Animal fats do not have anti-oxidization agents so they are oxidised very quickly with all the harmful health effects. Seed oils also contain anti-oxidization agents (tocopherols) but due to the high amount of unsaturated acids they contain they quickly oxidise when heated.  Seed oils spoil at a temperature of around 170-180 celsius whereby Extra Virgin Olive Oil can stand temperatures up to 230-250 celsius.



Often we hear that fried foods absorb too much oil and so become fattening however if a frying pan is used correctly, then the crispy coating on the food seals in the juices and does not let the oil into the food.  To obtain this crispness the oil should be brought up to heat almost to burn yet without being overheated and producing smoke.  If the amount of Olive Oil in the pan reduces whilst frying extra should be added but only when there is no food in the pan so that the temperature does not drop.  It has been proved that foods fried in olive oil absorb less than those fried in seed oils.  It can also be used many times for frying similar foods.



Try pancakes, scrambled eggs, fried eggs etc.