Kataklysmos

Anna and Sam hit the water

Last Monday was a public holiday in Cyprus to commemorate an event known as Katakylsmos, which is celebrated at Pentecost 50 days after Orthodox Easter.  Katakylsmos was originally a pagan festival to celebrate Aphrodite, but has evolved into a Christian commemoration of the flood.  It is mainly celebrated in coastal towns in Cyprus, and involves a range of rituals with water, including water fights.

On the public holiday we headed to the north to a place called Escape Beach, which is somewhat notorious as this is the location where the Turkish troops first landed during 1974.  The only evidence of this today is a large monument and nearby war cemetery, and the beach now hosts a club and somewhat kitsch facilities that are quite typical in the north.  The location is stunning though, with a backdrop of towering mountains and beautiful clear water all around. Also plenty of Russians wearing lots of bling and ordering exotic drinks and spectacular fruit platters. 

We had a lovely day in the water. Anna has suddenly decided she can swim(!), and spent the day doing belly flops off the jetty into the water below.  Sam and Angus spent the day looking for fish and swimming across to the nearby limestone island complete with caves, and Jessie enjoyed lounging, swimming and reading a good book with mum.

Jessie gives her bro a massage!