Galapagos still a 21st century wonder

Marine iguana sunning itself on lava rock.

Story & Photos By Stan Wawer

Giant Galapagos tortoise roam distant highlands. Prehistoric marine iguanas carpet black lava rocks along the shore. Male blue-footed boobies dance to the mating drum and sea lions swim island shores with joyful abandon. In the company of a Galapagos naturalist, I set out each day to explore remarkable island ecosystems, stepping gently around and through a menagerie of wildlife. A visit to this impressive sanctuary is a memorable experience for those who appreciate nature. It wasn’t always this way. Whalers, pirates and explorers almost wiped out the abundance of humpback whales, sea turtles, tortoises and other animal species in the Galapagos more than 180 years ago. The isolation of the islands, however, has allowed life forms to evolve into species found only in the Galapagos and today the archipelago is a well-managed and protected National Park.

In the course of millions of years, continuous eruptions of volcanoes that spurted from the sea floor created the Galapagos archipelago. The oldest islands are 5 million years old, relative newcomers. The last volcanic eruption was in 1998 on Isabella, the largest island in the archipelago.

There is nothing in the world quite like the Galapagos Islands. The archipelago, which inspired Charles Darwin more than 170 years ago, straddles the equator about 600 miles west of Ecuador. Wildlife roam free in this enchanted archipelago, unperturbed by human contact. During our stay aboard the

Ecoventura yacht M/Y Eric, we explored 10 islands, crossing the equator twice. Our guide and naturalist, Harry Jiminez, was an encyclopedia of Galapagos knowledge. Harry is a third generation Jiminez born in the Galapagos. His son is the fourth generation.

Life changed dramatically once aboard the Eric — no phones, no newspapers, no television and no Internet access. I made my first phone call to my wife when we docked at Santa Cruz Island five days into the journey. Santa Cruz, population 10,000, is one of only three islands in the archipelago with human habitation.

Raul Roa, a photographer and friend, and I shared a cabin below deck. Somehow, we managed not to get in each other’s way. I did, however, gain great respect for galley slaves.

During the eight days in the Galapagos, Raul and I would see sea turtle hatchlings instinctively making their life or death dash to the sea; a hawk, less than a slam-dunk above my head, perched unconcerned in a tree for two hours; a female California sea lion hardly stirring as I walked within inches of her pup; a mockingbird inspecting a bare foot in the sand; a male blue-footed booby raising his head to the sky and whistling as part of his mating ritual.

I went up to the sun deck our first afternoon at sea where a flock of great frigatebirds followed the Eric for miles. Frigates are a beautiful sight in flight. These thieves of the bird world can maneuver like helicopters, effortlessly gliding sideways.

Late in the afternoon we hopped aboard our panga (a 10-passenger boat with an outboard motor) for our first wet landing on a white-sand beach in Playa Porte Ochoa on the far side of San Cristobal. The water was cool (about 74 degrees), but bearable. We enjoyed a subtle introduction to the Galapagos as we walked within inches of lazy California sea lions. Pups played in the surf, one posing for pictures.

I walked over the sand dunes in search of marine iguanas sunning themselves on lava rock. Much to my disappointment, none were found. “Not to worry,” Harry said, “you will see thousands in the days ahead.” Harry was right. In the days ahead, marine iguanas covered lava rock like a bumpy carpet.

As the sun set, we cruised around Kicker Rock (Leon Dormido), a vertical tuft cone formation that abruptly juts up almost 500 feet out of the Pacific Ocean. We were headed straight for the equator and Genovesa (Tower), an island north of the equator and one of the most spectacular islands in the Galapagos. We had a rough night at sea. The Eric, running on one engine, rolled the ocean blue.

Wake-up calls came at 7 daily, breakfast at 7:30 and panga boarding at 8. We were scheduled for a dry landing in the morning on Genovesa and a wet landing in the afternoon in Darwin Bay. A short panga ride took us to Prince Philip’s Steps, a lava rock trail up the cliff. A handrail made the steep climb manageable. A vast flatland of small, dry brush and trees greeted us at the top along with a Nasca booby (formally known as a masked booby for its mask-like black around its eyes).

The terrain looked prehistoric. Everywhere I looked, red-footed boobies were nesting in Palo Santo trees. They pretty much ignored our presence. Before we headed back to the Eric for lunch, I had my first encounter with gregarious mockingbirds, saw black marine iguanas, beautiful yellow warblers, Nasca boobies, great frigatebirds and finches. A pair of mockingbirds followed us along the trail and even pecked at Raul’s camera lens. Probably checking out their reflections.

As our group of 10 climbed back down the cliff for our panga ride back to the Eric, we spotted a number of bright orange sally lightfoot crabs crawling along the lava rock.

Turquoise blue water and a white, sandy beach greeted us in Darwin Bay. It was an afternoon of swimming, snorkeling and hanging out with great frigates, Nasca and red-footed boobies, sea lions and sally lightfoot crabs. We spotted a lava gull. It is endemic to the Galapagos. There are only about 400 pairs in the entire archipelago, according to Harry.

Harry led us through a mangrove thicket for a view of the “red tomato fields.” The red tomatoes were actually great frigate males with their distinctive red pouches blown up in an attempt to attract females.

Four other boats were anchored in the bay — one yacht and three sailing vessels, including a sleek private sailing yacht, “The Destination,” sailing under the Canadian flag.

My night at sea was rough. The noise of the engine, smell of gas and the motion of the yacht as we headed south across the equator proved too much for my stomach.

Seventeen of the 20 passengers didn’t make it to dinner. I spent the dinner hour riding the porcelain bus in my cabin. I never get motion sickness, but there is a first time for everything and this was my time. I got to know a little about how Darwin felt on his around-the-world journey aboard the H.M.S. Beagle. In “The Voyage of the Beagle,” Darwin writes about his five-year trip around the world. He said that throwing up and feeling sick were as routine for him as waking in the morning.

I had my sea legs back in time for a wet landing at Playa Las Bachas on Santa Cruz Island. The name of the beach was derived from partly covered World War II barges. The remnants of these U.S. barges are still visible in the sand, looking somewhat like a miniature Stonehenge.

I put on my life jacket and hopped into the now familiar panga, driven by Luis Espinoza. “He’s the best panga driver in the Galapagos,” Harry said. No argument here.

The beach at Playa Las Bachas is pristine. It was here that we saw sea turtle hatchlings scurry down the beach to the ocean. They all made it to the water, but I saw a frigate pick off at least one a few yards from shore. Sea turtle hatchlings have a 10 percent survival rate. Each female turtle lays 80 to 100 eggs.

I also saw flamingos, black marine iguanas and yellow warblers and did a little snorkeling. On North Seymour Island, our afternoon Day 3 stop, I saw hundreds of blue-footed boobies, thousands of marine iguanas sunbathing on lava rock, magnificent frigatebirds and sea lions. The magnificent frigatebirds are distinguished from the great frigates by size and plumage. The magnificent frigates are bigger and the males have purplish plumage on their backs instead of the iridescent green.

North Seymour is a geological uplift with tall cliffs offering spectacular views. The trails lead through “prickly pear cactus” or Opuntia and Sesuvium.

Heading back to complete the circle trail, we ran into some “real” tourists from a larger yacht, all with their Hawaiian shirts, point-and-shoot cameras around their necks and some women wearing dresses and sandals for a hike that called for pants or shorts and hiking boots. All that was missing, according to Raul, was the sweater tied around the male neck and penny loafers, sans socks.

On Day 4, the panga took us for a morning dry landing at Dragon Hill on the northern tip of Santa Cruz. It was here that we searched for the colorful endemic land iguana. Harry said if we saw five land iguanas, it would be a good day. We saw 19. Land iguanas are large and have a yellow-orange color. They are territorial and often fight other males for territory. One moved toward Raul as he crouched low and close for a picture. The iguana moved away only after Raul backed off.

From the top of the hill we enjoyed a majestic view of the bay and two small islands called “Hershey’s Kisses” for their resemblance to the chocolate candy in the silver wrapper.

Once back on the beach, our panga took us to an area called Calleta Tortugas. The shallow waters revealed green sea turtles, white-tipped reef sharks, some golden rays and a school of spotted eagle rays.

In the afternoon we cruised toward the red-sand beaches of Rabida Island. I was sitting on the sun deck as the Eric swayed back and forth on a Pacific so blue it made my eyes squint. I never saw the Pacific Ocean that blue in Southern California.

Located off Santiago (James) Island, Rabida has the most diversified volcanic rocks of all the islands and is considered the geographic center of the Galapagos.

The red-colored beach is volcanic in origin. The trail leads to a salt-water lagoon where great flamingos were feeding.

A hawk, obviously expecting our arrival, was perched in a tree just above our heads where it stayed for more than two hours.

Farther up the beach a colony of pelicans were nesting. The babies looked like the prehistoric pterodactyl.

Santiago Island and the black-sand beach of Puerto Egas was our destination for a wet landing on the morning of day 5. Santiago is a dramatic island covered with lava flows and arid vegetation. Many animals were introduced here such as feral goats, wild pigs, donkeys and rats. We encountered the fur sea lion, once thought to be on the verge of extinction.

The afternoon wet landing on Bartolome gave us our first glimpse of the Galapagos penguin and the American oystercatcher with its long, red beak. One of the most photographed sites in the Galapagos is Pinnacle rock, an eroded tuft cone.

In the evening, we made the 364-step, 30-minute climb to a summit of a once active volcano. It offered a panoramic view of Sullivan Bay. The view is educational as well as inspiring, featuring lava formations — spatter cones and lava tubes.

Our full day on Santa Cruz was one of the highlights of the trip. We visited the Charles Darwin Research Station, the Highlands in search of the elusive Vermillion flycatcher (it remained elusive). We also searched for the giant tortoises (we found several that were 90 to 100 years old and weighed in at 600 pounds) and enjoyed some free time shopping and calling my wife.

Tortoise Lonesome George hangs out at the Charles Darwin Research Station. He’s about 95 years old and the last male of his species. The station is searching the world for a mate to continue the species, but Lonesome George just isn’t interested. They showed him film on a large screen of the famous stud tortoise Diego (on loan from the San Diego Zoo since 1977 to help increase the tortoise population that was almost extinct), but Lonesome George still doesn’t get it.

In the afternoon, we traveled through all the different vegetation zones found in the Galapagos. It was here that we saw “The Twins,” a pair of humongous pit craters. It also was here in the Highlands that we searched in vain for the red male Vermillion flycatcher.

Day 7 took us on a long boat ride to Gardner Bay in Espanola, the southern-most island in the archipelago. What a day — from the white-sand beach in the morning to whale sightings in the evening.

Our last excursion was to Espanola’s Punta Suarez. It is a gem of a place and a great way to spend our next-to-last day in the Galapagos.

Along its southern shore, steep cliffs rise up from the sea for a spectacular view of soaring birds and the famous blowhole. Harry told us to keep our eyes open for “flying iguanas” at the blowhole. Sometimes the tide takes swimming marine iguanas into the blowhole and they end up airborne. Not on this day, however.

Along the cliffs, we encountered the waved albatross, a multitude of blue-footed boobies, with the males performing their wonderful mating dance, Nasca boobies and beautiful red-billed tropicbirds.

Our last day, we returned to San Cristobal for our flight back to Quito.

There are 60 sites to visit in the Galapagos. We visited 14.

It’s hard to express what a week in the Galapagos does for you. In eight days, I became part sailor, part naturalist, part conservationist and part explorer.

There is no way you can leave the Galapagos unaffected. At the end of eight days, you will smile every time you see a mockingbird. They steal your heart with their curiosity — walking between your legs, at your side and checking out your shoelaces. You will find yourself talking to blue-footed boobies nesting in the middle of a marked path or to a marine iguana in your way as you walk on lava rock — or as you pass within a foot of a sea lion while strolling on the beach.

Once here, a part of you remains forever.

Whether or not you believe in Darwin’s theory of evolution matters little in this wonder of wonders archipelago.

If You Go

Continental Airlines flies from LAX to Houston and on to Quito, Ecuador. Check flights on www.continental.com. American Airlines and LAN Chile also fly to Ecuador, but you have to go from New York or Miami. Aerogal Airlines flies you from Quito to San Cristobal in the Galapagos, with a stop in Guayaquil. You have to fill out customs forms entering Ecuador and entering the Galapagos. There is a $100 national park fee.

Ecoventura offers eight-day excursions aboard a 20-passenger yacht, plus crew. Go online at www.ecoventura.com.

The entire trip should cost you between $3,500 and $5,000 per person, depending on cost of flight, cabin and seasonal specials.

What to bring

A good digital camera of at least seven megapixels, binoculars, an extra pair of glasses, motion-sickness pills, sun block, insect repellent and toiletries.

Don’t forget your medicines and take a copy of your prescription for your medicine and eye glasses/contacts. Ecuador and the Galapagos use American currency, which makes transactions easier. Bring enough cash to purchase souvenir items. If you use a credit card, you will be charged an additional 3 to 8 percent.

What to Wear

Bring a change of underwear and socks for eight days. There is no laundry service on the yacht. Shorts, pants (zip off legs are lightweight and great), swimsuit, T-shirts, short and long-sleeved shirts, light jacket, baseball cap and/or safari-type hat with large brim, all-terrain shoes, hiking boots and water shoes.

More trailer parks planned

Having more or less given up on plans to create a series of marinas along both sides of the Baja California peninsula and the west coast of the mainland — those installations built are now for sale — the government agency Fonatur now is promoting the construction of trailer parks.

Automotive tourism to Mexico has declined in recent years, apparently as a result of the complications involved with bringing cars into the country. Mexicans living abroad, it seems, would drive down and fly home, selling their cars before they left. Vehicles bought in the USA cost less to acquire and can be sold at a handsome profit. In order to discourage this, restrictions on temporary imports have been imposed. This, in turn, has discouraged motoring tourists. Fonatur, however, seems to believe that lack of trailer parks is keeping people away. The agency plans to build many of these and sell them to private investors. It hopes that then more private firms will start to build trailer parks.

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Jimm Budd

Reporting from Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers

Behensen acting head of Tourism Board

Carlos Behnsen is acting director of the National Tourism Promotion Council (known abroad as the Mexican Tourism Board). This was announced by Tourism Minister Rodolfo Elizondo, who confirmed that Oscar Fitch, former boss at the board, had resigned. Although Elizondo also has been expected to step down, he reaffirmed that he will remain at the helm of the ministry for as long as President Felipe Calderon wishes.

Last year, Calderon proposed abolishing the Tourism Ministry as a cost-reducing measure needed during the current recession. Congress refused to approve this. Last year was the worst in history for the Mexican tourism industry, hurt by the worldwide recession, the flu scare last spring and highly publicized incidents of violence resulting from efforts to quash organized crime. Early figures from January indicate tourism continues to decline.

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Jimm Budd

Reporting from Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers

Cyprus: 10,000 years of history and more

The Temple of Apollo in Cyprus

Story & Photos By Stan Wawer

Cyprus has passed through the hands of all the usual Mediterranean suspects over the last five or six millennia.

It took the country a long time to gain its independence — 6,000 years, give or take a thousand or two.

Cyprus, because of its strategic crossroads location, was always under somebody’s rule until 1960 when England set it free. Before Britain, it was the Greeks, Egyptians, Venetians, Romans and Ottomans (Turks).

Remains from the oldest known settlements in Cyprus date from the Neolithic Age (8200-3900 BC). The Cyprus Museum in Nicosia houses archeological treasures of Cyprus with 14 galleries of original art pieces from the 8th millennium BC to the end of antiquity. It’s haunting to look at artifacts that date back more than 6,000 years. A plowing scene made of clay dates to the Early Bronze Age (2500-1900 BC). I mean, we’re talking BC here.

A symbol of a swastika appears on one piece of pottery dated 1,050 BC. But this swastika came from India and it symbolizes fertility.

The Greeks started taking control during the Bronze Age (2500-1050 BC). Cyprus totally became a Greek island from 1050-750 BC. The cult of the goddess Aphrodite flourished at her birthplace of Cyprus during this period.

Assyria, Egypt and Persia conquered Cyprus in a period from 750-325 BC and in 333 BC the city-kingdoms of Cyprus welcomed Alexander the Great, king of Macedonia. The Hellenistic Period (325-58 BC) saw Cyprus become part of the Ptolemies of Egypt. The Ptolemies abolished the city-kingdoms and unified Cyprus.

The Roman Empire took control from 58 BC to 330 AD. During this period, Cyprus became the first country to be governed by a Christian.

The Byzantine Period lasted from 330 AD to 1191 AD. After the division of the Roman Empire Cyprus came under the Eastern Roman Empire, known as Byzantium, with Constantinople as its capital and Christianity became the official religion.

The period 1191-1192 brought Richard the Lionhearted and the Knights Templar (defenders of the popes) to Cyprus. Isaac Comnenus, self proclaimed emperor of Cyprus, had a behavior problem with survivors of a shipwreck involving ships of Richard’s fleet on their way to the Third Crusade. Richard in revenge defeated Isaac, and took possession of Cyprus. He married Berengaria of Navarre in Limassol where she was crowned Queen of England. A year later he sold the island for 100,000 dinars to the Templars who resold it at the same price to Guy de Lusignan, deposed king of Jerusalem.

The Frankish Period extended from 1192 to 1489. The Catholic Church officially replaced the Greek Orthodox.

This keeps getting better. Queen Catherina Cornaro ceded Cyprus to Venice in 1489. Enter the Venetian Period (1489-1571). Venetians viewed Cyprus as a last bastion against the Ottomans in the east Mediterranean and fortified the island. Up went the walls. But they didn’t keep out the Ottomans. In 1570 Ottoman troops attacked Cyprus, captured Nicosia, slaughtered 20,000 of the population and lay siege to Famagusta for a year. On annexation to the Ottoman Empire, the Latin leadership was either given the boot or converted to Islam and the Greek Orthodox Church was restored.

Crete, just down the Mediterranean from Cyprus, also built walls because they were under Venetian rule during the same period. The Venetian walls in Cyprus, which completely encircle the old city, possess 11 heart-shaped bastions. There were only three gates to the city in the north, south and east. The most famous gate, Famagusta Gate, has been restored and is now the Nicosia Municipal Cultural Center. During Venetian rule, the gate opened in the morning and closed in late afternoon.

But wait! Under the 1878 Cyprus Convention, Britain assumed administration of the island until 1960. It was declared a Crown colony in 1925. According to the London-Zurich Treaty, Cyprus finally became an independent republic on Aug. 16, 1960.

Turkey invaded Cyprus on July 20, 1974 and occupied 37 percent of the island. Cyprus is now a member of the EU, but it was on the pound system until 2008. Nicosia, Cyprus’ capital of 300,000, is a divided city — the last divided city in the world.

“There has been constant talk since 1974 of unification. I am optimistic and believe it will happen,” said Christina Mita, our guide and a Cypriot.

Archbishop Makarios III was president of Cyprus from 1960 until his death in 1977. He fled the country in 1974 when the Turks invaded. Much of north Nicosia is a ghetto, and not unlike East Berlin before German unification.

Christina doesn’t like to go to north Cyprus. “I don’t want to see my country under occupation. It is Cyprus but it is totally transformed into Turkey. “

There is one demarcation point that has been open since 2004 to tourists with passports. The UN patrols the buffer zone. The Turks brought 200,000 settlers to north Cyprus. The 2004, 9,000-page Annan Plan wanted to create a federation, but Greece voted no. “We would have to change governments every six months,” Christina said. Barbed wire runs across the buffer zone.

There is rumor that Turkey, in order to join the EU, would have to give up its occupation of Cyprus.

The Republic of Cyprus, however, is a beautiful, progressive country with well-preserved ruins, gorgeous beaches (especially Pafos and Limassol with their five-star hotels), warm and friendly people (English is Cyprus’ first foreign language) and a growing economy fueled by tourism and citrus and wine exports.

On my first full day in Nicosia, I visited the Chrysaliniotissa Crafts Centre, an interesting complex of eight workshops nestled around a central courtyard, designed on the basis of a traditional inn architectural concept. It accommodates units engaged in contemporary applications of traditional crafts — linens, traditional clothing, weaving, woodworking, pottery. There are some incredibly beautiful crafts. About 30 work at the Crafts Center and are paid by the government. Women used to make everything in Cyprus. When they worked in the fields they wore pants under their dresses.

The best times to visit Cyprus, according to Christina, are spring (April-May) and autumn (September-October). “You can be sure it won’t rain and you will have temperatures about 30 Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit). Guides work every day during spring and autumn.”

St. John the Theologian Church, built in 1661, is incredibly ornate. Frescos depicting scenes from the Bible and the discovery of the tomb of Saint Barnabas at Salamis adorn the walls.

“We keep our icons down low. We believe this helps us communicate better,” Christina said.

The Byzantine Museum and Art Galleries behind the church hold the largest collection of icons on the island, covering the period from the ninth to the 18th centuries. No artist’s names appear on the art. “The importance was the icons, not the artist,” Christina pointed out.

The museum has some fresco fragments that were looted by the Turks from the walls of the Church of Antiphonitis. They were illegally exported from Cyprus and sold in Europe by Turkish dealers. They were recovered with help from the German Police Authorities and returned to Cyprus in December 1977. The paintings are dated to the early 15th century and are now under glass.

Mosaics of Jesus Christ, St. Matthew, St. James, St. Luke, St. Bartholomew and an archangel date to the fifth and sixth century.

Cyprus, being at the crossroads of civilizations, has an archeological history from many countries. Many treasures were taken away during the 19th century and are now in the Louvre and the Museum of Art in New York. Under the Turks, half of what archeologists found they could take with them.

The Neolithic settlement of Choirokoitia is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Excavations on the site began in 1936 and since 1976 have continued by a French archaeological mission under the direction of Alain Le Brun.

The first period of habitation took place from 7000 to 5800 BC. The deceased at Choirokoitia were buried in pits cut into the floors of the 10-to-13-foot circular structures. They were often accompanied by objects of everyday life such as stone vessels and necklaces.

My favorite sites were on the road to and in Pafos — Kourion, the Sanctuary of Apollo Hylates, Tombs of the Kings, Kolossi Castle, Pafos Medieval Fort, Kato Pafos Archaeological Park, The Mosaics of Pafos and Petra Toy Romiou — birthplace of Aphrodite.

Kourion is an important ancient city-kingdom and one of the most spectacular archaeological sites on the island where excavations still bring new treasures to light.

The magnificent Greco-Roman Theater was originally built in the second century BC and now is fully restored and used for musical and theatrical performances. The House of Eustolios, originally a private Roman villa, became a public recreation center during the Early Christian period. It consists of a complex of baths and a number of rooms with beautifully preserved fifth century AD mosaic floors.

I loved the well-preserved restored ruins at the Sanctuary of Apollo. Apollo Hylates, god of the Woodland, was the protector of the city of Kourion.

The cult of Apollo was celebrated here from the eighth century BC to the fourth century AD. The southwest side of the temple has been restored and excavations also have revealed other structures such as the bath complex, the pilgrim halls, the palaistra and a holy precinct. Only priests could enter the temple with its statues of gold.

The Tombs of the Kings date back to the fourth century BC. Wealthy people and high officials rather than kings were buried here, but the magnificence of the tombs gave the cemetery its name. The impressive underground tombs are spread over a vast area.

Richard the Lionhearted hung out at Kolossi Castle en route to the Third Crusades.

It was originally constructed in 1210. Kolossi Castle was rebuilt in its present form in the middle of the 15th century.

It was the home to the Knights of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem near the end of the 13th century. In the 14th century it came for a few years under the domain of the Knights Templar. Nearby are the ruins of a sugar mill dating to the 14th century.

Pafos Medieval Fort was originally a Byzantine fort built to protect the harbor. It was rebuilt by the Lusignans in the 13th century, dismantled by the Venetians in 1570 and rebuilt by the Ottomans after they captured the island in the 16th century.

Kato Pafos Archaeological Park and The Mosaics of Pafos feature some remarkable mosaic floors. The archaeological site includes areas and monuments from prehistoric times up to and including the Middle Ages, with most remains dating to the Roman period.

The House of Dionysos has mosaic floors dating from the third to the fifth century AD and are considered among the finest in the Eastern Mediterranean. They mainly depict scenes from Greek mythology.

Homer, the Greek philosopher, wrote many poems about Aphrodite, the mythical goddess of love and beauty. In one of his poems, he wrote that Aphrodite came out the foam of the sea at Petra Toy Romiou (The Rock of the Greek).

The Baths of Aphrodite is on the Akamas Peninsula, a short distance from Pafos. According to legend, Aphrodite used to take her beauty baths in a pool of a natural grotto, shaded by a fig tree, which still can be visited. Also according to legend, if you splash water on your face from the grotto, you will have eternal youth. I tried it and I’m living proof that it is only that — a legend.

Not all of Cyprus lives in antiquity. the country has a blossoming agrotourism program, wine country tours, inviting villages and Land Rover tours to Avakas Gorge.

The Cyprus countryside is endowed with inexhaustible historical and natural and human riches. Its traditional villages, enhance and complement a wonderful natural environment, with their local character, traditional architecture and village planning.

Cyprus is one of the few places in the Mediterranean where sea turtles come ashore to breed on the island’s sandy beaches and are strictly protected, as is the elusive mouflon, a rare wild mountain sheep roaming the Troodos mountainsides.

I visited Goudi and Lofou, two villages involved in agrotourism. Lofou is about 16 miles northwest of Limassol. It is one of the most quaint and historical villages on the island. Built of stone, it acquired its present name in the Byzantine years because of its location at the top of a hill about 2,625 feet above sea level.

The village and surrounding area cultivate mainly vineyards, while the natural, wild vegetation is quite distinct and includes a great variety of herbal plants. Today Lofou, population about 15 (2,000 in season) preserves its traditional architecture to a great extent, while in recent years there has been an increasing interest in the restoration of its old houses. In its stone paved alleys, the visitor will feel that unique sense of looking back into stories and legends of the past.

I also visited the village of Tsada, outside of Pafos, where I learned how to make halloumi cheese from Panayiotis Leonidou, his wife Theodosia and daughter Maria. Afterward, they insisted I sit down for a tasting and a toast with a shot of Zivania, a strong alcoholic drink called the “Divine Spirit.” I might add that it was 10:30 in the morning.

Avakas Gorge is known as the “best walking tour in Cyprus because there is some danger,” according to Michalis Yiangou, our Range Rover guide. The complete tour takes about four and a half hours and includes lunch. At the end of a 4.3-mile trail, the tour continues upward about 1,969 feet out of the gorge.

One glance at the map of Cyprus shows the dominant position of the Troodos Mountains, set at the island’s center, reaching almost 6,300 feet.

Nine Byzantine churches in the Troodos Mountains are included in the official UNESCO World Heritage list.

Mt. Troodis offers hiking, fishing and skiing among its activities. More than 127 species of endemic plants and flowers welcome visitors to the area.

The monastery of the Holy Cross or Timiou Stavrou (in Greek) is in the central square of Omodos village in the Troodis area. According to tradition the monastery was established before St. Helen's arrival to Cyprus in 327AD.

There are invaluable relics in the Monastery of the Holy Cross that have made it reputable throughout the world including the Great Cross with the Holy Rope. It is a wooden cross with a gold and silver-plated cover, placed in a special canopy at the icon screen of the temple. The Agio Schinio (Holy Rope) is within an area sheltered by a golden wicket that opens and closes. It is a piece from the rope that the Romans used to fasten Christ upon the cross and it is the only extant one in the world.

Holy Cross was once a sanctuary from the Turks for Greek Cypriots, a place where they couldn’t be arrested.

Joining in a Cypriot tsifteleli dance at Limassol’s Istorikon Restaurant filled with revelers was my last memory of Cyprus. Most were in costume enjoying the Limassol Carnival, which leads up to Green Monday, the beginning of the Greek Orthodox lentil season. They laughed good-humoredly and clapped their hands as I attempted the tsifeleli dance following several shots of Zivania for courage.

Cypriots are proud people, dreaming that someday Cyprus will be one country again. It’s a long shot, but so was the tearing down of the Berlin Wall.

If you go

Wear all-terrain shoes when visiting the ruins or hiking in Avakas Gorge. I wore my hiking boots in Avakas Gorge and slipped on moss-covered rocks several times. The gorge is slippery and you have to constantly cross a stream.

The high season for tourism is May-September. Day temperatures average 98 degrees in July and August. Dress accordingly. It is a Mediterranean climate. Temperatures the rest of the year remain around the mid 60s. You will need a light jacket or sweatshirt or sweater when traveling to the mountain villages. I was there at the end of February and early March. The only time I needed a jacket was when I visited Lofou and Omodos — two quaint mountain villages.

The safari company our tour group used to visit Avakas Gorge is M & Y Yiangou Tours. The Web site is: www.zyperntours.com; phone: (25) 7484444; e-mail: paeonia.travel.tours@cytanet.com.cy

Cyprus is on the Euro. When I was there it was still on the pound.

How to get there

KLM and Northwest Airlines fly from LAX to Amsterdam and then on to Cyprus via Cyprus Airlines, which takes you to Larnaca International Airport.

Where to Stay

Cyprus has several outstanding four- and five-star hotels including Anassa, Elysium and Le Meridien.

The Anassa is in Polis near the Akamas Peninsula. It is a magnificent five-star resort with a wide range of health and beauty treatments. The architectural firm was Sandy & Babcock of California while the interior design firm was James Northcutt Associates in L.A. For information, go to www.thanoshotels.com or e-mail anassa@thanoshotels.com. Summer rates run from about $230 a night to almost $4,000 a night for a two-bedroom villa for four.

The Elysium is another stunning five-star property adjacent to the ancient Tombs of the Kings in Pafos. The Opium Health Spa is world class. For information go to www.elysium.com.cy or info@elysium.com.cy. Summer rates run from about $172 per night to about $2,500 a night for the two-bedroom Royal Suite.

Le Meridien Limassol Spa and Resort is an oasis with its own Mediterranean beach. Its spa was the winner of the World’s Leading Spa Resort at the World Travel Awards 2005. For information, go to www.lemeridien-cyprus.com or e-mail enquiries@lemeridien-cyprus.com. Rates are about $172 a night to about $712 a night. Rates are higher for Citrus Garden Villas and suites.

If you’re looking for a more affordable stay, try the Kiniras Hotel in the heart of Pafos’ old town and a short walk to the beach. It is a small, traditional house with 18 rooms. The rooms are clean and comfortable with all the usual amenities. Call 00357-6-241604 or check out the Web site at www.kiniras.cy.net.

For information about agrotourism accommodations, go to www.yourcyprus.com/agrotourism.

Agrovino in Lofou offers a room with courtyard and breakfast for about $100 a night any time of year. The room has a kitchen area, sitting area with fireplace, bathroom and sleeping area. For more information or reservations, go to www.lofou-agrovino.com.

Aeroméxico bids adieu to Canada

Aeroméxico will suspend service to Toronto in March and already has left Montreal. Flights were initiated only last year. The two Canadian cities remain served by Mexicana and Air Canada. Last July, Canada began requiring visas for Mexican visitors and obtaining these is costly and complicated. Since July, Mexico travel to Canada has declined by about 34 percent.

Frank Galvan, an operations vice president of Aeroméxico, blamed the visa requirement for the termination of the Canada flights. Mexicana has reported a 30 percent decline in sales to Mexicans and has suspended its route to Edmonton. It continues to fly to Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto and Montreal.

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Jimm Budd

Reporting from Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers

Government blamed

Various tourism industry spokespersons are blaming government inaction for the dismal condition of the hospitality industry. Worldwide recession, the flu scare and the increasingly bloody battle against organized crime all are seen as reasons why international tourism is declining, but official inaction is said only to enhance the problem.

The resignation of Oscar Fitch as director of the National Tourism Promotion Council — Mexican Government Tourism Office — is recognized as a fact, but not yet officially confirmed. Tourism Minister Rodolfo Elizondo supposedly has been trying to quit for months, but his resignation has not been accepted. Last year, President Felipe Calderon proposed abolishing the Tourism Ministry, but the Senate refused to go along. Critics charge that Calderon’s response has been to simply pretend the Ministry no longer exists.

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Jimm Budd

Reporting from Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers

Canadians to need passports

As of March 1, Canadians will need a passport to enter Mexico. Officially, this is not in response to the Canadian requirement that Mexicans possess both a passport and visa to enter Canada, but merely a result of enhanced security regulations. U.S. citizens coming to Mexico also must hold passports, since without them they may not be allowed to return to the United States.

The passport and visa rules are said to have hurt the tourism industry more than is generally realized. Destinations such as Niagara Falls, where visitors previously zipped back and forth across the border by showing little more than a driver’s license, report business down sharply, since most Americans do not hold passports. Tijuana has lost its allure to many Americans, but the big reason for the decline in visit is said to be the passport requirement. And while Canada continues to woo visitors from Mexico, as a result of the visa requirement imposed last summer, many Mexicans are either staying home or going someplace else.

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Jimm Budd

Reporting from Mexico City

Member of the Society of American Travel Writers