Enjoying a morning coffee at our regular coffee bar in the Port area of Paphos is one of our favourite Sunday morning pastimes when in Cyprus.

Needless to say, this is after a good walk along the roughly paved sea walk that surrounds the Paphos Archeological Park.

Buying fruit and vegetables from the friendly stall holders at the Saturday morning Paphos market is another pleasure.

Umbrellas protect the fruit and vegetable stands from the spring sun, Paphos

Paphos fruit and. Vegetable market

Fresh from the Market, Paphos

My painting of fruits from the Paphos market

We have been shopping here for years now and there is always a sense of mutual satisfaction when we return:  the same warm, comforting smiles and gestures reciprocated as we recognize each other.   “Ah, you are back/ Ah, you are still here”,  we collectively murmur from the heart.

This year during our visit I pay more attention to the wild flowers increasingly in bloom from February on.  The tall, spikey Asphodels that I see everywhere.   The anemone,  a loner elegant in lilac blue.   The mandrake, purple blue amid shiny leaves,  reminiscent of spooky stories.   The stately giant orchid. Perhaps above all I am drawn to the pink or white almond blossom buzzing with all manner of pollinators.  For me, the sweetly scented flowers are the harbinger of spring.

Almond blossom near Paphos

Almond blossom

Common Asphodel – Asphodelus aestivus

Mandrake – Mandragora officinarum

Giant Orchid – Barlia robertiana

Anemone coronaria – Crown Anemone

But what about wine?

Next time, I will write about a Cyprus wine we enjoy that I haven’t mentioned before.

Now back in Vancouver, with a rain-filled charcoal grey sky overhead, its good to bring these memories of Cyprus back to life.

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