Pissouri, Cyprus - Saturday walk and a citrus orchard.

The weather forecast for today was good until a few days ago and then rain started to be a possibility. It rained a little overnight but was dry as we set out on the walk today, in a valley close to Pissouri.

Two others on the walk were also interested in the flora so I was not the only one snapping pictures of the wild flowers.

They would also point flowers out to me and knew some of the names. Of course I can't remember them now.

There is far more variety now as spring is definitely here.

Carob pods left, unharvested, on the tree. Some people gathered them knowing what was just along the path.

It seems that donkeys like Carob pods.

There were a couple of very pregnant Jennys and a few yearlings.

We were walking in an agricultural valley, predominately vineyards.

Some of the vines were trained on to Y shaped trellises. I have never seen this before and looked it up on the internet. I read a couple of agricultural articles that indicate the advantages to this method; farm machinery can till the soil without disturbing the fruit as it is hanging higher, the leaf canopy is spread wide for extra photosynthesis and better shade for the fruit, the fruit are hanging higher making picking easier. Overall there are more grapes produced this way and they are healthier.

Some of the Almond trees had lost their blossoms and now leaves were emerging but there were some still in full blossom.

We stopped at a citrus orchard as the walk organizers knew the owner, and we were welcome to pick some. We left our bags at the gate to pick up when we drove by later.

This is wild garlic. We picked one stalk and it didn't smell very garlicy.

This had been the Mosque in the Turkish Cypriot village that we walked through. Some of the buildings were derelict and some had been given to the Greek Cypriot refugees from the North. They pay a small rent to the government with the understanding that if the situation is resolved the Turkish Cypriots may reclaim their property.

This was the water fountain where hands, arms, face and feet were washed before entering the Mosque.

Truck load of oranges. I think the ones on the bottom would be squished so I suspect they are going to be juiced.

One of the walkers said that this was an abandoned abattoir and that each village had been provided with one under the British Rural Development Program. 

A very narrow tractor, perhaps for tilling between the grape vines.

I tried going to a website of wild Cypriot Orchids but got totally overwhelmed so, suffice to say, this is an Orchid!

And another.

Still searching for the paintable Olive tree.

Not an Orchid.

But these are.

Back past the donkeys to the cars and then picked up our fruit on the way back to Pissouri.

We ate as a group at Hani's, where Nicola, Dave and I had eaten. I had Moussaka and salad and had to bring half of the Moussaka home, it was such a large piece. As it was Saturday the restaurant was full, all Cypriots, which is a good sign.

While we were at the restaurant "the heavens opened" and  it was windy and hailed. Since then there have been intermittent thunderstorms and some more hail. We were so lucky that it all waited until after the walk.

This is what I bought home from the citrus orchard. The large yellow fruit are Pomelos. They are related to the grapefruit and can grow as large as a Cantaloupe. I haven't had one but they are supposed to be sweeter than Grapefruit. The oranges may be Mandoras, a cross between an orange and a manderin.