Day 1
Day 1: Tuesday November 13th, 2018 Paphos Castle - Timi
An early morning of packing and preparing, a light breakfast and a lift to Paphos castle from our logistical team. Team photos taken to mark the start of the challenge, including the one-raised-leg-forward pose by the walkers to mark the first step of the day that we will use to record the beginning of each day’s walk. The loud Moufflon shirts we wear and the fuss we make seem out of proportion with the exiguous interest shown by bystanders.
Today was planned to be a half day walk aimed at getting us out of urban Paphos and set us up for the beginning of our climb up and over the Troodos mountain range. The subplot was to target a finish at the Perasma restaurant on the B6 old road between Limassol and Paphos just outside the village of Timi. The phasolia here have long been admired by members of the team.
Paphos Castle itself has had a mixed life story. Built by the Byzantines as harbour protection, it was destroyed by an earthquake in the 13th century, rebuilt by the Lusignan crusaders, dismantled by the Venetians, restored by the Ottomans and turned into a warehouse by the British. Today it is a museum and a great location from which to start a trans-island ramble.
Within a few minutes we have reached the site of the first of the Apostles that mark the termini of our walk – Paul’s Pillar at the Panayia Chrysopolitissa Basilica ruins. The Saint’s missionary career did not start auspiciously. Joining the Apostle Barnabas, he crossed the island from the ancient city of Salamis near Famagusta to Paphos preaching on the way. For his efforts, Paul was whipped ‘40 less than 1’ times strapped to the pillar now to be found in courtyard of Panayia Chrysopolitissa. The small church amidst the ruins themselves, although Byzantine in look and style, is now Paphos’ main Anglican church.
From the Pillar we head towards Geroskipou and the beautiful 5 domed church of Ayia Paraskevi in the village’s main square. Paphos and the village have grown in recent years to merge into each other – extending the urban launch of our walk.
At Geroskipou square we take our first rest stop, an opportunity to admire the (for the most part) 11th century Byzantine church and reflect on our first Aphrodite legend experience. The village we are in is named after the legend of Aphrodite’s garden located somewhere near the church which provided refreshments for the many Aphrodite pilgrims who passed on their way to the impressive temple of Aphrodite in Kouklia near to my present day house.
From Geroskipou square we take the B6 road to Timi. This is the worst part of the entire journey – walking along a busy narrow highway with no sidewalk or track to separate hiker from driver. We string out single file on the tarmac road to limit the risk of being crushed by passing trucks, diplokampina, taxis heading to and from the airport, and, in a recent addition to road hullabaloo, cyclists with head down and at times with little regard for the four wheeled variety of road conveyance. I myself had cycled this stretch of road on our first day of the circumnavigation of Cyprus by bicycle some 5 years earlier. And it was scary then.
If the phasollia were not motivation enough, the road-to-hell invites hurried steps, largely in silence, pushing on to our lunch terminus for the day. On the way there is little to note other than the church of Ayios Theodosiou in Achileia, cradled and hidden behind evergreen trees a few yards off the main road.
Delighted, and surprised, to have avoided an early appointment with our maker on the B6, we arrive at Perasma on the edge of Timi at a good time for a lunch time feast of home made phasollia and a celebration of life.
Aaarrrrggghhhhh - The best laid plans… … Perasma is closed - apparently every Tuesday.
Its 12:40 pm and we are hungry
Day 1 stats: Distance 8 miles; total miles to date 8 (12.8 Km)