Vegas Hotel & Bar

SHORT HISTORY OF AGROS VILLAGE

by budapest8

NAME OF VILLAGE - SHORT HISTORY OF AGROS VILLAGE.

The village of Agros was named after the Monastery of Megalos Agros, which was built at the spot where the Church of Panayia of Agros is found today. According to tradition 40 monks from Kizikos of Minor Asia, during the era of icon fighting abandoned the Monastery of Megalos Agros and arrived in Cyprus carrying the icon of the Holy Mother. They ended up at the area where Agros is today located, stayed for a certain period in a cave and then they built a new monastery naming it Monastery of Megalos Agros just like the prior monastery they used to live in. In 1692 A.C. death virus spread all over the island causing death to 2/3 of the population. The survivors left their houses and moved close to the monastery. So a new village was formed with the name of Agros. Finally in 1894 the monastery was ruined leaving the village a great historical inheritance.

Kourion & The Sanctuary of Apollo

by gigina

The most spectacular of the South's Archeological sites. It consists of two sites: the ancient city and the sanctuary of Apollo Hylates. This sacred precinct was consecrated during the 8th Century BC but the present buildings are early Roman, flattened by the great earthquake of 365 AD. The two columns, a wall corner and an angle of the pediment enclose the altar area - the most holy to appease the god's wrath.

CYPRUS - THE BEAUTIFUL ISLAND

by susie46

What can I write about Cyprus that has not been written about a thousand times already. You will either love it or hate it, there appears to be no in between.

Cypriots are lovely warm genuine people, they will ensure that your stay is a happy one.

We have stayed at both Limmasol and Proteras.

Limmasol is ideally situated if you wish to travel around the Island. You could drive to Protarus in an hour or so, or phaphos in the opposite direction for an hour or so. We hired a car and each day travelled to a new location.

The main road runs right through Limassol with bars, shops and eateries lining both sides. Lots of Karaoke bars, Pizza parlours and ice cream parlours.

The beach is divided into little coves usually seperated by stone rocks - great fun if you like looking for crabs and nice to swin in the coves as the water is nice and shallow and warm !! Dark sandy beach with lots of pebbles and sun beds available

On our last visit we stayed at Protarus and I fell in love with this area. The beaches are a soft and sandy yellow, you could sink in it. Palm trees line the area. As Protarus is situated at the bottom end of the Island it does involve a longer drive if you wanted to visit Phaphos for the day ( at the other end of the Island ). Protarus is ideally suited for all ages, children would love the beach area.

Being smaller than Limassol there is not as much available but the main area concentrates around a large square area, with lots of bars, eateries, bike hire, spade shops etc. You would not have to leave the area at all for anything. Further along the way ( about 10 min drive )is the beautiful beach of Ayia Napa. This resort boasts a water park and fun fair, a beatiful place to stay or visit. During the high season the party people descend to Ayia Napa but if this is not what you want the area is large enough to accomodate all.

Lofou (2)

by planxty

"Too much for one travelogue."

If you want to know about Lofou, please see my other travelogue which details the history of the village in modern times from thriving agricultural community to "ghost town" to it's present status of weekend home for Ypsonas residents.

I found the place so fascinating and beautiful that I took an awful lot of photos and the purpose of this second travelogue is to present some more of them. There is little text to go with the images, I hope you appreciate the images for themselves.

I know I said I wasn't going to write any accompanying text with these photos, but I have to ask a question about this. Unusually, my local sources, normally very good about matters Cypriot, have failed me here. This is obviously a water trough of some sort. It's the inscription that puzzles me.

The date is 1953, at which point Britain was still in charge of Cyprus. Our present monarch, Queen Elizabeth had just ascended the throne, and obviously ER, as on British postboxes, may stand for Elizabeth Regina (Queen Elizabeth), so my question is this. Did some British interest (perhaps the Army) erect this trough as a present to the local populace? I rather like to think of a bunch of British national servicemen, with nothing else to do, knocking up a water trough for the local populace. Hearts and minds and all that. This was all long before the EOKA thing, of course.

If anyone can enlighten me as to the true history of this, I'd be very grateful.

This is the wonderful view over the mountains from the village.