[ TODAY ] What we did. And what did you do..?!

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
10/12/2011 19:39

Today we went with two British friends to a place in the Beşparmak Mountains, where we hoped to find the hidden Middle-Byzantine Panayia Plananiotissa Monastery. After a great walk on rocky paths through the mountain forest we found this incredible beautiful monastery.

But before we started the walk we had this wonderful view at TRNC's North coast, worth the whole trip...



▶ [ http://www.allcrusades.com/BB_pics/Pano_Besparmak_web.jpg ].



Only fifteen minutes from Girne - how beautiful and interesting our tiny part of the island is!

martinD41


Joined: 06/09/2010
Posts: 3001

Message Posted:
10/12/2011 20:12

Nice DC . and on a par with my Tiny Island http://mistyhorizon2003.hubpages.com/hub/Guernsey-Picture-Gallery..

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
10/12/2011 20:58

A view towards Girne. On our way to the Middle-Byzantine Panayia Plananiotissa ("All Holy Lady of the Plane Tree") Monastery (Beşparmak Mountains).

▶ [ http://www.allcrusades.com/BB_pics/IMG_0839_web.jpg ].

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
11/12/2011 16:16

This picture is meant to tease you... Isn't it an intriguing invitation to walk..?!



▶ [ http://www.allcrusades.com/BB_pics/S5001780_web.jpg ].



Straight on and then follow the path to the right, which offers stunning views of the Five Fingers Mountain and beautiful nature... You're halfway the walk and visit the Panayia Plananiotissa Monastery... Follow the rocky footpath and at the end you're back where you started... The picnic and parking place in the sun... Enjoy a great day out - you'll most probably meet no other people there..!



Maybe some readers would like to know where to find this fairy tale on a map..?

daisy dukes


Joined: 06/09/2008
Posts: 3815

Message Posted:
11/12/2011 16:55

Martin, those pictures of Guernsey are really lovely...i especially like the old black and white ones...



DD

steve.sewell


Joined: 07/11/2011
Posts: 277

Message Posted:
11/12/2011 17:31

Martin



Why do you all always hijack his threads, Guernsey is nothing special, in my opinion very bland. You go on about it every time you post, this is a cyprus forum, can you not contribute with some pictures of cyprus or at least stop going on about the channel islands every two seconds, so boring.

dippersgirl



Joined: 04/05/2010
Posts: 795

Message Posted:
11/12/2011 19:03

mess 4, does look inviting!!

Clarissa2


Joined: 12/06/2009
Posts: 1476

Message Posted:
11/12/2011 19:24

Re: Msg 4 &7,

Yes, such a beautiful scenery: sea, mountains, pine trees.

And all this only a short distance from Girne.



I'm always surprised how very few expats are interested in getting out of the 'metropolis' of Girne and exploring these beautiful places.

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
12/12/2011 11:57

The beauty of the area mentioned above:

▶ [ http://www.allcrusades.com/BB_pics/IMG_0710_web.jpg ].

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
12/12/2011 12:48

After a great walk your bonus reward is an area overlooking the Mesoaria plain, where a thousand years ago Greek speaking Cypriot (Orthodox) monks decided to build a church and some monastic buildings... And that's about all we know about the Panayia Plananiotissa Monastery!

▶ [ http://www.allcrusades.com/BB_pics/IMG_0725_web.jpg ].

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
12/12/2011 14:44

One more and then one for the road..?

▶ [ http://www.allcrusades.com/BB_pics/IMG_0744_web.jpg ].

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
12/12/2011 15:23

The last picture in this series. Why did the monks decide that this was the place for their small community? The same reason as almost everywhere in ancient Cyprus: water! Here's a picture of one of the eternal springs in the Five Fingers Mountains, about 100 metres away from the Panaia Plananiotissa monastery. The water is still running, although only in a small flow. The nearby ravine however is evidence how once there was a nice river...

▶ [ http://www.allcrusades.com/BB_pics/IMG_0746_web.jpg ].

martinD41


Joined: 06/09/2010
Posts: 3001

Message Posted:
12/12/2011 19:54

msg 6 steve. sewell...sorry but I see many comparisons in landscape ..ie rugged terrain and historic monuments, perhaps you could share some lovely views of Hatfield ... ... Scenic pictures are my passion..... and the pictures from DC are great ...

daisy dukes


Joined: 06/09/2008
Posts: 3815

Message Posted:
12/12/2011 20:04

What are the 'very rare trees' in msg 10?





DD

steve.sewell


Joined: 07/11/2011
Posts: 277

Message Posted:
12/12/2011 20:06

I agree, they are nice martin, maybe a little harsh on you, but you do go on and on about your little island. I have a feeling that i would get a life time ban if i showed pictures of my town.

rowlo



Joined: 12/10/2008
Posts: 4796

Message Posted:
12/12/2011 20:07

they are long gone now , they used to call them , money trees

daisy dukes


Joined: 06/09/2008
Posts: 3815

Message Posted:
12/12/2011 20:10

@rowlo....hehehe...



DD

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
12/12/2011 20:39

@ msg 14, Daisy Dukes: (...) What are the 'very rare trees' in msg 10? (...)



▶ One of the (very) rare trees in the area where the Panayia Plataniotissa monastery is located is a monumental circa 500 years old evergreen cypress*, shading an old cistern near the monastic buildings.

* Latin: Cupressus sempervirens var. Horizontalis.

There are more (very) rare trees there and I'll put pictures of them on the web page I'm building.



Two pics of the tree mentioned above:

▶ [ http://www.allcrusades.com/BB_pics/IMG_0756_web.jpg ].

▶ [ http://www.allcrusades.com/BB_pics/IMG_0771_web.jpg ].

daisy dukes


Joined: 06/09/2008
Posts: 3815

Message Posted:
12/12/2011 20:45

Interesting, i wasn't aware that these trees were very rare, in fact i thought quite the opposite actually. Well you live and learn i suppose.



DD

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
12/12/2011 21:06

OK, just for fun, off-topic and only (?) for Daisy Dukes. Where can we find the oldest tree in Cyprus even slightly older than the huge olive tree in Karaoğlanoğlu?

▶ [ http://www.allcrusades.com/BB_pics/S6002121_web_1.jpg ].

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
12/12/2011 21:10

I'm sure Daisy knows how to Google the answer so I may as well give it here. It's the plane from 1299 possibly planted (eight years after Richard I Plantagenêt "the Lionheart" had conquered Cyprus) when the Lusignan royal family started to build the impressive cathedral in Famagusta. The tree has been drawn by many artists throughout the centuries.



▶ [ http://www.allcrusades.com/BB_pics/S6002121_web_2.jpg ].

▶ [ http://www.allcrusades.com/BB_pics/DSCN6422_web_3.jpg ].

steve.sewell


Joined: 07/11/2011
Posts: 277

Message Posted:
12/12/2011 21:13

The cathedral fig tree

steve.sewell


Joined: 07/11/2011
Posts: 277

Message Posted:
12/12/2011 21:33

Please tell me kind sir, is it the oldest living thing in north cyprus or the whole of the island.



steve

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
12/12/2011 21:36

@ msg 23, steve.sewell: It's the oldest living tree on the island of Cyprus. The oldest living thing in Northern Cyprus is possibly me.

Enchanted


Joined: 20/07/2008
Posts: 159

Message Posted:
12/12/2011 21:45

Thank you so much for your posting Dutch. I return in four weeks and will be hot on your heels to find this monestry.

rowlo



Joined: 12/10/2008
Posts: 4796

Message Posted:
12/12/2011 21:48

good stuff dutch.

steve.sewell


Joined: 07/11/2011
Posts: 277

Message Posted:
12/12/2011 21:52

24



perhaps try that saying in 20 years, your younger than my dad, just.

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
12/12/2011 21:56

@ msg 25, Enchanted: I'll add several maps to the web page I have in mind so everything will be easy to find.

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
13/12/2011 11:14

CORRECTION.



@ my msg 21: (...) It's the plane from 1299 possibly planted (eight years after Richard I Plantagenêt "the Lionheart" had conquered Cyprus) (...)

This should read ... one hundred and eight years ...

Sorry.