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Have you ever been to Alevkayasy, the part of Besparmak that is covered with green flora and has loads of oxygen? Above Esentepe there is a place with pine trees, evergreens and scents that make you dizzy, which has a different character with the wild life hidden. As a matter of fact, it is special for locals as well, - the one and only picnic area that is suitable for brazier barbecue. And above all, rumour has it that the best sunset is watched from Alevkayasy.
We are on our way to Alevkayasy. We have several routes: if we started from Girne, the shortest route would be the Girne-Ercan road, but since we are out sightseeing, we?ll take the Esentepe road.
Not a bad idea is it?
ANTIPHONIDIS
If you are driving on the coast and turn just before the Esentepe junction, you?ll get to Karaa?aç village and take the road to the peak. But we?ll take the long and confusing way and go through Esentepe. Since we are here, we might as well visit Antiphonidis Church on our way. The road in the village is unbelievably confusing so I cannot give directions, but I can offer tips. First always drive towards the mountain. And ask for directions on your way up. That is the way to Antiphonidis Church, 8 km away from Esentepe village. The church that was dedicated to St. Mary was built in the 7th century. This interesting church has beautiful icons and from it there is a wonderful view.
In order to get to Alevkaysy you need to go back from Antiphonidis and keep going towards the peak. Then you start getting to the best part of the journey, you start experiencing the piny scent, and the wild life that you can see for yourself, - mind you, don?t forget the green forest and the clear blue sky above you as you go along. My God, when did Cyprus turn so green?
RARE ECOSYSTEM
On our way to the peak, we keep stopping our car because with every turn we see something that is interesting and so we stop to observe it. A simple fountain, a partridge, or the different rocks by the roadside are all good reasons for us to stop. Not to forget the wonderful view that gets better as we go higher up the mountain. When you look down at Cyprus from here you realise that it is much more beautiful than what you see in the city. If you are travelling with a photographer, even a tortoise can beat you for speed. You constantly say: ?Ok, let?s go now.? But to tell you the truth, while Emre was busy taking pictures of everything we saw on the way, I had a chance to observe the beautiful surroundings. On the coast that begins from Alevkayasy and continues to Karpaz, there is a wonderful ecosystem. If you just spare a minute to look at the plants, animals and insects that are within the region, you can easily appreciate the rich ecosystem of the area. You don?t necessarily have to be a scientist to see the threat that lies ahead for these creatures.
The new road that has made it easier to get to the area has also increased the number of visitors. It is good for the development of the area, but wasn?t the east of Girne untouched because it was difficult to even get there? And don?t we, human beings, take civilization wherever we go? At the moment Alevkayasy forest is not in danger but we should not let this green site become a victim of the current trend to build your ?villa overlooking a wonderful view.?
FOOD WITH A VIEW
When we finally pull Emre out of focus from the flowers and insects that he had been photographing, we come to a place which is regarded as the centre of a very Cypriot tradition. If we summarize Alevkayasy we can say: brazier, meat, a little beverage and loads of food! By the way, you can see a couple of young guys trying to wear off the calories by kicking a ball. Oh, my God, who?ll eat the left over hors d?oeuvre? Are you interested in what the Cypriots do on a Sunday afternoon? Just visit Alevkayasy.
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