’Tis the season to be jolly – Kourtellorotsos 8 Dec.

Favoured by the weather, a large and varied gathering of Strollers hiked at Lagoudera on 8 December, and had lots of fun. The meal included treats, as befits the Christmas season, and conversations added the cultural spice that characterizes this club. The party thanked and bid farwell to Inge, whose professional engagements take her back to home country. Compliments to Elena and Petros for the photos. Don’t miss the once a year wonderful treat of fish and seafood at Governor’s on Saturday https://cyprus-strollers.org/activities-description/governors-coast-14-dec/

Summertime at the Caves – 30 Nov.

All elements at play were describing summer on 30 November at the Sea Caves hike: sunshine, calm sea, bright colours, flowers and the mood of the very large gathering of Strollers, regulars and newcomers, of all ages. Compliments to Nicos for leading the day and to Susana, Elena and Petros for their photos. Missed this one? There are 3 activities left this season. Join us next here https://cyprus-strollers.org/activities-description/panagia-araka-kourtellorotsos-8-dec/

Enjoyable Adelphi forest – 24 Nov.

A wonderful gathering of Strollers, regulars and newcomers, hiked off the beaten track on Adelphi forest on 24 Nov. and enjoyed the day out in positive spirit. Compliments to John for the photos. Missed this one? There are another 4 activities this season. Join us next on 30 Nov. to admire the landscape that offers the only photo from Cyprus that pops up on your computer screen when you switch on, as part of the photo series from Microsoft https://cyprus-strollers.org/activities-description/cape-greco-sea-caves-trail-30-nov/

Club of international appeal – Pouziaris 16 Nov.

Strollers of 11 nationalities gathered for the hike of 16 November on Pouziaris, a number seen many times before. What made this stand out was the fact that we welcomed 4 persons in Cyprus for a holiday of just a few days, who chose to partner us in a day’s forest escape and a very rich lunch reward. Compliments to Elena and Maria for the photos. Missed this one? There’s another 5 scheduled this season. Join us next here https://cyprus-strollers.org/activities-description/kourdali-spilia-24-nov/

Attitude that pays – Platania 10 Nov.

The weather forecast was discouraging, and proven correct. All the same, all Strollers who had registered were there, well-equipped for rain, enjoyed the hike and the lunch. It’s all a matter of coming up with the right attitude, perhaps. Here is how Natalia put things in writing shortly after: “Many thanks for such a wonderful day. Lovely company, landscape and food.” Compliments to Victor for orchestrating the activity. Compliments also to Anna and Petros for the photos. Missed this one? There are another six activities scheduled for this season. Join us next here https://cyprus-strollers.org/activities-description/pouziaris-troodos-linear-trail-16-nov/

Splendid palette of autumn colours – Selladi 2 Nov.

The weather at Selladi Karamanli on 2 November was the answer to our prayer, following a sunny October: moderate temperature and all-cloudy sky. On top, the leaves of deciduous trees all around changing colours, from green to yellow to red to brown, created a natural palette sufficient to lift the spirits of all Strollers. Compliments to Elena for the photos. Missed this one? There are another 7 activities scheduled this season. Join us next here https://cyprus-strollers.org/activities-description/platania-mnimata-piskopon-10-nov/

Clarios had only lovers – 27 Oct.

The day was absolutely clear, befitting the large gathering of Strollers, regulars and newcomers that hiked on the banks of river Clarios at Agios Nicolaos near Kakopetria. The murmur of water was a worthy reward for all the climbing effort preceded, and the rough terrain. Compliments to Petros and Anna for the photos. Missed this one? There are another 8 activities coming up. Join us next here https://cyprus-strollers.org/activities-description/selladi-karamanli-pezounokremos-circle-and-selladi-polystypos-linear-2-nov/

Hiking + Live music – Prodromos 19 Oct.

A pleasant surprise welcomed diners at our restaurant following the hike at Zoumi-Stavroulia on 19 Oct.; live music, with singing, from a duet, which led some of us to the dancing floor! Compliments to Elena, Anna, Mae, Nicos and Petros for the photos. Missed this double pleasure? There are another 9 events coming up. Join us next here https://cyprus-strollers.org/activities-description/kakopetria-agios-nicolaos-clarios-27-oct/

1 Year of Atrocities in the Middle East

This Club is, of course, non-political. It has, at times, welcomed Palestinian Strollers, as well as Israelis, with the same warm heart. Perhaps because of that, we are making an exception today, to lament the start of Year 2 of a war that does not end, continuing to spread death and disaster. Read the poem that follows, and the note at the end.   

“If I Must Die” by Refaat Alareer (written originally in English)

If I must die,
you must live
to tell my story
to sell my things
to buy a piece of cloth
and some strings,
(make it white with a long tail)
so that a child, somewhere in Gaza
while looking heaven in the eye
awaiting his dad who left in a blaze—
and bid no one farewell
not even to his flesh
not even to himself—
sees the kite, my kite you made, flying up above
and thinks for a moment an angel is there
bringing back love.

If I must die
let it bring hope
let it be a tale.

Palestinian writer and professor of world literature and creative writing at the Islamic University of Gaza Refaat Alareer (1979–2023) was killed in an airstrike by the Israeli military December 6, 2023 along with his brother, his brother’s son, his sister and her three children.

Polychromatic experience – Waterfalls – 13 Oct.

The experience of the colours of the rainbow in the sky is ordinary. The view of the colours of the rainbow coming from the waterfall at Platres was on 13 Oct. a sight to relish, among all Strollers. Verses from the ‘What a Wonderful World’ song by Louis Armstrong came to our lips: “The colors of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky, are also on the faces, of people going by; I see friends shaking hands, saying, “How do you do?”, they’re really saying, I love you”. It turned out that on the day this club was polychromatic, in more ways than the usual of hosting many nationalities. Compliments to Gunnar for his leadership and Nicos for the photos. Missed this one? There’s another 10 outings coming up. Join us on 19 Oct, here https://cyprus-strollers.org/activities-description/prodromos-zoumi-stavroulia-19-oct/