Well, today we wrap up a fine week in Cyprus. We’re beginning our long journey home – 12 hours of flying, 5 hours of ground transportation, two 2-hour layovers and one overnight layover. Before we go, a few more observations about Paphos, about food, and other random thoughts… and of course, a gallery with a few photos and videos.
Paphos is undergoing a massive transformation. Although it is known as “new Paphos”, it was likely founded in 306 BCE [Wikipedia]. With tourism booming, the city is remaking itself as a “smart city“, creating new universities and being declared the 2023 European Capital of Smart Tourism (e.g., by deploying a smart parking system supported by tens of thousands of sensor-equipped parking spaces across the city). They are reportedly aiming for improved efficiency, sustainability, and accessibility.
We spent an evening wandering the old town, whole sections of which have been completely remodeled into a pedestrian-friendly shopping and dining district. It was here that we had our only two good meals of the week. (The hotel food was alright, but mostly an uninspiring collection of British comfort food and weak attempts at classic Greek or Cypriot dishes.) On this evening, we chose to dine at Honey, shown above; it is a delightful spot in the renewed district, with tables nestled outdoor under trees. Excellent wines, interesting mains, and beautiful presentation. We topped off our meal with a stop at a local Gelato shop, with an impressive array of gelatos and cones, doing fast business on a warm Wednesday evening.
Earlier, on our first full day in Cyprus, the conference organizers invited us to a meze at Hondros – the oldest taverna in Paphos. This feast was a seemingly endless sequence of dishes (I lost count after ten), each a different meat or cheese specialty. It was a fantastic way to start the week!
Speaking of sustainability, I noticed throughout Cyprus that every house had a solar water heater on its roof. Whether by regulation or by economic incentive, every house had a tank and a pair of heating panels. Our driver told us that it is an essentially free way to produce domestic hot water, given the strong and persistent sunshine here in Cyprus.
See the gallery for more photos and videos.
David Kotz 