My sister is turbocharged. That is probably the best description I can think of for anyone who doesn’t know her personally. She gives 110% of herself at all times. No rest for the wicked. And so it was on a Saturday afternoon when we decided to head to the Troodos mountains for a trip down memory lane but also to reconnect with those beautiful pine forests. The dog was extra happy to be joining us.

Three trails – one near Platania and St Nicholas gave us the beautiful Arbutus Andrachne, the Strawberry Tree of Cyprus with its shiny and glowing bark which is now peeling back. They pulled us towards them with their colours.

Legend says that eating the fruit of the koumaria tree can restore youthfulness and keep one healthy. We are all for that.

We sat by a flowing brook and saw the lines of copper and quartz in the stones –

On to Troodos and remembering which little hut we stayed in for our summer holidays when we were kids.

The peeling paint like those peeling barks giving continuity and connection.

Onto the pine forests – Pinus Brutia, the Calabrian Pine, Pinus Negra, The Golden Oak which is the national tree, and lots of little cedars too.

This particular pine is said to be over 500 years old. The notice says it was a young sapling when Magellan was exploring the Pacific at the beginning of the 16th Century. Some other trees are said to be over 1000 years old.

Then a leisurely drive through some mountain villages to reach Moutoullas were we sat on a veranda that overlooked the village, the church bells sounded loudly, as we devoured some freshly made loukoumades and mahalepi.

The perfect end to an active day.