Traveling the Backroads

Today was as grey as yesterday was sunny. We decided to drive up into the Troodos mountains to search out some frescoes in old churches. It was a delicious treat just being together, cosy, warm, and dry in the comfort of our car as we drove through the misty hills. Marvelling at the terraced vineyards and the almond trees just beginning to blossom, we followed the snaking roads through quiet villages, deep forests, and out across open pasture land.

The gentleness of the day is something that will live with me for years to come, exploring the backroads of Cyprus in the comraderie of friends who have known each other for years, and who know how to relax and be comfortable with each other.
Inside this unassuming church, Panagia tou Asinou, is a magnificently painted interior where nearly every surface is covered with exquisite Byzantine frescoes

The frescoes are amazing and beautiful paintings, as expressive and engaging today as when they were painted 900 years ago. They told stories of a divine love that is as longed-for and real now as it was then. Standing in those old churches, I could feel the reverence of all who have ever stood before these masterpieces, admiring their artistry and quickening to the inspiration they offer.

We always stop at roadside shrines when we travel; displays of daily devotion fascinate and inspire me. Driving home through the backroads we came across this lovely icon of St. George in the village of Mandria, a final blessing on our day.