Cyprus

 
 
 

Vocabulary

bay	novice	crystal-clear
mild	unique	destination
fig	poster	grouper
area	pedal	amazing
surf	century	year-round
along	quarter	landmark
palm	marine	promenade
shore	harbor	attraction
reach	wreck	nervous
port	variant	sink/sank/sunk
main	idyllic	barracuda
deep	amber	on board
prove	winery	participant
allow	explore	experienced
clear	surface	shipwreck
alley	inland	extensive
brew	copper	discover
pot	reward	evaporation
scuba	vintner	supposed to
canoe	forever	moisture
worth	emerge	clockwise
site	legend	surround
crush	harvest	counter-clockwise
bless	wrinkle	underwater
sand	eternal	spectacular

 
 
 
 
 

Video

 

 
 
 
 

Transcript

Beautiful bays, crystal clear waters and mild temperatures all year round. The east side of Cyprus is a favorite destination for seaside vacationers.

One of the island’s most idyllic beaches is Fig Tree Bay.

“A lot of people come from everywhere to see the area here. They come to Fig Tree Bay,” says Stavros Rossos, owner of Stavros Water Sports.

I have this water sports since 1975. I used to be in the middle of the beach. I used to have one boat, one pedal boat, one canoe, and a few windsurfing boats. That’s it.”

“Now you see what we have.”

Those looking for a bit of culture head southwest, to the port city of Larnika.

The main landmark of the old quarter is ninth century Church of St. Lazurus. Hotels lie along the promenade of Fino Kudis Beach, named for the palm trees planted along the shore.

Boat rides leave the harbor for an underwater, tourist attraction. The Zynobia is the largest wreck in the Mediterranean that can be reached by scuba. It sank in 1980, just two kilometers off Larnika, with more than one hundred trucks on board.

Marios Priomos, a diving instructor explains.

“People visit from other countries to visit Zynobia. It’s full of groupers, barracudas; the marine life down there is amazing. You are talking about a wreck that is 180 meters, so we’re talking about a mountain of steel under the water. It’s something unique for divers.”

“Oh, I’m quite nervous because it’s so deep.”

All of the participants have to prove that they have a certain number of scuba diving hours to be allowed to explore the Zynobia. Even the pros have to make a dive with an instructor.

The more experienced divers can go all the way down to the hold of the Zynobia at a depth of forty meters. Novices stay near the shipwreck surface, about fifteen meters deep.

“It’s huge. It’s really, really massive.”

Further inland, there’s plenty more to discover.

Cyprus has the most extensive forest of any Mediterranean island. At the foot of the Trodos Mountains lie a number of idyllic villages.

One of the oldest is Lafu, with it typical stone houses and narrow alleys. Here they brew coffee according to Cypriot tradition: in a copper pot on a bed of hot sand.

A few kilometers away, wineries produce some of the oldest wines in the world: komenderia. It’s a sweet wine made nowhere else but here. For almost 3,000 years.

Nicos Aristidou, a vintner, explains.

“When the grape is very sweet, we harvest the grapes. And we lay them under the strong sand. In these days there was very strong sunlight. For eight to ten days, the grapes will lose a lot of moisture because of evaporation.

And after we collect it and bring it to the winery, where we crush and take the juice immediately.”

The grapes are sun-dried. And that’s what give them their amber color. It’s higher alcohol content means that it keeps for longer periods of time.

After a wine tasking, it’s worth a trip westward to Aphrodite’s Rock. This is where the goddess of love is said to have emerged from the sea, one of many legends surrounding the site.

“We heard about the legend and you are supposed to swim three times clockwise, three times counter-clockwise – and you’ll be young forever!” says Giorgia Chille, a tourist.

“We haven’t done it yet. We haven’t done it yet….so let’s just say tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow. We getting wrinkles.”

According to another variant, couples who swim around the rock will be blessed with eternal love.

And even if the eternal love or eternal youth doesn’t work out, you’ll still be rewarded with a spectacular sunset.

 

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Questions

1. Visitors come to Fig Tree Bay only to sunbathe. True or false? Are there palm trees there?

2. Is the most famous structure in Lanarka a disco?

3. In the sea, scuba divers encountered octopuses, sharks, dolphins and whales. Is this right or wrong?

4. Are all the houses on Cyprus new with modern styles?

5. The most popular drink on Cyprus is Coca-cola. Is this correct or incorrect? Describe the popular drinks of Cyprus.

6. How do Cypriots make wine?

7. What is the legend of Aphrodite?
 
 
A. My friends and I have been to Cyprus? Yes or no? If yes, what was it like?

B. Would you like to visit Cyprus? Would you like to live in Cyprus?

C. What are some favorite holiday-destinations among people in your country?

D. Is tourism very important where you live?

E. What might happen in the future?