ABOUT AKAMAS

Akamas is blessed with unparalleled natural beauty, cloaked in the crisp atmosphere, cool summer breezes, the whisper of the waves and the rustling of leaves as Zephyros, the god of the wind, passes by. But the sunlight is undoubtedly the most powerful force in the region: its overwhelming strength envelops everything, down to the most remote corner of Akamas. It takes over and rules the area with a serenity that would be envied by many a sovereign.

During the day the light is imposing, almost majestic, leaving no doubt that all earthly things come under its jurisdiction. At night, it shimmers gently with a silvery sheen over the flora and fauna of Akamas. People too, are caught up in the magnificence and * power of the light of Akamas. You almost wish you had a second pair of eyes so that nothing of this wonderful beauty escapes you by day or night . Once the sun sets, the moon takes over,reaching high over the mountains and shedding its soft brilliance all the way to the sea. It swims along the horizon, casting its glittering reflection far and wide. On a full moon, Akamas is clad in pearly bright apparel. It sheds its day clothes, the traditional Cypriot . baggy trousers, the waistband and the black headscarf, usually worn tilted. The glow of Akamas dons its new radiant clothes and sails silently around its kingdom.

But the ubiquitous light is not the only ruler in Akamas. The all pervading aroma of the trees and flowers also claims its share of the bind you captive to the area. A heady blend of scents rises from the sea, the thyme, oregano, fennel, the cypress and the pine trees, the frankincense, lentisc and a great variety of other wild shrubs and bushes that adorn the region.

Much of the beauty and attraction of Akamas lies in the tranquil voices you hear there - the murmur of the sea, the music of the water, the stirring of leaves, and the chatter of birds; the cicadas and crickets, the bleating of sheep and goats that roam freely in the wild and graze on the hillsides over the Baths of Aphrodite. But the waves breaking on the shore along the beaches of Akamas are not always as friendly as one might expect them to he. There are times when they pound the rocks incessantlhy as if to shift them from the firm position they have held for ages. There are other times when the wrath of Poseidon echoes loud and clear in the many sea caves to be found in the area. The gods's thundering voice is crried by the waves deep into the caves where the nymphs soothe it and transform it into a whispering song for the seals that once lived there. Even today, the people of Pegeia, the village closest to the caves, remember the sad story of the Akamas seal. They used to listen to the seal's grieving cries as she mourned the loss of her cub, killed by some uncaring fishermen. As the sun set and dusk began to fall, with the approaching shadow of night, the seal began her sorrowful dirge, a sad chorus reverberating in the dark sea caverns of Kantarkastous. This was the last surviving seal of Akamas, and since she left, to escape the terrible fate which had befallen her, no other seal has appeared in Kantarkastous. The cave still stands and bears her name, the "cave of the seal", and the mother's lament is carried through the caves and along the shores of Akamas by bats in a weeping wailing sound. Her cries are also borne by the whispering sea which passes it on to the shore and they in turn to the trees and the birds. Some local fishermen say they have seen some seals near the Geronisos areas but who knows...

There is another kingdom in Akamas, belonging to the skies but evident throughout the region - the realm of the birds (of all kinds, shapes and colours which adorn the mountains, roam the gorges and swoop over the sea. Small birds such as sparrows, turtle doves, kingfishers and robins, sing in the morning dew and fill the air with their sweet melodies. Akamas is also the abode of hundreds of migratory birds who leave their cold homes in northern Europe for warmer climes in Africa and arrive in flocks in autumn on their way to the Nile and further south. The ominous vulture and the swift hawk who rule the skies are often seen in the area.

The goddess of love is also associated with other spots in Akamas: the tower of Regaena and the Baths of Aphrodite. Regaena, the mediaeval Aphrodite, used to go to this tower after bathing to rest and spend her time spinning. Both Aphrodite and Adonis are inexorably linked with the history of the area, and their sighs, both sad and happy, can still be heard by some locals. Aphrodite assumed the role of Regaena in the Middle Ages and Adonis handed down his features to Dhigenis. A huge boulder lying in an empty field near the Baths of Aphrodite is said to have been thrown by Dhigenis to try to stop Regaena from being led away from him, despite her protestations. Dhigenis missed his target, Regaena's ship, and the rock landed in the fields.

The Baths of Aphrodite are undoubtedly a unique spot, associated in legend and in history with the goddess of love. The setting is sensual and the scenery enchanting, with aromatic plants surrounding the water source, a small pond enclosed in greenery and cyclamen that thrive in spring seem to embody the beauty and the aroma of this particular place. Even their leaves, in the shape of a heart, appear to bow down before the goddess and reflect their obeisance to Aphrodite. Lilies, Cypriot tulips, white anemones and multi-coloured orchids line the pastures in March to welcome the new beginning of life with the arrival of their goddess in springtime. It would be almost impossible to count the colours of spring in Akamas and equally futile to number the shades of green... olive and carob trees, cypress, pine and bay... When in blossom the small valleys and slopes in Akamas seem clad in all hues of emerald. Akamas makes sure its villages do not miss out on this colourful rainbow: Pegeia, Neo Chorio, Androlikou, Ineia, and Drousheia are adorned with bluebells, camomile, myrtle, geraniums, shamrock, bind weed, gladioli and an interminable array of wild flowers. The stone-built village houses give the place a distinct character and local architectural heritage. The area is strewn with old Byzantine churches that etch their own mark to the peninsula.

The name Akamas has become almost identical with the Lara hatchery and its beaches, home to the green and logger-head turtles. Here they lay their eggs, undisturbed by civilisation. Once the hatchlings emerge from their shells, they head instinctively for the sea. The bright light of the water draws the tiny turtles towards it like a magnet. The mother turtles are also bound by their natural environment and, having laid their eggs, they too head back to the sea, as they have done for centuries.

Today Akamas is no longer the undiscovered wild region of the island where wild animals lived and shepherds were virtually the only inhabitants. The beauty of the region has attracted Cypriots and foreigners in their hundreds. They flock to the area to admire its uniquely Mediterranean habitats, its varied flora and fauna, its distinctive geological and morphological features, its unspoilt beaches and the serenity that distinguishes them from other parts of Cyprus.

Akamas has retained its rugged beauty, despite man's attempts to destroy and distort it. Akamas is still masculine, full of life and vitality.