Busman's Holiday

As this is photograghically heavy (what's new!!I hear you shout..)
I'll try to keep the blurb to a minimum, yes, I said try...
As you know Geoff works throughout the summer months driving a Land Rover on the Jeep Safaris. Considering we are in a recession, we've been very surprise at the amount of people who have been on the trip during May.
He loves it, showing people a wild and beautiful part of where we live, which most tourists would not normally see. So it's no surprise, that he wanted to take me up there, on his day off..
This is Katharo, a plateau above Kritsa.
Now, you have to remember looking at the photos, we are at a height that is, higher than Snowdonia.....
The whole of the plateau at the moment is awash no, ablaze, with colour. It's stunning and I'm so glad we went. I only hope you get some idea of the colour and diversity of wild flowers in bloom now. The most prolific at the moment is the vetch, which is from the pea family. We saw trucks brimming over with it being driven down the mountain roads to feed the sheep and goats on the coast. You can also see poppies, gladiolii,chamomile. If you want a closer view just click each photo.

We also spied one of the few orchids left of the season, pyramidal orchid.
Dewi chased tadpoles in some of the water that is still trickling down the mountainside from the remaining spots of snow,
This is Mount Dikti, yes, there's still snow up there!!

It's a shame my camera has not got all the singing and dancing lens of others. If it had, I could have shown you the dozens of larks or the choughs that were flying around making such sweet music.
We also saw 12 griffon vultures circling around. I'll try to get a photo sometime but most of the time they are up in the thermals looking out for lunch.

I tried to convince myself that walking for 2 hours up there, at altitude!!, does more for me than my daily walks down in Houmeriakos but I think I'm kidding myself.
It was so much cooler up there, that's why some families have summer homes up there. The shepherds also bring their herds of sheep and goats to graze on the lush grass that is lacking in the summer months on lower ground. There are also small orchards of apples and pears too.
It's a small place though, as we were driving off the plateau, we met the lovely Sandy (of the beautiful quilts, cushions and efilumps) and her husband Chris taking in the views with their friends.

Hey, guess what??
That was the morning...
want to see what happened in the afternoon??
Maybe tomorrow............