Might as well Jump!

A most brilliant day!  We were up reasonably early to go and jump off a mountain.  I'd done this before but Maureen was nervous having had a bit of a restless night.  The chaps took us to the pickup place and Highline came along and picked us up to go up the mountain.  We were the only 2 on the first run and we had an instructor each: Thomasz and Oskar (the owner).  We got ready slowly up at the take off site.  It is a spectacular drive up there in  itself.  Beautiful views and forest and then out to the small ledge perched on the mountain edge.  Maureen took off first with Oskar.  Tom was helping their launch so I filmed her.  Then it was my turn.  It is the oddest experience.  Once strapped into the harness in front of the instructor, you have to run forward towards the cliff edge.  After a few steps, the kite inflates behind you and you feel it pull you backwards.  At this point, you have to power on and keep running.  As long as you do this, all is well and within seconds you are in the air and smoothly moving forwards.  We had about 40 minutes soaring alongside the peaks of the mountains, having a birdseye view of the scenery: eagles' nests, kestrels, houses, swimming pools, trees, sheer cliffs..... just the wind sound.....    It is a totally enjoyable experience, no sharp rises and falls.  No horrible fairground ride stomach churning.....  And we laughed a lot. 

All too soon we were coming in to land and looking down at Bob and Mick waving up on us.  Such a lot of fun and a bargain experience at £70.    Would do it again in an instant.

Back to the villa for lunch and Maureen made us a most delicious dish: Chakshouka.  Rich Mediterranean vegetable stew with poached eggs.... yum!  We then spent the afternoon around the pool, soaking up the sun, reading and watching other people jumping off the mountain.

About 4pm Bob lit the wood oven and then about 530 I put in the leg of lamb.  We had to heat the oven up as hot as possible (about 600C) and then whilst I prepared the meat, let it cool down to 300C and then slam in the lamb.  I'd made slits in the lamb and then studded them with slivers of garlic and sprigs of rosemary.  Legs of Cyprus lamb are far more muscular than UK legs of lamb reflecting the difference in the sheep.  More muscle meat less fat....  I put it in surrounded by gorgeous Cyprus potatoes, several heads of garlic.  2 hours later, out it came.....   Left the lamb to rest for 30 minutes whilst the potatoes crisped up.  In the meantime I sweated off some Cyprus greens, a sort of cross between spinach and chard.  It all came together at dinner out on the terrace.  Washed down in candlelight by a couple bottles of Shiraz.  Followed up by loads of Mardo's ice cream and sorbets.  Brandys and coffee.    A lovely lovely dinner and plenty of lamb left for tomorrow.  The full leg of lamb was about £15 so about the same price as the UK.  Meat is not cheaper here but it is all free range and not factory farmed. 

So.... a brilliant day. I would really encourage you to try the paragliding.  It is a wonderful experience.  Nearly as wonderful as wood oven roast leg of garlic lamb.................