Impoverished aristocrat

Posted on May 17, 2015 by Iakovos Hatzistavrou

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In the village of Prodromos at Troodos mountain there is the famous abandoned hotel of Verengaria! Panorama 01 _APR5994

The Verengaria hotel was built at the early 20th century and soon became famous around the middle east!

It was a truly a unique hotel with top of the class facilities and service which along with its architecture and location boosted its fame.

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The hotel had a night club, huge dinning rooms, playgrounds, casino, bars and other extras which added to its success as it was a pioneer for that time.

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Its famous guests like Pharouk, the King of Egypt and Ezer Vaisman president of Israel along with the elite of the business and show world of the time, gave the hotel the nickname “Hotel of Kings”!

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The name Verengaria on the other hand was the name of the queen of Navarre (Berengaria), and wife of Richard the Lionheart, King of England.

They got married in Cyprus on May 12, 1191.

Closed early of 80’s and the 88 rooms hotels became a legend, nowadays the visitors are coming to identify by themselves this old impoverished and ruined aristocrat with the many legends and ghosts

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Congratulations

Posted on March 27, 2015 by Iakovos Hatzistavrou

For the very first time in Cyprus history, a blind student take part in the National parade with his teacher

Andreas Solomou, 17-year-old blind student CYPRUS-LIMASSOL-NATIONAL PARADE-BLIND STUDENT Aggelos Aggelidis, his teacher

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When I read the news that a blind student will take part in the national parade I thought:

bravo to the lad

but when I went there to cover photographically the parade, I was not expecting that I would feel such emotion,

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perhaps because everybody who watched the parade as you could believe that they he had gone only for Andreas.

Permanently applause and the world urges to Andreas touched by his effort.

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Professor (Angelos Angelidis) that since last October helped this venture, begged me not to take pictures and that’s because there were even negative reactions, he told me sad that they said

that he do it for self-promotion

I asked Andreas why?, (why always there)

. he told me that he wanted this experience and why

. he wants to tell the whole world that everything can be done as long as you try,

. he wanted to tell people with disabilities to dare,

and finally how tired he is because almost every day people faced him like being sick

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Andreas made me smile

Andreas inspire me

Andreas and this kind of people they are leaders and not followers

We need them

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One evening..

Posted on March 17, 2015 by Iakovos Hatzistavrou

One evening before two weeks, I found myself walking in Pallouriotissa neighborhood,

I had a strange mood and a great need just to walk and make photos without a concept, just photos to clear my mind which has stuck

Always I loved this kind of neighborhoods the people are curious and knows the meaning of hospitality,

I found two teenagers playing there, in an abandoned square.

I was very suprised when I realized their game

One of them (Dani Amourri) filming his partner with an handmade tool for his mobile.

I asked from my new friend to send me what he got from his shootings with his mobile phone

so after when I had time I made this Video

The video I was made for them, for their inspiration,

(sorry if the result is not professionally under the international standards :-)

Maybe this will be a good inspiration for you, because for me it was

Till I arrived to my home, I continued the “shootings”

The night came and unfortunately I didn’t have more time

I had to stop

Next time I’ll stay longer, a new chapter opened for me

A very good chapter

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Carnival Aglantzias

Posted on February 18, 2015 by Iakovos Hatzistavrou

Carnival Aglantzias 2015

According to the Municipality: “5000 carnival, 17 floats, 25,000 spectators and a lot of fun, composed the scene that was played at noon Sunday in Kyrenia Avenue in Aglantzia, for the 5th consecutive year”

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If the criterion of success for an event are laughing and playing, then the success is undeniable

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In recent years the foolproof metrisis scoop for me is the children and especially, my daughter

and has proved to me, without having to have special skills (analysis, measurements, surveys etc.)

that children are the toughest critics, without having any social Behaviour criteria

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So I asked my daughter: “Have fun;;;”

I got no answer was dipped in confetti, soiled hands

and a laugh (Gosh this laughter)

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At night the house was quiet, calm, would you say empty, my little sleeping, motionless (no entreaties and no constraint) and occasionally “snoring”.

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This morning, within the spirit and joy, telling me without pausing her yesterday’s adventures …….

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Yes, my baby had a good time …

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The carnival succeeded :)

Well done, bravo, congratulations to all those who are tired and not unjustly,

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next year (to us by God well) I will “get dressed”, I gonna let myself and I will playing

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A unique place for treasure hunters

Posted on December 23, 2014 by Iakovos Hatzistavrou

Inside the Nicosia there is a space, like a diamond, I had the most beautiful surprise

the first time I visited I could not believe my eyes and did not expect that we will see something like that, accustomed to such places in Greece and almost everywhere in Europe

I refer to the Flea market there you will find that you want

as long as you have the desire to look for

The people there are friendly, smiling and open mood

Small stands with different things

and every weekend is open for memories and treasure hunters

Flea market celebrates closing two years of operation,

the friendly owner made a small party for friends with barbecue and free beer for all

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Michel Bonnardeaux

Posted on December 13, 2014 by Iakovos Hatzistavrou

In memory of a friend, the words are few and unnecessary

What remains is the beauty of moments and over all, the acts that determine our quality in this unique passage of life

Have a nice trip Michel Bonnardeaux and Thank you

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Burial ceremony of missings in the Village of the Widows

Posted on August 17, 2014 by Iakovos Hatzistavrou

August 15, 2014, Vouno village

Relatives and friends buried the remains of 34 Turkish Cypriots who were taken and killed,

exactly 40 years ago

Today, they were returned for burial ceremony at Vouno village (Tashkent) –

at the new cemetery built for them…

Vouno village was known as well as the `Village of the Widows’,

In cemetary there was such great sadness…Tragic figures of women and children of the missings

Dramatic stories, a cemetery full of pain, even the most hard eyes has tears

I have no words to describe the moments and maybe not need.

What can I say?

The pain have no borders

What can I say about the heavy pain of the grandmother now, which became widow

when she was a young woman ??

for the middle-aged daughter buried her father? or for the son?

I am thinking that so many years lack of hope, for the empty hugs, for the lost dreams

To talk about the facts? The event? None

I refuse to go into the process of the absurd, this vicious cycle of guilt, because we are talking for victims

……innocent human victims (sometimes children), lives lost, tormented souls

and on both sides.

I didn’t see any difference in front of the graves, Tourkish Cypriots or Greek Cypriots,

except the flags, the uniforms and the language… When you close your eyes, you can hear you can feel and “see”

humans in great sadness, humans crying, humans in pain,

( This grandmother Sultana Kasif, today buried her husband and her 3 children)

All humans in front the death, are equal

all the mothers when bury their husbands children, are mothers

Cyprus must regain its lost calmness (if ever had).

We spent many years full of pain, fear, bereavement

I am really thankful to mrs Sevgul Uludag, informed me about the burial funeral,professionally and emotionally she tried to protect me.
Ibrahim, Who came with me and helped in translation. Thank you again.

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God rest their souls, they know …..

Posted on July 22, 2014 by Iakovos Hatzistavrou

CYPRUS, Nicosia 15 of July 2014,

In the cemetery of Ayios Constantinos and Elenis but in separate sections are buried citizens,

soldiers and police officers were killed during the 1974 coup aimed at union (Enosis) with Greece, the morning of 15th of July 1974 were battles, against Cypriot Greek Orthodox Archbishop and president Makarios at the Presidential Palace.

Today Greek Cypriot officials “Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades, Cypriot Greek Orthodox Archbishop Chrysostomos II,

members from political parties and families of soldiers and police officers killed during the 1974 coup, attends at the ceremony

Another black anniversary, a holiday memory, forgetfulness and political agenda

sirens sound in the city, a rehearsal and a backdrop of very bad director

The focus for an hour, the graves, two words, wreaths, relatives, politicians.

40 years passed much to remember and so little for the pain

I do not know what happened and probably Ι will not ever know

Officially???? History always is written by the victors

behind the scene so many rumors, more mutterings and murmurings, the people say, say a lot,

I really do not know,

once the story will be rewritten, there are gaps, I wish to look more like the truth that the dead be vindicated, need for them,

we do not need it … we prove it daily, do not read the story, not taught, so make the same mistakes

exactly the same, bet as self harm

Two separate rooms in the same cemetery, Two different ceremonies, two memorial services away from each other,

twice the national anthem, for perpetrators and for victims,

ones … and those ….. did….. they know,

God rest their souls..

they know …..

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Larnacas’ weddings

Posted on July 10, 2014 by Iakovos Hatzistavrou

Cyprus, Larnaca city, Friday, June 20, 2014,