We were there too

Posted on August 14, 2015 by Iakovos Hatzistavrou

Fengaros festival in Kato Drys in the Larnaca district, for another three-day run, filled with music, on the 31st of July until the 2nd of August. Celebrating its fifth birthday, Fengaros is today considered as one of the best and most highly-anticipated events of the summer. The bar has been set even higher this year, with the ultimate goal being the festival’s establishment as an important and major international event.

Bands and solo artists from Cyprus, Greece, England, France and the USA created an amalgam of music ranging from traditional to progressive, ethnic, blues, pop/rock, psychedelic, ambient, jazz and more.

This musical melting pot includes an attractive collection of names such as: the renowned world music act Banda Magda (USA), the Epirus stoner-rockers Villagers of Ioannina City (Greece), the beloved to the cypriot audience Flying Ibex (UK), the Cretan music virtuoso quartet Xylouris/Spyridakis/Persides/Katsikiotis (Greece), the uplifting The Burger Project (Greece), the freak-folk Le Juki (UK), the upcoming psychedelic-pop band The Cave Children (Greece), acts for children such as Dimitris Baslam’s (Greece), Alexia C.’s solo act (France), and Martha Mavroidi’s ethnic trio (Greece). From the local music scene, we’ll see names such as the veterans of cypriot rock To Marazi tis Fotoulas, the folk/progressive J. Kriste, Master of Disguise, and Tricoolore.

Three stages: the Main Stage, the Village Stage and the ABR Stage (in collaboration with Alternative Brains Rule), hinting at the festival’s pulse and vibe during its three-day take-over.

The festival’s organic athmosphere is further emphasized by the village’s graphic scenery, as the aesthetic of the surroundings will become once again a source of inspiration for both the artists and the participants

and after all, she finally slept :)

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Children who stayed behind

Posted on June 30, 2015 by Iakovos Hatzistavrou

The deplorable living conditions of the enclaved Cypriot’s can be demonstrated by the simple recounting of their numbers following the Turkish invasion of 1974.
In July of that year the Greek Cypriot population of the area presently occupied by the Turkish army was 162,000. By the time the second phase of the Turkish invasion had been completed, in August 1974, 142,000 Cypriots were expelled or forced to flee, leaving 20,000, mostly in the Karpas peninsula (Report S/11488 of the UNSG to the Security Council dated 4 September 1974).
During the next four months, another 5,000 were forced to leave, resulting in a reduction of the Greek Cypriot population of the occupied area by 91% (Report S/11568, 6 December 1974, para. 43).
According to the latest report of the Secretary General to the Security Council this number has diminished to 427 Greek Cypriots and 165 Maronites (S/1122, 30 November 2001, para. 8).
The situation today seems better the enclaved are almost 350 people, the students in school of Rizokarpaso are only 19
On 24 of June in the school parents, students and official guests celebrated the closing ceremony of the school year

(EDITING by Slaviana Chekirova)

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Mass weddings

Posted on June 22, 2015 by Iakovos Hatzistavrou

On June 19, 2015 on the beach of Larnaca Medieval Castle, married 70 couples, which were accompanied by about 200 guests.
For the fifth consecutive year, the Municipality of Larnaca and the Tourism Development and Promotion Larnaca in cooperation with tour operators from Israel, organizing this celebration event of massive civil marriages.

The intended spouses, majority Israelis and Russians, arrived by boat in Larnaca port from Haifa,
the transition of couples in the marriage celebration took place with vintage cars from the Old Car Club of Cyprus.

The area was ruled by the Police with a strong presence for the fear of terrorism, since on June 29 will be tried in criminal court, 26 year old Lebanese where in his house found 5 tons of ammonium nitrate

CURETED & EDITING by Slaviana Chekirova

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Cyprus peace talks and social cafe

Posted on May 23, 2015 by Iakovos Hatzistavrou

Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci and Greek Cypriot president Nicos Anastasiades had a social meeting today 23 of May, 2015 in the old town of Nicosia,

they walked together on both sides of the divided capital’s medieval center, first they went in the occupied old town of Nicosia and after they continued their walk in the free Nicosia.

both leaders spoke to shopkeepers and residents and the crowd applauded and called for a solution

Each leader spent around 45 minutes on either side, walking around and talking to people on the streets

It’s the first time that the leaders have done so together since the east Mediterranean island was split in 1974 when Turkey invaded in Cyprus

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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