The Peyia Rat Pack……

Seems we’ve missed a trick at the weekend. Whilst we were out enjoying ourselves on Saturday, Kyriakos, (father of Stephanos who runs The Jail pub in Peyia), had gathered 20 of the willing locals to go with him to harvest the carobs from his carob trees in Peyia.

A convey of trucks set off for 3 hours of what sounds like very hard but theraputic work, bashing “seven bells”out of the carob trees then bagging their harvest.

Bribed by the promise of free beer, sandwiches and Kyriakos’ own brand of Cypriot dancing, who could have resisted such a wonderful day?

As well as being the banana area of the west of Paphos, Peyia municipality is littered with carob trees which have survived the building boom.

We’ve got two carob trees in our garden and they are lovely, generous trees: Molly Mou, our little dogs loves carob and gathers a few every day to chew at, normally leaving the debris where I’ve just cleaned!

At night, Charlie and Tiff cat use the tree to climb, chasing lizards and carob rats from the branches and hiding in the biggest tree near our entrance, ready to pounce on us as we climb the steps!

From November to June, the goats come up the hill and stop and eat the carobs too: it seems they are to everyones taste.

And, since learning that carob is an ingredient for cocoa and chocolate, I’m hooked too!

Next year, I think Tony and I will be in the Peyia rat pack – wanna join us?