Category: 3. Troodos & Geology

1. Cyprus Yellow Post Box in Snow in Troodos Square

   Posted on 12:00pm Wednesday 28th Apr 2021

   Cyprus Post Box in Troodos Square, Mount Olympus

    

   Wednesday 8th February 2012 we had to go to Troodos mountains as we needed to do a little shopping.
   
   It was one of the days that vehicles were finally allowed up on Mount Olympus without the safety net of 4 wheel drive or snow chains.
   
   So after finishing my half day at work it was a case of dash home from the office, grab a quick sandwich and off we went taking the Kantou / Omodos road towards Platres and then continuing up the Troodos road into the village square.
   
   Although there was some rain after we passed Pachna village the drive was relatively easy - but the snow in Troodos was amazing! We stopped off to take some photos and buy some of the delicious warm, sweet nuts from one of the shops in the square. Gorgeous!
   
   A photo here of the post box not too far from the main car park.

   

2. Cyprus Geology seems popular just now.

   Posted on 4:31pm Saturday 6th Mar 2021

   So, it may surprise you that Cyprus Stamps website also has another sideline in Cyprus Geology!

   Well, why not? We're situated in such a fabulous spot within an hours drive to the Troodos mountains and a magnificent natural phenomena referred to as the Troodos Ophiolite sequence.

   Any geologist worth their salt will be aware of the force of nature that crunched the seabed pushing it up towards the top of the Troodos massif. We have a smashing little book that's very easy to pop in a pocket written by Dr. Ron Dutton called "Troodos from Sea to Summit". It contains 79 pages with black and white hand drawn illustrations.

   This from the Introduction:
   "Stand anywhere on the higher slopes of Troodos and the rocks under your feet are extra special. In the first place, although they are now some 1900m above sea level, ninety million years ago they were molten material deep under the floor of an ancient ocean. Moreover their birthplace was way to the south of present day Cyprus, probably in the region of what is now the Red Sea. Such a geographic reshuffle might be hard to believe but Mother Nature can accomplish astonishing feats in 90 million years, and this one, her relocation of Troodos, is implied in the book's title "From Sea to Summit"

   

   Above - front and back covers.

   Below - one of the illustrations.

   

   Team it up with our boxed collection of 15 samples from the Cyprus ophiolite sequence and it make a fabulous package for those geologists who cannot readily make the trip to Cyprus to investigate for themselves. Or, if you know someone who is interested in geology - why not treat them as a gift?

   From time to time, you will also find some individual rock samples such as pillow lava (upper and lower), dunite, gabbro and serpentinite. Keep an eye on our Cyprus Geology & Troodos Ophiolite items section.

3. Troodos Mountain Range - Geology and more

   Posted on 12:00am Tuesday 20th Oct 2009

        

    
   

    

    

    

    

    

   We now have available the latest rock sample collection from the famous Troodos Ophiolite sequence.
   
   Sadly, the collection is now down from 16 to 15 samples as one item is becoming scarce and the goverment have issued a notice to stop harvesting for a while.
   
   You will find geological survey maps, guide books on Troodos mountain range, geology book by Ron Dutton (slips easily into a pocket) and the Ophiolite sample collection all available in our shop soon.
   
   Meanwhile, I have some images taken from a day up Troodos - following the Chrome Mine trail