Travel: Med in heaven

THERE'S so much to see and do in southern Cyprus - ancient temples and mosaics, picturesque villages and stunning mountain scenery.

But when my "nearly six-year-old" saw the swimming pools at our apartment complex I realised that any chance of a cultural experience over the following seven days had sunk without trace.

"Look Daddy," she shouted excitedly, pulling me across the terrace. "There's even a waterfall."

We had arrived at the Aqua Sol apartments in Coral Bay, near Paphos, at 10pm, dumped our suitcase in the room and headed straight to the bar for a refreshing drink.

Normally nothing would drag her away from a chocolate milkshake, but this was an exception. And I had to agree with her - the swimming pools were quite something.

Which was a very good thing, as a sun lounger next to the pool overlooking the rocky beach was to be our daytime base for the coming week.

I wasn't going to see Aphrodite's Rock (legend has it the goddess of lurve was born near Paphos). I wasn't going to experience the mountains of Troodos or visit the divided city of Nicosia.

Even the sandy beach at Coral Bay, a 30-minute stroll away, failed to spark Polly's imagination.

"My friends went there yesterday and they said it had all been washed away," she told me on our second day round the pool.

This was a bit of an exaggeration but Cyprus was battered by a huge storm during the winter and the beach has suffered.

So here I was in the middle of spring stuck beside a swimming pool, the sun beating down and sipping a cold beer.

I have been to several eastern Med islands in the past and eating and drinking is cheap. OK, prices in the Greek islands have gone up since the euro, but Cyprus still has the Cypriot pound.

But cheap it isn't. Their pound is worth around pounds 1.25 in Sterling and expect to pay the equivalent of around pounds 2 for a beer and the same for an ice-cream, which can soon empty your wallet.

Especially when your daughter kindly invites her posse of friends to have ice-creams too. And then encourages you to have another beer, saying: "Go on Daddy, after all we are on holiday."

The third day came and a chance at last to head into Paphos, five miles away and wander around its "picturesque" harbour.

It was a cloudy morning, so dragging Polly away from the pool wasn't too much trouble, especially with the promise of lunch and the biggest chocolate milkshake she'd ever seen.

We wandered up the hill from our apartments - the hill is the price you pay for a complex on the beach - and hopped on a local bus (they cost just 50p wherever you want to go) bound for Paphos.

There's nothing - apart from swimming pools - that my daughter likes more than wandering through souvenir shops buying gifts for family and friends at home.

These are usually brightly-coloured, have little or nothing to do with where we are staying, and cost more than an ice-cream.

So I was pleased to seek the sanctuary of Charlies restaurant for lunch. It had been recommended by a friend and I wasn't disappointed. If you're ever in Paphos and fancy a good meal it's right opposite Pizza Hut.

Lunch for two? Polly had typically Greek chicken nuggets and chips, plus a milkshake, I had delicious tsatsiki followed by moussaka and a small carafe of local wine. The bill was about pounds 16.

Anyway, the sun is never hidden for long in Cyprus and by the time time we'd finished lunch it was shining brightly and it was back to the Aqua Sol and the swimming pools.

The Cypriot people are a friendly bunch, and the island is set up for tourists (as well as Pizza Hut, Paphos has a McDonald's and buzzing nightclub- bar area). Coral Bay, where we were, is much quieter, although there is a great deal of building work going on in the area.

There is also a big choice of restaurants and cafes, catering for all tastes.

They all have a children's menu, they all serve steak. And if you are confirmed carnivore like me, I'd highly recommend the suckling pig (a huge lump of pork covered in crackling) or the knuckle of lamb (a huge lump of lamb without crackling).

Expect to pay around pounds 40 for a three-course meal for two adults with drinks. More if you're a thirsty eater.

We had a memorable meal one evening at the Seriani restaurant in the main street (well, there is only one street) with Greek music and dancing thrown in for free.

These evenings are always advertised and are very popular, so it pays to book a table, or like us you could find yourself tucked away in a corner.

Back at the apartments, the entertainment was almost over (there is something every night, from mini-discos to magic shows, a casino night to karaoke).

But there was just time for a quick nightcap before bed. After all, as Polly kept on reminding me, I was on holiday...

What's the deal?

A WEEK at the four-star Aqua Sol Village in Paphos when four adults share a self- catering studio costs from pounds 319 per person in the low season to pounds 515 pp in the high season. Child prices cost from pounds 89 to pounds 249 (0870 191 9065 or www.directholidays.co.uk).

ESSENTIALS

Three-course meal for two (including wine)...............pounds 40

Beer..................................pounds 2

Ice-cream..........................pounds 2

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