Ayia Napa lies leisurely at about 50 km east of Larnaca and is a popular summer resort , noted for its great sandy beaches and night life. So planning a Christmas holiday there was quite risky. Yet Alkis and I booked our Christmas holiday there last Christmas and had such a great time that we decided to spend this Christmas in Ayia Napa as well.
On Christmas Eve, despite the cloudy weather and a cold yet invigorating wind, we didn't hesitate to wander around the central square , take photos and have coffee. Lunch at Jello Restaurant wasn't as good as last year, though. Although I liked my sesame salmon and prawn salad, Alkis found that his pepperoni pizza was too oily as it was stuffed with too much cheese. But we had a great time over lunch, talking and laughing and being merry.
Early in the afternoon, we checked in at Grecian Bay Hotel – our favourite in the area. Both my husband and I are early risers and aren't used to staying up late, so we took a little nap before getting ready for Christmas Eve Gala Dinner at the hotel. We loved the tea and coffee facilities in the room and appreciated the fruit and chocolates which arrived later in the afternoon.
Christmas dinner was an ode to the palate! We had salmon tartar with avocado mousse for starters followed by asparagus cream soup and a Mediterranean Tower consisting of mushroom, aubergine and mozzarella on a bed of tomato and pesto sauce. Then we had a lemon sorbet. Unlike ice cream, sorbet doesn't have air whipped into it, which gives it a very dense consistency and intensifies the flavour. Sorbet is often presented as a palate cleanser between courses of a multicourse meal. The main course consisted of a juicy beef fillet served with potatoes "parisiennes", carrots, spinach and cherry tomatoes. Christmas pudding and cheeses were the ... ultimate temptations!
On Christmas morning, we woke to bright, blue skies and a golden sun. After a lush Christmas breakfast at the hotel, we took advantage of the good weather and strolled around Nissi Beach. Christmas lunch at the hotel was yet another Christmas delight! Smoked salmon, tomato cream soup, stuffed turkey, Christmas pudding and cheeses! And coffee, of course!
Back home, we opened our presents..... feeling festive and excited.
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