All living beings must learn to respect, fear, and love the natural world. How do they express these feelings? In a new exhibition, Ergenç Korkmazel proposes that rituals play an important role in creating a visual poetry for understanding nature. ‘Rituals and Poetry of Nature’ depicts such scenes as a ceremonial bath in a fountain and a solemn gathering of flowers in a meadow. The photographer suggests that through such rituals, one can be nurtured by the natural world and attuned to its beauties and secrets. This process, he argues, is critical in the modern world, constructed as it is of concrete walls that separate us from the outdoors. Korkmazel was born in 1972 in the village of Stavrokonno in the district of Pafos. After the Turkish invasion of the island in 1974, he resettled with his family in the occupied area. He first studied photography in 2001. In 2004, he returned to the town of his birth and pursued a career in photography. He has presented five solo exhibitions and participated in many group shows, including international exhibitions in Denmark and Turkey. Documentary photography forms the core of ‘Stavrokonno’, a book in which he examines his birthplace. He was the first official photographer of ‘Pafos: 2017 European Capital of Culture’. ‘Rituals and Poetry of Nature’ is on display at Anassa from 8 to 30 April 2019.

The flavour of many a breakfast favourite is routinely enhanced by the addition of a sweetener—coffee, tea, cereal, yoghurt, bread, and pancakes are typically enjoyed this way. But what if you are trying to avoid refined sugars? The culinary team at Anassa has addressed this question by offering a full suite of alternatives. The honey on offer at our breakfast buffet is raw, unfiltered, unrefined, and replete with natural sugar. Honey is served on the comb or infused with herbs (such as rosemary and lavender) or seasonal citrus (think oranges, pomelos, mandoras, lemons, and grapefruit). All the hotel’s preserves are homemade using locally sourced, seasonal fruit. Notable sugar-free flavourings include orange marmalade, lemon marmalade, and strawberry jam (in adjusting its recipes, the kitchen substituted 100 grams of honey per kilogram of refined sugar). Sugar-free preserves are found to be exceptionally more flavourful than those made with refined sugar. Syrups, too, are prepared without refined sugar. Homemade date syrup is a natural sweetener that ideally complements pancakes, waffles, and French toast; agave and maple syrups are organic options made with cinnamon-infused organic coconut palm sugar. The team has even developed a process for making a sugar-free version of the hazelnut paste commonly known as Nutella: they roast and grind the nuts before adding date syrup and cocoa powder for flavouring. The breakfast buffet continues to offer refined sugar sweeteners, of course. But why not sample one of the homemade options on hand? It’s a sweet opportunity to try something new.

With less than a month left to go, Anassa’s maintenance team is busy preparing the hotel for the 2019 season. The exterior walls are receiving a fresh coat of white paint, the shutters their distinctive periwinkle blue. Inside, painters are spiffing up the corridor and guest-room walls, while others are polishing the marble floors. Carpenters are installing new shutters and door fittings as needed. In the gardens, the pergolas are receiving careful attention: some wooden beams are being replaced before each pergola is stripped and refinished. Similarly, the sun loungers for the beach, pools, and balconies are sanded, repaired, and stained before being put back into service. The main swimming pool is being filled with water; the built-in stools of Meltemi’s swim-up bar are returning to their familiar under-water state. By opening day, this pool will be heated to a comfortable 28° C. Gardeners are busy at work, too, neatening beds, trimming excess growth, and adding new plants. Behind the scenes, maintenance workers are completing system upgrades that will improve the energy efficiency of the property. One team member, checklist in hand, is making a room-by-room inspection, assuring that each space meets Anassa’s exacting standards. Soon, hundreds of team members will come back to work, refreshed from their winter break and ready to greet guests. Anassa opens for the 2019 season on 1 April.