A sunny but rather windy day greeted the first day of the 9th Tepebasi Tulip festival. There was a pleasant and relaxed atmosphere, as the many visitors ambled round the stalls which were stacked with goodies.
On sale was honey, macun (fruit peel or walnuts preserved in syrup), baskets full of walnuts, village bread and buckets packed tight with wild asparagus. The delicious smell of doner kebab and sheftali on the bar-b-q wafted around and the temptation to buy some was too much to resist.
Some stalls were selling clothing and handmade jewelry. Craftsmen sat on the perimeter of the school yard, which was the main venue of the festival, selling all kinds of woven baskets, hand-made sieves and Cyprus chairs with woven seats. You could actually watch them making the chairs.
Meanwhile, a band was playing live music, enlivening our steps around the festival. All in all it was a very good day out.
The Tulip festival continues on Sunday.
