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Amiandos Destruction Traditional Geocache

Hidden : 6/22/2008
Difficulty:
2 out of 5
Terrain:
3 out of 5

Size: Size:   small (small)

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Geocache Description:


The Cache is delicate & camouflaged. Be careful where you step!

BITTER LEMONS by Lawrence Durrell (1954)
“.....It lies against the side of a mountain which has been clumsily raped. The houses,factories and shacks are powdered white as if after a heavy snowfall ; mounds of white snow rise in every direction, filling the still airs of the mountain with the thin dust of asbestos . Men and women walked about in this moon landscape, powdered into ghoulish insignificance by the dust....”

The cache search will take you inside Platres-Troodos forest area overlooking the SCAR that the Asbestos Minds of Amiandos brought to the area.

You can reach the area via many trail roads starting from Platres, Troodos, Moniatis, Amiantos etc. (The Platres trail is still my favourite).

Depending from your starting point you can easily combine this cache with others in the region.

I do not recommend any saloon cars as well as going for the cache at night. Although I haven't visited the location during the time that the mountains are full of snow or after heavy rains, I do not recommend this cache during that time until the Department of Forestry does its road maintenance in Spring.

Be very careful of fires and disposing any cigarettes. (Depending on the trail you take you will see the big ecological disaster the 2007 fire created).

As always in Cyprus be careful of snakes and take plenty of water with you.

NOTES ON CYPRUS SNAKES: In case you are bitten by any snake DO NOT PANIC and visit the hospital asap (since even with the harmless to humans snakes you might be allergic to the venom). The Vipera Lebetina (Blunt Nosed Viper is almost unnoticeable due to its color and will make a sound if disturbed and before it attacks. It will not attack unless provoked so if you are face to face with one stay still) is VERY dangerous to humans and Highly Venomous. There are two more Venomous snakes in Cyprus but 'Harmless' to humans. The Malpolon Monspessulanus (Montpellier Snake will make a sound if disturbed and before it attacks) and the Telescopus Fallax (Cat Snake is very small and is actually a night snake). The very common Black snake of Cyprus is NOT venomous and not dangerous to humans.


Reference Info
Report on the Health Effects of the Asbestos Mines on the Population of Neighboring Communities (Study PDF)
Geocaching & Plan of Platres village (and walks)
Rehabilitation of the Asbestos Mine, Cyprus (Presentation PDF)
Mines & Caves of Cyprus
Pictures of Amiandos Mine Today
Pano Amiandos Community
Old/Past Pictures of Amiandos Mine

IN CASE YOU SEE FIRE OR SMOKE CALL 1407



GCS - extended statistics


Detailed Troodos Area maps released on May2007 by the CTO available at: Geocaching Platres webpage


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Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Haqre gur Gerr, Orgjrra gur Ebpxf, Va gur Tebhaq

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)