Tsiknopempti

Nobody could have been in Cyprus yesterday (Feb 4,2010) and not known that it was a special day.  The country smelt like a giant barbecue. And that afterall was the idea- for it was Tsiknopempti, literally meaning burnt Thursday. It is the Thursday 11 days before the starting of lent, which for the orthodox Christian faith is the last day to consume meat before Easter. According to tradition everybody should make a barbecue so the smell of roasting meats fills the air.