On Monday, Clean Monday in Cyprus, I was accused of being Satanic by tempting David and Letitia from Gracie Towers to join us for a drink in Polis. I beguilingly said that, as a public holiday, it was an extension to the weekend (the only time they apparently drink alcohol). Five minutes' later they joined us at Saddles, where we enjoyed a lovely afternoon. I assume the five minutes was the time they spent wrestling with their consciences. Imagine my surprise when David suggested the devil was alive and well, and living in Argaka.
It was good to catch up with them but I have carefully looked in the mirror in case my horns are visible.
Well another February 28th arrives and that must mean it is my birthday (again), and I must be careful not to tempt anyone to do anything against their better judgement. Ann has been working non-stop in the kitchen to produce a lunch worthy of such an august occasion. For the last two years we have lunched out with friends and this year decided to entertain at home. The curry has been bubbling away and filling our house with temptation, and I have just been invited to sample the popadums. Delicious.
I can't imagine a better way to spend my birthday, surrounded by good friends in the comfort of our own home. I met Ann when I was 49, and we celebrated my 50th birthday in some considerable style in Devon. Never could we have dreamed that at the age of 59 we would move out to Cyprus, and live the life we are living. Every birthday with Ann has been extra-special in its own way. My 60th was our first here and just so good. In fact, every year spent with Ann has been special. It would not be an understatement to say that the last twelve years have been the happiest of my life.
Saturday, 28 February 2015
Saturday, 21 February 2015
Lunch with friends
This has been the week we have lunched with friends. On Monday we had lunch at The Watermill at Steni with our friends Pete and Sylvi. It was good to see them and a shock to realise we had not seen tem for months. Must do better ..
Yesterday we ventured to the Turtle Tavern (previously The Turtle Beach) and had a traditional Fish & Chip lunch with David and Letitia from Gracie Towers. Super food and, as a bonus, pints of Yorkshire Rose from Aprodite's Rock Brewery. I had forgotten how easy it is to drink English-style bitter and I suspect that, if I had not been driving, we might have still been there. One minor point is that, not for the first time, either we or our guests have had "extra" drinks added to our bill. This is just not on, and the landord's response was rather gruff when we challenged the bill. Ann the landlady, ever the professional, said it was not a problem and immediately resolved the situation and deducted the erroneous amount from David's bill. Just something to be aware of in the future.
A gentle day "in the bubble" and preparing for next weekend when yet another birthday has to be celebrated. 62 ... absolute nonsense. I feel ten years' younger than that but - of course - age is immaterial as I intend to live forever. But, there again, doesn't everybody?
Yesterday we ventured to the Turtle Tavern (previously The Turtle Beach) and had a traditional Fish & Chip lunch with David and Letitia from Gracie Towers. Super food and, as a bonus, pints of Yorkshire Rose from Aprodite's Rock Brewery. I had forgotten how easy it is to drink English-style bitter and I suspect that, if I had not been driving, we might have still been there. One minor point is that, not for the first time, either we or our guests have had "extra" drinks added to our bill. This is just not on, and the landord's response was rather gruff when we challenged the bill. Ann the landlady, ever the professional, said it was not a problem and immediately resolved the situation and deducted the erroneous amount from David's bill. Just something to be aware of in the future.
A gentle day "in the bubble" and preparing for next weekend when yet another birthday has to be celebrated. 62 ... absolute nonsense. I feel ten years' younger than that but - of course - age is immaterial as I intend to live forever. But, there again, doesn't everybody?
Thursday, 19 February 2015
Ye Gods ... snow in Cyprus
Well I never - on this the coldest day we have had since arriving in Cyprus two and a half years ago - we had snow at sea level. The thermometer is showing 4.3°C and Ann has just asked me to remind her why we moved here. I mumbled something about months and months of sunshine every year, and then we turned up the heating.
I have just returned from the supermarket with essential supplies - red wine, pizza and a spare bottle of gas. I suspect we shall curl up in front of the TV this afternoon and this is when we bless our Android TV box. Any movie, and tv show (literally from the last forty years), and live television from around the world - all for about 0.50 € a day.
I'm finding it hard to motivate myself, as I now seem to seize up (mentally) when the temperature drops. We are as warm as toast inside the house but, even after such a short time, we are pining for blue skies and sunshine. No doubt, especially during the hottest months of the summer, we shall be complaining that the water in the pool is not cool enough.
But, as Cecil Rhodes wrote, "Remember you are an Englishman, and have consequently won first prize in the lottery of life."
But, as Cecil Rhodes wrote, "Remember you are an Englishman, and have consequently won first prize in the lottery of life."
Sunday, 15 February 2015
News from abroad
It was good to hear from my old friend, Malcolm, by email the other day. And it was even better to hear that his plans for his retirement are well-advanced and on target. I should imagine that Easter cannot come quickly enough.
It's one of the strange things about emigrating and leaving friends behind. On the one hand I miss friends in the UK but conversely those friends who really want to remain friends make the effort to book a flight and come and see us. I don't even have a valid passport (although I must do something about that in case of emergency) and don't envisage a return to the UK. It's too cold and wet, and the way the country has changed in the last few years makes it an unappealing place to visit or live. Of course, my friends could argue that - if I wanted to see them - I could book a flight. But hey! This is my blog.
Friends blow hot and cold in Cyprus and in the UK. I think the ideal is that each takes the effort to stay in touch and suggest going out, or popping round, or just catching up by email, Skype or telephone. I think one of the things that irritates me is that some friends (Ann has one particular friend) who never make the first move. When you contact them, then all is well but it makes you wonder. We are not perfect in this regard, and we are catching up with good friends tomorrow for lunch - all because of a Facebook post which Ann made which featured a photograph of her great-grandson. To think I am sleeping with a great-grandmother. But I suppose that makes me an almost step great-grandfather. No ... that's a bridge too far.
We have been stuck in the house for the last few days, playing far too many computer games, listening to too much music on the radio, watching too much TV and cracking open a bottle too early in the afternoon. So it's great to be out in the open air for a change. Friends of ours decided to drink alcohol only at weekends and I salute them for their commitment. The only problem is that, on a Wednesday afternoon, I cannot ring and suggest going out for a beer. Perhaps all that will change when the Spring arrives.
It's one of the strange things about emigrating and leaving friends behind. On the one hand I miss friends in the UK but conversely those friends who really want to remain friends make the effort to book a flight and come and see us. I don't even have a valid passport (although I must do something about that in case of emergency) and don't envisage a return to the UK. It's too cold and wet, and the way the country has changed in the last few years makes it an unappealing place to visit or live. Of course, my friends could argue that - if I wanted to see them - I could book a flight. But hey! This is my blog.
Friends blow hot and cold in Cyprus and in the UK. I think the ideal is that each takes the effort to stay in touch and suggest going out, or popping round, or just catching up by email, Skype or telephone. I think one of the things that irritates me is that some friends (Ann has one particular friend) who never make the first move. When you contact them, then all is well but it makes you wonder. We are not perfect in this regard, and we are catching up with good friends tomorrow for lunch - all because of a Facebook post which Ann made which featured a photograph of her great-grandson. To think I am sleeping with a great-grandmother. But I suppose that makes me an almost step great-grandfather. No ... that's a bridge too far.
We have been stuck in the house for the last few days, playing far too many computer games, listening to too much music on the radio, watching too much TV and cracking open a bottle too early in the afternoon. So it's great to be out in the open air for a change. Friends of ours decided to drink alcohol only at weekends and I salute them for their commitment. The only problem is that, on a Wednesday afternoon, I cannot ring and suggest going out for a beer. Perhaps all that will change when the Spring arrives.
Saturday, 31 January 2015
Importing your car to Cyprus ...
A big thank-you to my friend David of Gracie Towers for detailing the interesting process and costs involved with bringing your car to Cyprus from within the EU. As we sold our car in the UK and bought another car in Cyprus, we did not have intimate knowledge of the process. Now we do and it will make another useful part of the "Driving in Cyprus" chapter of my ebook, where I also owe a great deal to Mike of RoADAR for his permission to quote from his all-embracing website about life on the road in Cyprus.
And so winter heads into February (often the coldest and wettest month of the year here) but the forecast seems set fair for the first week of the month with sunny days and temperatures of 22°C if the weather underground site has got it right. Although Cyprus always needs more rainfall than it gets, the promise of warm days in winter is a real bonus. Perhaps it should just rain at night.
Life in Argaka is getting back to normal, with Becky S. now safely in the UK and our thoughts are with her. She is minded to move to the Eastbourne area at the moment but, as always, plans may change. We are looking forward to hearing that she has settled in her new home and that the next chapter in her life is being written. Honey and Jaz (our rescue cats) miss her and still look around as if they expect to see her emerging from the guest room saying "More tea ..."
I must sit down and finish proof-reading the RoADAR constitution so that can be returned to the organisation before the AGM. It's all very well volunteering for these tasks and then real life gets in the way. The Six Nations' Rugby Championship starts next Friday and that will distract me. So I shall look into the mirror and give myself a severe talking-to.
Sad to see The Euro Shop is closing down in Paphos (and their other branches in Cyprus) as they have been an excellent source of UK goods here. We try to use the Cypriot alternative for many of the things we use here (not much point in living here and pretending we are back in the UK) but there are certain things we find irreplaceable. I trust someone else will take up the banner. In any event we popped down to Paphos to stock up and then had a brilliant late lunch at The Watermill at Steni. What good food and friendly attentive service. It was a good job it was not Sunday as those ribs would have been just too attractive. As it was, we shared a vegetarian platter. Fabulous.
Saturday, 17 January 2015
Returning to the UK ...
Ann's daughter, Becky S., returns to the UK on Friday and - in true Cypriot fashion - the weather has decided to change for the better, with the next seven days being mainly sunny and warmer than it has been for a while. Just as well, as the weather on the Sussex coast was hovering just above 0°C this morning. No doubt she will be working hard on her suntan so as to show all her many friends what they have been missing. After ten weeks here, I am sure she will be glad to leave "her olds" and go back to what promises to be a little more lively than Argaka in winter.
I must admit that seeing the sun return after some wet, cold days (and, according to our friend Savvas, it has been as cold here as he can remember) is a real tonic. I say that, bearing in mind, at times during our long, long summer we sometimes wish for a cloudier, cooler day. But we would not be British if we did not talk and blog about the weather.
Plans are afoot to revamp the front garden, and also establish some vegetables and herbs in the back garden (where they will be shielded to a certain extent at times during the day). Our vegetable gardens to the side of the house were great but, as yet, we cannot reach them with the present irrigation water set-up. So our end of summer water bill was a little too high for comfort. So the garden it is, unless I can persuade Savvas to extend the Lego-like irrigation system from his land to the side of the house. He has said he will be happy to do that, but - according to his wife, Androniki, - he has been saying that for years. Only time will tell.
One of the few links I maintain with the UK is my habit of watching Question Time, which we record and watch when we feel like shouting at the TV. But, in keeping with the general decline of standards at the BBC, the last couple of weeks have made for painful watching. David Dimbleby seems to have lost the art of chairing the panel, the members of the audience have become ruder and less tolerant, and the politicians ... don't get me started on the politicians. They all appear to be as self-serving and venal as ever, and with the approaching election, seem to want to outdo their opponents in graceless and intolerant behaviour. And David Starkey on Thursday evening - words fail me.
Roll on the revolution ...
I must admit that seeing the sun return after some wet, cold days (and, according to our friend Savvas, it has been as cold here as he can remember) is a real tonic. I say that, bearing in mind, at times during our long, long summer we sometimes wish for a cloudier, cooler day. But we would not be British if we did not talk and blog about the weather.
Plans are afoot to revamp the front garden, and also establish some vegetables and herbs in the back garden (where they will be shielded to a certain extent at times during the day). Our vegetable gardens to the side of the house were great but, as yet, we cannot reach them with the present irrigation water set-up. So our end of summer water bill was a little too high for comfort. So the garden it is, unless I can persuade Savvas to extend the Lego-like irrigation system from his land to the side of the house. He has said he will be happy to do that, but - according to his wife, Androniki, - he has been saying that for years. Only time will tell.
One of the few links I maintain with the UK is my habit of watching Question Time, which we record and watch when we feel like shouting at the TV. But, in keeping with the general decline of standards at the BBC, the last couple of weeks have made for painful watching. David Dimbleby seems to have lost the art of chairing the panel, the members of the audience have become ruder and less tolerant, and the politicians ... don't get me started on the politicians. They all appear to be as self-serving and venal as ever, and with the approaching election, seem to want to outdo their opponents in graceless and intolerant behaviour. And David Starkey on Thursday evening - words fail me.
Roll on the revolution ...
Tuesday, 13 January 2015
Looking forward to ...
A strange start to the New Year and I have given myself a severe "talking-to", to ensure that 2015 is as positive experience for us as 2013 and 2014. In fact a positive frame of mind has been almost ever-present since we arrived in Cyprus.
Our big adventure, and yours if you are planning to follow in our footsteps this year or next, is to be resolutely positive about almost everything in this land of contrasts. It would be easy to make a list of the all the very best of Cyprus and the very worst of this intriguing land. Your and our research before making the move will help prepare you life here. In fact, this train of thought has been stimulated by the latest chapter in my ebook entitled "Cyprus ... what the guide books don't mention."
This chapter is full of the things you will, if you are at all like us, absolutely love about the island. And it is also full of the warts and carbuncles of Cypriot life. We were very aware of things like poor animal welfare, hunting and interesting driving habits but totally unprepared for the levels of political chicanery at all levels of society and the sheer incompetence of many of those who believe they have a right to rule. The "brown envelope" is everywhere and the greed of bankers, building developers and so-called lawyers is unbelievable.
If you don't buy property in Cyprus, and keep your money offshore, then you will be insulated from much of this. But it is there and increasingly apparent.
But, for all of this, we wouldn't be anywhere else. And, if you come with the right positive frame of mind, neither will you.
Our big adventure, and yours if you are planning to follow in our footsteps this year or next, is to be resolutely positive about almost everything in this land of contrasts. It would be easy to make a list of the all the very best of Cyprus and the very worst of this intriguing land. Your and our research before making the move will help prepare you life here. In fact, this train of thought has been stimulated by the latest chapter in my ebook entitled "Cyprus ... what the guide books don't mention."
This chapter is full of the things you will, if you are at all like us, absolutely love about the island. And it is also full of the warts and carbuncles of Cypriot life. We were very aware of things like poor animal welfare, hunting and interesting driving habits but totally unprepared for the levels of political chicanery at all levels of society and the sheer incompetence of many of those who believe they have a right to rule. The "brown envelope" is everywhere and the greed of bankers, building developers and so-called lawyers is unbelievable.
If you don't buy property in Cyprus, and keep your money offshore, then you will be insulated from much of this. But it is there and increasingly apparent.
But, for all of this, we wouldn't be anywhere else. And, if you come with the right positive frame of mind, neither will you.
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