Wednesday, February 9/2011

This morning brings the deferred ceremony recognizing our status as long-term visitors (though there must be many longer about). Thus we leave early enough to find the building (Larnaca Chamber of Commerce and Industry), just round the corner from the Kition really.

We're greeted inside by Takis Vorides. He's a city councillor and head of the tourism committee and, surprisingly, we have met him before - J several years ago and both of us this past Saturdayas we passed his house on the way from the market to Metro. He expressed interest in the ceremony then (having asked how long we had been coming to Larnaka) and had me email him the specifics - apparently to see that it was his committee that waas planning the recognition. So here he is, representing the major (whom Kikki refers to as the major, obviously the same word origin and essential meaning). He's warm and avuncular, greeting us with kisses and expressions of pleasure.

There's Nana(?), the young assistant and another man, who Mr. Vovides refers to as Kikkis Kyriakides, whom he has known since his youth. (Only later do I fish out the Sunflower's business card listing Mr. Kyriakides as managing director).

We go to the boardroom (though we're told the ceremony is usually at the fort, as it would have been last week). There's a very large period representation of the Larnaca waterfront and Mr. Vovides uses it to provide a short history lesson, from St. Lazarus to the export of heaps of salt from the salt lake. He's a former customs inspector and has a good memory for the exports. Larnaca is also the birthplace of Xenon, founder of the Stoic school of philosophy and he points out that the name comes from the tradition of standing in a stoa or arched doorway to do the teaching.

Then we are presented with an engraved plaque set in daark wood calling Mr and Mrs Jaworski "loyal friends of Larnaca," as well as a bottle of Cypriot shiraz, both contained in a cotton bag decorated with a colourful picture - the winner of the Larnaca graffitti contest. And a snapshot for the website if we don't object.

In the evening M to dinner. J does a chicken.