Word spreads that the Norwegians have been told that the rent will be €100 more next year than we're paying this. This in contrast with Mr Andreas having said the price will be the same next year. As J says, there's no particular obligation to ensure that everyone pays the same. On any given airplane passengers have paid a multitude of different fares, depending on how and where they bought their tickets. All the same, it does seem a little unpleasant if the Norwegians, who have been coming to this hotel longer than we have and stay at least as long in a winter, pay more simply because they are less willing to bargain and, if necessary, leave. We knkow we could go to Paphos and pay less, and do like it there, but on the whole we're quite comfortable here and have friends whom we see here as well.
JAWORSKI TRAVELS
We live our lives forever taking leave - Rilke
Counter
Friday, 30 March 2012
Tuesday, March 27/2012
There's a sign in the lobby advertising free barbecues at the restaurant every Saturday night. The unwritten understanding, of course, is that it's an incentive to go and purchase drinks. So it appears that a family of four staying here, a couple with two rather overweight daughters, left staff flabbergasted by going and eating copiously and then answering the question "what will you have?" with "nothing."
Monday, March 26/2012
Pass three cars parked on the sidewalk - as per usual in Cyprus - with (most unusually) parking tickets affixed to the windshields. New policeman on the beat? The owners will be astonished.
J has coffeeat Harry's and I a lemon ice cream cone. It is indeed good - as good as in Florence, always my gold standard. And, on the theme of gold, J to Zeus (local pronunciation Zefs) to have his gold chain repaired on the spot.
Last game of Scrabble in the evening as M packs up.
J has coffeeat Harry's and I a lemon ice cream cone. It is indeed good - as good as in Florence, always my gold standard. And, on the theme of gold, J to Zeus (local pronunciation Zefs) to have his gold chain repaired on the spot.
Last game of Scrabble in the evening as M packs up.
Tuesday, 27 March 2012
Sunday, March 25/2012
Two events on today, and they conflict. There's the Malaysian Grand Prix, which I finally work out - through time changes, both longitudinal and daylight savings - to be at 11 o'clock. Not bad - pubs open and late enough for a Guinness to be drinkable. But there's also an invitation from Mr. Andreas here at the Sunflower, to a meal at 1 o'clock - in apology, it seems, for the construction inconvenience this winter. It's clear that the race won't quite be finished in time for the meal, so that's a write off. Even more definitely when the race is suspended for a while due to torrential rain in Malaysia.
The meal, however, turns out to be better than anticipated. The Norwegians prove to be very friendly and mostly speak some English. We have quite a good chat with Arvid and Eva, who are sitting next to us and also live next door. Andreas is on our other side and on his best behaviour. He and his wife, a sweet young grandmother, talk to us of their grandchildren and Cypriot customs. The salad is good. Followed by a massive plate of rice and shared platters of beef tenderloin and chips. Plenty of beer and wine nd we and the next door Norwegians drinking a South African cabernet sauvignon, and then finishing the bottle of sauvignon blanc that Mr Andreas and his wife had only toyed with. Actually lovely talking to the Norwegians, who are very friendly but clearly find it easier to talk Norwegian to other Norwegians than to talk English with us - though some of them are very fluent in English. And after all that wine and beer and a number of toasts we're all feeling pretty friendly.
As for the race - eventually we find it was an unexpected Ferari win for Alonso. Next two races in London (us, not the races). Question re sports reporting: When have we heard a North American reporter use a phrase like "suffused with poignancy" as I heard this morning (re football and not racing). Is it necessary to place a 200 word vocabulary limit on Canadian sports reporters?
The meal, however, turns out to be better than anticipated. The Norwegians prove to be very friendly and mostly speak some English. We have quite a good chat with Arvid and Eva, who are sitting next to us and also live next door. Andreas is on our other side and on his best behaviour. He and his wife, a sweet young grandmother, talk to us of their grandchildren and Cypriot customs. The salad is good. Followed by a massive plate of rice and shared platters of beef tenderloin and chips. Plenty of beer and wine nd we and the next door Norwegians drinking a South African cabernet sauvignon, and then finishing the bottle of sauvignon blanc that Mr Andreas and his wife had only toyed with. Actually lovely talking to the Norwegians, who are very friendly but clearly find it easier to talk Norwegian to other Norwegians than to talk English with us - though some of them are very fluent in English. And after all that wine and beer and a number of toasts we're all feeling pretty friendly.
As for the race - eventually we find it was an unexpected Ferari win for Alonso. Next two races in London (us, not the races). Question re sports reporting: When have we heard a North American reporter use a phrase like "suffused with poignancy" as I heard this morning (re football and not racing). Is it necessary to place a 200 word vocabulary limit on Canadian sports reporters?
Saturday, March 24/2012
Coffee at Harry's and some of the patrons are eating ice creams and say they're excellent. Maggi and her friend Laurel are slated to join us but don't show, having got waylaid shopping. Stunning coffee spot in front of St Lazarus Church with its lovely Venetian tower.
Planning for London in not much more than a week's time, so googling accordingly. The obvious in the way of galleries, museums and theatres, but also making a list of eating places, as we're not doing our own cooking. Amazing what comes up by googling things like "ridiculously cheap" (along with positive terms, of course) and "BYO + no corkage" is good as well. Lots of Indian and vegeterian spots, but by no means only those. Canadians always seem a bit prim - wanting to say "inexpensive" or "good value." It's quite easy to search for British holidays or restaurants by saying "very cheap" - and there are some real winners in the mix.
Planning for London in not much more than a week's time, so googling accordingly. The obvious in the way of galleries, museums and theatres, but also making a list of eating places, as we're not doing our own cooking. Amazing what comes up by googling things like "ridiculously cheap" (along with positive terms, of course) and "BYO + no corkage" is good as well. Lots of Indian and vegeterian spots, but by no means only those. Canadians always seem a bit prim - wanting to say "inexpensive" or "good value." It's quite easy to search for British holidays or restaurants by saying "very cheap" - and there are some real winners in the mix.
Friday, March 23/2012
Meet J at the beach after his morning constitutional. On the way I pass the Avenue, originally hotel apartments and now mostly just apartments. It's surrounded by police tape and fire investigators are there as well, though the building seems to be intact and there ae tenants leaning over their balconies observing. And I remember that there were sirens around one a.m. Later we hear that the fire was started by a cigarette in the reception area.
Down Makenzy (yes, correct local spelling) to look at the paintings on display by local aartists. Jane has some there - and sold one last week. There's also a batik we really like, but like most framed works it's just too big to try to take back. Coffee at Harry's on the way back. J comes home later with half a kilo of fresh picked Derynia strawberries from Prinos.
Down Makenzy (yes, correct local spelling) to look at the paintings on display by local aartists. Jane has some there - and sold one last week. There's also a batik we really like, but like most framed works it's just too big to try to take back. Coffee at Harry's on the way back. J comes home later with half a kilo of fresh picked Derynia strawberries from Prinos.
Saturday, 24 March 2012
Thursday, March 22/2012
To the dentist to get our teeth examined and cleaned. No rebate for there being one less tooth to clean, but at €45 each we're not complaining. thought we'd miss Thursday morning coffee, but we're done in time. Lovely soaking in the sun, but sunglasses definitely needed..
Wednesday, March 21/2012
M back from Dubai and we go to Dhekelia for the film. The base gets current films and charges only €4 for students and seniors. The legroom is amazing - estimate a 6 foot pitch from the back of one chair to€ the same point in the row ahead. No difficulty in finding a seat either - exactly thirteen patrons there, almost all at the €4 rate. Hard to know how they do it.
The film itself, though, is, unfortunately horror verging (as horror so easily does) on the silly: The Woman in Black. It's adapted from the novel and stage play. The play is the second longest running in the west end, but then the longest running is The Mousetrap - simply a bad play that has become famous for being famous. Some lovely Victorian settings tonight, but ultimately an unsatisfactory script. I'd avoided reading the review in the Cyprus Mail, the reviewer being usually self-indulgent and rather annoying. When I do read it after the film, it turns out the reviewer is lukewarm, but for not quite the righht reasons.
Clear evening s we leave the theatre and Harry points out Jupiter and Venus and Mars.
The film itself, though, is, unfortunately horror verging (as horror so easily does) on the silly: The Woman in Black. It's adapted from the novel and stage play. The play is the second longest running in the west end, but then the longest running is The Mousetrap - simply a bad play that has become famous for being famous. Some lovely Victorian settings tonight, but ultimately an unsatisfactory script. I'd avoided reading the review in the Cyprus Mail, the reviewer being usually self-indulgent and rather annoying. When I do read it after the film, it turns out the reviewer is lukewarm, but for not quite the righht reasons.
Clear evening s we leave the theatre and Harry points out Jupiter and Venus and Mars.
Tuesday, March 20/2012
Jane and Bill and Aylsa and Harry to dinner. Maggi still in Dubai. Six people means bringing in the plastic chairs from the balcony but they're reasonably comfortable and there are also the 2 armchairs anc couch. Lovely to be able to sit in a circle in comfortable seats where we can all hear everyone and not just the person next. A lot of laughter. Harry can be very funny and describes being called on stage at a magician's show and finding after all the abracadabra a chicken sticking its squawking head out of his fly.
Monday, March 19/2012
Haircut in the moroning, taking Miranda Carter's biography of Anthony Blunt along. Forget to take the book with me to the chair where I'm parked for fifteen minutes or so after the girl has wetted my hair. Like not rememering to take a book out of the doctor's waiting room and into the examining room, where there's nothing to read except wall charts on the reproductive system.
Chicken into a itre of wine as per the two fat ladies' instructions for tomorrow's coq au vin. J also makes pork goulash and chicken liver paté and does the time consuming cutting of the artichokes while I read to him - now an Ian Rankin novel.
Chicken into a itre of wine as per the two fat ladies' instructions for tomorrow's coq au vin. J also makes pork goulash and chicken liver paté and does the time consuming cutting of the artichokes while I read to him - now an Ian Rankin novel.
Sunday, March 18/2012
First Grand Prix of the season. The AAustralian, so it's at eight in the morning - a bit too early for a sports bar. The good news is that it's broadcast on BBC Radio 5 live, courtesy of the British forces radio. The bad that no television station we get covers it so it's all audio, no video. Good race though.
Maggi off on a trip to Dubai.
Finish Tony Benn's diary (1991-2001). Amazing energy - Benn, not us.
Maggi off on a trip to Dubai.
Finish Tony Benn's diary (1991-2001). Amazing energy - Benn, not us.
Saturday, March 17/2012
St. Patrick's Day and Maggi's birthday so we have a longish lunch here with meze Jaworski style - sautéed artichoke hearts, tzatziki, humus with caramelised onions, mackerel spread, etc. Cheesecake but no candles. Give her the Egyptian t-shirt we found at the animal shelter shop - sadly more her size than mine, as well as being her colour.
Friday, March 16/2012
Weather finally sunny and warm - seasonal in fact for kCyprus. But, most unfairly, equally sunny and warm in much of Canada, including record breaking 20's in northern Ontario. The Great Lakes aren't supposed to match the Mediterranean before the end of winter!
Thursday, March 15/2012
Meet Margaret, Leslie, Sharon et al for coffee. Sharon's mother is here, visiting from England.
To Vlachols in the evening with the usual crew plus Bill and Jane's neighbour Maureen, who is about to leave to visit her daughter in Dubai nd says the races there leave Ascot in second place for glamour. J and I both order the moussaka - but everyone else's looks good too.
To Vlachols in the evening with the usual crew plus Bill and Jane's neighbour Maureen, who is about to leave to visit her daughter in Dubai nd says the races there leave Ascot in second place for glamour. J and I both order the moussaka - but everyone else's looks good too.
Thursday, 15 March 2012
Wednesday, March 14/2012
Dinner with Maggi and Marj on Marj's last day in Cyprus. Nice getting to chat with her again and very nice meal - lamb kleftiko and Lebanese style pastries. Some serious fasting in order - but not likely.
Tuesday, March 13/2012
The forecast was unpromising, but we're lucky. It stops pouring just before we leave for the bus to Limassol. As we wait for the bus on the waterfront, I read some of the posted timetables for local buses. One advertises itself as going to Central Abattoir, Political Asylum, and Kofinoy Station. An interesting combination. And on the way to Limassol we do stop at the bus station in Kofinoy village and pass the signpost for the central abattoir. No sign of political asylum though - maybe it's just a state of mind.
Rains again on the way, but stops as we reach Limassol. Sam and Andy pick us up, Andy driving, and back to the house in Erimi. We go to Curium Beach for coffee, sitting outside, a few feet away from the sea, which is turbulent and multicoloured today. It's so beautiful and so easy to take for granted in this country.
Talking with Sam always interesting - such clear insights with that lovely balance, assured but not imposing. And very nice also to see Andy again and catch up a little. He says Olivia has found a job as a nanny for a Canadian couple - work which, happily for her, requires her to travel with the family. Sam makes an interesting - and delicious middle eaastern dish with browned onions, and layers of rice, aubergine and fish, as well as quite a lot of allspice. A keeper! Then strawberries and cream.
Once more rain just before we leave but not as we wait for the bus or walk home from it. And during the day dry enough for us to eat outside in Sam's Roman villa style garden. Perfect.
Rains again on the way, but stops as we reach Limassol. Sam and Andy pick us up, Andy driving, and back to the house in Erimi. We go to Curium Beach for coffee, sitting outside, a few feet away from the sea, which is turbulent and multicoloured today. It's so beautiful and so easy to take for granted in this country.
Talking with Sam always interesting - such clear insights with that lovely balance, assured but not imposing. And very nice also to see Andy again and catch up a little. He says Olivia has found a job as a nanny for a Canadian couple - work which, happily for her, requires her to travel with the family. Sam makes an interesting - and delicious middle eaastern dish with browned onions, and layers of rice, aubergine and fish, as well as quite a lot of allspice. A keeper! Then strawberries and cream.
Once more rain just before we leave but not as we wait for the bus or walk home from it. And during the day dry enough for us to eat outside in Sam's Roman villa style garden. Perfect.
Monday, March 12/2012
Coffee at Harry's with Lynette and Alex, and as we drink the temperature drops and the wind comes up, to the point where sandwich boards outside cafés are in danger of becoming airborne. As we walk back there are spatters of rain.
In the evening L and A ccome over for a drink. They`re off tomorrow, heading for Turkey and - they hope - a second try at an Iranian visa. They`re hoping that Ankara has good enough relations that this may work - as it didn`t from Nicosia. The difficulty is that the Iranians seem to prefer organised tours or, at the least, carefully planned itineraries with prebooked arrangements, whereas A and L are reluctant to make a lot of bookings without knowing that their visa application will be approved. They`ll already be out over €200 on an application - non-refundable if it isn't approved. They're also thinking of going to India, so we'll be interested in hearing how it goes.
In the evening L and A ccome over for a drink. They`re off tomorrow, heading for Turkey and - they hope - a second try at an Iranian visa. They`re hoping that Ankara has good enough relations that this may work - as it didn`t from Nicosia. The difficulty is that the Iranians seem to prefer organised tours or, at the least, carefully planned itineraries with prebooked arrangements, whereas A and L are reluctant to make a lot of bookings without knowing that their visa application will be approved. They`ll already be out over €200 on an application - non-refundable if it isn't approved. They're also thinking of going to India, so we'll be interested in hearing how it goes.
Monday, 12 March 2012
Sunday, March 11/2012
Lazy day. Brunch with the local daily, which isn't very good but does come up with basic information and some unintentional humour. There's also so much evidence that Cyprus is not an EU country in a functional sense. There is this week a letter complaining that EU directives require that retailers repair or provide refunds for defective goods for a two year period after purchase - a requirement that is ignored by Cypriot merchants, who often deny that there is any such law, and ignored by government agencies as well, so that complaints are useless. This corresponds with what others have said - that Cyprus rregularly pays fines rather than comply with EU regulations.
And, in similar vein, one section of today's paper reports that the government has passed a law prohibiting air traffic controllers from striking while another section announces the three dates in the coming week when four-hour strikes will occur.
In the evening Maggi and her friend Marge come up for a Cyprus brandy and a chat. Marge laid back, interesting and well informed.
And, in similar vein, one section of today's paper reports that the government has passed a law prohibiting air traffic controllers from striking while another section announces the three dates in the coming week when four-hour strikes will occur.
In the evening Maggi and her friend Marge come up for a Cyprus brandy and a chat. Marge laid back, interesting and well informed.
Saturday, March 10/2012
Coffee at Harry's - sunny and warm enough now that we opt for a table in partial shade. Amble through the market, now buzzing with Saturday colour and trade - everything from artichokes to strawberries to pomelos to net bags of live snails.
In the evening we go to Lynette and Alex's flat where we've been invited for curry. It's lovely, and so is the pleasure of tlk with like minded people. Easy to find it's nearly midnight and when we were twenty the conversation would probably have gone on until dawn.
In the evening we go to Lynette and Alex's flat where we've been invited for curry. It's lovely, and so is the pleasure of tlk with like minded people. Easy to find it's nearly midnight and when we were twenty the conversation would probably have gone on until dawn.
Saturday, 10 March 2012
Friday, March 9/2012
J to the beach for his morning walk and I to George`s café to meet up with Margaret and Leslie for a cuppa. Actually pretty hot walking in the sun, but after the cool weather we've been having no one is complaining. We're back to Cyprus sun.
In the afternoon Maggi, her friend Marge (visiting from Scotland for a week) and Jane and I go to the base at Dhekelia for fish and chips at the restaurant (portions so big that two would really have done the four of us). We're there for a production of Little Shop of Horrors - a combined effort on the part of King Richard School and the little theatre group. It's light and fun and fairly good for amateur, despite the female lead having difficulty carrying a tune. Probably would have been more interesting but less professional had it been entirely a student production.
In the afternoon Maggi, her friend Marge (visiting from Scotland for a week) and Jane and I go to the base at Dhekelia for fish and chips at the restaurant (portions so big that two would really have done the four of us). We're there for a production of Little Shop of Horrors - a combined effort on the part of King Richard School and the little theatre group. It's light and fun and fairly good for amateur, despite the female lead having difficulty carrying a tune. Probably would have been more interesting but less professional had it been entirely a student production.
Friday, 9 March 2012
Thursday, March 8/2012
When I'm in the lobby using the computer, Mr. Andreas calls me over to the desk where he's talking to another guest - a young man. And asks if "we" have a password for the hotel wifi. Yes. He's surprised. Do I know it? Yes. Can I tell this young man? Yes, I say, and I'll write it down so you can tell other users.
Take Alex and Lynette to the charity shop as A is running low on reading. We meet up with J and over to Harry's café for a Cyprus coffee in the sun. Not at the prices A and L have been getting used to in Egypt, but a striking location with St Lazarus Church in the background. They ask us to join them for dinner but we can see it will be simpler aat our place - we`re more set up for long term. So L makes two enormous and beautiful salads and we cook chicken, rice and vegetables. And we all settle in for an evening of food, wine, and chat.
Take Alex and Lynette to the charity shop as A is running low on reading. We meet up with J and over to Harry's café for a Cyprus coffee in the sun. Not at the prices A and L have been getting used to in Egypt, but a striking location with St Lazarus Church in the background. They ask us to join them for dinner but we can see it will be simpler aat our place - we`re more set up for long term. So L makes two enormous and beautiful salads and we cook chicken, rice and vegetables. And we all settle in for an evening of food, wine, and chat.
Wednesday, March 7/2012
Coffee with Margaret and another friend. I ask afterward what the friend's name is, having sat with her before. Margaret says that she calls her Doula, but then adds that it's not her name - but if I say it quickly no one notices. Well, helpful as a technique maybe....
Alex and Lynette, our Australian friends arrive back from Egypt - and Jordan and Israel - and give us a call. So we go over to share some wine and a great deal of chat about their travels. They were in Cairo for about two weeks as well as time in Israel and Palestine and more extensive travel in Jordan than we've done. They've now been away from Australia nearly a year and going strong.
Alex and Lynette, our Australian friends arrive back from Egypt - and Jordan and Israel - and give us a call. So we go over to share some wine and a great deal of chat about their travels. They were in Cairo for about two weeks as well as time in Israel and Palestine and more extensive travel in Jordan than we've done. They've now been away from Australia nearly a year and going strong.
Tuesday, March 6/2012
Horrible story of Nicosia area family who watched their house collapse as the municipality carried out major roadworks. The municipality and contractor each blamed the other. Most shocking, the insurance company, Laiki, which is a major bank, refused to pay out on the grounds that they had not been informed by the policy holder that there were roadworks happening. It's such a ridiculous objection that it's quite clear that they would have used any feeble excuse aat all. And all this was three years ago, with no compensation by anyone. Unbelievable!
Monday, March 5/2012
Maggi to dinner as we have a sort of spaghetti carbonade with artichoke hearts, mushrooms and caramelised onions replacing the bacon. As we look the ingredients over we can see there's lots for three, so nice evening.
Sunday, March 4/2012
The morning paper announces that Paphos airport was "left unstaffed" overnight. The strikes continue - mosly a half day at a time but it's definite hit and miss whether one can leave as scheduled. It must be affecting tourism as people with a week's holiday can't afford to mess it up.
Saturday, March 3/2012
Warm sun again and Cyprus coffee lazily in front of Harry's Café - shirtsleeve weather in the sun.
Saturday, 3 March 2012
Friday, March 2/2012
We're reading (aloud) a volume of Tony Benn's diaries, this one covering 1991-2001. Tony Benn, the left wing icon, thoroughly Old Labour, who stayed fast as the party shifted to New Labour under his feet. Benn was first elected to the British parliament in 1950, when J and I were not yet in school, and left in 2001. During the whole of this time he kept, and at regular intervals published, a political (and occasionally personal) diary. He's cheerful, extrovert, and amazingly energetic.
His memory is wonderful - and the perspective of course is quite remarkable. So many people that one thinks of only as historical figures he knew. He met both Nehru and Gandhi, and entered the house shortly after World War II, in which he served in the airforce. And J and I remember the meeting of totally uncompromising hardline Commuists that we went to in London a couple of years back, where they dismissed Tony Benn because he hadn't been against WWII. He is extremely principled though. He would, in the normal course of events, have become Lord Stansgate on the death of his father but rejected the hereditary peerage on principle.
The book is hardcover and nearly 700 pages long, so when I got it at the charity shop on Saturday I told J that I couldn't resist but we'd have to come back next year to do it justice, but a week later we're a third of the way through, carried along by Benn's boyish enthusiasm. Despite the enormous spa of his career, he's very focused on the present nd enjoys the company of a wide range of people. The book reveals surprisingly unnuanced views of many issues, but maybe that's what you need to get on with the job. The Times reviewer refers to "the brio of illuminating a life almost entirely free of boredom." There's also the interesting quality of a diary rather than a memoir - the events haven't been mentally edited after the fact.
His memory is wonderful - and the perspective of course is quite remarkable. So many people that one thinks of only as historical figures he knew. He met both Nehru and Gandhi, and entered the house shortly after World War II, in which he served in the airforce. And J and I remember the meeting of totally uncompromising hardline Commuists that we went to in London a couple of years back, where they dismissed Tony Benn because he hadn't been against WWII. He is extremely principled though. He would, in the normal course of events, have become Lord Stansgate on the death of his father but rejected the hereditary peerage on principle.
The book is hardcover and nearly 700 pages long, so when I got it at the charity shop on Saturday I told J that I couldn't resist but we'd have to come back next year to do it justice, but a week later we're a third of the way through, carried along by Benn's boyish enthusiasm. Despite the enormous spa of his career, he's very focused on the present nd enjoys the company of a wide range of people. The book reveals surprisingly unnuanced views of many issues, but maybe that's what you need to get on with the job. The Times reviewer refers to "the brio of illuminating a life almost entirely free of boredom." There's also the interesting quality of a diary rather than a memoir - the events haven't been mentally edited after the fact.
Friday, 2 March 2012
Thursday, March 1/2012
Brief panic as we discover that the wifi system has been upgraded (good in itself) but requires a password about which the staff appear to know nothing. But, following Kiki's telephone entreaties, a young compputer guru appears and sets a password and all is well - actually a faster connection than before.
To Vlachos for dinner with the usual crowd. It's unusually busy for a weeknight and the staff seem a bit harrassed. Food is good, though. And the moussaka back in form. Wish it were easier to hear in there though. Conversation works best with those immediately beside one. Maybe that's why Greeks always talk so loudly.
Report on the Cypriot news tonight of a court case regarding gambling, which is illegal in the Republic of Cyprus. The accused are all women aged between 70 and 99, and they're accused of playing cards for five and ten euro stakes in a private residence in Limassol. A group thinned out somewhat since the original charges were laid, as two have died and another two lost their memories due to Alzheimer's.
To Vlachos for dinner with the usual crowd. It's unusually busy for a weeknight and the staff seem a bit harrassed. Food is good, though. And the moussaka back in form. Wish it were easier to hear in there though. Conversation works best with those immediately beside one. Maybe that's why Greeks always talk so loudly.
Report on the Cypriot news tonight of a court case regarding gambling, which is illegal in the Republic of Cyprus. The accused are all women aged between 70 and 99, and they're accused of playing cards for five and ten euro stakes in a private residence in Limassol. A group thinned out somewhat since the original charges were laid, as two have died and another two lost their memories due to Alzheimer's.
Wednesday, February 29/2012
The threatened rain doesn't come, but it's pretty cold - 8 Celsius - and very windy. I set out to meet up with J and Margaret for coffee at George's and decide it's just too cold. Not really too cold for the walk, but too cold to sit shivering outside George's café. So call J, who has the UK mobile in his pocket. He, prudently, doesn't answer, but when it rings he knows I won't be coming.
In the afternoon Kiki has the good news that the rent here won't be going up next year. Was it's J's reference to Paphos, or suggestion that there should be a discount next year to compensate us for this year's renovation noiseOr was it Maggi's mentioning that we have been looking at other hotels? We'll never know - but it won't have been out of the goodness of Mr Andreas' heart.
In theory there is supposed to be an Inspector Frost film on at nine, but, as is often the case, it's been replaced without notice or apology by a different film, not, of course, in English.
In the afternoon Kiki has the good news that the rent here won't be going up next year. Was it's J's reference to Paphos, or suggestion that there should be a discount next year to compensate us for this year's renovation noiseOr was it Maggi's mentioning that we have been looking at other hotels? We'll never know - but it won't have been out of the goodness of Mr Andreas' heart.
In theory there is supposed to be an Inspector Frost film on at nine, but, as is often the case, it's been replaced without notice or apology by a different film, not, of course, in English.
Thursday, 1 March 2012
Tuesday, February 27/2012
Too wet this morning for walking but we've arranged with Maggi to go to check on a couple of alternate apartment hotels for next year, prudently keeping our options open as management here consider the potential value of this year's "improvements", as well, no doubt, as factoring in the escalating cost of electricity and water.
Larco Hotel Apartments is fully booked - at least the apartments are - which is not particularly good re prices. One bedroom flats in winter are €660 a month, mostly occupied by Scandinavians. We're about to leave when the thunderstorm intensifies and there is tremendously heavy rain, which suddenly turns to hail. Quite dramatic as it piles up in front of the glass doors and the street becomes a stream.
We're driving back slowly, so as not to lose the brakes or skid into the intersections. Stop at another hotel - the Onisillous - to check it out. the flats are OK - a little less cosy than the Sunflower but with BBC TV and microwaves. The location has pros and cons - quite near St Lazarus and the beach and nearer the Saturday market, but not as close to the supermarkets or Prinos. The owner is a real charmer though. He's close to eighty and the hotel is a family business. He and his wife live on the premises and his granddaughter has a beauty shop here. But life wasn't always so easy. He invites us to share a cup of Cyprus coffee and Mandarin oranges from his own property, and tells us the story of his progress from barrow to small shops to hotel, with a lovely, quiet, modest style. The flats are €555 a month from November to March and there is, as he shows us, a printed price list - a refreshing change from Mr Andreas' practice of tossing out prices to see what the response is - run it up the flag and see who salutes. So that even when one has a more or less satisfactory price from him there is always the nagging suspicion that someone else has probably done better, or, embarrassingly, worse, or that one may have just lost a game of chicken.
As we're in the lobby there are torrents of rain pouring down the road and lapping up over the sidewalks, with white hail being borne along on the current. Less rain and no hail by the time we get back home, but at one point driving in the car sounded like living inside a drum as it was being beaten.
Larco Hotel Apartments is fully booked - at least the apartments are - which is not particularly good re prices. One bedroom flats in winter are €660 a month, mostly occupied by Scandinavians. We're about to leave when the thunderstorm intensifies and there is tremendously heavy rain, which suddenly turns to hail. Quite dramatic as it piles up in front of the glass doors and the street becomes a stream.
We're driving back slowly, so as not to lose the brakes or skid into the intersections. Stop at another hotel - the Onisillous - to check it out. the flats are OK - a little less cosy than the Sunflower but with BBC TV and microwaves. The location has pros and cons - quite near St Lazarus and the beach and nearer the Saturday market, but not as close to the supermarkets or Prinos. The owner is a real charmer though. He's close to eighty and the hotel is a family business. He and his wife live on the premises and his granddaughter has a beauty shop here. But life wasn't always so easy. He invites us to share a cup of Cyprus coffee and Mandarin oranges from his own property, and tells us the story of his progress from barrow to small shops to hotel, with a lovely, quiet, modest style. The flats are €555 a month from November to March and there is, as he shows us, a printed price list - a refreshing change from Mr Andreas' practice of tossing out prices to see what the response is - run it up the flag and see who salutes. So that even when one has a more or less satisfactory price from him there is always the nagging suspicion that someone else has probably done better, or, embarrassingly, worse, or that one may have just lost a game of chicken.
As we're in the lobby there are torrents of rain pouring down the road and lapping up over the sidewalks, with white hail being borne along on the current. Less rain and no hail by the time we get back home, but at one point driving in the car sounded like living inside a drum as it was being beaten.
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