Tuesday, March 29/2016

Listening to BBC forces radio early in the morning when there is brief breaking news mention of a hijacked plane heading toward Cyprus. Confirmed by googling on the ipad. M rings to ask if we're watching Euronews. We're not, but when we turn it on, there's only a brief line about it on the ticker at the bottom of the screen. J leaves for his morning walk on the beach and as soon as he goes the pace of reporting heats up. Euronews is now following with live broadcasting from the Larnaca airport. Check the Cypriot government channels, CYBC 1 and 2. Channel 1 has a cooking show and channel 2 cartoons. BBC World now onsite. Loses its signal briefly but CYBC1 has live coverage set up. There's a lot of speculation and conflicting info. It's an Egyptian domestic flight. No, it actually originated in Saudi Arabia and was due to finish in Cairo after its Alexandria touchdown. There are 82 people aboard or 60, the hijacker asked to go to Turkey or to Cyprus. Euronews has some painful periods of dead air (though probably less painful than the grating voice of their usual female announcer) while BBC fills the time with chat and bits of informed opinion. Do wonder about the quality of the opinion when one of the commentators says "This is a part of the world where they do know what they're doing." Hard not to think of the shambolic Cypriot aeronautical industry.

Leave the coverage to join J for coffee jas the plane sits on the tarmac. Egyptian passengers allowed to leave but crew and some passengers still aboard and presumably negotiations taking place. There is mention of the hijacker having an ex wife living in Cyprus, and also of requests for female political prisoners to be released. When we return after coffee and a stop to pick up a few groceries - chicken, wine, mushrooms, garlic, raw peanuts - there doesn't seem to have been much progress. The ex wife has apparently been taken to the airport, but her identity is being protected. With good reason - she's probably dying of embarrassment. By mid-afternoon the last hostages have been released, the hijacker arrested and the "suicide belt" found to be fake. And We're free to be pleased that we fly out of Larnaca airport two weeks from today rather than today, when the airport was evacuated and all flights diverted, delayed or cancelled.

Monday, March 28/2016

One of the nicer things about Cyprus is the fresh fruit and vegetables available, some of which we rarely see in Canada, and others which we do see but only for a very short season or only as pathetic and expensive specimens. Maggi makes salads that are entirely coriander and rocket, both of which are always available inexpensively in large bunches. Kohlrabi are in all the greengrocers, complete with dark green leaves for the soup pot. Artichokes are somewhat seasonal, more abundant in late winter, but J, having observed one of the women at the market, slices the hearts and sautés them. It's highly labour intensive but makes lovely appetizers or pizza toppers.

Sunday, March 27/2016

Wake before alarm. Out by bus to Pyla, where we pack up enough food for half of Cyprus, plus beer and wine. Harry has forgotten the time change, so supplies us with the key. Depressingly, he's had problems with theft and minor vandalism, in part by the young soldiers doing their national service, who seem both  undisciplined and underoccupied. So grass trimming, weed killing, post painting and a pretty substantial picnic. A few drops of rain just as we finish up.

Saturday, March 26/2016

Errand day, with sorties out to Lidl, the Elephant store and Prinos. Jane's plan is that we will all go out and help Harry get some work done at his cabin, taking a picnic with us. As tomorrow is Sunday the buses run less frequently, so early start means the 8:20 bus. Worse, as Jane reminds me, tomorrow is the change to summer time, so it will feel like a 7:20 bus. Check with google re the ipads updating themselves when the time changes. Answer not entirely reassuring. Yes, probably, but only if allowed to adopt the local time. Which they're not, mainly because of UK sites that we synch with. So will rely on the mobile. Reset the mobile an hour ahead at bedtime. But will it reset itself again in the night?

Friday, March 25/2016

Would be Good Friday here, if the Orthodox Church didn't follow the Julian calendar. As it is, though, it's still a holiday: Greek Independence Day. Rather suggests lack of independence on the part of Cypriots that they celebrate it, but it does make a long weekend. Although not a very nice one - overcast with wind and dust in the air - warnings about high levels of particles. Good day for reading.

Thursday, March 24/2016

Rumblings about taxi drivers threatening to strike. Too many of them and rates too high, so they work hard at preventing shared taxis and even some buses going to the airports. Much less inconvenient for us than the bus strike anyway.

An unprecedented 19 people on the bus as we go out to Vlachos in the evening. Unsurprisingly, if the buses follow a predictable schedule more people are likely to take them. Also, as we go into Easter weekend (for the western Church) there are some (presumably) tourists getting off at the Dhekelia Road hotels. We meet up with Jane and Bill and Harry and Ailsa for a meal. Ailsa now trying to arrange a flight back to England, where her sister is not doing too well after a second brain tumour operation.

Wednesday, March 23/2016

Meet Maggi for coffee at Harry's Café. She's brought Maxi. What a contrast from when M first took her from the shelter as a rescue dog. She used to be so nervous, afraid of strangers, noises, everything. Now she's poised, confident, relaxed. Lovely for both of them.

Tuesday, March 22/2016

Accusations in the press of road transport officials issuing driving licences in return for bribes. Particular reference to the Paphos area but, unsurprisingly, this attracts would be bribers from as far away as Larnaca.

Monday, March 21/2016

Jane's art group has an exhibition opening. It's on all week, though only in the mornings. Cyprus often has cultural displays, museums, etc closing for the day about the time I'm ready to head out, although this could just be when the artists are able to take turns looking after things. Tonight's opening, though, is a respectable 7-9:30 pm. J and B stop at our place but have to be there early, so we walk down for 7. It's in an older building that has be recently restored for use as a cultural centre, and the space is lovely for the purpose - light and spacious with a large room and a smaller one as well as alcoves. Quite a lot of paintings, some of them very good though it's basically an amateur group, and an interesting variety. Only one obligatory opening speech, and (unlike other openings we've attended here) in English not Greek. Quite respectable glass of wine as well. Still warm out when we walk back an hour later.

Sunday, March 20/2016

Bus to Jane and Bill's. We're invited to a fish barbecue. Turns out the fish are skewered shrimp and cubes of salmon, tuna and a white fish. Pretty as well as tasty. Cypriot barbecues are all fitted with indentations for the metal skewers. Have never actually seen one with a grate, although they must exist. B and J eat almost all their meals outside year round, overlooking the garden. Can switch to the other side of the house as sun or wind dictate. Lovely. David and Susan there as well, and give us a lift home.

Saturday, March 19/2016

Saturday. Note that Posted hours in Prinos greengrocer show Sunday as open from 11 to 4. Supreme Court has just ruled that parliament's decision to ban Sunday shopping is unconstitutional. Not that it matters much to retired Canadians.

And in the only in Cyprus department, health officials have launched a disciplinary inquiry against a state hospital surgeon after he reportedly asked for a €2,000 bribe from a patient so that his operation date could be pushed forward.

Friday, March 18/2016

Friday. Make borscht. In large part because beets are sold here already cooked in 500 gram plastic vacuum packs. Suitable for using without getting one's hands (very) dirty. Not Cypriot - usually Dutch. And much nicer than the usual supermarket offerings at home that are often soft and spongy. Eighty-two euro cents this pack ($1.29 CAD, £0.69). Gives some meaning to cheap like borscht.

Thursday, March 17/2016

Thursday. St Patrick's Day. Also Maggi's birthday. So we invite her for late lunch (early supper, whatever) at the Holy Cow. Hotel owner Andreas' son number one's venture. It seems to have been quite successful, in a yuppyish way. Not at all traditional Cypriot, but appealing to a younger crowd and with some slightly more sophisticated offerings. So my grilled chicken and brie sandwich has fig confit on it and J's sandwich has sliced avocado as well as the chicken and gammon. Send M home - or more accurately off to her Greek class - with a jar of lemon curd I made in the morning. Admire her persistence with Greek. She says, possibly accurately, that she'll never be fluent, but she can manage simple conversations with neighbours, tradespeople, etc, which is well beyond anything we can do.

Wednesday, March 16/2016

Since Cyprus is likely to block the required consensus of all EU states for a deal with Turkey re refugees, EU Council President Donald Tusk was in Nicosia yesterday,  saying, no doubt inaccurately, that he was not here to pressure Cyprus.

Tuesday, March 15/2016

Surprisingly, it seems that the price of prescription medicines is determined by the government, which has just announced that prescription medicines costing over €10 will drop in price by 8.5% for the next year. Not entirely sure who is affected, as most residents we know use the hospital pharmacies where they pay a token amount. Fifty euro cents? Certainly pharmacy prices aren't cheap on non-prescription medicines, which are more here than in North Cyprus, or the UK, or Canada. 

Monday, march 14/2016

J's shirt on the drying rack on the balcony. Wind WSW 43km/hr. Have visions of the whole apparatus taking off like some bizarre kite over the rooftops. Today (Green Monday) traditional day for kite flying but much too wild. Promised showers are spotty and the winds dry everything. A newly released study claims that the eastern Mediterranean climate is the driest it's been for 900 years and that this is a factor in the Syrian conflict, as crops have failed and rural dwellers have been forced jobless into the cities. Then in the late afternoon and evening thunder showers.

Sunday, March 13/2016

Sunday lunch at Cambanellas. David and Susan pick us up and we meet up with Jane and Bill. Oddly unbusy for such a nice day, maybe because we're a little earlier than usual. Interestingly our favourite restaurants here all have a similar ritual leave taking ritual in which the owner follows us to the door to thank us for visiting, much as one would bid farewell to a dinner guest in one's own house. There's usually some physical contact - a handshake or pat on the back. In the case of someone the proprietor knows well there may even be a hug or the European kiss on both cheeks. Undoubtedly good business, but you do leave feeling that there is a personal relationship.

Saturday, March 12/2016

Cypriots, and possibly all Greeks, don't seem to differentiate between the k sound and the hard g sound. This shows up in spelling when signs are translated into English, e.g. Crapefruit. Today, just before Orthdox Lent begins, there are hot cross buns on sale at Carrefour, helpfully labelled "hot gross buns." 

Next stop is Prinos, the greengrocer's. A man outside, minus the clichéd trench coat, offers to sell me a watch - not nearly as nice as the one I'm wearing. When I show no interest he suggests perfume instead. Prinos not as busy as I'd expect going into a long weekend, but I spot the sign. They'll be open, unusually, on Sunday, and on Green Monday they're open from an astonishing 6:30 AM to 1:00 PM. After all what Cypriot would wish to celebrate a day that features vegetables without being able to buy fresh ones.

Friday, March 11/2016

[Larnaca waterfront, courtesy Cyprus Mail]

Palm trees not native to Cyprus but introduced about a hundred years ago, largely because tourists like them and associate them with Mediterranean living. Now, however, at risk of being eradicated by the ugly red palm weevil. Hundreds of insects can be in one tree at different stages of development, and they multiply quickly, with a single adult laying over 1000 eggs in a year. Their activity is hidden from view inside the tree until it's too late to treat easily. Best discovered, they say, by putting an ear to the tree and listening for the munching sounds.

[Courtesy Cyprus Mail. Presumably not actual size]

Thursday, March 10/2016

Jane and Bill pick us up after her physio (actually massage cum acupuncture) appointment, and we head north of the border in hopes of finding black corduroy, which seems to be a breed on the verge of extinction. Bill has told us about a fabric warehouse/sales place in Famagusta. He's been there once before and is hoping that memory together with some verbal directions will do it. And it does. We spot the landmark mosque with twin minarets and circle back behind the road it's on and there it is, obviously the fabric building as it's so full that rolls of material appear to be oozing out the door. The inside is astonishing, with ten times the amount of fabric that would have made a full warehouse crammed to the high ceiling, and threatening to choke off the narrow pathways that lead through it as if it were a maze. Impossible to walk without stepping on cotton or lace as the ends of rolls slide underfoot. Not for the claustrophobic. Can they possibly get fire insurance? J and Bill discover a small fire extinguisher in the doorway, almost hidden by fabric. And do they have black corduroy? Unfortunately, no. J is impressed, though, as the man leads us through a hundred foot tunnel of cloth to view the only corduroy they possess, a fairly vibrant terra cotta. Does he know the location of every roll in the building? Sorry not to have found the black corduroy, but the building itself well worth the price of admission. 

We're lucky to have come on a Thursday, though, as Famagusta's weekly market is on. Fruit and vegetables in gleaming jewel tone heaps that would not have disgraced Selfridge's Food Hall. Deep purple aubergines, brilliant oranges, tomatoes. Also stalls with clothing, hardware, costume jewellery. My favourite spot - not even a stall - with one new style broom next to one traditional twig broom. On the edge of the market are bedding plants, small trees ready for transplant and barbecue supplies. We stop on the way back at a roadside café for lunch. The chips that I don't finish would feed four people easily. Good fish and Cypriot sandwiches. Lovely day, warm and breezy.

Wednesday, March 9/2016

Department of low energy? A Cypriot MP has accused civil servants working at the Energy Ministry of skiving off work and even sleeping at their desks during working hours.

“Some of these workers would not even turn up for work and instead be at their other jobs while others would nap during working hours,..the allegations also speak of expensive equipment and machinery – worth around €5million – standing idle. The department in question is the competent authority for the enforcement of the Weights and Measures Legislation...." 

One assumes that "competent" is used in some technical sense. The department head's response is that "some" of the problems have been eradicated.

Tuesday, March 8/2016

Quite a lot of good cars here, and almost no clunkers. Mercedes and BMW to be seen everywhere, with a small sprinkling of Porsches. Walking down to meet J for coffee, I count the number of Mercedes along the main street. My side only, as it's too hard to spot them accurately on the other side, peering through traffic. It's about a mile and I count 27, including a few trucks. Not including parked cars. So double that for both sides of the street.

Monday, March 7/2016

As daily temperatures reliably in the twenties, a question re-arises. Attire seen on the street varies from shorts and t-shirts (mostly on tourists, who may, admittedly, be determined to make the most of a Mediterranean holiday whether the weatherman co-operates or not) to coats with fur collars and lined boots. It's not hard to believe that being accustomed to high or low temperatures influences comfort in same. But surely human physiology is the same regardless of ethnicity or location. So, unsurprising that Brits or Scandinavians enjoy a sea breeze at 20 degrees with minimal clothing. But odder that anyone under a blazing sun wears a zipped up leather jacket. The forecaster may have been right in saying 23 in the shade, but in the sun it's probably closer to 40, and sweat is sweat. Isn't it?

Sunday, March 6/2016

Sunday lunch at Cambanellas with Jane and Bill and Hazel and Bob. Can hardly keep from laughing at the comically disappointed look on the co-owner's face when you turn down a second piece of meat as she carves, the first one having been massive. Choice of lamb, beef, chicken and pork, and she'd be quite pleased to give you all four. 

Lovely weather and parking lots full at all the coastal restaurants. Just round the corner from our place, as we return, there's a parrot sitting on the fence by the crossing light and trying to engage the people in a car pulling up in conversation. Actually looks like he'd like to get into the car.

Sent from my iPad

Saturday, March 5/2016

Grocery shopping Saturday, March 5 - subtitled we may never come home

Strawberries 320 grams (just under 3/4 pound)   €0.43

- hand chosen from the bin, all perfect

Courgettes (zucchini) six small 670 grams.          €0.26

Cauliflower, one small 580 grams                        €0.40

Onions, 2 large, 505 grams.                                €0.35

Cabbage, very green, 1145 grams.                      €0.53

Pears, Conference, 3 large ripe, 650 grams.         €0.71

Hummus, deli, 236 grams.                                   €0.57 

Greek yoghurt, deli,  536 grams.                           €1.23

Total: €4.48.  ($6.57 CAD,  £3.47)

Of course some things do cost more here. Milk is a little more, although cheese isn't. Bread is less. Meat is less, even when imported. Tinned imports tend to be expensive, though not all that necessary. Anything sweet is expensive, sometimes ridiculously so. Greeks have a sweet tooth and prices reflect this. On the other hand almost any wine, beer or even imported liquor is less. And if you are ambitious you can always pick your own herbs, greens, and even snails, in the fields.

Friday, March 5/2016

With Jane and Bill to To Kazani to celebrate Jane's birthday - round two, as her grandson had given her a gift voucher. She had actually tried booking for yesterday, but found them to be fully booked for some event. So today we're greeted effusively and seated in a (temporarily) quiet corner. Temporarily, because it's a live music night, and as it grows closer to the magic nine o'clock the other tables fill up. But first our meze appetizers, slightly different here and including marinated caper greens anf a creamed cheese with roast pepper. Then our mains - pork chop for Bill, baby squid for Jane, grilled shrimp in the shell for me and chicken souvlaki for Joe. A carafe of wine and tiny Greek pastries with the coffee. As we leave the hostess kisses Jane and apologises that they "didn't have time" to open the champagne. Lovely.

Thursday, March 4/2016

Task for the day accomplished. Researched all options for flying back to London, made somewhat more difficult by Easter's situating itself near the end of March, so that our frequent practice of going elsewhere between Cyprus and London runs up against Easter holiday prices and crowds. Reject flights which arrive at Gatwick after midnight (EasyJet) or leave here before dawn (some Aegean). Factor in extra charges for luggage, becoming pretty heavy with all airlines, but not optional for us at the end of the season. Taunted by a number of sites with warnings to hurry - only two seats available at this price, they say, undoubtedly accurately. Eventually reject also flights arriving after 8 pm. If they're late it becomes difficult to reach the hotel before midnight, which seems unfair to Nick, who has the pleasure of waiting up for us, although last time he was extremely gracious about our 1 am arrival. Ignore slight suspicion that Nick doesn't really mind as he can claim exemption from bedmaking duty in the morning on account of his previous late night shift.

In the end, there is surprisingly little difference between so-called discount airlines and regular ones. Much less than in November when, admittedly, fewer people are probably headed for the Mediterranean. Settle on British Airways, where we do get to trade in some of our few remaining points for €36 off the total price. Nicest thing, other than their very civilised approach to free pre-dinner drinks and wine, is the fact that there are never any unpleasant surprises - no nasty downsizing of carry-ons or exorbitant charges for should-be-freebies. So April 12th it is, the latest we've ever left Cyprus.

Wednesday, March 2/2016

Wednesday is early closing in Cyprus. On Sundays stores are closed altogether, and they used to close early on Saturdays as well. The arrangement is by law and does not apply to peripteros (corner shops) or - for whatever reason - to bakeries. However in recent months those stores that wished to do so have been staying open seven days a week, with no early closings. This has suddenly ceased, a bit unevenly, with some establishments, such as Lidl (our local one anyway) staying open on Sundays while others, unwilling to risk a fine, go with the restricted hours. This includes Prinos, the greengrocer, and the animal shelter charity shop. Particularly difficult in the case of the latter, as its customers are disproportionately Philippino and Sri Lankan servants who are only free on Sundays, and sales are already down - the most sensitive indicator of an economy in difficulty.

The current confusion starts with the fact that on December 3 the Supreme Court found a parliamentary law regulating shop hours unconstitutional, arguing the right to regulate the policy was solely the government’s. Assuming "government" in the press releases refers to the civil service, there does seem to be a bit of tail wagging the dog here. In any case, ignoring the Supreme Court, a week later, parliament put it to a vote.

A majority vote, meant a 2006 law regulating shop hours returned into force as of January 2. The Supreme Court (which does seem at first glance to have behaved oddly) overruled. And, as usual, there is the inescapable suspicion that a number of people in more than one body ought properly to have declared conflict of interest. Ah, Cyprus.

Tuesday, March 1/2016

Well, maybe not ONLY in Cyprus. Inefficiency is international. Actually what is unusual is the frankness of the individual concerned. I don't buy the ministry's statement. He obviously had a useless supervisor and probably useless deputy minister or eauivalent. If he'd been given any guidelines at all, the ministry would have said so:

"Marios Dhrousiotis, the government employee who complained to President Nicos Anastasiades that he is given no work to do despite his €5,000-a-month salary, heads a critical unit of the Energy ministry and should have taken it upon himself to promote his department, instead of waiting to be assigned work, the Energy ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.

"A letter Dhrousiotis sent Anastasiades featured in daily Phileleftheros on Tuesday, in which he complained that he had been transferred to a ministry service centre as a supervisor a year ago but not a single file or any work has been assigned to him by his boss since.

“In my opinion, the state would save money if it asked me to remain home and sent me my salary as it would not incur the operating costs of my office such as lighting, heating, and consumables,” he said in his letter. “This is unacceptable. An employee to want to work and illegally prevented from doing so.”

 - Cyprus Mail