Thursday, January 11/2018

Fresh fruit and vegetables year round (and possibly disproportionately in the winter) are one of the greatest pleasures of Cyprus. Fresh air not so much. Or, like many countries, not as good in the cities as in the countryside. I say that surely Cyprus must meet EU emission standards but J is dubious. He walks downtown more frequently than I do and notes black exhaust coming from some vehicles. Noise pollution by mufflerless cowboys not debatable. And public transport, while greatly improved over the last twenty years, not at all popular with Cypriots. Underused, and used disproportionately by students and servants. In a mostly white country, people of colour are frequently encountered on the buses. 

So today, as we walk to Lidl, we’re actively aware of the nasty quality of the air. Check the live air quality monitor when we return and sure enough particulate matter extremely high. Various warnings, including cautions on outdoor sports, though assume my walking speed falls somewhat short of sport definition.