Somewhat depressingly, we’ve returned to Cyprus to wet and (for Cyprus) chilly conditions. Realise that January 6 is also Epiphany. In much of the world a feast attracting minor religious interest but in Cyprus a major public holiday. Implication for us being that the stores will not be open, excepting the little peripteros. That’s the Greek. In Québec read dépanneur. Somehow convenience store doesn’t do it. Corner shop a bit better sounding, but not very descriptive - or often inaccurately so. Bakeries open 365 days of the year, so we get a round loaf of whole grain village bread.
And off to Cambanella’s with Bill and Jane for Sunday lunch, British style. Cypriot restaurateurs know how to treat their customers. Warm greetings as we go in, arriving at the table with Jane’s regular cushion, the owner round at the table to see us, his wife and partner at the carving table and disappointed if we don’t eat enough. They’re just back from a holiday visiting their daughter in England, where, she says, it was warmer and dryer than it’s been here. We picked a good year for our alternative Christmas.
Collect the boxes we’ve stored for the winter in the staff coffee room cum junk area. A Norwegian couple, whom we know slightly from previous years is there on the same errand, having also arrived yesterday. Not highly fluent in English, and of course our Norwegian limited to the words for thank you and I can’t speak Norwegian. But she and I lament that despite our intentions we still have too much stuff. Though can’t help noting that their too much is considerably more spare than our too much. Rediscover stash of everything from french press coffee maker and mugs to cd’s and tapes from lucky charity shop purchase one year (also player for same) to a small crescent wrench.
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