Things we might have done differently had we expected the world to shut down. Well, surprisingly few. We’re definitely not sorry we came; it’s been and continues to be a lovely interlude. We’re glad we saw friends in London as it may be a very long time before we get a chance again. Packing not bad considering the very short lead in time. Would shift the balance of heavy/light clothes slightly. We left in February and expected to be in Cyprus until about the end of April - not summer, although warm spring. In normal, i.e. non-pandemic, times it isn’t important to get the balance exactly right. If the weather were warmer than anticipated it’s easy enough to pick up a couple of inexpensive t-shirts. Here J’s packing is more varied than mine. I pack almost entirely black because usually for my purposes it is the most versatile. Black jeans with no rivets can almost pass for dress and plain black t-shirts can go to the theatre without looking too casual. Not formal dress, but ok. We didn’t anticipate spending May (by which time we’re usually back in Canada) in Cyprus under lockdown. Unprepared - unsurprisingly - for a situation where for several weeks no stores were permitted to open.
So today we head out of the walled city in search of a couple of unblack lightweight t-shirts. There are a few shops in the old city that sell clothes, but almost entirely high end brand names - fake or otherwise. And I’m opposed to paying to advertise famous brands. Research online leads me to China Bazaar. A bit of everything, none of it particularly good quality. I describe it to J - think Zellers. And sure enough there’s not a lot there, but enough. Not crowded at all. A girl at the door does the temperature check with wand bit and gives us each a squirt of hand cleaner. Find a couple of shirts in light colours. Added bonus: the ones that are thin material and don’t advertise big name brands are dead cheap. Perfect.
Stop on way home at genuine, if smallish, supermarket. Map not always helpful re supermarkets due to tendency of shops to inflate their importance by using the term despite minimal square footage and offerings. In Spain the clue was to search for a hypermart. A supermarket was merely a corner shop, periptero, dépanneur renamed. This supermarket does have a little more than our regular shops back in the old city, but probably nothing worth going for. J scores a packet of coffee on sale and I pick up a pair of socks. Gives us our smile of the day though. In the fruit department a bin of unprepossessing smallish grapefruit are labelled greyfurt.
On the way home pass the market, a large roofed structure where men have started unloading oranges and melons for tomorrow’s weekly municipal market. Also pass Minder, our favourite village style restaurant, still closed despite the loosening regulations.
So today we head out of the walled city in search of a couple of unblack lightweight t-shirts. There are a few shops in the old city that sell clothes, but almost entirely high end brand names - fake or otherwise. And I’m opposed to paying to advertise famous brands. Research online leads me to China Bazaar. A bit of everything, none of it particularly good quality. I describe it to J - think Zellers. And sure enough there’s not a lot there, but enough. Not crowded at all. A girl at the door does the temperature check with wand bit and gives us each a squirt of hand cleaner. Find a couple of shirts in light colours. Added bonus: the ones that are thin material and don’t advertise big name brands are dead cheap. Perfect.
Stop on way home at genuine, if smallish, supermarket. Map not always helpful re supermarkets due to tendency of shops to inflate their importance by using the term despite minimal square footage and offerings. In Spain the clue was to search for a hypermart. A supermarket was merely a corner shop, periptero, dépanneur renamed. This supermarket does have a little more than our regular shops back in the old city, but probably nothing worth going for. J scores a packet of coffee on sale and I pick up a pair of socks. Gives us our smile of the day though. In the fruit department a bin of unprepossessing smallish grapefruit are labelled greyfurt.
On the way home pass the market, a large roofed structure where men have started unloading oranges and melons for tomorrow’s weekly municipal market. Also pass Minder, our favourite village style restaurant, still closed despite the loosening regulations.
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