Day starts with an email from the bank saying that my credit card has been restricted and asking me to phone. Am mildly annoyed that they haven’t texted, suspecting that they have failed to record my winter mobile number or have been unable to cope with the U.K. prefix. Possible advantage to eight hour time difference is that there seems to be no wait time at all in getting to speak to a human. Practically at the end of the conversation, which seems to consist mainly of their verifying who I am, the question of the suspect transaction comes up. Yes, I recognise the U.K. company and no I am not responsible for this transaction though an earlier one was legitimate. Have to admit that this does rather undermine my claim that their obsessive surveillance makes it difficult to use the card abroad. So card cancelled and new one will be sent. Eventually - talking to a third employee - am able to establish that card will be couriered rather than mailed, which makes its arrival in the next week or so possible if not actually probable. Three to five business days? Strong suspicion that am being reassured by someone who has no idea where Cyprus is, but at least the intentions are good. Fortunately debit card unaffected as is J’s credit card, of course. Inconvenient, but scarcely an emergency.
So to second complication of the day. Last week cockroach appeared in kitchen. Seemed to have no companions but this is not necessarily to be relied on - as with mice. Not unduly disturbed. Cyprus is subtropical and residents do seasonal battle with the katsarida. We’ve stayed at this hotel before without encountering any. Trapped offending insect (on its back and hopefully experiencing death spasms) underneath upturned waste paper basket and reported its presence to management the following morning. Gone when we returned home. Last night, in dimly lit kitchen, an apparent companion spotted on the kitchen floor. Did go closer to investigate but it began to move and, in order to foil escape attempts, repeated the waste paper basket manoeuvre.
So report last night’s captive to front desk as before. Soon followed by knock on door. Enter the cleaners, stage right. Maria bearing large and presumably lethal cannister. Venera accompanying her to assist or perhaps just for the entertainment. And entertainment there is, as Maria removes the basket, missing only a drum roll, to reveal - a large tangle of heavy black thread, no longer moving in the breeze. No doubt cleaners now have a story with which to regale friends for years!
Quick trip out to Prinos for fruit and veg. Offerings not entirely vegetarian. As well as meat in the usual small butcher’s area there are three net bags of snails next to the veg. In Paphos we used to see snails climbing happily over lettuce bits but these are tightly bagged.
Seem reasonably expensive at four euros ninety-nine a kilo as you often see people gathering them on the hillsides where they’re free for the taking, but then the same could be said of wild blueberries.
Home to make an aubergine curry to have with bulgur.