Love watching the changing face of the sea. And, oddly, can’t really figure it out. Some aspects fairly clear like whitecaps and darkness on clouded and stormy days but others not so obvious. There are times when from our vantage point the sea looks almost white, as if it were covered with snow. Looking at it from the water’s edge there’s a partial explanation as white fluffy cumulus clouds are reflected in the water but that’s not the whole story. Nor is it obvious why it’s sometimes two-toned - blue on one side and green on the other. Occasionally but not all that often. And certainly the depth doesn’t change. (Well, not much. The Mediterranean is slightly tidal and Cypriot tides vary from .7 to 3.3 metres depending on the time of year). Googling much less enlightening than one might have supposed but not finished yet.
Horst gives us a lift to Sultan’s restaurant in Çatalköy where foreigners meet on a Wednesday. It’s less than fifteen miles to the east of us but would mean a change of dolmuş in Girne. Cheap enough but way more time consuming than one might have thought, even by car which takes (mostly) more efficient routes than the dolmuş can.
Probably the most surprising change in North Cyprus in the nearly quarter century we’ve been coming here is the traffic. More surprising than the housing construction - though obviously not unrelated to it. Many more - and newer and more expensive - cars. And more and better motorways seemingly under permanent construction, aided by a climate where year round road works and construction are possible. It’s an island and cars aren’t cheap. They’re also sold in harder currency than the Turkish lira. So suspect that some of the increase must reflect more availability of credit. It certainly doesn’t reflect a stronger lira.