Christmas Eve. Our ninth in North Cyprus. That’s three in Lapta and six between 2011 and 2017 at Ship Inn in Girne. That’s in the days when we used to go there with Bill and Jane for a Christmas break. The missing year was when Jane had fractured her hip and was unable to make the trip. Sadly, Jane died in 2020 and Bill last year. One of the mixed blessings of aging. Many lovely memories but more empty tables and empty chairs.
Quiet day today with a brief trip down to our little local supermarket. Warm sourdough bread, kohlrabi, onions, vodka. None of it urgently required. Christmas is not a national holiday here and nothing will be closed.
But there are Christmassy decorations and not only to attract foreigners. They’re cheerful and seasonal and Christmas trees can sometimes be seen in private homes of non-Christians as well. The slim episcopal St Nicholas figure of the South doesn’t appear but more secular decorations do, including Santa figures that don’t necessarily owe their inspiration to Coca-Cola.
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