Tuesday, December 30/2025

Errand day number two. The Samsung mobile has a message from Telsim addressing me by my full passport name, a bit like your mother calling you by first, middle and last name to emphasize the gravity of the misdemeanor. The gist of the message is that the documentation provided when we purchased and registered the sim is incomplete and we must go to the shop where the purchase was made to rectify the matter. Really? Fortunately this is not particularly inconvenient as there are other stops we need to make nearby. But what if we were in another country for the next few weeks? And what, after providing them with endless information, could be missing? Our medical records? The addresses of our first born? Do wonder if they have reconsidered our claim to have no friends when they demanded a telephone number “for emergencies”. What sort of emergency? An unpaid phone bill? Should have gone prepared with the telephone number of an aggressive online advertiser. 

Wait in queue to see what the problem is. Girl takes the message and squints at her computer screen. Then says “It’s the wrong message. You can ignore it.” Reassuring, sort of. Same wrong message may be permanently embedded in the company files. But for now we can scratch that from the worry list.

Ileli next on the list. Starts happily enough. Two girls have a stand just inside the door where they are promoting Chivas Regal extra smoky whisky. Comes in a box with two gift glasses. Would we like to taste it? Very nearly noon - and well under a jiggerful, not that anyone’s actually measuring - so seems legit. The glasses we are given are gold coloured paper cups, suitable for starting New Year’s seedlings, so we keep them, the girls assenting cheerfully.

J searching for smoked pork fillet. The Russian shop which used to carry it now doesn’t. Ileli has quite a few pork products but all rather inferior to fillet. Settle for veal at Șokmar. Also at Șokmar an old favourite of mine, called koupes in the Greek sector but inçli köfte in Turkish. A bulgur shell filled with minced meat and seasoning and deep fried. New Year’s likely to be quiet but we’ll be well fed.

Monday, December 29/2025

Not much rain last night but absolutely crazy winds. J rescued the lightweight terrace tables and chairs which were engaged in a manic frenzy of dancing, sometimes hitting up against the side of the flat. Although the two oranges from the neighbour’s tree that I have been expecting to fall on our side of the wall remain resolutely still attached this morning.

Sunny but a pretty chill breeze as we take the dolmuș out to do errands. Leave papers for Doğan with Terina, his lovely shy stepdaughter who has a face like a Russian Matryoshka doll. Then stops along the strip for things our own little supermarket doesn’t run to. Spanish Tempranillo and cigars at Ileli, smoked herring at Deniz, and freshly ground coffee and brown rice at Șokmar.

Sun on the mountainside still setting too early, but we enjoy the silhouette of the bougainvillea against a faintly rosy sky.

Sunday, December 28/2025

The threatened rain storms didn’t arrive so we take advantage of the sunshine to wash sheets, knowing they will dry quickly in the sun. And sunlight starting to last fractionally longer. So we enjoy it with a drink and a read overlooking the Mediterranean. Tough life!

Still the season for Christmas treats so I make lemon curd. Four ingredients - lemons, sugar, eggs and butter, and very rich. Interestingly the deep yellow colour doesn’t come from the lemons or even the butter. It’s down to the egg yolks so the colour here is lovely. As is the taste.

Absolutely no photoshopping. Colour as it comes.

Saturday, December 27/2025

 

The orange tree has delivered pretty well all it’s going to so we pick the last three reachable ones for breakfast and then head down to our little supermarket. Storms predicted though not yet in evidence so seems like a good time to replenish. 

Looks like deliveries may have been uneven. Good supply of oranges and grapes but about six bananas remaining, two of which, fortunately, are acceptable. Can’t blame Christmas for any shortages either. The heavy stocking up will be next week for New Year’s, which is a big celebration for almost everyone.

Had intended to buy Knorr’s chicken flavour soup cubes. As in other countries more sodium than chicken but handy just the same. However, there are none. In their place are 45 (yeah, I counted) large packets - 24 to a pack - of pork soup cubes. Outline of pig unmistakeable. We do eat pork but actually only ever use chicken stock cubes as they’re far more versatile. Can’t imagine in this country how long it will take to dispose of forty-five large packets of pork cubes. Also, have to assume they didn’t order them but were simply at the end of the request line for deliveries.

The government is about to outlaw the use of thin plastic bags (those between 15 and 50 microns thick, beginning January first. Can’t mentally translate to the between the fingers feel of said microns and someone did ask whether this meant that those above fifty and below fifteen will be legal. Suspect that those below 15 closely related to those in Canada capable of holding three onions before splitting and sending two rolling down the aisle. Though somewhat handier than those UK supermarkets that seem to have made no provision whatever for collecting bulk produce. Presume that anyone buying large numbers of cherry tomatoes could simply scoop them onto the conveyor belt - or come equipped with a hairnet? 

In North Cyprus in some stores the Department of Environmental Protection has begun distributing fabric bags ahead of the deadline to encourage the conversion. Not entirely sorry our store doesn’t seem to be included. Photo shows apparently handleless bags resembling vastly oversized knickers. Will continue using our usual fabric bags.

Friday, December 26/2025

 Sun, rain, sun, rain - and a rainbow. Starting the day with a promise.

The only downside to being invited out for Christmas dinner is the paucity of excellent leftovers on Boxing Day. But we did anticipate this and roasted a large chicken on the weekend in order to freeze most of it for after Christmas meals. And then there are sweets and wine and a gift of shortbread. Not suffering.

Rain intermittent but cosy inside and a surfeit of books to read. As Christmas should be.

Thursday, December 25/2025

Christmas! John picks us up at half past twelve as promised and takes us over to the house he and Beverley built years ago. Brief stop to admire the workshop on the way in and J genuinely impressed. House more than impressive as well. Huge, airy, all open space and light with the living area upstairs.

Beverley waiting and Pat here with her son Tom visiting from Australia. Greeted with hugs and kir royale.  The tree is lovely. Acquired seventeen? years ago in the south and laden with cherished heirloom ornaments, some fifty years old, that Beverley inherited from her mother.

As in any good meal, the company is the most important element. But the meal itself is a very close second. And not easy to source in this country. Smoked salmon and prawns with Marie Rose sauce for a starter. Turkey, roast potatoes, carrots, Brussels sprouts and beans. Pretty sure John grew the beans. Stuffing and cranberry sauce. Had wondered about being able to make cranberry sauce with dried cranberries. Answer is a definite yes, you can! Christmas pudding with cream. And, finally, stollen. Hard to believe we’ve been at the table for four hours, but that is what a perfect meal should be like!

Wednesday, December 24/2025

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.

Tuesday, December 23/2025

Caroline has kindly offered to take us to Lefkoșa to obtain a visa extension, so arrange to meet at nine o’clock at Credit West Bank as a convenient midway spot. We get the dolmuș early enough to be sure of being on time and, inevitably, arrive early. But not a bad waiting place. It’s calm and quiet and has good seating. Dry too if it should rain. 

Not surprisingly a woman on staff comes over after we’ve been sitting for about fifteen minutes to ask if she can help. No, we say, thank you but we’re just meeting someone. Reasonably confident that we’re not about to be told this is not a public waiting room. And indeed not. She asks if she can get us anything - tea or coffee? Astonishingly kind but we decline. 

Then, at about three minutes to nine, a different young lady comes over bringing us a tray with two small glasses of Turkish tea - very hot. Naturally, and embarrassingly, two sips in and Caroline drives up, so I go out to the car while J takes the pretty well full cups to a counter.

Visa extension fairly quick. Cafeteria serves an interesting purpose. As well as providing coffee it has a photocopy service and sells the inevitable stamps that serve as minor payments for government paper work. Much smoother because Caroline knows both the procedures and Turkish. Back on home territory by eleven.

And at Credit West we flag a dolmuș. Going to Laptamar? He hesitates and then says yes. Reason for hesitation becomes clear. He has no other passengers and is taking the coastal route but makes a quick detour to drop us at Laptamar. Everybody happy.

Monday, December 22/2025

 

Courtesy Politico

Happily not the Turkish Cypriot parliament. It is, however, the parliament in Türkiye at the end of the budget debate. Presumably if one of our members were to get carried away and attempt to use physical means of dispute his fellow party members would restrain him.

Courtesy CNN

Not so, it seems, in Türkiye. Not particularly ashamed of not having used gender neutral terminology. Can’t really imagine this scenario with a female cast.

Sunday, December 21/2025

Had been waiting for the winter solstice, after which the days begin getting longer. Not surprising that our ancestors for millennia before us waited with the same and even more anticipation, but somehow had missed learning about Newgrange, an Irish World Heritage Site.

Newgrange is a passage grave constructed some five thousand years ago in a crook of the Boyne River, sixty kilometres north of Dublin as the crow flies. Most descriptions are more than bloglength but Wikipedia gives a fair précis, falling, inevitably, somewhat short of the stunning reality:

“Newgrange consists of a large circular mound with an inner stone passageway and cruciformchamber. Burnt and unburnt human bones, and possible grave goods or votive offerings, were found in this chamber. The monument has a striking façademade mostly of white quartz cobblestones, and it is ringed by engraved kerbstones. Many of the larger stones of Newgrange are covered in megalithic art. The mound is also ringed by a stone circle. Some of the material that makes up the monument came from as far as the Mournes and Wicklow Mountains. There is no agreement about its purpose, but it is believed it had religious significance. It is aligned so that the rising sun on the winter solstice shines through a "roofbox" above the entrance and floods the inner chamber.”

A number of Irish sites filmed the sunrise and broadcast live, hoping to catch the seventeen minutes when the rising sun shines through the roof box to fill the inner chamber. We watch and catch the final minute of the seventeen possible after sixteen minutes of horizon cloud when a shaft of light can be seen in the tomb.

Courtesy Heritage Ireland

Saturday, December 20/2025

 Cape Honeysuckle surviving despite the short daylight hours. This plant actually lives next door but happily for us leans well over the wall.

Last weekend before Christmas and still Christmassy bits of decoration at the Saturday market. Cheerful stop but we’re not buying. Well, more or less not. Do spot William Dalrymple’s City of Djinns, his second book, this one on the historical roots of the city of Delhi. He’s now lived in Delhi for over forty years, though this volume was published in 1993, early in his sojourn. Beverley kindly offers to put it in her backpack so we can collect it from her later and not have to head off to the supermarkets already carrying a book.

Courtesy Hazal Kuzu

 
First stop Bestmar #2. The first time we went there I had trouble believing we’d stopped at a supermarket. Took both the dolmuș driver and J to convince me that this was anything more than a giant American liquor advertisement despite the modest sign immediately above the door. It does carry groceries, in an underwhelming sort of way but its real virtue is in the liquor collection. The only place we have found our preferred blood orange gin. None in stock today but it’s more whisky weather anyway and actually we’ve come for wine so that’s all right.

Then a short walk to Dima. Supermarket with plenty of other supplies like pots and pans and such. Bit short on the bargains it used to have. Display price on whisky near the front door is higher than the regular price for same at our little local supermarket.

Longer walk to Illeli. Better than average meat section though we’re not buying. Am tempted by the back bacon until J suggests that it’s probably not cured. Tend to forget that some countries - England for example - sell bacon both smoked and unsmoked so it pays to read the package and get what you want. Pork products in this store all frozen as turnover probably not super fast. Probably imported, though the ones at the Russian shop are local. Helpfully, there is a black pig symbol on the relevant packages so you’re not stuck hauling out the packet and squinting for the appropriate language.

Short wait for the dolmuș outside Ileli and home, collecting an enormous roasting chicken from our local shop on the way.

Friday, December 19/2025

First time this year at Foto Kibris, the photography studio and photocopy shop. Google the name backward looking for opening hours, but kibris foto is, literally, Cyprus photograph. Trillions of hits featuring flowers and beaches. But Foto Kibris does the trick. The charming owner not there but assistant as helpful if less extroverted. Usual table full of juices and soft drinks, help yourself. Remember the owner insisting on J’s sharing a tot of whisky last March, Ramadan notwithstanding. Must have more than taken the profit out of the single colour copy we needed. This time the season is marked by a metre high Santa near the door. Red garb but definitely not the fat, jolly stereotype.

Next stop the tiny Lapta post office to inquire about the fate of a tracked letter mailed from London on December 4. Royal Mail has provided detailed info re the hours from registration to leaving Heathrow, and explains that foreign tracking services will have taken over. Surprising number of international tracking services competing for the honour of providing info. One claims to be checking 1542 online trackers. Appears in Istanbul a week after leaving Heathrow. Not especially impressive, but reassuring. Then nothing. Well, not quite nothing. One service keeps repeating that it has been confirmed in Istanbul while another, after I check the box for English language info, delivers a sentence in Russian. Have Turkish and Greek keyboards on iPad but not Russian. Copy and paste it into Google Translate. Says that it means that probably the letter has not been sent yet. Other sources equally unhelpful.

So dolmuș to Lapta post office, theoretical destination. Lady clearly has access to better tracking. Says it’s in Lefkoșa. OK, right country. And probable arrival? Shrugs. Maybe Thursday? Well, happily do have a photocopy of contents. And the humour is free.

Down to Blue Song. J joins friends at outside table while I go to the bar to collect the beer. Two draft, please. One bartender looking doubtfully at the tapped contents in a beer glass. The other says, helpfully, cloudy. And pours me an ounce to see if I find it acceptable. I tell him I’ll get my husband’s verdict. Don’t suppose he follows my English but I’m clearly not absconding with a free ounce of beer. J not impressed. I return to the bar and change order to two Bomonti, an Istanbul lager.

And resume chat in the sun.

Thursday, December 18/2025

Many countries beset by bureaucracy but North Cyprus should be in the running for a medal. 

First to the Girne police station to acquire a stamped transcript of our “ins and outs” - times we entered and exited the country in the last five years. Ask a young man outside for directions, knowing we must be nearly there. Police? No English he responds. Ah, shift in pronunciation called for. Polis? (Pronounced much as in the Irish or Scots familiar informally, accent on first syllable). Instant smile and he points us to the station. 

There short application form in Turkish only (provided at a wicket labelled “ins and outs” in English only). Well, fair enough. Most places in Canada would expect to provide forms in English and/or French only. Though there are interesting exceptions. You can take the knowledge test for an Ontario driving licence in over twenty languages. Computerised version that is. Paper tests in English or French.

A friendly fellow customer, with slightly more English than we have Turkish, assists. Form not long but they do ask for our parents’ names, as do many forms in this country - clinics for example. Living or dead not important and sometimes only first name required. Did eventually discover the reason for this. Not a wide variety of names in play in Cyprus so clerks may separate yours from other similar ones by means of repairing to father’s name to establish identity. 

Parents’ names and much more required at our next stop, where our mission is to acquire a sim for the Turkish mobile. Actually info only required from me as sim is in my name (though am asked to provide names of both mother and father). But includes email, local street address, legal status in country (and photocopy of proof of same). 

Required to provide phone number of relative or friend. Claim to have none, eliciting mild distress. Can see that this is due not to my friendlessness but to employee’s need to fill in remaining blank on her computer screen so volunteer my UK mobile number which she reluctantly accepts. Sign twice (three times?) on glass surface with stylus rather superior to one provided by Canada Post when receiving parcels. Could probably not swear in court that this effort does not truly resemble my signature. Have agreed, apparently, that they may make electronic copies of all info provided. 

Ordeal eventually concludes. Probably only my lack of Turkish has prevented my being informed that this invasive procedure is designed to protect my privacy, as I am frequently told in English by various institutions. Now in possession of new sim and accompanying PIN for inserting it. Have not divulged addresses of grandchildren or burial places of parents. 

Tell young employee that in 1991, before she was born (no, she interjects, actually the year of her birth) we visited the Soviet Union shortly before its dissolution. A visit involving a visa which, truthfully, required considerably less “paper” work than the process in getting this sim. Though perhaps the Russians, like the rest of us, later learned how much more work could be generated by digitalization.

Cross the road to Besmar green grocers, where we buy garlic and oranges and pass up the opportunity to bring home a cabbage that would have provided Cole slaw into 2026.

Wednesday, December 17/2025

 Sun full, if days short, and sea beneath us a deep blue. And between the light blue sky and the dark blue sea is the faint blue strip that is the coast of Türkiye, only visible on clear days.

We’ll be happy to see the days getting longer after the solstice on Sunday - but spare a thought for the inhabitants of Barrow, Alaska who experience 24 hour darkness from November 18 to January 23. And unlike them we’re expecting not only sun but 20 degree temperatures tomorrow. No complaints.

On a somewhat less cheerful note, there have been a couple of instances of foot and mouth disease in North Cyprus. Apparently under control as sites isolated and widespread vaccination taking place. Fingers crossed.

Tuesday, December 16/2025

Sunset today in Lapta is, in theory, at 16:36. But as we return from the commercial strip along the seafront we witness the last traces of sun disappearing behind the mountain peak - at a quarter to three. Well, Lapta is a village that sprawls up the north side of a mountain and we’re a kilometre or so up. 

But at half past four we can see by the rosy glow on the clouds that sunset has not quite finished on the south side if the mountain range,

We could, of course, spend our winters on the southern slopes. Would still be North Cyprus although shops and restaurants would be pretty thin on the ground unless we moved to Lefkoșa (Nicosia). But the real loss would be the sea. No sea view or sea walks on the other side, and we’re not about to trade. 

The supermarkets seem to be making some concessions toward Christmas with snowmen or Santas on windows. They’re cheerful though not really part of the culture. On the counter in front of the tobacco products are three or four gift baskets, thoughtfully provided for customers buying cigars and remembering the need to take a gift to a friend who does celebrate the season. 

More interesting is the tip box. Not empty either, though it could have been primed with a few lira as a hint. Assuming the partly eaten Snickers bar on top was abandoned by a busy customer and not intended as a tip. The box is obviously there for the benefit - if that’s the word - of foreign residents or tourists as it’s labelled in English. Though hard to imagine who even among the foreigners would feel compelled to tip when buying cigarettes.The Turkish word for tip would be Bahșiș - similar to baksheesh, an Arabic term well known throughout the Middle East and North Africa for gratuities (or sometimes coerced payments).

Monday, December 15/2025

Not snow for the little Christmas people. It’s a marble table top but they seem to be enjoying it.

The president of the TRNC has announced that in future announcements and information from his office will be provided in English as well as Turkish. Not clear what sort of info this will run to but any effort is welcome. Obviously many non-Turkish speakers here don’t have English as their first language, but a great many of them do speak at least some English - the world’s second language. Remember government directives released during the lockdown, some of which were in English of a pretty well incomprehensible nature. Usually an exercise in patience and good humour. Within a day or two a clearer version was achieved.

Suspect the government of pursuing a similar strategy with respect to possible legislation when language is not an issue. Initial announcements followed by public indignation and subsequent revision. Run it up the flag and see who salutes.

Sunday, December 14/2025

E

Think we’re probably a little later than usual with our minimalist Christmas decorations. We’ve collected a very few things that have travelled with us over the years since retirement (twenty-five of them now) mostly in the Middle East. And our ideas of what is quintessentially Christmassy have shifted a little. With only minor apologies I will quote from a post of my own from a couple of years ago:

 But only since spending the Christmas holiday period here has it become clear how very western - and in some cases recent - Christmas imagery tends to be.  OK, the manger scene and shepherds are Middle East, as they should be. And snow not unknown in Bethlehem although not all that frequent - we’ve been in Jerusalem when it snowed. Yule logs and mistletoe both ancient signs of life after the winter solstice, dating well back into pagan and Druid traditions. The Germans seem to have been the first to bring an evergreen inside and decorate it. In fact we can thank that Anglo-German couple Victoria and Albert for popularising the Christmas tree and much of what we regard as traditional Christmas custom. Traditions which with the help of the Dutch (think Sinterklaas or Saint Nicholas) crossed the Atlantic to North America. Though only in North America is Saint Nick depicted as being fat. European Saint Nicholases (origin Türkiye by the way) tend to look slim, serious and episcopal.

Saturday, December 13/2025

Happily there are still flowers to enjoy now that the rains are (mostly?) over. Surprised that the yellow trumpet bush has blossoms this late. It’s really next door’s plant but brightens our side of the wall as well.

Lovely day for the Saturday market. As always, unable to resist books, telling myself that they’re by excellent authors (an Ian Rankin, a John le Carré, and a William Dalrymple), the purchase is supporting a good cause (animal rescue) and I can always redonate them late. Also some red and gold beads and baubles for Christmas decorating. And finally honey from the honey lady and eggs from Tina. We’ve missed the honey lady, who hasn’t been here for months as she’s been recovering from eye surgery and tell her it’s good to see her back. The honey isn’t cheap - like most other things the price has been rising - but it’s thick and richly dark and beautiful. 

Friday, December 12/2025

 Annual pre-Christmas gathering down at the Blue Song. Horst playing Santa Claus and serving glögg which he has reportedly brewed himself according to a special formula. Should, I suppose, be glühwein, Horst being German. And glühwein is a nicer name - literally ‘glow wine’ rather than a sound reminiscent of blocked drains. But Horst’s glögg is much nicer than mulled wine, German or English. It’s made with schnapps instead of wine with spoonfuls of walnuts and raisins in the bottom of the cup. And it stays steaming hot rather than subsiding into sweet tepidness like mulled wine. Taste is more complex too.

And, surprisingly, Criegan sheds light on the question of the man found dead in his car during the Tuesday rains. Criegan has a part time job arranging coffins for funerals. And, sitting opposite him is Jessy who has a voluntary role regarding welfare amongst foreign residents. Between them they supply quite a bit of information. Turns out that the man, Erçin Fevzi, was a brother-in-law of a woman that most of our group know well. The autopsy has been conducted in Lefkoșa (apparently cause of death was cardio-vascular disease) and the body will be taken to the little Roman Catholic church in Girne. This surprises everyone on a couple of grounds. First because the man came from a Muslim family and appears, most unusually, to have converted to Catholicism, and second because common understanding is that the destination cemetery was, like many in Cyprus, already full. So word of mouth, as often elsewhere, more informative than the news media.

Blue song

Sunny warm until

Thursday, December 11/2025

Courtesy Cyprus Mail

Flood waters receding and life returning to normal. A missing fifty-seven year old man who was found in his car on Tuesday is now listed as a death down to the flooding although not clear how. If the car was submerged this was not mentioned in the earlier news stories, though perhaps the Turkish reports contained more detail.

A Facebook account called Eats History suggests what a humble meal in Bethlehem at the time of the nativity would have included. “Bread, olives, and wine formed the foundation of daily life…olive oil flavored nearly everything, and figs, dates, and grapes provided natural sweetness….” Yoghurt, lentils, chickpeas and fava beans were were common as were soups and stews made with onions, garlic and herbs. Interesting read, as it’s both historical past and present for us, with quite a lot of overlap with our current diet here. Of course Cyprus is in the Middle East, the EU not withstanding. Breads mentioned in the posting are barley flatbreads and we eat mainly wheat based bread, but both barley and wheat are grown in Cyprus and have been here and throughout the Middle East for ten thousand years.

Wednesday, December 10/2025

courtesy in-cyprus.philenews

The Red Sea, South Cypriot style. Accumulated water swept significant amounts of earth into the sea at a Paralimni beach, turning sea water red. About as bizarre as reports that the mountains are leaking water.

Meanwhile rain continues here throughout the morning and early afternoon. Clears up mid-afternoon, with the sun actually in evidence. So we get to go down to the store to top up. Bread - including a loaf  of still warm sourdough (good timing) as well as eggs, cheese, lentils, onions, potatoes and carrots. European style, we only buy a few of each item - three onions, five carrots. Everything fresh and not too much to carry. 

Power off for a couple of hours in the early evening yesterday. Other locations have reported intervals, sometimes long, with no internet. Sarah and Ralph post that with no internet they are forced to resurrect an old DVD for entertainment. It had previously been lent to a friend and when Sarah opened the box there was a message saying ‘buy yourself a beer’ along with a five lira note. The loan must have been some time ago. Though maybe not as long ago as one might suppose. When we were living in Famagusta in the summer of 2020 courtesy of Covid five lira was equivalent to a dollar Canadian or £0.57. Today it’s $0.16 CAD or £0.09. Barely the foam on the head of a beer.

Tuesday, December 9/2025

courtesy gundemkibris.com

The year’s rain pretty unevenly distributed. Had to stop and think - when was it last not raining. Well, dry on Friday until evening and there have been brief intervals of respite since then, particularly on Sunday. But some of the heaviest rain we’ve experienced and pretty well unrelenting. The bucket J put outside the door filled up in minutes not hours. Have seen some official records of rainfall in different communities but can’t easily bend my mind around rainfall expressed as kilograms per square metre. Obviously that involves a time factor as well and am quite willing to settle for saying it’s crazy out there.

Old timers - not necessarily older than we are but those who have lived here longer - claim to have experienced worse in 2010 and 2015. Undoubtedly true, but this is stay home unless you have to go out and school cancelled tomorrow weather. Some roads have been closed. Having said which, it makes considerable difference where you live. The mayor of Girne points out that excess water in Girne (as in much of Lapta) goes into the sea, whereas in Nicosia it creates significant flooding. Two dams have overflowed and there have been some mudslides. 

We’re pretty well placed. On a mountainside but with a large flat garden above us and an orchard below us. Plenty of dry land to absorb water. The road in front of us is wet but no standing water. So far no electricity outages although other communities have reported short ones. Internet a bit iffy but never quite gives up.

And we have homemade soup and pasta sauce as well as lots of reading. Actually pretty cosy.

Monday, December 8/2025

 

Loudspeaker (seems like the wrong word because it’s really not offensively loud) broadcasts  the adhan, or call to prayer, from local mosques five times a day. Occasionally there are other messages broadcast, for example on the anniversary of the death of some important personage. Since these are in Turkish, we obviously don’t understand them, although on public holidays it’s easy enough to guess the import.

This morning there is a soft spoken message - woman’s voice. Followed pretty shortly by the unusual sound of a plane overhead. We’re not on a normal flight path. Can only assume that we’re not about to be attacked. If there were a major problem it would show up pretty quickly on the internet. Quite a change from the early days of our travels when we carried a little shortwave radio, purveyor mainly of static. Ear pressed to the speaker and thumb twiddling the dial hoping for English. Well aware that World War Three could break out and we would have no clue. Which might have had its advantages.

But nothing worse than more rain. Does seem a pity that there’s drought in the growing season and then rain in the winter - though much more sun than rain even in winter. And inside making soup from the chicken carcass, eating the rest of the olive bread, reading books, listening to jazz. No complaints.

Sunday, December 7/2025

 Storm Byron not quite finished with us so rains off and on throughout the day. By late afternoon - about sunset - the rain has stopped, though undoubtedly not done for the week, so we nip down to the little supermarket to restock.

Can smell bread baking as we walk in and sure enough it’s in the oven, an oven that helpfully lets us know there are ten minutes remaining until it’s finished baking. The loaves are long and the girl kindly tells us what we can’t see or smell: “olives”. It’s olive bread.

Buy oranges for the first time this year as we’re pretty well finished harvesting what’s reachable. Still have orange juice J squeezed in the fridge though. By the time we’re finished with the rest the girl has the hot olive bread in a paper bag for us.

Wait for the itemised receipt after putting everything in  our bag. They tend to forget and it looks like most customers don’t bother. It’s not that we’re likely to be overcharged, and if something did have to be returned they’d probably take our word for it. We’re regulars. But the receipts are a useful reminder of prices and, more importantly, they’re helpful in learning bits of Turkish for the items we most frequently buy, particularly produce. Most things do have a sign with name and price in the shop, but - as in other countries - the price you are looking for is frequently the one that is missing.

Saturday, December 6/2025

Courtesy mayor of Girne

Quite the storm last night. Varied with location but significant hail in Girne it seems. Smaller hits here. Though happy to see that remaining bird sh*t on the teras (Turkish teras happy equivalent to English terrace) has been washed away.

Apparently the storm has a name - Byron. Appropriate name for the dark,  turbulence of last night’s wind and rain. Southern Greece and the islands experienced it more violently yesterday, with schools closed in Athens due to massive flooding, as a catchment area outside the city recorded 245 mm of rain - close to ten inches - in just over a day.

Windy here today and showery with occasional lightning, but still warm.

Friday, December 5/2025

Courtesy Zoe Denise Koca 

Major storm warnings as a weather system moves in from the northwest. Happy that there’s wind but no rain in the afternoon as we walk down for the weekly gathering at the Blue Song. 

Zoe, whose radar shot is on this page, lives a few miles east of us but the same system is giving us strong winds, heavy rain, spectacular lightning - both to the north and south of us - and hail this evening.

Cosy inside - and so far both electricity and internet. Knock on wood!

Thursday, December 4/2025

Always slightly surprising when we go out first thing on an overcast December morning and realise that the temperature is the same outside as in - in this case twenty degrees. Another lovely hibiscus on the hedge, and a bud beneath it so the next one will be along soon. 

Comments in the local press regarding co-operation on family issues and programs between North Cyprus and Azerbaijan. Nothing major but North Cyprus not recognised by many countries - well actually only by Türkiye - so all forms of international respect welcomed. Not that this amounts to formal recognition, but it’s valued anyway. Probably unrelated but one of the local supermarkets has Azerbaijani wines on sale for 99 lira ($3.25 CAD, £1.74). Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon - a step up from simply “red” - and quite drinkable. 

Still sixteen degrees as we go out to admire the last supermoon of the year directly above the terrace.

Wednesday, December 3/2025

 https://www.facebook.com/reel/1223957306459054/?fs=e&fs=e

Follow link

Errand day. Stop at Telsim to try to revive our mobile phone sim. Mixed feelings about it. Now no longer have a Canadian mobile account since our last provider folded when we were just about to leave for the winter anyway. Do have a cheapie UK account. Would find it convenient to have a Turkish Cypriot account to communicate with government, which understandably doesn’t wish to have to send international messages. Several competing caveats:

* Rarely use mobile for phone calls or texts - anywhere but UK. Elsewhere WiFi/VOIP for almost everything

* In TRNC can use WhatsApp for almost everything except government communication, when WiFi available 

* Can use UK sim in Canada but many friends can’t respond to non-North American

* If non-TRNC sim used in TRNC for more than 3 months, phone is cut off

* Increasingly correspondence with organisations demands a mobile number. Online forms won’t work without. Humans unavailable to discuss options

* Many forms that request a phone number are not designed to accept a non- North American number.

Notwithstanding all of the above, on rare occasions when it’s important to make an actual, non WiFi enhanced call it can be extremely important, though presumably if an ambulance were required someone better equipped would summon it. And in fact many phones will make an emergency call without a functional sim. Or so the phones say. Obviously reluctant to make a test call.

Nice young lady at Telsim undertakes to communicate with head office re our having cleared previous minor debt with same down to a misunderstanding. We inquire about their inexpensive seniors’ plan. She hesitates and then asks our ages. You have to be over 65. So far we’re sold on her, if not on Telsim.

Tuesday, December 2/2025

I spend most of the morning thinking it’s Monday. Luckily J not suffering from similar misapprehension and sets me straight. Fortunate because we’re booked to go to the Black Olive to see the Kyrenia Amateur Dramatic Society’s Christmas production.

Would have been a shame to have missed it because it’s great fun - satirical farce on the theme of nativity plays, written and directed by Beverley. Full house for opening night (of three). Think that amounts to sixty some people, seated at tables of eight,  as it’s dinner theatre. First act, followed by a turkey dinner and then the second act.

All done by nine o’clock, which is good. Not that we’re old, but the dolmușes are pretty thin on the ground after nine and it’s about a four kilometre walk. Nice night and nearly full moon but still happy to get a ride almost immediately.

Monday, December 1/2025

Don’t know what it is about this spot on our way down to the little supermarket, but we can always hear - but not see - song birds chirping like crazy as we approach. Fewer flowers to be seen in December - the jasmine is pretty well gone - but there’s no point at which we’re not treated to floral displays.

The  Cyprus Mail reports the lighting of public Christmas trees and decorations. That’s a major cultural difference between North and South. The North, being mainly Muslim, doesn’t celebrate Christmas, although many expat groups do, of course. Interesting that the South observes it when it does. Traditionally the Orthodox Churches followed the Julian calendar, and the Russian and various other Orthodox Churches still do. One of the many Orthodox areas of dissent has led to the churches in Cyprus and a number of other countries adopting a “modified” Julian calendar, which allows Christmas to be celebrated on December 25 but leaves the calculation for Easter to the original Julian formula. 

The strangest thing for Canadians in the South was the hybrid nature of the observance. Don’t know whether this is the same in other warm climates that we haven’t experienced, but it definitely feels odd walking through supermarkets in December listening to someone singing “let it snow, let it snow, let it snow”.