Saturday, December 28/2013

Sky alternately overcast and various apps providing differing estimates of when there will be rain. Start with 11 o'clock coffee with Maggi and Maxi. Maxi nervous about the busyness of central Larnaca but pleased to be included, happy to have J pat her as she sits by Maggi's chair. Then minor shopping. Carrefour out of the advertised 2 for 1 special on packaged bacon, as is often the case with sale imports. And no such thing as rainchecks, or even minimal regret on the part of supermarket staff. We keep reminding ourselves that 'this is China' - a reference to our time in China, when we were told that if we saw something we wanted we should buy it on the spot as it was unlikely to appear elsewhere.

Thunderstorm in the afternoon. The rain is needed and the view of the storm quite good from our fourth floor flat. Then, at 17:21 an earthquake. Quite unmistakeable, the tremors continuing for two minutes. It's definitely an earthquake, as we confirm by googling. Centred 127 miles northwest of us, off the coast of Turkey, and measuring 5.8. Not of dish breaking magnitude here, although we do wonder, as the building shakes, whether the correct procedure is to go evacuate, deterred by the prospect of unnecessarily standing outside in a thunder storm. But it ends with us still safely ensconced with our whisky and our cosy view of the thunderstorm.

Facetime with James, Raye, Malcolm and Tess from the (fortunately empty) lobby, as signal not good enough in the flat. Kids still enthusiastic about Christmas and no school. Everyone holiday relaxed, so nice.

Friday, December 27/2013

Dinner at Vlachos with Jane and Bill as well as John and Betty, friends from their yachting days. An interesting couple. They live now in Turkey but keep a small place in central Larnaca, as well as a car here, as they used to live in Cyprus when not at sea. Lovely meal at Vlachos with the usual over-abundance. The starters could easily be a meal in themselves. J has the moussaka, which we particularly like here, and I the spicy chicken, and as usual we trade portions, eat enormously, and then resort to having them pack up the last of the chicken. As always in Cyprus there's no hurry - two hours is an appropriate length of time for a meal. 

Thursday, December 26/2013

Boxing Day and lovely. Down at the waterfront the little kiosks are up with animal-shaped balloons, nuts, sweets, ice cream, roast chestnuts, and grilled corn on the cob for sale. An orthodox priest in black cassock sits by a booth selling religious articles. Children are showing off or trying out their new Christmas presents, from bubble-gum-pink roller skates to bikes. The sun is out and it isn't cold but it is windy. The water is rough and there are no swimmers, though there are families walking along the beach and one small boy who has dug himself into a hole almost as big as he is. Near us a woman fills helium balloons with a machine, bursting several in a row as she does so, the others whipping in the wind.

Wednesday, December 25/2013

Christmas Day. And laid back as it can only be for retired people in a foreign country. We have two electric burners (pretty cheaply made in China and therefore a bit unreliable for temperature, even heating, etc - in fact in two previous years the whole unit blew more or less as we finished cooking Christmas dinner, exhausted by the unaccustomed effort).  Also a microwave bought by us about ten years ago and stored here in our off-season. So fairly creative cooking called for as well as quite a number of cook early and reheat at the last minute dishes, soup bowls called into heavy use for the reheat bit. So happily slow day beginning by making cranberry sauce and working through to braised chicken and gravy. Maggi here for dinner as she has been for most of the fourteen Christmases we've spent in Cyprus. We've had stuffed mushroom starters and chicken (with potatoes, leeks, carrots and red cabbage) and wine and I'm just making the brandy sauce for the Christmas pudding J has been injecting with brandy for the last two weeks when we realise that the reheated stuffing is still hiding in the microwave. Oh well, must have been a good meal if it wasn't missed until we were looking for the bowl in which it reposed.

Tuesday, December 24/2013

Christmas Eve and a glorious, sunny day with warm ocean breezes. We go down to the promenade for coffee, it's surprisingly quiet. Most winter tourists don't come until after Christmas and presumably the locals are busy with Christmas preparations. It's lovely though. Even someone in swimming. Actually the average sea temperature here in January is 19.5. Then home to g&t on the balcony.

Christmas films on Cypriot tv are a pretty sad lot. Bulk purchase of B double minus movies? Maybe we're just too old, as we started lamenting the golden oldies that are never on any more. Then inspiration strikes and we watch It's a Wonderful Life on the internet. Wifi's a little shaky on the fourth floor, but there's a minimum of buffering and a maximum of nostalgia.

Monday, December 23/2013

Shopping for Christmas dinner. Chicken and most of the veg from Prinos greengrocer. It's predictably busy and the queues long, but tomorrow will be even crazier. A grossly overweight boy of about twelve, accompanying his mother, eats his way through the store, using both hands as he goes. As he redips his hand into the walnuts an elderly woman queuing next to us says quietly 'It does rather put you off'. Although 'sampling' on a scale equivalent to theft is not particularly unusual in Cypriot stores. Most often by Cypriots, although a post on one of the expat forums describes a British tourist going through a supermarket opening up aftershave to try out, following this up by spraying on deodorant, and digging into a tub of hair gel as well as breaking open a pack to get a comb to apply it with. 

Sunday, December 22/2013

Lazy Cyprus morning in standard bacon-coffee-newspaper (and ok, a little chocolate) mode.  Walk down to St Helena's Anglican for the annual service of the nine lessons and carols. Still light jacket weather, and barely that. Streets very busy as most shops seem still to be open and everyone in holiday spirits. St Helena's not full and no choir this year. Maybe as the older members die off or move they're simply not replaced. Realise it's probably been three years, maybe four, since we've been, as we're a little earlier arriving in Larnaca this year.

Afterward we skip the mulled wine and mince pies and head over to Luv Souvlaki with Jane and Bill (who has been hanging about outside and in the car waiting for us, not being of a churchly persuasion). Finikoudes promenade the most crowded we've ever seen it, and all the Christmas lights and decorations out. Hard to move, let alone walk abreast. Park at the marina, as J&B paid up until April despite having sold the boat. We eat at Luv Souvlaki, and are lucky there's room. Enormous plates with mixed gyros, chips and salad. Nice to hear a bit about their Galapagos cruise, too.  They had a great time.  The waterfront just abuzz as we leave.

Saturday, December 21/2013

In Cyprus one can have the view from the fourth floor - as we do - or the water pressure in the shower provided by the first floor. Not both. Shower (eventually) hot and not just tepid, but pretty feeble.

Meet Maggi for coffee at Harry's, with bike but sans dog. She's been delayed by having the bedroom door handle come off in her hand, leaving her outside an inaccessible room, fortunately with mobile phone on her side. Nice that Harry's is open again. We used to have coffee here two years ago and then it closed for a year. Now pretty good Cyprus (read Greek, or for that matter Turkish) coffee, and even a biscuit on the side. And in Cyprus no one ever, even indirectly, suggests that you've occupied your chair long enough if you're not continuing to order.

Friday, December 20/2013

(Photo Larnaca Tourism Board)

Glorious day. Temperature 18 officially, but clearly much warmer in the sun despite bits of ocean breeze. Choose to sit in the shade for coffee as full sun is too hot and bright.

We're now at Harry's coffee shop just east of St Lazarus Church. Yes, the Biblical Lazarus, said to have become bishop here and later buried in the crypt. Actually presumed remains removed to Istanbul. Church then built over the earlier burial place, where the remains had been found and identified by an inscription saying 'Lazarus friend of Jesus'. So the church itself is 9th century, with later modifications, including lovely Venetian style tower added in the mid-19th century. Remains no longer in Istanbul. Removed by crusaders - and taken to Marseilles? This is the Greek Church story, and if it sounds a little hazy there is an alternate Western (Roman) Church account, which is extremely thin. In this version Lazarus and his two sisters were pushed off the coast of Palestine in a boat without mast or oars and ended up, miraculously, in Marseilles. But the church is beautiful: It is old, and the crypt older, and this is a lovely place to have coffee.

Thursday, December 19/2013

Mr Andreas has invited us to lunch in the attached restaurant. Actually it seems to be the staff Christmas lunch plus us. Seems we're now part of the tribe. Barbecued pork and chicken, salads and potatoes and village bread. With beer or ouzo (or softer) and Greek coffee. Nice meal but not too heavy to go back to work after (them, not us). Kind of them, and those sitting closest, mainly Mr Kikkis and his cousin make periodic conversation in English on our behalf. We're the only guests at the table. Presumably the only long term guests here, as the Norwegians don't come until after Christmas.

Wednesday, December 18/2013

Haircut day. Have been putting it off, but all Cypriot hairdressers are closed on Thursdays  and after that we're into weekend and Christmas and New Year's, all busy times at the hairdressers. They don't take appointments, so it's a question of taking non-Wifi tasks to do, or a book to read, and waiting. Looks busy when I get there, but actually pretty short wait. I'm observing the old ladies, who seem to constitute the majority of clients when it occurs to me that they probably aren't any older than I am - just have what I regard. As old lady haircuts. Odd thought. The owner has been cutting my hair for 10+ years, and always well, so minimum of communication needed, though J says his English is fairly good. Certainly no problem with the haircut terms - layered, etc. Interesting advantage, from an introvert's point of view, to the language barrier. There's no need for the normally obligatory small talk re obvious weather changes, increasing nearness of Christmas, etc. Very peaceful and a decent haircut into the bargain.

Meet J down by the small pier, near a less-than-lifesize Santa and reindeer that have seen better days. Actually, Saint Nick is not doing too badly but Rudolph (identifiable by partly red nose) no longer has antlers and looks as if he's pleading for some in his Christmas stocking.

 

Tuesday, December 17/2013

Maggi brings Maxi, her new dog, for coffee outside McDonald's (virtually the only place in Cyprus that doesn't regard filter coffee as an exotic luxury - and most charge a lot more for Nescafe than for Greek coffee). She's a lovely little dog - quiet and happy to stay close to Maggi but very friendly to us as well. Curious too - M woke up in the morning to find nose prints on her ipad. 

Printed Label affixed to a packet of Cyprus coffee at Carrefour proclaiming it to be 'grounded coffee'.

Monday, December 16/2013

One of the primary bankruptcies in last winter's Cyprus debacle was that of Orphanides, a long standing chain of Cypriot supermarkets. Suppliers extended credit long after they should probably have ceased to do so in the hopes that throwing the good money after bad might possibly keep their outlet afloat, but eventually it went under. However, the Larnaca store has not stood empty, but is now occupied by Alphamega, an outfit that appears to have links to Tesco and carries a number of Tesco brand name products. We walk over to investigate - about a mile or so. It's not busy, and the reason is obvious. Neither prices nor produce are quite good enough. Always interesting to speculate on how and at what level the critical decisions are made. Does the manager's wife shop there and if not does he know why not. There are some very good buys in the liquor department though. And we take home a litre bottle of Famous Grouse whisky for €12.99. No exact equivalent in Canada, as Canadians insist on selling 1.14 litre bottles, but 1.14 litres of Famous Grouse at the Ontario liquor board stores is $42.40, or €28.93, more than twice what we paid. Decline to do the UK math, but we've got a bargain by London standards as well.

Sunday, December 15/2013

The perfect Sunday morning, or one variety thereof. Sun streaming into the flat and a glimpse of the Mediterranean. Fresh oranges, local eggs, streaky bacon so lean that it makes us wonder where on earth they find the North American damp fat. Different pigs altogether, or is the explanation even worse? Toasted seeded bread. Honey with orange essence. Music. And the Sunday papers. Well, the Sunday Cyprus Mail anyway. About as thick as the Homes section in a normal paper, but supplemented by bits from a number of other papers courtesy of the wifi that reaches our flat now more (or sometimes less) efficiently. And the Cyprus paper does have a couple of decent puzzles as well as the local opeds. 

Saturday, December 14/2013

Usually market day. The market here is as colourful as the one in Chania but much smaller. When we lived on Ermou Street it was our primary source of fruit and vegetables. But with time market prices went up, supermarket and greengrocer prices dropped, and we moved much closer to Carrefour and Prinos. So, while we still love to visit, our purchases are pretty modest. Stop first for coffee with M, where she gets a text to say that her dog is ready to be picked up - a little rescued dog from the shelter kennels.

Friday, December 13/2013

Friday the thirteenth. Doesn't feel all that unlucky. Although it's been an unlucky year for plenty of Cypriots, judging by the number of empty shops. Many are closed; it looks like Dublin in 2009. Hard to remember, too, when we look at the toothless gap in a street, what used to be there. Though most shops haven't been demolished - they're just empty with 'for rent' signs in the window. Sometimes three or four of them in a row. Some restaurants might just be closed for the season, but that's less usual here. Larnaca is Cyprus' third largest city, not a tourist town.

Thursday, December 12/2013

Set up day. First priority is the boxes we've stored here. Five in all, including the microwave - bought here 10 years ago and well worth the modest investment, considering that cooking facilities otherwise consist of two burners. A few Christmas decorations - coloured tinsel, some baubles, and the little wooden people. A couple of pots, one very large. Four mugs and four whiskey glasses. A bottle of wine and one of Cypriot brandy. The radio/tape player. As always, some things we'd forgotten about and are as pleased as kids to see again.

Then the shopping trip - Carrefour, Prinos greengrocer and Lidl, Smart discount.  Liquor prices up, food mostly not. So oranges, tomatoes, mushrooms, peppers, cauliflower, carrots, beans, bread and wine. It's a start. Temp about 8 - extremely rare for Cyprus - with a strong wind. But Sioux Lookout is -30. And Larnaca will warm up in a few days. Try to find a cash point to get more euros. Our handiest bank bit the dust in the crisis last spring. Pass one ATM with an out of order sign. Another has a maximum withdrawal limit of €300, not handy for paying the rent. Kiki isn't bothered. She tells us that she knows we're not about to decamp without paying. Cyprus, where so much depends on personal relationship - its strength and its weakness.

Dinner at the place across from the tennis courts (football supporters' club?) . Meze and wine - or beer. Jane and Bill, Harry and Ailsa, and Maggi. Haven't had meze in years, or seen this group since. Lovely to be together again and begin to catch up. And very nice to have dinner booked on our first night back. Feels like we're home again.

Wednesday, December 11/2013

Both mobiles have the alarms set for 5:30 to allow us to catch the 7:00 bus to Chania airport, as the 9:30 is too late for our 10:20 flight. Oddly, the woman at check in wants to know how long we plan to spend in Cyprus. Would have thought that was a question for the Cypriots not the Greeks. Because we're travelling on one way tickets? Five hour wait in Athens airport but this time the wifi works, 60 minutes gratis. The man at security takes each bit of electronics separately from me (now inconveniently amounting to a netbook, three tablets and two mobiles) and throws each into a separate basket, looking to me like theft invitation on the other side. Then asks me to take off my scarf ring, ignoring the four rings on my fingers. No one appears to focus on any of it - just an exercise in speed.

Short, but regrettably dry flight. Well, actually we don't regret the lack of predicted rain on arrival but do miss wine with the meal. What I estimate at force 5 - maybe 6 - winds on arrival and bumpy descent, but everything ok. One suitcase, magenta coloured, conspicuously  labelled Top Priority and RUSH, circles the carousel alone, eventually joined by our bags. Maggi picks us up, despite the airport's best efforts to restrict access so that only taxis can easily stop, and takes home for gin and cake. Lovely to see her again. Life looking up despite the cold winds.

Back at the Sunflower. Kiki greets us with hugs. Where else at a hotel? Flat looks the same.we're home.

Tuesday, December 10/2013

Last day. How did this happen? We've been completely charmed by the place, puzzling the young owners who are used to tourists coming in hot weather primarily for the beaches. First, of course, they think it's cold. We tell them that it's -30 at home, more or less beyond their comprehension. But what do you do, they ask. Walk, look at old buildings, eat koulouria in the sunshine, take photographs, drink coffee. They're pleased to have the business but look unconvinced. Feel like we have devised an inadequate cover story.

Monday, December 9/2013

It doesn't have the fame of Heraklion, but Chania lies atop the ruins of a Minoan settlement, virtually all of which is unexcavated. There are later layers as well, of course. Byzantine and Venetian most notably. A much conquered island. The Turkish mandate is not quite within anyone's memory but probably still rankles. Even the Egyptians occupied the island at one point. Union with Greece came only a hundred years ago. In fact exactly a hundred years ago and there is an exhibit at the old arsenali building on the waterfront commemorating it. The old town was walled and much of the wall still remains, mostly Venetian but some much earlier. We're staying in what was, at one point, the old Jewish quarter.

It's a short walk anywhere in the old town. The arsenali buildings along the waterfront are not, as their name suggests to my Anglo mind, former arsenals but former dry docks. These are Venetian but there must have been dry docks of a sort here almost from the beginning of time. There has always been a harbour and for hundreds of years a harbour wall. The lighthouse, or at least the oldest bits of it, is the oldest in Greece. Next to the Grand Arsenali are the donkey steps. Traditionally, and presumably into the last century, donkeys were used to carry goods from the ships at harbour into the town. The donkey steps are designed to accommodate the animals - wide enough to allow a donkey to place all four hooves on one step, rough surfaced to avoid slipping, and with white stone marking the edges as a guide.