Thursday, February 8/2024

 

Courtesy of Cyprus Mail

Funerals were held yesterday at the Rizokarpasa cemetery for four of the six people whose deteriorating bodies have been found on the shores of North Cyprus since early January. The funeral was attended by the village imam as well as two of the local police and some municipal employees. A number of private citizens also came to pay their respects.

Examination of such clothing as remained on the six established that it was of Syrian origin and the assumption is that the bodies belonged to would be refugees making the crossing in small boats, possibly in poor weather. None have been identified and the most recently retrieved was in such poor condition that it was not possible at first report to tell whether the victim was male or female. The shortest distance between Syria and the Karpaz peninsula where four of the people were found is only about a hundred kilometres. The other two washed up less predictably on the north shore a little to the east of Girne.

A reminder of the desperation so many face. And Pope Francis saying that the Mediterranean should not become a graveyard of dignity. 

Wednesday, February 7/2024

 Have always considered the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office to be one of the saner sources with regard to travel safety advisories, though admittedly haven’t checked it for some time as we haven’t recently travelled to countries we weren’t familiar with. So was surprised to come across this warning:

‘The Foreign Office has issued an update to political demonstrations risks. It said: "Demonstrations may occur with little or no warning in cities. Events in the Middle East have led to heightened tensions and demonstrations are likely. Avoid any protests, political gatherings, or marches and leave the area if one develops. Local transport routes may be disrupted."’

There have been a few protests in the Republic of Cyprus (South) but not large and certainly not violent. Actually more token protests. So this seems like a very strange caution coming from a country which has during the last three months seen huge demonstrations related to events in the Middle East. Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators in London marches.

But then J points out that protests, such as they are, in Cyprus have objected specifically to the use of the island’s British sovereign base to launch bombing missions to Yemen and aid to Israel in attacks on Gaza. In this case the objection is quite specifically to British (and American) military activity. Though the chances of protests actually injuring UK tourists - or anyone else - would seem to be approaching nil.

Happened to come across this advice in the Liverpool Echo, though it was undoubtedly printed elsewhere as well as at the FCO website. But was amused to see that the photo included is not from the Republic of Cyprus but a picture of Kyrenia (Girne) harbour in the TRNC (North) - no doubt itself the object of a different set of cautions.

Tuesday, February 6/2024

 Not sure where it originated, but the photo has been posted multiple times. The translation is “Champion angels, you are in our hearts forever”. Today is the anniversary of the major earthquake that hit Türkiye and Syria a year ago. Over 50,000 Turks were killed as well as nearly six thousand Syrians. 

And then there were the junior high school students from North Cyprus. Twenty-four students from Famagusta, volleyball players aged from eleven to fourteen, delighted to be attending a tournament. And accompanied by ten parents, four teachers and a coach. All died when the hotel they were staying in collapsed. It’s a small country. Not everyone personally knew someone who had been killed but everyone had a friend or a relative who did. When we arrived here two days later the whole country was in mourning. And for days now the papers have contained heartbreaking in memoriams testifying to a grief that is still raw.

 Have nothing to criticise in awkward translations. As someone said, people who speak broken English are people who speak more than one language. My French is usually grammatical but falls well short of fluency. Was better fifty years ago. And in Polish am more than pleased if I can make a simple request, quite regardless of tense and case. As for Turkish, a few words are all I have, though slightly better than Arabic where it’s down to no, thank you, mother and god. 

So the pleasure in English translations from Turkish is in no way judgmental. But there is often a delightful quirkiness. As in the story accompanying the photo from Gündem Kıbrıs (Agenda Cyprus) news site. It begins with “A sculpture has been found buried in a mind in Ulukışla” [their translation not mine] and continues with “2 people are arrested”. Leaving aside the arrests - the story does continue but in Turkish and well beyond my ability - or Google Translate’s - to pursue. The arrests are intriguing. Stolen artefacts or worse? But the sculpture buried in a mind is sheer poetry. Presumably a typo but a lovely one. Quite a few sculptures buried in my mind - from Rome, Cairo, Knossos, Xi’an. Beautiful.

Sunday, February 4/2024

 We drink both tea and coffee. Probably more tea than coffee but varies with availability and quality. Always surprised to see how much more tea costs in Canada than in the UK, and how the same makers sell tea in Canada that is not nearly as good as the same brand in the UK. Not as if the UK had an advantage down to its huge tea plantations. Anyway, when we’re in London we always pick up some Waitrose store brand Earl Grey, which we really enjoy, to take with us heading east or west.

Surprised to see a very large section devoted to tea in China Bazaar here. Didn’t examine it very closely as we don’t need tea and were there for other goods (China Bazaar a largish discount store selling inexpensive products from kitchenware to shoe laces to bedding to garden furniture). Did, however, note that there was no coffee - just a lot of tea in what is otherwise not a food store.

So slightly less surprised than we might have been to come across an article listing the highest tea drinking countries in order of number of kilos per person. Top of the list is Türkiye , with 3.16 kilos per person annually, very nearly fifty percent more than second place Ireland. Closely followed by the UK as number three. Fourth is Iran, just ahead of Russia. Poland, to J’s surprise, number 10, with less than a third of Türkiye’s annual consumption per person.

Saturday, February 3/2024

 Saturday is market day. Nothing in particular that we really need but you never know what will present itself. Not a very busy day, although we go down about eleven, which is late by market standards and later than we would have gone if we had been looking for something that might be in short supply. Like the walk itself and the view of the village from the road in, which is not at sea level but not much above it. Do buy a litre of olive oil from one of the regulars, a woman who says it’s from their own olive trees. It’s a lot of work picking olives you know, she says. We do know, having helped Bill pick his in Pyla. By definition it’s first cold press when you take it to the village press and we’re delighted. She’s about to pack up. On her own today - and not here at all last week, as we noted, because her husband has been ill.

Pass the trees where the crows were gathering last time, and once again a murder. Dozens of crows gathering in the topmost branches, then swirling and landing again.

Friday, February 2/2024

 A bill has been submitted to parliament in the South restricting taxi drivers from the North offering their services in the South. It’s designed to cut out competition from Northern drivers who take customers from Southern airports, most often Larnaca, to destinations in the North - or from the North to Larnaca airport. The transport minister’s phrasing is slightly pompous, and no doubt was in the original Greek as well: “The job of a taxi driver is a clearly defined profession. They have specific licences, and there are limits on who has the right to be a taxi driver in the Republic of Cyprus.” 

Fine - there are standards. But that’s not really what this is about. And let’s not get carried away. Not just anyone can do it; you have to be Greek? Hard on the taxi drivers of the North unless there is retaliation, which might happen. Tour bus operators in the South would be quite distressed to find themselves unable to go to popular destinations like Famagusta or Salamis. But hard too on would be passengers in the North. Anyone from either side can find an airport or a major hotel. But coming from the South and not speaking Turkish when looking for an address in a village, possibly at night, is much trickier. We had one driver whom we had prudently hired from the North to pick us up in Larnaca and take us to Famagusta use his own mobile and naturally fluent Turkish to sort things out when the directions we had been given proved inaccurate. A Greek speaking driver on unfamiliar territory would never have found it.

And what about other international borders? Seems not necessarily to create great difficulty. No problem getting a taxi between Windsor and Detroit. Ask the casino players.

Thursday, February 1/2024

 

Storm over. Interestingly, in the village you can occasionally hear the same sounds you would in northern Ontario after a storm - people starting up their chain saws. Although in Lapta that could just be sawing firewood as we really don’t seem to have experienced a lot of damage requiring road clearing. Some nearby areas did, though. And cleanup continues. 

This should have been the first day of a two week school break but instead it started yesterday, sparing kids and their parents the trek through mud and bad roads for a token last day. Oddly, though, the first day back is a Friday. And yes, weekends here are the internationally standard Saturday and Sunday. In some countries this would have constituted sufficient insult to justify a strike.

Down to the supermarket to top up. Next door neighbour driving to Alsancak, the next village, though no longer with any real dividing line other than technically, kindly stops to offer us a lift, but we’re only going a few metres. Had thought the store might be busier after the days of rain but seems much as usual. So warm sourdough olive bread, oranges, coffee, lentils, cheese, vegetables.

Good to be out and to get to admire the different coloured streaks in the Med. Today primarily aqua and indigo but sometimes as many as five colours.

Wednesday, January 31/2024

Courtesy Lapta Alsancak Çamlıbel Belediyesi

Rain not quite over but now no longer torrential. After some morning showers sunlight alternates with clouds when it’s allowed a look in. And the assessment of damage begins. Reports of tornados touching down in a couple of places and also fast moving floods in some western parts of the country, including the Maronite village we visited last year, where the mukhtar said he had not witnessed similar devastation in over sixty years. Some houses rendered uninhabitable and one woman online tells of her sister arriving last night along with niece and nephew soaking wet and having been unable to salvage anything. 

Wind damage as well as rain and landslides and rock falls in places. The massive sign in front of one of the supermarkets came down in the parking lot hitting a couple of cars. No deaths anywhere and reported injuries don’t seem to have been serious. A 3.5 magnitude earthquake occurred at a depth of 6.6 km north of the island but no reports of anyone taking note of it - although in yesterday’s thunderstorms it might well have been missed. 

So we’ve been lucky. Too wet to go out but no leaks, no power cuts and plenty of food and drink in the flat as well as a good supply of reading material.

Tuesday, January 30/2024

Courtesy of Cyprus Mail 

Almost all of the rain that falls in Cyprus is in the winter, disproportionately in January. However, this three day deluge is unusual and is accompanied by colder than usual temperatures. Still, waking to find that the Girne to Nicosia road had been closed (though soon re-opened) due to ice was surprising. The low temperature had not been that close to freezing. The explanation is two fold. The road to Nicosia is one of three that goes through a pass in our mountain range. Obviously the passes are not at the highest points, but they are still considerably above sea level. And the road surface didn’t exactly freeze but was covered with quite a lot of hail that wasn’t quick to melt. The Troodos Mountains in the South are quite a bit higher and do often get snow. It’s not unusual there to hear announcements that road access to the higher villages is being restricted to those with four wheel drive or chains (chains - there’s one from the memory bank). 

The memos from the municipality have a charm all their own, presumably not entirely present in the original Turkish. A combination of paternal concern and quirky translation. First there is the weather warning, along with an assurance that employees - supervisors no less - will be looking after things:

“ ⛈️⛈️According to the information obtained from the Meteorological Office, heavy rainfall is expected in our region for 3 days as of tonight. Against all the negativities that may arise, our department supervisors are on their duties”. [Phone number included].

Then in the morning as the state of disruption becomes clear the parental cautions:

“ ATTENTION DRIVERS

Due to heavy rain and storm that is effective in our country;

• Drivers who are going to watch on the roads; watch slowly and carefully in case they encounter heavy rain, fog, rockfall, landslides and similar disasters that will adversely affect driving safety,

• In case of snowfall, they should not drive their vehicles on dangerous mountain roads in order to see snow and should not park on the side of the road in a way that would endanger other vehicles,

• Parking their vehicles in safe places foreseeing flood, roof collapse, tree falling and similar negatives.

• Our citizens in the face of the negativities that will happen

It is requested to call the hotlines.”

Love the recognition that some will be eager despite the hazards to go and see the snow on the mountain roads.

Early evening adds more thunder and lightning to the continuing rain, as well as - briefly - hail.

Monday, January 29/2024

Prediction is three days of rain and radar obligingly shows eastern end of the Mediterranean full of blue precipitation blobs. Rain mixed with sunny bits which leads to a rainbow in the Mediterranean. The sea itself a fascinating mix of colours with a deep blue section and to the east of it silver grey. Which raises the question of why the sea is the colour or colours it is. Googled answers are as many and bizarre as the Lewis Carroll poem:

The time has come,' the Walrus said,

      To talk of many things:

Of shoes — and ships — and sealing-wax —

      Of cabbages — and kings —

And why the sea is boiling hot —

      And whether pigs have wings.'

Blue sea, say some sources, is simply a reflection of blue sky. But many others heap scorn on that suggestion, though not all for the same reason. And indeed the usual deep sapphire of the Med is much darker than the daytime sky ever is, so with or without reflection that explanation seems unlikely. The saddest reason given is that the Mediterranean is lacking the nutrients that lead to plant growth and muddy the waters. But really - on some days though not others, and today to the west of our place but not to the east?

And this is the Mediterranean of Homer, with his confusing references to the wine-dark sea. Many improbable explanations for that one as well, including unconvincing suggestions that ancient Greeks were unable to see the colour blue. Or that they had no word for it (except they did). Not really clarified by more than one writer insisting that a more accurate translation would be “wine face sea”. 

But watching the changing colours from the vantage point of our flat a continuing delight.

Sunday, January 28/2024

Down to the store to buy a lightbulb. Only 75 and 100 watt ones available as well as various LEDs. Reminding us of the years before the advent of e-books when we used to stay in hotels that saved money by using lights with wattage too feeble to read by, limiting us to daytime reading. Until we began to take revenge by unscrewing their lightbulbs and replacing them with brighter.

As we leave we’re passed by a dog running delightedly past with a flip flop in his mouth. And remember that on our way down we had passed a slipper beside the sidewalk and wondered how someone could contrive to lose one bedroom slipper, canine theft not having occurred to us.

And on the theme of slippers, there is an article in today’s Cyprus Mail (Republic of Cyprus, South, Greek). A Cypriot theologian is protesting the prevalence of relics acquired for veneration in the country’s churches, saying it leads to fanaticism: “‘Venerating slippers and canes is idolatry,’ theologian Theodoros Kyriacou told the Cyprus Mail, referring to some of the items that have been displayed…In a famous case two years ago, the slippers of Saint Efraim were paraded around Cyprus, with long queues forming for almost three days at a church in Nicosia of the ‘faithful’ seeking to venerate the footwear.” Apparently the incentive for the churches is the fact that those venerating the relics are expected to make donations.

Archbishop Georgios agrees, saying that even as bishop of Paphos, he had never requested or attempted to bring remains of a saint, save for one time when he had requested through then Archbishop Chrysostomos II for the head of the Apostle Paul to be brought to Cyprus from Rome.

Archbishop Georgios added that the request had been granted, but the late archbishop had died just as permission had been given.”

In case we had thought the practice to be in the distant past. 

As, coincidentally I am reading William Dalrymple’s From the Holy Mountain, in which he refers to the many venerated relics in seventh century Constantinople, including the nails from the crucifixion, the axe used by Noah in building the ark, and the head - including hair and beard - of John the  Baptist. And this stirs another travel memory, although not one of Constantinople/Istanbul.

In Damascus we visited the Umayyad Mosque, I dutifully covered from head to toe. It was built on the site of the eighth century Church of John the Baptist and claims to hold the head of John the Baptist. an honour also claimed by churches in Rome and Amiens as well as a museum in Munich. And this not even a saint who claimed the gift of bilocation.

Courtesy of Middle East Eye

 

Saturday, January 27/2024

 

Bougainvillea Reflected in Rain Puddle

Sunny in the morning and the marble mountain peak shines at us but it’s obviously rained in the night as well as yesterday. Pleasant walk down to the Saturday market but can see that the weather has taken its toll. There are quite a few vacant stalls and fewer shoppers as well. Some vendors will probably have decided yesterday that the weather was uncertain and they would be better waiting until next week. 

Big, if shallow, puddles on the cement floor - from one of which a large brown dog is drinking thirstily. The Tulips cancer charity stall is operating though the dog rescue book stall had apologised in advance that they would be unable to attend. Our friendly fruit and nut seller has a full stall. Had hoped he would be there as he has the best garlic we’ve been able to find - other than the heads that came from the Gimli producer. Our usual kilo of peanuts as well as half a kilo of shelled whole walnuts - almost certainly from California if Famagusta’s weekly market is anything to go by, but very nice. A kilo of raisins. That might have been all but the man cleverly entices us to try a date. They’re very good. A kilo? I hesitate.  OK half, he agrees. Sold.

Friday, January 26/2024

Courtesy of International Court of Justice

We watch live as the International Court of Justice verdict is delivered. Commentary from The Guardian:

‘The international court of justice’s (ICJ) ruling in South Africa’s genocide case was a powerful repudiation of Israel’s denialism. By an overwhelming majority, the court found a “plausible” case that provisional measures were needed to avoid “irreparable prejudice” from further Israeli acts in Gaza that could jeopardize Palestinian rights under the genocide convention… The court’s ruling was also a repudiation of Israel’s western backers. The Biden administration had called the suit “meritless”. The British government said it was “nonsense”. By a vote of 15 to 2, the ICJ judges found otherwise.’

Presumably difficult for the minority of countries assisting in Israel’s lethal activity to distance themselves from the ICJ now after being happy to note how it dealt with the sins of Myanmar and Serbia.

Thursday, January 25/2024

 No shining marble mountain in the sun when we open the blinds this morning. It’s been raining and the mountains are shrouded in cloud and mist. Not cold, though, so we go down to the store for honey, coffee, oranges, carrots, onions. Then spot a whole chicken for a particularly good price. And there’s warm sourdough olive bread. Mountains, as we return, still with their tops hidden in the clouds.

Predictable email from Air Canada. As in most, if not all, previous years, a change has been made to our return itinerary. Usually we just go with whatever change they’ve made, although it does rather make a mockery of the careful time spent finding a good booking in the first place. Did once complain mildly to a rep that this happened annually and she said snippily that the time changed to daylight savings. Suppose that would have been hard to predict. And then there was the time when we were locked down in North Cyprus and were sent a new itinerary that involved leaving Toronto before we’d arrived. Air Canada didn’t seem inclined to discuss the problem, and, as we had no hope of actually being in England in time to catch the flight, neither did we. 

This year they’ve moved a particularly good booking that gave us two hours in Montreal to make our connection to one that leaves a scant hour. Given that the first flight could be late and that we have to clear customs on landing it’s just not good enough. So change it to a connection that means a four and a half hour layover in Toronto. Not ideal, but unlikely to mess up. Unable to let us change seats from the randomly assigned until after they’ve confirmed the flight change. And then insist that they are unable to show the confirmation - would I like to call their 800 number? Fortunately, they’re wrong - they can show it when I go by another route to booking management, and they’ve done it correctly. Can’t imagine why so many people consider government services to be less efficient than private companies. It’s a very low bar. And we’re not even talking about Bell. 

Happily, this is Burns day. No haggis about in North Cyprus - or probably in South - but we’ve just earned a wee dram of Famous Grouse smoky black.

Wednesday, January 24/2024

 Walk down to Bestmar supermarket. Just over a mile, and mostly rural walk. Could in fact take a dolmuş there but not back, or at least not back without going miles out of our way as the circular routes work. It’s a bigger supermarket than “ours” and has a little more variety but for the most part prices no better and sometimes not as good. Which is good because ours is a five minute walk. 

The one advantage to Bestmar, qualifying it for an occasional trip, is that they not only have a wider selection of wine and liquor - and our little supermarket has a wider selection than Sioux Lookout’s liquor store - but the price on most bottles is noticeably less than at ours. One reviewer said the cheapest on the island. Not in a position to judge, but impressive. Jameson whiskey, for example, less than half of Ontario’s LCBO price. Although as I noted in a previous year’s blog one doesn’t wish to become alcoholic simply because it would be affordable. Also, I do approve of Ontario charging the same price everywhere, so that a bottle in a remote northern community costs the same as it would in Toronto, should it be available. Assume Premier Ford may not have noticed or that small benefit would have disappeared.