Saturday, May 3/2025

Well, the rotary end of winter barrel sank through the softening ice on the lake in Sioux Lookout so it’s time to pack up and go back. Have been spoiled with warm temperatures not only in Cyprus but with gloriously warm and sunny weather in London - significantly better than King Charles was able to command for his coronation at this time two years ago.

The current Airbnb one of the best combinations of location and facilities we’ve had. Well, OK, it’s 39 steps up - a literary cum cinematic ring to that - but the view behind is out over rooftops and trees, some still in flower, and you can hear the doves cooing.

Plus - returning from poetry to prose -  microwave, kettle, toaster all good quality and working - and there is actually a washing machine. All in a surprisingly small space. We may be back.

Friday, May 2/2025

Sunset over the chimneys

It was Dr Johnson who said ‘When a man is tired of London he is tired of life’. So we choose where to go this afternoon. And settle on the Tate Modern gallery, hoping for something dramatic in its Turbine Hall (3300 square meters, twenty-six metres high). Home to some of our favourite past exhibits. 

But not to be. We reach the platform at Kilburn Station just as a train is pulling in on the southbound Jubilee line. The carriages fill up but the train doesn't start. Then the announcement. Due to a fire on the track, there will be a delay of fifteen minutes or more. The carriages empty onto the platform as people start rethinking their plans. 

This is not exactly unprecedented. Coming back from the Saatchi yesterday there was a delay of about fifteen minutes caused, apparently, by a fire at West Hampstead Station, but service resumed and there was nothing to be seen passing West Hampstead Station. So we decide to sit down and see what transpires. 

At which point a short man with a high-vis vest and a megaphone voice begins shouting that the station is being evacuated and everyone must leave. We do, with something less than fire drill precision, a couple of hundred people navigating a double staircase, some hampered by suitcases or small children. No sign of fire, but megaphone voice is persistent, and he does succeed in opening the exit gates which frees the bottleneck caused by people attempting to touch the electronic button with their cards to exit. No panic, probably because we don’t quite believe in the reality of the emergency. No sign of smoke or fire. No official activity other than megaphone voice’s repeated calls to evacuate.

Do have a couple of fire engines pass us headed toward the station as we start down Kilburn High Road. Bit late for a plan B that doesn’t involve leaving from Kilburn underground station, but it’s a balmy day and we do have minor errands along one of our favourite roads.

Thursday, May 1/2025

 May 1. May Day. Traditional day for honouring workers, and celebrated as such in many, possibly most, countries. Not a public holiday in the UK though. 

J suggests we check out the  Saatchi Gallery. It’s on our regular beat and often features modern international artists, with most exhibits being free. 

It’s a hot day, actually reaches a May 1 record temperature of 29.3, according to the Met office.

There’s a playing field and track next to the Saatchi, much enjoyed by nearby schools. The children are all wearing sun hats, but they’re not sneaking off looking for peripheral shade. Bouncy as puppies despite the heat.

The most interesting displays feature works by Anne von Freiburg from the Netherlands. Her work is referred to as textile paintings, as good a description as any. Textile, patchwork and stitching. Strong colours and 3D effect very much in your face.

Wednesday, April 30/2025

Thames Ditton to see Jenny and Doug, with the date chosen this time so that Elaine and Hugh could come as well. Always enjoy visiting with them. Archetypically beautiful summer day. So Prosecco in the garden and happy conversation. Laura drops by with her two little dogs so we get to see her as well. 

Jenny has made maqloub for lunch (spellings vary, presumably because it’s transliterated from Arabic). It’s a traditional rice, vegetable and meat dish. It’s cooked layered in a pot, which is flipped upside down to serve. Sometimes considered Palestine’s national dish, but eaten throughout the Middle East. Jenny’s father, who was Palestinian born, taught me how to make it, so it evokes good memories for us as well as for Jenny and Elaine.

And back outside for a lovely strawberry cake and tea and more talk, lunch having lasted, as a perfect lunch should, all afternoon.

Tuesday, April 29/2025

Love Kilburn High Road. Vibrant, multi-ethnic, All colour and movement. Babies in push chairs; old people with canes; children in school uniforms, ties hanging loose at the end of the day. Street corner markets; shop goods spilling out onto the pavements; scent of coffee and Middle East cooking; sim sales and mobile unlocking; a man handing out appetizer size bits of deep fried shrimp; golden chickens turning on rotisseries.

We pick up seeded bread, yoghurt, peanut butter, wine. Then stop at Roses, unable to resist the last lamb kleftiko of the season. The owner, a Turkish Kurd who has known us for years, comes over to shake hands. Are we coming or going? Coming back this time. Business was very difficult during Covid, but this is the most serious we’ve seen him. Save your money, he says. Times may be bad.

Check online re the current verboten list for foods coming into Canada with snacks in a carry on in mind. Meat - no. Cheese - OK. Walnuts? Refer to AIRS, i.e. ‘Automated Import Reference System - Canadian Food Inspection Agency’. So dutifully google “AIRS” and “nuts”. And hit “Mexican TV outlet accidentally airs man’s testicles during solar eclipse coverage”. Well, fair enough, I guess.

Monday, April 28/2025

Photo from October 2023 visit

Out to West Harrow to see Jean.  She turned ninety on New Year’s Eve. Did try phoning her at the time but had been unable to get through.  Tease her about being out celebrating and that was probably true, although not with the champagne I suggest. Her nephew and nieces came over from Canada and the US and they did go out for a meal.

We’ve known each other for sixty years this fall and it will be over thirty years since I first brought J out here - numbers that just seem ridiculous.  Good to share a glass of wine and a chat on another sunny, warm day.

Back at our Airbnb J cooks us a lovely tuna steak. We’d been walking past it in Sainsbury just as the man marked it down - from £7.95 ($14.77) to 69p ($1.28). Perfect timing, and, as it turns out, a perfect piece of fish at the end of the day.

Sunday, April 27/2025

London in flower. Always arrive too late for daffodils, though there might still be some in the north. Pass this wisteria on our way down to the high road and Jenny also has a lovely one in her front garden. 

Kilburn High Road bustling today. Temperature about twenty and Saturday shoppers everywhere. We’re renewing acquaintance with the road and picking up a few things - oatcakes, streaky bacon.

Election day in Canada tomorrow. First time not to have voted but too difficult to get a ballot and return it in time, Did have them couriered to Larnaca in the South of Cyprus for the January 2006 election but both courier and postal services somewhat simpler there. Just as easy to follow news almost anywhere in the world, though, barring the inconvenience of time zone changes. Which reminds us of the “olden days” when Canadian election results were blacked out for regions where the polls had not yet closed, so you could not see results in time zones to the east of you before the polls closed in your region. The system didn’t survive the coming of the internet for long.

But we’re prepped. We’ve watched the This Hour has 22 Minutes Election Special.

Saturday, April 26/2025

To Thames Ditton to see Jenny and Doug, among our very favourite people to visit. Exceptionally good connections via Jubilee and a lovely day for sitting in the garden. J&D recently back from a relaxing Caribbean cruise and Doug pleased to demonstrate his newfound expertise in preparing aperol spritzes, the temperature providing good reason for summer drinks.

Emma drops by with Jasmine and Noah, whom we’ve known since birth. Jasmine preparing to write her GCSE exams in a couple of weeks. She’ll probably do brilliantly despite her worries.

Before they leave Jenny brings out a trifle - quite the nicest I’ve had, although failed to get it to pose for a photo op before we had made significant inroads.

Slightly surprised to see our leisurely luncheon visit has stretched nearly to seven. Jenny walks down to the station with us. Cheerful goodbyes as this time we’ll be back soon.

Friday, April 25/2025

 

Had not been overly optimistic re the WiFi but, happily, the girl in charge of the bnb does follow up. Texts that someone will be round in an hour and is promptly with us, cheerful young woman, quick on the uptake, and technically good. I tell her I’d choose WiFi over a fridge and she says ‘Oh so would I - you can always go out to eat”. And we have WiFi. Without which it’s becoming impossible to function. Want to check a train time? It’s online. Could call the station. Where do you get the number? Call the operator? You’re joking. Take a bus to the station and inquire. They will tell you - but no longer hand out the convenient little pamphlets with train times. You can get the info online.

Down to Aldi for basic food and then across to a street corner market for oranges, grapes, bananas and peppers. But we pass Roses, now a five minute walk from our new flat, and inquire. Yes, the kleftiko we have been eating there for the past fifteen years is no longer a weekly special. It has a regular slot on the menu. The best we’ve eaten anywhere, including Cyprus.

So back at dinner. And it’s still a winner. A couple of regulars also in the restaurant but it’s nearly empty. As are the neighbouring establishments. Can only hope they stay in business but the economy is in trouble. People are hurting and eating out is one of the first things to go. Sixth largest economy in the world, but not very evenly distributed.

Kleftiko, as always, butter soft, and too much to finish in a single sitting. £ 14.95 ($27.60 CAD). Includes tax, so equivalent to $24.40  plus tax.

Thursday, April 24/2025

Moving day. Ozy’s taxi prompt as always at six AM. Not much traffic on the road this early and a spectacular sunrise over the Mediterranean, which we usually contrive to miss, in part because we don’t have any view to the east.

Turkish Airways desk not yet open. However the scales at the check in desks are operational and there are a few people weighing their suitcases. Including one family engaged in much repacking as brightly coloured clothing repeatedly transferred from one overflowing case to another.

Istanbul is one of the world’s largest airports. Memo to self to download map of same. Enormous distances and also has no apparent means of keeping those with connecting flights airside, thus duplicating passport control, security checks, etc. One employee puts it down to being the main transfer point for the Middle East and getting passengers from troubled countries. J more than dubious that this accounts for all inefficiencies. Can at least say that this means that flight days are not days of no exercise.

Heathrow, by comparison, spectacularly quick - at least for those with chipped passports. Tube predictably crowded in late afternoon but then ten minute walk to Airbnb. Spot street sign despite obvious deficiencies. Location super. Flat ok. And then - no working wifi. Text manager. As yet unresolved….

Wednesday, April 23/2025

 

Wind up time always strangely fragmented. 

Doors are open in the flat, as the temperature is mid-twenties. So J discovers an unknown cat lying on the bed - and in no particular hurry to leave. Later seen on the patio staring at the window.

Flat seems a repository for items of unknown provenance and no probable use. Why do we have a wet wipe packet from Egyptair? Last flew Egyptair in, I think, 2009. Wet wipe has not apparently come in handy since and is undoubtedly not still wet.

Meanwhile my orange comb, which would come in handy has disappeared. OK, it was old and missing a couple of teeth but it was also the only one that would actually go through my hair.

And why are customs regulations so wildly different? Could take four litres of spirits PLUS eighteen litres of wine PLUS forty-two litres of beer EACH into UK from wherever. Clearly expecting van and not suitcase bearer. But into Canada 1.5 litres of wine OR 8.5 litres of beer OR 1.14 litres of spirits each. Not that anyone actually sells 1.14 litre bottles of alcohol abroad. And no, buying a 700 ml bottle of whisky plus miniatures will never work out to 1.14 either. You’ll just be cheated out of the .14. And limited point to taking eight litres of spirits to the UK and drinking like crazy to get it down to two litres before heading for Canada. 

The pleasures of multiculturalism.

Tuesday, April 23/2025

Courtesy Itour

“Doubtless God could have made a better berry, but doubtless God never did”. Attributed to Dr William Butler, 17th century English writer and quoted by my father every strawberry season. Not usually called to mind when eating strawberries shipped in from Mexico or other distant parts. But fresh picked local strawberries….The ones I used to eat in Nova Scotia or the ones we were surprised to find at a farmhouse lane in Alberta once in late summer. 

In North Cyprus there are two strawberry seasons. One in the spring - April and May - and  one in the autumn. You can pick your own at a strawberry farm. But at the supermarket you can often choose your own one at a time from the large flat, not an unripe one in the lot and the scent an aphrodisiac. Which we did today.

Monday, April 21/2025

In Krakow when Pope John Paul died. He was a local boy as well as pontiff. Supported a local football team. Didn’t really expect to see his warmth again. And at the time said that I didn’t care who they chose as long as it wasn’t Ratzinger. So, Cardinal Ratzinger duly became Pope Benedict days later. We were in Larnaca when Pope Francis was elected. Remember looking at each other and saying who? But couldn’t have been luckier. May we be this lucky again. The following is from a FB page. Posted by Dorothy Lennon whom I don’t know:

This morning, Pope Francis passed away. The leader of the Roman Catholic Church was someone who was unafraid to oppose war, neoliberalism and stood with the oppressed of the world. In the obituaries written about this wonderful man, here is what they won’t tell you…

1. His Holiness stood with those who were victims of injustice. That is why Pope Francis met with Wikileaks founder Julian Assange’s wife, Stella when he was imprisoned and psychologically tortured by the British government. It was an endorsement of Assange’s plea for freedom.

2. The Pope saw our neoliberal system as one that exploits the poor and working class for the gains of the oligarchy. He called unfettered capitalism “the dung of the devil.” When the pandemic ravaged the world, he criticized capitalism harshly, “The fragility of world systems in the face of the pandemic has demonstrated that not everything can be resolved by market freedom,” he wrote. “It is imperative to have a proactive economic policy directed at ‘promoting an economy that favours productive diversity and business creativity’ and makes it possible for jobs to be created, and not cut.”

3. As Israel committed a genocide in Gaza, the Pope didn’t hold his tongue. When a Catholic parish in Gaza was attacked by Israel, he labeled the action terrorism. “Some say, ‘This is terrorism. This is war.’ Yes, it is war. It is terrorism,” he said. “That is why the Scripture affirms that ‘God stops wars… breaks the bow, splinters the spear’ (Psalm 46:10). Let us pray to the Lord for peace.” Before his death, he called Israel’s actions genocide and called for further investigations, “According to some experts, what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of a genocide.” In his final speech, he called for a ceasefire, “I appeal to the warring parties: call a ceasefire, release the hostages and come to the aid of a starving people that aspires to a future of peace." 

4. After several trips to the hospital, the Pope told the world he should not be the only one allowed to receive healthcare. It should be a right of all people. "A world that rejects the sick, that does not assist those who cannot afford care, is a cynical world with no future. Let us always remember this: health care is not a luxury, it is for everyone," the Pope said.

5. The holy leader’s condemnation of the military-industrial complex was so vociferous and strong, he suggested those who participated in it could not enter heaven. There are many examples of the Pope expressing anger at arms manufacturers. “Why so many powerful people do not want peace? Because they live off wars!” he said, explaining to these children that some people make money by producing and selling weapons. “And this is why so many people do not want peace,” he said. “They make more money with the war!” In a separate Christmas address, he called weapons makers, “merchants of death.” He explained to the crowd, "It should be talked about and written about, so as to bring to light the interests and the profits that move the puppet strings of war," he said. "And how can we even speak of peace, when arms production, sales and trade are on the rise?"

6. The Pope was unafraid to stand against American hegemony and push peace. Early in his papacy, he used his diplomatic efforts to demand the United States lift the embargo against the Cuban government. For a brief time, the efforts of Francis worked. President Obama met with Cuban leader Raul Castro to begin a new chapter in economic/diplomatic relations. This progress was overturned by the incoming Trump administration. When the conflict between Russia and Ukraine began, the Pope offered to have the Vatican host peace talks, but he condemned NATO for provoking Russia. 

7. His Holiness was the first leader of the Church to demand care of the environment be an official part of Catholic doctrine. His condemnations of the fossil fuel industry terrified them. In 2018, executives from the industry flew to the Vatican to plead their case to the Pope and ask for leniency. It didn’t work. Pope Francis would use his words and encyclicals to call for an end to climate destruction and demand a healthy planet be handed over to future generations. 

Today, I with millions of Roman Catholics, mourn the loss of this beautiful soul. As he lived humbly and well below his means, he continued to do what he said he would do: transform the church into a field hospital. An institution that didn’t pontificate from far away. Instead, an institution that went to the victims of war, capitalism and neoliberalism and saw them as wounded children of God. 

He lived and personified the words we find in Matthew 5:9, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.” Let us all try to find the strength and courage within us to be peacemakers and create the Beloved Community many dedicated their lives to building. 

Today, I say to a noble peacemaker such as Pope Francis, “Now cracks a noble heart. Good night, sweet prince, and flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.”

Sunday, April 20/2025

Flowers everywhere in this country. Even in the stone walls, which always remind us of the dry stane dykes in Scotland, although they’re not the same. The ones in Scotland are tributes to an ancient craft, a craft that’s being revived like roof thatching in England. And dry stane dykes really are made of dry stones. No mortar at all, just perfectly fitted. A dry stone dyke properly constructed and maintained can last for over a hundred years. Some in Orkney - a place still on my bucket list - are over four thousand years old.

Canada not quite competitive with Orkney but does have dry stone walls over two hundred years old, The lack of cement or mortar actually an asset as the craft allows for minuscule movement without the stones breaking apart.

Saturday, April 19/2025

Wooden cutting board with sesame and nigella seeds. From cutting sourdough loaf studded with same. The sesame seeds look like sesame seeds. The nigella seeds, though, look remarkably like mouse turds. Not that we’ve ever had mice here.

Rodents not unknown, though,  and there are undoubtedly rats in the fields but the feral cats do a pretty good job of keeping their numbers down. In fact locals have been known to point out that feeding homeless cats gives them little incentive to kill rats and snakes. Actually there’s often a fair cultural difference between Cypriots and British expats re animals in general.

Though it was a Scandinavian women who was appalled by the name of a little charity shop in Larnaca - Curiosity Killed the Cat. Tried explaining that it was a childhood rhyme and that the following line was a more encouraging‘satisfaction brought it back’ but she was clearly unpersuaded. For who would joke about the death of a cat?

Reminiscent of the unfortunate Canadian in England totally unable to convince a horrified local that her Dead Dog Café sweatshirt was a tribute to Indigenous satire on Canadian public radio. Some things just don’t translate well.

Friday, April 18/2025

 

Afraid that Good Friday not particularly abstemious chez nous. Last day of Alexander next door’s brief stay here, although he will be back. Think he actually doesn’t spell his name with an X in it, but then in Russian he would use the Cyrillic alphabet. 

Once more, his shrubs flowering much more abundantly than ours. Think ours are suffering from lack of rain, but can’t imagine it rains more next door. 

Ask him in to say goodbye, and, since he enjoys good whisky, to share a drink. And a second….

Thursday, April 17/2025

 

Bill to pay at town office. Would like to know before walking over whether it is payable by Mastercard. Message them to ask. Reply comes about three days later - well, fair enough as I have obviously not messaged in Turkish and it may have taken a while to find someone who wanted to respond in English. However, reply is: ‘Can you paint?’

Possibly a reply intended for someone else, like a contractor, but seems a little short, in more ways than one. And what response could I give? ‘No artist but have done an occasional satisfactory job on a wall’? We decide to walk over. A little over a kilometre and it’s a lovely day - especially on the shady side of the street.

Meet a couple en route. The man begins by asking if we speak French. The truthful answer is a little less every year, but am Quebec born and bred. They’re pleased as their English probably slightly less than my French. So short discussion on what to see and how to get there. Realise later we haven’t found out where they’re from - probably France or they would have said.

And then the municipal office. Very pleasant and they do, like - almost - everyone else take credit cards.

Slightly different route home, which includes, as often in our village, a lovely ruin. Not necessarily ancient but an aesthetic pleasure.

Wednesday, April 16/2025

 

Flunked out of med school?  Corner of a field unofficially, and probably illegally, used as an informal mini dumping spot. As usual my eye is drawn to books. Gray’s Anatomy is a Turkish edition but several other hardcover medical and pharmaceutical reference works are in English. Hard to imagine anyone possessing these and not wanting to keep them for reference or sell them to someone beginning a similar course. Loose handwritten notes scattered as well. Hadn’t been there long as we’d passed the spot a couple of hours earlier and they weren’t there then.

Curious about the backstory. Did once know of a woman not entirely in her right mind who destroyed her husband’s unfinished doctoral thesis.  Maybe she had genuine grievances.

Did we score a couple? Of course. You never know when a good reference book will come in handy. And illustrations larger than a mini iPad screen.

Commandaria, produced in Cyprus, is frequently lauded as the oldest wine in the world with a name. A bit of an odd designation but then identifying the oldest wine would be impossible. Wild grape vines have grown around the Mediterranean for millennia, though the oldest scientifically identifiable traces of wine on pottery come from the area between the Caspian and Black Seas and date back 8000 years. As the technology develops more may be identified as archaeology continues to rewrite history. And undoubtedly the first wines were accidental (and not likely to be too impressive). Wine production came somewhat later.

But Commandaria is old. References to a sweet Cypriot wine go back to the eighth century BCE, probably referring to Commandaria. And it was served at the wedding of Richard the Lionheart in the twelfth century. (He had somewhat accidentally conquered Cyprus when he was shipwrecked there on his way to the third crusade). Not usually a fan of sweet wines but as a dessert wine it’s quite nice, rather like a decent port.

However, the Commandaria of old was not what is produced today. By the Venetian regime in the fifteenth century Commandaria was exported throughout Europe where port and sherry were already popular. However, once Cyprus came under the Ottoman Empire wine production went into decline although people continued to make it for personal consumption. Muslims were not supposed to drink alcohol and regarded wine sales merely as a good method of raising taxes. Once the British were back in control in the 19th century Commandaria was in production for export again. But by then the ancient techniques had been lost. The British adapted techniques from fortified wines and aged the wine in previously unknown oak barrels. It’s good, and it achieved a protected designation of origin, but it was then required to consistently meet the same strict criteria of the British era.

Now some brave winemakers are attempting to make the traditional wine using large clay pitharia, some as much as three hundred years old, and trying to recreate the traditional techniques. An experiment in its early stages, but should be interesting.

Monday, April 14/2025

Sadly, fields are turning into building lots for apartment buildings. This space, just north of our little supermarket, was all tall grass, wild flowers, and even a few wild herbs a week ago. Then suddenly the grass had been cut, the daisies were gone, and roughly metal frames with chipboard were lining the edge of the dirt lot. Backing for large advertisements of flats in the making? Maybe. That wouldn’t be unusual. Hard to complain when we are staying in a flat that others might wish to do the same. A little like seeing the shopping mall in Bucharest and regretting the disappearance of the old carts pulled by oxen. Not that we ourselves would prefer to be deprived of modern methods of transportation or be limited entirely to goods that are locally produced. But still….