Friday, April 24/2026

 Studio we’ve stayed in before. In fact by the time I had the key out my iPad mini was chirping excitedly. It had remembered and connected with the WiFi. Tiny but well equipped and everything works.

Leisurely start to the day. No real agenda other than reacquainting ourselves with the street and getting in some basics - fruit, eggs, mushrooms, onions, bread. And pork and bacon. Bacon isn’t unavailable in North Cyprus but it’s not part of the culture and shops often don’t carry it. And English bacon is exceptionally good.

Thursday, April 23/2026

 

Courtesy Kibrispostasi 

April 23 is a national holiday- children’s day and national sovereignty day - both in North Cyprus and Türkiye. It’s the anniversary of the day that the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye was founded by Ataturk following the First World War. And Ataturk dedicated the holiday to the future - to children.

The fact that it’s a holiday is an advantage to us, and even more to our driver, because there is virtually no traffic on the road when we leave for the airport at 5:45 and won’t be much on the driver’s return trip an hour later when the traffic would usually be heavy.

The driver is Ozy. We’ve used Ozy’s taxi service for a few years now but the drivers are never the same driver twice. This, however, is Ozy himself. Born in Australia, hence the nickname, as I discover on suggesting that his accent is UK. Although the tables are turned when he asks if we are American. Ozy gallantly says no - it’s worse to accuse someone of being American than of being English. Do appreciate getting the opportunity to tell him what an excellent service he has, though. Things may mess up on trips - flights are delayed or changed - but as soon as Ozy has said ‘all confirmed, many thanks’ you know that that part of the trip won’t mess up. And we’ve messaged from Istanbul to tell him that the flight had been changed and the arrival would be much later to get the same calm response, and known that bit was taken care of.

So good chat on the way to the airport, watching sun rise - something we rarely see, having no east facing window, but Ozy sees daily. Interesting discussing the changes in North Cyprus over the years. We’ve been coming here for twenty-five years now, as country roads became dual carriageways.

Connection in Istanbul ok. Think we’re getting slightly better at it. One thing you can say about changing flights in Istanbul is that a day’s travel doesn’t deprive you of exercise. The terminal is massive, the world’s largest terminal building under one roof, at 1.4 million square metres. Significantly bigger than Heathrow in land area and, last year, larger in volume of passengers carried as well, at over 80 million. And takes its duties seriously with one of the world’s most thorough security vetting - three and sometimes four steps to get into the departure lounge. And for future reference the question is this your final destination refers only to actual connecting flights and not to anything one might choose to do after today. 

London transport familiar territory, except that today turns out to be a day of industrial action on the underground. I should actually have checked on this, though it’s not something that happens frequently. Anyway the nice lady at the underground entrance says to everyone attempting to enter that the trains will only go as far as Acton Town. Take the Elizabeth line for the Jubilee. The Elizabeth is the underground’s newest and fastest - and most expensive - and we actually haven’t been on it before. Pretty crowded today with others who would normally be taking another route. The electronic info aboard is pleased to tell us which lines are not operating (most of them) and which are operating with severe delays (most of the rest). But Jubilee is in the severe delays category so we make the switch at Bond Street not entirely optimistically, pick up a Jubilee northbound that is very full but not experiencing delays and hit Kilburn Station within my original non-strike projections. So flat waiting, 6 pm (8 Cyprus time). Long day over.

Wednesday, April 22/2026

 Last day. Packing, obviously. And always seem to end up with too much food. Which leaves me presenting the woman across the hallway with a bag containing two onions and a potato. We have very nearly no language in common. Not sure she has even understood that we are leaving tomorrow, and if she hasn’t the potato and onion must have seemed like an extremely odd gift. As in these foreigners have strange customs. Or do you suppose she’s suffering from dementia. 

So repair to Google translate and Turkish keyboard. Brief explanation and wishes for a good summer. As usual feed it into reverse translation to be sure. Looks fine. Copy out the Turkish on a scrap of paper and hand it over. Light dawns. Communication achieved.

Tuesday, April 21/2026

 J notes that the Greek church up the hill from us has begun glowing in the late afternoon. Of course the days are getting longer. Sunset later than it was, but not as late as. northern countries. We’re roughly Latitude 35.33 N. And at the same time the sun is setting more to the west and less to the southwest, which for us means that sunset has moved from its winter spot behind the mountain peaks. So now we get to see the warm glow of the stone church tower at dinner time.

Finishing the rock cakes J comments that they remind him of shortbread. And with good reason. Haven’t made shortbread but the main ingredients are basically the same (save for the raisins in the rock cakes) and furthermore the proportions of butter, sugar and flour are almost identical. 

Towels washed, ants murdered. Tasks proceeding.

Monday, April 20/2026

Errand day. Mobile phone shop to make arrangements for suspending service when we’re away. Have to admit that they’re better about doing this than Canadian mobile providers, who seem to want to have you prepay at horrific rates or pay for full year contracts. Some translation difficulties, though. The monthly suspension fee they refer to as a fine, which always sounds unduly punitive.  Bell Canada doesn’t call the suspension charge a fine but suppose it amounts to more or less the same thing. And Bell doesn’t want to see your passport in order to do business but probably know more about you than your nearest and dearest anyway. 

The only phone number we have year round is a UK mobile number. Based, of course in a country where we rarely spend more than three weeks, but works anywhere in the world. Not horrifically expensive, and in fact quite reasonable - except when used in TRNC and Türkiye, which seems to have not made inexpensive arrangements with any other country - except perhaps Azerbaijan. Not unreasonably expensive to use in Canada for us, but many Canadians have contracts that don’t include communicating with non-North American numbers.

Yes, of course. Communication possible in ways undreamt of in our youth. On the other hand, the assumption of both businesses and governments is that everyone has not only a telephone but, in many cases a smart mobile phone. (And yes, there are unsmart cellular phones still in existence. And very nice our last one was, too. Slid into a smallish pocket and used easily available inexpensive batteries which I, alone and unaided, could install in about twenty seconds). So countries will proudly proclaim that their networks cover, for example. 96% of the “landmass” (UK) or 99% of the population (Bell Canada mobility). Have a correspondent in Wales who lives in a spot that doesn’t receive a signal, which causes endless difficulty with agencies that are simply not equipped to deal with exceptions. And am dubious about the accuracy of Bell’s claim.

Telsim not our only stop, though. Acquire ant powder at the excellent DYI, which, unlike the mobile shop does not require either passports or cash despite our undisguised intent to commit murder. Then other stops for raisins, Turkish pepper, and black olives. Olives now reposing in the sun awaiting pitting.

Sunday, April 19/2026

 

The best cartoon commentaries on the war are the brilliant Lego animations produced by young Iranians. My blogging doesn’t run to videos but satire is essential for sanity.

Saturday, April 18/2026

Shaft of sunlight and banks of clouds fight for ascendancy as mountains fade out. Not photoshopped. Actually not easy to tell for much of the day whether it is cloud or Saharan dust obscuring mountains and sea. And that in the intervals between showers. Dust alert today. Should leave a brief season between Mediterranean dust alerts and Canadian forest fire smoke alerts. 

Is definitely spring here, though, and in Canada would pass for summer. Temperatures now hitting twenty plus. Just very indecisive.

According to the meteorologists the dust will “vanish” at midnight. Quite possibly. It will be too dark to tell.

Make rock cakes today with half of the remaining butter. Internet pleased to explain that the recipe became popular because it was easy for children learning to bake (true). Also many sites explaining that it was recommended as a UK wartime recipe because it used small amounts of rationed ingredients. Eggs (one, OK - though adult egg ration was one per week). Sugar (50 grams, not bad). Raisins.  Butter (100 grams. WHOA!  For much of the war the butter ration was 2 oz per week. A hundred grams is 3.5 ounces. That’s nearly two weeks’ butter ration to make a dozen biscuit sized rock cakes!). Can only conclude that cheerful info re value as wartime recipe comes from people born post war. Actually well after the war as UK rationing didn’t end until 1954. 

Note that these conclusions based on my knowledge of history and not personal wartime memories.

Friday, April 17/2026

Ginger cat with tip of tail missing is one of the regulars that crosses our terrace on its way to who knows where. Early this morning as the sky decides whether or not to deliver rain it creates a refuge underneath the buddleia on the edge of the terrace. Pretty well camouflaged too. (Bottom left quadrant). 

J engaged in anticide as ants the size of microdots begin busying themselves along the inside of the French doors opening onto the terrace. Seems familiar so search blog. Two years ago, almost to the day, the ants came marching one by one 🐜🐜🐜. Have tried vinegar this year and cayenne in 2024. Ants determined to hold out for full lethal dose, so Monday down to friendly DYI.

Weather spends the morning making up its mind re rain. Plenty of thunder of the sound and fury signifying something slightly short of a full born storm. And then rain. We’re hoping for a dry walk down to the Blue Song. But shortly before one, the skies clear. Criegan not here today and Pat gone for the summer, but Daphne shows up as well as Beverley and John, for our last gathering of the season.

Thursday, April 16/2026

 

A war of rhetoric as well, unhappily, as a real war causing significant civilian death - and not primarily as “collateral damage”. 

The magic words in the first week were “escalation ladder” and “exit ramp” and they’re still with us. Used by analysts on all sides and along the left right spectrum. Those providing commentary in English that is, and some Iranian analysts are extremely fluent in English.

Recently the ladder and the ramp have been joined by cards. A game of skill, or lack of it, and bluff. And much discussion about who “holds all the cards”. Twenty-four hour news reporting now exacerbated by a president who communicates - if that is indeed the word for it - on a near twenty-four hour schedule.

And the card image brings to mind the line of one wit during the Brexit negotiations.  “EU lays down a royal flush. UK looks at own cards: Mr Bun the Baker, Pikachu, a Shadowmage, a fireball spell, and the Fool.”

Wednesday, April 15/2026

Horst’s funeral this morning. We don’t attend, but do watch the live stream. Very nicely done with tributes from Caroline and Beverley. As Beverley said “A gentleman and a gentle man”. (Predictive text struggling - did I want gentleman to be one word or two?) 

And a farewell not without humour. Caroline remembered the European trip that Horst led where he advised the group to check at the reception desk for vouchers for a free crap. Turned out he meant to say crèpe. Don’t know about his French, but his English was very fluent - all the more impressive because he had taught it to himself in his fifties.

Tuesday, April 14/2026

 

Frequently dogs hanging out beside our little supermarket. Some may be strays, but definitely not all of them. Often have collars. But supermarkets are friendly places - and who knows, there might be a bone coming their way. Saw two sitting outside the open door once as a young dog waltzed in. Could almost see the cartoon bubbles above their heads saying “We’re not allowed to go inside”. And of course the pup didn’t get to stay. 

Shop has a nice quince gin, good on ice in hot weather. The company does make a sister drink - a pink gin. But what flavour is pink? Pink what - crayon? Read the fine print (and I’m not the only person for whom reading the fine print means taking a phone shot and enlarging it). Strawberry and raspberry. Sounds OK. Gave it a try a while back. More like pink crayon. The quince is pretty good though.

Monday, April 13/2026

Summer? Not quite. But the neighbour’s grapevine is sporting new growth. And today is the first day that it is too hot to sit out on the terrace. Not too wet or too windy - just too hot. That’s midday and early afternoon, of course. Cools off in the late afternoon. 

Long memories in this part of the world. Thus singer İşin Karaca (British citizen, UK born to a family of Turkish Cypriot origin) was refused entry to Greece on the weekend, although her husband and her daughter, with whom she was on holiday were admitted. Karaca was then deported from Athens. 

No reason was given for the refusal. Of course immigration officials are not obliged to provide a reason for not admitting you and would frequently be wiser not to. However, Karaca assumes, probably correctly, that it was because she had sung the Izmir Marşi, the Turkish independence song at a festival in Izmir, Türkiye, two years ago. 

The song celebrates Turkish independence - from Greek occupation - in 1922. Izmir, traditionally known by its Greek name Smyrna, was liberated by the founder of modern Türkiye, Kemal Ataturk, and the song includes reference to the Greeks fleeing, as indeed they were forced to do. This, of course, the extremely short version. There are more than enough horrific details in a complicated history that at various points reflects significant discredit on both sides. 

But we are talking about a song. Sung in another country. About an event that took place nearly a hundred years ago. And it could have been yesterday.

Sunday, April 12/2026

Oleander and hibiscus a bit on the slow side but other members of the hedge now admitting it’s spring. Shirt sleeve weather outside, or would be if it weren’t for the windiness. Reminds me of Aesop’s fable about the contest between Mr Sun and Mr Wind, first encountered in an old schoolbook of my father’s. The challenge is to make a man take off his coat, and of course the sun wins. Had the challenge been to make him put on a jacket there would have been a different winner, even with the sun trying its best.

The TRNC coalition government has postponed debate on cost of living allowances for at least a week. No doubt pleased to have the excuse of “global uncertainties and sensitivities in society”, enabling Prime Minister Ustel to say that the decision had been taken with the aim of “reducing social tension and creating a basis for consensus”.

Meanwhile conflict amongst the neighbours continues, with Netanyahu and Türkiye’s President Erdoğan trading insults, an art at which both are fairly accomplished. Presumably escalation not truly of benefit to either.

Saturday, April 11/2026

 Lovely day for market but vendors, and for that matter customers, a bit thin on the ground. Dogs always enjoy the market though. Spot one taking a nap on a disintegrating sofa outside one of the market buildings.

Criegan here having a market breakfast, so we stop for a chat. Very un-Turkish - bacon, egg and sausage with toast. Attracts a black lab who clearly would like to share but keeps a (barely) polite distance.

And as usual unable to resist a couple of acquisitions at the book stall, where a small cat is curled up on top of one of the book displays.

Meanwhile the state of the world continues bizarre as ever. Dimitri Lascaris currently reporting from Iran and Lebanon with video clips. His usual clear analysis.

Friday, April 10/2026

 

Sad beginning to the day. Ralph posts that Horst Gutowski died yesterday. Had known that he hadn’t been well but don’t think anyone was expecting his death. A remarkable man - kind, generous, energetic and a friend to everyone. He will be widely missed.

Amongst his many talents, Horst was the brewmaster extraordinaire of the glögg at the annual pre-Christmas gathering. Much nicer than mulled wine, it was made with schnapps instead of wine and included raisins and walnuts in the bottom of the cup. More complex than wine and stayed steaming hot rather than subsiding into sweet tepidness like mulled wine.

We’re having a discussion round the table at the Blue Song - actually about Ladas being shipped to Poland - when a man comes over and apologises for overhearing but says he is Polish and has some contributions to make to the discussion. J talks further to him later. His name is Jan and he’s a permanent resident here.

Thursday, April 9/2026

It rained in the night so we awake to see the mountain and clouds reflected in the water on the terrace tiles. Can see that the ideal way to photograph this would be lying prone on the wet tiles but my commitment to photography is insufficient. 

Sunny all day, though, and the sheets dry in no time. 

Reaching the point of looking into the fridge and realising that everything there has to be consumed - or otherwise disposed of - in the foreseeable future. Fortunately excess butter and cheese translate fairly satisfactorily into rock cakes and cheese biscuits. Celery?

Wednesday, April 8/2026

Looking down at the Mediterranean from the salon. Cypress tree left of centre is our wind sock. It leans permanently a little to the east because the prevailing wind is westerly but when the wind is strong, like today, it hits about 22 degrees or more from vertical.

Go to check tomorrow’s weather - continuing sunny - and note with surprise that London, at six in the evening, is still registering 25 degrees. Quite amazing in early April.

The public employees’ strike continues here. No more negotiations so a standoff so far. Sounds a little like the Middle East war, although less bizarre. 

Tuesday, April 7/2026

 

Now this is more like it. Sunny on the terrace. Good breeze for drying clothes. Temperature perfect for pouring a gin on ice.

Though somewhat less than perfect in the political sphere. Protests continue here regarding the suspension of cost of living payments for public workers. Health care workers are not withdrawing their services for now. Some others are, including teachers. The first sign of which was the cheerful sound of children playing in the neighbourhood today. Not everyone unhappy it seems. 

And then of course there’s Trump threatening to destroy a civilisation by tomorrow….

Monday, April 6/2026

Lucky to be invited to Easter Monday dinner at Beverley and John’s house. Beverley has made a super Asian meal, much better than any we have actually eaten in China, though that was a long time ago. 

Lovely pace to their meals. Start with a Thai lime and chicken soup. And then egg rolls with mushrooms in the filling. Followed by Mongolian beef,  curried chicken, pork with apricot, Asian vegetables and noodles. Beautifully distinct flavours.  Would have been more than complete, but John has made his classic crepes for dessert - and we find room! Best, of course, is the company, which would have been good if we’d been eating sandwiches.

Pat kindly gives us a ride home, though she actually lives in the opposite direction. She leaves this week to go back to Scotland for the summer.

Sunday, April 5/2026

Easter cigar. Overlooking the Mediterranean. Neighbours’ grapevine beginning to sport leaves.

Sunny morning. Afternoon showers, but we have freshly baked rock cakes and an F1 film to watch. Then J roasts a chicken with vegetables and we open a bottle of Bordeaux. No egg hunt, but we had stashed away two of our favourite Maximus chocolate bars for dessert.