Two more visitor stones

Time to say goodbye to Eric and Marion after their two week stay.  they have certainly been the most travelled of our visitors and Eric in particular has enjoyed the historical artefacts and places to visit.

As ever a stone laying ceremony with each chosing the place for the stone to be to become a histroical artefact in their own right. Marion placed hers under the bouganvillea and Eric the hisbiscus.  What great additions they make.

For me ............... its off to Doha again, a two day visit and be the time I get back there will be more visitors.  This time Joan & Les from harrow.

Where has the time gone?

One week has passed since I have had time to write on this blog ............... such is ou busy lives.  I seemed to have spent most of the time either on the phone or in front of this computer or travelling.

Last week saw a hurried thee day trip to Doha to meet with sponsors and get an update on pogress of projects that are falling behind.  As ever when you travel at the last moment you don't always get schedules made that suit you, especially when the starting place is Larnaca. So having spent ages trying to sort flights, prices et  new experience in terms of airlines.  This time to Doha via Beirut, Lebanon with Middle East airlines needing a five hour wait on the way out in the middle of the night.  Once again sleeping on a bench in a departure lounge!  Having said that I was quite impressed with MEA, especially as the flight to Doha was a co-share with Qatar Airways.  Probably the world's 5* airline says theor advert and for me they live up to it.   Oh for some of their cabin crew to abscond to British Airways!  Nothing is too much trouble for the continually smiling staff of Qatar Airways.

Doha, as ever was hot and frantic.  As I needed to get around a bit a hire car saved the day, however I had completely forgotten how driving there is not for the feint hearted.  A lot of nutters in big cars.  Don't hesitate on a roundabout or your no claims bonus will be gone in a second.

Its back again this week, but this time the trip is booked with Gulf Air via Bahrain.

Back at home Lillian continues to be the ideal hostess running Marion (Lillian's sister) and Eric here and there to ensure they see all that has to be seen on the sunny island of Cyprus.  Some new places in a trip to Salamis in the north and to the Tomb of Kings and mosaics of Paphos.  I went on the latter which was a very full day, although did feel that I had 'seen old stones' by the time we had finished.  I do wonder how all this was achieved so long ago.  The mosaics are truly beautiful.  Pictures to follow.  A couple of nice meals out means the waist line continues to expand nicely ............ hmmm I weigh the heaviets of my life.............. is it the food or is it the beer?

The weather continues to be warm and sunny with temps in the low 80s although there was a huge rain storm whilst I was away 

It rained!

Can't believe it.  Huge electric storm mid-afternoon follwed by some heavy rain.  Whilst it soon dried up once it had stopped the rest of the day reamined cloudy and dull with a high of around 78F.

For me a day of work, although some time spent in the garden clearing away fallen bouganvillea flowers and some work in the front garden which needs attention.  The project is to cut back the 'herbs', especially the lavendar which has gone made and lay black underlay and stones.  More visits to the beach beckon.  The garden though is looking good.

Lillian , Eric and Marion went off to the shops and a trip into Larnaca whilst I stayed on the phone and on the computer.

Evening meal at home

Back to Pervolia

It has been another long time away from the warmth and contented feeling of being in Pervolia and I am excited to be going back there today.  0630 taxi to London Heathrow Terminal 3 for the BA flight.

This trip has been very OK in terms of work and in Radnor, Philadelphia a new place to visit.  A WCL Group leadership conference inter-mingled with some social networking in three amazing venues which included the Merion cricket club. Merion Cricket Club is a private club in Haverford, Pennsylvania, founded in 1865.  There we stood having drinks overlooking a pristine cricket ground where the outfield had a number of croquet fields along with four tennis courts.  The cricket season having finished.  A lovely dinner on an open terrace.

Another evening was spent at The Philadelphia Club is a gentlemen's club in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; the oldest club of its kind in the United States.  Built in 1863 the high ceilings were just amazing as were the pictures of past members. Among the club's guests have been eleven U.S. Presidents: Martin Van Buren, James K. Polk, James Buchanan, Franklin Pierce, Ulysses S. Grant, Theodore Roosevelt,William H. Taft, William McKinley, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Gerald R. Ford, George H. W. Bush so we were indeed honoured to visit such a place. (list from Wikipedia!) The club had been closed to members for the evening to allow the ladies of our party to join in the dinner.

Despite these two fine evenings the most enjoyable was at the home of the WCL Board Chairman where he and his wife were the most perfect hosts to a relaxing evening sipping wine form the magnificent wine cellar, chatting and sampling a full range of canapés.  And you thought I was there to work?

 

Flight delayed at LHR for 90 minutes whilst sitting on the plane making it a long trip.  BA didn't really excel in service at this time as not even offered a drink.  Still flight passsed realitively quickly as I was sitting next to a lady who works for the Forces service and was goin to visit the schools in Cyprus.  We had a lot to talk about.  Eventually back to the house at 1700.  Lillian has got the timing perfect from my call when it lands for he to be ready to pick me up as I leave the terminal.

Eric and Marion (Lillian's sister) are with us and they seem to have already made a number of visits to the 'sites'.  A walk into the village for an evening meal togther at KoKos.