Two beautiful days

Wow! Summer has come and in February too.  Two beautiful days with temps about 24C and rising when sitting out of the breeze.  Clear blue skies with hardly a cloud to be seen.

With such lovely warm weather time for our favourite passtime of all beach walking.  However at Faros we were stopped by an armed and face painted soldier who appeared from a bush blocking our way.  The army were playing war games and firing canon / rockets out into the sea.  Not sure what they were aiming at as nothing could be seen just the boom and a few seconds later large plumes of smoke / water spray.

It looked as if this was the cypriot army and it all looked pretty laid back especially when we walked through the Faros car park to see young guys standing around with coke cans laughing and joking.  There is still national service here for young cypriots who spend two years of their lives doing what I am not sure.  However I guess Cyprus is in a vulnerable position.  So close to Syria and the troubles there and of course half of the island is illegally occupied by the Turks, for which there seems no solution.

The sea was beautifully clam and time was spent wandering around a new development of 32 houses that have been built on the cliff tops which is nearing completion.  We were able to look inside furnished show houses.  Nice and a great location with large private swimming pools but very small for permanent residence.  Ideal holiday homes.  We were told only 4 remained unsold.

A trip into the village and a typical meal at KoKos.  Long time since I had eaten one of the huge pork chops that are served in every establishment, except the fish restaurants of course.  They are just huge and its only when finished you feel guilty of eating so much.  Into the Cottage Pub for a swift half on the way home leads to more than one and a late night.

More bookings with friends and family to stay.  We already have 6 weeks now, which we will enjoy, but if you are thinking of coming and you are most welcome, get booking!

A week in Doha

So back here in Pervolia once again after a week away in sunny Doha.  As ever its good to be back and just spend some time 'chilling' although apart from one very heavy rain storm on Saturday afternoon the weather has been 'very pleasant' so far.  Far better than what the UK are currently having!

Doha was thee same as ever, traffic at every roundabout and cross roads.  Does anyone drive anything other than large 4 x4s?  Not very many that's for sure.  5 days of meetings and dinners with people that you don't really want to chat to from 0700 to 2300 each day is not so great fun.  Dinners? Enjoyed the new Gordon Ramsey restaurant in the St Regis Hotel where we were staying. He was 'not in the office' however the influence on the food is clear ...... for me wagyu burger.  We were told the beef had come from Japan.  very good and some hand cut fries that nearly but not quite matched fries made from Cyprus potatoes.

Great hotel.  First time I have stayed there which was interesting as we used to watch its construction from our apartment when living in Doha.  As ever the space in Middle East hotels is amazing with huge, high ceiling-ed reception and lounge areas. You always have to expect the unexpected in this sort of hotel and this time it was unique.  The Rolls Royce used by King George V as part of his coronation!

Red line marks edge of plot!

Work was mainly with company investors, visiting the schools and discussing the 5 year plan.  This gets a little 'contentious' when you take visitors to a desert plot and say 'Yes we will have a school here in 18 months' especially if they have never see such a site before.  It was amusing watching one female visitor trying to walk across sand in 6 inch high heeled shoes.

Lillian has been busy in the Uk whilst I hav been away and look forward to welcoming her back later tonight.

Where's the blue skies gone?

After writing how good the weather has been all of a sudden the blue is gone and big black clouds take away the deep blue skies.  Late morning we were subject to the most violent of storms with very strong winds and lashing rain.  The change happened so quickly it was hard to fathom but it sure did rain and the wind whipped the two chairs we had on the patio way across the garden.  Within an hour ...... normal blue skies return.

So its travelling time again and I write this short note from Bahrain airport as I wait the connecting flight to Doha where I will be for the week.  Work will be important this week, meeting a number of investors and continuing to develop our new school project.  As ever a nice hotel to stay in.  This time the St Regis which should be good (all hotels are good in Doha) to see as it was being built when we lived in Doha from 2008-2009.

So back in Pervolia next weekend .... until then

Working from home

I'm sure that people think that because we live here in Cyprus that I'm out in the sunshine all of the time, having great fun, beach walking,bike riding, getting a tan and that's it.  Unfortunately its not true.  I work.  Not such a great idea but I do.  Some seem to immediately think of the perceived advantages

• No boss to tell you what to do
• Your time is your own
• You're home with the one you love more than anything

Ha! Aren't those same benefits sometimes the very stumbling blocks to getting work done from home?

"No boss to tell you what to do" sounds great until you realize that this means you answer to yourself and a Chairman, CEO and CFO who keep phoning you for the latest info on what is going on in USA and Qatar!  How would I know? - I'm not there!

You have to make sure you start work on time. Yes that can be three hours before most people get out of bed due to time differences.

You have to make sure you stop work on time.  Fine - try telling the Americans that when they want to speak at 3pm in the afternoon their time ....... excuse me I'm thinking of relaxing its 11pm.

"Your time is your own" may give me peace of mind knowing that I can always do it tomorrow... as long as I didn't say the same thing yesterday. "You're home with your loved one" is only great if I'm talking to Lillian and listening to her once and a while - right?

For me, finding the time to take a shower is probably #1 on my list of top ten struggles when it comes to working from home

Yesterday was a beautiful day with blue skies and temps, clearly displayed by my new weather station, which was showing up to 24C in the afternoon on the patio.  Not that I saw much of it having started with a call at 0630 and still at computer and phone in dressing gown 7 hours later!  Grrrrr it was a tough work day!

Lillian is truly a saint providing cups of tea and sandwiches at appropriate intervals. We did manage at least a walk into the village and an appearance in the Cottage Pub.  Not many there although the few regulars seemed genuinely pleased to see us.  A 'Valentine' special meal in the Coast of India, our favourite Indian restaurant of all places, even surpassing Shapla in Ruislip, bakc in London.  We counted 22 eating, which is a record breaker, haven't seen so many people in there for a long time.  Perhaps their bargain special was a draw.  Two courses, wine and beer for 28 Euros .... great deal and excellent food too.

Back into Blue skies and sunshine

Back to beach walking

After almost six weeks away its good to be back here in our 'home'.  A good time has been had by all with visits to places afar, places we have never seen before and at times shared with people we have never met before.  It has been so enjoyable but its good to be back.

The house has survived our being away and is all in one piece and much to our delight the garden has stood up well to any bad weather that has been and gone.  I remember so well being quite upset to return last January in the UK to a garden that was best described as 'bashed' - this year there are a few leaves to collect and a remarkable absence, although not totally of 'Charlie'.  If you don't know Charlie then you will have to refer back to early last year when it was a regular visitor to these pages.

Blue skies make you feel so much better and temperatures have certainly been in the low 70F since we have been back.  A good time for beach walking to Faros with scarcely anyone to be seen.  The sea is calm, hardly any wind and was even warm enough to sit on two plastic sun loungers that somebody has been kind enough to place under the blue umbrella on what we affectionately call Umbrella Beach.

During our time away work took me twice to Chicago along with New York and Boston.  BA airmiles the 'payback' from time away and the highlight was our much waited cruise holiday to the Caribbean and its environs of Belize, Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico.  Great places to visit, although for me, some of them once!  Never having been before on a cruise it was with some trepidation that we set off on the flight to Miami where we were scheduled to pick up the Severn Seas Navigator.  We should not have worried as everything from th hotel we stayed out first night in to the cabin on the ship to the wining and dining to the excursions ashore were well organised and certainly 'fine' - especially the wining and dining.  Won't disclose how much weight we put on ..... let's just say we both did.  4 days in Miami on the way home were also well received and the chance to sit on the beach for a couple of the days in temps reaching the 80F as great.  A stroll down Ocean Drive was also a time to savour.  We met a number of very interesting people to spend time with and share stories - Craig and Andrea if you are reading this it was very good to meet you guys and we practice our shuffle board (somewhere) so we will be in form when we visit!  Our first cruise, perhaps the sign of old age creeping in as it certainly won't be our last.

Follow the link here to view some (but not all) of our pictures https://picasaweb.google.com/114877672570450880332/Cruise#5844800252636253890

Travelling starts

First walk of 2013

Well as shown in the block on the right handside its 'Travelling time' and today we leave Cyprus for almost 5 weeks.  This morning is the usual rushing around that is before any trip.  Lillian to the bank, empty the hot tub, button down the hatches etc etc.

The weather has been wonderful throughout our stay although last night there were heavy rain storms accompanied by huge claps of thunder but today is once again bright sunny and warm.  A quick check on the Chicago weather shows it currently 12F which is 20F below freezing.  Sure will need to take my winter woolies but at least no snow forecast for there .............. yet!

Need to go .................. but will be back soon, well soonish

Happy New Year

Sun sets for the last time in 2012

Happy New Year Everyone!

2012 shows a total of 115 posts documenting our life here in Cyprus.  Each one is a happy moment sooooooooo

New Year resolutions:

to have more happy times here and make more than 115 posts!

Welcome more visitors so that our stone collection grows.

Work less and walk, bike and swim more!

What wonderful weather

It feels kinda smug knowing that the UK has such terrible weather at the moment when it is so lovely here.  Just like UK summer days - mid 70s and blue skies.

So the last few days have been 'make the most of it' with beach walks and bike rides.  The 'gadget' (bought from Lidl) fixed to the wheel of the bike not only tells distance travelled, speed, average speed, time cycling etc but it also shows temperature which has been showing a steady 76F even when cycling close to the water.

A nice evening walking around Larnaca brought a stop at Ocean Basket for one of the best fish meze / platters that we have tasted here.  We will go again taking visitors in the future it was so good.

A walk into the village for Saturday football and yet another Ipswich win brought smiles on faces.  Good times!

Xmas Days

Hanging decs by Lillian

We had a lovely Xmas day. The weather was absolutely beautiful, as it is today with glorious blue skies and sunshine. We walked the beach, showered, went to the pub which was jolly and then home the one of Lillian's best ever Xmas dinners. The goose and all the trimmings were fab .............. so good we had exactly the same yesterday. The scales this morning have showed the impact of lazing around.

However the outstanding news of the day was to receive a text from Andrew to say that he had proposed to Eve who had accepted!  Totally taken aback and completely unexpected. However congratulations to them both.

Where's the dinner gone?

Yesterday was more of the same with a morning bike ride and time to sit on the beach watching a very brave swimmer going back and fore.  Talking to him after he eventually re-appeared on land we were told he was a triathlete who lived in New York but had  a villa on the beach which he visits 4 /5 times a year.  On Xmas Day he had cycled to Limassol and back as part of his training! 

A quick visit to the pub to watch some football as our new internet, via a great big satellite dish was not working and early to bed .............. eating and drinking is exhausting!

Well almost a month has gone

Since the last post.  And what a busy month it has been with more travelling during which time we have been ...............

Cyprus to London to Washington DC to London to Cyprus to Dubai to Doha to Dubai to Cyprus.  It has been a hectic time and its good to be back here for a while before returning to the UK for the New Year and then off to our long awaited cruise.

Highlights of the last month has been the visit of Sarah, Lillian's niece who had the honour of being the last visitor of the year.  Sarah state with us for five days at the end of November, when the weather was just lovely and she was able to sit, enjoy the garden, some walks and read.  Wow what a quick reader.  I think the count was four books in five days.  It is always good to have time to relax.  As ever there were times for eating and drinking in the village and people watching in The Cottage Pub.  Sarah left her stone commemorating her and Lillian jogging up to Faros lighthouse and one for her Mum Vivien who surely would already have the most stones laid for visits.  Vivien had at least made the trip to the house before we moved in so it was fitting to have that visit commemorated evermore.

Washington was fine but a busy trip but we were at least able to do some Xmas shopping although both Lillian and I worked for five days.  Lillian doing some support work with teachers while I was there.

Trip to the Uk included sadly a visit to Clacton for the funeral of Uncle Chas.  It is always good to see the family, even in sad circumstances and we renewed invites for many to come and visit.  Surely bookings for 2013 will commence soon.

Dubai was surprisingly dull and grey and at times wet, but it was good to see friends Tommy and Eliza and enjoy riding the Metro which had not been completed when we left in 2008.

Back here there has been a mix of sun and heavy rain with some strong electric storms and high winds. The wind whipped the glass from the patio table smashing it into thousands of pieces.  Still we wont need it until the warm sun comes again in March / April.  A new purchase I fear as I cant think where we get a replacement.  There is plenty to do in the garden with the need to trim the bougainvillaea etc.   It still looks lovely.


So a Christmas in Cyprus.  Will try to keep you updated.