Friday 6th April 2012

Rosemary's birthday today.

The weather continues to be nice with temperature in the low 80F so it was a day sitting around the garden and enjoying the sun before a drive into Larnaca early evening and a stroll before eating at one of the tavernas along the water edge.  All finished off with a gelo ice-cream.

Thursday 5th April 2012

 Much to our continued amazement and delight work continues on the road with trucks going up and down along with a water sprayer and a 'steam roller'  I wonder why I still refer to them by that name after all its a long time since they were driven by steam.  Perhaps its from childhood memories of the excitement a real stem engine caused when one came to flatten a hole in the road?  Anyway it did its job and the white stones and dusty mix have now been compacted hard and give a flat 'white road'.  Will the boys from the black stuff arrive tomorrow?

After a relatively slow start to the day it was off to Lefkosia for an explore to find Ercan airport that we fly from to Turkey on Monday night for a weeks’ golf.  First stop was dropping Rosemary and Hugh to explore in the old part of Lefkosia whilst we headed to the border for passage through passport control into the northern part of Cyprus (the dark side) as its referred to by locals.  First mistake of the day was to say to R & H that we would meet them by the statue at the entrance to the traditional shops.  They spent all their time looking for a statue that had been removed a month before with the renovation of the park!

At the border €75 buys car insurance for a year - better than €25 for one month.  The airport was a lot further to the east of Northern Lefkosia than we had been led to believe and it took about 35 minutes to reach it.  Very small although the terminal looked modern.  The important thing we confirm that we can leave the car there for the week for a cost of 45TL.  A bargain when yopu consider what it might cost to park a car for a week at London Heathrow.

Mistake number two on the way back - we missed the turning back to the border control.  Not surprising as they are not signed and looked different from the reverse direction.  This causes a 40Km ride along a new dual carriageway until we can turn round and get back.  Racing through the border, back to the south, by the time we had parked and walked we are 20 minutes late for our ‘pick up meet’ for R & H, who are eventually found wandering around looking for the statue!  A beer needed so we sit in a lovely square (with some fries to nibble) and watch the world go by.  No photos as I had forgotten the camera, however we will return.

Bak home its time to sit in the garden for yet more beer and wine.  The temperature is lovely and in Lefkosia earlier the car thermometer was registering 30C.

Wednesday 4th April 2012

Wow .... what a lovely day with temperatures as high as 28C during the afternoon.

The day started very early with a power cut at 0415 setting an alarm off in one of the unoccupied houses.  Although unoccupied they must have had their alarm set causing it to go off when the power went off.  Both myself and George, from across the street were out in the street, but there was nothing we could do until the 15 minutes of ringing passed and it switched itself off.  Back to bed for an even later start not rising until 1020.

A lazy day with friend Rosemary and Hugh, lounging in the garden chatting and of course clearing the 'Charlie' that had appeared during our absence.  It wasn't  too bad and perhaps we are gradually getting on top, although its all I really do is clear the tops as the roots are huge and spread like white noodles.  My obsession with the quick fix of 'dig it out' rather than spray and wait for it to die causes much fun with Lillian and our visitors thus far.  Today was no different.  rosemary and Hugh went off on a bike ride, following our instructions and directions about coastal paths.  They came back much later with a green helium ballon with the name 'Charlie' on it with the hope it would 'Send away evil Charlie spirits'.  A nice touch but not so sure how it will work.  The trowel seems to do the job.

We can't believe after all this time work has actually started on the road.  Huge lorries full of stones had been delivered while we were away and during the afternoon a JCB arrived and flattened it.  Back and fore it went and although disturbing with noise it was so good to see it happening.  Lets hope they continue to the finish.  Will keep you updated.  Sadly we can't say the same about the swimming pool, which is still without electricity, due to the non-payment of fees by the absent residents.  lillian was on the phone to the developer and the maintenance firm.  We will get this sorted, however it is a worry as with the sunshine will come a 'green pool' if not sorted soon.

As the sun set we drove to Zygi to have a fish meze overlooking the new harbour.  It seemed a good idea to sit outside but as the temperatures dropped it became quite cold.  Food was good but we 'raced' to the car to get the heater on for the drive back.

Tuesday 3rd April 2012

Dinner by the river

So in all nearly four weeks away.  Its good to be back.

Lillian in the National Art Gallery

The trip to Washington was successful from a work point and it was good to have Lillian join me for 10 days of the three week period.  The weather was really very good with some lovely warm sunny days of mid 70s with a few, dull, grey and even wet to spoil the run of fine weather.  When the sun shone people came out to play and Georgetown cafes and bars came to life with many opportunities to eat outside.

As ever we sampled a few with the highlights being a bar not far from the Arlington Bridge where you could sit by the river and watch rowers, including coxed eights go up and down.    Weekends meant being out walking and for the first time a visit to Roosevelt Island which is in the middle of the river Portomax and Washington harbour.  Another first was a few hours in the National Art Gallery where many masterpieces hang.  These included some various styles of Picasso and the famous self portrait by Vincent Van Gogh.

It was Cherry Blossom time - everywhere looked lovely

Only back in England for three days before heading to Cyprus where I was able to catch up with all three children and share a meal out with Steve and Emily on Monday night.

So 3rd April was return day.  The usual 0820 flight via British Airways which was completely full with every seat taken.  The majority were filled by families with a number of children.  Traveling with four under the age of 7 not my idea of fun, but even worse when they are sitting close to you and they start getting restless within the first thirty minutes of a flight.  You can chose your seat but nit who sits nearby.

With only hand luggage, a quick phone call to say ‘Honey I’m home” and I was soon in the car having been collected by Lillian at the departures drop off.  It was 10 minutes from home to the airport, she timed.  At home I was greeted by Rosemary and Hugh, friends form Dubai days who were making themselves comfortable in the garden.  They had arrived earlier in the day.  Three hours whizzed by catching up on news and after a beer and a glass of wine it was walk into the village to eat.  nice to be back. 

Thursday 8th March 2012

So that's it until 3rd April when we will return to welcome our next set of visitors and hopefully some more sunshine.  I am writing this before the day has really started but there are things to do.


As usual jobs to do before setting off.  A bit of cleaning and sorting inside and the last few bits in the garden.  Car cleaned of all the mud from the road, which will hopefully be dry on our return.  Will there be a permit to build an actual road?  Some how I doubt it.


It has been a great month here even though the weather has not  been great.  Highlights have to be the two trips out when sister-in-law Julia was with us.  The snow in the Troodos and looking out to sea at Cape Greeko.  We have got to cement our friendships with people in the pub and bowls club and look forward to representing the club the first time in a Charity Bowls match on 7th April.

I have taken lots of photos during the last month and only use a couple to illustrate the 'words of the day'.  


The attached are my two favourites.  The picture of Lillian and Julia, although it is a little blurred I was at least 80 yards away using the telephoto lens.  It just caught Julia waving and I am pleased how she is silhouetted against the snow background.  The picture taken across the salt flats at Meneou is great.  I saw this opportunity as I drove and quickly stopped by the side of the road and and clicked using the pocket camera not 'the big one'. The light changed within seconds of taking this picture and those that I took those few seconds later were nowhere near as nice.  It just seemed to capture the moment.  I am going to get some photo editing software whilst away and start photography for real.


BA flight at 1620 to London Heathrow Terminal 3 where hopefully Steve will be there to pick us up.  Already I am looking forward to being back here and the idea of working for the next three weeks is not appealing even though I will be in Washington DC.  Nice city, but I've done the sights and its now a place where there are other things to do.

Wednesday 7th March 2012

Picture taken at 0700 - this is why we love it so much.

Back to summer days ......... from 45F in the morning to 78F in the afternoon.  This is more like it!

So shorts on and T shirt and most of the day spent on garden related tasks, including sitting in the sunshine.  

3 trips to the beach for stone collecting although restricted t one bag only as the second, whose handles had broken last week completely disintegrated with a huge hole in the bottom.  Too much weight I fear.  This means I did not make the far corner as i intended but the black underlay is down and pinned so it just means a couple of more trips when I return in April.  To complete that section anyway.  There is still the pool wall to go and some of the ‘front garden’ wall.  Collecting the winter dead leaves that have fallen between the stones is a time consuming task, however with all the time in the world and the sun shining there is no hurry.  It is quite therapeutic and satisfying.  Everything looks neat and tidy

The last four bamboo poles were cut and fixed and the fencing is finished.  Little disappointed that some of the poles that I cut were slightly bent, but I think I got all of the best in the first two rows when I had no intention going to four.  Anyway its complete and now I am hoping to see lots of new leaves shooting on our return.

Lillian spent time on the phone with the complex maintenance company.  It seems it was not them that switched the electricity off but the electric company for non payment of bill.  As a number of owners on the complex have not paid their fees their are insufficient funds in the account to cover.  I help by firing off two assertive and stroppy emails to the two Brits that own houses but are yet to put in an appearance or pay any money!  There are too many that have not paid at all. This is of course worrying but I am sure with Lillian on the case we will get it sorted.

It was ‘Greek Lesson’ night so for the last time I dropped Lillian in the car to the Pervolia school.  Last lesson for nearly a month but also it will be back to walking to the village when we return in April.  Home for a while and then back to the village to meet Lillian in Bar Coast for what is now a ‘traditional’ weekly curry.

Tuesday 6th March 2012

The summer day of yesterday turned into an early dawn with today being grey and overcast with a couple of very heavy periods of rain.  This rain has returned our entrance roadway to a gooey, sticky mass once again and we will not be sorry to see the ends of the rains for this year.  I guess the rain cam because I cleaned the car.  It will need to wait now until Thursday morning for a clean before our departure.

Not much to do on such a day so a trip to the garden centre in Terrasfanou.  A good one to go to as it is virtually all under cover.  €25 was enough to buy 5 large daisy type flowers  ostespernum, which were set amongst the fencing and stones, 3 low climbing rockery type plants with a pretty white a purple flowers, 6 petunia which are now in the feature garden and a bowl with some garzinea.  All suitably placed late afternoon when the grey skies turned to blue and the sun shone.

Apart from watching 3 episodes of Prison Break that was about it for today and early to bed only to be woken a 12 midnight by a text message from Chris Plastow (A West Ham season ticket holder)  “Well done the Tractor Boys”.  This meant I had to get up, switch on the internet to find the score.  Ipswich had drawn 1-1 away against Southampton, who are top of the league.  Just as I had ‘predicted’ which take me to the dizzy height on the Ipswich Website Predictor league at 20th out of 386 people who are registered to predict the score of each game.  Next match away to Hull on Saturday, now let me see.  What will the score be?

Monday 5th March 2012

The fence - not finished but you can see what I'm doing!

Blue skies nothing but blue skies.  A lovely day which made us think that summer had come.  

Shorts weather and off to bowls, although I was the only one who thought that summer had come and my shorts brought a few comments.  First game finished in a defeat  with very little contribution from yours truly.  The second game was my first ever draw 10-10 with the opposition getting two points from the last end to secure a draw.  It felt like a defeat as we had been in the lead throughout.

Back home I continued fencing and made one trip to the beach for stones.  First such trip in a week and now there is pressure to finish the side wall before we leave on Thursday.  i don’t think I will make it as I estimate four or perhaps five more trips are required.

Whilst I was out in the garden Lillian spent a couple of hours working at her greek homework and preparing a ‘vocab’ book.  I admire her dedication to want to learn as I still cant get please and thank you correct.  

When we return in April we both will need to get back into the habit of walking into the village which takes no more than ten minutes but due to the bad weather and dark nights we have got into the habit of the car.  I drop Lillian at the Pervolia school for her lesson, returning home to do a bit of work before heading off again to the pub to wait for lillian to arrive.  In the pub I chat to Gareth and Jackie, new friends of a sort.  I say this as we only seem to see them in the pub!  Jackie works for Marcus Evans, the owner of Ipswich Town FC in his offices in Lefkosia as an accountant.  She tells stories of moving money around to pay the players which I always find intriguing.

Back home, after really one drink too many its a meal from the freezer and an episode of Prison Break, although I fall a sleep half way through, waking at the finishing titles.  Will need to re-run during the day.  I put the sleeping down to being woken at 0405 by the dust cart and not the extra drink!

Sunday 4th March 2012

View over salt flats at Meneou taken at 1630

We woke to a very overcast and grey sky which brought a short rain shower however this soon blew away on the wind leaving blue skies and sunshine.

Out in the garden for a couple of hours working on the ‘fence’ and then to sit in the sunshine, although still a need to wear a sweater.

Sunday lunch at Zephyros Beach Tavern on Mackenzy Beach.  It was packed and as we had not booked we had to wait for 15 minutes for a table.  Looking around there must have been at least 80 people in the restaurant and we were certainly the only ‘non-local’ guests.  Always a good sign for any restaurant if its full of locals.  We were not disappointed when it came to the food.  A fish meze with salad, humous, tazekie, and taramasalata to start followed by cuttlefish, prawns, mushrooms, calamari, octopus, crab and a variety of local fish including whitebait.  The highlight was a sea bass.  All washed down with cold local white wine and finished with gleeko, the local preserved fruit in sugar.  Truly a feast.  It will be a place to take visitors and we picked up a card as we can see a reservation is recommended.

After a drive through Larnaca along the coastal road stopping to take a picture of the sun shining through grey clouds and reflecting on the salt lakes near the airport at Meneou.   Back home and like all little piggies who eat too much we both dozed on the sofa.

Saturday 3rd March 2012

Last Saturday I wrote that you did not have to support a winning team to have a nice day, but its great when you do!  A 3-0 home win for Ipswich and a great win at bowls in the morning!  All for a very good day.

There were only a few at bowls in the morning as a match had been played the day before.  Only three lanes in operation but two very good games in which I played OK after the first few ends of getting my ‘eye in’ so to speak.  The most exciting was the first game where my team won on the very last bowl never having been in the lead throughout the game.

A quick trip into Larnaca to collect the laundry and visit Lidl for supplies.  When we looked at the trolley the majority seemed to be wine and beer!  Stocking up for the run of visitors we will have when we return here in April after the work trip.

Some more fence weaving which has taken complete priority over stone collecting and at 1630 a walk into the village to the pub for Saturday afternoon football.  A large cheer erupted as I walked through the door, making me think my popularity had reached new levels, only to see on the big screen that Arsenal had just scored against Liverpool.  The pub was quite full and banter flew across the room between the two respective sets of supporters.

An enjoyable couple of hours chatting and football score watching whilst two games were shown live on the big screens.  Lillian joined later having stayed behind to make up the bed in the blue room ready for Hugh and Rosemary who arrive on 4th April.

A nice evening meal in the village and one episode of Prison Break before bed.  A nice day.