Archives for April 2015 | On The Island

Thursday, April 23rd, 2015Friday, April 24th, 2015

Thursday 23rd April 2014

Oh my, we had a thunderstorm and torrential rain! It was TEN degrees when we got up!

Today is St George’s Day in England and it is Children’s Day in the TRNC.

As soon as the rain stopped Mal and I started all the gardening/cleaning. What a mammoth task when we haven’t been here. Family have visited but they come for holidays, not to work! A full day.

We rewarded ourselves by eating out at The Copper Pot at the Almond Holiday Village. We have been told it is good, if a little more expensive than most but we have never been. Tonight we did. It has quite a varied menu including Ottoman dishes which very few restaurants on the island do. That is what we both had and very good they were too. It doesn’t open until 19.30.

Thought for the Day – “I have never met a strong person with a easy past.”

Wednesday, April 22nd, 2015Thursday, April 23rd, 2015

Wednesday 22nd April 2015

Come to sunny Cyprus the adverts say. It was cloudy and we even had some rain. I started on cleaning the shutters, well the ones under the terrace while it was raining!

Ellie has been with Rhys on his morning run and is getting on really well with Roddy! Last night she slept with Josie!

Mal has lost a tooth since we were here last and so needs a replacement, so I called Ipek (at Smile in Girne) .So we went today and I have an appointment for a clean on Friday. She is a very good dentist and speaks very good English. I know if we don’t start sorting everything our time here will just fly by with little achieved. We also called into a couple of estate agents to sell our place.

In the evening we drove to Lapta and ate in Charcos. It has to be our favourite place to eat here. Cristina is so nice and friendly and although the menu is limited it is always good local food. You just order the mains course and included in the price is a starter with bread. Your main comes with salad and chips, made from proper Cyprus potatoes. Then a dessert followed by coffee and brandy. I asked for sea bass and Christina explained that she would not buy them as they are too small at the moment. That’s another thing about this restaurant, she will always suggest the best. Tonight it was the sea bream and it was so good and so much meat on it. So, that’s what I had and Mal had the mixed grill. It has to be the best sea bream I have eaten. We both just love the atmosphere in here. So, three courses each, coffee and brandy, 2 Efes, a water and a Yedigun and the bill came to 76tl, which at today’s exchange rate is £18.62. Wow!

We ate in Charcos last July and in spite of the improved exchange rate , their prices have remained the same. I also love Cristina’s art work. We have one of her paintings in our villa. I think we bought it 10 years ago.

A lovely evening and a little piece of the old Cyprus before the Gloria Jeans et al moved in and made it less attractive to our way of thinking.

Thought for the Day – “Life may not be the party we hoped for. But while we are here, we may as well dance.” ~ Jeanne C Stein

Tuesday, April 21st, 2015Wednesday, April 22nd, 2015

Tuesday 21st April 2015

Mal managed to get the water flowing by priming the pump as it must have had air in it. The water came out quite a funny colour until we ran some off. Then chrome made an update on my computer and then I couldn’t use it, so Mal had to sort all that out for me. Then the kitchen tap broke, water leaking everywhere. I just did loads of cleaning and that was the entire morning gone.

We went to buy a new kitchen tap. I suppose the one that was on there had been there for 12 years! The cost with all the fittings 75tl (£18.73) . I remember now how cheap a lot of things are here. We also filled the car with petrol – 3.13tl a litre (78p) . There was no petrol cap when I went to the filling station so we popped into Acmenya to let them know we hadn’t lost it, there wasn’t one on it. The start of the bulls**t……..the girl in the office said, “we don’t use them in this country”! I have a Ford C Max in the UK and have a Ford Focus here and I certainly have one, so the one here should have one. Obviously thought we were tourists!

Some of the fittings weren’t the right ones for the tap so back we had to go again to the yapi. It’s surprising how a day can just disappear.

So, in the evening we went out to dinner. A new (to us) place has opened on the strip in Lapta called the Fly Inn, so we gave it a try. It has cold dishes on display in a chiller cabinet so you can see what food you are going to get. However I ordered sea bass and they didn’t have any. It has a really nice outside area overlooking the sea but it was far too windy for that. We were also given a small meze and dessert included in the price. They also do take away. (0533 830 0277)

Monday, April 20th, 2015Tuesday, April 21st, 2015

Monday 20th April 2015

Torin was up early and off up North for work. We had breakfast with Charlotte and then she was off for an interview and we packed again ready for the drive to Stansted. The airport is being revamped and is a bit of a mess at the moment.

I do hate this plane journey. The plane was late taking off (flypigs). When we were nearing Istanbul the plane had to stack.

We arrived at Ercan having booked hire car with Acmenya. The reason we used them was because they are just down the road if anything is wrong! They were there waiting with the car and we drove to Malatya. A couple of pots have smashed in our absence, also one of my butterflies has been blown off the wall and smashed and we couldn’t get any water. As well as that my phone, although it had been “topped up” online didn’t work either. Our daily payment for internet did work so at least we have Skype. The water problem we were both so tired we decided to leave for another day!

We did however receive an email from Lou saying everything was fine with Ellie and she had been to the beach with Roddy chasing around. It seems weird not having Ellie here.

Sunday, April 19th, 2015Monday, April 20th, 2015

Sunday 19th April 2015

They are going to the polls today in North Cyprus. Many believe there won’t be an outright winner, if not then more voting in a weeks time.

We packed our things as we are flying to Cyprus on Monday. First stop was Lou and Rhys’s as they are looking after Ellie. She loves it there with all the kids. Then we drove to Torins. Scarlet and Jack were very excited to see us.

Grandad was as silly as he always is with them.

Saturday, April 18th, 2015Sunday, April 19th, 2015

Saturday 18th April 2015

Bargains – Currys Voucher Codes | 50% off | currys.co.uk & Valueflora Discount Code | 10% off | valueflora.com & Kwik Fit MOT | Book Online | 10% off | kwik-fit.com & Matalan Sale Online | 50% off | matalan.co.uk & Allbeauty Discount Code | 80% off | allbeauty.com & Wallis Discount Code | 60% off | wallis.co.uk

I walked to the allotment with Mal and left him there planting potatoes. I met Christine and Murphy, so Ellie had a good chase around with Murphy. She has a lot of friends to play with here.

Another sunny day.

For those in north Cyprus, election day tomorrow, so no alcohol being sold in restaurants until the voting closes.

We watched the Reading v Arsenal game. Reading played well. I felt so sorry for their goalie.

Thought for the Day – “This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples. No need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple. The philosophy is kindness.” ~ Dalai Lama

Friday, April 17th, 2015Saturday, April 18th, 2015

Friday 17th April 2015

We drove out to Stourmouth, not far from home and walked along the Saxon Shore footpath alongside the river. A really nice walk. Thankfully Ellie didn’t jump in the river although she came close to it a couple of times.

We had a long walk and then stopped at the pub, The Dog and Duck at Plucks Gutter. They have dog water bowls outside. I shouldn’t be surprised I think every pub round here is dog friendly! We just had a coffee in the garden.

I think we are making up for time we have missed living in Cyprus and now visiting our old haunts and new ones around where we are now living. Previously we lived in Sevenscore and Minster.

We then drove to Goodnestone, a couple of miles from where we live and a pub called The Fitz (Fitzwalter Arms). Coincidently Becci who used to work at The Dog Inn is now working here, so we had a long chat and also to the new landlady,Jeanette. Jeanette and Bob have not been in the pub long but are doing wonders with it. So, we stayed for lunch , 2 courses for £6.95! Another dog friendly pub and they even have a dog treats tin!

We were in good company having our lunch as Lady Fitzwalter and her friends were also eating there!!

Thought for the day – “If we are ever to enjoy life, now is the time, not tomorrow or next year….Today should always be our most wonderful day.” ~ Thomas Dreier