Month: September 2017

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I went to Atakara early and bought some freshly baked cheese stuffed rolls for breakfast and also Cyprus Today, not that there is ever much news in it but I may miss something vital apart from things such as “Visitors told to use Ercan” (front page), well, we always do! Well, at least a letter in there that I entirely agree with….

Twenty five tl for a brandy sour?!!! The most I will pay is 13tl and if it’s no good I’ll send it back. Be sure to see the prices prior to ordering or walk away!! If anything is “priceless” we don’t buy! Scandalous when a bottle of brandy is so cheap. 

We spent most of the day emptying boxes we shipped over here that were full of photos. Oh my goodness did we reminisce! We managed to shred masses that were rather irrelevant nowadays. We talked about our first loves and this was mine and amazingly Ken and I are still in touch. I think we were about 16 here.

Yes, they were stitches over my eye. Ken and I went to Watford Market and I fainted and fell and hit my head. Even now I remember coming round and people hovering over me saying “Oh, she must be on drugs”. Of course I wasn’t. Ken had a fantastic scooter as a lot of ‘mods’ did in those days . My father whose friend had been killed on a motorbike told me I was not to go on it…of course I did, I never listened. So, the day of Watford Market, we went on Ken’s scooter and then because I ended up in hospital somehow my dad found out we had gone there by scooter!! Oh my goodness the things I remember!    

In the evening we were going to Charcos with Margaretha but they were fully booked so we have booked for another day. There seems to be a lot of tourists around  and we keep being asked if we have booked, so a quick phone call to Blue Door and we had a table reserved earlyish as they were busy too. This was supposed to be holiday visit this time, and now we have sold, we’ve decided  to work during the day and let someone else do the cooking at night.

We were at our table at 6.30. Mal had the enormous pork chop and I had the fresh tuna, it was so good. We ate our meal and were thinking about leaving when Gavin set up a music set and the lady with him brought round song sheets….erm yes, definitely time to leave!

Thought for the Day – “A great attitude becomes a great day which becomes a great month which becomes a great year which becomes a great life.” ~ Mandy Hale

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Another day of sorting. I started on the photos, we brought over so many thinking we were going to live here forever, so now we have to sort out the last 30 + years at least and then start on the slides. When my mother became elderly she decided one day to burn all her photos. My sister and I were horrified when we found out. When we get ours back to the UK, we will have to pass them on down the line I think. Thank goodness so many of mine are now online.

I did a bit of shopping as we were running out of water. 19 litres of Icy is 4.99tl. (£1) Grapes are 7.10tl  (£1.50) a kilo, cucumbers 4.95tl (£1) a kilo, cherry tomatoes 7.90tl (£1.65) a kilo, apples 5.50tl (£1.15) a kilo, a large bunch of rocket 1.90tl (40p). Just an idea of some of the prices.  

In the evening we had dinner at Lokmans, not far to go and Mal fancied fish and chips. I hate greasy food and theirs certainly is not. But Mal had all my chips and most of the batter and I asked for a side salad so it was really nice. It’s now 28tl (£5.85) for cod, chips and mushy peas. They said we should have booked but found us a table anyway! We don’t like booking anywhere because by the time the evening comes we may not feel like going! They are always busy on Fridays.The kittens enjoyed some of my fish too!

Thought for the Day – “Some people are so poor all they have is money.” ~ Bob Marley

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We are now getting used to the horrific traffic jams and so we left early and headed for the Land Registry. We were so prepared we arrived there at 8.40. Azmi arrived at 9 and Soner (our buyer) was late but then he is a Turkish Cypriot! By this time as usual, the land registry office started getting busy and chaotic. We had our passports with us, the original Kocan (deeds) , driving license and Azmi told us we needed no money. All our bills had been settled the previous day at the Beledeysi.

Soner and his wife stayed in one section while we went off with Azmi to the other building where they produce a yellow form , 4 copies with no carbon so Mal and I have to sign all 8 copies, one in his name and one in my name as the house was in joint names. THEN the lady says we have to pay land tax because (wait for this one) “we have trees on the land”. Yes, the land did have originally until the big fire of 1997 when they all burnt down, we still have the tree stumps to prove it as one of them I made into a fairy house. But we have a really old Kocan, so we have to pay it….roughly £1,000!! This is now getting a bit of a joke and as much as Azmi tries, we are going to have to pay this new tax they have just dreamt up. He has never heard of it before. Well, I didn’t have a spare grand in my pocket and I don’t carry a load of cards with me so nothing else for it but to drive back home and get a card to pay up. This took us over an hour in 34 degree heat.

We met Azmi, went back to the payment office with him by which time it has gone up to £2,000!  My flabber was certainly gasted! I have to say Azmi was shocked too. He argued that this was wrong while Mal and I stood there waiting for the girls calculator to make up another larger figure if we left it too long! Azmi went off to see the boss. He came back and another long discussion with the girl along with two other members of staff who had joined in. Finally the original figure was agreed on and we paid up. How can you argue with them? The cashier finally completed the work on the four sets of forms while the three of us were waiting anxiously clock watching as the offices closed at 12. It was then a mad dash, run actually, back across the car parks to the original building and into the office where Soner and his wife were waiting. Another lengthy process but more involving Soner than us, more forms for us all to sign and finally the bankers draft was handed over and as often happens by this time (12.30) we had all been locked in the offices. We were let out and we have sold our house. OK, half the original asking price but at our age we decided we have known so many people who have died from the stress of all of this, so better for us to think of our health and let it go. It is not easy to keep it on long distance and anyway, there are other places we want to visit for our holidays.

Photos were taken of Soner and his wife with us but at the moment he doesn’t want them putting on the internet, so I respect that. They seem a really nice couple and part of the deal is that we can stay in the house until our flight in a couple of weeks. We need that time to empty the house of our personal things. The furniture is staying.

We then walked around the corner to Peanuts for a drink and sit by the sea! We were exhausted.

 
From here we drove to Creditwest to deposit the bankers draft and had an appointment with Deniz. She was with someone and so we walked around the corner to Tempo coffee shop until she was finished. Now we have to wait for this to clear and have another appointment to see her next week.

Then on to Azant to thank Azmi and Anthony. I never thought I would use all these words together in one sentence…..”A good estate agent in North Cyprus.” Today I did for the first time! We arrived last week, they had three interested buyers, we accepted an offer and within 8 days the process had been completed and there wasn’t even any need for a solicitor, Azmi did all that.  

We arrived home and both jumped in the pool! Proof, if we needed any of how much stress we have been under, Mal layed down on the bed and was asleep within seconds! 

In the evening we just decided to drive and think about where we would eat once we passed somewhere. We went to Seapoint in Lapta. The nice waiter we have missed at Acmenya greeted us, so he has obviously a new job there. We sat at a table and then a voice said “well, it’s Mal and Maggie.” We looked and it was Joan and Jeff and they invited us to join them at their table. After such an awful day we had such a lovely evening with them. Joan has recently had an operation on her back but seems to be recovering well bless her. It was so nice catching up and reminiscing. Thank you Joan and Jeff,

 A perfect end to a tough day.

Thought for the Day – “Happiness is meeting an old friend after a long time and feeling that nothing has changed.”

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We had to be at the estate agents for 9am so that Azmi could go with Mal to the Beleydesi to ask for a form saying that all our property tax bills have been paid. I didn’t hang around as it only took one of us. I happened to see David who had dropped his car off for repair, so I gave him a lift back home. When Mal arrived back, we both went over to have coffee with David and Kenny. Thank goodness Kenny looked a lot better since the last time we saw him. They showed us Kenny’s X Ray of his smashed up arm, not good. At least he has his plaster off now and is doing physio. 

We had lunch and then I ran David to Kervansaray to collect his repaired car.

We will miss out little visitors, our house geckos and all the different colours of praying mantis.

In the evening I was looking to go somewhere different and it is a couple of years since we have eaten at Destiny,  Çatalköy and remember the food being good. It is next to Cratos and I think some of the residents walk up there for a feeling of local cuisine.There are now fewer and fewer traditional places. It is being taken over by Gloria Jeans and the like.Destiny is on the main road but not right next to it. Well, it seemed like a good idea until we ended up sat in traffic again, another accident, also someone swerving in front of me, obviously dropped both his phone and kebab. I can’t believe the traffic is so bad. It’s just crawling in and out of Girne. It never used to be like this. It re affirmed to us both how the island has changed and not for the better. We also spotted a good half dozen prostitutes on the edges of Girne. That would never have been seen years ago. We all know they are in the “night clubs” but not walking the streets!

I didn’t give up, even though I considered it and we finally arrived at Destiny. They now do a set  three course meal for 45tl    (£9.37). If you book a table you also get a free drink included but we hadn’t. 

It’s a real family friendly place and Gemma and Mehmet had their two children there. 

We had to have the moussaka which is just so good. I also had crab fishcakes to start, far better than any I have had before, not, deep fried! At least after all that traffic, the food was worth it. 

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We spent the morning clearing out things until we had nearly a car load for Margaretha, so asked her when she was in. After lunch we dropped everything off at her house and she asked if we could run her to Ozanköy as her people carrier was being repaired. Of course we arrived there and it wasn’t finished and so we went to The Stone Cavern for a drink to wait. Mal took a picture but Margaretha was sorting her hair out!!

Eventually it was finished and so we drove back home but it was rush hour and so took us over an hour! So we sat in the traffic totally amazed at all the high rise going up everywhere in Girne. It is getting ruined in spite of all the planning rules, the wealthy are getting away with it here too.

In the evening we went to eat at Cano’s Green Palace in Karsiyaka. It’s such a nice place and never seems to be very busy. We both had Kleftico which was a very reasonable 35tl . I often have tuna there as they are fisherman and go and catch their own but tonight I was tempted by the Kleftico. Often you have to order it before you go.

We were also tempted by the home made cheese cake but Mal had to finish mine.

Thought for the Day -“Remember there is no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.” ~ Scott Adams

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I do have one piece of Cristina’s art work that I bought from her many, many years ago. That has to go to the UK with me in spite of the fact it is really heavy!

Thought for the Day – “Life is so ironic, it takes sadness to know what happiness is, noise to appreciate silence and absence to value presence.” 

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I have to say that the standard of internet connection has gone downhill. Skype is useless and I keep seeing ‘connection lost’. It is not Multimax’s fault. As far as we are concerned they have been excellent. We ask them to put our internet on just before we arrive and it is always ready. Another case of the north part of the island being controlled by Turkey and as Dominic says in NCFP it doesn’t bode well for the water supply, now coming from Turkey. This, it has to be said was one of our concerns when the man ‘at the top’ in Turkey has carried out some pretty outrageous things already. It’s a shame when we have the waterfall supply just up the road from us but that has now been cut off and we are connected to Turkish water. 

We went to Pine Bay car boot just to see if it would be worth us doing a stall there next week. No, we didn’t think so but we had a chat with our Cypriot neighbour from the village. I always spoke to him when I was dog walking, he can’t speak a word of English and I have lost a lot of my Turkish now but it was nice to see him. It looks as though charity will be getting a lot of our possessions. That’s what comes of 2 homes in 2 countries, far too much!  

For a late lunch we went to Açmenya, our favourite on a Sunday and the closest to us. The waiter seemed pleased to see us and gave a huge smile when he handed me my brandy sour. He knows how I love them and they make such good ones. I then realised why he smiled, there was a huge amount of brandy in it but it was lovely.  Mal even had seconds for dessert! This has to be the best place for a Sunday lunch especially if you have grown tired of a meze and something on a stick.

A bit of a rest in the afternoon before the onslaught of clearing the house IF this sale goes through (ye of little faith!)

Thought for the Day – “A ‘No’ uttered from deepest conviction is better then a ‘Yes’ merely uttered to please, or worse to avoid trouble.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi