Archives for March 2017 | On The Island

Friday, March 17th, 2017Saturday, March 18th, 2017

Friday 17th March 2017

Gardening and lots of chopping back and down! We have so much land and now trees are encroaching and making it look smaller than it is, so we are trying to open it up more. I can’t believe how everything has grown but then it has been a wet winter here. I am very conscious of loitering snakes when I am weeding. It was the beginning of April that our last dog Rosie was bitten in the face by a Montpelier. When I mention to expats about the snakes, many of them don’t know there are snakes here!

We have a lot of cats in our garden and around. The black cat came and saw us the moment we arrived and keeps visiting. I am mentioning cats because I remember one of the cats catching and killing a baby blunt nosed viper on our drive! So, hopefully they keep the snakes at bay.

We drove into Girne and went to Kibtek to put some credit on our electricity bill to cover when we are away. We queued only to eventually be told that the computers weren’t working but we could go and pay at the bank. So we went to the nearest bank and they wouldn’t take the money. I didn’t think they would as I have been refused previously. So, that was all a waste of time.

We then met Margaretha and two of her Swedish friends at the Lords Palace Hotel. Margaretha booked for us to have afternoon tea. We thought that would be quite novel for Cyprus. So we went into the hotel and asked at reception where the afternoon teas were “10th floor” was all we were told, he was quite rude and didn’t even bother telling us where the lift was. We found the lift and went to the 10th floor and quite honestly we thought the entrance to the “Sky Lounge” looked more like a door to the toilet! Not quite what I expected from a 5 star hotel but then I think they concentrate on their casino clients!

There were 5 of us having afternoon tea and only 8 tiny sandwiches, that didn’t quite work out and the same with the cakes. The scones seriously were the same size as a 1tl coin, which meant if you tried to cut them to put the jam in they just fell apart. They did come round and top our tea up several times.The cost for this was 29tl each, not bad I suppose for a 5 star hotel. BUT I didn’t think the Sky Lounge was particularly plush either. It didn’t really compare with the likes of Merit Royal.

From one side the view looked nice but the other side…….they are totally ruining Girne, just building massive apartment blocks everywhere, such a shame.

I didn’t have much to eat at all and we hadn’t had lunch and so we decided to eat later and go to Cano’s Green Palace in Karsiyaka. I just don’t understand why more people don’t go here, apart from actually finding it I guess!
The sky as we arrived at the restaurant was amazing.

We were the only people in there and we chatted to the owner who is also a fisherman so of course we had to have the fresh tuna.It was delicious and only 25tl. The prices are really good here and Turkish coffee and brandy on the house too.

Thought for the Day – “You have to take risks. We will only understand the miracle of life fully when we allow the unexpected to happen.” ~ Paulo Coelho

Thursday, March 16th, 2017Friday, March 17th, 2017

Thursday 16th March 2017

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Today is Mal’s birthday. I gave him all sorts of suggestions of things to do including going and eating at the posh Merit Royal but he said he really didn’t feel like dressing up and being on his best behaviour! His birthday we do whatever he would like. It doesn’t seem as though it is going to be a one day celebration!

Breakfast in bed opening his presents. I bought him a ukulele but didn’t bring it with us in case it was damaged so he had to make do with the picture until we get home!

We went for a drive and a walk along the beach.

We then went to Geçitköy Dam and a walk around there as it is a beautiful spot. Thankfully for a change the sun was out.

All the summers we have lived here and we were struggling for water and now we leave the pipeline is running under the sea from Turkey. Having said that we were concerned that we would always get a trickle of water from the waterfall up in Malatya but our connections will now be diverted to Turkish water. If you think about it, and knowing what we know about Erdoğan, it’s a possibility he could just turn the tap off! I have to say they have made a very good job of building Geçitköy Dam and they have nice walks around it and a very large picnic area. As we were walking away from the car, I noticed this Carpenter Bee which had decided to hitch a ride on Mal’s back! It’s wings were shining purple in the sun.

There are some really nice walks around the Dam now and clear paths which means you aren’t looking for snakes in the undergrowth so much.

We then went to Silver Rocks for lunch. The sun was still out so we sat by the sea. Most of the people were sitting indoors. We ordered drinks and our food, admired the view, sat and chatted and then realised we had waited half an hour for our food! The waiter came over and apologised saying there was a computer problem. The waiters ordering pads had obviously been linked to the kitchen or should I say our order wasn’t!

Eventually our food came, we felt not as good as usual. I think there was more onion and tomato than fish on my fish skewers (37tl) and Mals swordfish (38tl) wasn’t as big as normal and they used to bring vegetables and potatoes along with the salad. Today they were missing. No lemon with my fish either. We had to ask for Turkish coffees and no complimentary brandy when we did get them. When they asked if everything was OK I think the waiter got the message it was not as good as usual and shortly after they brought us a free drink each “because of the wait”. They would have been appreciated a little more when we were sitting waiting for the food. Then the rain started and so they pulled the cover over.

Never mind just a shame it wasn’t perfect for Mal’s birthday but then Digger land started! It looks as though the Lapta walkway is going across the front of the Silver Rocks so that will be the end of their beautiful view and meanwhile we listened to the digger smashing the rocks! Time to go home!

Thought for the Day – “Birthdays are nature’s way of telling us to eat more cake!”

Wednesday, March 15th, 2017Thursday, March 16th, 2017

Wednesday 15th March 2017

More rain, so much for our plans of much more gardening! We now have the oil filled rads out as well around the house. I remember getting a horrific chest infection here one year with no central heating.

Mal cleaned the pool again and I started weeding in between showers!

Margaretha came round and took us to Blue Song to have some lunch.

I did manage to get outside and do some more weeding. Mal was on the computer looking things up for Torin, an expensive course that he wants to do. Mal managed to find most of the information one way and another!

Thought for the Day – “Life is a beautiful collage of priceless moments and memories, which when pieced all together creates a unique treasured masterpiece.” ~ Melanie M Koulouris

Tuesday, March 14th, 2017Wednesday, March 15th, 2017

Tuesday 14th March 2017

A nice surprise it wasn’t raining! I put washing out on the line and started the gardening. Mal chopped some more wood up as we have the log burner going in the evening. Then we started a massive lopping of trees and bushes that have grown far too high.

We both worked really hard, then went out in the evening. The Blue Door in Alsancak opened a month ago. I believe that it has been closed for a year or two and someone new has taken it over so we thought we would give it a try. It seems as though it will be an ex pats place as the menu is mostly English food but it is very cosy in there with a roaring fire alight. It’s not just a restaurant but has a bar there too. Prices are very reasonable.

I heard from Torin. He took the dogs out before work in the morning and then this evening he took them for a 5 mile pack march! He said Ellie was exhausted afterwards and didn’t even get up when he rustled some bonios! She’s being well looked after!

Thought for the Day – “You can’t control how other people receive your energy. Anything you do or say gets filtered through the lens of whatever they are going through at the moment, which is not about you. Just keep doing your thing with as much integrity and love as possible.” ~ Nania Hoffman

Monday, March 13th, 2017Tuesday, March 14th, 2017

Monday 13th March 2017

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Well done to Sol and all who work at The Samphire, they have just received this award. They are also nominated for two other awards.

In the morning we went over to see David and Kenny and as usual had a lot to catch up with, so stayed longer than originally planned but it is always nice to see them and really miss having them for neighbours. It was also nice seeing Jekka and Loppi. They went mad when they saw us.

Mal cleaned and backwashed the pool and I did more weeding.

Our favourite restaurant was where we decided to eat in the evening…yes, Charcos. There was only one other couple in there, I guess a cold Monday evening most sensible people preferred to stay at home. But Celal had the log burner roaring and it was really cosy in there.

A lovely welcome as always from Cristina. She has been doing a lot of her paintings during the winter when they are not too busy and is selling them. I am always very tempted.

The food was lovely too, I had a huge sea bass and it was so fresh.

Thought for the Day – “Don’t change so people will like you. Be yourself and the right people will love you.” ~ Rick Crawford

Sunday, March 12th, 2017Monday, March 13th, 2017

Sunday 12th March 2017

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Oh what a night! It rained and the wind howled and things were crashing around the terrace! Even my heavy flower pots were knocked over in the wind. I remember now how the weather can be this time of year.

I spoke to Torin and the dogs are playing all the time even though he takes them for two long walks a day. He said Ellie is having a great time. All three of them playing with the rope together.

We did try and do some gardening in between downpours but didn’t achieve much.

As usual we went and had our lunch at Açmenya. We always feel very at home there, the waiters always welcome us. It’s funny we never go out for Sunday lunch back in the UK but here we do enjoy going to Açmenya. A three course meal followed by help yourself coffee and brandy for 30tl (£6.61). I always have a brandy sour there as they make good ones. They are 15tl and Efes is 6tl. I always have a toast to Sue,memories of brandy sours and the pair of us drinking too many and she always blamed me for introducing her to them!!

In the afternoon we played cards outside (under the terrace) and then watched a very good Spurs game where they won 6-0!

Thought for the Day – “Sometimes you need to talk to a three year old just so you can understand life again.” ~ Kristen Butler

Saturday, March 11th, 2017Saturday, March 11th, 2017

Saturday 11th March 2017

We woke to rain again! Mal had some preparation to do online for his teaching teahers, so took the opportunity. Nice to work from under the terrace looking at the Med! I have always been thankful that we had a covered terrace built, so we can sit outside in the rain! It rained quite heavily and then sun came out briefly and then it rained again and this was how it continued. This was the temperature when we left the house at midday!

We went for a drive to the other side of Girne and went into Supreme supermarket. They have everything you could ever wish for in there, including pork and Mal and I were remembering when we first came over here in 2002 and you were lucky to find anything like Marmite/sausages. In those days we just ate the local food. Things have certainly changed. We bought some fruit, including strawberries and then went next door to The Kitchen, Çatalköy for lunch, in the hope that it was as good as the last time we visited. Yes, it was!

I ordered the fish kebab (36tl) and Mal had the Firin Kebab (42tl). They were both really good, as good as we both remember on our last visit. There was torrential rain while we were eating so the waiters were running round putting the heaters on! The only niggles we had was that they had no Efes and also the guy sitting behind Mal was chain smoking even though it is banned in restaurants.

The weather was much the same all day. We even managed a walk in the mountains in between downpours.It was very strange having a dogless walk and then one found us! The orchids are out but I couldn’t find a bee orchid. I think they show a bit later.

Later we watched the Hammers game.

Thought for the Day – “Anyone who takes the time to be kind is beautiful.”~ Richelle E Goodrich