Cyprus ~ May 2011
Sunday:
We flew from Birmingham Airport. Helen dropped us off with two large cases & two small ones. The two small ones did NOT fit in the carry-on box – so they had to go in the hold. Breakfast at Pret a Manager, toastie & juice, porridge. All went to plan until the captain of the plane announced that there was sensor fault on one of the engines & the plane needed to be looked at by engineers. We took off for the 4¾ hour flight 1½ hours later than planned. So much for the wind being in the ‘right’ direction – reducing the flight by 45 minutes! L
We arrived at Larnaca, 45 mins later than intended!
George, wheel chair assistant bod, greeted us at the plane. His cousin was murdered in Kyrenia – WHY would you want to go to the North of the island?
Taxi driver brought us directly to the villa. Fiona, Nigel & Fiona’s sister, Cherene, greeted us. They were wondered were we were! We had a whistle stop tour of the villa & had a chicken curry together, on the patio – thank you Nigel. Rubbish bins are collected three times a week!
We need to get some DVDs for Fe & replace the drinking water butts, on their behalf J - Fe left us some TL (Turkish Lira) to do this. The villa has a mobile ‘pay-as-you go’ available to use & we brought with us a laptop & a dongle to access the internet.
Just before they left – there was a power cut. It last 1½ hours. Nice to look at the stars & finish off the wine J
Monday:
Jeff bought bread from shop on the corner J Toast / Nutella for breakfast. Hire car arrived from a chap called Ibo. Pool too cold to be inviting! Sun bathing in the buff on the ‘private’ patio.
Shopping at the supermarket, we bought cheese, crackers, wine x 4, raki, coco pops, cranberry juice, mango juice, hot chicken, Imperial Leather shower gel, breaded chicken & rice. Came to 86 TL (approx. £34.40).
Jeff got the dongle topped up & working on the lappie.
60TL (£15) cash
Ate at Tervetulao restaurant on our first night out. Mezes & I had Aubergine stuffed with lamb mince. Jeff ordered mixed kebabs, not to his liking. Dessert was fruit & a filo pastry/ nut / honey mix J Coffee & brandy to finish. 45 TL – paid cash.
Tuesday:
We headed to Kyrenia – to find the harbour! with no avail. We did find lots of forbidden roads & army buildings though! We put 20 TL in petrol – cash. Jeff got 200TL from the ATM (£80)
We stopped at Maggie’s café bar & had a cuppa tea – with ‘proper’ milk – and a ham n cheese toastie each. Back home for a swim! Yes, ME! Then up to bathe in the buff again. It is surprising how strong the sun beds are <<< two up J >>>
I had a nap – Jeff had another swim. NO afternoon nap for Jeff.
We tried Captanio fish restaurant in the evening. Jeff has the sea bass, I had lamb chops. Disappointing & chewy. Lots of flies on the bread. Jeff’s man hood is no more! Than about 3” long – must be the cold water. 42TL (£16.80)
Wednesday:
Nice start to the day with a quickie!
Jeff popped down to get bread. Gary cleaned the pool with the vacuum thingy. Weather forecast said rain and it was cloudy, so we headed to the mountain road, on the new road towards Girne (Kyrenia). We stopped at a petrol station & put in 95TL (visa). Take a right up past the St Hilarion Kalesi (castle).
Cuppa tea @ the castle & a postcard. 10TL. Accompanied by a very noisy cat…!
Kept heading to the restaurant. We took lots of photo along the way. Sea one side, mountains the other. We found the aerials that you see from the coast road. We ‘found’ an army tank, which went off the road in 1974!
Then we found the restaurant, on the top of the mountain – everything is organic J We were offered chicken & roast potatoes – which we accepted. It was lovely & the chap was very proud of his clay oven J He lovely assistant spoke awfully posh! I had a traditional dessert made by his sister, filo, almonds & honey 60TL (£24) cash.
The journey home was quicker! Only 5km to the coast road.
We popped into the supermarket on the way home. We picked up chicken pieces, a jar of Tikka Masala sauce, Dove moisturising cream & some UHT milk. Jeff paid on visa card. 34TL (£13.60) visa.
The clouds got thicker & darker - but still no rain.
Planning on stopping in tonight, chicken curry, rice & bread – so Jeff can drink J !!!
Watched TV & FaceBook….
Thursday:
Rain clouds quite dense with the odd outbreak of sun. Late start to the day, breakfast of toast, Nutella & banana & a cuppa tea J Drove to internet café to get the airplane ticket email reprinted. 6TL ( We gave our only copy to the special assistance chappie at BM airport. He kept it. <<<Note to self: print off more copies next time we email confirmation of flights, put on in each suitcase!!!>>>
Drove to Girne to find the old harbour, turn left at the water feature island J We drove round some pretty narrow streets – so we must have been close to it.
Found some ‘disabled parking’ spaces. Jeff got out of car to shoot the sea J. Lorry driver decided to park in the space in front of me! I loved his technique – mounting the pavement to squash it. Thumbs up when he did it! Started spitting with rain. We both then went to look at the sea – VERY breezy L Supermarket on the way home, we picked up steaks & a pepper sauce for dinner. Fishcakes for a snack & another bottle of raki. Chocolate bars. Carrots & peas, apple turnovers, bag of chips for the freezer. ‘Milk’ which turns out to be liquid pouring yoghurt! 39 TL (£15.60) visa.
Home to test out the new technique of staying safely put on the sofa. Impaled on a very nice, if a little slippy, pole! J
We had fishcakes, carrots & peas. Went on t’internet, watched TV & the rain storm. Jeff had a snooze. Nice rainbow J when we were talking about how much houses are out here! Maybe a positive sign J
Sewed a few more stitches on the wizard cross stitch, cut out a piece of cream hardanger J so the piece of work will fit in the sewing box at home.
Steak for tea with chips, peppers, onions, peas, carrots & pepper sauce.
Washing in, TV droning on Nat. Geo channel. Feeling weary. Early night methinks.
Friday:
Good night’s sleep, early to rise with coco pops, banana & pro-biotic yoghurt! Coffee.
We got 30 mins sunshine or so over breakfast.
Jeff started to cleaned filters on the air con units J
Needed rawl plugs & screws – found a local hardware shop – to fit sensors.
VERY overcast – started spitting – I got the washing in. Started my hardanger embroidery to go in sewing box. Used wrong thread on the first test run. Second
attempt looks a lot better. Caught some sunrays after a cheese on toast lunch. Watched ‘Mamma Mia’ DVD – THREE times.
Jeff finished his bits n pieces. Power cut started at 16:15 L
Went for a drive – storm chasing - towards the West of the Island. Past the two brothels & the church. Ended up on the ‘other side’ of the mountains. Through Kozan village. Saw some new villas… http://www.imperialcyprus.com/. ‘From £39,950!
Went to buy veg; onions, peppers, potatoes & coriander 6TL. Got home, still no electric. Cooked lamb chops, potatoes, peppers & onion on the gas hob. Power came back at 18:15. Heated the electric oven up & had apple turnovers too, with caramel ice cream J
Saturday:
We snoozed until 10:30am. Washed hair – Jeff is making grated potato, onion, bacon & egg thingies J yummy yum, can’t wait!
Two NEW contact lenses used today J
& it’s injection day today…..
Maybe try to find the DVD shop today :)
To be continued …
