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Our
adventures in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus continue....
  
A VERY HAPPY, HEALTHY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR TO ALL OUR FRIENDS AND WEBSITE READERS.
The Xmas and New Year festivities are now supposed to be over and life should be steadying down, but we must not forget that the Robin's nest is still full, so tonight for a change we had a party, this time the venue was our house. It is one way to get rid of the left over ham and turkey, but I really must consider moderation after they have gone home on Sunday. Brian & Lil brought over their game of "Taboo" and this time we let the girls team win, it couldn't possibly have been anything to do with young Jack's scoring method!
During December we had e-mails from Wayne & Tracey Heath who had found our website. They wanted to come over and view houses, but at the last minute Wayne had to come over on his own. He had called us and asked to meet so that he could pick up on our experiences. We arranged to pick him up and take him to Errols' restaurant in Catalkoy. We had a great evening and hopefully answered many of his queries.Wayne was very taken with the houses from our builder, Australian Construction, so we asked him to come over Sunday and get a closer look without any Estate Agent being present. I guess he went away with lots of photos to show his wife. Maybe we will see them back again soon.On Sunday afternoon we also had a visit from Memmet, Miriam and Kemel from the top of the road. They came to welcome us and brought a lovely glass bowl as a present for our new home, we all sat out in the sun and enjoyed a glass of wine and some of Joan's Xmas cake. This is exactly the sort of thing we mean about the people here, they make you feel so welcome in their country and are so very friendly. We are going to have to get used to these sort of visits and also to return them.
The weather is really picking up again after our few weeks of colder and wet weather, maybe the winter is over. The last couple of days have been just like early summer in U.K. so we are back to breakfast outside every day, but the sun goes down around 4.30 pm and then it goes quite chilly.
Today we managed to get a photo of our neighbours wife, they own the farm at the top of our road, walking the flock. They actually take them out for a walk most days, one sheep on a lead and the rest just follow. Most of their fields are given over to citrus fruits and vines so they have to take them out to graze.
Other contacts made, as a result of the websites, are with Ian & Dorothy Betts and Alan & Lesley Fairley. These two couples are going to be neighbours and because of our e-mail contacts with both these couples, they have arranged to meet in the U.K. prior to coming over here this spring.
We have been sending progress photos to Ian & Dorothy for some time and have now added the Fairleys' to our list. Today was really nice and bright at sea level so we decided together with Bri & Lil, to go and take some more pics of the present situation up in Ilgaz. Once we got up near the Ilgaz houses the mist came down a little, but at least we can send some e-mail attachments and let them all see progress.
Life is settling down to a more regular routine now that we are reasonably straight in the new house, so maybe now is the time to think about telling about some of the day to day events.Every week there is a produce market in Kyrenia. All the local farmers bring their produce to sell and the prices are incredibly cheap and the choice is huge, but can only buy what is in season. Everything we do buy here is organically grown, so it is not always as pretty as you find in a U.K. supermarket, but the flavour is wonderful. We used to rave about extra virgin olive oil, which Joan & I bought on daytrips to France, but now we say, is there anything else!. It might be sold in a re-used whisky bottle, but it is sure as hell freshly pressed. Most of the vegetables are instantly recognizable but we have to learn to eat what is in season at the time. There are some winter vegetables which we are having to learn about, but if you ask questions of the locals and experiment a little it is exciting. At the moment radishes the size of jaffa oranges are available and spring onions are so large that one onion is the equivalent of a whole bunch in Tesco's. All the standards such as cabbage, red and white, cauli, beans etc. are available and broccoli is just coming into season. We have been told that next month fresh asparagus will be available, my mouth is watering already.
Unlucky for some, who knows. Today we all went down to the telecoms office again, to pay our dues for the installation of the phones. If you recall we have been promised this installation for some time now, each time we get a "maybe this week". Well this week is now very unlikely, they didn't want our money yet, this time it was because they have run out of cable. It really is very frustrating but we feel we can't really jump up and down too much, we may just end up at the bottom of the pending tray, for sure nobody has ever heard of an ombudsman here.
Once again we had a change in the weather pattern over the last few days. I suppose it is a bit like the U.K. really, rain, rain and a little more rain. At least it isn't cold rain but it has delayed progress in the garden. Ali from Greenside Garden Centre and his two men, lovingly named Bill & Ben, have had to stop work on the gravel laying etc.
It has now been dry for the last three days so it's time to resume laying the plastic membrane and the gravel topping. There is just one problem "trouble with wind". The wind kept getting under the plastic so even I had to add a little weight to the situation, but eventually we managed to get enough gravel on the top to keep things down, so now Bill & Ben can just get on with it. Once the gravel layer is completed then hedge and fruit tree planting will be next and from there, Joan and I can plant at leisure, the rest of the garden area.
This morning Brian called, to say that the telecom people had called him yesterday, asking for payment as the job was now scheduled. Brian was holding the kitty, so he went straight down and tried to extract an actual date, no such luck. Miracles take a little longer. But here's hoping that we might now have a result.
The gardening boys finished their side of the bargain today, so when we get a bit of sunshine I will put out some pics of the end result so far. I suppose that the hedges that are now only 10 cms high will eventually grow to a couple of meters and then I will have to start the trimming bit. The fruit trees are all in place so hopefully we will be able to benefit from them in about a years time. We have lime, lemon, pink grapefruit, a couple of orange trees of the variety you can use to press fresh juice, a clemantine which will be nice to pick fresh, an olive tree so that we can gather the fruit and have it pressed for our own use, my favourite an avocado to go with the prawns; and a banana tree, which apparently will bear fruit next December, by which time it should be around 12 feet high.
My mate Les, from the U.K. says I should plant potatoes, but at only 10 pence a kilo on the produce market, he knows what he can do with that idea, I'll stick with the above.
This evening we went out to "The Tree of Idleness" restaurant in Bellapais, with our very good friends Ertugral and Ayse. We were joined by another Cypriot couple for a very enjoyable evening, really good traditional Cyprus food, lots of wine, dancing, singer and a bellydancer. A lively evening and this for only TL 25 million/head. That's £10 in your money, but I forgot to take the camera.
To our great surprise, we awoke this morning to find the telecoms guys pulling cables through the previously laid pipes. Now that is a step in the right direction. Once they have connected us to the system then it is necessary to make the links in the exchange, so of course that could just take a little more time, but progress is progress so lets not jest yet.
This weekend and the last few days have reverted back to the colder weather with a little rain, but mustn't complain, summer starts to rear its head here in about 5/6 weeks, so must think about getting the pool filled.
HIP HIP HOORAY. We have a telephone and so by default also an Internet connection. So if anyone wants to call the number is:- 0090 392 821 2673 All our contact details are on the "Intro" page of this website. Maybe now I will also be able to update this site on a bit more regular basis.
Just to let you know that all is not always sunny and bright, today it is 12 degrees and take a look at the cloud base over the mountains.
Today our friends David and Glenn from Kenya are arriving on the island to check up on their house in Karaman and tomorrow Wayne and Tracy Heath are arriving from U.K. and they are looking to buy. No doubt over the next few days we will meet up with them all and see how they got on.
Wayne & Tracy called around today for a beer. It was great to meet Tracy, as last time Wayne had to come over on his own. They also brought a big bundle of English newspapers and magazines, they will be read from cover to cover and then passed around as usual. That is probably one of the things we do miss here, it is possible to buy English newspapers, one day late and at a cost for example of £4.75 for the Sunday Mail/Express, so any visitors please note !!!!!!!They are off out on the hunt for a piece of land and a villa within their budget, we feel sure that the right thing lies out there and just hope they find it. We are all meeting for dinner on Wednesday so no doubt will get to know then.
Today we had the air conditioning unit installed in our bedroom. It is really ready for the summer to come but as you can also use it as a room heater then it will be great for these chilly evenings. Yes it stills goes quite cold after the sun goes down, but probably only noticeable because, like most people, we got spoilt by the U.K. central heating.
We felt a little sorry for the guys doing the insatllation, because just as they were fitting the heavy fan unit on the outside wall of the house, it went very black and the heavens opened. They were both stuck up a ladder, unable to come down until the unit was connected and must have been soaked to the skin.
Tonight we set the heater to a temperature of 25 degrees and left the room for around 15 minutes, lovely a nice warm bedroom. Maybe next year we will consider an electric blanket, or am I just getting old.
Things have finally progressed on the garden front, we have planted up a few pots around the pool pump room and some shrubs in the area of the steps up to Brian & Lil's house. Note that the pool is still empty, next month they will come to clean and fill so that the water can start to warm up during March. I am determined to have my first swim in early April, we have been looking forward to it for so long now, it will just be like the icing on the cake.
The gravel base should keep the weeds down and the fruit trees, small as they are right now, should eventually grow into something that will bear fruit and give shade. The hedge is also just visible along the wire fence between us and the Robin's family home, Garden Ali assures us that by next year we will be cutting it along the top of the fence. Watch this space !
Over the last few days, Joan and I have been gathering the left over rocks, from our wall building and have built a rockery, in the front garden area next to the car turning/parking space. A pampus grass and a few rockery plants have completed the scene and we will probably plant a few cacti around to fill this space.
Tonight we met Wayne & Tracy for dinner. Great news they have found a plot of land they like and are having a bungalow built there. They were lucky to find this land, via Fraser & Beyler Estate Agents and in fact their home will be built right next door to Ian Fraser, by the same builder, so probably quality assured. Tommorow, before they go back to U.K., we are going to meet them to see the plot, but also so that we know where it is, for photos and e-mails of progress.
This evening we met David & Glen for dinner, its been a great week for not having to cook. They seem to have a busy few days with their architect and builder but are getting there. Glen is going back to Kenya, via London, on Sunday but David is to remain and monitor progress further. We all went to Cennaps in the next village to us, a great local restaurant, where they serve up the full meze with music and fun. Always a great night out.
Kemal, our local neighbour, came down to see us today as he had just returned from 2 weeks in Istanbul. Kemal is a well known classical guitarist who has taught and performed at festivals all over Europe. He learnt at the London College of Music and was awarded a fellowship in 1982 on completion of his studies. Since that time he has been composing his own music, which is played by other classical guitarists and now he has made his own C.D..
His C.D. is entitled "Guitar Music of Kemal Belevi" and is available in U.K. from Registry Publications. :- e-mail address RegistryGT@aol.com
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