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Our
adventures in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus continue....
  
Still in UK and today Jill went back to her job in an accountancy firm, where she works three days a week. Joan and I decided to go back to the Ashford shops, for two reasons, firstly we had seen an imitation Tiffany lamp which we liked, for in our dining room and had been having a serious discussion about the weight of it on the return flight. Joan decided that if she carried the shade as hand luggage it would be OK.
Secondly I had bought two pair of Lee Cooper jeans of the same size as I always buy, with a 32 inch leg length and guess what they decided to be generous and make them, 34 inches, despite the label saying to the contrary, or maybe I have shrunk. Note I don't mention the waist size! Special note, try them on next time, don't assume.
After the quick trip to Ashford, Joan and I went round to Ann & Peter's in St Mary's Bay, about 3 miles from New Romney. The weather was really quite warm so after lunch we all four went for a walk along the seafront and then back to look at all our Aussie holiday photos, which I had on my laptop. In the evening Les and Jill joined us and Ann cooked up a generous helping of bangers and mash with onion gravy followed by apple and blackberry pie. Then Peter found this bottle of port and some cheese which meant I was glad Les was driving home as only Peter and I like port, among this gang.
Great evening and nice to reminisce with old friends.
Today Joan and I travelled over to Canterbury to meet up with Bill and Margaret. Since our last visit to them, Bill has retired and is now working out his future life. They have a large, very close family with 9 grand children, mostly in the north so are considering moving up to the York area where they can see much more of the little ones. The good news is that they are currently planning to visit us next year, probably around September for a few weeks we will look forward that.
We had a very long lunch together at The Gate Inn on the Dover road, which gave lots of time to find out what we had been doing since our last meeting in February and to see pictures of their newest grandchild born recently.
In late afternoon we returned to New Romney when Joan decided that she and Jill's cat, Charlie, should havea little nap in a comfy chair.
Friday is a non-working day for Jill so I took the girls down to Dover, where there is a factory outlet centre and then afterwards to Folkestone town centre, where there is unfortunately both a Debenhams and a Marks & Spencer store. Hopefully, if I try to judge the added weight, this is the last of the shopping.
In the evening we had made an arrangement to meet up with Ann & Peter again, this time at The Good Intent, a pub out on Romney Marsh that is renowned for its food. This was our treat as we had been very well looked after by everybody over the last 8 days. Super food and a very pleasant evening, which we rounded off by going back to Les & Jill's for a coffee and brandy, which you don't get free in UK like you do here. So here is a picture ofthe whole gang, don't you think that they look like would be "layabouts".
Sort of lazy last day in UK, just the packing and yes, we are over weight. Then Joan and I went for an afternoon walk as it was really nice and sunny, By 3 o'clock the sun suddenly went behind clouds and reminded us why we choose to come and live in a warmer climate.
Jill prepared dinner at home then we all four took a walk around to the local pub, The Prince of Wales, for a couple of real English beers before we get back to the lager drinking. It has been a great few days in UK. Really good to see our very dear friends Les and Jill again, we miss them lots and to catch up with some other friends whom we have known for a long time and who will hopefully remain good friends for many years to come.
Travel home day. We left at around 8 a.m. for Stanstead and there we managed to get away with only £20 excess baggage charges for the flight home. We really must cut down on either the amount we bring with us in the first place or the amount of heavy shopping in UK, such as two 1.5 kilo tins of Quality Street sweets. Seemed like a good idea at the time, as gifts for friends here.
When we got back to TRNC it was to a huge thunderstorm. In fact the plane was being buffeted around lots on the journey across from Antalya. The problem at Ercan is that you actually have to walk from the plane to the arrivals lounge so everybody was soaked before they even got inside. The rain was really bouncing and once we had got our luggage we then had to get the car from the car park and load it up. Great fun as the whole car park was an absolute mass of vehicles waiting for people off delayed flights and in true Cypriot style, everybody wants to park outside the front door. It must have taken me about 45 minutes to get the car, get round to Joan who was sheltering as best she could and then get out of the airport, to say that we steamed all the way home would be an understatement. We got home finally at 1 a.m. then unpacked and had a relaxing cuppa before bed. When we got up on Monday morning it was to bright sunshine and breakfast outside.
A phone call from Roger said, "I feel like a kleftiko coming on" how about the layabouts getting together before Gill and I go to UK on Thursday. We tried to get the Silver Grill organised only to find that they have closed for the winter, so we had to quickly do a rethink. Chose the Mediterranean Breeze down the road towards Kyrenia. The eight mainstays of the layabouts club went there this evening and had a very good meal, a few beers, some wine for the ladies and a lot of laughs. It's good to be back.
Phew all this catching up after only a week in UK. Bought last Saturdays newspaper so here goes with what's new.
TWI flights have shut down, so guess that leaves CTA with the monopoly again, not necessarily a good thing it probably means that the stewardesses can be told not to smile again. Having lost one airline we now hear that Cyprus Paradise have managed an agreement which will put their holiday brochures in leading UK ravel agencies. One in the eye for Mr Ken Livingstone, but if tourism does start to pick up how are CTA going to cope?
Apparently in 2006 there is to be a census here on in the TRNC. Work to number the houses and name the streets is being undertaken along with the counting of finished and unfinished houses, buildings and empty plots of land. That should cause a bit of a stir in amongst those not registered here. As proof of this going on we had a visit today from our local council. Four guys in a battered old Renault came down our road. One to drive, one to read the map, one to hand out the names and numbers and the final one had the hammer and nails for fixing. First we gota street name, SHT AHMET OZKAN SOKAK, don't ask why it is badly hand written in a plastic folder and nailed to the electric pole that we were told 3 years ago must not be used for names, then we received thehouse number, once again hand written covered in plastic and just nailed to the wall. Here comes that old famous saying "This is Cyprus"
Lots of other bits and bobs but those where the most important items that I could see so you will have to wait until Saturday for another instalment.
To close off a busy catch up week, Joan has now finished at Sunny Lane School so hopefully she will be able to find time to help me with some of the admin work associated with the kitchen white goods etc. Also some good things showing, whilst I was busy doing these website notes,the farmer came and ploughed up the field behind us which means that true to his word he is not planning to sell the land but use it to provide winter food for his goat herd. It does mean that we are going to have the wheat chaff blowing in our pool again early next year, but better that than houses right behind us. Selfish old me!
Saturday and the weekly newspaper day again.
I suppose the most important article for those who invested in Amaranta Valley is the government's guarantee to complete the project. It would seem that the offices have closed down because there are insufficient funds to pay the rent, but that is not really surprising as the government froze the bank accounts. The Minister of the Interior has set up a team to look in to the companies finances etc and says that they should be in a position to assess what is needed to complete the project. Mr Findic, the minister, says that if the company is not in a position to finish the project, then buyers should be reassured all investments on properties are under the guarantee of the state. Mr Findic said also that he personally was willing to guarantee that the work would get under way again and everybody would get their houses. Guess this must be pretty reassuring to all you worried buyers out there.Something else you should be aware of if you have a holiday home over here and nobody paying the utility bills. The electricity board are now getting their act together as there are billions of YTL outstanding. They are opening the cash offices on Saturdays also, to allow people time to pay back bills, then they are cutting non payers off, with a fine to reconnect. They have already started cutting houses off in some areas.We are going to get speed cameras alongside the roads here and the evidence from them will be allowed in court. Interesting, will that slow them down?The hunting season has started and we have a report of the first accident. A hunter shot himself in the foot. Forgive me if I laugh.......A couple of weeks ago it was reported that a Greek Cypriot MEP had slipped through the UN controlled buffer zone and ripped down a Turkish flag. What sort of an idiot could be voted in to a position of supposed responsibility in the EU, could it be that there are more like him in these positions....... no you are kidding me! Anyway he now has his comeuppance, as he has been kicked out of his political party by the president, after a unanimous vote from party members.
Unlucky for some, but not for George and Susan,married 34 years today. Eight of us descended on Henson's restaurant to help them celebrate, any excuse for the Layabouts and friends to eat and drink, but they don't come much better than this. Well done you two and they said it would never last. Henson's did us proud as always with a superb Sunday roast and then the special chocolate cake for the happy couple. Susan said "no thank you, I'm on a diet". Just look atthat smile as she tries to cut it into only eight pieces
Annual anniversary celebration day of the founding of The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. An annual holiday for all witha parade by the military, their band and the navy out at sea. This was followed by the climax of every years celebrations, a flying display by the Turkish air force equivalent ofthe red arrows . We have been down to the seafront a few times to watch this display and they get better every year. I realise that some of the stunts are not quiteas close as things appear but everything is done to get the crowd clapping, includinghigh speed passes overhead, two planes travellingdirectly towards one another, which of course if you take the combined speed looks incredibly fast, especially when they are reallynose to nose. Pity the photographer didn't quite get this right, maybe I will try it again next year. A nice way to spend a warm afternoon down by the shore.
We seem now to be heading in to our period of changeable weather. The days are much shorter now and we today woke up to grey skies and some rain, but this cleared up by mid-morning. Having said all of that, Joan and I sat outside to have lunch and it was mid 20s, but very quickly clouded over again and looks as if we might get some more heavy rain. But from what I hear from most contacts in UK, especially in the north, we are missing slush and sleet and scrapping car windscreens. Long may that be the case, as by early March it will be lovely and warm again here.
This evening, Joan and I went over to Catalkoy and met Richard and Paul at The Happy Valley restaurant. This has recently been taken over by an Indian gentleman called Riaz. He is still producing the well known steak and kidney pies, which Joan declared to be delicious and I had a very nice chicken jalfrezi. Good food and reasonably priced, worthy of a visit.
Bit better weather toady so Joan and I were able to spend some time in the garden. It is the time of the year to cut things back ready for the new spring growth. This particularly applies to things like bougainvillea as they grow like fury over here and if you don't cut back can get very out of control.
This evening we went to the opening night if L.D.'s , this is the old gang from Lardy Dars who have bought the restaurant that used to be known as Carol's, on the road up to the Girne American University. Basically this evening the bar was open and they had laid on a buffet for us, but from Tuesday onwards they are going to be open from 11 to 11, except for Mondays, to serve drinks and bar food. They say they are going to keep it simple with food such as cottage pie etc. Sounds good so we will have to give it a try.
Before we went to UK, we had promised George & Susan to bring back black pudding and do a full Sunday brunch. So that's exactly what we all had around 11 a.m. this morning, the full Monty with sausage, beans, mushrooms, bacon, black pud, egg, hash browns and fried bread, all washed down with some bucks fizz. Full to bursting we were and content to sit and natter until 2 in the afternoon.
Did get round to reading the Saturday papers, so here goes with what might be interesting.
Power Cuts Uproar, said the headline. Uproar I don't know about, but we certainly had a few power cuts in and around Lapta & Karsiyaka. According to the journalist, widespread chaos was caused when thousands of residents suffered daily power cuts. Now we had power cuts and they are a b..... nuisance but not chaotic, so maybe journalistic licence applies. The authorities say they had to move some of the distribution lines that where in the way of new property developments in order to connect all the new properties being built. Now if I was in one of these new properties I would be quite pleased that this was happening and shades of, having your cake and eating it, seems to apply, for those complaining, who already have power. Another answer is, buy a generator, this will go on for some time to come.
The prime minister, in a recent speech, announced changes in Article 159 of the Constitution, which sets out the state's policy on properties. This amendment is designed to block the filing of property cases in the European courts by the Greek Cypriots. This amendment, prior to a solution to the Cyprus problem, will allow the European court to transfer the cases filed by an individual Greek Cypriot, to the TRNC Immovable Properties Compensation Commission.
Some of you may be aware that Cyprus Airways, the Greek Cypriot national airline, is in severe financial trouble. Now the government in the south wants to sell it's share in the airline before they go broke all together, which is apparently quite immanent. Mr Aziz Kent, who is a Turkish Cypriot and the owner of the Celebrity Hotel among other things and who lives in London, is heading up a consortium that is proposing to buy out the sick airline. Now that would be an interesting change of ownership if agreed on.
Three white goods installations yesterday and then a trip to Nicosia, so today was settle down and answer e-mails time. Lucky old me got a day to myself to do that as Joan went with Susan and Barbara for a "Ladies what lunch" outing, See what happens now she is no longer working. They drove to Nicosia and then walked over to the south, had a good days root around the shops and lunch in town somewhere. Apparently it was very enjoyable and it then became a get your own dinner situation, not strictly true but almost. At least I got a pack of dark chocolate digestive biscuits out of it, so can't complain.
Does anybody recall that some time ago, Richard turned up with half a lamb for our freezer. Well we all four of us found that it was as tough as old boots, mainly because they don't hang meat here and in fact this one was still warm when Richard originally brought it. Well Joan and I had conducted one or two little experiments, taking a leaf out of the kleftiko method they use here. We had mentioned it to the lads when we had dinner last Friday so now they came to sample what we had done. We have what is known, I think, as a Dutch oven, relic from our days out there, but it is basically a very large cast iron pan with a domed lid. We took the meat out of the freezer last Saturday morning and left in the meat chiller in the fridge for 5 days, then browned it off in this big pan in butter, added some water and herbs and left it to simmer from 2 p.m. until we ate at 7.30 p.m. Delicious, just fell off the bones and even Rex, the Alsatian up the road, is going to have a good day tomorrow. Verdict from the lads, brilliant.
It's getting round to being the time of the year to sit in with a good movie and a bottle of wine. This because it starts to go colder about 5 p.m. when the sun has completely disappeared behind the mountains, it is still great to sit out early for breakfast and for lunch but until about next April we will not be sitting outside in the evenings with the gang. So this evening we went down to Dean and Edna's place at The Celebrity Hotel, I know we have said before that it is like drinking in an underground station, but they have got it nice and cosy for the winter. It was very quiet down there, in fact there were only the six of us there, apart from Dean & Edna themselves. Despite this and our good intentions, we were still quite late getting home and there's me with an early appointment at Jasmine Court tomorrow.
Joan and I were supposed to go out for dinner with our friends Atay and his wife, but at the last minute he had received a call from Istanbul that a long standing friend had died so they went over for the weekend and the funeral. As we had booked Henson's for 4 people and as Roger and Gill had come back from their UK and Dublin trip we called them and asked them if they wanted to be second choice. In truth, Joan and I thought they had another week away yet, just shows you, the older you get the more time flies.Henson's are doing a winter special, any main course starter with any main course steak meal for £10.50 (in old money) per person. Have to say that it was really excellent, but once again very quiet. Standard early winter trade for these people I think, no tourists, the oldies tucked up in the warm.
Definitely time to look at the weekly paper, as there is a very important article in there this week.
Last week I mentioned the change to Article 159 of the constitution. The bill was approved by ministers and published in The Official Gazette this week. The amendment opens up the way for Greek Cypriots to claim back land and property and to seek compensation for moveable property left behind in the north. But a University based expert has said that the proposed amendment would have no serious implications for foreign people who have bought property in North Cyprus. Nor would the law discriminate between Turkish Cypriot owners and other nationalities.
Under the proposed legislation, any Greek Cypriot who left property in the North could apply for either compensation, exchange or the return of property. Former Greek Cypriot properties, which have TRNC title deeds would be eligible for a return after a solution is found to the Cyprus problem. These would only be properties where the increase in the current value of the property, through investment or a project does not exceed its value when it was abandoned in 1974. Anyone who had to leave such a property would be compensated with a similar home of the same value.
Compensation would be paid out of a fund set up for the purpose. and the legal expert says that no current owner of a North Cyprus Property would be expected to pay. The fund would be provided by Turkey, Clearly the number of properties, owned by foreigners, in which the investment made was less than the value of the land in 1974 would be very small.
The proposal has been made with the intention of it being accepted by the European Court of Human Rights because a recent decision highlighted the fact that the TRNC Immovable Properties Compensation Commission did not provide for the "possibility of restitution".
So there you have it. If you have increased the value of the original land then compensation may be paid to the original owner, but by Turkey from a fund already established.
The new Traffic Laws became effective last Tuesday and we should all make ourselves aware of them. It is a serious offence to drive without a valid local licence and there are many foreign residents here who do not have a local licence and I even know some who do not have residency and you cant get a local licence until you have residency. No licence also means that your insurance is invalid, now that would be interesting in the event of an accident. I never cease to be amazed at the number of people who come here and just ignore the rules and think that they are immune. Enough said as I have said it often enough. Also the interesting fact that came out of the new laws is the drinking and driving regulation. HALF THE UK LEVEL. Now there is a thought.
The new UK High Commissioner to Cyprus, Mr Peter Millet, addressed a meeting of the BRS last week and said this. "Despite news media speculation about new initiatives and new ideas, the whole question of a future settlement following the referendum of 2004 quite frankly is going nowhere at the moment". He suggested that the UN secretary no longer paid much attention to the Cyprus problem and that any new initiative must come from within Cyprus. Cypriots themselves must show real willingness to to engage in a process with light at the end of the tunnel. Such willingness could only be found in the North and not in the South. Now that's a pretty frank statement from a UK High Commissioner and it is refreshing to hear that there is some recognition of the truth from the UK.
Our website man in UK. Nic from Bassett Green, is doing a website for somebody who has had a villa built out at Bogaz, on the road out of Famagusta, on the way to the Karpaz. He asked us to go out and take some photos for this site and as today was one of the first blue sky days for a little while we drove on out there. Nice villa, nice spot and apparently coming up for summer rentals, boasts abig pool and BBQ area.
Dinner at George & Susan's this evening, together with Michael, Barbara, Roger and Gill. Susan decided to do a meal for all, prior to them going over to UK for Christmas. Susan did us proud as usual, big juicy steak pie, felt just like Desperate Dan (was that the Beano or the Dandy) with all the trimmings followed by a choice of either apple crumble with lashings of custard or bread pud. Full to bursting is the only thing we can say. Thanks folks and don't be too long getting back here we could all get withdrawal symptoms.
Bit of a busy day chasing kitchen installers around so Joan and I decided to go down to Derek & Sandra's new joint, L & D's, on the road to the university. Since they opened last weekend they have started bar food. We had a lovely piece of gammon steak with grilled tomato, fried egg and chips with a couple of large beers for me and two glasses of red for the boss. Total cost £16.00, brilliant. They are planning just to stick to basic style food and not really trade as a full blown restaurant, there are enough of those around and if they stick to this quality they will do very well.
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