Frank and Joan's news for 26 February 2006 in Northern Cyprus

Frank and Joan's Adventures in Northern Cyprus

Our adventures in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus continue....

What a complete turn around from yesterday's weather. This morning Joan and I sat out on the terrace at 8.30 and had a full English breakfast sitting out in the sun. You just never know whats next, at this time of the year.

Both of us spent time yesterday putting the finishing touches to Joan's Furniture Emporium www.joansfurnishingcyprus.com" target = "_blank"> www.joansfurnishingcyprus.com so now it is live and kicking, for you to look at if you are concerned about styles, costs etc of furnishings here. There are already many more items that we have identified to include for you but most of these are going to have to wait another week.

Oh yes, a must mention. Somebody had told us to go down to the Ravine Bar, previously O'Sullivans, to sample their cod and chips. Well as we had been working on the computer most of the day we decided to give it a try, with a take away version. One of the best I have had in many a year. Lovely piece of real cod in a nice light batter and large hand cut chips, highly recommended at 10 YTL each. (That's £4.25 to the those that don't know the exchange rate)

Spent 30 min

utes this morning in bed, with a mug of coffee, looking at the weekly newspaper to see what might be of interest.

It seems as if the South Cyprus Tourism Organisation have succeded in blackmailing Thompsons Holiday Company to pull all the TRNC holiday brochures from their 773 branches. It seems that they had refused to pay a substantial amount of money owed to Thompsons, until the brochures where pulled. If that's not blackmail what is? All this despite the fact that the UK court had already overuled the ban on advertising TRNC on London transport buses and trains. Another blow to the tourism industry here.

Proposed new rules on permanent residency and citizenship here in TRNC. Proposals suggest that foreign residents may have to wait 15 years before being allowed to apply for citizenship, rather than the current 5 years. However it will allow a foreigner living here for more than 5 years, to apply for permanent residency. This of course will save the cost and inconvienience of re-applying every year.

Apparantly there is to be a meeting between Kofi Annan and Mr Papadopoulus, the leader of the Greek South, next Tuesday in Paris. The paper is suggesting that Papadopoulus has been told not to come empty handed. The UN are looking for sensible proposals from him to end the deadlock, otherwise they are suggesting that negotiations will have reached a dead end. This cynic says that's it then, dead end it is.

The Kyrenia District Office inspectors, accompanied by architects and engineers are starting inspections which are to prevent building work going ahead without permission and of poor quality. This is at the same time that a member of parliament has started a debate on the construction and destruction nightmare. Does this mean that at long last somebody is aware of the lack of planning, control and total destruction...........Not yet I think, but maybe the first steps towards control.

Turkey has come up with 840 million YTL as aid to the TRNC. Roads, water and electricity are to receive large chunks of this aid as is local authorities, who are to use this aid for infrastructure investment. Included in the list of things for which this aid is intended is a second runway at Ercan airport, now that's interesting.

That's it for this week, in fact for this month, as tomorrow morning at 3.30 a.m. Joan and I are heading off to Borovets in Bulgaria for a weeks skiing. I am not taking the laptop this time, only the camera, so expect pictures of these intrepid winter sports enthusiasts on our return.