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

Very sorry folks, I know that we are 10 days minus any sort of diary notes but in all honesty we have been driving the builders very hard to get us back in to some sort of order. Can't see any point of going back over old things so have posted some new photos for you to look at and want to tell you about one or two important things.

We found a new very good restaurant here in Lapta. On the seafront side there has always been a hotel called Haci Ali Hotel, but it has been little used as a hotel more a sort of private home for a very rich guy. Well now he has opened up as a restaurant. The site is quite stunning, the food excellent and the prices very very reasonable. Guess together with The Saffron we now have two very good local places to dine.

Joan and I took a very quick trip over to the south side on Thursday last, as we were in Nicosia anyway and needed to get a new matching light for the lounge area. Whilst we were there we spotted a pirate ship in the Africa shop and there in lies another story. This thing is quite large and would not go in our Rav4 so on Friday morning George very kindly went over with me in his big Citroen estate, guess what we could not get it in to there either. Next try was Jeff and his big Kia People Carrier with many seats removed. He and Susan went over early Saturday morning for the third attempt and finally there it is argement.php?year=2006&month=09&filename=14">a pirate ship just. It looks absolutely great in situ and we only bought it because of the "Wow" factor.

Yesterday the builder sort of handed over the downstairs area, well at least he asked for some more money so that is probably a sort of hand over. Knowing that Bill and Margaret are arriving tomorrow, Sunday, we were very grateful for the super help from Susan and George to do some cleaning, unpacking of everything and a general sort out. I was able to fit the equipment back in to the kitchen at last so we at least will be able to boil an egg for breakfast and both the lounge and the breakfast room are looking real good. Sometime during next week our curtains will be hung so that will complete the look and then I can get the big heater/air con unit moved from upstairs and the gas fire connected to tanks outside ready for the winter months.

Remember that it was said in the papers that the Orams case was not over, well the right to appeal has been granted, not a big surprise really and the Greek Cypriot lawyer involved has threatened to issue another writ against somebody in Karaman who is supposedly living in a property that belonged to a Greek Cypriot. They will never let up with these sort of actions that keep the publicity level high until the whole issue is resolved and that can only be done by the politicians with a will to resolve the isssue.

Finland currently holds the EU presidency and it would seem that they are trying a big Diplomatic drive to end the economoic isolation of Northern Cyprus and to avert a crisis between Turkey and the EU later this year. But their Foreign Minister is saying that the chances are looking slim as some parties are still making unreasonable demands and this would suggest an unwillingness to resolve the issue.

Finally to close the week off, Joan and I got up at 6 a.m. and continued to sort out things. George and Susan, who had joined us at The Haci Ali restaurant last night came round about 9 a.m. and between us we got things sorted for a bedroom for Bill and Margaret and so Joan and I were able to set off about 3 p.m. to Larnaca to collect them. To cap it all off, we put a chicken dish in the oven to be ready when we all got back, only to find out that we had had a power cut whilst we were out, so had to kick start the whole thing when we got back. At least it was part cooked and we all got a chance to relax over a drink and a catch up chat.