Frank and Joan's news for 14 April 2007 in Northern Cyprus

Frank and Joan's Adventures in Northern Cyprus

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

This morning was vampire morning. Blood doner day; and Joan and I went down to the hospital quite early because we needed to go back over to Nicosia and change the phones I had bought. When we did all the work upstairs we left a telephone point in our old bedroom and forgot to have an extension put in our new room. Easy solution these days, get one of those DECT phones that have remote units that do not require a phone point. Great idea except when you end up with faulty phones you have to take them back. No problem, replaced with an apology and a smile, but a pain in the backside to have to do it. So its back to the 15 hour minimum battery charge time and then try again.

At least if Joan does some of the driving it lets me read the papers.

Sad case of the alleged rape of a 16 year old British girl in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Apparently she and her 17 year old friend who is visiting TRNC, where accosted outsid

e Serkos supermarket at 2am. They were then driven out towards Guzelyert where the younger girl was said to have been raped. Two men have been arrested and remanded until Monday. I have to ask the questions, 16 years old, 2am in the morning. Am I just getting too old or is this the norm now.

A British man has been arrested in the Karpas area with a metal detector. It seems that you can only own and use them here after getting permission from the department of antiquities. Be warned if you are coming on holiday, don't bring one with you. This guy was found to have 1.75 YTL in his possession when arrested.

This one I find quite funny. Two people were stabbed and two arrested after scuffles involving priests and nuns at a South Cyprus convent. This event was reported as a night-time fracas and is reported as a power struggle between rival fractions. Strange things happen in the middle of the night.

Gary Robb claims to be optimistic about the proposed deal with the owner of Medview Homes to complete Amaranta Valley. He says that it will cost £9 million to complete and the site could be completed in 4 months. He is offering properties on the site to Mr Safa which he estimates are worth £4 - 5 million in return for a cash injection, with property owners only paying balances on their accounts on completion. Lets hope that talks and then action continues this saga is doing considerable damage to TRNC and property sales.

The golf and country club, out near Esentepe, was officially opened last week, so all you keen golfers who want a holiday out here, with some splendid golf, start booking.

This evening six of us are going back to Chopsticks, the Chinese restaurant in Kyrenia. This time we have pre-booked the Peking duck as a starter so that should be a good prelude to our own Chinese holiday due to start on June 1st.