Frank and Joan's news for 05 August 2007 in Northern Cyprus

Frank and Joan's Adventures in Northern Cyprus

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

Big headline in The Cyprus Today. Scorching 51 degrees, thats what it felt like in Nicosia with the very high humidity. The whole world seems to be in a turmoil with the weather. Over there in UK you are all drowning in rainfall and we have never experienced humidity levels like this. Guess what the forecast for next week is more of the same. I guess Joan and I are looking forward to some cool weather from Wednesday onwards, hopefully without the torrential rain you have been having.

Another well thought out government scheme has just been introduced. Compulsory emission tests on vehicles over one year old. BUT THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE THE EVIL BLACK SMOKING COMMERCIAL VEHICLES. These tests have to be conducted every year, which is interesting as MOT tests here last for three years. Add to this the fact that there are only seven testing centres and non of them in Kyrenia area and the law allows fines of up to 8,500 YTL (£3,250). Does this smell of another government scheme t

o try to fleece the ex-pats.

The British Police are still waiting for foul food fugitive to be extradited. The TRNC police are denying ever having received the request to return Roberts to the UK and the Derbshire Police say they have renewed their original 2003 request, through official channels.

The cost of bread has risen this week from 25p for a 300 gram loaf to 30p, 20%, that's a lot over here. The justification is the higher price of wheat.

Economy is at a standstill business groups have warned. The biggest threats are in the Tourism Sector and the Building & Construction Industry, but this of course will have an add on effect on associated business.

At the same time thousands of municipality workers have been given job security and pension guarantees under a new law which came in to effect on July 16th. When you read the paragraph above, you have to wonder how the government can be sure of paying for all of this particularily as the scheme includes all government workers, which I am led to believe is about 70% of the working population.

Anybody want to buy a 1968 Morris Traveller which appears to have been a very lucky car. Apparantly the car was bought by a Dr John Guthrie here in Nicosia and the original invoice and logbook are still with the vehicle. In 1974, he and his family fled from their Bellapais home down to the harbour and just left the car with the keys in the ignition. When he and his wife returned 3 months later they found the car in their garage with the keys still in the ignition. It's current owner bought it in 1995 and it was parked in Bellapais during the great fire of the same year. Everything around the car was burnt to a cinder, but the car itself was virtually unscathed under a protective sheet. The present owner says it could do with a respray but everything else is perfect, with just 43,000 miles on the clock from new. I suppose what the man needs is a "Moggie" lover.