Not only have we been busy over the last 10 days but we have been enjoying ourselves too. We are really enjoying being retired! But I know you want to hear what we have been up to so I will make this post a little diary issue.

Sunday 16 July was where I left off and after the morning service we decided to have lunch at Sirinyali, a small fish restaurant near to home. It is located in a little cove, there is no beach to speak of but we enjoyed the sea breeze to keep us cool. Although it has new owners now, we both enjoyed a couple of meze dishes to start and then a delicious plate each of calamari and salad, washed down with some cool white wine. A little doze when we got home rounded the afternoon off nicely.


We had noticed an unusual white bird sitting in the trees on a couple of previous evenings, but on Sunday evening it flew closer and sat on our electric cables. It was then we discovered it was a cockatoo! I had to come indoors to conceal my laughter when Jeff went out with a handful of nuts to try and tice it down! No idea where it belongs, but we have seen it in the neighbourhood since.


Monday 17 July
A day for chores around the house, and we had our garden railing finished. They made a good job of them and didn't throw the black paint about either.

Now the garden has been cleared of all the weeds, we have been gathering a few ideas together as to what we would like to do with all this space. We had a visit from one Garden Centre, but the quote we were given was extremely high. Another person had been recommended to us, so we invited him, Torgaug from the Chiswick Restaurant came to talk to us. Jeff got on with him very well, he appeared to know his subject and we learnt that his family have a farm over the mountain and he has been working with plants most of his life. His ideas were very acceptable and he went away saying he would work out the cost and organise a Diviner to come and tell us whether it is feasible to sink a well in the garden. Water is quite an issue out here, some areas have not had any mains water for 2 or 3 days, but Karsiyaka water is on every day albeit they switch it off for 3 or 4 hour periods. We are able to manage because we have a 2 ton water tank. Were we to have our own water supply for such things as topping up the pool and watering the garden we would be so much more independent.

It has become really hot again, fairly constant temperatures of 35º and from 2pm until around 5pm the heat seems really intense, infact even the local workmen have taken to wearing hats!

Tuesday
18 July
I finished making the curtains and tie-backs for the blue room and enjoyed organising the various craft projects I had brought with me. We are still waiting to hear from Alev (carpenter) to see how well he is getting on with making a wardrobe for this room.


The bookcase and wardrobe for the twin room were delivered late that afternoon. The Karsiyaka carpenter has made a really good job of these. The bookcase is in pine and looks very attractive filled with our books. We have put it in the hallway as there is so much empty space there.


We joined Barbara and Michael for a drink at the Cabin during the evening.

Wednesday 19 July
We set off fairly early this morning in order to visit Girne Weekly Market. We were to entertain some of our neighbours at the weekend and I needed copious quantities of various vegetables and salad items. It is a wonderful sight to see dozens of stalls loaded with all kinds of produce, some of them very unfamiliar. Everything is so fresh and exceedingly cheap. I'll try and remember to take my camera with me next time we go and show you how good it is.
We then went over to the south to buy an additional bookcase for the study to take my Egyptology books and some files. We had a good browse around the DIY shop and needless to say, we did come out with a few other things too! We then set off to try and locate a Marks & Spencer store. We found one but it was only a small branch and the one we were looking for was reputed to be a really big store. We got fresh directions but got a bit lost trying to find our way from a dual carriageway under the road and up again. We decided to give up and go to one of the hypermarkets we know of where we could get some lunch and a cold drink - we were melting. Those of you working in London will know what it's like trying to get around a city in this heat! Yuk! Anyway we have a general idea of where it is, so we will search again on our next trip. Loaded with goodies from the hypermarket we headed home and into the pool to cool off.

That evening we went to The Chiswick for the weekly Quiz Night. We are supposed to be teams of no more than 4 people, but there is usually a crowd of us so we sort of make two teams (and then confer!). We still only came second however!

Thursday 20 July
This morning Torgaug arrived with the Diviner and he really did wander the garden with two sticks in his hands. (Sorry, didn't get a photograph). Anyway with a big smile on his face he reported that we have 3 underground streams, two of which converge in one corner of our plot, "I am 100% certain you will find much water there." So that will be where the well will go.

Torgaug also gave Jeff a sensible quote for the garden work and he is to take on the responsibility for obtaining the legal 'Permissions' etc, for sinking the well and bringing the men and equipment in to do it. Interesting times ahead!
After this excitement I went and joined the Ladies Group at the Kervan Restaurant. Although the bay is very beautiful, there was not a whisp of a breeze, so it was good to be just sitting doing nothing.

Today is a very important day in the history of Northern Cyprus. It is known as Peace and Freedom Day and marks the date when mainland Turkey came to the assistance of the Turkish Cypriots in 1974. It is commemorated with parades and speeches in Lefkosa and Girne and the highlight is a performance by the Turkish Airforce's Red Stars over the harbour. They are equally as good as the Red Arrows.

In the evening we joined Barbara and Michael for a meal at The Saffron restaurant in Lapta. It is a relatively new place, (it opened last summer when it was called Cote d'Azur). The decor is very modern and the table settings very elegant, with nice linen and glassware. There is an extensive menu which meant a lot of reading to be done, which is difficult when nattering. Anyway after much deliberations we all finally chose our dinner, Jeff and I starting with a plate of delicious Whitebait each, then Jeff had a selection of lamb chops and fresh vegetables and I had Pork in a Madeira sauce. It was a lovely evening and the service was most attentive. We decided to call into The Cabin on the way home for a nightcap - bad mistake! There was the most awful kareoke evening taking place which just took the edge off a nice occasion.

Friday 21 July
This was to be a really lazy day. Frank and Joan had invited us to join them on a boat trip, they have visitors from Holland staying with them at the moment and a day on a boat was a good way of entertaining them. We set sail about 10am, but were somewhat delayed leaving the harbour as our anchor had become fouled up with one from another boat. Our party consisted of Frank, Joan, their visitors Ari, Samantha and Michael, Barbara and Michael, George and Susan, Pat and Brian and ourselves.




Once out at sea we had a lovely breeze and the captain decided to head west along the coast. As we all lived in that direction it was interesting to spot familiar places from a very unfamiliar viewpoint.


Our first anchorage was in a lovely bay near the Green Coast holiday resort. The water was warm and clear, we had a great time.




We were called back on board when lunch was ready. Loads of chicken, fresh tuna and a variety of salads to enjoy.

During the afternoon we sailed on towards Lapta and anchored just of Camelot Beach. Jeff and I had not been there before and it looked an ideal place for us to take the boys when they join us in a few weeks. It has a lovely sandy beach with plenty of umbrellas and loungers and once in the water it looks to be shallow for quite some distance out.


Around 4pm we headed back towards Girne harbour and all agreed that it had been a wonderful day and we must look for an excuse to do it again next month.





That evening we went Line Dancing!!!!!! I know you can't believe it but how it came about was our friends Brian and Renee (Brian from the Italy to Turkey ferry) were returning to UK on Saturday and we said we would spend their last evening with them. Renee likes to Line Dance and Brian goes to watch! They had discovered that Line Dancing was held on a Friday evening at the Acmenya, one of the local restaurants in Alsancak, so that is where we went. Well Renee, at age 74, looked to be the only one enjoying herself, the other participants were taking it very seriously. Anyway we had a pleasant evening in good company and they may be out again in October.