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It's amazing how you [or maybe it's just me] forget things when you've been away for a while. There are so many changes in Cyprus since we left 3 months ago and yet in many ways time has stood still. There are new shops and restaurants opened whilst others, sadly, have closed down. We now have a proper post office in the village; funny to think they are closing the local post offices back home but opening them up here; likewise, new churches are being built here whilst ours are being turned into night clubs.
The old men sitting outside the cafes are still here: drinking coffee, some playing backgammon, others waving their stick at passing stray dogs or just whiling away the time watching the world go by. No doubt, the wives are at home keeping house, tending gardens, animals, fields and orchards, cooking dinner, making wine, preserving seasonal foods and goodness knows what else. Widows, dressed in black are still climbing the hill to the shops, siga, siga, [slowly, slowly], one painful step at a time. Friendly gestures abound from the old folk who have time to smile and say 'Hello' or 'Kali Mera' [Good morning]. Sadly, many of these traditions will be dying out soon as younger people in their designer clothes are jumping into their 4x4's and driving at you at break neck speed until you jump or swerve out of their way.
The land now is fresh and green with lots of colourful wild flowers and blossom on the trees. The Christmas lights are doubling up for the pending Easter celebrations [Very big here]. The skies are clear and blue and the sunsets are fabulous at this time of the year. It's hot if you can find a sheltered spot but, there's a cold wind which can bite into you if it catches you unawares and once the sun goes down you are scuttling off for a cardi and bed socks.
The roads in Cyprus are atrocious at the moment. The EU, in its wisdom, has awarded Cyprus with X amount of Euro to up-grade the sewerage system. This all sounds very good unless you have to live with the complete carve up they have made of the work. Everywhere you go there are diversions leading to no-where and huge holes and trenches in the roads. When they eventually get around to filling in the holes they either use gravel, tarmac or even concrete if they have some left over from another job. It seems this gravel/tarmac/concrete is required to be at least 4 inches above the surface of the road or 4 inches below with rough jagged edges. Wow betide a workman who might actually get it level, he would be dismissed on the spot for being too clever. If there is any gravel/tarmac/concrete left over this is dumped just anywhere. Sadly, parts of Cyprus are a mess, the roads are awful, there is a lot of litter and fly tipping and there are so many half built buildings that just seem to be left to become overgrown with weeds; it's hard to believe they are clearing more and more beautiful sites to half build even more. But, I have almost perfected the art of turning a blind eye to these things, as Cyprus, for now, has its stunning parts too and we have learnt, from our travels, we shouldn't compare countries but should enjoy and celebrate their differences.
With this in mind we have resumed our walking. It's a great way to take in and appreciate the beautiful aspects of our surroundings and we are determined to get fitter. This time of the year is especially good for walking as the weather is mostly dry but not too hot. We are tending to walk into the village most mornings or park up in the village and explore different areas around it. Peyia village is built on a hill and there are peaks and gorges and higgledy-piggledy little roads and places you can see in the distance and wonder how to get there. It's interesting to imagine how Peyia may once have been because there are so many new build villas and apartments around but, every now and again, you come across a lovely old stone house or an old church and there are the 'Peyia Springs' which once was where the women of the village did their laundry [And their courting, according to the history books]. There are fields of goats and chickens alongside modern villas, gyms, chemists, bakers, shops and beauty salons; a football ground and just enough tasteful, traditional and more modern bars and restaurants. In the evenings we like to walk down by the sea and either catch the sunset there or get back home in time to see it from the roof terrace of our rented villa. I would, at this point like to say how lucky we are to be able to stay in such a lovely home. The owners work so hard on it every time they come out on 'holiday'. It really is fabulous and, If you are reading this, we would like to thank you for giving us the opportunity to live here and we look forward as much as you do, to the time you can come here for longer and relax at last!
Below the village, the Peyia coastline is beautiful. There are two main tourist beaches [Pretty much deserted at this time of year] and we are close to Agios Georges, which is a little fishing harbour, the sea caves and the wilderness of the Akamas Penninsula. We are also not far from the main Paphos harbour and town. The whole of Paphos is a world heritage site so there are some wonderful old places to explore. Behind us are mountains and more coastal areas. We are in a fabulous spot with something new to discover, or old favourites to visit, every day. And, of course, not far away in the tourist areas are bars, bars and more bars. Not that we frequent them all of course, but we do have a few favourites.
People ask us what it is like where you live. Well, we hope we have given you a bit of an insight into our 'other life' when we are not dashing around Cheltenham catching up with you all, rummaging around in Matalan/Primark or Tesco, sorting out belongings we really should have got rid of years ago or tending to other, long overdue business.
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