Pissouri, Cyprus - first sketch

After two walking days in a row, I spent the day at home. Did laundry, arranged to rent a car next week and generally took it easy.

While I was sitting on the balcony, with my coffee, the neighbourhood Kestrel dove into those trees 3 yards over

then straight up onto the utility pole to eat whatever he had caught. That seems to be his favourite dining location - nice flat surface, good view, safe from all the cats.

After doing a bit of gardening (weed pulling), I sat in the sun

and did my first sketch of this trip. I am never happy with my first sketch, it always takes me a while to get back into it. I haven't felt like sketching up til now as I would need to sit on cold stone to do it. I am better prepared now as I bought an old cushion at the charity shop and I will squish it into my backpack when I go off sketching.

In the afternoon I worked again on the "geraniums over the stone wall" painting. Just like sketching, time doesn't exist while I am painting.

I was interrupted by Christine calling and was amazed to see that I had been painting for 2 hours.

And now for something totally different: a friend, who reads this regularly, asked how the public washrooms are in Cyprus. I have found them to be fine (well except for that rather dodgy one up the circular staircase in Paphos) but all of them have signs telling you to put you toilet paper in the "bin", not down the toilet.
In Cyprus most drains are not wide enough so you dispose of your toilet paper in a bin next to the toilet ergo 21st century in Cyprus means a bin next to the toilet, which is a safe and healthy way to dispose of your toilet paper. (From TripAdvisor)

I found this on the internet too, a list of places in Europe where you can't flush paper. George and I rented a house in Merida, Mexico where paper was "binned" and I believe there were some places with the sign in Peru.

It takes a bit of getting used to and I have to admit I have forgotten a few times (it's such a habit) and then worried that I would have plugged up the pipes with paper.

Researching this topic I found a website called "wheredoIputthepaper" which had a list of countries and a brief "how to" regarding the toilets in each. I loved the Canada listing:
"In Canada the paper goes in the toilet. Unless you're a bear, everyone knows where bears go. Not that they use paper of course, they use rabbits, soft and absorbent fur you see."nless you're a bear, everyone knows where bears go. Not that they use paper of course, they use rabbits, soft and absorbent fur you see.
Canada
In Canada the paper goes in the toilet. Unless you're a bear, everyone knows where bears go. Not that they use paper of course, they use rabbits, soft and absorbent fur you see.