Pissouri, Cyprus - Charity shop shift

After such a wet, abysmal day, yesterday, today was blue sky and sunny. I had breakfast on the balcony and then walked up to the charity shop for my Saturday shift. Maureen is my "shift mate" every Saturday and we are in a routine now. I take some items outside to indicate we are open, hopefully highlight their availability and clear out some space in the shop. Always it is golf bags and golf clubs and today it was a high chair with a teddy bear in it and 3 curtain rods. Maureen goes through donations that need sorting and checking (that's like Christmas, what's coming out of the bag next?). We try to display the new additions and then I get going tidying and shelving books. After a couple of hours I am getting bored and hungry so usually walk down to the supermarket in the square. Then back up the hill to the shop and the final couple of hours. There are people to talk to, items to wrap as they are rung in and generally tidying to do.

Just beside the post office, below the church, on the edge of the square a yellow post box (English ones are red but look the same), a telephone box (just don't see those in Canada anymore) and post office boxes.

At the supermarket checkout was a display of what looked like fudge, individually wrapped in little plastic bags. It looked homemade. I asked about it and was told it was Halva, a sweet that is available all year round but that is traditionally made at this time of year, for Lent. So I had to try some.

This type of halva is crumbly and usually made from tahini (sesame paste) or other nut butters, such as sunflower seed butter. Its primary ingredients are nut butter and sugar. from Wikipedia

Halva is a traditional fasting food among Greek Orthodox who traditionally have food restrictions, especially from meat, on Wednesdays and Fridays throughout the year, for all of Great Lent and other fasting periods. from Wikipedia

I have been getting snippets of information from conversations and reading about the Greek Orthodox Traditions for Lent and Easter but am finding it a bit of a challenge to piece it all together. So far my understanding is that Carnival is celebrated prior to Lent. The nearest one is in Paphos and I probably wont try and see it. (I may have missed it already). Last week was the last week to eat meat and Thursday is known as "Smelly or Stinky Thursday" because of the smell of meat grilling in the air. It may have been why we were unable to get a seat in Two Friends on Thursday. After that week dairy, cheese and meat cannot be eaten (though some sources say that it is only on Wednesday and Friday ??) and there are other things like the Halva that can provide protein as it is made with Sesame seeds. (though way more sugar than protein, from the taste)

When I got home I tried the Halva. It has a granular, dry texture with the taste of sesame and sugar. I got the variety that is mixed with chocolate but there were also pieces with almonds or peanuts for sale. It is quite delicious but very sweet, so I can only eat a little at a time.

I have decided to keep the car until the end of the week and am debating whether to take a 2 day trip to Egypt in March. I have 5 weeks remaining and still places that I want to see but I also want to just relax and enjoy the scenery and the weather.