Pissouri, Cyprus - getting even greener

Well, as forecast it rained pretty well all day today. Sometimes it was just drizzle and sometimes it was torrential. Sometimes I had a view across to the sea and sometimes it was like a dense cloud of low fog.
So today I will post a tour of the 2nd floor of the house. The entrance, bedrooms and bathroom are on the first floor. I will save those pictures for the next rainy day.

One of the things I look for when I go through the pictures on Home Away (now VRBO) or AirBnB, is comfortable furniture. So often there is not enough seating for 4 people in a 2 bedroom or the seating looks really uncomfortable. I am going in the off season so the owners may think that the renters wont spend much time inside when it's hot out. Annie's House has a comfortable loveseat and sofa. Checked that box.

From the couches I can look out the sliding glass door to the balcony and view beyond.

Before I leave I load up my tablet with books from the library so reading material is not a requirement for a rental but I would rather hold a book in my hands and turn pages, so this bookshelf is a bonus

Behind the living area is the dining area with a window overlooking the back courtyard. There is lots of natural light which is another thing I look for. I also try and get a south facing balcony or terrace as I want lots of sun in the winter months. I think this balcony faces east but it may be southeast, I will know better when I have some sunny days.

The well equipped and efficient kitchen is next to the dining area. Stove, microwave, frig, washing machine, kettle, toaster and plenty of dishes, glasses and cutlery. Some rentals are really stingy with just 4 of everything.

Reminds me of Christine, she also loves her labeling machine.

Coffee making equipment is a deal breaker and there is lots of that here. However I don't really care for french press coffee, which I know some people love (Jason, Simon). To me it tastes as if there is still coffee grounds in the water (may be psychological, may be that I have used the wrong grind in the past). I just don't know how to use those other lovely implements.

When I only had a french press in Mallorca, Eve heard me whine about it and sent me this little Melita funnel so I can have drip coffee. At the supermarket yesterday I found a small thermos so now my second cup is as piping hot as the first one. My morning coffees are just the way I like them.

I went out for a short walk between showers and found the swimming pool. Currently 13 degrees, maybe in March.

At the pool - 4 loungers labeled Annie's. For sunny days.

As well as the picture I posted yesterday of a road damaged by the rain there is another road in the village that has been totally blocked off due to a landslide and you can see damage in the houses around that area.

Over the church doors. Parts of the church have been refaced but it is all a honey coloured stone and has a mirador (that's what it would be called in Spain anyway) around with lovely views.

The church sits up above the village square.

A coloured stone mosaic on the path going in to the village square.

The village also has an amphitheatre and I can imagine watching a performance on a summers evening with the view across the valley, to the sea, as a backdrop. I will come to take pictures on a better day.

European Goldfinch I think. He was all puffed up from the rain and cold and looked very fluffy.

The weather forecast is better for the weekend so I will probably get out and walk some more. I am still trying to find my way around the village. I can get to the square consistently but couldn't find the bus stop or the internet cafe (where there is another bus stop) and I had seen them both on the taxi ride yesterday. The village is all twisty turny roads making their way up and down and around the contours of the hill. No grid pattern here!

Pissouri, Cyprus - groceries and getting the lay of the land

There is a 7 hour time difference between Cyprus and Ontario. My readers who get the blog sent to their email (when google is working correctly that is) will be getting it as their day is starting and mine is winding down.

My little naps on the flight from Heathrow to Larnaca meant that I was actually able to go to bed at about 11pm and am now on schedule with the time zone. I was up at 8 to have breakfast and coffee before Loucas (the taxi driver) came to pick me up at 10.

Not a great start to the day, grey and drizzling but a lovely view from the balcony, across tile roof tops to the sea.

Looking down from the balcony at the front garden. The parking lot is to the right with a walkway to that front gate.

Loucas drove me up to the top of the hill, the new village, to pick up a grocery bag to lend to me, and then down to the bottom of the hill and dropped me at the large supermarket. When he popped in to show me which wine he would recommend it turned out to be the one that had been part of my welcome package. So he recommended his second favorite.

From my welcome package

It is "Protected Geographical Indication Paphos" which I take to mean something like a VQA. Paphos is bout 30 miles away so this is more local than if I buy a Niagara wine at home. Its a nice dry red and although I plan on trying other local wines I will certainly come back to this one.

Grocery shopping in a different country is always fun and here there was an odd mixture of Greek/Cyprus labelled products and those I recognize from the UK (many had a Sainsburys label). For instance there was Marmite and Lyles Golden Syrup. Its a large grocery store with meat, cheese and fish counters, even has a gluten free section. As I needed shoe laces (one of mine had broken at the airport yesterday) I discovered that upstairs there was also a small department store of hardwares, clothes, kitchen stuff and toys. Three grocery bags and 120 Euro later I felt stocked for the 3 months and called Loucas to come and pick me up.

The clouds had cleared and it was warm enough to take off my down vest and raincoat.

After putting away the groceries I decided to take advantage of the break in weather (rain is forecast off and on for the next week) and go for a walk.

The front garden in the sun.

An orange tree hangs over the parking lot and there are oranges squished flat on the ground.

The Trodos Mountains shrouded by clouds but you can just see that there is snow up there and there is skiing at this time of year.

Not sure what he is (I will have to rely on my birding readers), he was blue grey on his back, black eye band and when he flew a rusty colour under his tail. I had a quick look on the internet but couldn't identify him.

I have never had any luck keeping those small Poinsettia plants, that you get a Christmas, alive and here's a tree.

Loucas said that it had been the rainiest December in decades and had caused some trouble with the roads. This one washed out and threatened the foundations of the house you can see on the right and the one above it too.

Mud slides aside the Cypriots are happy for the winter rains. It fills the reservoirs and aquifers and greens up the landscape. A number of years ago droughts prompted the building of a desalination plant which they haven't used yet as they have had enough rainy winters since that they haven't needed it.

I walked to the village square leaving the beach walk for another day. One without rain in the forecast.

Roads in the old part of the village are too narrow for cars, built for donkeys only.

Tavernas and restaurants, though most of them were closed. Maybe due to the season or maybe they are open in the evening.

The town hall.

The fountain in the centre looks a little odd with Christmas decoration on it. There is also a bank and a small supermarket which I will use for replenishing my cupboards when I don't want to walk, or taxi, all the way to the big one at the bottom of the hill.

Also taking advantage of the sun.

Laundry with a view.

After walking through the square I walked down to, what Loucas called, "the lower road", to make my way back

Pomegranates I think. I ended up going too far down the hill, got a little lost, and had to walk back up

and across the hill to find the area I am staying in. It doesn't help that there appear to be no street names, at least no street signs.

I found my way back to Annie's House just before the weather changed again.

Rain, this time with thunder too

so I lit the gas fireplace to take the damp, chill, off and settled down with a book for the rest of the day.

To Cyprus - 2 days of travel

Not a very interesting post but just to let everyone know that I am here.
Simon picked Rasta and I up on Dec 31, dropped Rasta at his place in Port Dover and drove me to the Toronto airport. This is such a pain for him but I am very grateful and only ask him to do it once a year. He's not sure he would be so agreeable if it was more often. It is also lovely to know that Rasta has a welcoming second home with people and a dog to play with.
So a 3 hour wait at Pearson, a 6 and a half hour flight across the Atlantic (no sleep unfortunately), a 5 hour wait in Heathrow, a 4 and a half hour flight to Larnaca, Cyprus and a 1 hour taxi ride to Pissouri and I am HERE!

I love having the window seat!

I woke from a doze to this view so have no idea where it is. It may be the Alps, really not sure as the plane did not have one of those flight path screens (no screen at all actually)

British Air was an Ok carrier, nothing to write home about. On the flight from London to Larnaca my seat mate was horrified that she had to pay for a cup of tea when the trolley came by. I thought to myself that really tea is sacred to the English, I can't believe that BA would do that, but it turned out she was Canadian.

By the time I got to the house it was about 8:30 and chilly. After a few texts with Mick (my landlord) I got the gas fire started and settled down with a ham sandwich on olive bread and a glass of wine. All part of my welcome package.

Tomorrow the only thing on the agenda is to do some grocery shopping. The taxi driver is picking me up at 10am to go to the supermarket, and maybe explore the village if it isn't raining too hard.

Christmas 2019 - Episode 2

After a day spent driving, Mum, Dad and I arrived in Pakenham (near Ottawa), followed by Si, Dan, Fi and Ruby and the following day, Chris and Jason.

While awaiting Chris and Jason's arrival (when we could start opening presents) we walked up the road with the dogs.

Visited the two ponds which involved some hills, yelling for dogs whenever a car came by and enjoying the sun and snow.

We gave in to Mum's whinging and each opened one gift before Chris and Jason arrived. Monty was very interested in the cheese.

Ruby was too tired out by the walk to care.

Pretty soon it was chaos of gifts and wrapping paper

almost buried Monty.

Fiona loved her quilt from Nicola.

Heather had put Kraft Dinner on her Christmas list and most of us took pity on the poor girl. Imagine her parents only providing healthy food!

Next; the traditional Christmas dinner of turkey, stuffing, gravy, brussel sprouts, carrots, beets and parsnip, followed by Christmas pudding and rum butter, followed by the traditional turkey coma.

Christmas 2019 - episode 1

My old netbook was starting to get "glitchy", it was about 5 years old, so I bought a new one and thought I had better make sure I could use it for blog posts before setting off on the next trip. Looks OK so far!

I had wanted to complete this pictorial before Xmas as I have to teach it at McGown Teacher Training next September and have to submit the pictures of the completed project, a report and lesson plan by the summer. At this point I am planning on teaching about black walnut dying (cabin and tree are hooked with walnut dyed wool), tips for pictorials and ways to add texture and dimension to a pictorial. That should fill a day. (Summer Bell Pull, designed by Jane McGown Flynn)

Christmas Eve day I spent with Nicola and her family for my "first Christmas".

Kevin and Broghan were there for the afternoon and evening. Carla was home for the week (sorry no pictures)

Nicola often compares Bronx to a two year old child and he certainly lived up to that comparison. Once he discovered that his wrapped gifts had dog bones and treats inside he was constantly trying to open everyone's gifts and hunting under the tree.

His other trick - stealing your seat if you got up.