Living In Nicosia Cyprus - An Expat's View

North Cyprus Tsunami Help

For regular readers who wish to help with the Tsunami disaster. The Cyprus Today newspaper published the following information today about how TRNC residents can help and make donations

We all feel inadequate and wish we could do more when disasters like the Asian Tsunami occur, the one thing that most of us want to do is to give a little, to help to ensure that the aid agencies have the equipment and resources that they need to bring some comfort to the people whose lives have been shattered. 

If you’re a North Cyprus resident and you want to give a donation for the appeal and haven’t received a copy of Cyprus Today here is the latest information for making donations for the Tsunami appeal.

Two Cute Links

I’m sorry, these have nothing to do with North Cyprus whatsoever!  But they are too cute not to share!

Check out what your name means ANDDDDD better yet, find out what breed of a puppy you would be!

And another thing

When I moved here from Germany I was determined to see the good in everyone.

All the people here (well, nearly all of them) are so pleasant and go out of their way (really) to help you and befriend you and and and.  And compared to Germany where the people are often distrusting, I find it an incredible haven here for genuinely NICE people.

So?

Things don’t always get done when you think, people turn up a day late for an appointment, you queue for half an hour every time you need to go to the bank...but I never cared - things like that sincerely DON’T matter when you live here and have all the benefits of living on the most beautiful part of the Mediterranean.

Supermarket Saga - Part 2

Sigh, here we go again.

Look, may I firstly say that I DO love living in North Cyprus, that the weather here IS always better than you could imagine (even on the odd day when it buckets down, cos the next day is always sunny again) and that yes I know I AM very very lucky to have retired to the sun by the age of 30! 

But sometimes, just sometimes when things don’t quite go according to plan (understatement) I am allowed to get ANGRYYYYYYYYYYYYYY.  And yes, I am probably violating the unwritten code of blogger ethics by using my blog as a vent for my anger and as therapeutic assistance in my journey back along the road to sanity (what do you mean back along the road Rhiannon?).  Anyway, it’s better I use my blog than Andy’s sensitive ears...I can’t go upsetting him...not fair.

What am I on about?

Supermarket Shopping - Just How Stressful An Experience Can It Be?

Look, I don’t know about you but I hate shopping - okay, I’m the exception - castigate me - see if I care.

I am sincerely hacked off right now.  I’ve had a day and a half I really have and nothing you can say or do could add to it…

See, I thought I’d get the bits and pieces I need from the supermarket today as tomorrow is Friday and likely to be well busy - it is also Christmas Eve so even the Brits are likely to be out and about causing chaos.

Christmas on a Budget

Last week I promised Rachel (of Night Jar fame) that I’d spend Monday helping her decorate the bar.

I arrived at 11am as promised so that we could get in a good nine hours work or so before she needed to get the bar ready for opening at 9pm.  But invariably we had to have a coffee and a strategy meeting first to decide what we needed to buy, what the budget was with which to buy and what exactly we wanted to achieve!

Sunday Driving

November rains in North Cyprus have given way to beautiful December sunshine.  I still can’t get used to it and pack on a jumper and jacket before leaving the house (to hang washing on the balcony for example) and I’m caught out every time!  It’s hot I tell you!  Damn hot, especially if you’re in the direct sun and wearing multiple layers!

So on Sunday when all the other expats were recovering from hangovers no doubt, Andy and I drove out from Kyrenia to Turtle Beach and went for a stroll. 

Safety First - But Then Again, Maybe Not!

At the back of our pad we look out towards the sea...but a large part of our beautiful view is obscured by the Savoy!  It’s a new hotel and casino that’s being built here in Kyrenia and we figure it’ll be lovely when it’s finished!

In the meantime it can be entertaining watching the building process.  And educational.  Who’d’ve thought they could build such an impressive structure (and it is) without the use of a crane for example? 

In Germany they used cranes for EVEYTHING, in Frankfurt the skyline was dominated by the bloomin’ things - I think they even used them for planting the squillion or so trees the Green Party insisted on as part (or all?) of their policy - sort of defeating the object really.

Anyway, yes, impressive structure, no cranes, just block and tackle type pulleys and lots and lots and lots of labourers.

Now, it seems that safety on the building site is not really an issue.  It’s like from one extreme - UK nanny state safety laws - to the other - here: where they wear flip flops instead of boots with steel toe caps, baseball hats instead of hard hats and so on and so forth.

10 Reasons Why I Love TRNC

Apart from the weather, the people, the beauty, the majesty, the Mediterranean, the food etc.

Because they are dull, everyone loves Cyprus for those reasons…

Upsetting the Locals

Apparently some of the wild dogs you see about the place aren’t actually wild after all.

Nooo, indeed not. 
A surprisingly large number are latch key dogs.