Published on 22 July 2007 at 02:57 pm
Filed in Expat Life In Nicosia Cyprus
For my birthday (a while back now) we went to stay at the Hilton in Nicosia – we had a dog sitter for the weekend and we just turned the PCs and the phones off and went rumpetta rumpetta rumpetta off down the road to what from the outside looks like a nothing that special 1960’s hotel, but which on the inside is pretty damn fine indeed!
I’ve always had a thing for nice hotels – and there was I recently trying to convince someone I’m not high maintenance – anyway, I digress, the Nicosia Hilton is well nice, but instead of nipping off to the gym or to the spa, instead of jumping in the pool or indeed lazing by the pool or perhaps partaking of some other type of indulgence, we decided that actually we wanted an entire afternoon to just read lots and lots of English magazines and newspapers…who says I’m not normal?
So on the way to our room we noticed that the hotel has a shop and after dumping our bags and admiring the mini-bar (mmmmmmmm toblerone) we popped back to the shop – now imagine our surprise when upon entering this mini market of the smallest proportions we realised that it was really an amazing tardis jam packed with all your (my?) favourite and essential things!
Low fat salt and vinegar crisps jostled for space alongside bags and bags of fruit pastilles, Marie Claire rubbed shoulders with Glamour, Hello and OK were happily stacked side by side with all the Great British tabloids framing their faces - and there were even piles and piles of English books not to mention all sorts of useful trade magazines for himself and myself!
The magic shop at Nicosia Hilton provided enough material for every single birthday treat I have ever required – who needs diamonds when you can have low fat salt and vinegar crisps, a bottle of Pepsi Max, The Saturday Express, Cosmo (complete with obligatory free holiday sex guide), Entrepreneur Magazine (I have aspirations) and the Time Out guide to making the very most out of our new life in Cyprus?
Okay, so diamonds are actually a girl’s best friend, but all of the above are far more than a mere acquaintance and so I was well happy and because calories don’t stick when it’s your birthday I swiped the toblerone from the mini-bar as well as the crisps and the fruit pastilles as well (when I say swiped, I mean snaffled – cos obviously I paid for them) and a great time was had by everyone…well, me anyway!
