Celebration, Meze and Pancypriot Games
Another week is quickly coming to a close and we look back with thankfulness for the
wisdom and strength to face all the challenges as well as involvement in the many other
activities which are required.
A visit from the Syrian UN ambassador was a pleasant surprise as he spends most of
his time in New York and only returns to Cyprus for about two weeks, every two months.
But what was more gratifying was to hear of his pleasure with the school as far as his
children are concerned. We are blessed!
This week was an interesting opportunity to celebrate Marian’s birthday! How the time
increasing flies so that years seem like months, months like weeks, weeks as days and
days - where do they go? I had planned a surprise for Marian and had invited two cou-
ples, one English and one Australian that we have come to know, to join us at a restau-
rant. I had kept this all a secret so I was pleased!
But my surprise soon turned to confront me. As we left the apartment and pushed the
elevator button for the ground floor, I reached into my pocket and found I did not have
my keys - school, flat, car - all missing. I asked Marian if she had hers and the response
was, “I forgot to transfer them to this bag.”
I already knew that the other parties would be at the restaurant since we had agreed to
be there on time. What was I going to do? I phoned the landlord and he told me he had
no keys since the flats are all privately owned but that there was a card on the bulletin
board in the foyer with the name of a locksmith - Great! I called our friends from the res-
taurant and asked if they would come and pick Marian up while I waited for the repairs!
The secret was out!
I waited about 20 minutes and we approached the door of our flat. Within 15 seconds he
was in and asked for $40. Ouch - this is already getting to be an expensive evening!
The lesson I learned last evening was that if we place our security in things such as
locks - we are only deluding ourselves! Good to have a greater security than any lock
can provide!
The evening was a true celebration with good friends, excellent food and shared con-
versation from an international perspective! The house even provided a bottle of cham-
pagne to honour the occasion! On the way home Marian expressed how pleasant an
evening it had been and that I had never surprised her with a party before! Good thing I
started before it was too late!
Friday, Marian and I accompanied our two Phys Ed teachers to Paphos which is at the
western end of the island. Although only 150 km away, the trip took a good two hours
each way. Why were we going? To cheer on one of the Academy students who was
competing in the Pancypriot games which brings together regional high school competi-
tors in cross country running. I am pleased to say that Nicholas came in third and was
the only one of his age in the top ten - all the others being a year older. I am confident
that with some coaching throughout the next year, he can probably win the race.
Afterwards we were treated to a seafood meze (a collection of different dishes - small
servings, but lots of food) by his family. They appreciated the fact that we came to sup-
port Nicholas and so provided us with a lunch while we overlooked the Mediterranean -
yes, we did think of the snow at home. Shark, shrimp, cuttlefish, calamari (squid), octo-
pus, crab, oysters, and three different kinds of fish along with french fries, salads and
various other appetizers such as pickled beets, pickled celery, caviar spread, tahini,
cracked olives, tuna salad. Eaten over a couple of hours with lots of good conversation
provides a marvelous way to celebrate a sports victory and to pass a Cypriot afternoon!
That was the second meze this week! The first took place after an evening lecture at the
academy on Learning Difficulties by Dr. Eleni Rossides. This proved to be an informa-
tive evening and afterward we were invited to attend a local taverna with some of the
staff. Once again the bounty provided in small portions never seemed to end! After the
salad, tahini, olives, pita, eggplant, mushrooms, and haloumi (Cypriot cheese) in pita,
the meat started arriving - Cypriot sausage, marinated chicken and pork, shish kebab,
lamb cutlets and a second type of sausage. By the end, over such an extended period,
the appeal of each arriving dish seemed to attract less and less! What a relaxed atmos-
phere in which to talk, laugh, discuss and just plain enjoy the presence of other friends
we have come to know. The shortened night left one tired the next day, but thankful for
the pleasure of shared friendship.
This particular venue was an older taverna in an old village which is part of Nicosia.
When we arrived, going on 9 pm, we were alone but for one other table. Later the res-
taurant seemed to fill with local folks and at one point some even became involved in
our conversations! Yes, there is something to be said for the Mediterranean style of life
and it is more than merely a good healthy diet - I think the slower pace of life with less
emphasis on timeliness allows us to enjoy each other’s company more and value the
friends we have. Sadly, our eating habits in Canada seem to stress the efficiency with
which we approach almost every other task in life.
Let’s take more time to enjoy each other while we can, to talk of things that really matter
and watch our own enjoyment of life increase dramatically!
David
Olives, Bread, Death and Music . . .
Living in the land where olives are one of the staples of life, it was really exciting this week to find the very large black, low salt olives which I have come to love at a much better price! Where I was first introduced to these olives the price was $10 per kilo which is about the price I think we pay in Canada. But the new source has them at $6.25 per kilo! The exact same olives so now I can indulge without feeling guilty - I am certain that these are the kind which do not add one kilo to the one eating them - Ha, ha!
There is fierce competition here in Cyprus within the bakery industry. Zorpas, Marangos are neck and neck in garnering the largest number of clients and have very brightly lit stores which are easy to access, so there is always heavy traffic around them. In fact both of these have stores relatively close to our flat. However, we do not find their products, particularly bread, very tempting - too much of commercial, too little of old home taste and texture. Healthy bread, called black bread here even though it is not, is not much better since some is merely white bread with caramel added to give it a darker appearance - like white sugar sprayed with molasses and called brown sugar!! Further away we have found a small independent bakery called Three Bakers. This one wins hands down! Good taste to the bread and excellent texture.
One loaf they make is called a village loaf and is baked in the old fashioned clay ovens which are first of all heated with a wood burning fire, and then when the clay is hot the fire is removed and the bread put in - slow cooking makes for a delicious bread - now that is something worth eating! Particularly when a staff member left some of the very best marmalade on my desk this week. Her husband had made it and it has that lingering taste of bitter that I so love! Please pass the bread and marmalade . . .
On Wednesday evening of the week we were saddened to hear of the sudden passing of the Minister of Education and Culture - a man deeply respected because of what he had done to advance the cause of education on the island! On behalf of the school I had to go and deliver a wreath the next day just prior to the funeral. Here, the practice is to bury the body within 24 hours so there is no embalming and preparations move very quickly! Students were particularly pleased to learn that the school was closed in honor and memory of this fine gentleman.
The suddenness of his passing reminds us all that God may indeed call us at any time so we need to make certain that our eternal destiny is in order!
Last evening we had the privilege of attending a concert put on by the Polish cultural society here in Cyprus and it was thoroughly enjoyable - Greek Cypriot soprano soloist and Polish pianist presenting songs of Poland and France! Delightful is all I can say!
The picture is to create a little envy as we suffer here so far from family and friends! We talked with Andrew in Toronto this morning and he told us it was -12ºC while here it was 16ºC. We are thankful for the sun, but need some rain desperately since there is the threat of rationing due to the low levels in the reservoirs.
Thank you for your continuing letters and concern!
David
On a Sunny Cyprus Day . . .
It was just too nice to remain inside today - in the midst of Cypriot winter with temperatures reaching lows of just under 10ºC at night and rising to 13ºC during the day - we feel for our friends who are experiencing the bitter cold of the prairies! The absence of the much needed rain, continues to plague Cyprus with water rationing on the horizon. Interesting, isn't it? Here we are, a small island in the huge Mediterranean Sea, with no place on the island being more than 45 minutes from the shores, and we suffer from a shortage of water. The existing desalination plants are just not able to keep up so two more are on the drawing board but will arrive too late to save this round of severe cutbacks! Please pass the deodorant and after shave!!!
We left our apartment and walked to the butcher shop about 15 minutes away - yes the old fashioned type where there are carcases hanging around - this one pork, that one lamb, and the one over there is beef, while the display case is full of chickens. When it is finally my turn the first question is . . . do you speak English? With that affirmatively answered we can start to make our list known - two pork chops - yes, those with the tenderloin attached; and one large chicken for roasting - so we can have leftovers for sandwiches and another meal; that beef . . . do you have two slices like that? He lifts the one from the display case and picks up a piece of beef from which he cuts another, lifting it to see if I approve. Then into the bag and placed on the counter, asking if there is anything else. I mention stewing beef and he shakes his head, marches off to pick up a different piece of beef which he dutifully cuts up into the required cubes! I pay for the lot and walk up the street to join Marian who immediately asks, “Did you get some ground beef?” NO! The one thing we needed and I forgot - so much for my shopping ability from memory!
As we need to put the meat in the freezer but do need a few fresh veggies, we stop across the road from the flat and enter the 'supermarket' - in name only since it would better be described as a corner store - in the old fashioned sense with a good supply of everyday needs in the grocery category! Celery is sold here with all the leaves on so when you buy one, it fills a bag - delicious - much more tender than the Canadian brother which has been so genetically altered so that it can stand the long hours of transit that it ressembles its Cypriot cousin in name only! Soups seem to thrive on the celery leaves along with other vegetables. Marian selects half a dozen potatoes - wonderful here in Cyprus - large and very tasty - unfortunately for me! But we did enjoy one together this afternoon down town - in the jacket they say - baked to Canadians - with baked beans and cheese on top! Delicious. A few other sundries and we move to exit the store only to be met by Christodolou - my friend from up stairs!
We met last fall and he is an older retired gentleman who frequents the taverna across the road so some evenings we sit and chat. He informs me that he has arranged for us to go and get some olive oil directly where it is pressed or they will deliver it to us - fresh never was like this, was it? I ask him if he has been able to get into the book which I brought him from Canada. Prior to returning to Canada I asked if I could bring him something when I return. He asked for a commentary on the whole BIble which I was pleased to bring with me. He answered that he had started it and found it very didactic! Yes, you do have a dictionary but just in case - here is what that means - “adjective; intended to teach, particularly in having moral instruction as an ulterior motive : a didactic novel that set out to expose social injustice.” He was overjoyed with it and since this was the first time Marian had seen him since our return she greeted him with “Happy New Year” to which he responded, “You are happy having seen your daughter and children, your grandchildren.” When I inserted that we had 8 and one on the way he said, “And I am number ten!”
After a stop to put things in the fridge, we were off again towards the cenre of town this time. As we passed a pharmacy I entered asking if they had anything which we could use to minimize Marian's foot pain. We were kindly told that there was a man on Ledra Street who specialized in such problems. As we wended our way there we found it true that he did know about relieving foot problems - when he checked Marian's feet he said to her, “You will leave here in comfort.” There was certainly an improvement, after selecting the correct shoe support, and he would like to see her again to discuss further options. Thank you Lord for small blessings!
I think that is probably a sufficient update, at least about the interesting things in our lives for this week. Some have written about the picture below which I posted last week - who is who and who belongs to whom?
So, from left to right in order:
Elliot aged 3.5 son of Andrew and Christine of Toronto
Rachel aged 4.5 second daughter of Michael and Amy of Owen Sound
Mae aged 1.5 daughter of Tim and Jessica of Waterloo
Imogen aged 5.5 daughter of Andrew and Christine
Adriel aged 7 months second son of Andrew and Christine
Nolan aged 3.5 son of Tim and Jessica
Sarah aged 6.5 first daughter of Michael and Amy
Calvin aged 2 son of Michael and Amy
Hope that helps and have a good week.
David
