Tuesday 16 June 2015

As Jane Austen wrote ...

"To sit in the shade on a fine day and look upon verdure is the most perfect refreshment."

With the temperature rising quickly now, it is apparent that shade is absolutely vital. Forget going on a fortnight's holiday and sitting in the sun at every conceivable moment so that you return with a tan. Living in this climate we never sit in the sun from June until the middle of October, and we are still nut brown. Bars and restaurants will know the mantra "No trade without shade".

We still giggle occasionally when we remember asking, when being shown round a property, whether the garden was South-facing. The agent did not even smirk, she must have heard that so often. The reality of life in Cyprus is that shade is vital, as there is no point in coming to live here and then spending all the time indoors. Sitting in the shade and enjoying the lovely cool breeze that so often comes across Polis Chrysochous bay, with a cool beer to hand, is as close to perfection as you can get. Ironically the cost of gazebo and awnings, and garden furniture in general, is very expensive because - I suppose - everybody needs it.

Ann had a first the other day when she cooked dolmades from scratch. They were absolutely delicious, and apart from being fiddly when you have to wrap your vine leaves around your filling (at least I found it fiddly), this latest foray into Cypriot cooking was straightforward. And, as we underestimated how filling they would be, I had some cold for lunch the next day. Warm or cold, a fabulous dish.

Time for a dip in the pool and who knows what else ... life here can be okay.

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