Saying goodbye...

We were up good and early this morning - the weather really is too good to miss at the moment and as we had the day to ourselves (before going out for a final meal with Joyce and David and Mum and Dad later) I wanted to get some more work done in the garden getting it ready for the winter.  I am trying to approach it more like Rob does - Rob has the cleanest shingle you have ever seen and takes pride in making sure he removes as much rubbish from it as possible and his efforts pay off because it looks like it has only just been put down it is so nice and clean and white - ours on the other hand looks exactly what it is, about 7 years old in places and 10+ in others and a bit shabby and a bit dirty and a bit messy!  The only trouble is that, at this time of the year, no sooner have you cleaned it than some other plant starts dropping and then it will be windy and more leaves drop and the cycle continues, drop, clean, drop, clean.  My efforts today were watched by one of the smallest Praying Mantis I have ever seen - photographed on the rosemary it wasn't even as long as one of the leaves!

We stopped after a while and did our dip in the pool.  The temperature hasn't changed over the last week or so and so it isn't too bad getting in because you know exactly how it is going to be.  We waited a bit today so that the sun had been on the water for a while although I am not sure it makes that much of a difference.

I grabbed a shower afterwards and threw some clothes on as I had arranged to meet Elena's lovely but crazy Aunty for a coffee at the Droushia Heights Hotel with Diana at 11.00am

Aunty Maura, or Maroulla to be correct was born and lives in South Africa but her mother was from Droushia and her father from Peristerona.  She returns every year at this time for a couple of months to live in the village in the family home which was built on the site of her grandmother's house.

Maura is a larger than life, flamboyant character who is fast approaching 70 although you would never know it.  She sadly lost her Greek husband about 5 years ago and misses him dreadfully but has the company (in South Africa) of her teacher daughter who she had when she was 41.

Maura is fascinating and can tell you so much about the people in and around the village and has so many funny anecdotes.  Back in South Africa she owns a coffee shop - but not a Cypriot type one - her niece is a very successful business woman who has a string of coffee shops called Tashas.  She must be successful as she has twenty coffee shops including four in Dubai!  Maura is here until early December and gets a bit lonely so I will endeavour to try and see her at least once a week if I can.  It should get easier once Joyce and David go back (tomorrow) but having said that Karen and Dip arrive early November and one of John's school friends is coming over with her partner/husband (not sure which) for a special birthday celebration.

Coffee at the Droushia Heights was lovely - particularly as we were able to sit outside on the terrace and laugh at the holiday makers braving the outside pool.  I know ours is cold but there is so much more water in the Hotel pool it must surely feel colder - the trouble is it is so lovely and hot in the sun that the pool looks so inviting to cool off in.

One nice chap decided to throw his girlfriend in - I was glad she was made of strong stuff as I had visions of having to ring John to get him to demonstrate his newly acquired and fully up to date CPR skills!

Di and I walked back going out of the back of the hotel and along the path which leads along the side of the Droushia Holiday apartments which is where Dip and Karen stayed the night of John's 50th birthday.  The apartments always look quite nice and the link with the Hotel for breakfast and use of the amenities is a great idea.  We were admiring the gardens when the gardener came out to have a chat with us.  We were saying how lovely the bougainvillea looked - he agreed but said it caused a right old mess so he was having a job keeping it under control.  He had a very strange accent - like Mrs Australia - it must be what happens when you mix Cypriot and the Colonies!  We had a little chat with him and then made our way back home as I wanted a bit of a rest before getting ready to go out for our evening meal.

It was a very pleasant, if not a little hot, walk home.  People were sat out in their gardens taking advantage of the sunshine.  There are still quite a few holiday makers in the village which is good to see and I could hear the school children playing in the playground as it was their lunch hour.

There are still loads of figs to be had on the trees if you can reach them - John has his fig stick which makes getting the high ones accessible.  They don't have quite so much flavour now with less sun to ripen them and make them sweet but they are still lovely - well I think so, John doesn't like them himself but he never minds going out and getting some if I want them or we have visitors who want them.

We were eating out in Coral Bay this evening which is something we haven't done for years and as we drove down through Peyia and could see the lights of the buildings below us we felt like holiday makers.  We were eating at Lekanto for Joyce and David's last night - Mum and Dad have been there several times before and liked what they had - this is a bit of a departure for them being in the tourist area but we were happy to give it a go as we had heard good things about it.  It does all sorts of food, in fact there was a vast menu so we were quite pleased when everyone decided to stick to one of the set menus as it made it easier to make our choices.  Normally we would have gone to Gabors for a special last night but the last couple of times the food has been excellent but the service not up to standard.  Probably if you have never been before you wouldn't think anything was wrong with the service but to us it lacks the finesse it used to have when Michelle was working there so Mum and Dad are trying out new venues.

It was quite a nice treat to be out 'on the strip' seeing the island through the eyes of tourists - watching them in their skimpy clothes when we had tossed up whether or not to take a jumper with us!!!  Anyway we had a lovely evening and it was quite sad to say goodbye to our visitors.  We have everything crossed that they will return but as they are both in their 80s who knows?