Day 85 with Day 84 Catchup...

So where were we...  Oh yes we were getting ready for our Cypriot neighbours to come round for drinks and nibbles (only trouble is that nibbles probably does not translate so we weren't sure quite what they would be expecting!!!).  John said that they would be coming at 7.30pm so we got little canapes and nuts and crisps and dips and crudites etc etc just in case... 

Well 7.30pm came and went and then 8.00pm came and went and then we started questioning whether or not we understood one another so that when they said Sunday they didnt actually specify which one!  John says I should have gone with him so that we would both have witnessed the conversation and probably still been as much in the dark as he was! 

Anyway - dont panic Mr Mainwaring - in typical Cypriot style they pitched up at about 8.30pm with Galadia bearing a gift (which turned out to be a pair of very pretty blue ceramic tealight holders in the shape of starfish).  What a lovely family, Charalambous is an accountant, Galadia was an accountant but gave up work to become permanent Taxi Driver to her two children, Elena (about 16 and doing her 'A' levels at an English school in Nicosia) and George (about 12 and also at the English school in Nicosia).  They stayed a good two hours and conversation never seemed to get difficult. 

Charalambous was very keen to see what we had done to the house and was very impressed and couldnt get over how much bigger ours seems than theirs.  Galadia is keen on gardening, making jewelry and other crafts just like I am and the children were a delight to have even though it must have been quite boring listening to the adults talk. 

Anyway today (Tuesday) Charalambous has been round with a plate of Pastichio which Galadia has baked fresh and which they thought we might like to enjoy.  We have eaten it before but couldnt guarantee it was as fresh as what we have just been given so we will be sampling it for our tea tonight.  It is a bit like Lasagne but made with pasta tubes instead of sheets along with minced meat and herbs topped with a cheesy bechamel sauce.  Looking forward to it already!!

Back to yesterday I got up early to go down to Emba to Nicky's as I was accompanying her on a wedding photo-shoot in Ayia Napa.  I called in via Mum and Dad's where Missy the cat was in the wars as she has been to the vets again and had even more teeth removed.  Poor thing she was frothing at the mouth and very distressed.  They are hoping that this will sort out her not eating (she hasn't eaten for a week).  The next course of action is to remove her last remaining teeth - hopefully it wont come to this.

Nicky and I had lunch and she packed us up some sarnies as it was going to be a long day.  The wedding was mid afternoon and they wanted photographs of the service, on the beach, at sunset and then for their first dance.  We were not likely to get back to Emba until 11.00-11.30pm so I was planning to sleep over at Mum and Dad's rather than drive all the way back to Droushia.  We arrived a little early so Nicky kindly took me to see Nissi Beach which is 'the' beach at Ayia Napa.  The sea was really the most fantastic colour but the beach was packed and would have been John's worst nightmare!!  Bloody hell it was hot down there - made the mistake of taking off my shoes to walk on the beach and regretted it.

The wedding was being held at the Nissi Beach Hotel.  The grounds are lovely and there is a purpose built gazebo right overlooking the sea for the ceremony and a rotunda down at the beach edge for the reception.

Nicky had been recommended as the photographer by a relative of one of the girls that was attending but was amazed when she realised that she knew the groom's father!

There was a second wedding that had taken place that morning I was absolutely gob-smacked because it was like an episode from My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding - seriously folks - I had to pick my chin off the floor and stop staring - there was that much bri-nylon knocking about I am surprised my  hair wasnt standing on end.

Anyway back to the wedding we were attending - I was just staying in the background and observing Nicky at work (obviously doing something she is very good at and really enjoys) and getting to grips with the camera in fully automatic mode. 

I am shamelessly going to plug Nicky's website http://www.cyprusimages.co.uk/ and say that if you know anyone looking for a wedding photographer in Cyprus she is your 'man'.  Seriously though I had a great time - and hope I didn't get in her way too much - I took some nice shots that I am quite pleased with.  I wont publish any of the bride and groom and guests just yet because it doesn't seem fair for others to see them before the happy couple do but I dont think there is any harm in showing these two.

It was a very happy wedding - as all weddings should be - but this was a bunch of people who obviously got on particularly well and made Nicky and I (and the lady taking the video) feel included in it all - to the point where we were asked to have some of the buffet dinner which was brilliant as it was about 8.00pm and we hadn't had our sarnies at that point!

We eventually left at 9.30pm and headed back to Paphos - the trip included an impromptu visit to Ikea when we took a wrong turning on the motorway and headed for Nicosia!  No harm done we made it back to Emba by just after 11.30pm.

An action packed day which I thoroughly enjoyed even though it was knackering!!

This morning I packed up my things and headed home calling into the post office pleased to see that we had a notice from the sorting office in Paphos to say that there was a parcel waiting for us which will be the one which John's Mum sent for our anniversary and which we were worried had got lost.  We also had a DVD from Greg of Only Fools and Horses which we will settle down and watch one evening - he regularly sends us DVD's so we will think of him in the winter when the TV becomes more important to us.

On leaving the post office I bumped into Electrician Savvas (the man of few words) who told me that everything was ok with regard to the electricity inspection - this was not quite the way that John told it when I got home - he had had to fend off having a telegraph pole slapped in the garden, had had to take down the specially purchased bathroom light because it does not comply with their regulations - like they really care - have you seen some of the electrics that are used in outside tavernas which are open to all the elements?? and there was to be something between the electric cabling for the fan and the wooden ceilings.  Hopefully Savvas is returning tomorrow to do the remedial work and to phone the inspector and that should then be enough for the rubber stamp of approval - but, as Savvas says that the inspector is crazy, more likely we will need a re-inspection.  The saga continues, however we are connected and the meter is working - whizzing at some speed at times and John is giving regular updates on units used - Glen Roberts would be so proud of him but then Glen gets a nosebleed when the kettle is switched on!

To alleviate John's stress levels we decided to dip into the 'going-out' fund and have an all-day breakfast at Karithea Taverna just down the road.  Not very Cypriot I know but sometimes only a huge dollop of saturated fats will suffice and let's just say it hit the mark.

Driving back to the village on the Scooter we did a little detour to have a look at the Tritonia development which is just below us.   Now we thought we had a bit of a damp problem but let's just say it is nothing compared to plaster falling off 6-8ft up the outside walls.  Currently there are so many empty old properties and empty new-builds in Droushia we cant believe that the field next to us will be developed anytime soon - but then we aren't ever that lucky!  On coming back up the hill to our place we were thrilled when a Hoopoo flew across directly in front of us.  These are fantastic looking birds about the size of a large woodpecker - shame I didnt have my camera with me but then it was probably a bit fast for me.

Chilling out - swim - trash TV - pastichio for tea - all good in the Wiseman household.

P.S. we are now up to 16 official followers - Joani (and Roger) have nailed their colours to the mast - do you like the nautical reference - well they do live right on the coast a spit from Plymouth Sound.