Tuesday - farewell to Mike

Just so that people don't think I am recycling previous swimming photographs I have started to wear different costumes just so you know that this is a different day!

We are convinced that the thermometer has stopped working because the temperature has hovered between 56 degrees and 54 degrees for weeks - that is between 13 and 12 degrees celsius for the modernists amongst us.

Today there was a very warm wind so it was unusually warm for November and as I drove down to Emba the area around Tsada was swathed in a smog caused by the sands above.  It had been much clearer at home in Droushia and wasn't too bad at Mum and Dads.

Mum was in search of a blue sweater to wear with some nice checked trousers she had bought - Dad might not have known it but this was to be his Christmas present to her!  We went across to Geroskipou to a funny little clothes shop which is next to Euromania but which has some real gems hidden inside if you take the time to look, we had been there last year and I had got Mum an outfit for her Christmas present there.  Some of the stuff is old fashioned and some of it is massive but as I said in amongs all that there are some nice bits and Mum managed to find a pretty blue sweater which was embellished with some 'pearls' so made it look a bit dressier.

We returned to Emba for some beans on toast before our game of pickleball and I stopped for a drink with Mum and Dad afterwards before making my way back home - we were going to be out at 6.30pm so I didn't have much time to get myself sorted.

On the way home the Cyprus equivalent of a hot hatch - an old white Misubishi Lancer  of indeterminate age and with big fat twin exhausts - flew past me - driven by a baseball capped youth with two mates riding shotgun, combined age of about 23 and clearly from somewhere like Droushia where every self respecting boy aged around 8 can handle any car thrown at him!  Anyway it flew past me on a blind bend at MAC 2 then ground to a halt at Stroumbi where the occupants were clearly concerned that the exhaust would fall prey to the speed humps that are there.  The value of the exhaust was probably ten times the value of the car!

There was a very strange sunset tonight - the sun looked huge and the sand gave it a strange glow - I took this quickly through the windscreen of the car with the sun glaring full-on - it wasn't really dark (obviously as the sun was still up) but this was the resulting shot!

I had a quick shower and change before Mike came to pick us up to take us to Fitos as he fancied a pork chop.

I thought it was a bit off us not driving as it was his last night so we suggested that if he took us back to the hotel we could have a drink with him there and then walk back home.  He thought that was a good idea and it seemed only fair.

Dinner at Fitos did not disappoint.  As we were sitting waiting supping an exceptional bottle of Agios Onoufrious Soteris from the village (the supplier of our PV system) came in and bought that bottle for us - how kind was that?

Mike thoroughly enjoyed his little pork chop - John also had one and I chopped and changed my mind before plumping for Stifado.  I make stifado and often when I have it out it isn't to my liking but Johanna's is cracking and it was fabulous.

We had all the salad and dips etc to start and then we had some cake for afters and at that point we were full to burst so Mike very very kindly paid the bill which came to a massive €40 and drove us back to the Droushia Heights so we could have a nightcap and enjoy the lovely surroundings.

There were quite a lot of people staying at the hotel - lots of Cypriots from different parts of the Island who were probably not familiar with our little corner and who looked to be enjoying themselves - there was a gin-rummy table having great fun and who apologised for making a noise!

Mike has really enjoyed his stay - John went with him to the waterfalls this morning whilst I was out so he can now tick that off of his list.  He will be back late spring and hopes to be able to stay at the hotel again - I am sure they will accommodate him if they can.