Here we go, heading for Christmas, and winter in Cyprus.
The ladder climb to top cupboards must be made, to fetch down the Christmas tree, and the winter wardrobe as we go from uninterrupted hot sunshine to a mixed bag of days which are overcast, wet and stormy, interspersed with periods of lovely warm sunshine - bit like UK summer really! -
Houses here are not built for cooler periods, with high ceilings, stone floors and recessed windows, so it can get chilly indoors ( bring on the boot slippers) and hot water bottle!
Social interraction in the village at night dramatically changes - no longer are there tables with happy diners outside - meeting and greeting - everything now feels ' shut away' behind closed doors, and umberellas are used only for 'sometimes' lunchtime dining.
The hunting season is in full swing, with men in camouflage, accompanied by their well trained dogs, stalking the hillside s and fields around our house, the sound of their rifles a reminder of the time of year. - It appears hunting is a dangerous sport here, not only for the prey of rabbits and birds, but also for the Hunters - with a number of reported accidents each year, and even sometimes fatality.
The ladder climb to top cupboards must be made, to fetch down the Christmas tree, and the winter wardrobe as we go from uninterrupted hot sunshine to a mixed bag of days which are overcast, wet and stormy, interspersed with periods of lovely warm sunshine - bit like UK summer really! -
Houses here are not built for cooler periods, with high ceilings, stone floors and recessed windows, so it can get chilly indoors ( bring on the boot slippers) and hot water bottle!
Social interraction in the village at night dramatically changes - no longer are there tables with happy diners outside - meeting and greeting - everything now feels ' shut away' behind closed doors, and umberellas are used only for 'sometimes' lunchtime dining.
The social community is also changing, with many ex - pats returning to UK for Christmas, and soon we will have Cypriot students, studying in UK, retuning home to be with families.
Christmas lights and decorations are appearing in the village, with a very lovely crib outside the bank.
The hunting season is in full swing, with men in camouflage, accompanied by their well trained dogs, stalking the hillside s and fields around our house, the sound of their rifles a reminder of the time of year. - It appears hunting is a dangerous sport here, not only for the prey of rabbits and birds, but also for the Hunters - with a number of reported accidents each year, and even sometimes fatality.
Being from a rural area in UK I'm used to hunting , which similar to Cyprus is for game birds and hare - so it's just another dimension to country life - the 6.30 am shots can be a bit of a pain - but hey ho, it's only Wenesdays and Sundays after all.
With just a couple of weeks to Christmas, planning and preparation is underway - for large family meals gatherings, gift giving and celebration - I have once again achieved most of my shopping from my chair - via internet - Amazon we love you - so it all feels rather unreal - but looking forward to our own festivities with friends and a nice wee dram of Chivas Regal to stave the cold evening
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