This promises to be an interesting week in Kouklia - we are all looking forward to the Zingers Concert in the Square - a Fundraising event for Cancer Support - great Cause - however - the current Kouklia Debacle throws a shadow over preparations for the evening.

Kouklia is full of kindness and goodwill - lets not be wrong about that - I find regular gifts of flowers, fruit, a radio and Zuvanier left for me at the gallery from the lovely guys at the coffee shop - well intentioned and received with humble'ness.
Each morning, so many ' Cali Mera's as I pass on my way to work - lovely lovely people. - and yet beneath lies so much unrest which is likely to do irreparable damage to our community.
Taverna owners are informing me that forward bookings are being cancelled as there is no longer entertainment, and that Kouklia is no longer a safe place to relax and dine with Children.
Whilst everybody is ' doing their best' to sustain the KOUKLIA MAGIC - SOME ARE HARD PRESSED AS THEY SEE THE REAL THREAT TO BUSINESSES THEY HAVE WORKED HARD AT AND INVESTED IN.

The issue is now with the dept of transport or which ever 'owns' the main road through kOUKLIA square - and haste is required if this summer is to be saved at all.

The event on Saturday is an indicator of the spirit of the tenacious people of Kouklia - THE SHOW MUST ( and apparently will) GO ON. !!!!!!!

Further to my last post - I was so proud last night of the ingenuity and tenacity of Local Business.

No longer able to place Traditional Dancing in the square, Maria brought the guys indoors in sweltering heat, to perform for a group who come from CHINA every year, to KOUKLIA, to enjoy the performance.

People peered through windows to get a glimpse, and the guys came out into the square for the fire dance only. Everything was ' done and dusted' and all quiet by 11.00.
Elsewhere around 40 people sat out to enjoy ' the match' outside V bar - very quietly, and other tavernas were fully occupied.

Now we just need to find a way to stop cars, taxis, vans etc blocking off the Gallery, from the square, - we have a nightly blockade at the coffee shop - nobody's fault in particular, just the fact that the roads are open. - SO instead of being busy serving customers, I sit alone staring at ' a car park'.
And, as an aside, one brave lady ran the gauntlet of cars speeeding through Kouklia Square, to escort a small child who was standing in the middle of the road, back to safety. 

Given the current economic situation in Cyprus, who would believe that a SERIOUS threat to livelihoods  in our lovely village of Kouklia would be tolerated.
Who would believe things could change so much from my last post - looking forward to the summer.

A complaint has been made by 1 Cypriot resident about closure of the streets, and noise. He is apparently not open to negotiation or compromise.

The result of this has been an embargo on closure, music, and possibly even tables and chairs on the street, resulting in significant lack of summer revenue for our Tavernas, who are dependent on additional summer tables to boost numbers of summer diners.

( The roads are owned by the police, therefore it is not in the council’s gift to overrule)

This  action is putting many of the Taverna owners ‘ at risk’ and may impact on our own outlet.

However, we do not just accept this situation.

Paper based petitions are circulating the village

There is a FACEBOOK site, set up yesterday, which is gathering momentum - ‘Close Village Centre Of Kouklia during Summer – please ‘like’ and circulate to your own friends.

Please follow the link 
www.facebook.com/pages/Close-Village-Centre-Of-Kouklia-during-Summer/

and 'like' 

So here we are at last - Kouklia Arts, open for business!!
After all the hours of preparation we wished to open our Centre in the style which is customary in Cyprus, and having become a member of the Orthodox Church, it was very special to have our Village Priest attend to bless our enterprise.
They say ' never work with Children and Animals' - well this day incorporated both these and more elements - (I admit to frayed nerves in bringing them all together)
Out local Muktar ( Michaelis Solonos) has been so very supportive of the project, and his words regarding our efforts were most warming and encouraging.
Of course, without a real live Pandalitsa the Donkey in attendance it just would not have been the same, as my Pandalitsa sort of kicked the whole thing off in the first place. - Our celebrity visitor was exceedingly well behaved - and I'm told it's many years since there was a donkey in the middle of Kouklia, whereas at one time, there were around 1000. (probably about the same number as there are cars today)


Our Pandalitsa was actually only one month off giving birth, - and we wish her well - new project, new baby donkey - great symbolism.- Hopefully both will thrive and grow - I know I will be there to visit the maternity ward when the little donkey arrives.
I was delighted to have the Kouklia Kids attend - and admit to a tear or two when they came up for their blessing. - The Kouklia Kids will be attending the Centre for Art classes starting in May - so they are all part of it.


 I hope for a return visit from our celebrity Donkey, and many thanks to our Priest and Muktar for making our opening day so very special.

Summer is well and truly on it's way now in Kouklia - the sun is shining day after day and outside the
Tavernas, parasols are being dusted off and put in place to shade lunchtime diners from the heat. Local Cypriot people are saying ' that's it - it's summer ! A declaration reinforced by the lack of rain and most ambient temperatures.(we are up to an average of 21 degrees) 
The gallery terrace is fast becoming a 'suitable place' to sit and drink morning coffees and afternoon wine - something of a distraction from my endeavours to open ' officially' on the 11th of April.
For the past month now we have seen a steady flow of tourists to Kouklia, which is most encouraging for the future.
Next week we are focusing on the Craft Centre - getting all the display areas ready for the exciting variety of Crafters who will be displaying their produce for sale there.  - 
The plan is coming together - watch this space !!

We are now on Count down for the full opening of the Kouklia Arts Centre, with a flurry of activity.

The project is moving forward in many ways, exterior painting, collecting people and goods to sell, whilst still applying myself to commissioned work. 
Aided now by the sterling efforts of Andros who did the stone walling and pointing to the building, and Graham who is chief shutter / door painter and is god up high ladders, the picture hanging system is in place, and the buiding is looking great.

The interior walls now offer a wide range of paintings, prints and other artwork - so, internally, just the floor to be completed.

I'm meeting many lovely crafters who will be displaying work, and this week, setting appointments for them to view the project - I am continually amazed at the range and quality of people's crafts - which promises to create an excellent show,

I can't wait for the ' shop' to become a reality now, as we turn our attention to fitting and filling with goods. Soaps, candles and essential oils will create a heavenly aroma in the old house, with much for visitors to see and ' poke around at'.

So we are working toward second week in April, just prior to the Easter break, although the Kouklia Kids Art school will begin in March - 

For so long now we have been applied to the project, but now, we can see a light at the end of the tunnel - the new Kouklia Arts Centre, which we hope will add an attractive feature to the village.

When my first Grandchild was born, I was asked ' what do you want to be called' - It didn't take much thought to say I want to be Yia Yia - it's easy for small children to say, my Grandchildren are likely to see me in Cyprus, where nearly everybody has a Yia Yia, and the term here has so much richness and meaning. - True enough - my Grandchildren said Yia Yia within their baby babble - so it proves to be - Like Dada and Mama - one of those very early,  accidental achievements. I will always remember the first time my Grand Daughter said the word with meaning - brought a positive glow to the heart!

Basically, everybody knows a Yia Yia ( pronounced ya yaaa, with an accented second 'Yia'.) 

Often here in Cyprus Yia Yia's are conspicuous by their uniform of black headscarf and clothes - ( when widowed) but not always - there are trendy young Yia Yia's coming along, - however the definition of the term, here at least, still applies ' -Yia Yia - a person who with old-school values that is hard core about respect and doing things the way they have always been done, especially with food, like a Greek grandmother.'

I was recently in the Paphos general hospital, visiting a patient. The elderly lady in the next bed had a Philipino helper, who referred to the lady as Yia Yia - this provoked thought - Yia Yia is as much a title / status as it is a term of endearment. If your'e a certain age, or a Grandmother, your'e everybody's Yia Yia. !!!! RESPECT ! It appears at a certain age - you need never to have had children to be a Yia Yia.

The Yia Yia ranks have so much to offer the younger generation, and often relationships between the elderly and the young are exceedingly strong. ( You can tell your Yia Yia things you wouldn't tell your parents)

Yia Yia's still know how to make cakes, lace, embroidery, and can produce a feast at the drop of a hat.

As a ' younger' ( dare I say it) 21st century Yia Yia, living 2000 miles away from my Grandchildren I rely on Cyber - Space to sustain relationships. I can only hope to aspire in some way to the values and richness of the older generation of my group, especially as I see them so respected and indeed revered here in Cyprus.

We simply MUST ensure that we don't 'dum down' the importance of Yia Yias, and loose the skills which they bring to the much younger generation.

oh dear oh dear - as always one's embarrassing moments are sometimes realised after the event !!!!!

I had an important meeting this week in Kouklia - of course as always the professional !!!! - but being of the senior generation, - somewhat forgetful also!!
So there I was, fumbling in my handbag for spectacles, to read and discuss a document - no luck!!! 
I believed that the feeling of some pressure on my head was caused by my SUNGLASSES ONLY- as usual in this sunny climate , so abandoned the search and held the document some two feet away, squinted and tried to focus! - got by - just.

So I realised on return to my car, on reaching to slide down my sunglasses that I was in fact also wearing , not one but TWO !!! pairs of reading glasses ! 
I can only imagine that the person I was meeting with was too respectful and polite to point this out - akin to cabbage on the teeth, or the moment when you ' squeak' on a chair and it sounds like you've passed wind!
Note to self - when I am looking for sight - check the top of the head first !

Frontage of the new Stdio / Gallery - Kouklia

So now we  have a safe and rain - proof roof, the sink moved from Gallery to  Studio, and electrics in place - with plenty of sockets for low lighting, and spotlights above (of course).
Now  for plastering, followed by a willing team of friends for a ' roller party' to do the painting. 

Twice we have blown the fuses (so far) once when the plumber drilled through a cable, and once when a power- tool overloaded the system - ah well - we learn!

The term 'Ciga Ciga' - ( slowly slowly) is well used in Cyprus, as work simply HAS to stop at regular intervals for coffee and a chat, and with a coffee house opposite - well, what can you do???

It's truly wonderful to be ' back' in the heart of the village - all the time guys pop in to see progress, offer advice and tell stories about their memories of the old building, which was previously a shop / coffee shop, which some say is over 100 yrs old.

We are receiving lots of encouragement and support from villagers - the gallery being seen as a welcome addition to Kouklia  attractions.

There is still much to be done - but no hurry - it's an interesting journey and will be well worth it.

I'm looking forward now to the girlie / aesthetic part - when I can get really involved and stuck in !!! 
Watch this space for updates.