The Paphosfinder Newsletter
April 2006
Paphosfinder's head office is situated in Stephanie Village, Tala.
34 Miltiadi Stylianou Avenue
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EASTER RECIPE
FLAOUNES (Easter Cheese Cakes)
Makes about 12
Ingredients
Yeast dough
1½ lbs (750g)
strong plain flour
1 sachet easy bake yeast
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil, water to mix
Cheese filling
8oz (250g)
Cheddar cheese or 12oz flaouna cheese if available
4oz (100g) halloumi
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon crushed dried mint
4 eggs, lightly beaten
To finish
1 egg, beaten
Sesame seeds
Method
Sift the flour into a large bowl. Stir in the yeast, salt and sugar. Add the oil and enough water to make a firm dough.
Knead for at least five minutes until smooth and elastic. Put the dough in a plastic bag and leave in a warm place for an hour to rise.
For the filling, coarsely grate the cheeses, add the flour and baking powder, then gradually stir in the beaten egg and seasoning
until you have a stiffish paste (keep some of the beaten egg back if the mixture becomes too runny).
Divide the dough into egg-sized pieces and roll these into 4'' (10cm) discs.
Place a generous tablespoon of the filling in the centre of each pastry disc, spreading it slightly.
Pull the dough up at three points to make a triangle, or Four points to make a square. You should still be able to see the filling in the middle.
Press the corners together to seal and leave to rise. Just before baking, brush with beaten egg and sprinkle some sesame seeds
over the flaounes.
Bake in a hot oven gas 8, 450C, 230C for 12-15 minutes until the cheese filling is puffed and the flaounes are golden.
Serve warm or cold.
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SNAILS, ANYONE?
On the topic of food, the Agriculture Minister for Cyprus has pledged to look into ways to support the island’s farming sector –
and one of these ways is to export snails to France! Apparently, stocks are low in France and farmers are having difficulty keeping up
with demand,
so the newly-established Snail Farmers’ Association in Cyprus is hoping to come to their rescue.
Nicos Yermanos, president of the Association and a snail expert, says there are about 20 snail farms on the island. Nicos himself has been
in the snail-farming business
for 43 years and says he gets calls from factories in Greece and big organisations in France wanting his snails.
He goes on to say that if the whole of Cyprus was a snail farm,
it wouldn’t be enough to meet the high demand.
According to Nicos, snails are not just a gastronomic delight but can also help women with fertility problems. They are also a vitamin-rich food
and non-fattening.
Nicos says that for not doing much you can make a big profit from snail farming. “Which other business fetches that sort of income
by hardly doing anything?” he said.
Their production is easy as snails give birth every three months, provided the right conditions
are created for them, like plenty of lettuce and fruit being available to them. The harder a snail's shell, the more expensive they are.
Nicos says the main demand is for a type of snail found in the village area of Ayios Theodoros, near Larnaca.
As easy as it sounds, not everyone can become a snail farmer just like that. You need to have the support of a vet, a geologist,
and herbs growing near the snails so that their meat is really tasty. Mmmm!
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HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
If you noticed the eerie fog covering the island last month, you now know that it wasn't the end of the world.
Department of Labour Inspection officer Savvas Kleanthous explained that the dust (yes, that's what it was)
was carried to Cyprus by north-westerly winds from North Africa.
This dust caused dozens of people to be sent to hospital
and saw the cancellation of flights.
Kleanthous said the department had issued public announcements concerning the atmospheric situation and that the young,
old and infirm should not be out in open areas if at all possible. He added that by 2008 the department hoped to be able to predict
atmospheric dust up to two days in advance and be able to issue public warnings earlier.
FIRST AID TIP
The Heimlich Manoeuvre is the best-known method of removing an object from the airway of a person who is choking.
You can use it on yourself or someone else. These are the steps:
1. Stand behind the choking person and wrap your arms around his or her waist. Bend the person slightly forward.
2. Make a fist with one hand and place it slightly above the person's navel.
3. Grasp your fist with the other hand and press hard into the abdomen with a quick, upward thrust.
Repeat this procedure until the object is expelled from the airway.
If you must perform this manoeuvre on yourself, position your own fist slightly above your navel.
Grasp your fist with your other hand
and thrust upward into your abdomen until the object is expelled.
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FANCY A CHALLENGE?
The Fourth Mountain 2 Sea Mountain Bike event will take place on Sunday 7th May 2006.
Riders start in the Troodos mountains and follow off-road trails all the way down to Pissouri Bay where they can enjoy a refreshing 20-metre swim
in the Mediterranean Sea.
Last year’s winning team finished the 55km course (34 miles) in a time of only two hours and 46 minutes.
A record entry of 117 riders in 39 different teams
made last year’s event the biggest race so far.
Teams will depart at two-minute intervals and must pass through three mandatory checkpoints en route. Whilst some navigation is recommended
the course will be well signposted. A finish time is given when the last competitor returns to the beach after the short swim.
Teams will comprise of a minimum of three riders and must carry a map, emergency contacts, mobile telephone, first aid kit, trail repair kit, spare tubes,
multi tool, a mini pump, and tyre levers. All riders will be required to wear a helmet and body armour is optional but not essential.
The entry fee is £20 per person and includes an event map, bottled water, T-shirt, and meal ticket.
Apart from the glory of winning, the first three teams to complete the gruelling course will receive a trophy.
Get your entry online at www.biketrekcyprus.com
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OPENING HOURS FOR SHOPS
The Cyprus Mail has reported that the results of a study carried out from February 8-15, using a sample of 1,002 people
has shown that most people want shops to stay open later on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
The study revealed that two out of three consumers would prefer shops to stay open until 8pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Consumers didn’t mind shops staying closed on Sundays but most wanted longer shopping hours on Friday afternoons and Saturdays.
The findings indicated that changes to current shopping hours would probably affect the turnover of kiosks but not other shops.
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STING
It has been announced that Sting (former lead singer with The Police) will play in Cyprus at the Tsirion Stadium in Limassol on June 10
as part of his Broken Music Tour.
After The Police disbanded in 1984, Sting quickly became a superstar in his own right and became associated with activist groups
like Amnesty International.
He also performed at the Live Aid concert in 1985. These days Sting is better known for his tantric sex activities
than for his music.
Tickets for the June 10 concert will cost £25.
For information and tickets telephone 7777 8188.
The concert is being sponsored by Eurolife Insurance and the Cyprus Tourism Organisation.
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NEWS FOR MOTORISTS
ROAD TAX
Parliament is still considering eliminating the road tax fee and transferring it onto petrol prices.
Supporters of the proposal say that shifting the road tax onto petrol will make the system more equitable as motorists
will be charged proportionally
to the amount of time they spend on the road.
However, opponents of the scheme claim that motorists
are not willing to pay any more
for already high prices.
YOUNG DRIVERS
Young drivers are now facing double penalty points for traffic offences.
A bill has been approved by the Cabinet that means drivers with less than two years’ experience will get double penalty points.
So just a couple of offences could get them up to the maximum 12 points and cost them their licence.
Studies show that about 95% of accidents are due to human error, and that the number of fatalities has been steadily rising since 2002.
Since most of the accidents occur in the early hours of Saturday and Sunday, they have been attributed to young drivers.
The new bill
targets the 18-21 age group and aims to curb the alarmingly high road death toll in Cyprus, which is well over
one-and-a-half times the EU average.
Not only will they incur double penalty points, but the youngsters’ cars may now be impounded or even confiscated if their owner
commits a traffic offence. And parents should beware too of lending their offspring their vehicles. Excuses such as, “He/she stole the keys
from the kitchen table”
will no longer hold water. The responsibility for any accident will fall squarely on the owner of the vehicle’s shoulders.
Supporters of the bill say its purpose is to save lives, but it remains to be seen whether it will have a tangible impact on wayward drivers.
Cypriot motorists have proved to be notoriously immune to stiffer penalties, usually in the form of fines. Critics say that a more effective deterrent
would be to extend the time between when someone loses their licence and when the slate is wiped clean.
Authorities were galvanised into taking action early last year, after two teenagers tragically died when a motorbike crashed into them.
The 20-year-old biker, doing wheelies at the time, was later found guilty of manslaughter.You have been warned!
BAD DRIVERS IN CYPRUS? SURELY NOT
Pambos Charalambous, General Secretary of the Association of Driving School Owners (SISOK), has said that the Cypriots’ reputation
as the worst drivers in the EU is due to the absence of proper training and the way in which driving licences are acquired.
He went on to describe the driving licence system in Cyprus as a “sham”.
Apparently, driving test examiners do not ask learners for any proof or documentation that they have taken lessons.
Charalambous said that he knew
of cases where a person had just taken a couple of lessons from an instructor and then shown up for a test.
SISOK has recently asked parliament
for legislation making it compulsory that a would-be driver take at least 20 lessons before taking
a driving test,
and that five of those lessons
should be at night.
Charalambous also criticises Cypriot drivers’ mentality when they’re behind the wheel, saying it’s not enough just to know the rules
and the road signs
but they need to acknowledge driving etiquette and practice patience.
Disy MP George Georgiou has joined the debate by proposing that candidates should sit a written test that must be marked automatically
so that all human intervention is ruled out. (Whatever can he be implying?) He said, “The current testing system is inefficient
for a number of reasons,
with the result that many candidates successfully pass tests but do not have sufficient knowledge
of the rules of the road”.
According to an international report, Cyprus and Slovakia have the most dangerous drivers in Europe
with Cyprus having some of the worst statistics
when it comes to traffic offences, such as speeding, drink-driving, and general driving habits.
PARKING FINES
The Council of Ministers in Nicosia have increased some parking fines by a massive 333% from £15 to £50.
So, if you park on the pavement, park too close to a corner or traffic lights, or other hazard, fail to stop at a zebra crossing
when someone is waiting to cross, or park against the flow of traffic, you will now be liable to a bigger fine.
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WOMEN ONLY COFFEE SHOP
The traditional Cyprus coffee shop has always been regarded as a men-only establishment, but now the women are fighting back
with a coffee shop solely for women
opening in Paphos.
Although the idea is not a new one, with the first women-only coffee shop opening its doors in 2002 in the Famagusta village of Xylofagou,
Andri Laouri, has been mulling over the idea for years. She realised that while the menfolk can happily chat away and play tavli over a cup of coffee
every night,
the women of the house had no such equivalent.
Andri’s coffee shop serves traditional coffee, teas, soft drinks, and homemade meals. She says her shop will be a warm and welcoming area
for the winter months, but
the biggest advantage will be the backyard during the summer.
As well as operating as a coffee shop, Andri says it will also operate as a cultural centre satisfying the needs of modern women,
where they can enjoy readings, join in discussions, listen to piano and guitar music and take part in the traditional card
games
in an aesthetically pleasing environment.
The coffee shop is open from 10am until midnight.
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NEW SERVICE
CyTA has launched a wireless connection service to the internet called Vodafone Mobile Connect. As well as being able to access the internet
through a connection speed that reaches up to 384 kbps, subscribers will be able to access emails and company intranets without having
to connect a laptop
to a mobile or fixed telephone. The service also offers extensive roaming facilities abroad.
The service is supported by the Vodafone Mobile Connect Card, with the use of a Data SIM (a SIM card only for data), which connects
to one of the Pay Monthly Data Plans of Cytamobile-Vodafone, depending on the needs of the user, offering flexibility and choice.
The Vodafone Mobile Connect card costs 119 Cyprus pounds including VAT, while the SIM card costs 10 Cyprus pounds, but is free
to those who become subscribers until June 4.
CyTA says the Vodafone Mobile Connect has a geographical reach of up to 70% of the population of Cyprus and is available in many EU countries
including popular business destinations such as Greece, the UK, Germany and most Scandinavian countries.
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THE COST OF GAS CYLINDERS
It is reported that many retailers are increasing their prices for a 10kg gas cylinder every week. January’s prices had reached an average
of £5.25
but one company was found to be selling the cylinders at £5.40, claiming the cost was because they paid more than that themselves
to buy the gas
from abroad. And last week, shops in Polis were found to be selling the gas bottles at a whopping £5.80.
The Commerce Ministry’s Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) has asked importers to justify their price rises.
Petrolina, one of the biggest petrol companies on the island, said that the price of gas follows the price of oil, which is unfortunately going up.
Andreas Kadros, president of the Gas Salesmen and Distributors’ Association,
said last October that a reasonable price for a 10kg cylinder
was between £5.10 and £5.15. He added that if people are paying more than this then they are being ripped off.
Random checks are carried out by the CCPC to establish if retailers are engaging in
profiteering. One supermarket in Paphos,
which is on a Commerce
Ministry watch list of places overcharging, said that they we’re selling the gas cylinders at a price
where they were not even making a small profit and that if there was an order to drop the price, they’d stop selling gas.
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MARINA IN KISSONERGA
A new marina has been proposed for Paphos which will have berth space for 1,000 yachts, and facilities on land such as restaurants, apartments
and shopping malls. The proposed site for the marina is in Kissonerga, about 10kms from the centre of Paphos.
According to reports, Cyprus has lost out on yachting tourism to neighbouring countries as the two existing marinas at Larnaca and Limassol
do not have enough berths to cope with the demand. There are plans to upgrade both these marinas with Larnaca expanding from 400 to 1,000 berths
and Limassol also increasing to 1,000 berths.
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CRICKETERS WANTED
The Cyprus Cricket Association is looking for new players aged between seven and 17 in a bid to introduce the game to the youth of Cyprus.
The Association hopes to compete with the best young cricketers in Europe and in July they are taking an Under-15s team
to represent Cyprus in Holland.
Why not join them on Saturday mornings at Happy Valley, Episkopi from 10am.
For more information see www.cypruscricket.com or email: carrsj@cytanet.com.cy
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TOURISM FEARS
The Tourism Minister for Cyprus has said that Cyprus is successfully competing with huge destinations such as Turkey and Egypt
and does not fear an explosion of
tourism in the Turkish Cypriot north and does not see it as competition.
The minister warned against viewing the occupied areas as a competitor as it would
damage the Cyprus tourist industry.
He added that, “We are not concerned about the occupied areas”. The south of the island saw 2.7 million tourists last year
of which more than half were Britons.
Photis Photiou, chairman of the Cyprus Tourist Organisation, says that the big tour operators have not included the occupied areas in their programme.
According to reports, there are 110 hotel units operating in the north with 12,000 beds of which only 1,150 are legally owned by Turkish Cypriots.
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2,500-YEAR-OLD SARCOPHAGUS FOUND IN KOUKLIA
A 2,500-year-old sarcophagus in a tomb near the village of Kouklia, Paphos, has been unearthed by construction workers.
Unfortunately the tomb had been broken into long ago but the sarcophagus had not been removed.
Archaeologists say the sarcophagus is decorated with vivid colour illustrations from Homer’s epics which may mean that the coffin’s occupant
was an ancient warrior. The coffin is painted in light blue, black and red on a white background and depicts Odysseus in scenes from the Iliad and the Odyssey.
Pavlos Flourentzos, Director of Antiquities for the island said, "The style of the decoration is unique, not so much from an artistic point of view,
but for the subject and the colours used." He estimates that the coffin can be dated back to 500 BC but that pottery found in the tomb
will provide a precise date.
Of the Four illustrations, one depicts Odysseus and his men clinging to the bellies of a flock of sheep while escaping from the cave
of the blind Cylclops, Polyphemos. Another depicts Odysseus emerging from the gates of Troy on horseback and taking on a whole army
in a battle between the Greeks and Trojans from the Iliad. The two other illustrations are not thought to be based on Homer’s epics.
The tomb was unearthed in Palaepaphos in an area containing several ancient cemeteries and will be exhibited in the Paphos Museum.
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We would like to thank all our clients and subscribers for their support,
recommendations and compliments
over what has been an action-packed year for
the management and staff at Paphosfinder.
In particular the management would like to thank the staff, for continuing
loyalty and hard work.
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Please write to us at: admin@123-asap.com
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