The Paphosfinder newsletter
October 2004
Paphosfinder, Stephanie Village/Tala
34 Miltiadi Stylianou Avenue
Tala Village, 8577, Pafos
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In this issue:
Interview with barry faulkner of roads
A teenager's experience of pafos
A recipe for autumn
Cyprus delight in the village of geroskipou
Introducing the mediterranean garden
Buying and selling property in cyprus
Importing and purchasing cars in cyprus
Paintball arrives in pafos
Aphrodite marathons
Changes for soeasy numbers
Giolou office
Another new website
INTERVIEW WITH BARRY FAULKNER OF RoADS
PF: In the last year what safety measures have been implemented to make the
roads of Pafos safer for vehicles and pedestrians?
BF: Much of Kato Pafos has been pedestrianised, especially the Bar Street
area.
PF: What are your views on the new system in Bar Street?
BF: Any road safety measure is only effective if enforced. The police here
are some way behind the UK, although they are starting to enforce more and
more of late.
PF: What is RoADS doing to help make Pafos a safer area?
BF: We are offering driver training to ex-pats and Cypriots alike. This is
carried out in a very friendly manner and you receive a certificate at the
end of the course if you pass.
PF: We hear you have recently done some advanced training with the local
police. How did this go and do you intend on doing more?
BF: The training with the police went very well and they were very eager to
learn. We do anticipate doing more training, although you have to remember
that there are 4,500 officers that need training. We are also in negotiation
with the government about learner driver tests.
PF: What immediate plans do you think should be implemented to make the
roads of Pafos safer due to the growing number of people relocating here?
BF: There should be speed cameras, speed limits and road signs implemented
to reduce the amount of accidents and I would like to see more police
patrols.
PF: What are the advantages of joining RoADS?
BF: Being an advanced driver makes you 50% less likely to have an accident.
PF: What advice would you give to tourists who want to hire a car or
scooter?
BF: Drive more slowly because the dangers will be different here from the UK
and also take more care at traffic lights.
This interview was conducted by Lisa Walsh with Barry Faulkner who is an
examiner at RoADS. For more information on RoADS, check out their website
www.RoADS-cyprus.org . Alternatively, why not pop along to their next meeting
on 18 November in the Chalk & Cheese restaurant in Kissonerga at 7pm where
you're guaranteed a friendly welcome.
A TEENAGER'S EXPERIENCE OF PAFOS
I moved to Pafos last year to be with my mum and at first I found it very
hard to adjust but after a few months I settled in quite well. It was
difficult to start with mainly because of the language and the Cypriot
lifestyle. Even though English is widely spoken by a lot of Cypriots,
because I am in their country I feel it's important to be polite and to be
able to speak their language. However, as the Greek alphabet is different to
ours, I did struggle a bit with this. The Cypriot lifestyle is completely
different to the UK with everybody spending the evenings out on their
verandas and balconies during much of the year.
For teenagers there are quite a lot of things to do. There is a big water
park in Pafos, as well as a bowling alley and a couple of cinemas. Further a
field you can go skiing in the Troodos mountains, or take a safari trip over
the Akamas Peninsula or camp out at the CTO site in Polis. If you want to
spend a day at the beach, there are plenty to choose from with all sorts of
water sports available.
A RECIPE FOR AUTUMN
Chicken Pot Pie (serves 6)
This is a wonderful dish for autumn based on the one-pot dinners of the
early Americans. It's a wonderfully comforting, homely dish without the need
for extra vegetables.
Ingredients
2oz/50g butter
1 tbsp corn oil (or other vegetable oil)
6 chicken portions of your choice (cut in half, if large)
2 onions, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
4 carrots, sliced
1 tbsp flour
? pt/275ml white wine
? pt/275ml chicken stock
4 tbsp double cream
4 oz/110g button mushrooms, quartered
? tsp allspice
Salt and pepper
For the pastry
8 oz/225g flour
1 tsp salt
Good twist of black pepper
1 tbsp baking powder
? tsp mixed dried herbs – optional
20z/50g chilled butter cut into small pieces
? pt/150ml milk
To glaze
1 egg yolk mixed with 1 tbsp milk
Method
1. Heat the butter and oil in a large, lidded frying pan, saut? pan or
heavy-bottomed, lidded saucepan and fry the chicken pieces over a low light
in manageable batches for about 15 minutes or until browned all over. Remove
from the pan with a slotted spoon and reserve.
2. Stir-fry the vegetables in the same oil for about 5-10 minutes or until
softened. Stir in the flour and continue to stir-fry for another minute. Add
the stock, wine and cream and bring to the boil, stirring, then simmer for a
few seconds until thickened. Stir in the mushrooms and allspice and season
well with salt and pepper.
3. Return the chicken pieces to the pan and push well down into the
vegetables so they are surrounded by the sauce and vegetables. Cover the pan
tightly and cook undisturbed over the lowest heat for 30 minutes. When
cooked transfer to a shallow ovenproof dish.
4. Preheat the oven to 44F/200C/gas mark 6. To make the pastry: put the dry
ingredients into a mixing bowl and rub in the butter until it resembles fine
breadcrumbs. Mix in the milk and bring the mixture together to form a soft,
scone-like dough. (This can be done in a food processor)
5. With floured fingers pat the dough out to a thickness of about 1/2in/1cm
and cut out 6 rounds with a 31/2/9cm pastry cutter, reshaping the trimmings
as necessary.
6. Arrange the pastry circles on top of the chicken mixture and brush the
tops with the egg glaze. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until the pastry
is puffed and golden and the chicken and the sauce are piping hot.
Serve and enjoy.
CYPRUS DELIGHT IN THE VILLAGE OF GEROSKIPOU
In the UK it's called Turkish Delight but in Cyprus it's either called
Cyprus Delight or ‘loukoumi', after the village of Geroskipou near Paphos
where it was first produced.
In case you don't know what Turkish Delight/loukoumi is, it's made from
gelatine or cornstarch, honey, fruit juice and jelly. Chopped almonds,
pistachio nuts, pine nuts or hazelnuts can be added and the sweet is usually
tinted pink or green. Once firm, the loukoumi is then cut into small squares
and coated with icing sugar.
And now the cooks of Geroskipou are hoping to get into the Guinness Book of
Records by producing the largest-ever slab of the regional delicacy. They
needed to produce more than 2,349kgs of the stuff which was the record set
in 1997. So they worked for three days and produced 2,543kgs of Cyprus
Delight, weighing in at 2.5 tonnes.
After putting the icing on the cake, so to speak, Sunday October 17 was
declared ‘Loukoumi Day' in Geroskipou and 4-5,000 people turned up to eat
the results of the cooks' efforts. Also in attendance were officials from
five government services, lawyers and special measuring equipment. So it
looks like the sweet smell of success will be coming Geroskipou's way.
Watch this space!
INTRODUCING THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN
So you've moved to Cyprus, you've sorted out the house and now you want to
create a garden. Cyprus' climate may be great for people but with a hot, dry
spell lasting many months and with relatively low rainfall in the winter, it
might not be so great for your garden. However, all is not lost and there
are ways to adapt your garden to suit this climate.
The most important thing to bear in mind when designing a garden from
scratch is not to rush into things. An instant splash of colour is certainly
gratifying, but if you haven't acquainted yourself with your garden, you may
find that plants will wilt and die because they're in full sun or equally if
they're in total shade. So get to know your garden first. Find out where the
sun rises and sets so you will know which areas of your garden are in shade
and which are in full sun. Obviously this will change slightly depending on
the time of year. You will also need to know which way is north, south, east
and west in your garden and buy your plants accordingly. Have a think about
what hard landscaping and what permanent structures you might want and then
design your garden around that. And don't forget to leave space for
structures like sheds, compost bins, etc.
It's important to know which plants are drought-tolerant and, preferably,
low maintenance. So when buying plants, find out their country of origin and
if the climate is similar to Cyprus', then you can be fairly certain that
they will grow well here. Alternatively, have a look at what your neighbours
are growing in their established gardens as it's likely that you will have
the same soil type and therefore the same plants should grow well in your
garden.
The most efficient way to water your garden is to install an irrigation
system before you begin planting. Don't be fooled into thinking that just
because you've bought drought-resistant plants that they are never going to
need watering. They will particularly need watering when you first plant
them in order to get established and to survive their first summer. To give
them a really good start in life, feed them with plant food too. Be wary of
laying a lawn as this will need regular watering during the long, hot summer
months. One of the best ways to save water and to build healthy soil is to
use mulch on the surface. Ground cover will also maintain moisture in the
soil as well as reduce the temperature and control the spread of weeds.
Consider plants that will give shade as well as cope with the sun - climbers
to scramble up and over pergolas, vines, shrubs and trees will suit this
purpose. If you're considering planting a tree, don't plant an evergreen
that will keep your house in shade, plant a deciduous one instead. In this
way, you can still have cooling shade in the summer and when the leaves fall
off in winter, you can still have the benefit of the winter sun.
Bear in mind that because of the long growing season a lot of perennials
will grow to bigger proportions than described in reference books. They may
also need cutting back more than once to keep them neat and tidy and to
encourage them to keep flowering. Along with your drought-resistant plants,
don't forget to plant plenty of bulbs in order to extend the flowering
season before and after the summer.
So now you've planted up with bulbs, perennials, vines, shrubs and trees,
let's focus on what else is needed to create a Mediterranean garden. Hard
landscape materials include ceramics, concrete, gravel and stone and timber
for pergolas and furniture. Terracotta containers are also used in abundance
in Mediterranean gardens. Some, like the ancient olive oil jars, can be
turned on their sides and kept empty or can be planted up with geraniums,
herbs, lemon and olive trees. To complete the look, add splashes of vivid
blue (pots or tiles) to contrast with the natural, earthy shades of your
Mediterranean garden.
IMPORTING AND PURCHASING CARS IN CYPRUS
Similarly with the property sector, many changes have taken place regarding
the importation and purchasing of cars in Cyprus. There is a lot of
misinformation being issued with regard to these new policies and people are
becoming increasingly confused and upset. So why not let our expert on these
matters assist you through the quagmire of paperwork that you will be faced
with. Call Gwenny on 99 412 925 and let her take the strain for you. Even if
you are properly armed with all the documents you think you need, you may
find it difficult at Customs so, again, we advise you to contact Gwenny who
is an expert in this field. You may also wish to browse through our Cars and
Driving section on this website or take a look at our RoADS pages. For
up-to-date information, follow this link: http://www.cyprusdriving.net .
PAINTBALL ARRIVES IN PAFOS
The excitement of paintball has arrived in Cyprus thanks to DNA-Paintball!
DNA- Paintball was founded by Dimitri, Nick and Andreas (DNA) in 2001.
Supported by the best technical knowledge and professional products, their
aim is to ensure everyone gets the best out of their paintball experience.
If you're new to paintball, this is what happens: A group of adults go out
into the woods and relive their childhood by playing ‘capture the flag'. The
object of the game is to go out and capture the other team's flag while
protecting your own. While you are trying to capture a flag, you also try to
eliminate opposing players by tagging them with a paintball expelled from a
special airgun (or paint gun). The gun fires gelatine capsules filled with
water-soluble marking dye. If you're shot and marked you're out of the game
and have to wait until the next one starts. Games run for about 15 minutes,
depending on the size of the field and the number of players.
In addition to using a non-lethal projectile, paintball players ALWAYS wear
protective goggles to protect their eyes and usually wear masks covering the
rest of their face, and gloves.
Paintball has become recognised as one of the world's most exciting outdoor
participation sports and is played in over 40 countries by millions of men
and women of all ages and lifestyles. Whether homemakers or high-school
students, professionals or retirees, all paintball players share a common
love for adventure and a strong competitive spirit.
* DNA-Paintball is open from 6pm onwards and the whole area is floodlit.
* The minimum age for participants is 16 and the minimum group number is
eight.
* The cost per person is CYP8.00 for your entrance fee and your kit which
includes masks and gloves. The balls cost CYP5.00 per 100, but the more
balls you buy, the bigger discount you get.
* If you prefer to buy a six-month membership, this will cost you CPY20.00
and then your entrance fee is free and you only pay CYP3.50 per 100 balls
DNA-Paintball is situated next to the Paphos Karting Centre. For more
information, click on the following site: www.dna-paintball.com
APHRODITE MARATHONS
The annual Cypriot half marathon takes place on November 21st and starts at
10am, but due to popular demand there is also a full marathon. The start and
finish are at the Riu Cypria Maris Sports Centre and it's organised by the
Cyprus Health Runners Club and run to IAAF regulations. Full medical backup
will be provided.
Medals, certificates and T-shirts are on offer to everyone who finishes the
course and there are trophies for the winners. Bands provide entertainment
during and after the races and free beer, wine, juice and fresh fruit are
served at the finish. There's a pasta party the night before the race and
the post-race celebrations include a gala dinner where the prizes are
awarded, with music, song and dance.
Entry forms must be received by 11 November 2004.
The cost for overseas runners is CYP20.00 for the full marathon and CYP17.00
for the half marathon and the fun run costs CYP7.00. Overseas entrants
should pay by Visa or MasterCard
The cost for Cypriot residents is CYP10.00 for the full marathon and CYP8.00
for the half marathon and the fun run costs CYP5.00
The pasta party will cost you CYP8.00, the gala dinner CYP12.00 and a photo
of you crossing the finishing line will cost CYP2.00.
For more information contact: Cyprus Health Runners Club on (00 357) 22 242
0559 or (00 357) 22 249 9324. Alternatively you can write to them at: PO
Box 28167, 2091 Strovolos, Nicosia, Cyprus. Or email them at:
www.runclub@cytanet.com.cy
CHANGES FOR SOEASY NUMBERS
If you haven't already received a text message from CYTA, you should be
aware that the Soeasy automatic operator numbers are changing. 1481 will
change to 1881 and 1482 will change to 1882 and 1483 will change to 1483.
GIOLOU OFFICE
In its continuing effort to provide an excellent service, Paphosfinder has
expanded its operations and now has a fully operational office in Giolou.
This office goes under the name of Property Warehouse and specialises in the
Polis area and the surrounding villages. So why not pop in and browse
through our extensive range of traditional, stone-built properties. Our
address is 35 Leoforos Anexartisias, Giolou. Alternatively, call us on (00
357) 26 633 334. As well as the new office, we also have a brand-new website
dedicated to locations in the Polis area. As well as details of properties,
this website also has descriptions of the featured villages. So if you want
a stone-built house in a traditional Cypriot village, visit www.vineyardvillage.com .
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editor@paphosfinder.com .
* Should we feature more local news?
* If you are living in Pafos and would like to share some news, we would
appreciate it.
* Our aim is to make this newsletter gossip free, informative, and useful
for people who live here or are looking to come to Pafos. Please write to us
admin@123-asap.com
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http://www.paphosfinder.com
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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