Jan-Jun2015 Cyprus Master

Gladlee of Guernsey

Larnaca - Cyprus - January to June 2015

January 1st - 4th

Back in Larnaca for a few days before travelling to New Zealand.

January 5th - February 5th - New Zealand

The full write-up and photos for our holiday in NZ can be found on a separate New Zealand page, please click HERE to go to the page.


*Ron, Julie, Jen and Geoff before the boat cruise on the Milford Sound, South Island*	*Julie and Ron at Port Charles, Coromandel*

February 2015


*Our jungle that used to be a veggie garden!*	*The middle terrace*

February saw us heading back up to the cottage in the hills after our trip to NZ. Just a touch surprised by just how much everything had grown. There could have been a hidden army battalion in there for all we knew. So, the first purchase was a petrol strimmer with which to attack it all with. The beauty part was that all the blossom was out on the almond trees. Still quite cold up at 1000 mtrs. so the log burner saw some action in the evenings and we did cut short our visits sometimes due to rain and high winds.

March 2015


*Beginning of the pond project*	*Redstart - migrant passing through*

March sees us continuing with the cottage garden which eventually starts to look like someone actually does care about it. Julie starts her garden pond project which will be an ongoing project for a few months. Life here in Cyprus continues as normal with Hashing and Bridge and for Julie more bird watching especially as it is the migration time. We also now between us actually run one of the Hashes with Ron as Hash Master and Julie as Hash Cash (Treasurer).

April 2015

Phil and Alison visit 31st March - 12th April

We have our first visitors of the year when Julies brother Phil and wife Alison visit us for a couple of weeks. This allows us to do a bit more of the touristy stuff with visits to Salamis and the waterfront at Limassol near the new marina. What a surprise that was. So nice around there now with lots of eateries and of course next to the boats which is always a bonus for us.

Sunday 5th April - Easter Hash


*Eskimo Nell and Freeloader*	*The Polygon Hashers*

Our traditional Easter Hash was held out at the Kornos picnic site and as can be seen was a fancy dress affair. Nice to see that so many of our hashers made an effort to win the 1st prize. Also had the compulsory Easter egg hunt with Creme Eggs being the prizes on offer. Very popular! And yes Ron does look a prat in his Easter Bunny outfit!


*The Akamas Peninsular*	*Julie, Ron, Alison and Phil at Salamis Roman ruins near Famagusta in Northern Cyprus*

Visits with Phil and Alison to Salamis as stated before and also to the Akamas peninsular over on the north west corner of the island. Visited Aphrodite's Baths and then did a 3Km walk which somehow turned into a 5 mile walk with 2.5 miles uphill and 2.5 miles downhill. Tough but beautiful scenery from the top. Considerable numbers of aching muscles the following day.


*Ophrys sintenisii - found wild in our garden*	*Beautiful Chrysanthemum*

Spent a little time with our visitors up at the cottage and made use of Alison's knowledge and love of gardening. The above orchid was found in the garden by her.


*Unusual Black Flamingo*	*Black-crowned Night Heron*

Still more bird watching for Julie with the most unusual visitor - a Black Flamingo. Not a normally known thing and everyone thinks it is a young runt - though I have to say it looks bigger than the others.


*Another beautiful Chrysanthemum (Carinatum)*	*and this one?*

Yet more visits to the cottage and it seems we have quite an array of wonderfully colourful flowers appearing. Julies pond project continues and we now have tadpoles (maybe frogs by now) which had been collected down here at Kiti Dam and transported "up the hill", and also a few fish which were netted in one of the irrigation tanks near the cottage. It is also now considerably tidier and has a few features to go with it. After the coming weekend it should also be sporting a solar powered fountain. Watch this space.

May 2015

Larnaca Hash away w/e 8th-10th May


*The beer/water stop on the run*	*Hash circle*


*Watching the evening entertainment*	*The Sugar Plum Fairies*

May continued with visits to the cottage especially as things were warming up a bit. Loads of work on the garden clearing weeds, grasses etc. but also planting our crops!! Radish, tomatoes, melons and cabbage. Julie continued to develop her garden pond with the influx of both fish and tadpoles. Tadpoles from nearby in Larnaca at Kiti Dam where there were millions of them (their mums wouldn't miss them) and some small fish from the irrigation tanks up close to the cottage. Also this month we were at the Larnaca Hash away weekend. Much fun had by all as can be seen from some of the photos.

June 2015


*Artichoke flower*	*Caper bush flower*

And so into June. The cottage just keeps changing every time we go which is pretty much every weekend. Different flowers all the time. Ron went off to the UK for a week to attend a Navy reunion (Gibraltar Comcen) and also to visit sister Yvonne.

Ron UK - 4th-11th June


*Fairhaven Hotel in Weymouth*	*Ron and Janette (Before the rum)*

Ron's first reunion with this group who have been meeting for some years now. Also chance to meet up with Janette who worked for Ron and also acted as babysitter. And became a good friend to boot. A planned visit to the Royal Navy Air Service Museum at Yeovilton in Somerset was well worth the coach trip. On the Saturday night the rum came out in true Royal Navy tradition and yes quite a few of us were worse for wear the following morning.

Melissa and Leigh visit - 17th-26th June


*Melissa and Leigh propping up a bar...*	*...and enjoying the sunshine*

June also saw Rons grand-daughter visiting again, this time with new boyfriend Leigh. Turns out Melissa knows how to pick them. Nice guy.


*Mick giving Ron the Wally on the hash*	*Ron in his garden*

More hashing during the month with Melissa and Leigh also attending during their visit. Ron thinks he gets picked on because he is Hashmaster - don't know where he gets the idea from!!! More gardening work to do at the cottage especially making sure that the automatic irrigation system works. Don't want to waste all that hard work.