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Location: Pyla Village, Larnaka, Cyprus
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 14,788
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Jenny
Anyone for tennis? lol! What with MY KNEES?
I could happily watch others playing though if they get a few in there - through the vines growing up the metal enclosure. It is about 20ft high so no chance of stray tennis balls for Bella!
My reason for doing my looking for somewhere this time of year (January onwards) is just so I DO see the places at the DEADEST time. I don't want to move to the 'Village of the Damned' like some are here where they've built a 'village' where none existed before and now they are more or less deserted.
Pyla is an ancient village and all the old traditional houses are occupied and is 'open all year round' where the inhabitants are concerned. Uni of course during term times and the UN personnel all year round too.
It's huge enough to accommodate any amount of summer visitors. The summer season where people on holiday 'with kids' here is short because of the restrictions on taking them out of school during term time nowadays.
I so WISH I'd been there when Dan, Em and kids came. It sleeps 6 anyway as one leather sofa is a sofa bed. But there are loads of others adjacent available for renting for a week or two as well.
I've mulled it all over for AGES. Ditched the idea of leaving Cyprus altogether although it would mean cheaper flights and easier travel with Bella because it has been my home for so many years now and I do know lots of people here all over (that's how I got this apartment).
I am heartily SICK of the major refurbishment of the entire area all round. It looks awful, today we have gales and it's blowing the dirt and dust everywhere (and I have another date with Henry soon as more pots went over while I was out with Bella). In fact so windy today I might have to disappoint Lucia with our trip to take her in an hour's time. Don't fancy the highway in my little yellow peril in these winds. Not with some of the overloaded 'farmers lorries' you see on there
Well it's sometimes hard to see the lorry with what they load on them! We usually get the gales in April. But hey - we usually get a winter sometime between Nov and Feb but didn't happen this time! Still clear blue skies and unrelenting sunshine - just windier than you can imagine.
I have been thinking long and hard about the long hot summers here which seem to be getting longer and hotter every year. I use the pool more than the beach to swim in crazy season. Take the car anyway - and takes longer to get to and park at a beach here than it will to drive the 2 miles to the beach there where it's quieter (but still a CTO beach).
Checked all the areas I would consider and went back again and again for a half day each time. Now dismissed everything west of the airport as they are quiet for different reasons. They are quiet because they consist of mainly 'holiday villages' which have become deserted. Nothing I'd consider between here and Mazotos (Camel Park) - I did look at a house there tho - right opposite Camel Park! Lol! See my camels every day! Far too isolated.
Looked at my old stamping ground Dhekelia. Tempted by the beach houses as you know and then what brain I've got left kicked in! Right on the beach? On a day like today? Or worse in hail and sand storms? Don't think so! And they again have become sort of sad and desolate - were busy once but not now.
This place was never busy. It was built as a luxury development for owners to use for either renting out for income or retirement or just for their own holidays. It's a short walk into the traditional village centre and I have good pals who live in the old village. (One of them is the man who kindly collected Martin from airport for me after his spinal op because my car was unsuitable).
Another friend actually lived in one of these for a while and said they loved it.
It's the spotlessly clean, pretty all around you, no rubbish or litter that really appeals - along with the fact that just outside the 'gates' you have the meadows and mountains and the old traditional stuff.
No dogs allowed of course - but NO ONE applies that rule to Bella lol! Poor little Bella declassified as a dog! Agent even joked that she's got CATS bigger than Bella and not so well behaved either!
I just knew there wouldn't be a problem with Bella because my pal Alfie who recommended it does a lot of work with animal rescue. He even phoned me on my mobile as I was driving there the other day to say 'watch out when you get to the speed bumps Pat because there are a couple of little dogs lying out in the sun around there' lol! And I did see ONE - but he was on the pavement (perhaps Alfie phoned the dog too and told it to watch out for a little yellow car coming thro?)