PISSOURI CONTACT 77 (Greek and English)
Geoff Fryatt, retiring Chairman of the Army Benevolent Fund,
and Captain Andreas Soteriou
KATAKLYSMOS
The Cyprus festival of Kataklysmos, which probably has pagan origins, is roughly equivalent to Pentecost. There will be festivals in the major seaside towns – the one in Limassol is particularly popular - and there will be festivities on both Sunday 23rd and Holiday Monday 24th May. Full details at http://www.limassoltourism.com/?pageid=159
In the Village, you might have water thrown at you on Monday .... check out the Religious Festivals tab on the website.
KATAΚΛΥΣΜΟΣ
Θα υπάρχουν φεστιβαλ για τον Κατακλυσμό, σε όλες τις μεγάλες παραθαλάσσιες πόλεις, ιδιαίτερα γνωστό είναι αυτό στη Λεμεσό. Θα υπάρχουν διοργανώσεις την Κυριακή 23 και την Δευτέρα 24 Μαίου. Περισσότερες πληροφορίες στο http://www.limassoltourism.com/?pageid=159 . Ρίξτε μια ματιά στο tab με τις Θρησκευτικές δραστηριότητες.
THE VILLAGE PLAYING FIELD
The Village Office has circulated a message saying that an application has been made by a non-profit association in the Village to build a new church for Pissouri on the Village Playing Field. This land does, of course, belong to the Church but was made available for the construction of the football pitch. We hope to be able to give you more information next week. In the meantime, any views you have would be welcome and – unless you ask otherwise – will be passed on to the Village Office (see letter below):
Dear Pissouri Resident,
We hereby would like to inform you that a non - profit association from our village has asked from the church to proceed with the construction of a new church in the current football pitch.
Of course, after we have learned about it we acted immediately and we asked to meet Paphos Bishop and Archbishop to discuss this very important issue because this is not considered as a priority for the village. The letter addressed to the Church Leadership, which is written in greek, underlines that in case of demolishing the pitch this will result in abbeting the youngsters to bad habits since there is no other place for sporting. The Community has spent more than 250,000 euros for its landscaping and of course the whole village has applauded this initiative taken by the Council.
Petros Foutas
C.E.Secretary
ΤΟ ΓΗΠΕΔΟ ΤΟΥ ΧΩΡΙΟΥ
Το Κοινοτικό γραφείο έχει στείλει ένα μήνυμα που λέι για ένα αίτημα ενός ομίλου να κτίσουν μια καινούργια εκκλησία στο χώρο που βρίσκεται το γήπεδο του χωριού. Αυτή η γη ανήκει φυσικά στην Εκκλησία αλλά το άφησε στη διάθεση του χωριού για να κτίσουν το γήπεδο. Ελπίζουμε να έχουμε περισσόρες πληροφορίες την επόμενη εβδομάδα σχετικά με αυτό το ζήτημα. Το κοινοτικό συμβούλιο έχει στείλει το εξής γράμμα :
Αγαπητέ κάτοικε,
Θα θέλαμε να σας πληροφορήσουμε ότι μια μη-κερδοσκοπική οργάνωση από το χωριό, ζήτησε από την εκκλησία να προβεί στην κατασκεύη μιας νέας εκκλησίας στην περιοχή που βρίσκεται τώρα το γήπεδο.
Φυσικά, μετά που ενημερωθήκαμε ενεργήσαμε αμέσως και ζητήσαμε συνάντηση από τον Επίσκοπο Πάφου και τον Αρχιεπίσκοπο για να συζητήσουμε αυτό το σημαντικό θέμα. Το γράμμα που απευθύνεται προς την ηγεσία της εκκλησίας, υπογραμμίζει τις συνέπειες που θα έχει η κατεδάφιση του γηπέδου στους νέους του χωριού. Η κοινότητα έχει ξοδέψει 250,000 ευρώ για αυτή την έκταση και δεν θα ήθελε να αφήσει τους νέους της κοινότητας χωρίς ένα μέρος για να παίζουν και να αθλούνται.
Πέτρος Φουτάς
Γεν. Γραμματέας
POLITICS .... cont
Hard on the heels of the criticism of our Village administration reported in last week’s Contact came notification from the Village Office of another attack, which again disrupted their real work.
This time it was a formal complaint to the Government Auditor that the Executive Secretary to the Village Council is misusing his official Village vehicle for personal use. We all know that Petros is constantly moving from one part of the Village to another, from one District Administration office to another or, indeed, to Nicosia for meetings. His home is in Ypsonas, which is between the two main centres of his work. It seems the troublemaker who has made the complaint thinks that Petros should park the truck in Pissouri, drive home to Ypsonas, then drive back to Pissouri to collect the truck to go back to Limassol on his almost daily official visits... Of course, this is entirely fatuous, and simply a way to to cause the maximum disruption and inconvenience. Petros is not a junior member of the Village staff. He is a senior executive who is entitled – because his hours are effectively 24/7 - to expect every official assistance to enable him to do his job as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible. He could not possibly function without work transport immediately available at all times of day and night.
But it seems this complaint is not random. It undoubtedly has a political element, and it apparently originates from a resident who has constructed a building which the Village Office is challenging legally. Of course the Auditor’s department has a duty to investigate an official complaint, but clearly it is a hazardous occupation to try and impose 21st century EU standards of administration on part of the population that is rooted in the bad old ways of ”who and what you know”.
These spiteful attacks must be demoralising for anyone who puts as much into his work as Petros does. Certainly, when last Saturday night he received a late night emergency call to say some street lights were not working, his terse reply was ”I’m not working either!”
A very real consequence of these attacks on the Village Administration is that many, many hours have been wasted which could have been more productively spent on the routine work of the Village Office Office on our behalf.
And finally on this subject, just to cap it all, an anonymous letter (in English) was circulated this week. Although this letter had a name at the bottom, it had no contact details and the name is not known in the Village, so it was effectively anonymous. It is an English convention that you do not give credence to anonymous letters by replying to them and we will not therefore circulate it. I hope the Mukhtar, who has courteously replied via the Village Office circulation list, will not mind if I do not therefore circulate his reply either. Yet more productive time has been wasted on anonymous malcontents.
ΠΟΛΙΤΙΚΗ
Το συμβούλιο έχει υποστεί ακόμη μια κριτική την προηγούμενη εβδομάδα. Αυτή τη φορά ήταν ένα επίσημο παράπονο στον κυβερνητικό ελεγκτή ότι ο γενικός γραμματέας χρησιμοποιεί το αυτοκίνητο της κοινότητας για προσωπικούς του λόγους. Όλοι γνωρίζουμε πως ο Πέτρος μετακινείται από το ένα μέρος του χωριού στο άλλο, και σε άλλες περιοχές για συναντήσεις.Το σπίτι του είναι στον Υψωνα, το οποίο είναι στο κέντρο των δύο κέντρων της εργασίας του. Αυτός που έστειλε το γράμμα κάνει παράπονο πιστεύει πως ο Πέτρος πρέπει να παρκάρει το αυτοκίνητο του συμβουλίου στο χωριό, να παίρνει το αυτοκίνητο του στον Υψωνα, και μετά να έρχεται και πάλι πίσω για να πάρει το όχημα. Ο Πέτρος δουλεύει 24 ΄ώρες το 24ωρο και βρίσκεται στη διάθεση του κοινού όποτε το έχουν ανάγκη.
Απ’ότι φαίνεται αυτό το παράπονο δεν είναι τυχαίο, πιθανότατα προέρχεται από ένα κάτοικο που έκτισε ένα σπίτι το οποίο έρχεται σε αντιπαράθεση με το νόμο. Φυσικά αυτό το ζήτημα θα εξετασθεί περαιτέρω.
Επίσης, ένα ανώνυμο γράμμα στα αγγλικά κυκλοφόρησε αυτή την εβδομάδα. Καλά κάνετε να μην δίνετε απαντήσεις σε ανώνυμα γράμματα και εμείς δεν θα τα κυκλοφορούμε.
BAY AREA
Meet the Mukhtar – Pissouri Bay Area
Because many Bay residents feel that there are issues relating to the Bay area that would benefit from an airing, the Mukhtar has invited all Bay residents to meet him at the Agamemnon Taverna on the Beach on Friday 28th May, at 10 am, for a friendly question and answer session.
School Excursions
These have brought to the surface an on-going problem which is clearly of major concern to many people down at the Bay. This is the bussing in of sometimes badly behaved young people from across the island for a day out at the beach.
These youngsters are sometimes aggressive, they damage property, disrupt the lives of residents and upset our vital tourists. I don’t think anyone would object to them coming if they were happy, good-natured and well-behaved; but sadly no doubt in most places in the world if you gather packs of hormone-charged teenagers they will probably misbehave, especially if those who are supposed to be supervising them use the excursion as a way of having a day off and gather somewhere for coffee while their charges run riot.
Rubbish
It is, however, hard to sympathise with last week’s cross correspondent about rubbish down at the Bay. Anyone down there regularly must be impressed by the greatly improved appearance of the area.
Our Council staff are not miracle workers, and the public dumping of rubbish has, sadly, been a traditional national past-time. Things are changing, but the dogged council workers are clearly doing their best. They need thanks and encouragement, not criticism, for their efforts.
ΠΕΡΙΟΧΗ ΤΗΣ ΘΑΛΑΣΣΑΣ
Συνάντηση με τον κοινοτάρχη.
Επειδή πολλοί κάτοικοι της περιοχής αυτής έχουν κάποια θέματα σχετικά με την περιοχή εκεί, ο κοινοτάρχης έχει οργανώσει συνάντηση στη ταβέρνα Αγαμέμνων την Παρασκευή 28 Μαίου, στις 10π.μ
ΣΧΟΛΙΚΕΣ ΕΚΔΡΟΜΕΣ
Αυτό έχει φέρει στην επιφάνεια ένα πρόβλημα για τους κατοίκους της περιοχής. Την κακή συμπεριφορά μερικώ ν μαθητών όταν επισκέπτονται το χωριό.
Αυτοί οι νέοι, μερικές φορές είναι πολύ επιθετικοί, καταστρέφουν περιουσίες και αναστατώνουν την ζωή των κατοίκων και των τουριστών . Αν οι δασκάλοι τους επέβλεπαν σωστά δεν θα είχαμε αυτό το πρόβλημα, αλλά αντί να τους επιβλέπουν κάθονται ξέγνοιαστοί και πίνουν τον καφέ τους.
ΣΚΟΥΠΙΔΙΑ
Το προσωπικό του συμβουλίου κάνει ότι μπορεί για να διατηρεί το χωριό καθαρό, χρειάζονται υποστήριξη αντί κριτική.
The Vineleaf Restaurant
We have received the following letter:
“You will recall the letter from Petros about The Vine Leaf etc that you circulated in early April.
Athos and his wife Anna have been good friends of my wife & I for around 20 years; and in talking to him for extended periods since I returned to Pissouri last week, he has asked me to ask you if you would be prepared to grant him the right of reply, and if so then to circulate the attached letter from Athos to Residents. As you will note he strikes a very reasonable tone, and makes it clear that he wishes to see the matter resolved, while at the same time needing to answer some of the points raised against him.
In this matter I am only acting as a friend of Athos, and as a non resident have no wish to get directly involved, so I would be grateful if my name was kept out of it.
Kind regards”
Athos’s right of reply is published in the Supplement. We have also asked the Executive Secretary to the Council if he wished to comment further. He has made a brief addition to the facts in the document posted in the Village Office tab on the website, and regards this as an administrative matter now for the District Office. This correspondence is now closed.
Tο Vineleaf Restaurant
Έχουμε λάβει το εξής γράμμα:
“Ο Άθως και η σύζυγος του Άννα, είναι καλόι φίλοι εμένα και της γυναίκας μου για περίπου 20 χρόνια, μιλώντας του την περασμένη εβδομάδα μου είχε ζητήσει να σας ρωτήσω αν μπορεί να απαντήσει σχετικά με ένα γράμμα που κυκλοφόρησε. Όπως μπορείτε να δείτε κάνει ξεκάθαρο το γεγονός ότι επιθυμεί να βρεθεί λύση σε αυτό το πρόβλημα, και να απαντήσει σε μερικά σημεία που είναι εναντίον του.
Ως μη κάτοικος του χωριού δεν επιθυμώ να αναμειχθώ και θα ήμουν ευγνώμον αν δεν δημοσιέυατε το όνομα μου.”
Ο Άθως έχει δικαίωμα να απαντήσει και η απάντηση του βρίσκεται στο Supplement. Έχουμε επίσης ζητήσει από το Γεν. Γραμ. αν θέλει να σχολιάσει. Μας ανάφερε εν συντομία μερικά από τα γεγονότα και πως τώρα είναι θέμα για τις δημοτικές αρχές.
THE DON LONDON CONCERT
Margaret Rafferty, nee London, presents the cheque to Captain Soteriou.
This annual memorial concert was a great Pissouri evening. Everyone was clearly relaxed and happy, and the Band and Corps of Drums of the Royal Logistic Corps was superb. We were treated to some outstanding solos and, as is traditional in the second half of military concerts, something a bit different. This time it was the RLC Band’s own Corps of Drums who treated us to an amazingly skilful number. These five men and one lady Drummer never missed a single beat and deserved the tremendous applause the delighted audience gave them afterwards.
The Army Benevolent Fund has a mission and promises to look after soldiers and their families for life, and so it was a poignant moment when 93 year-old Captain Andreas Soteriou came forward on behalf of the Limassol Branch of the Cyprus Veterans of World War Two to accept a cheque from the ABF Cyprus for €1000. Captain Soteriou explained that some 25,000 Cypriots fought for the British Empire and served in all theatres of the war. Now the few surviving old soldiers and their widows are finding it difficult to make ends meet on their small pensions, and the donation from the ABF will help a lot of them to have a few more comforts in their old age.
This unique musical event is named after the founder of the Army Benevolent Fund in Cyprus, the late Brigadier Don London. As the huge audience relaxed in the warmth of a beautiful summer’s evening with their cool-boxes and refreshments, the musicians, centre stage in their immaculate white tunics and glittering boots, played an ambitious selection of marches and popular classics as well as theme music from the movies. This was exactly the type of concert our supporters enjoy most, and they were very well served by the skill of the Band led by their Director of Music Major Phil Stredwick and the Bandmaster WO1 Justin Teggarty.
The evening raised over €5500 for the charity. Thanks go to the audience for their support; to the Mukhtar of Pissouri Christos Foutas for the use of the theatre; to the men and women of the Band of The Royal Logistic Corps, and the committee of the ABF, too. Every penny counts for the people who depend on the ABF, so if you wish to join their mailing list or to learn more about the ABF do visit their website www.abfcyprus.com
There were two other examples of charitable donations during the interval. Mrs Helen Jones generously donated her late husband Gareth’s unused wheelchair to the Soldiers’ Charity and that will be covered in more details in the press later. Then there was rather a surprise for the audience when they were introduced to the ABF Iron Man 2010 contestant from 2 Lancs, as they had expected to see a sort of gladiator he-man. Instead, the Iron Lady turned out to be petite Emma Claydon, now re-titled the ‘Iron Lion’. A Bucket Brigade was quickly formed and as the audience filed out they generously donated a total of €1150 in recognition of Emma’s challenge on behalf of the charity.
With thanks to Geoff Fryatt.
We were lucky enough to bump into another enthusiastic amateur photographer at the concert, Andy Kilpatrick, who has sent us his photos of the evening. Andy, who is a drainage engineer working for Thames Water in Reading, Berkshire, and his wife Jane are staying in Pissouri with their daughter Fiona. His other main hobby is railways. Daughter Fiona served with the RLC becoming a Sergeant in 11EOD Regiment and her partner works at Episkopi.
These photos are a wonderful record of a happy evening. Enjoy them!
Major Phil Stredwick
Interval
Tο κονσέρτο DON LONDON
Όλοι απόλαυσαν το ετήσιο κονσέρτο και κατάφεραν να χαλαρώσουν μιας και το Band and Corps of Drums του Royal Logistic Corps ήταν καταπληκτικοί. Οι πέντε άντρες και η γυναίκα ντράμμερ, δεν ξέφυγαν ποτέ εκτός τόνου και εμείς για να τους ευχαριστήσουμε τους χειροκροτούσαμε ακατάπαυστα.
Tο Army Benevolent Fund έχει ως στόχο να φροντίζει τους στρατιώτες και τις οικογένειες τους γι’αυτό το λόγο ήταν μια εξαίσια στιγμή όταν ο 93 χρονος Αντρέας Σωτηρίου εκπροσώπησε τους βετεράνους του 2ου παγκοσμίου πολέμου και έλαβε μια επιταγή 1000 ευρώ. Μας εξήγησε ότι 25,000 Κύπριοι πολέμησαν υπερ της Αγγλίας και πως τώρα υπάρχουν μόνο μερικοί επιζήσαντες και οι χήρες τους, οι οποίοι το βρίσκουν δύσκολο να επιβιώσουν μονάχα με μια μικρή σύνταξη.
Αυτό το μοναδικό μουσικό γεγονός πήρε το όνομα του από τον ιδρυτή του ιδρύματος Brigadier Don London. Οι μουσικόι με τις άσπρες τους στολές και τις γυαλιστερές τους μπότες έπαιξαν μια σειρά από γνωσστά κλασσικά κομμάτια καθώς και μουσική από ταινίες, υπό την καθοδήγηση του Major Phil Stredwick και του Bandmaster WO1 Justin Teggarty.
Εκείνο το βράδυ μαζεύτηκαν 5500 ευρώ για φιλανθρωπικό σκοπό. Ευχαριστούμε το κοινό και τον κοινοτάρχη που μας άφησε να χρησιμοποιήσουμε το χώρο, στις γυναίκες και στους άντρες του Band of The Royal Logistic Corps, και την επιτροπή του ABF. Μπορείτε να μάθετε περισσότερα για εμάς στο www.abfcyprus.com
Ευχαριστίες στον Geoff Fryatt.
10th INTERNATIONAL PHAROS CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL
MAY 29 – JUNE 4 2010
ROYAL MANOR HOUSE, KOUKLIA, PAPHOS
See the full programme in the Supplement. For any classical music lovers out there who don’t know about this festival, it is one of the few occasions when this end of the Island can enjoy top international music in the unbelievably beautiful ancient setting of the old Manor House at Kouklia. Take a glass of wine for the interval in the courtyard ... pure bliss.
The Pharos Trust who organise this annual festival provide the public with world-class art and music events, most of which are in Nicosia, so take the opportunity to support them when they are over our way.
10ο ΔΙΕΘΝΕΣ ΜΟΥΣΙΚΟ ΦΕΣΤΙΒΑΛ PHAROS CHAMBER
MAΙΟΣ 29 – ΙΟΥΝΙΟΣ 4 2010
ROYAL MANOR HOUSE, KOUKΛIA, ΠAΦOS
Δείτε το πλήρες πρόγραμμα στο Supplement. Για τους λάτρεις της κλασσικής μουσικής αυτό το φεστιβάλ είναι από τις λίγες ευκαρίες που μπορούν να ακόυσουν διεθνές μουσική σε συνδιασμό με το παλιό δημαρχείο στα Κούκλια.
Tο Pharos Trust που οργανώνει αυτό το ετήσιο φεστιβάλ παρέχει στο κοινό παγκόσμια τέχνη και μουσικά γεγονότα, που τα οποία γίνονται στη Λευκωσία.
MAPS
I have been sending area maps to people on request for some time now, but the quality of what I have on file is now seriously out-gunned by what is available in Google Maps. If you click on Google, and then click on Google Maps and type in “Pissouri”, you can take yourself to the whole area, zoom in or out, move the map north, south, east or west, look at it as a road map – with street names (thanks to Markos) or as a topographic map.... Sheer bliss for anyone who (1) just likes looking at maps, or (2) wants to get from a to b, or indeed anyone who wants to make a rendezvous point. You are still welcome to mine, but get to know your way around the Google maps: they are truly amazing. You can, of course, Google in on the satellite map and print a picture of your house.... Check out http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&q=PISSOURI&sll=34.652027,32.732563&sspn=0.013909,0.027423&ie=UTF8&radius=0.93&split=1&rq=1&ev=p&hq=PISSOURI&hnear=&ll=34.653756,32.729731&spn=0.013909,0.027423&z=15, save it into Favourites if it helps. Incidentally, because many of the street names are, at the moment, only in Greek, maybe it might be time to learn the Greek alphabet??!! (Sorry, have to put the link in full because it doesn’t work in pdf).
ΧΑΡΤΕΣ
Αν πάτε στο Google,και μετά στο Google Maps και γράψετε Πισσούρι, τότε θα μπορείτε να δείτε ολόκληρη την περιοχή με τα ονόματα των δρόμων. Είναι τέλειο για κάποιο που του αρέσουν οι χάρτες ή για κάποιους που θέλουν να ταξιδέψουν. Μπορείτε επίσης να τυπώσετε και φωτογραφία του σπιτιού σας μέσω δορυφόρου.
SNIPPETS
Snakes and the Hen House
A large coin snake (πατσάλα δροπής) in the chook house this week, following the discovery of a very large black whip snake (μάυρο φίδι) at the gate. (The whip snake looked very like the one in the photograph on the website). But while I was pleased to see the coin snakes are still around, this one is a problem, because it is quite big enough to make a good breakfast of our two new young miniature chickens. Nothing to be done: the snake disappeared into one of the many hiding places in the chicken run, so I will just have to keep my fingers crossed!
On the road down to the Beach yesterday – two dead whip snakes. It is that time of the year when a lot of wildlife – including those gorgeous gormless chameleons - is crossing the road. Please try and let them cross safely. Slow down!
Τα Φίδια και το κοτέτσι
Μια μεγάλη πατσάλα δρόπης ήταν στο κοτέτσι του σπιτιού μου και μετά βρήκα και ένα μαύρο φίδι στην είσοδο. Παρ’όλο που χάρηκα που είδα ότι ο δρόπης υπάρχει ακόμη, υπήρχε όμως και ένα πρόβλημα, μιας και ο δρόπης ήταν μεγάλος θα μπορούσε να φάει τα δυο μας νεαρά κοτόπουλα. Ευτυχώς εξαφανίστηκε αλλά ας ελπίσουμε πως θα μείνει μακρυά.
Rollers and Bee-eaters
I told you in 73 that the rollers were back, and all our usual colonies in the area seem to be safely ensconced. This week the bee-eaters arrived, and it is always exciting to hear them. It is not just that they are beautiful, cheerful birds, it is the thought that they have been so far away and managed to get themselves all the way back again.
Κράγκα και ο μελισσοφάος
Σας είχα πει στο 73 πως τα κράγκα έχουν επιστρέψει στην γνωστή τους αποικία. Αυτή την εβδομάδα οι μελισσοφάγοι επίστρεψαν επίσης, είναι πολύ όμορφα και χαρούμενα πουλιά και είναι αξιοθαύμαστο το πωσςταξιδεύουν τόσο μακρυά αλλά πάντα βρίσκουν τον δρόμο τους πίσω.
FIRE
Another fire at the dump, which was worrying because it was whipped by very high winds earlier in the week. This report, and photo, from Sheila Cole:
“The fire started near the tip and spread towards the cement works. Three fire engines were in attendence and two guys were beating the flames out by hand. Fortunately the JCB cleared a path around the works, just in case it spread further. It was the day of very strong winds and the fire spread rapidly, with lots of black smoke”.
Very early in the season ... the second fire this year already.
ΦΩΤΙΑ
Ακόμη μια φωτιά ξέσπασε στον σκουπιδότοπο που εξέφρασε ανησυχίες λόγω του δυνατού ανέμου. Αυτή η αναφορά και η φωτογραφία είναι από την Sheila Cole:
“υπήρχαν τρία οχήματα της πυροσβεστικής με δύο άτομα που προσπαθούσαν να σβήσουν την φωτιά με ότι μπορούσαν να βρούν κοντά τους. Μιας και εκείνη την μέρα υπήρχαν δυνατοί ανέμοι η φωτιά εξαπλώθηκε γρήγορα καλύπτωντας την περιοχή με μαύρο καπνό".
Daintre Hart
99 350 819/25 222 802
Website: www.about-pissouri.com
Friday 21st May 2010
© Daintre Hart 2010
In Supplement 77:
New fortnightly weekly Anglican service in Pissouri
Reply from the Vineleaf Tavern
Walks Programme - updated
Cyprus Nights
FOG Cheese and Wine
10th International Pharos Chamber Music Festival
Columbia Hotels and Resorts – Summer Events
Phoenix Singers Summer Concert
