PISSOURI CONTACT 79 (Greek and English)
MEET THE MUKHTAR – BAY RESIDENTS
Friday 28th May
Pissouri Bay – “The Jewel in the Crown”
As the “nuts and bolts” issues had been dealt with in correspondence between the Village Office and residents over the past few weeks and widely circulated, the Mukhtar was able to outline the key projects, progress and future plans for the Bay, and to answer a series of questions on key issues of interest. This made for a very interesting meeting.
The Mukhtar started by saying that he was glad to have the opportunity to get to know each other better, to clarify the details about some the queries that had been raised recently, to listen to any complaints and to inform us about Village works and the forthcoming programme. He also said that he was keen to hear residents’ views, and that the aim of the Council was to make life at the Bay as comfortable and enjoyable as possible. He assured the meeting that there will be transparency and openness and consultation with residents about future projects, and their views will be taken into account.
While there had been a feeling that Bay residents might in the past have felt a little neglected, they were grateful to the Mukhtar for taking the time to come to the Bay and demonstrate that it was as firmly in the minds and plans of the Village Council as any other part of Pissouri. Indeed, the Mukhtar agreed with members of the audience that the Bay is “the jewel in the Crown” of Pissouri, and very important to the economy of Pissouri as a whole.
This was a successful public consultation with a wide exchange of ideas and suggestions, and it is possible that more such meetings would be of benefit to our Village.
Because the details of the discussion will be of interest to both Bay residents and others, a full note of the meeting is posted on the Village Information tab.
ΣΥΝΑΝΤΗΣΗ ΜΕ ΤΟΝ ΚΟΙΝΟΤΑΡΧΗ
Ο κοινοτάρχης είχε κανονίσει μια συνάντηση με τους κατοίκους της παραλίας και τους έχει ενημερώσει για τις διάφορες εργασίες που γίνονται και για τα μελλοντικά σχέδια που αφορούν την περιοχή της παραλίας.
Ο κοινοτάρχης ξεκίνησε την ομιλία του λέγοντας πως ήταν χαρούμενος για την ευκαιρία που το δώθηκε για να γνωρίσει τους κατοίκους της περιοχής καλύτερα, να δώσει πληροφορίες σε διάφορες απορίες καιν να ακούσει τα παράπονα των κατοίκων.
Παρ’ολο που οι κάτοικοι της παραλίας ένιωθαν λίγο παραμελημένοι πιο παλιά τώρα είναι ευγνώμον που ο κοινοτάρχης τους αφιέρωσε λίγη ώρα για να τους δείξει τα σχέδια του και να ακούσει τις απόψεις των κατοίκων. Ο κοινοτάρχης συμφώνησε πως η παραλία είναι ένα πολύ σημαντικό κομμάτι για το χωριό και την οικονομία του.
Αυτή ήταν μια πετυχημένη συνάντηση όπου πολλές απόψεις και εισηγήσεις ακούστηκαν. Περισσότερες λεπτομέριες από την συζήτηση μπορούν να βρεθούν στο Supplement
THE MUKHTAR’S MEETING WITH THE BISHOP OF PAPHOS
As reported in Contact 78, the Mukhtar and Petros met the Bishop of Paphos this week to discuss the problem of the football playing field. Another meeting has now been arranged for later in the month and we will be informed of the outcome after that.
ΣΥΝΑΝΤΗΣΗ ΚΟΙΝΟΤΑΡΧΗ ΜΕ ΤΟΝ ΑΡΧΙΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟ ΠΑΦΟΥ
Όπως αναφέραμε στο Contact 78, ο κοινοτάρχης και ο Πέτρος συνάντησαν τον Αρχιεπίσκοπο αυτή την εβδομάδα για να συζητήσουν το πρόβλημα με το ποδοσφαιρικό γήπεδο. Ακόμη μια συνάντηση έχει κανονιστεί για αργότερα αυτό το μήνα.
THE NEW VRAKA
Haris, still working to the last minute. Chef Michael in the doorway.
When we launched www.about-pissouri.com, Haris Stylianides gave us a collection of his photos of the Pissouri young people doing what they do best – enjoying life. This was the helping hand we needed – these photos have been among the most popular items on the website, and the website has been an unimagined success in the 18 months since it was launched. It is a great pleasure that we can now return the favour and help launch Pissouri’s latest new business, the new Vraka in the Square.
When it became known that the family were taking the Vraka back after the lease expired last October, speculation was rife as to what its next reincarnation would be. Many village people knew Haris (whose family own the Vraka) from his work at Aphrodite Hills, and we knew that many possibilities were being considered. In the end we were waiting for “Charlie’s (Irish) Place”... and we might even, after Haris’s time in America, have ended up with “The Pissouri American Steak House”! But somewhere along the line Haris had spent a happy evening at Lofou with his Polish girlfriend Monica, and decided his heart was a true Cypriot one. He decided to use his international experience in the business and let us have a Cyprus bar/restaurant with a difference.
The Vraka was originally a coffee shop, and then his father Stelios renovated it and opened it as a snack bar in 1985, named ‘Charlie’s Place’. Five years later Uncle Theo opened it as the “Vraka”, then Stavros took it on until he moved to the Bunch of Grapes. Eventually it ended up in the capable hands of the two Panicoses from the Hideaway until the lease ran out and the family decided to take it over again.
In the meantime young Haris had been busy. He did not grow up in Pissouri, although he is of course from a Pissouri family. He grew up in Limassol, maintaining - as all good Pissourians do - strong links with the Village. He completed his schooling in 2000 and then did the obligatory two years in the army. He started working in the hotel business at the age of 15, doing holiday work at the Columbia, a pattern of work experience which ran throughout his education. Two years at the Cyprus College followed where he gained a Diploma in Business Administration. He transferred his credits from this course to Brookes University in Oxford. So this explains his near perfect English.... “I had a lot of English girlfriends”, he said with a grin. He spent another two hard-working, happy years there, completing his degree in hotel management and marketing management.
He did well enough to be included in the elite group of graduates who are recommended by Brookes for an international management programme at a glittering A-list of hotels for management training. These recommendations from Brookes (voted the Best New UK University for five years running from 2000 – 2005, with 85% of students achieving good jobs on graduation) led to a gruelling 3-tier selection procedure, and Haris was ecstatic that he eventually landed a management training place at Breakers Hotel at Palm Beach in Florida, one of the foremost and most impressive hotels in the United States. Haris simply waxes lyrical as he speaks about this hotel. Check it out at www.thebreakers.com and you will see why. It was a formative experience for him.
He clearly enjoyed the two years in America, revelling in the quality and standard of Breakers, as well as having a whale of a time when not working, and learning about American culture. But to crown his achievements, while at Breakers he undertook a course to become a Certified Sommelier at the Breakers award-winning epicurean restaurant, “L’Escalier”, which has 3 master sommeliers and 7 certified sommeliers. The skills he acquired there he will use to the advantage of his customers at the Vraka. Back in Cyprus, he has already entered a national competition, run by Association de la Sommelerie Internationale (ASI) which is based in Paris, in every country, which looks for the best sommelier in Cyprus. At the tender age of 26 he came fourth (out of 26) in Cyprus last year, and he is looking forward to winning the competition in the future. At the Vraka he will concentrate on introducing customers not only to good quality/good value Cyprus wines, but to the best wines Cyprus offers.
On his return from America, Haris immediately started two years’ work at Aphrodite Hills, gathering more experience. He spent his second year there developing ideas for the new Vraka, and clearly the careful planning has paid off. The design of the new Vraka is spectacularly pleasing, and he has paid attention to every detail. He is clearly proud of the menu he will be serving, and it is exactly what Pissouri needed: international and Cyprus food with that something special extra but, with an eye on the economic situation, value for money.
So, with so much international experience, and a childhood spent growing up in Limassol, what brought Haris back to Pissouri? Clearly he has a passion for Pissouri – for him it is one of the most amazingly beautiful and peaceful places in the world. Limassol was too frenetic, too hectic – he loves his family home village and has the support of not just his family but an extensive strongly-bonded group of friends (see those photos on the website and you will get the picture!). Pissouri has everything Haris wants, and he has a lot to offer Pissouri.
It was at Breakers he acquired a passion for service to the customer, a philosophy he is looking forward to bringing to the new Vraka. He has such plans, we are in for a treat with this new business in Pissouri, so let’s give Haris and Monica a good start in these difficult times and help him continue the development of Pissouri as a place where people come because the Village has so much to offer. We wish him bonne chance on this next step in his journey.
Haris is aiming to open the new Vraka on 10th June.
Η ΝΕΑ ΒΡΑΚΑ
Όταν πρωτοξεκινήσαμε το www.about-pissouri.com, ο Χάρης Στυλιανίδης μας έδωσε την συλλογή από τις φωτογραφίες του. Αυτές οι φωτογραφίες είναι πολύ σημαντικές για την ιστιοσελίδα μας γι΄αυτό το λόγο τώρα με την σείρα μας θα τον βοηθήσουμε να προωθήσει την νέα του δουλειά, την Βράκα, στην πλατεία.
Όταν ακούστηκε πως η οικογένεια του θα πάρει πίσω την Βράκα, πολλοί προσπαθούσαν να μαντέψουν πως θα μετατραπόταν τώρα το μέρος. Στην αρχή περιμέναμε το “Charlie’s (Irish) Place”... ή λόγο της παραμονής του Χάρη περιμέναμε το The Pissouri American Steak House”! αλλά ο Χάρης ως γνήσιος Κύπριος αποφάσισε να χρησιμοποιήσει την διεθνής εμπειρία του και να μας χαρίσει ένα Κυπριακό μπαρ/εστιατόριο διαφορετικό από τα άλλα.
Η Βράκα ξεκίνησε αρχικά σαν ένα καφενείο, μετά ο πατέρας του το μετέτρεψε σε ένα σνακ μπαρ το 1985 με το όνομα ‘Charlie’s Place’. Πέντε χρόνια μετά ο Θεόδωρος το άνοιξε σαν Βράκα, μετά το αναλαβέ ο Σταύρος μέχρι που ανέλαβε το Bunch of Grapes. Τελικά κατέληξε στους δύο Πανίκους από το Hideaway μέχρι που η οικογένεια αποφάσισε να το αναλάβει ξανά.
Εν το μεταξύ ο Χάρης τελείωσε το σχολείο το 2000 και μετά από δύο χρόνια στο στρατό έκανε 2 χρόνια στο Cyprus College και αφού πήρε δίπλωμα στο Business Administration μετέφερε τα μαθήματα του στο Brookes University in Oxford. Πέρασε δύο χρόνια εκεί με σκληρή δουλεία καταφέρνοντας να πάρει το πτυχίο του στο hotel management και marketing management.
Κατάφερε να συμπεριλήφθει στην ομάδα που θα έκανε εκπαίδευση σε πολυτελείς ξενοδοχεία. Ο Χάρης κατάφερε να κάνει την ειδίκευση του στο Breakers Hotel στο Palm Beach στη Φλόριδα. Απόλαυσε τα δύο χρόνια στην Αμερική και παράλληλα μάθαινε για την Αμερικάνικη κουλτούρα.
Έλαβε μέρος σε ένα διαγωνισμό απο το Association de la Sommelerie Internationale (ASI) που γίνεται σε κάθε χώρα και ο Χάρης μόλις σε ηλικία 26 ετών κατάφερε να έρθει 4ος ανάμεσα σε 26 υποψήφιους.
Με την επιστροφή του στην Κύπρο ο Χάρης ξεκίνησε αμέσως δουλειά στο Aphrodite Hills, πέρασε τον 2ο χρόνου του εκεί αναπτύσοντας ιδέες για την νέα Βράκα. Στο σχεδιασμό της νέας βράκας έδωσε σημασία στη λεπτομέρεια και είναι περήφανος για το φαγητό που σερβίρουν, λαμβάνοντας υπόψην την οικονομική κατάσταση που επικρατεί. Ας ευχηθούμε τα καλύτερα στον Χάρη και στη Μόνικα και στο νέο τους ξεκίνημα.
OBITUARY
Nikandros Savva
We pass on sympathy to the family of Nikandros Savva who died on Wednesday, aged 78. Everyone will remember this lovely gentleman, for many years a staunch member of the Apostolos Andreas Church congregation, where he was a cantor, because he spent much of his retirement making sure Pissouri Village looked beautiful, greeting all passersby with his warm smile.
His was married to Theodora, and was father of Melitsa, (who is married to Andreas Phillipou, our Village Councillor), Irini and Savvas, both now living in Limassol. He will be sadly missed by everyone.
ΣΥΛΛΥΠΗΤΗΡΙΑ
ΝΙΚΑΝΔΡΟΣ ΣΑΒΒΑ
Θα θέλαμε να δώσουμε τα συλλυπητήρια μας στην οικογένεια του Νίκανδρου Σάββα που απεβίωσε την Τετάρτη σε ηλικία 78 ετών. Όλοι θα θυμούνται αυτό τον υπέροχο κύριο που για χρόνια ήταν επίτροπος της εκκλησίας μας και ψάλτης.
Ήταν παντρεμένος με την Θεοδώρα και ήταν ο πατέρας της Μιλίτσας, που είναι παντρεμένη με τον Αντρέα Φιλίππου, σύμβουλο του χωριού, και του Σάββα και της Ειρήνης που μένουν στη Λεμεσό τώρα.
BUS PETITION
We said we were going to close the Petition for a Pissouri bus service but, when we began to collect the sheets in, everyone said that it was too early with everyone arriving for the holiday period, just some of the people who need it most. So it will run for at least another month.
There are around 300 signatures at the moment, an excellent response so far, because these are people who have gone out of their way to find and sign the petition. Hopefully we can bring in a few more signatures to get the message across to the authorities that we really need this service. It is important: Pissouri desperately needs to provide a cheap transport system around its far-flung reaches. At present the ability of both visitors and residents alike to move between the Bay and the Village, and the Village and Kato Pissouri, is severely restricted.
Please, if you are here, sign the petition, and remind others to do the same. See Contact 66 (on the website) for further discussion of the issues.
ΔΗΜΟΨΗΦΙΣΜΑ ΛΕΩΦΟΡΕΙΩΝ
Όταν μαζέψαμε τις σελίδες με τις υπογραφές προσέξαμε πως οι περισσότεροι που έχουν υπογράψει είναι τουρίστες, για αυτό το λόγο θα το αφήσουμε για ακόμη ένα μήνα. Υπάρχουν γύρω στις 300 υπογραφές προς το παρόν με την ελπίδα πως με αυτό το τρόπο θα δώσουμε ένα μήνυμα στις αρχές για το πόσο απαραίτητο είναι να υπάρχει γραμμή λεωφορείου.
DEFIBRILATORS
The four Village defibrillators have arrived. Their location is being decided, and they should be operational by next week. As soon as we know the details of how they will be used we will circulate this information.
ΑΠΙΝΙΔΩΤΕΣ
Οι 4 απινιδωτές έχουν φθάσει και η τοποθεσία τους έχει αποφασιστεί και λειτουργήσουν από την ερχόμενη εβδομάδα. Μόλις μάθουμε περισσότερες λεπτομέριες θα σας ενημερώσουμε.
THE VILLAGE SCHOOL – END OF THE YEAR
On the 8th of June, the children will go to Ayios Georgios, a small village near Limassol. They will visit the monastery there and they will have lunch at a fish tavern with a playground. The school play will be on 10th of June, and school closes on 16th of June.
THE WEATHER
Yes, summer is here, but two unusual occurrences this week: first of all another very dense dust storm (Turkey to blame this time!), followed later in the week by another, and, on Monday, an unusually dense sea mist (an urgent telephone call “the Sea’s on fire!” alerted us!) These occasional sea mists are quite dramatic, and then they burn off in the sunshine. Thanks to everyone who took photos:
Ο ΚΑΙΡΟΣ
Ναι, το καλοκαίρι είναι εδώ, αλλά δυο παράξενα γεγονότα έχουν γίνει. Το πρώτο είναι ότι υπήρξε μια θύελλα σκόνης, από την Τουρκία αυτή τη φορά, και το άλλο γεγονός που έγινε την Τετάρτη, μια παράξενη ομίχλη κάλυψε την θάλασσα.
SEA MIST
Looking over Melanda to Camp Bloodhound from Cybarco: From Maggie Thorpe
Pissouri Bay in the Mist: From Russ Graham
VOTING
And another reader has sent me this from the Forces Pension Society e-newsletter:
“Cyprus - Little Red Book
........ Remember to vote in your village elections. To get your Little Red voting book apply at your District Office. You will be given a list of documents needed for registering to vote in Cyprus, plus passport type photos. The process is easy and you get a quick response. The person you vote for will control virtually all your daily life from water and household rubbish to grave plots.”
Word is the election date has been brought forward, and we have only got a year to get registered. Don’t leave it too late: the 3 months before the election will be too late, because electors have to be on the updated list current before the election. As the updating is done every three months, anyone leaving it too late will miss out.
MIDSUMMER MUSIC
Sunday 20th June 2010
See poster in the Supplement
From Geoff Fryatt:
Please would you be so kind as to circulate this poster/flyer around your membership on behalf of the 3 charities who will benefit from this very special performance on Sunday 20th June - Pissouri Village School, Friends of the Hospice Pafos, and ABF The Soldiers' Charity.
Could you please note that from 28th May 2010 the ABF Cyprus has a new Chairman, Lt Col Nick Smith and he is on abfchairman@gmail.com and 99934668.
Many thanks from me for the support you have given us over the years and I hope you will continue to do so in the future to our mutual benefit,
Kind Regards
Geoff Fryatt
The Royal Signals (Northern) Band will be performing under the stars at Pissouri open-air theatre from 6.30pm until about 9.00pm and raising funds on behalf of ABF The Soldiers' Charity, The Friends of Pafos Hospice and the Pissouri Village School. The full supporting cast will include Island Blend chorus as well as popular vocalist Neil James in concert. Tickets Adults €10, under 10s €6 on sale now from the usual ABF outlets. Reservations on line at abftickets@gmail.com. Coolboxes, cushions and comet-gazers welcome.
Tickets available in advance in the Village from the Pissouriana and Markos Internet Café. See Poster for other outlets.
BIG BEN
A Contact reader has sent the following links. This is interesting and thought-provoking, a very complex subject. How about a Village debate about it?
BIG BEN
Ενας αναγνώστης μας έστειλε αυτό το δημοψήφισμα:
Watch the video here http://www.bringthemback.org/default.aspx?User=7f4a3142-b619-46d7-a0a9-803d9289e574
If this link does not work please copy and paste the link on your browser. http://www.bringthemback.org/default.aspx?User=7f4a3142-b619-46d7-a0a9-803d9289e574
Personally, I’m not keen on Victorian Gothic. They can keep it. I’d rather have the Elgin Marbles!!
TEAM PISSOURI
It is taking a long time to move all that information to the new website. I promise we are getting there. Markos says today…. Or tomorrow. Then we can get Contact back to people who like to read it online.
Incidentally, I sent Supplement out to list 3 twice this morning by accident. Very aggravating for people who are still on dial up. For everyone else, there is the delete button!
VILLAGE LIAISON OFFICER (English)
Remember, Tony is in the Square most days between 12 and 1 if you want to catch him
for a chat.
Daintre Hart
99 350 819/25 222 802
Website: www.about-pissouri.com
Friday 4th June 2010
© Daintre Hart 2010
In Supplement 79:
Note of a meeting for Bay Residents
New fortnightly weekly Anglican service in Pissouri, starting Sunday 13th June
Environmental film screenings by the European Commission on the occasion of Green Week, Tuesday May 25 2010
Letter from the Environmental Commissioner (in Greek)
Walks Programme – updated
Hospice Book Sale in the Square – next Wednesday.
Dress shop recommendations from Val Day
Pissouri Yoga
Printer sale
The Royal Signals (Northern) Band, Sunday 20th June 2010 Cyprus Nights
PAWS Events Programme
Columbia Hotels and Resorts – Summer Events
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• All back copies of this newsletter are on the Team Pissouri website: www.about-pissouri.com.
• Disclaimer: Contact tries hard to ensure the accuracy of what is sent out, but cannot be responsible for mistakes or omissions. Please note that the opinions expressed by contributors to Contact are not necessarily those of the Editor.
Beach Party 7th of August!!
Please join us in supporting:
The Village Nursery and Primary Schools The Hospice Shop
Cans for Kids Friends of Guiding PAWS Dog Shelter
.
