Paphos Life

jandk wrote: ↑Fri Jul 21, 2017 7:42 am Strange, I tried to change my UK driving licence to a Cypriot one at the main Post Office and the girl told me she couldn't do it and I would need to go to the Road Traffic Office. I haven't bothered.

Dominic wrote: ↑Thu Jul 20, 2017 11:14 pm Swings and roundabouts. I used to go on cycling holidays in France, and in the non touristy areas the French were lovely. Very friendly indeed. As soon as I strayed into a tourist route, I noticed they were a lot more surly. The conclusion I came to is that it is the tourists who are the problem. Not all tourists though, just a very vocal minority.

You see it in Cyprus too. I have seen some very rude British tourists, and a few ex pats. It is embarrassing, and completely unfair on the majority of tourists and the local Cypriots.

I am sure there are rude Cypriots, and rude Russian and Chinese tourists, but I only understand the UK ones.

jandk wrote: ↑Fri Jul 21, 2017 7:42 am Strange, I tried to change my UK driving licence to a Cypriot one at the main Post Office and the girl told me she couldn't do it and I would need to go to the Road Traffic Office. I haven't bothered.

Dominic wrote: ↑Fri Jul 21, 2017 8:43 am

Dominic wrote: ↑Thu Jul 20, 2017 11:14 pm Swings and roundabouts. I used to go on cycling holidays in France, and in the non touristy areas the French were lovely. Very friendly indeed. As soon as I strayed into a tourist route, I noticed they were a lot more surly. The conclusion I came to is that it is the tourists who are the problem. Not all tourists though, just a very vocal minority.

You see it in Cyprus too. I have seen some very rude British tourists, and a few ex pats. It is embarrassing, and completely unfair on the majority of tourists and the local Cypriots.

I am sure there are rude Cypriots, and rude Russian and Chinese tourists, but I only understand the UK ones.

And when we first moved to Polemi, soon afterwards my wife had to fly back to the UK for an operation on her leg. After dropping her off at the airport, we drove back to Polemi, stoppging at the Paps in Mesogi on the way. Half an hour later there was a knock on the door. Two Cypriot lads were on our doorstep, asking me if I was Dominic Lloyd. I had dropped my wallet getting in the car at Paps. They had found it, along with a bit of paper which had our new address printed on it, as I couldn't remember it. They had tracked me down in Polemi, which isn't easy if you don't know Polemi, and presented me with my fully laden wallet, before I even realised that it was lost!

I learned then, that the expression "I don't believe it!" is not one to use on a person who isn't a native English speaker. The poor chap thought I was calling him a liar to start with. I had to explain what I meant, but in future I think I will say something like "That's amazing!" instead. Anyway, I rewarded him for his honesty and efforts in tracking me down, and it cheered me up no end.

It's better to remember the good stuff, rather than dwell on the crap.

Dominic wrote: ↑Fri Jul 21, 2017 8:43 am

Dominic wrote: ↑Thu Jul 20, 2017 11:14 pm Swings and roundabouts. I used to go on cycling holidays in France, and in the non touristy areas the French were lovely. Very friendly indeed. As soon as I strayed into a tourist route, I noticed they were a lot more surly. The conclusion I came to is that it is the tourists who are the problem. Not all tourists though, just a very vocal minority.

You see it in Cyprus too. I have seen some very rude British tourists, and a few ex pats. It is embarrassing, and completely unfair on the majority of tourists and the local Cypriots.

I am sure there are rude Cypriots, and rude Russian and Chinese tourists, but I only understand the UK ones.

Seriously, I remember stopping in one village, and finding a room for the night above a little cafe. I was sat in the cafe fumbling with my phrase book, and got chatting to a couple who lived in the village who spoke some English. They decided to show me their village, and took me to a local restaurant where we had a massive seafood banquet. They wouldn't let me pay for anything. We went to a club afterwards where I insisted on buying them drinks, and I eventually fell into my bed at about 4AM. I was up at 7, bleary-eyed and with an impressive hangover. I was fed some strong coffee and croissants, and off I cycled on my travels.

Another time I was cycling in the Loire Valley, and stopped at Amboise, which is a small town with a very nice Leonardo Da Vinci museum (he lived there). In the town square there was a travelling group of entertainers. They were a medievil troupe, and demonstrated village crafts as well as the music of the day. They were very entertaining, and it was all free. That evening, I was in a cafe have my tea, and I saw them, out of costume. There were about a dozen of them, pooling their francs to see if they could get another drink. I bought them a round, as I had watched them for about an hour that afternoon, and they hadn't asked for any money, so it only seemed fair. They were ecstatic! I was their new long-lost friend, and we partied the night away in their massive wigwam. They had some lethal Bulgarian Peach Brandy, and other assorted condiments, and we sat around a roaring fire. They made me a bed out of straw, and I crashed out. Had I known how the evening would turn out, I wouldn't have bothered paying for a room at the local inn.

And when we first moved to Polemi, soon afterwards my wife had to fly back to the UK for an operation on her leg. After dropping her off at the airport, we drove back to Polemi, stoppging at the Paps in Mesogi on the way. Half an hour later there was a knock on the door. Two Cypriot lads were on our doorstep, asking me if I was Dominic Lloyd. I had dropped my wallet getting in the car at Paps. They had found it, along with a bit of paper which had our new address printed on it, as I couldn't remember it. They had tracked me down in Polemi, which isn't easy if you don't know Polemi, and presented me with my fully laden wallet, before I even realised that it was lost!

I learned then, that the expression "I don't believe it!" is not one to use on a person who isn't a native English speaker. The poor chap thought I was calling him a liar to start with. I had to explain what I meant, but in future I think I will say something like "That's amazing!" instead. Anyway, I rewarded him for his honesty and efforts in tracking me down, and it cheered me up no end.

It's better to remember the good stuff, rather than dwell on the crap.