Dinner on Christmas Eve

Having Dinner at the hotel

When we went to get our food, I took my camera to take some pictures. One guy, who might have been the manager, asked if I wanted to take a picture of the chef. I said, 'He's too busy. I can't do that.' He said, 'No problem. He likes his picture taken.'

Not only did he get the head chef, but he said, 'Would you like to have your picture taken with him?' I said yes, of course. Seeing that I was with my wife, he took my camera and we had our pictures taken with him.

How nice! I was really surprised. Something like this wasn't even in my dreams. It goes to show that sometimes you get more than you ask for. It was a humbling experience. And I was honoured to have our pictures taken with him. I guess the guests thought we were some big-wigs.

Again, I think of how the Angels looked down on us and gave us all these blessings. We were put front, close to the dance floor and close to take good pictures from out seat and sitting next to a good couple.

As it turned out the German couple and us were the only ones dancing! There were about 4-6 other people (maximum) dancing. I don't know why people don't dance. The crowd was of mixed age, but few dancers.

I also noticed that most of the people left while there was still an hour or so for the music to play. When we left, which was about 10.30pm there wasn't many people in there and the singers were still playing. Normally, entertainment ends first and the people stay for 15 to 30 minutes more.
Jayne and I went to the piano bar. In the lobby and piano bar there were many people, and the woman that must have started at 7pm was till playing. We stayed until 11pm and left for our room.

It was a wonderful Christmas Eve.

More on Christmas Eve

When we were leaving I had the computer bag on my shoulder and the large suitcase. I asked her to get the trash bag and the canvas bag. She just picked up the trash to take out and not the canvas bag (which I didn't see).

I told her I need them. (In the bag was also my camera.) She said she would unpack while I walked back to our apartment. We discovered that we should have brought some snacks with us, the gin and tonic, too. This, we didn't think of, so I would have had to come back anyhow.
The funny thing is, that it's rare that someone would stay in a nice hotel that is also within walking distance to their home.

On the way back I stopped at the store to buy some things that we need (that Jayne forgot to buy when she went shopping while I was at the cafe). I bought lemon and olives for the gin and tonic that is at the flat.

I packed the food/drink items in one bag and picked up the other bag, too.

I got back within an hour.

We walked around the grounds and I showed Jayne where the indoor pool is.

I took a shower and Jayne wanted a long soak in the tube. She wanted to do that rather than go in the lobby to see the Christmas carol choir. I went and saw them at 6pm.

The choir were Cypriots children, about 9 in total, all young girls with the exception of one and only one little boy. They sang in Greek and English. They were OK to put it the most kindly, but it was nice seeing them.

They sang for about 40 minutes, then I saw a woman getting ready to play the keyboard and sing, but I left before then.

Dinner started at 7.30pm, so I had to get dressed. Jayne was out of the tube by then but still had to get dressed.

At the entrance they asked what our room number is and our names. Then we were asked by another person who was standing a couple of feet from here. We were shown to our table, as each one had the room number on it and reserved sign.

Inside was beautifully decorated. When we got to our table it was up front and on side of the small dance floor with a good view of the woman singer and the guy who played the keyboard.
How nice to be put in a good position. Also, I'd like to mention that we did not asked if we could have the seafront room, but we got one. How nice and perfect for Jayne and me anniversary of meeting and for Christmas, too.

The room with a sea view costs more, but I thought we before we went there that I would not ask for a seafront, but wait on the LORD to what we would get and we got a perfect room on the 3rd floor, which is the 4th in American counting. So, the view of the pool and the sea was great.
The singing and playing was going on while we ate. The food was buffet style, which is better than a fixed menu, as you can choose what you want and as much as you want.

We started a conversation with the couple next to us. They are German and are real nice. Their English is excellent, too. The table to the other side of us was empty, though it was reserved for a room. Why they didn't come, I don't know. Maybe they just didn't check in to the hotel. Maybe they were in the room, but only book the meal but didn't pay for it and decided to eat elsewhere (to save money). Just a guess.

We found out that the couple next to us are teachers in high school and college. They just arrived to Cyprus two hours before and that this is their first time to this country.

To be continued...

Christmas Eve 2009

I got up and left early to go to Starbucks to go on the internet. Since I didn't get what I wanted done yesterday, I have to do it today.

I sent of a bunch of e-card for Christmas to my friends and family.

After I left Starbucks, I went to the jewellery store to buy Jayne some gifts. I looked over everything carefully and picked out a silver diamond cut necklace. I also bought two polished stones that has silver around it that can be worn around the neck. This is what Jayne likes, so I hope she likes what I bought her.

One gift will be for the anniversary and other other two will be Christmas gifts.

We had a bit to eat at home. Then I called the taxi to take us to the hotel. We used the same guy that is a friend of Yiannis' who took us to immigration. It's within walking distance but it doesn't look nice walking to a hotel and pulling a suitcase along. It was close to 2pm when he came. The cost was 4 eros and some change, but I gave him five euros.

Check-in time is 2pm. The cost for 2 nights and the gala dinner came to 310 euros. It broke down to 100 per night and 55 euros per person for the meal.

When we checked into the room I asked Jayne were my other bag was (that has my computer cable and her gifts). She didn't take it with her!

Continued in the next post...

Close to Christmas

Wednesday 23 December

Today I went to the office to go on the internet. A little while later I saw a carriage with a horse draw up. I found out that they guy is a friend of Yiannis. This guy told me that the takes people for rides and does a lot of weddings.

I called Jayne to say, 'Your carriage is here.' I told her to come down and she did. I found out that the guy's name is Nic or Nicolas. I said we would like a ride. He said that the ride is 10 euros for 10 minutes.

In stead of taking us around the block he took us to his farm. This was about a 10 minute ride. As it turned out we stayed the whole day. There are some other English people there who wanted to see him.

He has a hectare or two in an area where there are expensive homes. As I found out later that where he lives was owned by a Turk, so he doesn't have papers of ownership. Anyhow, Nic or however you spell it, offers rides to people.

Nic talked and talked, and he seems to have had a very interesting life. He had been in all kinds of businesses and he said he was very successful in them. Then he took us to another area of the village where he showed a jaguar that he is restoring. One of the English guys restores antique cars. Then it was back at his house where his wife made lunch for us. As I found out later his wife is from Kavkas, and of course, speaks Russian. So I spoke a little Russian with her.

We got back to the office about 4.15. since we had left about 10am it had been a long day. Then, Nic talked some more in the office. I talked also and told him what I do, mentioning EFT. He seemed interested in it.

Immigration

Tuesday 22 December

Yiannis took us to immigration and dropped us off. We waited to see the woman, though we were told we could have gone in front of the line at any time (since we had to go back). There were two Russians who tried to but in front of us (looked like mother and daughter). I said that we were here first. The daughter spoke English but she still get the message so I stood my ground.
The woman was the same one that we had before. She asked for the documents and we gave them to her. However, she didn't ask for one that she told us I needed the last time. This was a bank statement of mine going back three months. We had it but I didn't show it to her and I'm glad that Jayne didn't pull it out.

She saw the document that she wanted before stating that I was single. However, it's not the same that we got in Ecuador, as all the Embassy could do here is to stamp what I say on the document that what I wrote is true. However, this she didn't know and what she saw was OK.
Jayne showed her the bank balance she now has, and that was OK. The money she has in it is more than is required to live here, yet this woman asked if she had anything else. Jayne showed her the account where this money came from (that was transferred to Cyprus). The woman asked if there was anything else. Jayne showed her a bank statement book from Spain. She made a copy of that, but before this was not accepted. Can you figure all of this out?! It just shows that what were were told is bull shit!

Then I had to pay 42 euros and 72 cents.

She then told us we have to come back to pick up the visa for Jayne and the receipts.
We called Yiannis and he picked us up. While we were waiting, I thought of this and told Jayne. That when the woman asked for more bank info, it was just a 'fishing expedition' on the government's part. When we satisfy the law, why show more money? We could be there all day if we had more and more accounts to show her.

So, if you have enough money to live here, but have another 10 million euros somewhere else, it's none of their damn business!

We had to take a taxi back to immigration. Yiannis said he had to go to Nicosia, which as it turned out he didn't. But regardless, I would take a taxi anyhow, as I didn't want Yiannis to go again. He's done more than enough for us and dispite all this he wouldn't take money from us.
So, Yiannis called a friend who has a taxi business.

At immigration we were told that Jayne's visa is good indefinately, but mine is only good until my passport expires. Why didn't she tell me this when we were there before!?
I knew that my passport would expire in ten months (October 2010). I didn't renew it yet, for two reasons:

1- that I still had time on it
2 – that I would need my passport when I went into immigration again.

When we were at the America Embassy I asked about it, and they said I can renew it even if I still had 11 months to go. I got a form to fill out, but since this would take about 2 weeks, I would need this before I go immigration again. Had I know this then, I would have filled it out there, come back in when it was ready and just postponed going to immigration until I got it.

The woman said that we don't need all the documents, but told us what we do need. However, I will have to produce a bank statement, pay again, and take the trips again. Of course, I will have to make two trips to Nicosia to get this done.

Wait until Yiannis hears this.

Middle of December

Yiannis said to us that he will be going to a village with some friends for Christmas and asked if we wanted to come along. We said yes. He said that there is small hotel that we'd be staying out. I had said that Jayne and were thinking about going somewhere just to get out of the flat.

Then about this time, Angela wanted to know if we wanted to come with her and Jan to a Holiday Inn for dinner for Christmas night (25th). I told her about our plans with Yiannis.

Later Yiannis said that guy would not be going as he can't bring his dog. Well, later Jayne and I figured out that he had invited us where he was not in a postion to invite us. You never do this when you are invited yourself.

Anyhow, thinking that I had already talked to Angela and she made plans with Jan, we would book a place in a hotel somewhere in town. Even if we did go out with Angela, it would only be for a few hours and it's not a nice thing to spend out anniversary in a junky studio flat that we are in now.

So, I went to check on two nice hotels in the area. The Applonian wanted 175 euros per night and that would include the gala dinner and lunch the next day. Then I went to the Miremare and they wanted 100 euros per night (for the room not per person). The dinner would be 55 euros each and if we wanted the Christmas lunch it would be 30 euros each.

I talked to Jayne and we decided to go to the Miremare for the night of the 24th and 25th.
I got an email from Clive saying that Mary had talked to Angela. I was told that Angela seemed upset that we wouldn't be joining them. He asked if we could compromise. So, I got on the phone with Angela and told her the story of our original plans; the plans that fell through with Yainnis and of us booking a hotel. I invited her to come for dinner and I would pay for that. She said no. then I said what about breakfast the next day and she couldn't because of the dog and cat she takes care of and it would be too much food to eat, since she would be going out that night again.
Then I finally said that we would join them on the 25th if she could get the space. She thought that was good and was happy.

Since we will be having our gala diner on the 24th, we would be just having a regular dinner on the 25th, we thought it would be better to be with Angela. Now Jan is not a happy person to be with but that's the way she is.

I wrote back to Clive about this and he wrote back to me saying he was happy about it.
Angela is proud that it was through her that I met Jayne, so it's only natural to for me to make a special effort to be with her. I have been glad of all the places and times she invited me to join her and her group. This year, most of the people she knows will be with their family – some of them back in England. Also, her husband, Derrick died this past June, and it's the first Christmas she'll have without him.

The dinner at the Holiday will be 27 euros, so that might be the same as the regular dinner at the Miramare for Christmas.

US Embassy

Wednesday December 9

Today Yiannis took us to Nicosia to so I could get a stamp to prove that I was not married. Really stupid thing, as mentioned previously, since this was already done in Ecuador. We got there with little time to spare as the cashier closes at 11am.

The Police State

Going into the US Embassy here is like going into a police state. It's just totally bazaar. First, when we were still outside, the guy told us if we had any cell phones and Jayne said she does. He told her to turn it off and take out the battery. Then he asked for our passports. We had to wait outside for about 10 minutes while he went inside with our passports. So, why couldn't we go inside with out passports as everyone else does? I bet they were checking on some international data base if we were 'terrorists'.

When we were allowed inside, we noticed that a guy was working on the metal detector machines that checks the baggage. Jayne had a folder with a lot of papers in it. The woman went though ever piece of paper. She said that envelope are not allowed!

This turned out to be the first of the crazy things that are not allowed inside the embassy – you know, it might be a bomb.

She asked if I had anything in my pocket and I said some coins and a key. She took them as they are not allowed. She asked about my jacket and I said I have my wallet. She had to look through that, then gave it back to me.

This took at least 5 minutes.

Then Jayne walked through the metal detector door. Of course, this is not enough, so the woman used a hand held metal detector on her. Then I went though. When the hand held detector was used she asked if I had anything in my pocket and I reached in and pulled out some sugar that came from a cafe. This was not allowed inside and had to be put with the other htings!

This was worse than any airport check and it took much longer, too. Since there was no one else waiting to get in, there was no line. In fact, we saw no one else in there for services when we were there. Naturally, this would be the case as few Americans live or visit Cyprus. But of course, they still have to have the biggest embassy.

Then this woman radio and gave the number '45' to the another person to say we were coming. She opened one secured door and we were outside again in an inner court yard. There, another guy waited for us by another door. Again, we went through the metal detector dor and was check again by a hand held metal detector.

What's with all this checking. What they are saying is, that they don't trust the first person. But really, it's the air of force, power and police state that the US government wants to project.
Then he had to open another secured door. It was in this room where the cashiers are. This room seats about 25 chairs, but they were all empty. There are 4 windows you go to and another one where you pay for the services. Of course, this is never needed and they don't have the Americans here.

We were told that they don't stamp other documents but all they can do is for me to fill out an affidavit that I never was married before. I filled that out and it cost me 21 euros. Since the girl was closing up I had to pay before I filled out the document.

Then we got out of there.

We met Yiannis at the snack bar where we were the week before. He told us that he tried to get in there but they would not let him in as he is not an American. He thought 'Jayne is not an American, but got inside' but he didn't say anything.

Yiannis talked Greek to the guy and girl out front and they didn't know Greek. He thought they might be Turks and thought it strange that the US government would hire them. Then I thought about it and I think that they are Jews. This would be more like, as the US has its nose up the butt of Israeli. Also, Cyprus is near the Middle East where they can conduct their spying from.
Then we went to another office to get the marriage paper stamped. Then back to Limassol.
Jayne has yet to get money into Cyprus to her account. And Yiannis has to put her on his book that she is working for him. Without that, it would not look good if we go in right now to the immigration office here. So, we'll wait.

At Starbucks, I saw John there (who has an internet business). Also, I saw the guy who has the make your own water and electricity business. John had told me about one website that he has that cost him $13,000 to make but he never did anything with it. He said he'd sell it for $4,000. I asked why so cheap and he told me that he doesn't have time for it.

This site is about helping guys talk to girls by sending 'one liners' to their cell phones. I said that was nice but I suggested that we start out with me just working the business and he gives me part of the profits. He said that was OK. He suggested that we be JV (Joint Venture). He offered me more than 50% of the profits.

I hope that this isn't talk. But it looks like it is exactly what I need. For a long time I wanted to buy an established internet business. Right now, I don't have the extra money. We need all we have to live until I get money in for the sale of the flat. Had we met in early 2006 or earlier, I would have had the money.

I asked him to tell me what to work on, and I can start that before I work on my own page. This will bring money in sooner. For my own page, I still want to do it, but it will take a lot more money and time. Since his page is already up, all I have to pay for now is have one of his workers get traffic, and I can work on getting traffic, too.