Turning 5...

After a full school holiday of counting down to her birthday, Anna's special day finally came at the very end of the break.  She was all smiles as she wore the traditional birthday hat with her new Real Madrid football outfit (her choice)! Just so that we remember:....she received a pirate ship bath toy, some textas, lollies and, much to the older kid's astonishment, a toy police gun in a white leather pouch.  How relaxed(?) one must be as a 4th time Mum to give one's daughter a toy 'weapon', honestly without a second thought, simply because that's what she liked best in the shop. Perhaps it's something to do with relaxing as a parent or lowering standards with the youngest child - a reality that I'm sure many can relate to!  It's been comical to watch Anna running around the house with her shirt off and bare feet, shooting whatever she sees. "Bang Bang Bang!" Oh, the joys of seeing a child in the flow of imaginary play.  

We did put a stop to guns at the table....AFTER her birthday.

We celebrated with a wonderful attempt at an aeroplane cake which had more resemblance to a fish.  Nothing like heaps of lollies and red food colouring to detract from the visual disappointment.  It brought me back to Jessie's 3rd birthday in which the butterfly cake looked like a pear.  In this arena, I am definitely NOT improving with age. The afternoon was spent at the cinema with Anna and Sam watching Rio 2 with Daddy, whilst Mum took Gus to a football match at the pub.

Happy 5th Birthday to a very strong and loveable little character.....Anna!

One of the best presies was from Menaka: a real watch.

yes...it looks more like a fish

Yes, I do need to go to the toilet....
but I'll go when I jolly well want to!

Eurovision in Copenhagen

There's just one week to go until Eurovision in Copenhagen, and across Europe fans and governments alike are gearing up for the big event.  The economic situation is tough in many parts of Europe this year, as evidenced by the noticeable lack of entrants from some of the usual countries, including Cyprus, Croatia, Serbia, Turkey and Bosnia/Hercegovina. One can only assume this is out of concern for possibly winning and having to host in the following year, an undertaking that is sure to tip any struggling economy into recession. 

I'm writing this blog from Sarajevo, and the local population seems far more fixated on Bosnia and Hercegovina's success at qualifying for the upcoming World Cup in Brazil, than on Eurovision next weekend. Fortunately the Balkans are putting in a strong entry from Montenegro. All the Caucasus countries are putting in a strong showing this year, and there is every chance the trophy may head east again.  

It's tough to pick a top 5 this year, but I'd have to go with the following: (embedded youtube clips are included below, but in case you are reading on a mobile device, links also provided)

1. Romania: great look and great track. Strong potential for broken windows from a couple of the high notes! Should be in the top 5 atleast.  A favourite of Jessie's.  Click here to watch

2. Montenegro: after some questionable outings over recent years, Crna Gora has put forward a strong entry this year.  This is a great track with a classic Balkan feel. The singer, Sergej Cetkovic is music royalty in Montenegro.  He has a resonant Balkan voice, no doubt finely honed by smoking a packet of cigarettes each day for the last 20 years! Click here to watch

3. Georgia: this song is actually far too good for Eurovision.  Unlikely to do well though, as does not fit the normal formula.  Musically a great track though, and well worth a listen. A favourite of Anna's. Click here to watch

4. Armenia: great song, that builds with intensity. Kids love the drumming section. A possible winner this year. Click here to watch

5. Greece: this song could be a dark horse in the competition this year.  Will be popular on the dancefloors of Agia Napa and Ibiza this summer.  The Roma brass at the start is a great touch. Click here to watch

I would also sneak in Azerbaijan as a strong Top 5 contender.  The song is good but a little slow, but the small Caspian state always does well as they have they have the oil, and therefore plenty of other countries seeking to earn favour.  Also a guaranteed 12 points from Turkey never hurts either. Click here to watch

As for the other entries, herewith my brief thoughts (countries in alphabetical order):

Albania: not a bad track, a little unconventional but should make the final. Original song was better when it was sung in Albanian, not English

Austria: Interesting look. Lady singer with a permanent 3 day growth.  Song is trying too hard. Not a finalist sorry!

Belarus: something about cheesecake.  Cute song but won't make the final

Belgium: A man singing about his mother.  Powerful ballad but not a winner (is that his actual mother dancing in the background?) 

Denmark: why does the hosting nation always have such naf songs?  Not a winner, but the home crowd will of course love it.  

Estonia: snore......yet another bland entry

FYR Macedonia: catchy tune but not a winner. Singer is seriously tall

Finland: decent rock track.  This could actually do ok, especially with the local Scandinavian crowd.  Channelling 'Flock of Seagulls'

France: No. Sounds like they wrote it in the bus on the way to the competition. Stay home next time unless you can come up with a better song

Germany: have listened to this song several times.  Overall a bit unremarkable.  Not a winner.

Hungary: powerful song with some dark themes.  Not a winner but may do ok. Angus' favourite song.  

Iceland: all about prejudice.  Catchy tune, but I don't think will make final

Ireland: atleast it's not Jedward again (but I'm sure they're due for a return to Eurovision soon).  Anthemic song, ok but a bit bland.  Not a winner

Israel: Don't like the song.  Sharp edges, not a winner

Italy: Good Italian rock track; not quite 'eurobeat' enough to win

Latvia: Solving the world's problems by baking cakes.  Will not make it past semifinal. Sarah's favourite.

Lithuania: Snappy dancing and decent song.  Will be good to watch on the night, but alas not a finalist

Malta: Mumford and Sons comes to Valletta. But where is the lute?  Not a winner  

Moldova: Powerful voice; seems like a bit of an angry song.  Not a winner.

Norway: everyone seems to think this song has a chance, but it doesn't do much for me. In fact I think this guy would be more at home with a chainsaw or axe cutting down some fir trees 

Poland: looks like this song is about food preparation and breasts.  Will do well with votes from the Slavic countries.  Likely to make the final but not a winner

Portugal: NNNNNNOOOOOOO!  Too cliched.  Should have stayed home

Russia: sorry Russia, too boring.  Current activities in Ukraine will be sure to hurt the Russian vote.  Could it be nil points this year (just like the UK when they supported the invasion of Iraq?) 

San Marino: No.  Boring song, and San Marino just lacks the political influence needed to attract many votes

Slovenia: The flute is a nice touch.  I want to like this song, but not a real contender

Spain: Classic Spanish entry, I think will do well.  I just wish there wasn't the wailing cries near the end

Sweden: Sorry, this song just doesn't do it for me, even though some are saying it has a good chance of winning.  Too bland and predictable

Switzerland: Catchy tune, with a good whistling hook.  Some decent fiddle also.  A favourite of Sam's but alas not a winner

The Netherlands: Finally some Country and Western in Eurovision!  This is actually a good song but unlikely to do well as not the usual genre.  Also not too many other countries owing political favours to netherlands this year

Ukraine: average song, but sure to do well given current political impasse with Russia.  If it makes the final Ukraine will attract many votes from Europe in an effort to strengthen western-leaning political interests

UK: They are saying the best UK entry for years, but I have to disagree.  More meaningless schlock, trying too hard to fit a formula. Sorry!

So there you have it.  My 2 cents worth on each of the entries this year.  Enjoy the show!  

A very Cypriot Easter

Last weekend we spent the Easter break staying on the north-west coast between the small villages of Latchi and Polis. Our accommodation was a basic but comfortable bungalow right on the beach.  There was a cycle path from the front door, so this provided plenty of scope for bike riding and exploring the local area. The north-west of Cyprus is quite different to other parts of the island. There are some beautiful areas, both on the coast and inland, and we have always enjoyed spending time in this region.  In general there is a lot less development, and walking through Polis you could be easily think it was still the 1980's (including the occasional flowing mullet hairdo).

Over the break we enjoyed bike rides, hiking on the Akamas Peninsula and swimming most days. Also the endless games of uno, especially with Anna who would happily play cards all day. We hired a boat one day to visit the some favourite spots along the coast.  It was lovely to get away together as a family and rest.

The Epitafios is often carried around the village by soldiers

Easter is the most significant religious celebration in Cyprus throughout the year, and is marked by rituals throughout the weekend (and also in the lead up, and following Easter).  On Friday night we visited the large Orthodox Church in the centre of Polis to look at the 'Epitafios', which is a large wooden structure, elaborately decorated with flowers, candles and linen and which is carried through the streets during Good Friday processions.

Angus on the pitch with the local Cypriot lads

Angus enjoyed playing football with some of the local lads while we waited for the Epitafios to leave the church.  Alas the little kids did not last before the Epitafios left the church (3+ hour services are not uncommon in the Orthodox church), so we split and Sarah took half the family back to bed while I stayed with Angus.  Orthodox services are interesting in that there is a constant stream of peoeple in and out of the church while the service is taking place. On Friday night there were just as many people outside the church than were actually inside.

The church in Polis

Among other rituals, Easter Saturday night is characterised by some fairly serious pyrotechnics, as large bonfires are lit in most villages nearby the churches. The fires signify the coming of the 'holy light' which arrives in Cyprus on Easter Saturday on a specially chartered flight from Jerusalem, where the ritual and 'miracle' of the holy light takes place in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre every Easter.  The large fires also symbolise the burning of Judas.  There are typically a number of injuries on the Saturday night, related to the use of firecrackers etc.  Not too far away on the Greek Island of Chios, the Easter holy light celebrations are taken to a more extreme level each year, with the launch of thousands of 'rockets' between villages.  See Euronews clip below from a few years ago for details, and this event continues to grow each year. No sign of any OH&S standards here!  Makes our easter rituals in Australia seem tame in comparison.

The holy light as it originates in Jerusalem each Easter

Some other pictures from the weekend are included below.  Happy Easter. Χριστός Ανέστη! αλιθοσ ανεστι!

Angus does his best 'blue steel' look!

Jessie, who was feeling seasick, gets a tow to the
mainland with dad!

A long suffering mother freezes with her
panicking son before the tube takes off!

How do you work this thing again?

Bon Voyage Alexander

Following his recent appointment as Australia's next High Commissioner to London, Alexander Downer bid a final farewell to Cyprus this month. For the past 5 and a half years he has filled the post of UN Special Envoy for Cyprus, working on behalf of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon.  He has had mixed success during his tenure, and despite numerous rounds of facilitated negotiations between Greek and Turkish Cypriot leadership, there has not been any substantive breakthrough in the 40 year old impasse between the two sides.  Upon his departure from Cyprus he was quoted as saying he was the latest in a long line of UN-appointed negotiators who have sought to mediate between the two sides and find a breakthrough, but without success.  'A diplomats graveyard' is how another paper once described Cyprus!

There is no decision yet regarding a replacement for Downer, and there have been recent moves to increase US engagement in the negotiations between Turkey and the Turkish and Greek Cypriots, especially as John Kerry continues to seek a breakthrough in the broader Middle East.  Many a politician would love to have 'successful resolution of the Cyprus issue' on their resume!

You can read more about Downer's tenure in Cyprus and departure here:

www.cyprus-mail.com/tag/alexander-downer

A climb into the clouds

Part of the castle before the cloud came in

A few weeks ago we finally made the steep trek up to Buffavento castle in the north. Buffavento is one of three main castles that sit atop the main mountain range that crosses the northern part of the island.  The three castles, St Hilarion, Buffavento and Kantara, date back to the 11th century, and have been used as defence and observation posts by the Byzantines, Venetians, Ottomans and various other ruling powers throughout the island's history.  All three lie approx 1km above sea level, with a precipitous drop on one side down to the northern coastline.  On a clear day the views are spectacular, with a vista all the way Turkey and some of the higher peaks of Syria and Lebanon.  Alas we were amid the clouds on our recent climb, so just had to imagine the view.

The ever present flag. It even flashes at night!

Spring is a beautiful time of year here, especially after a wet winter as the island is green with plenty of wildflowers. Over the coming months we're planning to again visit some of our favourite parts of the island, including a break over Easter in the west near the Akamas Peninsula.  All this before the hotter summer weather hits!

A few other events in our lives over recent weeks:

- A lovely dinner with friends and colleagues from Ross' work.  One of the couples, Zaza and Tikka, are Georgian and we enjoyed sampling the 'katchapouri' (cheese bread) that Tikka had made
- A shopping trip for Jessie in the north with some of her Turkish Cypriot girlfriends from school.  Negotiating checkpoints and passport control adds a new dimension to the post shopping parental pickup arrangements!
- A combined schools concert where Jessie sang in the choir

School holidays starts at the end of this week, and kids are looking forward to a break.

A few more pics of our Buffavento castle climb and other recent activities below:

A break at the top

A friend Rene with Turkish Cypriot flag in the background

Jessie and Hannah on the climb

Anna in her best climbing attire!

The long trip down

Anyone for homemade Georgian katchapouri?

Dinner with good friends

Can you spot Jessie?

Angus and 'Mr Chris', his coach at Arsenal

Jessie makes her way from the Greek Cypriot checkpoint
after a girlie shopping trip in the north

Sarah and Gus, with the old town walls nearby

It's spring, and the marching season is upon us!

The streets are cleared before the marching begins

During the few months leading up to Easter, you don't have to go far in Cyprus before you hear drumming and the practiced footsteps of students marching.  There are a number of 'national' days during this period, and each typically involves marches through cities and towns to commemorate different historic events.  The most recent of these was last Tuesday, where a public holiday marks Greek Independence Day.  Thousands of students marched in Nicosia, along with various military and other Government groups. Some good friends of ours live on a street where the marching is regularly practiced, so they have grown accustomed to wearing ear plugs through the months of March and April!

Angus out the front of the Phaneromi
Church, where the politicians gather
prior to march commencement

The Presidential cars await

And they're off!

Aside from all the marching and public holidays this month, we are all well.  Ross has had a decent break from travelling in March, so it's been good to be able to enjoy various school and social events together as a family.  These have included the International Day at the school, and Ross also managed to sneak in a half marathon in Limmasol a few weeks back (and is slowly recovering the use of his legs again as his middle-age muscles recover)!

Menaka and some of her friends were on
hand to cheer Ross over the line for the
Limmasol Half Marathon

Sam showing some patriotic fervour for International Day

The choir performs at International Day

Anna boldly perseveres with her show at International Day,
despite not being at all in the mood for a performance!

And of course the obligatory Greek dancing, which is a regular feature at school events!