Randomness on the Road Part 4

 

Yet more little stories and pictures I’ve collected over the last year.  But first, coffee.

Soon after I started travelling, I turned on a function of Google Maps that tracked my movements over 2023.  The results were eye-opening.

  

I was finishing up my meal in a restaurant in Türkiye.  I went to pay with my card and the guy told me the card reader was down and they could only accept cash.  I panicked since I didn’t have enough.  I left all my stuff there and told them I’d have to find an ATM and that I would be right back.  I raced to the closest available machine; my mind filled with thoughts of angry Turks cutting off my hand for stealing (have I mentioned that I have a bit of an imagination?).

I ran back and quickly brandished my cash.  The guy just casually took the money then offered me a cup of tea on the house.  Huh?  You mean you weren’t anxiously awaiting my return, angry that it took so long?  Nope.  I initially wanted to turn down the tea because it felt weird.  Dude said have a seat and I’ll bring the cup to you.  Okay.  I do love Turkish hospitality (and the tea).

I will always love some beautiful coffee art, though.

 

While on Phuket, it was a struggle to find the post office.  I had acquired WAY too much stuff in Thailand and wanted to ship it back to the U.S.  Using the GPS on my phone, I wended my way through Patong Beach until I reached my destination.

 

Yeah.  That wasn’t it.

I probably could have used a massage after that frustration, but I still needed to find a post office.  I eventually did and was able to successfully make my shipment.  While I didn’t have a massage, I did treat myself to a nice cuppa. 

Out of all the Hard Rock Cafes I’ve visited this past year, Lisbon has been my favorite.  I love the atmosphere of the place, even during my last visit when I was near a large party of rowdy kids.  All the cafes have rock music blaring through the speakers along with video screens all over the place.  The Porto location took this to a whole new level by having a video screen embedded in the mirror in the bathroom.  I had never seen this before so I had to take a picture. 

Also, beware the dryer on the left there; that thing is LOUD and so powerful it will blow you into the next room.

And we’re back in Türkiye.  I’ve mentioned once or twice that the cabbies there are insane.  Let me tell you about the worst.  This was during my second visit to the city.  I’d grabbed a cab from Balat to go to Zaza’s shop.  Now, I already knew from past rides that none of the cabbies recognized the name of the shop, so I’d learned to give them the address of a nearby hotel.  This particular cabbie said he understood before speeding off.

As we are running though intersections and narrowly avoiding pedestrians, he mentions how he and his wife have a rental property in Balat.  Then, as he’s barely looking at the road, he grabs his phone to pull up pictures of the place.  I glanced at the phone, while holding on for dear life, nodding in appreciation before wincing again as we veer into traffic.  He tells me in broken English to relax, everything’s fine.  Then I notice that we’re getting onto the freeway.  Dude, Zaza’s shop is in walking distance from my neighborhood – no freeway travel is required. 

I got him turned around, telling him to take me instead to the Blue Mosque.  We ended up on a side road that was clogged with traffic.  Well past my limit and actually recognizing where we were, I asked him to let me out on the side of the road.  I was ready to give him whatever he wanted just to get out of that car.

Man, I could have used some … yeah.

A few months ago, I mentioned a certain song (the name of which I dare not mention before I start singing it again) that was stuck in my head.  Yeah, well, it took several months, but it’s mostly died down.  Now it’s been replaced by another one from the Barbie soundtrack.  I saw the movie on a plane and fell in love with both the song and the movie (so many memories of playing dolls in my youth).

 Dua Lipa - Dance The Night (From Barbie The Album) [Official Music Video] (youtube.com)

My Last Days on the Mediterranean

 

My week in Paralimni was up and I decided to return to Larnaca.  While there was more to explore to the north (and the famous Mount Olympus in the central part of the island), getting around the island wasn’t always easy or cheap.  The bus system was still a bit tricky and the taxi ride getting between the two cities was already expensive enough. 

The son of the host of my next place met me on the street.  Leading me through the gate into a small courtyard crawling with a few wandering cats, he took me up to my new home for the week.  While the place matched the pictures, I was still lukewarm on the apartment.  The bed was comfortable enough and the place was a decent size, but there was a homeyness that was missing.

The floating oven was weird.  The window over the kitchen sink overlooks a cluttered alley.  I hated that the flooring was the same as that of the hallway.  Like most places in Europe, the power outlets were few and far between.  I had to wedge myself into the chair next to the hot refrigerator just to keep my computer plugged in.  

The bathtub was insanely tall – I have long legs and even I had trouble stepping into it.  It looked like it should have had jets and been a whirlpool tub, but no.  It was just a hazard getting in and out of that thing without breaking my neck.

But at least I was back in Larnaca.  I still like the area and, had I visited this island before Madeira, it might have been a candidate for a new home.  Pharmacies and grocery stores are easy to reach.  There's even a black hair care store nearby.  The airport is only 15 minutes away while the water is gorgeous as only the Mediterranean can be.  The vibes are that good.

Summertime is a bit of a challenge, though.  Temperatures hovered close to 100 degrees F for a couple of days with high UV rays.  You would think that would be a perfect time to hit the water, but that sun was a little too intense.  I would sequester myself inside into after 2 p.m. just to be on the safe side.

I was at dinner one night at one of the restaurants on the strip, a new one for me.  Their huge menu included Cyprus dishes as well as Italian, American, Chinese, and Indian.  I ordered some butter chicken (not as good as what I had in London) and ate while watching the endless line of cars cruising the strip.  I didn't usually go out at night, choosing to make dinners in the apartment, so I wasn't sure if that was a nightly occurrence or just the thing do for a fun Saturday night on the island.

A while after clearing my table, the waitress set down a plate with a slice of watermelon.  Okay.  That’s … odd.  It reminded me of the free pineapple they’d give you at the McDonald’s in Hawaii.  I don’t even like watermelon – or any melon for that matter – but I scarfed it down anyway.  Something about sitting in that restaurant eating a free slice of melon with the Mediterranean breeze wafting over me through the open roof was enough to make a core memory.  Unique in every aspect.

While I was enjoying the calm waters of the Mediterranean, I slowly started to feel like it was that time again.  Time to return to the land of cars and bad food.  Time to pick up my mail and plan my next destination.  

For so long, my dream was to be a nomadic traveler.  Now that I’ve done it and experienced the awesomeness, my new dream is to sign the lease for my apartment in Funchal.  I dream of going HAM on an Ikea for new furnishings, of welcoming my stuff to our new home once I liberate it from the storage unit.  I can’t wait to see the faces of my new feline companions (and try to remember all my training techniques from twenty years ago so the terror twins don’t destroy my new place).

I’m ready to be done with this.

I spent my last few days in Cyprus back in Demetris’ place.  I would have booked for a full week, but the place was only available for 4 nights.  Now this was the homey feeling I was missing from the other two places.  It was easily the best apartment I stayed in on the island and I would definitely return.

Cypriot Adventures Continue

 

Along with the Turkish and Greek influences I mentioned in the last post, Cyprus also has another big contributor to its culture:  the Brits.  Cypriots drive on the other side of the car on the other side of the road.  There are multiple pubs owned by Brits, English breakfast is served everywhere, and the outlets are in the U.K. style.  When I first arrived and did my standard outlet search, I stared at the plug a little too long trying to figure out the issue.  I’d been so accustomed to using the European adapters that I was surprised to have to whip out the ones I bought in Dublin.

Unsurprisingly, there are Brits everywhere.  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again:  the Brits get around and they are serious about it.  Their whole attitude is they grab a bag and a passport and they bounce.  They are pretty easy to spot too, even before I hear an accent.  The Brits have perfected the art of sitting in a pub/café with a beer on the table just staring at nothing.

There is a strange phenomenon that I have to mention exists on the island.  It seems to be a rip in the space/time continuum.  Time just slips by in Cyprus.  I’d wake up, have breakfast, go for a walk and lunch, come back for dinner then before I know it, it was time for bed.  It’s like every day was Sunday right before the beginning of another work week.

Before I knew it, my time at Demetris’ place was up.  I had arranged for another Airbnb further up the coast to allow me to see more of the island.  Uber doesn’t exist in Cyprus.  Instead, there are taxi stands sprinkled around the high tourist areas.  I hauled my stuff over to one and found someone to take me the roughly 40 miles to the city of Paralimni.

My new home for the week, while in a great location, came with a few issues.  The place is quite large for Europe with a decent sized bathroom (with a tub) and two sitting areas.  But I quickly discovered why the doors had been left open.  It wasn’t only to allow in the warm Mediterranean breeze – it was to let out some of the stench.  Even though it was empty on my first day, I quickly realized that the trashcan in the cabinet beneath the sink (and surprisingly not the bathroom) was stinking up the joint. Even after moving it to the balcony AND buying some air freshener, some mustiness remained (some of that coming from one of the sofas).

And that’s not all.  The cook top (yet another unfamiliar induction model) was cracked, which rendered it inoperable.  Like those things aren’t already a pain in the butt.  The internet would cut out at regular intervals.  When I used the microwave for more than 5 minutes, it would cause a power surge and shut off for several minutes.  The faucet leaked as well as the toilet when flushed. 

There was no shower gel (you spoiled me, Demetris!), the garbage trucks picked up at 2 a.m. (ask me how I know!), and there was no sensor on the light in the hallway.  The apartment may be very bright from all the windows, but you can't tell when you’re out in the hallway, fumbling to get the key in the lock while immersed in total darkness (yes, there is a light switch, but I insist that it should be motion detecting considering all the other issues in the apartment.)

Things somewhat improved when I got a visit from the host two days after my arrival.  I had messaged him about the issues on my first full day in the place.  He'd told me about the power surges but had no answer when I asked about the cooktop.  When my doorbell first rang, I ignored it thinking it was a mistake.  He messaged me after he left, alerting me to the bottle of wine he left by the door.  Dude should know to contact me first.  Why would I open the door of a rental when I’m still eating breakfast and was not expecting anyone?  He did make up for it by showing me that the stovetop does work.  I simply hadn’t flipped on the right power switch.  Those are a big thing in Cyprus as the cost of electricity is apparently very high.  I had to pay a separate bill for the power I used – something I haven’t had to do since Phuket last year.

But enough about the apartment.  First impressions of Paralimni – it made me miss Larnaca.  Don’t get me wrong, Paralimni is pretty, but it has a resort feel to it that was a bit jarring after Larnaca.  Where Larnaca was a bunch of waterfront shops along a boardwalk bordering the long stretch of Finikoudes Beach, Paralimni is a series of hotels, restaurants, and massage kiosks clustered around several small coves. 

Again, pretty, but I think I prefer the livelier capital city.

One of the main reasons I wanted to come to this place was its proximity to the island’s Hard Rock Café.  Yes, the quest is still on to buy more overpriced souvenirs.  My first attempt at getting a cab was fruitless (I still have no idea what the guy was saying, only that he turned me down). I tried to understand the extensive bus system on the island but was left very confused.  Too many buses with similar routes.  Finally, I messaged the host who was able to give me directions.

After a 20-minute bus ride for the low cost of 1.50 euros, I arrived in Ayia Napa.  This was another busy tourist hub focusing more on the shops and restaurants as the shoreline was a little too rocky for bathers.  I made a beeline for the café, bought my shirt and had some lunch.

Just a note:  if you ever see someone wearing a Hard Rock t-shirt from Cyprus, know that it’s a knockoff.  The shirts sold by the store say Ayia Napa not Cyprus.  Call me a purist, but I prefer to have the real thing, even if I have to travel out of my way for it.

Sigh.  Parasite alert:  Cyprus edition.

While in Ayia Napa, I was sitting on a bench, looking at the water and just enjoying the breeze when a man walking by on the trail said hello.  He introduced himself as Andreas and we started to chat.  Then he asked me if I wanted to walk with him while he hunted.  I had no idea what he meant as his accent was pretty thick.  Then he started to gesture towards the beach.  Still didn’t get it.  He said he wanted me to come with him so as to seem less suspicious.

It slowly started to dawn on me that ONCE AGAIN I had been minding my own business and became the target of a parasite.  He basically ruined my peace with the intent to use me to ruin the peace of younger hotter women.  I wished him luck and quickly left the area.  I still can’t believe his audacity.

Men really are gross.  I don’t know why I keep forgetting that.

I’m seriously thinking about getting a dummy wedding ring.  I suck at lying, so maybe seeing a ring will keep the vampires at bay.