January17webissue by Grapevine Magazine

GrapevineCyprus.com January 2017

Fi F rs R M t F EE on r th ida ly y

a window on your world

Upfront Due to the recent death of my father, Peter Clayton, and after much thought and deliberation I am suspending production of Grapevine Magazine for the time being. I feel without his support and encouragement I can no longer produce the magazine alone. However Grapevine will be back in the Spring with new growth and vigour. The telephone number remains the same now, however I am using a temporary email: ammy880@gmail.com I would like to extend my thanks to all the advertisers featured in this issue and to praise them for the prompt and courtesy way they have acted their business dealings with Grapevine. Dad and me in happier times photographed by unknown

To my regular contributors, all featured in this issue; they have my heartfelt gratitude. The Grapevine would not have been the same without them. The cover photo is one of my father and I shortly after the release of Issue 1 of the Grapevine back in 1995... So after some 250 issues I’m taking a break but have no fear Grapevine will be back soon. All the best for a healthy and prosperous New Year!

Full Moon This Month January 12th

Next Issue April 2017

Catch up online www.grapevinecyprus .com

Grapevine Details Contact information

Office Telephone:

26 819167

Postal address: PO box 62068, 8060 Paphos Office address: Marias Loizidou 24A, Paphos.

Email: ammy880@gmail.com Website: www.GrapevineCyprus.com Deadline for all finished Adverts and Submissions 15th of March Grapevine Magazine does not hold itself responsible for the accuracy or opinions of correspondents. Advertisements are accepted in good faith. Any complaints should be taken up with the advertiser. With thanks to all our advertisers and contributors for the articles / photos / ads that makes Grapevine the leader of the pack - we aim to stay leader and will continue to innovate and change to make sure our readers and advertisers are getting the best service on the island

New Year, Old Resolutions by Barbarian

I spent a wet December morning thinking ahead to 2017. Specifically, what to write about for the enlightenment of our readers. New Year’s resolutions struck me as seasonally appropriate. I’m not a great one for resolutions, since I tend to forget what I’m supposed to be doing from one minute to the next, let alone keeping at least one idea in mind for the whole year ahead. I did some research into the sort of resolutions other folk make. It was an interesting study. I looked at various websites (thank you Mr Google for making such stuff easy), both from the USA and from UK, there being nothing apparent from Cyprus specifically. The US top 10 for 2016 came out as follows: Stay fit and healthy

37%

Lose weight

32%

Enjoy life to the fullest 28%

For the UK, the list (from a completely different source) reads: take more exercise

22%

healthy eating

19%

drink less

17%

learn new things

12%

Will not make any resolutions 16%

lose weight

career focus

Learn something new/new hobby 14%

relationships

stop smoking

Spend less, save more 25% Spend more time with family and friends 19% Get organized

18%

Travel more

14%

12%

travel

charity

I think there should be a University grant towards a study of the similarities and differences between the two lists. Questions arise. The first one is how come the US percentages add up to more than 100%?

Why do Americans not resolve to give up smoking or cut down on drinking? Do they not drink or smoke, or does that come under stay fit and healthy? Why do Brits resolve to give to charity, even though it Is low on the list? The American research suggests that they do not, unlike their British counterparts, think to resolve to focus on their career, although they do intend to ‘get organised’ Interesting that the Americans resolve not to make resolutions ( that strikes a chord with me). Fitness and weight loss feature in both lists, as does travel So many questions, but the biggie is – do people actually keep these resolutions ? Apparently not. According to Time magazine the top ten broken resolutions are: Lose Weight and Get Fit

Spend More Time with Family

Quit Smoking

Travel to New Places

Learn Something New

Be Less Stressed

Eat Healthier and Diet

Volunteer

Get Out of Debt and Save Money

Drink Less

Their advice for keeping resolutions is also a list: Make resolutions that actually matter or add things that you actually want to do and can do. Plan properly and Plan everything. Make back up plans. Point out weak points for each activity and keep them in mind. Talk about it and take help from your friends and family. Take small steps, one at a time Congratulate and award yourself for achieving a step. Keep motivating yourself. Track your progress Stick to it until it becomes a habit Do not quit

I may make a resolution for 2017 after all; I resolve not to write articles in list format.

Looking Back by Barbara Strain

When Anne-Marie telephoned me to say that she is suspending publication of the Grapevine, I found myself looking back over the years of my involvement with the magazine. I first met Ann-Marie sometime early in 1996. I’d arrived to live permanently on the island in March and within a short time I’d discovered the Grapevine and felt that I would like to contribute articles. I duly phoned Ann-Marie and we agreed to meet at Peggy’s Miranda café, on the corner of Makarios Avenue. In those days Peggy’s was a popular meeting place, so we had to agree on a description to enable us to recognise one another – carrying copies of the Times, wearing red carnations sort of thing. Actually, quite unnecessary as we were the only customers at the time. That meeting marked the beginning of a great business relationship and an even better friendship. I started writing a couple of columns. One column focussed on current fashion trends and the availability – then limited – of such in Paphos. We soon expanded into all manner of tests and comparisons. The best cobbler in town? Ann-Marie and I carted a selection of shoes in need of repair to every outlet in Paphos. Not sure what snacks to serve guests at a drinks party? The grapevine ran a series of tastings. We even turfed out our in-need-of-polishing brass plates and ornaments in order to test the various methods of brass cleaning on the market (Brasso proved to be the most hard work, but resulted in the deepest longest-lasting shine). We had fun doing all the research and I hope we did help our readers. Another column aimed at being helpful, and which is still running in its original format, is Bytes. In the early days I concentrated on some very simple topics. Computers were not so common then. Looking back, I see that I mentioned that “most newer computers use 3.5” HDD disks”. Hands up readers who still remember those.

The book reviews I started to write soon fizzled out. I don’t remember why, but one book I reviewed was a gardening book by Lady Murphy, written in the 1960s. This book inspired me to start writing the gardening column that eventually became The Good Garden Guide. It is amazing to think that back then – some 20 years ago, there was a dearth of information about gardening in Cyprus. Garden centres were few and far between and the supply of suitable plants was limited. Even more importantly, new home-owners often lacked information about what would grow well in a different climate than that to which they were accustomed. Re-reading the columns now I see just how much has changed over the years. Over that time the fortunes of the Grapevine have waxed and waned. I have had links with local press – magazines and newspapers – in various countries, so I know what a knife-edge these publications run on. Singlehanded Ann-Marie nurtured the grapevine from producing it literally on the kitchen table in a Paphos village to a business with many employees and circulating throughout the island. Advertisers, even columnists have come and gone, but the readers have always seemed to be loyal. “I haven’t had my copy of this month’s Grapevine” is a call I heard often. Ann-Marie, your ‘baby’ will be greatly missed.

3 Big Tax Savings for Overseas Property Investors by Sam Orgill

Sam Orgill of ProACT Partnership Describes 3 Big Tax Savings for Inheritance Tax – Property Transfer Tax – Probate Expenses Have you ever had the experience in your family where someone died, or divorced, or remarried leading to a family dispute arose over Property. Where someone within the family fears losing their share of an inheritance, or want to grab it, at the expense of the family members intended or rightfully beneficiaries. I have and it is so sad. The loved ones, and future generations, you tried to protect and secure, see their home and financial security undermined with the family squabble. This is why we make a Will or consider life time gifts to ensure your wishes are carried out. EU Changes to Succession Changes in European Laws of succession have thrown any plans made up in the air. Expats owning Overseas Property in an EU country could now be subject to forced heirship where only blood or married relatives can benefit leading to confusion and disputes down the line. Unmarried couples, children of second marriages, divorced partners, second marriage couples have now got to review their overseas property ownership or risk loss of assets and wealth when something changes. Review your Overseas Property holding and protect against Inheritance Tax, Property Transfer Tax and Probate Expenses 1. Lifetime Gift of Cyprus Property to avoid Force Heir-ship Cyprus Law of Succession means that unmarried couples and children of second marriages can be disadvantaged from inheriting. This requires revisions to your Cyprus Will for Cyprus property and investments. You have the option to use the laws of your home country, but that can still lead to disputes and challenges.

2. Tax Saving Property Transfer Tax There is a further disadvantage to this change in Succession laws. Any Gift of property to any person who is not a blood relative must pay property transfer tax on the gift. This includes unmarried couples, step-children of second marriages. The Property Transfer Tax is the same rate as if the property is sold. On a Property Value of Euro 300,000 the Transfer Tax is around Euro 5,800. On death the Probate fees could be over 10% of the Property Value Euro 30,000. 3. Inheritance Tax Saving up to 40% Under New disclosure requirements Overseas Property Assets can be reported to the UK creating a potential 40% Inheritance tax bill. By wrapping the property in a Family Trust you could save 40% inheritance tax to extended family members and friends. ProACT Solutions for Families with Overseas Property ProACT Tax Saving Expat Experts can save all property transfer Taxes on gifts to family, as well as avoid the cost of delay of Probate, plus avoid any possibility of Inheritance Tax being applied by your home country, And ensure you can choose and give to your beneficiaries free of Forced Heir-ship rules. Contact ProACT Tax Saving Expat Experts for a Review of how you could make Inheritance Tax Savings and protect your inheritance. Sam Orgill www.proactpartnership.com Tel: +357 26 819 424 See advert on inside front cover.

A Huge Thank You from M.A.R.C.H. To all who attended and participated in any way in making the 9th annual Remembrance Service 2016 held in Peyia Municipal Car Park another resounding success. Once again a high capacity crowd of approximately 500 guests joined together to mark this day of reflection and remembrance of loved ones lost in battles past and present.

The atmosphere was one of respect, comradeship and unity, all of us with the same goal, to honour those who had paid the ultimate price for our freedom at the playing of the Last Post and Big Ben followed by the 2 minutes silence and Reveille. The laying of wreaths, crosses and symbols of remembrance at the foot of the cross was accompanied by that haunting music «The Band of Brothers Requiem», a very moving and poignant time in our service. These symbols of remembrance where later laid, as usual, at the monument to the fallen in Geroskipou. We must now say a special thank you to the members of our church «New Testament Community Church» for all their help in getting the car park ready for the service in one way or another, we could not have done it without you, also to the musical group on stage who led us in some truly wonderful hymns, the readers (especially Rebecca who represented the Guides that day) and Terry Jones for leading the service along with Val Morgan for giving the Word. We would also like to thank Pheonix Ambulance Service who once again came along with their ambulance in case of emergency, which thankfully was not needed. Before the service we were pleased to assist the Royal British Legion by taking 4 poppy boxes and selling poppies and other memorabilia on their behalf, and during the service M.A.R.C.H. took up an offering to aid in our 8

(Military And Retired Cyprus Holidays for heroes)

organisation. We are pleased to report this offering returned with a total of Euros 919.00. plus Euros 150.00 donated that week by people who could not be at the service. This offering will now help in funding the expenses in 2017 to the owners who donate their properties for the use of M.A.R.C.H. guests. These guests consist of serving/ex serving military personnel who were injured in body or mind during conflicts. Unfortunately we cannot help those who gave the ultimate sacrifice but we can help those who were prepared to do so if necessary. There are so many who have lost limbs, damaged spines, severely burnt or lost sight/hearing or now suffer with PTSD because of what they have been through and we hope that a week or two’s holiday on this wonderful island would help them to go back home to face again the reality of their situation with a renewed vigour and mind. So in this respect we would now like to start our appeal for 2017 to anyone who would like to donate their home or rental property during anytime of the year especially 3 bedroom family properties, we already have a waiting list!!!! We had a great response in 2016, thank you all so much, unfortunately when it came to guests actually trying to get flights the Brexit situation had sent flight prices soaring and rates of exchange unreasonable, therefore a number of our guests could not afford to come hence the reason for a very early appeal this year so they have time to find good deals. If you would like further information about donating your home please contact Alan Wilson on 99850355 and a huge thank you to all who have done so in the past. One last thing - a lady left her very nice knitted jacket at the Remembrance Service in Peyia, please contact us on 99850355 so we can return it.

The Devil’s in the detail by Mrs. Vivian Nagel, MCSI

There are many things to consider when creating an investment portfolio, the amount of risk you wish to take, the length of time you wish to tie the monies up for, whether you want growth, income or both and the amount you will pay in charges. Often charges become the main factor in deciding which vehicle to use to hold the investments and which fund advisor to employ. This is fine if you have considered all other aspects such as product flexibility and the financial standing of the product provider; and the experience and ethics of your adviser. Unless your adviser is restricted to advise upon only insurance products then he or she should be able to offer platforms provided by banks as well as insurance companies and therefore provide options to meet any clients’ objectives. In order to decide which platform is most suitable for your requirements you will need to look at the length of time your money will attract penalties for early withdrawal, for instance if you are using an insurance bond to hold your SIPP or QROPS then you may be unable to take all of your monies out so penalties for withdrawing large sums will not be important to you but if you may require access to your monies before the penalties have fallen away then you will need to ask for a different charging structure (there are many available) or consider using a trading platform with a bank where no such penalties exist. On the other hand if you are an experienced investor who would like to work alongside your fund advisor you may wish to hold some shares as well as funds within your portfolio, if this is the case then it is conceivable that this type of portfolio would be more active than a low risk portfolio investing only in funds and therefore the cost of each trade would be more important to you. The insurance bond may be more efficient as the cost of trading may be much cheaper then the trading platform.

FARMERS MARKET in Pano Akourdaleia Herb Garden on Sunday 5th of Febuary 10am-2pm. Local, natural and homemade! Supporting your local community by buying directly from the producers. Coffee shop on site. Great social atmosphere! For more details visit www.facebook.com/ groups/heavenonearthherbals or contact 96425879/99993412

There can be a potentially frustrating situation where an investor takes out an insurance bond, agreeing to pay a fee to their financial advisor/ fund advisor.. However if you decide that you are unhappy with this arrangement then you can usually cancel the fees and appoint another advisor of your choosing. But please check this thoroughly before committing because there are certain products available where the fee to your financial advisor/fund advisor is not able to be cancelled or transferred to a new adviser without the permission of the old advisors, which depending on the company may not be forthcoming, resulting in you paying for advice and investment management that you are no longer using. If you require any assistance in identifying which investment platform is best suited to your needs or require a review of your existing arrangements please contact me. Mrs. Vivian Nagel, MCSI Elgin AMC Ltd, Mobile 99579149 Fax: + 357 22 455626 Email: v.nagel@elginamc.com Website www.elginamc.com Elgin is a trade name of Numisma Capital Ltd which is authorised and regulated by CySEC (License Number 122/10) Opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not constitute financial advice in any way © Grapevine • January 2017

Revolution of the Mind Series :Talks To End The Cyprus Republic by Andreas C Chrysafis

The first round of talks between President Anastasiades and the Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci in Mont Pelerin in Switzerland raised great expectations. They finished in a euphoric mood that an agreement was within reach and a new meeting was set for the following week to exchange maps. A very good start! The euphoria was short lived! No sooner had the parties returned to Mont Pelerin a few days later but the talks collapsed. The Turkish Cypriot leader dropped a bombshell; he negated his agreement to provide maps! But not only that, he insisted on a five-party meeting instead of a UN multi-party conference! Backstabbed, the President of Cyprus had no other option but to discontinue the negotiations. No sooner had the dust settled that Mr. Anastasiades made a U-turn. Some hidden forces persuaded him to organize a “get-together” dinner with Mr. Akinci complete with the entire UN entourage in Nicosia. He was anxious to resume the talks. Nobody knows exactly what was discussed during that night but Mr. Anastasiades announced afterwards that a third set of Mont Pelerin talks were to resume on the 9th -11th of January, 2017. He reiterated that maps were to be exchanged - for sure this time! The gathering of heavyweights would then sit down the next day (12th of January) to “seal” the Agreement for a Bi-zonal, Bi-communal Federation (BBF) and a New Cyprus. Turkey showed its willingness to participate subject to the Republic of Cyprus not being anywhere in sight at the negotiating table! A weak president agreed to receive further humiliation by Turkey! However, nothing is clear about the entire fiasco! There is political confusion and without transparency both sides keep sending contradictory messages on the sly. The people are utterly confused! 10 © Grapevine • January 2017

Mr. Anastasiades claims that a UN multi-national conference will take place, while Mr. Akinci and Turkey, insist they are attending a five-party conference. Is there a difference? Absolutely, and a vast one at that! The UN on the other hand, has avoided confirming or denying the quandary and so has the European Union.

plot gets murkier!

Meanwhile to sweeten the deal, Ankara and Mr. Akinci announced they had “no objection” on EU attendance on the periphery as an “observant” party but not to participate in any way – that would mean recognition of the Republic as an EU member state! It would not be surprising if Turkey now deceitfully plans to use a BBF agreement to enter the EU institutions from the side door. It shows that Ankara is dictating events while the rest follow suit.

Meanwhile, Ankara did not waste time to go on the attack with its usual provocative rhetoric; Tugrel Turkes, Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey announced that: “We are guarantors not only of the Turkish Cypriots, but of all the island, all the territories and all the population”. He is in fact; introducing a preamble claiming rights to the entire island to be revealed during the Geneva negations and horse-trading.

At the stroke of a pen the Republic of Cyprus would be reduced down to a “Greek community” on equal footing with the 18% Turkish Cypriot ethnic minority. The objective of the conference is to destroy the Republic and under parthenogenesis, Mr. Anastasiades would sign an agreement on behalf of the “Greek community” - a very clever Ottoman conspiracy indeed! The plot thickens. Contrary to public statements, Mr. Anastasiades in fact has clandestinely agreed to a five-party conference on the quiet and he would be attending and negotiating as the leader of the Greek Cypriot “community” and not as the president of the Republic. Pressure on a conceding Cyprus government continued with a vengeance. Turkey played its cards very cleverly but so did the “impartial” UN Special Adviser Espen Barth Eide. He has been busy weaving his fine web of poisoned political intrigue and manipulation. He saw an opportunity to squeeze the noose even tighter! He announced that Mr. Erdogan was “ready to play ball” and he would personally take part at the January conference. Why now? The answer lies somewhere between gobbledygook and reality. Artfully, the UN envoy has consistently avoided confirming if the UN Security Council members would be “invited” to take part at such a critical conference. Instead he vaguely assured everyone that “other relevant parties shall be invited as needed”. Whatever that means it’s anyone’s guess and the

Mr. Erdogan’s role at the conference opens up a new chapter in the neverending Cyprus negotiations. Only a mastermind in shrewd diplomacy can face the Ottoman assault and cunning. Can the Cyprus team deal with Turkey’s skill in diplomacy backed by strength and political decisiveness? Very doubtful!

But Mr. Turkes did not stop there and reiterated Ankara’s position that no matter what happens at the Mont Pelerin conference, Turkey has no plans to remove all its troops or the illegal settlers from Cyprus and neither does it plan to abandon its guarantor status. Turkey’s position could not be clearer! There is a nasty political game being played against Cyprus and some believe the timing it’s perfect for a “good kill”. Most of the political parties have been questioning the wisdom of Anastasiade’s obsession to negotiate under such treacherous conditions aimed to eliminate the Republic. But, in the spirit of “political correctness,” there seems to exist an ungodly policy of not “offending” the Turkish Cypriot side or Ankara. Even the leader of the opposition party AKEL Mr. Andreas Kyprianou, has recently stated publicly that: “Cyprus is not Greek and has never been Greek, but a Bi-communal state”. Such political regurgitation belongs on rubbish heaps and does not help matters. The 120.000 secular Turkish Cypriots - as opposed to 400.000 imported settlers - are facing ethnic extinction. The Muslim fertility rate, demographics, religious radicalism and nationalism would see to its annihilation! Erdogan’s Hala Sultan, the largest mosque built on the outskirts of Nicosia to accommodate 3000 worshippers is a prime example of what is happening in the occupied area. Unless averted, whether the Turkish Cypriots like it or not, the secular TC community

would be phased out. One million mainland Turkish settlers would replace them under Erdogan’s instructions in line with his longterm geopolitical plans. The continuation of the Republic of Cyprus is the only safeguard Cyprus has to stop Turkey in its tracks and protect the country. Destroy that safety net and one destroys the island to the influence of extremist and radical forces. Today, all Cypriots as EU citizens have their rights enshrined by Rule of Law and Justice, which allows them to work and travel throughout the EU in safety without a hindrance - lose that safety net and a can of worms will come to the surface! However, under the current political developments, there are critical political scenarios that cannot be ignored: (a) For a start, Turkey would not be accepted to join EU membership - not under Sultan Erdogan who has boasted in parliament of imprisoning 140.000 Turkish citizens and wants to bring back the death penalty to justify a murdering spree of his “enemies”; (b) The Greek Cypriots would never approve a BBF to legalize the partition of the island and a “NO” Vote in a Referendum would leave the Anastasiades government in limbo and a call for his resignation in demand for new elections to safeguard the Republic; (c) Akinci may decide on a closer relationship with Turkey and sever the relationship with the Republic of Cyprus. In doing so, Turkish Cypriots would lose their EU passports and all EU privileges provided by the Republic. An exodus of Turkish Cypriots would soon start to cross over into the Republic as Cypriot nationals; That would be the start of the reunification of Cyprus and a Revolution of the Mind enforced by the people for the people. It would be done within the boundaries of the law and human rights and not by the decisions of a bunch of local and foreign inglorious politicians aimed to eliminate the Republic of Cyprus for geopolitical interests and natural gas deposits! The Bi-zonal, Bi-communal Federation will not work because it’s based on chaos and nothing can survive chaos; it would certainly not work in Cyprus but bring about more chaos!

So You Want to Write Restaurant Reviews? by Cherry Dobbins

Well, some twenty odd years ago this seemed like a fun idea to me. It has been fun, lots of good food and wine and plenty of laughs. However for anyone thinking of taking it up as a hobby there are a few things of which to be aware. If you are writing for a local magazine or newspaper it is probable that they do not want bad reviews as this might affect their chances of an advertisement. So if you go to a lousy restaurant that you cannot, in all honesty, recommend it means you have to cough up for a second meal out. All those wonderfully rude and sarcastic phrases that pass through your mind, sorry you cannot use them. Make no mistake there are some awful restaurants out there. One Italian restaurant, just off The Tombs of the Kings, served me unseasoned boiled rice with chunks of chicken breast on top instead of the ordered chicken risotto. When I politely commented that this was not really a risotto I was rudely informed that risotto was rice. They seemed completely unaware that there are different types of rice including one called arborio. You also risk falling out with the friend who recommended said restaurant and who is expecting to see it written up. UK restaurant critics can say whatever they want because restaurants cannot afford to advertise in the national newspapers. The local freebies rely heavily on small local businesses for their advertising. When did you last see an advert for Chanel No 5 in The Grapevine? Having written more than 240 reviews for the Grapevine I have often found myself repeating certain adjectives and phrases. ‘Perusing’ a menu has been a favourite of mine and I have had to impose serious self control not to use the word every month. Then there is the problem of always entering a restaurant and being greeted and shown to a table. Best to avoid mention of this in half the articles or they all read the same. Again there is the meze…. It really is not easy trying to find different ways to describe these. There are only so many words you can use to portray a meal of fifteen to twenty dishes that always includes ‘wonderfully fresh’ salad, a pile of dips and ‘perfectly cooked’ and ‘tender’ pork / chicken / lamb. On one occasion I was desperately searching for a new word to describe a pool of gravy. Happily thinking of white ducks on a farmyard pond I used the word ‘pond’. The owner of the restaurant contacted me to say he had asked what the word meant and on being told it meant stagnant water had decided to ban me from ever eating in his establishment again.

In case you think this is a good way of getting free meals and drinks, think again. If you were to approach a restaurant and suggest that a free meal would get them a write up you are entering very troubled waters. The specially prepared meal probably will not reflect the true state of affairs and then they want you to include all the things that they consider good about the place. Having spent half a day writing the review they want to read it and then they will ask you to change it. I was fortunately warned off this approach by a journalist friend in England but I have been asked to do write ups by restaurant owners and have always refused. Then, of course, there are the readers. These are the people you have a responsibility towards and you can be sure that they will let your editor know if they do not agree with you. The really nice bit in all of this has been meeting people who have read what I have written, enjoyed the review and agreed with it. Fortunately there have been many more of the latter than of the former. I guess Grapevine readers have just been really nice people and I thank you all for your support over the years. I would also like to thank our esteemed editor for the freedom to write about any restaurant that I chose. In the words of the late, great Douglas Adams, author of ‘The Restaurant at The End of The Universe, “Goodbye and thanks for all the fish”.

A letter from Limassol: Looking for your identity! by: Michalis D. Papas

My name stems from the Hebrew name Micha-eli. Then it became Michael, and now in the Greek language it became Michalis or Michael. I am not going to tell you about me, because then the article will be a monologue. The monologue of Judas Iscariot. The first coming from the word Judaia, a district of Israel, but the second where does it have its roots. I am not sure, but I shall try to have a guess. Is it perhaps from the name of somebody who was proclaimed as one of the Great of History, Great Alexander, and thus we have Iskender, and then it becomes Iscariot, coming from an ancient city Iskenderum, meaning Alexandria? But why the Hell am I trying to find a new identity? Why then the person of Judas? Just because of his post in the Holy dozen. The treasurer! So, an ancient name with the TRADITION of a GREAT man! But what about the timid and the humble? Are they going to be lost in the passing of time? Certainly not! Everybody wants to be remembered, and especially the great of the world they have reminiscences and above all the MEMOIRS, the memories of a useful past! So, the thing is this! To be useful in life and above all that when your life comes to an end, to leave something behind for those leaved to remember you by!

I am not going to pretend that I am a great thinker, but it is what you leave behind that matters, and whether you were useful in life, and not a shear waste! So, do not tell me that when you are a useless scum you have done everything to pass a happy life and not a life filled up with the thoughts of a philosopher, who when considering them as the wise-men of our lot, are the best. This is nonsense! There is a civilization, a culture that you may have to consider because you think and then you do! Without the mind and the conscience MAN would be a shear animal and not a man. So, I found my new identity. The identity of Michalis Demetrious Papas, the philosopher having its priorities in his life. So, being a philosopher makes you an important person to be negated by anybody, and if you certainly are one of the lucky lot, you leave behind you a STIGMA in Human History. What though determines your name? The components of the first and the middle name but above all your surname! So, know thyself and become a wise-man, because if you want to stay immortal, this is the way! To know thyself, and offer as much as possible to the MOTHER of all society! This is what differs, from person to person! Some eat and the make it shit, some eat and the make it spirit, and the majority make the food both: shit and thought. Excuse my rudeness but I am a man. The son of his father, the child of his mother, but above all: a member of society, into which you live! Have a great year, and send me a letter of thanks for the above I have written, because ‘scripta manent, verba volent!’ What is written stays, and what is said just goes and is forgotten! © Grapevine • January 2017 11

WOW! WOW! WOW! by Alice.

Sounds like the opening like of a Kate Bush song? Correct. The next line in the song is “Unbelievable” and this sums up the exciting RS:X Windsurfer Youth Worlds Championship. Organised by CySaF and held at Limassol Nautical Club (LNC) in November. Windsurfers came from around the world - Hong Kong to Peru and UK to Israel to compete. So PISC old sea dogs competing? Well no, maybe 50 years ago. PISC were invited by Mr. Nikos Charalambides of LNC to help run this demanding logistical and safety conscious event. Wow to the PISC team of Registration/administrators who got the event off to a prompt efficient start. Wow to the PISC Team on the 15m Committee Boat who helped start all the races with no challenges (called protests in sailing) to position and timings as each board crossed the finishing line. Wow to our Safety Coxwains and Crew who battled 80km/h winds and sometimes 4 metre high waves to help set the courses and look after the safety of the athletes on the water during the exciting racing. Go to www.rsxclass.org and scroll down to unbelievable photographs and videos that will take your breath away. Here we see young people from all over the world together having fun. We admire their athleticism, dedication, competitive spirit and friendship. Surely one cannot but be left with the warm feeling that with young people such as these our world can only get better.

A Greek to Remember 10th December 2016 marked the 29 years that Stelios Kyriakides died in Athens at the age of 77. On April 20, 1946 Stelios Kyriakides wearing the race number 77 won the 50th Boston Marathon and went down in history as the most emblematic figure of the Marathon worldwide. Stelios Kyriakides, after the race stayed for about a month in America with the aim of raising money to provide food and shelter to the Greeks, who were experiencing severe poverty issues from the Second World War. In May 23, 1946, Kyriakides returned to Greece, where about one million Greeks welcomed him like a hero. At the Boston Marathon 1-mile mark, a statue by Mico Kaufman, The Spirit of the Marathon, commemorates the linked figures of Stelios Kyriakides and Spyridon Louis, the Greek who won the first Olympic marathon.

Call for Handwritten Letters for the ‘House of Letters’ Call for old or new handwritten letters for a public installation called the House of Letters by artist Miriam Mc Connon . Please post letters Miriam Mc Connon, 6a prevezis st, Paphos 8028, Cyprus.

Yours in running, Stavros Kakourides Stelios Kyriakides winning the Boston Marathon

President of ‘Stelios Kyriakides’ Running Club

For further info contact 99554829 The installation will be exhibited in the Almyra Hotel Paphos, Cyprus in April 2017 and aims to travel to Ireland in 2017/2018 The ‘house of letters’ is an indoor installation that deals with the concept of immigration and displacement. The artist will create a classic house structure (measuring 3x3x3metres) using thousands of letters that she has collected from immigrants in countries all around the world. The installation allows us to contemplate the life of the immigrant. In recent times immigration has had such devastating consequences for many. In an attempt to counteract this, Miriam aims to express a sense of unification as opposed to separation as she brings thousands of immigrants stories together under one roof.

Shogun Short Mat Bowling On November 19th our Charity Day in aid of the Cancer Patients Support Group (Paphos) was held. It proved a great success and €2000 was raised for this worthy cause. Gratetful thanks go to our many sponsors who contributed most generously to the event. Our main sponsor was Chris Parry of 3D Global Wealth Management. Many thanks to Chris for his continued support of Short Mat Bowling Clubs throughout Cyprus. The list of other sponsors includes the following businesses: Zonari Print Design, Acropolis Taverna, Tracy Angel Cakes, Kolios Butchers EKO Garage Peyia, George Kallikas,

Philippos Supermarket,

Lynn’s Mobile Hairdresser, Peyia Taverna, Ram Oil Cyprus, Skevi Hairdresser, M&M Pakistanos Yeroskipou, Tabernaki Taverna, Ollie’s Taverna, CCMS Ltd, All American Car Wash, Tower Gymnasium Peyia, V&V Look Opticians, C&C Papacosta, Poppadums, Savva’s Grill Peyia, C M Euromania Emporium Ltd Chris’s Garage Paphos and Agrip Garage Yeroskipou. Many thanks also to George at Shogun Karate Club for providing the venue and all facilities free of charge on the day. The bowling competition comprised mixed teams from all the Short Mat Bowling clubs in Cyprus : Kiti Bowling Club, Mimosa Bowling Club, Kama Bowling Club, Star Bowling Club and Shogun Bowling Club. Over eighty players participated and after a round robin of three games the most successful teams from the groups proceeded to the semi finals and finals. Shogun were represented in one semi final by Carole Halkett but was not fortunate enough to reach the final. But well done Carole. Shogun did have one winner, however, and that was Brenda Pattison in the Ladies Target Bowls Competition. Congratulations to Brenda who was awarded a cup for her achievement. Oganised by Terry Murrell the day was rounded off by a buffet/dinner held at the Epsilon Taverna. Funds for the event were further raised by the raffle of prizes supplied by our sponsors and by generous donations from Shogun Members. The auction, brilliantly overseen by Richard Palmer, also added to our grand total. We were admirably entertained by the duo The Fender Benders – great music from the 60s, 70s and 80s which everyone enjoyed. Sincere thanks go to all Shogun Members who put in so much effort to make this a great success. The ladies who provided over 100 filled rolls and other refreshments, manning (or should that be ‘ladying’) the bar and overseeing the Tombola stalls. Special thanks to Danny and Janette who put in so much time and endeavour organizing this event. Presentation of cheque for €2000 by Malcolm French (Chairman) and Bob Sim (Treasurer) to Valerie Thorley on behalf of the Cancer Patients Support Group (Paphos)

Paphos Classic Vehicle Club Paphos Classic Vehicle Club is a group of people who either own or appreciate classic vehicles, and enjoy getting together, using and discussing them. We usually hold our monthly Socials at the Ayios Epiphanios Taverna in Anarita on the third Saturday of the month at 16 .00 Not all members actually own a classic vehicle, and some that do are in the process of restoring them and use their ‘modern’ vehicles in the meantime. November saw thirty of us heading from Timi village in our cars on a lovely scenic route organized by Wendy and Martin that took us to a fish tavern at Kourion Beach ,so our thanks to them for a great day out. December`s lunch run was the to the Extreme View Taverna so thanks to Val and Alan for organising this event. Below is our calendar of events for 2017 there will of course be additions so watch our website or face book page for update`s

The following day saw Shogun playing their Tens match against the Mimosa club from Protaras. We were soundly beaten by 6.1/2 – 1.1/2 but it was an enjoyable encounter and good fellowship.

If you have an interest in Classic Cars please come and join us at one of our classic breakfast or monthly meetings you will be made most welcome.

Short Mat Bowling is a sport which can be enjoyed by all. Why not come along and give it a try. We meet every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday mornings at 9.30am for a 9.45am start.

May I take this opportunity to wish you all a Happy New Year , Keep safe on the road. Happy Motoring. Ian.

Sincere thanks to the Grapevine for their support and we wish everyone a Happy and Healthy New Year

Phone: 99046466 or view our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ paphosclassicvehicleclub

For further information contact:

Website: www.paphosclassicvehicleclub.weebly.com for regular updates and details of events.

Malcolm French 99077165 / 26652981

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) by Dr Vasilios Silivistris, DipComp DipSup MBACP BA MA FRSH PhD

A mental condition, present from early childhood, characterised by great difficulty in communicating and forming relationships with other people and in using language and abstract concepts. It is important to recognise that Autism has a range (or “spectrum”) of symptoms. Every child has a unique pattern of behaviour and will exhibit symptoms with different levels of severity.

Causes of Autism Spectrum Disorder There is no single known cause for Autism, however recent research has identified strong genetic links, including your child’s sex (more common in boys) and family history of ASD. It is also not uncommon for children with Autism to also be challenged by other conditions, such as: • Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). • Dyspraxia. • Inherent learning disabilities. • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). • Cerebral palsy. • Muscular dystrophy. • Tourette’s syndrome. Symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Autism begins at a very early stage of a child’s life. Some children with Autism demonstrate symptoms within their first few months after birth, whilst others might only demonstrate concerning behaviours after a couple of years. Some children with Autism seem to develop normally until around 18 to 24 months of age and then stop gaining new skills, or they lose the skills they once had. The three common categories of symptoms faced by children with Autism include: Impairment in social interaction • Limited use and understanding of non-verbal communication, such as, facial expressions and gestures. • Avoiding eye contact and wanting to be alone. • Not responding to their name by 12 months. • Not pointing at objects to show interest by 14 months (for example, airplanes). • Not playing “pretend” games by 18 months (e.g. feeding a doll). • Difficulties forming and sustaining friendships. • Lack of seeking to share enjoyment, interests or activities with other children or adults. • Difficulties with social and emotional responsiveness. 14

Impairment in communication • Delayed speech and language skills. • Difficulties initiating and sustaining conversations. • Stereotyped and repetitive use of language such as repeating phrases from television (i.e. Echolalia). • Give unrelated answers to questions. • Limited imaginative or make-believe play. Restricted and repetitive interests, activities and behaviours • Unusually intense or focused interests. • Stereotyped and repetitive body movements such as hand flapping and spinning. • Repetitive use of objects in a non-functional way (e.g. lining up toys). • Adherence to non-functional routines such as insisting on travelling the same route each day (e.g. to and from school). • Individuals with Autism may also demonstrate. • Unusual sensory interests, such as, sniffing objects or staring intently at moving objects. • Sensory sensitivities including avoidance of everyday sounds and textures such as hair dryers, vacuum cleaners and sand. • Flap their hands, rock their body or spin in circles. • Intellectual impairment or learning difficulties. Each child or adult with autism is unique and, so, each autism intervention plan should be tailored to address specific needs. Intervention can involve behavioural treatments, medicines or both. Many persons with autism have additional medical conditions such as:• Sleep disturbance. • Seizures. • Gastrointestinal (GI). Addressing these conditions can improve attention, learning and related behaviours. Early intensive behavioural intervention involves a child’s entire family, working closely with a team of professionals. This can include parent training with the parent leading therapy sessions under the supervision of the therapist. Other programmes deliver therapy in a specialised centre, classroom or preschool. Dr Vasilios Silivistris is a UK trained Psychotherapist and Counselling practitioner. Tel: 99 109177. Email: v.silivistris@btinternet.com

Save the Dates! What with the beginning of 2017 already here, all of us here at Paphiakos & CCP Animal Welfare in Paphos, the largest animal welfare organisation on Cyprus, are busy planning ahead for what is going to be a very interesting celebratory year 35 years of this organisation now, in 2017, doing a very important job all over Cyprus and an essential service to the community. Keeping the streets clean and clear or unwanted dogs and running the biggest Trap-Neuter-Release program on the island that provides free spaying and neutering for all stray cats, Paphiakos & CCP Animal Welfare has always been relying on donations from individuals and companies in order to keep up its activity. Of course, one way of raising funds is through events that are organised throughout the year. So 2017 will not make an exception. Save the dates! Thursday 26th January 2017 – January Sales Shopping Trip to Nicosia – Come along for another one of our traditional shopping trips! Happening for years, this trip is very popular, so be quick to get your tickets! Departure is at 7:45am from the Paphiakos T-Rooms in Paphos, with pick-up from Rantzo in Pissouri around 8:15am. After the stop at Choirokoitia for refreshments and using the facilities, Nicosia here we come! Marks & Spencer Strovolos, then drop-off in the Old Town of Nicosia, then IKEA & Mall of Cyprus! Enjoy 4 hours of shopping with lunch and have a good time! Tickets for this great day out are already selling, so get yours in time to avoid disappointment! Call or text 99753217 to arrange.

Some more dates to book in your diary are the Trip to Omodos & the Chocolate Factory at Platres to take place on Saturday 4th March 2017 (tickets €20, call or text 99753217), the Trip to Kyrenia on Saturday 8th April 2017, the Wine Workshop with George Kassianos, the president of the Cyprus Sommelier Association on Saturday 29th April 2017. And then, on Sunday 7th May 2017, we bring you the 20th HOT DOG SHOW! A huge event down by Paphos Castle, divided into 2 parts – the Dog Show and a huge bazaar with over 50 stalls! 16 categories in the Dog Show, 8 pedigree and 8 novelty, entertainment programme, other charities present, arts & crafts, food, music, the lot! So put the date in your diary as you will not want to miss this! More details on this great event will follow. For more information on our activity, events, fundraising and programmes, please check our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/Paphiakos, send an e-mail to pr@cyprusanimalwelfare.com, or call 26946461.

Maggie’s Beauty Tip: Dream Coats! Want a gorgeous new cover-up with the flatter factor? Here are the season’s best. PERFECT PEA The boxy cut of a pea coat makes it a genius tummy disguiser! Wear it open if you have a large bust and team with slim-fit trousers. Feeling fashion-forward? Opt for a confidence-boosting bright colour. POSH PARKA The ultimate winter warmer that’s perfect for dressdown days! Wear a parka with body-hugging layers underneath to avoid overwhelming your frame. Outsmart the weather with a water-repellent finish. FAUX FABULOUS Faux-fur coats are bang on trend this season, but can be tricky to pull off. Steer clear of bulky furs and keep the rest of your outfit fussfree and form-fitting. THE LONG GAME Make a statement in a maxi. The long lines create the illusion of a tall, trim figure. Team with heels and see your style status soar! Turn up your collar and sleeve cuffs to give your coat a new-season refresh. COLLAR CODED A nod to the faux-fur trend, stylish trims and fluffy collars add a chic twist to your outfit but without the volume! They’re also brilliant at adding inches up top to help balance out a pear shape.

TIE THE KNOT A cinched-in waist is the easiest way to complement curves, so belted wrap coats are figure-flattering superstars! It also has a slimming V-neckline. MILITARY PRECISION Army-inspired cover-ups are the chicest choice for petites! The double breasting is great for adding width and creating the illusion of a curvier silhouette. Swingy A-line shape + defined waist = pearshape perfection! CAPE CRUSADE Worried about a tummy? The flared fit of a cape elegantly swirls over a troublesome middle. Need more definition - choose one with a belt. Keep warm by layering your cape over thermal tops and polonecks.

Maggie Wright, Colour Me Beautiful 99318477 maggiecmb@yahoo.co.uk 10% off for Grapevine readers. Vouchers available for Valentine’s Day.

Cancer Patients Support Group - Paphos Events – January 2017 Every Wednesday – Bingo At The Queen Vic Pub, Just Off The Tombs Of The Kings Road, you need to register to play cost 1 euro each. Good prizes. 10% of proceeds to Cancer Patients Support Group.

Tuesday 10Th January – Monthly Coffee Morning at Mothers Restaurant in Kato Paphos, 10.30 am. All Welcome

Wednesday 25Th January – The Big Breakfast at the Mesogi Arms . 5 euro including tea and coffee from 10.30 am. All welcome. Come and experience Shelley’s Breakfast.

Thursday 26Th January – Monthly Quiz night at Mothers Restaurant in kato Paphos. 7 for 7.30 start. 12 euro including hot/cold buffet . All welcome. Come and enjoy Martin’s quiz. To book your table and meal contact Martin tel .99296563 or Costas tel.99342050

For more details see our facebook page. 16

No More Porky Pies! by David Waite

I never knew that machines could lie – until I got a weighing machine! When I realised that Mr Waite had turned into Mr Weight I knew I needed to go on a diet – and get a weighing machine to chart my progress. But it was lying to me from the start, although I didn’t realise it at first. I felt quite smug when I saw that the machine was telling me that I was losing several pounds every day, until one day just after I had weighed myself I immediately got on the scales again - to get a completely different result! I tried again, and the readout was different from the first two. Moving the machine around to a different floor area where it might be more level made no difference. I had a serial fibber on my hands, or to be more precise, under my feet. I then started to wonder what a world would be like where all machines were liars. Imagine an ATM that told you that you had €300.00 in your account, when you only had €30.00. The petrol pump that said it had given you 10 litres of petrol, but you only got 7. Your car speedo telling you that you were cruising at a comfortable 40 miles an hour, when in actual fact you were just about to break the sound barrier. What a nightmare world that would be. Have you ever told a lie? Of course you have – we all have! It’s a horrible fact of life. And if you say you’ve never told a lie – you’re lying! So why do we lie? Some people do it to get out of an embarrassing situation. Others do it to try to make themselves look better in the eyes of their friends or family. Yet others lie to make friends feel better, saying things which are untrue, when in fact they would help their friends far more by telling it like it is, then working with them towards a solution. The Bible says that we have all sinned and come short of God’s standards. Telling lies is part of a cycle that we can get into. But because we have all told lies in the past doesn’t mean that we need to keep making the same mistake in the future. Just as in a world where all the machines were telling lies would be unbearable, a world where humans were habitually telling lies would be nothing less than Hell on earth. When I realise that someone uses lies as a regular part of how they conduct themselves I tend to react in several ways. I immediately become wary of them, because I no longer know whether I can trust them or not. They also lose some of my respect, because lying is often just an easy way of getting out of a complicated situation. And ultimately I feel sympathy for them, because I know that those who constantly lie have to have a very good memory, and are making traps for themselves. The Bible tells us that Satan is the father of lies – so when we lie, we immediately go into his territory. By complete contrast Jesus said ‘I am the Way, THE TRUTH and the Life’. Jesus also said ‘You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free’. So we have a choice: get trapped in Satan’s territory or walk in God’s freedom. And making the right choice means that is one type of porky pie* that the weighing machine won’t have to deal with! *Porky pie is cockney rhyming slang for lie © Grapevine • January 2017

CLASSIFIEDS With 152 Projects, 300 Actions & Events, 1500 Artists the Programme of Events of yhe European Capital 0f Culture – Paphos 2017

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On Thursday 6th of October 2016, the Organisation European Capital of Culture – Pafos2017 presented its programme of events in the gardens of its headquarters. A few months prior to the official opening of the institution, the Organisation “opened” its doors to the public of Pafos for the presentation of its programme, on a special and unique evening. If I were to reach Cyprus, the land of Aphrodite, where love wanders, and enchant the hearts of the mortals. In Pafos, which is endowed, without rain, the flow from a hundred spouts of another river” The presenter of the event, Neoklis Neokleous, together with a group of children from the Pafos Music Lyceum opened the evening with a poem by Euripides, “Bacchae”, which was followed by a speech by the Mayor of Pafos, Mr Phedonas Phedonos. In an atmosphere of emotion and pride, hundreds of locals and foreigners embraced the evening and were informed of everything that is about to happen in 2017 in Pafos, which as mentioned in the speech of the Organisation’s Chairman, Dr Christos Patsalides, “(Pafos) will transform into an Open Stage with works and events throughout the whole district, as a new and dynamic town”. Through a retrospective, beginning with the claiming of institution of the European Capital of Culture in 2012 up to this day, the Organisation’s Chairman recounted the course of the Organisation, pointing out the difficult economic and social conditions under which the programme of the European Capital of Culture was created. Next, Georgia Doetzer, the Organisation’s Artistic Programme Director, referred to the planning of such an institution – “this is an institution different to a Festival or similar events, which involves a complex and long in duration programme that lasts for a whole year, during which activities, events, co-operations and exchanges will take place and whose results will not wear out during this year but will affect, influence and change the town as well as its citizens’ life in the long term”. The programme of the European Capital of Culture consists of the following thematic sections: Myth and Religion, Travellers of the World and Stages of the Future, as well as The Travelling Stage, an extensive platform that runs through all three aforementioned thematic sections. The projects (which include many more cultural events, activities and interventions) come from different kinds of artistic expression and in order to connect conceptually and to be harmoniously understood by the audience, these have been allocated in subcategories that set the framework and define the philosophical and thematic reference horizon. Opening Ceremony, 28 & 29 January 2017 The opening ceremony is inspired by the thematic section “Myth and Religion”, within the context of the opening weekend’s events on the 28th and 29th of January 2017. In light of the founding myth of Pygmalion and Galatea, which reminds us that Pafos – the result of their erotic union – is already a work of art, since Galatea was a statue that came to life, the main goal of the Open Air Factory is set: that of the comeback of Pafos as a town of creativity and cultural production. The opening ceremony of the European Capital of Culture resets Pafos on the cultural map as a place of creativity and perspective, and the Open Air Factory as a the driving force that creates the preconditions for get-togethers, dialogue and exchange. The Artistic Programme Director of the Pafos2017 Organisation also referred to the grand event of the Berlin Philharmonic, one of Europe’s leading ensembles with hundreds of concerts, appearances and recordings throughout the world, which will take place on the 1st of May 2017 at the Castle square. She also mentioned the Great Summer Event – Eternal Travels, which, as opposed to the Opening Ceremony, will be placed in the harbour area and will tell the stories of travellers from antiquity to this date. Almost 1500 creators, artists, 152 projects and 300 activities will create a year of celebration, dialogue and exchange that will doubtlessly mark Pafos and its people, shifting the focus of everyday life towards culture, art and beauty. Official Platinum Sponsor: Bank of Cyprus Official Telecommunications Provider: CYTA Official Golden Sponsors: OPAP, Cooperative Central Bank