Happy Daze

Depending who you talk to this is the worst winter in 50 years or 100 years or maybe even more. There is one thing for sure, it has rained and rained to the point where lowering the level of the pool is becoming a daily task. When I arrived on Cyprus in 2008 it was to a drought which had lasted 5 years and the reservoirs we at 3% capacity and water was being shipped in from Greece in tankers. Then that winter the drought broke with what I considered to be very wet weather, though apparently not up to current standards.

The dams have since risen from their 3% capacity to quite a healthy level, this year they have hit the jackpot. For the first time in 7 years the Asprokremmos Dam near Paphos the second largest on the island with a capacity of 52.4 million cubic meters has reached its capacity and is now overflowing, the once dried up river bed below it is now a tumult with flooding on both banks. Three other reservoirs in the Paphos District; Pomos, Argaka and Arminou have also apparently overflowed in recent days.

January is a very quiet time in Cyprus all the tourist have gone a very large proportion of businesses in Paphos are closed awaiting their return. So this event has caused a lot of interest, so much so there is quite a party atmosphere at the dam with crowds going to see the spectacle.Also the Cypriot keen sense of business ensures that you can get everything from Souvlaki to doughnuts and much more besides while you take in the view. We managed to get there at a quieter moment but on Thursday evening a very large expectant crowd had gathered to watch the start of the overflow causing so much traffic chaos the police had to attend to sort things out.

Asprokremmos Dam

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Asprokremmos Dam

There are many with a view that Expat life is all about sipping your G&T sat by the pool whilst sunning yourself. I wish.

Having returned from Australia where the ambient temperature was averaging 30+C I am now thrust back into the Cypriot winter. The winter here is thankfully short usually no more than 3 months (Dec to Feb approx), but after a summer of temperatures in the 30′s anything below 10C feels very cold. Also the houses here like in much of the Mediterranean are built for the heat and not the cold, so it is not unusual for the outside temperature to be higher than indoors. Ever wondered why so many people are to be found sitting outside in winter?

Unfortunately most people come to this part of the world in the summer for a holiday and leave with an image of sunshine & sand.  They do not see the reality of the heavy rains that come in January & February, and the seemingly endless dark cloudy days as we sit huddled around the wood burner waiting for the thermometer to start rising again.