When we lived in Emba last year we had no problem with paying our water bills, or our village community charges. We got a quarterly bill for the water and a bill in December for the community charges. So we expected things to follow in the same vein when we moved to Narnia.
Not so. After a whole year no-one had contacted us for payment of any water bill. And no village community charge was forthcoming. Being an accountant Phil is hot on persuing bad debts, but not so hot at paying out.
So I had to make him phone our Muhktar yesterday to ask when we will receive these bills. I would have phoned, but I am a woman. I thought we should follow the Cypriot code and pretend that the man is in charge.
He invited us to his house for coffee, and to give us our heating allowance and sort out the outstanding water and village charges.
We duly arrived at 6.30 p.m. and were ushered into the living area. We shook hands vigorously and were treated like long lost friends. Coffee and Cypriot biscuits were produced and a great list of all village inhabitants was laid on the coffee table. Our names were on that list - we are now officially Inians. I feel strangely proud. I never quite felt accepted when I lived in a Cornish village, but I feel very at home in Narnia. With great care our Muhktar, Savvas, wrote out our cheque for heating. Almost €700. We had not expected this. He gave us a cheque to take to one of our near neighbours which was around half of the amount, and explained that you get a higher rate if you are not retired. This is because the Cypriot government give a heating allowance of £300 (not Euros, but pounds) to Cypriot pensioners. Therefore the village allowance for pensioners is lower than for non-retired people. He then carefully wrote out a receipt for our water bill for the year, plus our village tax. The total was €144. We were amazed as we expected it to be more. We paid £100 cyp last year just for the community charge.
The heating allowance is a real help because, for those of you who don't live here, I have to say that electricity is about on a par with the UK. However, we find central heating quite expensive to run in comparison with the UK. Our property is stone build in the main part of the house, which is warmer. But our upstairs is not insultated and becomes very cold. We pay around £70 for a good load of logs. The heating allowance will pay for a couple more log loads, which should see us through the winter, plus some gas top-ups. I am posting these figures as it is useful for those who wish to make the move to have some idea of living costs. €40 was for the amenities - we have our own street light and road sign, plus a wheeley bin - and €40 was for refuse collection twice a week. The rest was our water bill for a three bed property with an 8 x 4 pool and garden irrigation. Not bad.
Anyway, back to Savvas. I love going to see our Muhktar because he is such a nice guy. He was telling us that he has a man who reads the water meters, but he doesn't have a machine to make out a bill yet. But they are thinking of getting one. Plus he needs a girl to do the paperwork. I was tempted to offer my services for free once a week, but as I don't speak Greek I don't think I would be of any use to him. He was telling us about the plans for Narnia. We are to get a park and a new municiple building, plus a museum. The new taverna that has been built, with rooms, is not going to be open any time soon though. He is waiting for his son to find a wife and take it on. As the lad looked really comfortable at home I don't think it will happen any time soon.
Then he told us a little of the history of Narnia. It dates back to the Crusades. Savvas mentioned the King of the Akamas, and how the subjects lived down in Lara. They were invaded by people from Germany and Sweden, and they had to fight bitterly. Then the Crusaders came. The people of the Akamas, led by their king, moved up from Lara and settled over the hill so that they could not be seen from the sea. Which is where Narnia is today. It is the oldest of the villages of the Akamas. There is also an hereditary disease that affects the people of this area. It is a genetic throwback to the German invaders, and if two people have the inherited gene their children are affected. A bit like Thalassaemia, but Savvas couldn't find the correct word to tell me what it is.
Fascinating stuff. Anyway, it has got me interested in finding out more about the history of the area. If I do I will post it on here for anyone who is interested to read. If you are not interested - DON'T OPEN THIS TOPIC!
I just love living in Cyprus, and Narnia in particular and love sharing the joy it brings.
Verity.
_________________
Verity.
Be who you are, and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind.
http://coecyp.blogspot.com
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