Streets deserted, many places, bars, restaurants closed.
Andama, one of the few restaurants open, not busy.
When I left Andama, it was not long after ten, but the deserted streets felt like early hours of the morning.
Posts Tagged ‘Cyprus’
Protaras nighttime end of season
October 30, 2022Ravioli’s Italian restaurant
October 30, 2022One visit a year is enough. I live in hope in vague hope it may have improved. Or maybe I am a glutton for punishment. At best mediocre.
Last night, the second time this month. More fool me.
My ravioli tonight was not good, tough and chewy.
I am choosy where I sit. If I cannot sit where I wish, I will usually walk out.
No, you cannot sit at the indicated table. Why? It is reserved.
The table sat empty all night. Two, three, four tables became free.
My table was dull and gloomy. I had to get up to find light to read the menu.
Very overpriced for very poor quality ravioli.
I can cook far better ravioli.
Complimentary ice-cream.
When I finished my meal, the nearby table smoking, smoke was blowing over my table.
Last straw. When I paid waitress demanded I left a tip.
Pizza I cannot comment on as I have never tried.
Risotto I have tried in the past. As with the ravioli, I can prepare and cook superior risotto.
The strange thing is Ravioli’s is owned by the hotel on the other side of the road. The hotel serves better pasta.
Ayia Napa International Sculpture Park
October 28, 2022For the first time on many trips, local bus stopped at the top bus stop, giving me time not to explore but at least to walk through the sculpture park then pick up the InterCity Bus for Larnaca at the bottom entrance.
Andama pork chop
October 26, 2022Grilled pork chop with chips and vegetables, preceded by tomato soup, accompanied by red wine.
Quiet until noise started.
Not many people about.
Warm evening, cool later.
When noise started, time to leave.
Before leaving, excellent coffee liqueur courtesy of the owner.
Fabrica cappuccino in a ceramic cup
October 23, 2022A strange location, diagonally opposite Lidl, on the main top road through Protaras.
The best that can be said a contemporary design. It then goes downhill, rapidly.
Yesterday a very weak almost cold cappuccino in a too large takeaway cup.
Today, driverless, I walked. Try the same coffee in a ceramic correct size cup.
Late afternoon, I note as I walk in, almost empty.
As I walk in awful music playing. The norm for Cyprus. But at least not to loud.
I would have preferred to sit outside, but in the shade, sun going down and turning cool.
Walking to the coffee shop I had crossed the road to catch what was left if the sun.
Asc
As I walk in I also have confirmstion of my conclusion of yesterday of poor quality coffee, bags of LavAzza sitting on the counter. The girl who serves me tries to convince me quality coffee, look it is Arabic from Colombia, it is not Robusta. Yes, true. But still poor quality coffee, it’s LavAzza.
Asked what size cappuccino I want, I ask for correct size in a ceramic cup not a takeaway. You want it in a glass ? No I want it in a ceramic cup. And again I point to the ceramic cups. She did at least choose the correct size cup. Maybe random, 50:50, toss a coin and correct size chosen.
Passes order to a guy. He does not attempt latte art. He does what traditionalists would regard as correct. A white filled circle enclosed by a narrow brown circle. [check out alleged origins of a cappuccino]
As before, nearly cold, weak but not as weak as yesterday.
They must have learnt, coffee should not be served hot and have gone to the other extreme, serve almost cold.
I call the girl over and ask her how many shots? One. I thought so, explains why so weak. I tell it is too weak, Needs two shots. She argued with me, no only one shot for a cappuccino. No, not true, I am often offered one or two shots. I leave to the barista to choose.
On reflection. It may not have been the shot. It may have been under extraction.
A rough looking guy came cover, asks what’s the problem. Oh dear trouble brewing. I hazard a guess, the owner.
No problems, I am trying to understand the coffee and the concept of the coffee shop. I point to an empty chair and invite him to join the conversation. He declines. Tells me he is a busy man. He invites me to join him at his other coffee shop at ten in the morning though sounded more like a demand then an invitation. I decline. I will be having breakfast.
He tells me the girl is his manager, orders her to answer my questions, then leaves. A busy man.
She is quite rude. Refused point blank to talk to me. A marked contrast to the polite pleasant guy of the day before, who when my driver went in to grab the coffees, the guy brought out his machine for me to pay by phone.
Sunday, the day Cypriots go out to a coffee shop to meet their friends. The coffee shops are packed, would be lucky to find a spare table, or even a seat. Fabrica by contrast almost empty, though to put in context, busier than I have seen Starbucks.
Attempt at good design, reasonable equipment (the girl said even better in the week), but then fail to source good coffee. At a guess, LavAzza supply the equipment, though girl said no.
I was tempted to have a coffee at Patisserie Amelia. A San Remo Racer, excellent grinders, the girls know how to use the machines, the coffee LavAzza. It would have made an interesting comparison.
Cyprus is infamous for bad coffee.
For excellent coffee, a trip to Larnaca. Local bus to Ayia Napa, then intercity bus to Larnaca.
– Koffea
– Paul’s coffee roasters
– Nick’s Coffee Bike
Or if wish to venture further afield, a trip to Nicosia.
…. to be continued ….
Fabrica coffee shop takeaway coffee
October 22, 2022A new coffee shop in Protaras. Strange location, the top road diagonally opposite Lidl.
I am afraid I indulged in the Cypriot bad habit of takeaway coffee that I rail about.
I asked my driver to stop and I treated him to a coffee.
Early afternoon, coffee shop deserted. Though why wander the streets on a hot day when can be on the beach or by a pool, especially when a week of thunderstorms, heavy rain and Met Office Yellow weather warnings.
Closes at eight at night. Or at least has been closed when I have passed by after eight.
The coffee was not good. I could tell by looking.
The coffee was weak, lukewarm (makes a change from scalding hot), tasted of bad coffee, the faint hint of bad coffee, as though Nescafé had been dumped in the cup.
Cup size too large. There is only one size for a cappuccino. When asked what size. The appropriate response: The correct size please.
Staff pleasant but sadly clueless on brewing coffee.
For good coffee nearest is Larnaca
– Koffea
– Paul’s coffee roasters
– Nick’s Coffee Bike
Or travel further afield to Nicosia.
Cyprus sadly is infamous for bad coffee. To find an excellent coffee shop where they care about coffee is a very rare pleasure.
lked
Update: The next day I walked to Fabrica. Curiousity got the better of me. What difference the correct cup size, served in ceramic not takeaway? No a lot. It was still a terrible cup of coffee.
Protaras nighttime
October 18, 2022Happy Days packed,and I was late.
Dreadful noise from Rockafellas across the street.
I wanted t-bone steak. Too big, far too big. I settled for sirloin steak. A disappointment. Mushroom soup excellent.
Midnight, street deserted apart from drunken scum.
Bus packed, Blacks and tourist.
A Black underclass, not seen except late at night when catching a bus after work.
Konnos Bay attacked whilst swimming
October 18, 2022Swimming Konnos Beach, sharp pain in my leg. Happened a few times. First time I brushed something away from my leg.
When I came out of the water, blood streaming down my leg from whatever had attacked me. What, I have no idea.
Protaras nightime
October 17, 2022I thought I was an hour later than I was. I was an hour earlier, which meant I was when I wished to be.
I wanted a massage, even though lsstvweek nearly killed me. Closed for massage, return later. When I did, told closed. Poor customer service.
Table not free at Happy Days. Visit coffee shop, return later.
Coffee terrible, though young lady pleasant and helpful. No surprise always empty.
Tomato soup, followed by moussaka and salad, accompanied by red wine, excellent. I was late, restaurant closed, sat outside with a bottle of red wine until gone midnight.
No bus for twenty minutes. I went for a walk
Bus, 0050, packed with drunken scum.
Ayia Napa International Sculpture Park
October 15, 2022I caught an rstkier bus thsn Wednesday, which gagevtieç
Bus once again failed to stop at top entrance lm
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