Afternoon and early evening Friday 4 October 2019 very poor bus service Intercity Buses to and from Larnaca. Local bus service also leaves much to be desired, too few buses leading to overcrowded buses.
At Ayia Napa I almost missed the InterCity Bus to Larnaca, it looked like a tourist bus. But appearances deceptive, a clapped out tourist bus, broken seats.
Bad driving, driver drives off before passengers had the opportunity to sit down.
Return bus at 1800, peak time, many waiting for bus which turns up late, not everyone able to get on the bus. The bus not much larger than a mini-bus.
I decide to wait for next bus, an hour later.
Annoying, had I known, I would have gone for a walk and caught the next bus an hour later.
The local bus, from Ayia Napa little better. Russians park their buggies in the aisle, sit on the folding seats in the allocated bays for buggies. When asked to move, park their buggies in the bays they refuse. Driver failed to intervene.
With the closure of Nicolas Tavern, a sad loss, now have to go further afield than Protaras to find somewhere worth eating. The remaining restaurants in Protaras are in a race to the bottom, a race no one can win, as they try to compete against all-inclusive and each other on price.
Worth trying, Ttapis and Kamasias, both in Paralimni. Demetrion fish restaurant at Liopetri River for fresh caught fish.
The place to not eat, Ocean Basket, the McDonald’s or KFC of seafood, the fish not fresh.
Blue Spice is acknowledged as one of the premier restaurants in Cyprus, dining in our restaurant is a gastronomic experience. – Blue Spice
Pernera is one of those places best avoided, all-inclusive hotels, which in turn attracts bottom end of tourist market. As with Protaras, bars and restaurants competing with all-inclusive, competing with each other in a race to the bottom.
But as I was passing through Pernera, decided to eat at Blue Spice, or at least a friend decided for me when she dropped me off saying it had good reviews
A big mistake.
A strange set up, a very large restaurant surrounding a swimming pool. Also as I discovered later, an art gallery. It also appeared to be part of a larger complex including accommodation.
Souvlaki, or as they insisted on calling it it kebab, was not good. Far worse than No 1 or Vangelis in Protaras and that was not good either.
As I was thinking of leaving, musicians started to arrive.
It could only get worse I thought, live music.
I could not have been more wrong. Far better than the so-called entertainment in the bars and hotels in Protaras
A guy on electric violin, a guy on keyboards and a female vocalist.
They did not play, they improvised, at one point the violinist was looping.
I asked and learnt they play every Tuesday night.
No way would I recommend Blue Spice to eat, but worth turning up around 2130 for a drink and settling down for the music.
They played a solid two hour set if not longer until around midnight.
A premier restaurant it is not, a gastronomic experience it is not, not unless count gastronomic disaster as an experience, but worth a visit for the trio who play Tuesday night.
Two places worth trying. Demetrion fish restaurant at Liopetri River and Kamasias in Paralimni.
Congratulations to Georgia Eleftheria Tsiolakki, the youngest person to receive this award, the only Cypriot to receive this award.
Women Leader Award 2018: Congratulations to Georgia Eleftheria Tsiolakki, the youngest person to receive this award, the only Cypriot to receive this award. #Paralimni#Cypruspic.twitter.com/ismQuUBKjG
I am proud to be the only CYPRIOT and youngest that I have been awarded as a women leader.
I would like to say a big thank you to the who is who magazine as well.
Thank you to the international institutions for their recognition. The recognition came with a lot of smart and hard work in international and European level. Most of the obstacles and unfairness situations, I had to deal with, was from my OWN country sadly.
For those people who underestimate my skills underestimate my age and what I am capable of ,this is the beginning because whatever I DO , I do because I love it. When you love something obstacles are expected only to make you better !!!
Cyprus is like a victim with many assailants, only the assailants are corporate coffee chains. All the usual suspects, tax-dodging Starbucks and Caffe Nero, Coco-Cola owned Costa, followed by many may not have heard of, Greek versions of Starbucks Coffee Island and Coffee Berry, the Canadian equivalent of Starbucks Second Cup. The lastest to join in the affray, Mikel Coffee, yet another Greek Starbucks clone.
Though Cypriots have only themselves to blame. Open a chain coffee shop, no matter how bad, and Cypriots flock to it like flies around rotting meat.
A cappuccino served in a 16 oz cup, a takeaway cup, a plastic-lined non-recyclable takeaway cup. This is the regular size. Asked if want sugar. A battle to obtain 8 oz. At least no chocolate dumped on top.
Even those sitting in, actually sat outside not running down the street with takeaway cup in hand, served in a takeaway cup.
Questioned on this, they admitted bad for the environment, but so far have been unsuccessful in obtaining ceramic or glass.
The coffee was undrinkable. Too hot, milky, insipid, a strange smell, not of coffee. I took one sip, and that was enough to make me feel sick.
What looked liked factory cakes. When asked did not know where the cakes supplied from.
No cold water brought to the table as the norm in Athens. When questioned on this, hope to provide in the future ice cold water, help yourself.
Χιλιάδες άνθρωποι ήδη κρατούν στα χέρια τους το νέο ποτήρι Mikel. Εσύ;
Έλα σήμερα σ’ ένα κατάστημα Mikel και ανακάλυψε το νέο, συναρπαστικό, πολύχρωμο κόσμο του!
Join The Coffee Community now!
Thousands of people already hold their new glass of Mikel. You;
Come today at a Mikel store and discover its new, exciting, colorful world!
Join The Coffee Community now!
The Mikel Coffee website is all about selling a franchise, nothing about the coffee. And one of the dumbest videos I have ever seen, on youtube a series of follow up videos.
The video promoting their cup, their takeaway cup, their plastic-lined, non-recyclable disposable throwaway takeaway cup.
Why does any company with to be associated with trash, why paint your logo on trash, unless of course trash is your business?
Join our club, celebrate joining our club. Why would anyone wish to join a club to trash the planet, let alone celebrate joining a club to celebrate trashing the planet?
There is though a reason for the large size cups. The punters think they are getting a great deal, the supersize phenomena, they are not, they are getting lousy coffee.
But it is to make the coffee shop use more milk. Milk that is bought from Mikel Coffee and shipped out from Greece.
The same milk scam by Tim Horton in Canada. Ludicrous size coffee cups, far too large, undrinkable coffee, coffee shop forced to buy more milk, not from the local shop or dairy, but from Tim Horton at inflated price.
At least they were not using long-life milk which they had been using.
The same scam with the takeaway cups, coffee shops forced to buy from Mikel Coffee.
They did offer a 25% discount if brought in own refillable cup, but only if Mikel Coffee cup.
This is like the pubco tied pub scam in England. Pay extortionate rent to pubco, and on top of that, have to buy all drinks through the pubco at double the market rate.
As with Second Cup, Mikel Coffee is a franchise scam and they will do all they can to milk the franchisee.
Starbucks was due to open in Protaras at the beginning of the season but has yet to open, and does not look like opening any time soon. On the road leading to Fig Tree Bay Miyu Coffee, in the centre of Protaras Café Amárena.
Why open a franchise, serve bad coffee, why not work in a coffee shop, learn about coffee, then open a coffee shop?
If you wish for coffee worth drinking, cross the road, at the traffic lights head into the centre of Paralimni and a couple of minutes walk away, Robustos.
Why are Cypriots attracted to these corporate chains? It clearly cannot be for the coffee. No, not the coffee, it is to be seen, even worse to take pathetic selfies to be seen. To be seen in a ghastly chain where the cool, those with style, would not wish to be seen dead.
The darker side is, not only draining money out of the local economy, as these are all foreign owned chains, draining money out of the Cypriot economy.
Plastic is killing our seas. Cyprus is an island, dependent on the sea. It is not only corporate chains serving hot drinks in plastic-lined papers cups that cannot be recycled, cold drinks in plastic cups, so to are too many cafes, though not the specialty coffee shops.
If Cyprus is serious about reducing use of plastic, it must bring in a 25 cent levy on all non-recyclable takeaway cups, discourage takeaway, encourage relax with specialty coffee in an indie coffee shop served in ceramic or glass.
Individual Cypriots must do there bit and encourage their friends to do the same, boycott any coffee shop serving in takeaway cups.
The only exception, compostable coffee cups, with special bins for their collection.
Indie coffee shops must do there bit to discourage waste, not only by discouraging takeaway, but also putting out the used coffee grounds for customers to take for their gardens.
Second Cup is a franchise scam, a specialty coffee franchise scam.
Why open a franchise, why not open an indie coffee shop?
I sort of get it. Well actually I do not, I cannot see why anyone wants to serve rubbish coffee, employ people who do not care about coffee. I sort of get it if open Starbucks or Costa, fools who do not like coffee will walk through the door. But an unknown name?
Franchise speciality coffee is an oxymoron.
The corporate website pushes the franchise, no mention of the coffee.
If opening a specialty coffee shop would open an indie coffee shop, would have gained experience. Or would employ experienced professional baristas.
I order a cappuccino. It is undrinkable. Too hot, bitter, mainly froth and foam. A long way down I find actual coffee.
When I place my order I am given an electronic device. What is this, they track me to my table? No, self service, it beeps and I collect my coffee. Completely and utterly pointless gimmick
I ask of V60. They understand, but no. A machine grinds and delivers filter coffee. Would I like? Er no thanks.
On a board, dark, medium roast, a few other options. No mention of origin.
On the back shelf rows of syrups which says it all.
The staff and service excellent, did their best but as a coffee shop Second Cup is a joke.
For speciality coffee, only one coffee shop in Paralimni, Robustos.
In one of his books, Paulo Coelho is crossing a desert in search of The Valkeries. Accompanied by his wife they have a guide. The guide forgets something and goes back to retrieve it. Wondering what is keeping him, Paulo searches out his guide, to find he is sat meditating.
When challenged,the guide explains, he was delayed for a reason, so rather than be impatient, pause and reflect.
That was me. What to do for an hour.
On past previous visit to Paralimni, I had beeen told of a coffee shop. I could not find. But, on a bus to Liopetri I had passed by.
I had also been told no good good coffee shops in Paralimini, or at least what to expect when I could find none. Though as I was to learn, maybe not in the centre but at least one on the road leading out of the town centre.
I decided to to and find this coffee shop.
I asked in a coffee shop. Where else? Only one problem, I had no idea of its name. Where was it?. I did not know. Oh, but the bus passed it by.
Helpful coffee shop pointed me in the right direction.
I spoke with a helpful girl. Yes they had quality coffee. They did not roast as I thought or had been led to believe, but did have Cup 10 imported from Athens, not only espresso blend but also several different single origins, also different brew methods, V60, Chemex, Japanese syphon, cold brew tower. I also noticed tucked away, member of SpecialityCoffee Association.
I was inroduced to the owner George.
He told me he had helped found Speciality Coffee Assocation Cyprus and was their coirdinator.
He kindly offered to brew me an Ethiopian using a V60.
As a hot day, I asked Japanese iced filter, which he kindly obliged when I explained how.
We brewed half the usual volume of water, half as ice into which the coffee drips to be istantly chilled.
The week before we had eaten at Ocean Basket in Ayia Napa. A big mistake, the food disgusting, service terrible, the KFC or McDonald’s of seafood.
Last year we ate at Papa’s fish and chips. Misleading, as although it is a fish n chip shop, it is also an excellent fish restaurant. Excellent sea bream.
Wednesday night Nicolas Tavern or Taverna Kamasias?
I was told that at Taverna Kamasias the sea bream even better than at Papa’s fish and chips.
I assumed Taverna Kamasias was a fish restaurant. I was wrong, a Greek-Cypriot taverna, strictly speaking a meze house serving fish and meat meze.
I asked was the fish freshly caught? I was told yes.
Then came the sea bream, my companion chose a seafood platter.
Both were excellent.
The seafood platter included very tiny crabs as find on the beach.
We could have taken our own wine. I did not know this. I could have brought a bottle of red wine from Melissonas Hill Vineyard, though it would not have gone with the fish.
We did not order dessert, nevertheless a dessert arrived. Slices of watermelon, a couple of strawberries, a couple of Greek cakes and something I did not know what it was served in a jar of honey.
To one side, large loudspeakers, imply must be a venue for live music.
On arrival, maybe around eight o’clock, almost empty. When we left, a little before eleven o’clock, the place was heaving.
What we did not know was this was Black Angus steak night. Yes, it was chalked up, but I assumed it was one of the dishes on offer.
We then drove through Protaras. It was deserted, the bars and restaurants empty. The local economy destroyed by all-inclusive hotels.
Taverna Kamasias, one of the best places to eat in Cyprus, indeed one of the best places I have eaten.
An interesting concept, a coffee shop within a bakery.
Also very odd, if not outright weird. A lot of thought gone into the equipment, the look, wasted on what is in essence a takeaway counter in a bakery.
The beans. Flavour or Premier? Er?
One stronger than the other. Why not simply say, a darker roast?
Roast date. Not a clue. Did not even understand the concept.
The beans were at least freshly ground.
The cappuccino was drinkable, one shot of the lighter roast. Better than Costa or Coffee Island, which is not saying a lot.
Freddo cappuccino not a clue how to make. Crushed ice, the milk poured in to mix with the coffee. Undrinkable. I had to spit it out in a nearby flower pot. If nothing else, indicted the poor quality of the coffee beans.
The girl serving, I would hesitate to call her a barista, tried her best, and was helpful, but lacked the necessary skills. Compounded by her lack of English. She apologised for her poor English. I apologised for my poor Greek.
In addition to two espresso machines, several different brew methods. But apart from show, what is the point when lack the necessary skills?
Served only in takeaway cups and for the freddo cappuccino even worse, plastic.
