Archive for category: Cyprus

Archaeology in the 35th century

Posted by Blanca in Cyprus, My projects on July 4th, 2009

As part of a project I am working on, I recently did some research on a particular archaeological site in Cyprus known as the Saranta Kolones castle. The name, which is obviously Greek, means “40 columns” and it comes from the many granite columns that were found scattered around the ruins of what is believed to have been a 7th century fortress.

Nobody really knows exactly when Saranta Kolones was built or what for, but it became a UNESCO World Heritage site; I guess mainly because it is about 1400 years old.

So, that got me thinking…

How will archaeology reports of our times read in the year 3400? I can only guess it would be something like this:

“The Holecene Epoch complex of “2000 seats” is located in a vast plain and is believed to have been surrounded by a series of trading outlets where people used to exchange printed paper for goods. It takes its name from the many seats that were found on the site and which probably once formed part of this ancient place of worship.

The complex is believed to have been built at the end of the 20th century AD to perform some kind of ancient ritual. The building consists of a large structure divided in eight rooms which could accommodate a total of about 2000 seats. All the seats seem to have been facing towards one of the walls. No traces of images have been found on any of these very large walls that were about 6 meters tall x 15 meters wide; so it is speculated that the attendants used to worship The Wall itself during sessions that lasted about 2 hours each.

It seems that there was some kind of classification as to who could worship in which room and at what time of the day. Children were not allowed in some of the rooms at certain times and in some cases the sessions were attended mainly by males or females.

A reception area, common to all rooms, is believed to have been used to sort out the worshipers.

One privileged single person, probably a priest of some sort, could worship from a private room. This room was located at a very high level, opposite The Wall, and had a rather small hole through which the priest would either conduct the worshiping ritual or attend it in privacy.”

Now, try to imagine the future archaeological description of DisneyWorld!

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Let’s make frog soup

Posted by Blanca in Current affairs, Cyprus, Mexico on April 30th, 2009

So the French came up with the stupid idea that all flights to Mexico from the European Union should be banned to help curb the spread of swine flu.

Of course all European airlines reacted angrily to this and I join them happily in their revolt against the French request. No, really. Can someone explain to me how exactly imposing such a ban will help stop something that has already spread globally?

Have they not stopped to think for one minute that such a move would leave thousands of European tourists stranded in Mexico? Or are they stupid enough to think that any serious airline in the world would agree to having transatlantic flights with empty aircrafts just to bring back passengers?

I ignore how many Mexicans live in Europe [and how many Europeans live in Mexico], but I assume that we are well into the hundreds of thousands. And believe me; not one single one of us would like to learn that there is no way to reach Mexico and our loved ones in case of need, just because some Bachelot frog woman says so.

Fortunately, EU Health Commissioner, Cypriot Andrulla Vassiliou, said no to the French proposal for a Europe-wide ban and left each member country to impose its own restrictions.

About the only thing Mrs Vassiliou has done right so far, considering that Cyprus’ pharmacies are out of stock of Tamiflu, while we are being reassured by the EU Commission and the Cyprus government that the whole of the European Union is ready for a health emergency.

And last time I checked, Cyprus was part of the EU.

,

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The Greek way

Posted by Blanca in Cyprus, Fun stuff on April 9th, 2009

Kosta (father): “I want you to marry a girl of my choice.”
Son: “I will choose my own bride!!!”
Kosta: “But the girl is Bill Gates’s daughter..”
Son: “Well, in that case… ok”

Next Kosta approaches Bill Gates.
Kosta: “I have a husband for your daughter….”
Bill Gates: “But my daughter is too young to marry!!!!!”
Kosta: “But this young man is a vice-president of the World Bank.”
Bill Gates: “Ah, in that case… ok”

Finally Kosta goes to see the president of the World Bank.
Kosta: “I have a young man to be recommended as a vice-president.”
President: “But I already have more vice- presidents than I need!”
Kosta: “But this young man is Bill Gates’s son-in-law.”
President: “Ah, in that case… ok”

And that my friends is how Greeks do business.

ΕΛΛΑΣ ΤΟ ΜΕΓΑΛΕΙΟ ΣΟΥ!!!

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The death of an ex-president

Posted by Blanca in Cyprus on December 14th, 2008

Schools will be closed tomorrow in Cyprus because an ex-president passed away on Friday – and it seems that I am the only one around here confused with this decision.

I understand the need to mourn the passing of someone who has been an important political figure for five decades. Tassos Papadopoulos, who was president of Cyprus between 2003 and early 2008, played a role in the politics of the island over a long time. He was first appointed a Minister at the age of 25, and this is truly commendable.

But to go as far a calling three days of mourning and Monday a Public Holiday for someone who has not been the president for almost a year is, I believe, a bit too much.

If Carlos Salinas de Gortari died tomorrow, would schools in Mexico close for the day?

If George W. Bush passes away sometime next year, will lessons be cancelled in the USA?

The answer to both is maybe a yes, but for a totally different reason!

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When the police should know better

Posted by Blanca in Current affairs, Cyprus on December 10th, 2008

I am not surprised at all with the events in Greece this week. The reaction to the brutal killing of a teenager by the police has grown to the point of demonstrators inspiring the Unions to call a national strike that is halting the entire country. This might be seen as a ‘bit too much’ by some, but I believe it simply shows that Greeks have just had enough. Enough of paying more and making less than in most other EU countries. Enough of having citizens abused by those who are supposed to protect them.

While there are lots of brutal things happening in this world these days and thousands of kids dying everyday to unfair reasons, the fact is that few people do something about it, which means that the authorities can get away with just about anything.

Having lived in Cyprus, surrounded by the Greek culture for many years, I have to say that I feel pretty much the same frustration as all those rioting in Athens, Thessaloniki, and other Greek cities.

I’ve seen videos of youngsters beaten up by Cypriot policemen. I’ve seen drunken policemen in uniform. I know a woman who reported her neighbor to the ‘confidential’ police number for drug use, just to learn a few days later that a policeman tipped the drug abuser about it – she had to move to another city following the threats she received from her neighbor as a result.

I sometimes wonder if this is really what Third World countries look up to when they want to become more like a “European Union member nation”.

Because they already look pretty much the same to me.

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