In the heat, its cool to be cool!

Peyia is a wonderful village. The people all know each other – most are cousins of each other – so they acknowledge each other in passing, on a regular basis.

Now when I say acknowledge, I mean they look at each other and, if you look closely, almost raise the index finger on their right hand by means of greeting!

I, on the other hand, love the village and the people and wave and smile enthusiastically at them all: which, in a village this size, keeps me very busy.

Tony tells me its not cool to do this and asks me to have some restraint and try to do what the locals do.

I tried it today: I was coming in from work, driving up the holl next to Phillipos supermarket and saw 4 people who I know well. Giving them each, “the look” and the “the finger” was very difficult: I wanted to grin and say hello…….but watching their reactions to my finger was even funnier and I had to stop the car to have a good giggle.

I couldn’t ever play poker but now I see that I’ll never be “Cypriot cool” either!

Okay, so I’m probably the village nutter, grinning like a looney at all and sundry – but think of the workout these tired old cheek muscles of mine are getting!

Now who is giving who the finger, I wonder!?