It is in the pot!

Some things are the same life over: we spent until the early hours this morning welcoming guests into the villas in Coral Bay and villas in Peyia, some from UK, a few from central Europe – and a group of friends from Eygpt.

Upon arrival at the holiday villas, people want to see:

– pool

– sunbathing areas

– teapot!

We always leave a few essentials to help out as the holiday makers get settled eg bread, butter and jam, wine, tea, coffee and milk but I learned over the past few years that the most important things is to have the kettle boiled and ready – and prepare a “nice cup of tea”.

Its got to be the ritual of tea making or the comfort of having a cuppa which matter so much. The Japanese have it right: taking tea is a celebration in its own right and making it to share with friends, is a privilege.

I love making a “nice pot of tea”. Since being a little girl, my nanna always made my sisters and I a cup of tea. It was seen as the solution to everything: every problem, question and challenge we faced: “Have a cup of tea, pet”, she’d say – and we’d sit together and enjoy a cuppa whilst thinking about the world in general. Sometimes, the initial problems melted away – always, they lessened for a while.

I think the cuppa on arrival just puts the “homely” feel into the holiday villas and provides the bridge between the journey here to Coral Bay or Peyia and the holiday beginning properly.

The Cypriots prefer coffee but the ritual and experience is the same. If anything, the Cypriots have a greater respect for the value of a good cuppa: the local Kafenes (male cafes) still grace the village centre in Peyia and the men sit for hours, drinking coffees and putting the world to right; more coffee shops are opening around the village and in Coral Bay itself. Local families can be seen day in, day out, sitting together comfortably for hours, just sharing coffee and enjoying simply “being”.

One of my favourite possessions is a happy, spotty teapot, bought for us by one of our best friends: whether its the love with which it was given to us; its huge round tummy which holds a decent few cups or the flavour of the tea, this teapot gives us countless pleasures and has saved the hour on many occasions when life has begun to take over and get out of kilter……

Hmmm – a nice cup of tea! I’m off to put the kettle on…….