Savouring tsoureki, pancakes and kites - Paula Manoli-Gray

I love this time of year when we have carnival, Green Monday, Easter, mild weather, flowers in bloom… and the knowledge that we have used neither heating nor air-conditioning, therefore we (should) get our lowest electricity bills of the year!

It is also at times like this that I am amused and fascinated at human nature and traditions.

For example, we had Green Monday last week, then the UK had Pancake Day the day after. On Green Monday the skies were filled with the sight of flying kites and people ate a healthy meal packed with vegetables. On Pancake Day, hoards of people got together and made and ate pancakes socially. Yet on any other day of the year, the two practises are far more rare. Okay, in the case of pancakes there are people who indulge regularly, but the point is, the funny human trait of doing something en masse on one particular day of the year because it is 'tradition'.

For the island, kite flying should be a regular pastime for children; getting them out in the fresh air and enjoying an activity with their parents, but I never see or hear of kites flying other than on Green Monday. In fact, there aren't many shops that sell kites all-year round, yet there is a kite explosion with every size, shape and design you can imagine in the run-up to the event.

I guess, if these things were part of daily life, they wouldn't be as special. Pancakes always taste better on Pancake Day, as do hot cross buns and tsoureki (sweet bread) at Easter. They give us something to look forward to and break the year up into sections and milestones, as well as keeping shops ticking over with the specialist trade that Valentine's Day, Christmas and other holidays bring.

I personally love Green Monday, and being out in the fields. Again, I should be enjoying Lenten picnics with family on a regular basis, but am not 'forced' to do so unless there is a public holiday, and so I am grateful that tradition dictates I do this. At least we still have these holidays that make us stop, enjoy, savour and take stock - in many other countries they are dying out.

At a recent church memorial I attended, the priest made a speech about how in these times of crisis we should not be wasting our money on frivolities such as the carnival. He went as far as to say that we should donate the money to the church instead, as it is in need of paying off its loan for the building of said church. I was saddened to hear him saying this at a time when we need to be able to take a breather from the troubles and remember that good times can be had; that there is joy in our traditions and that we don't have to have all the money in the world to enjoy spending time with people we care about. I won't comment on the church loan part!

Traditions are one of the things I love about Cyprus, and I don't think we will ever be short on reasons to spend quality time with the family and friends, or enjoy a big, shared meal. But my waistline is certainly glad they don't sell that crazily delicious tsoureki all year round!

First appeared in The Cyprus Weekly - 08/03/14

Σεμινάριο φυσικής γέννας στην Κύπρο - στ'αλήθεια!

Seminar natural birth in Cyprus - really!

When : Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Where : Nursery Little Gems Montessori
Time : 9.30pm-8.00m.m

On 19 March, the Eline Pedersen, chiropractor and mother of 2 children, will share her knowledge and 2 lovely personal stories on the natural childbirth: one diekpaireomeni by hospital doctors and other physical and water, from the very pregnant at home of.

The goal of Eline is to promote natural birth in Cyprus, uniting, advising and pushing the women of the island dare to say yes to natural childbirth.

The committee will consist of guest significant number of people who support and promote natural childbirth. They are all passionate about the promotion of this method to the island and us will share their experiences and knowledge on the topic. The talk will be interactive and invites everyone to talk about natural birth in Cyprus, whether it is at home, in private clinics or hospitals.

Guest Panel: 

• Maria Theodorou, mother of 2 children: one born in a clinic and another at home with natural birth in water.
• Sofia Souri, mother of 2 children: and the two born at home with natural birth in water.
• Maroulla Cameron, retired Midwife Hospital Limassol.
• Androulla Souri, retired Midwife Hospital Larnaca.
• Claire Black, childbirth educator in clinical ISIS

The event promotes the Network Parents Larnaca

www.larnacaparentsnetwork.com

Guacamole with mango

I just love guacamole, not just as a dip but so delicious as a salad garnish or as a baked potato topping and my favorite way is to pile some in a whole meal roll with plenty of rocket leaves and sliced tomatoes…yumm!!! Guacamole dates back to the Aztecs who considered it to be an aphrodisiac and avocado was a gift from the Gods, they also believed this to be true of chocolate, so I'm quite willing to go along with this!! May the Gods be praised!! Anyway, I was watching the food network and saw guacamole being made with mango, I haven't tried this yet, but I can imagine the two ingredients being very complimentary to each other and is on my ''must make'' list. Here's the recipe…enjoy!!

Ingredients

2 Avocados, halved, seeded and peeled

1 Mango, peeled and diced

3 tablespoons minced red onion

2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander

I teaspoon chilli sauce
Juice of one lemon or lime
Salt & Pepper

Method

In a small bowl, gently mash avocados using a potato masher. Add mango pieces, red onion, coriander, chilli sauce, lemon juice, s&p and gently toss to combine.

Androulla xx

Larnaca: site of U21 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships 2014

Cyprus returns to the world stage of international beach volleyball this year when it hosts the FIVB U21 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships. The 14th annual double-gender age group event will be held from July 22 to 27 in Larnaka as the FIVB now has an unprecedented four age-group World Championships for beach volleyball held annually.


While the Cyprus Volleyball Federation has hosted several FIVB Challenger and Satellite events, this will be just the second event held in Larnaka as the city presented the 2012 FIVB U19 World Championships which were won by a men’s tandem from Poland and a women’s duo from Lithuania.

Larnaka is the third largest city on the southern coast of Cyprus behind Nicosia and Limassol. It has a population of 72,000 and is the island's second largest commercial port and an important tourist resort. The island's largest airport, Larnaka International Airport is located on the outskirts of the city to the south. The city is well known for its picturesque seafront, which includes rows of palm trees. Larnaka Marina is one of the four official entry points, by sea, to Cyprus.

The age-group FIVB World Championships have historically seen many of the young stars of today building their experience level to advance up the ladder in international competition. This year’s 2014 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour for professional athletes will include 10 FIVB Grand Slam events, a new FIVB Grand Slam Final and at least nine FIVB Beach Volleyball Open events.

The format of all the FIVB Beach Volleyball international tournaments – whether pro or age group FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships, FIVB Beach Volleyball Grand Slam or FIVB Beach Volleyball Open – are the same, featuring pool play followed by single elimination knockout rounds.

Minor Illnesses: When Should I Keep My Child Home From School?

                     

As parents, we’ve all been there. Yesterday your child was down and out with a fever, this morning he’s done a complete 180 and is raring to go. So do you allow him to go to school or keep him home? It’s not always an easy decision, as there are many gray areas when it comes to minor childhood illnesses.
 If your child has one of the following symptoms, it’s best for her to take a sick day:

• Fever

Many schools have a rule that your child needs to be fever free for 24-hours prior to returning to school – without the aid of fever-reducing medications. This measure helps to ensure that your child is feeling better and no longer contagious. Most schools define fever as anything higher than 100.4.

• Diarrhea

It would be difficult for your child to attend school if he is having to run to the bathroom multiple times per day or even per class. Diarrhea can last up to a week or longer, so plan to keep him home until the stools are controllable and more formed. Keep in mind that diarrhea is highly contagious, and the best form of prevention is hand washing.

• Vomiting

This scenario is pretty straightforward. If your child is vomiting, she should not go to school until she has been vomit free for 24 hours. Again, the viruses that cause vomiting are highly contagious, so hand washing is key to preventing the spread of the illness.

• Cough/Congestion

Minor coughing is usually not a problem. However, there are cases in which coughing and nasal congestion should warrant staying at home, such as:

- coughing/blowing nose so much that your child won’t be able to pay attention
- coughing/blowing nose so much that your child will disturb the class
- coughing and also feeling tired with a poor appetite

• Sore Throat with Fever

A sore throat can be a sign of a viral or bacterial infection. And if your child has a fever along with the sore throat, you should keep him home. It could be strep throat and he should be evaluated by a doctor. If he has a sore throat with cold symptoms, it is most likely a viral infection and can go back to school whenever he feels better.