Wena Hotel

[Who2]

Question MT ? As we were talking about hotels Are there any old colonial hotels in Cyprus,
just wondered as we annexed it for quite a few years...

[HEPZIBAH]

Thanks MD, she was walking out with her Uncle who lives in Beckinham when he tripped on a broken paving slab, he pulled Lynne down and then landed on top of her. She has had a lot of pain, but is now braced up using a figure 8 brace, and on regular medication for the pain. Her main thing at the moment is she is frustrated that she cannot drive until the New Year.


Carrie I just find it hard when people have lived in a civilised world why they would want to live in what is fast becoming the biggest S---holes in the World, that offers no future and always suspecting Western World people of treachery, not everyone likes Cyprus, we have met a few that hate the place because of the cost, but to use it has opened up a new world of adventure, things to do and places to go, you know what happened to Lynne and it was my job to get her out of the place where she could fell safe again. After that happened we both became prisoners in our own home, and lived under a threat of what the offenders family might do, after numerous threats. When nothing like this happens to people I suppose they will love it, but the possibility of it happening to any European Woman is live and kicking.

Don't forget also we lived in Luxor before it became a ghost town and was buzzing, even we loved it then. When I became ill and no one seemed to get to the bottom of it, I wanted a safer place where I could get proper checks and medical attention. It took 2 weeks for the Medical World to know what was going on, Luxor had been trying 3 years!! Gradually I am getting much better and now only have to wait for my Hip Op.

We are still in regular touch with our friends that live on both the East and West Bank so they tell us of anything that happens, that's how we know the tourist industry is still flat and not growing very much at all. We watch all the lies spun on Nilesat TV too, especially on a Friday night. But I suppose I cannot live another's life, we made a big mistake but it only took 4 years to realise and a further 4 years to rid the place to a more cosmopolitan life, like Luxor used to enjoy 10 years ago. So I will lay off making remarks because it obviously upsets the tourists that have made Luxor their home. I will just say one last thing though we both know of many that have chosen to live a life away from Luxor and they all agree with us. THE END... YOU WILL ALL BE PLEASED!!

Interesting how you now refer to those ex-pats who live in Luxor full time as 'tourists' now. Not so long back you were one too, but in those days it was 'ex-pat' or 'resident'.

Assaults on women, (and men), sadly, take place all over the world. They take place in Egypt against Egyptians probably far more than they do foreigners. They take place in the UK, to a whole cross section of the female population (as well as the males). I have no doubt they take place in Cyprus too - perhaps you are just burying your head in the sand over that one though.

Luxor 'Cosmopolitan'? When was that? You say 10 years ago so it must have been something only those that lived there noticed because 'cosmopolitan' is something I never noticed and a word I would never have used.

[Who2]

I wanted once to-be a resident then realised I was really only 'on me holidays.
As long as they may be, I'm a tourist on me holiday's enjoying old stuff in 'The Land of The Dead.
'Now there's an entrepreneurs golden chalice if ever, urns, embalming, tombs, old people! death...
Anyhow back to the Wena Hotel,
I once nicked an engraved cup & saucer after it's closure and gave it to Helen the photographer.
I was really after that old enamel 3ft French termometer sign, it's was sold for 5k.lol....
Ps: The urinals were to die for, 'I once had a p*ss standing next to Lord Carnarvon,
I said "My names George, as is your characters', the 'sod just smiled down at me... f***actors!

[carrie]

Different things for different people MT the thought of going to watch a tribute band fills me with horror, getting dressed up and going dancing likewise. My Egyptian neighbors, they are kind and helpful and certainly don't want paying for anything they do they are are brilliant. I don't patronize them or think I am better than them I am a neighbor and protected by them. I am just so pleased that they allow me to live in their beautiful country. I am a great people watcher and get great pleasure from just watching what is going on. The recent problems between some little local kids I knew was going to cause problems for the mums, I knew that the women would nag the husbands to have a bit of a confrontation and so it happened a little bit of shouting, pushing and everyone getting involved to sort out the problem. Nothing much but I find it fascinating. The lady at the pot shop yesterday when I was asking how much something costs and her having a go at the shop keeper for trying to charge too much. There are a lot more tourists here now despite what your friends tell you and i for one regret it. The days of mass tourism where a nightmare as far as I am concerned. I love my life here and hope to end it here.
Quite often the most dissatisfied Europeans are the ones who came to live here because they "fell in love" and things went pear shaped with their Egyptian husbands or thought they could buy something cheap, live in a nicer home than they could possibly afford in the UK and treated the Egyptian people as second class citizen no real understanding of the people the culture or the differences. Every single day I learn something new something interesting and I certainly don't want this place to turn into Europe if I wanted to live somewhere like that then I would and could quite easily. And no doubt be very unhappy.

[Who2]

I couldn't have put it better myself, thank you for your eloquence....

[Major Thom]

If you turned the place into Europe prices would soar, which would make the place too expensive for a lot to live, so I understand that.

We have a choice of what we can wear good or poor quality clothes, and in a lot of cases has noticed by another post "Charity Shop Clothes, I understand that too!

We have a choice of listening to good quality music, in tune to the beat and bands that play tightly together with words we understand or pretend to understand and not repeated every 10 seconds. I do like to be offered a choice!

We have a choice of living in a clean pristine place or a place that is dirty, filth ridden, poor utility supplies etc I also understand that!

We have a choice of either being harassed or going about our lives, frustrated by people tapping our shoulders or shouting about the things they are trying to sell I also understand that.

We have a choice of listening to shop keepers enticing us with lovely well dressed shop windows, or shouting as you pass by, "Come and see my Rubbish" I understand that

We have a choice of either cleaning everyday or cleaning once a week, governed by the cleanliness of a place, I understand that

We have a choice also of viewing Monasteries that are are up to 1000 years old and all different or places that do not change appearances in designs at all, ie Gates, Court Yards, Pillars and inner sanctuaries, seen one seen them all!! I understand that.

We have a choice of good living, good food, good quality goods, etc or poor quality goods and food prepared by flies buzzing all over the preparation, and I do not believe that these choices appeal at all.

Finally I find it hard to understand why when I can live in peace and quiet without the threat of having to leave every year, others see it ok to live under the threat of hoping there is no knock n the door, or when walking along past a prison thinking without reason or rhyme I could end up there, or without reason or rhyme on returning from a break, I hope I will be able to renew my tourist visa.

That's my views, no mention of any place, Country or any person, has promised!! Personally I think a person lives only where they can afford to live, no matter what!!

[Angela]

Different things for different people MT the thought of going to watch a tribute band fills me with horror, getting dressed up and going dancing likewise. My Egyptian neighbors, they are kind and helpful and certainly don't want paying for anything they do they are are brilliant. I don't patronize them or think I am better than them I am a neighbor and protected by them. I am just so pleased that they allow me to live in their beautiful country. I am a great people watcher and get great pleasure from just watching what is going on. The recent problems between some little local kids I knew was going to cause problems for the mums, I knew that the women would nag the husbands to have a bit of a confrontation and so it happened a little bit of shouting, pushing and everyone getting involved to sort out the problem. Nothing much but I find it fascinating. The lady at the pot shop yesterday when I was asking how much something costs and her having a go at the shop keeper for trying to charge too much. There are a lot more tourists here now despite what your friends tell you and i for one regret it. The days of mass tourism where a nightmare as far as I am concerned. I love my life here and hope to end it here.
Quite often the most dissatisfied Europeans are the ones who came to live here because they "fell in love" and things went pear shaped with their Egyptian husbands or thought they could buy something cheap, live in a nicer home than they could possibly afford in the UK and treated the Egyptian people as second class citizen no real understanding of the people the culture or the differences. Every single day I learn something new something interesting and I certainly don't want this place to turn into Europe if I wanted to live somewhere like that then I would and could quite easily. And no doubt be very unhappy.

Carrie, you nailed it with this post. I couldn't agree more especially the bit about treating Egyptian's as second class citizens.I'm so sick of hearing foreigners here referring to Egyptians as 'they' as in 'they do this' and 'they do that' as if Egyptians are one big homogeneous group.Urrgh!

[Yildez]

Carrie, your last paragraph nails it - and describes some, I reiterate some, Europeans in many countries, including Turkey, my adopted home. My feelings about Turkey echo yours about Egypt - endlessly fascinating, culturally rich in a very different way from Europe, challenging sometimes but never, never boring!

[Mad Dilys]

If you turned the place into Europe prices would soar, which would make the place too expensive for a lot to live, so I understand that.

We have a choice of what we can wear good or poor quality clothes, and in a lot of cases has noticed by another post "Charity Shop Clothes, I understand that too!

We have a choice of listening to good quality music, in tune to the beat and bands that play tightly together with words we understand or pretend to understand and not repeated every 10 seconds. I do like to be offered a choice!

We have a choice of living in a clean pristine place or a place that is dirty, filth ridden, poor utility supplies etc I also understand that!

We have a choice of either being harassed or going about our lives, frustrated by people tapping our shoulders or shouting about the things they are trying to sell I also understand that.

We have a choice of listening to shop keepers enticing us with lovely well dressed shop windows, or shouting as you pass by, "Come and see my Rubbish" I understand that

We have a choice of either cleaning everyday or cleaning once a week, governed by the cleanliness of a place, I understand that

We have a choice also of viewing Monasteries that are are up to 1000 years old and all different or places that do not change appearances in designs at all, ie Gates, Court Yards, Pillars and inner sanctuaries, seen one seen them all!! I understand that.

We have a choice of good living, good food, good quality goods, etc or poor quality goods and food prepared by flies buzzing all over the preparation, and I do not believe that these choices appeal at all.

Finally I find it hard to understand why when I can live in peace and quiet without the threat of having to leave every year, others see it ok to live under the threat of hoping there is no knock n the door, or when walking along past a prison thinking without reason or rhyme I could end up there, or without reason or rhyme on returning from a break, I hope I will be able to renew my tourist visa.

That's my views, no mention of any place, Country or any person, has promised!! Personally I think a person lives only where they can afford to live, no matter what!!

I may not agree with you MT - but genuine congratulations on a well laid out easy to read post with only one has instead of as and that in the last line.

[Dusak]

We have a choice in what we take note of on here, hope you understand that.