It began as a very solitary time.  My first impressions of the accommodation weren’t good if I’m honest. The place is like something out of a spooky horror movie. Built in the 30’s, derelict almost, left how it was when the previous owners had it as a hotel.  Everything is covered in dust and it’s being quite badly neglected. On my first night there were no other students here, only the shy caretaker/ resident artist Pete, he’s lovely it turns out. He went out and left me on my own in my dingy little super dusty room with a bulging ceiling from water damage and blankets that were like they’d been kept in a spider infested shed for 5 years.  I managed to sleep just about, and when i awoke to daylight, it all seemed a lot more pleasant.

Saturday was the market day in the car park. Lot’s of yummy veg and fruit.  It was very tempting to overbuy, but seeing as I’m only cooking for me I had to be careful not to overdo it.  You can buy hummus with pitta from a cafe type place for  €1.50, so I had that for lunch, yum.

It’s strange to think of Britain being so cold. I’ve been lucky so far in that it hasn’t rained yet.  Unusual apparently for this time of year.  Yesterday afternoon I did some gardening at Harry’s Inn ( the place I’m staying in).  It had become quite overgrown so I couldn’t resist tidying it up and rescuing the pot plants that had been swamped by the marauding foliage. Slowly but surely the place is becoming a pleasure to be in.

I think I will get a lot out of being here.  It’s not as idyllic as Lempa, the place i went to last time, but that could be to my advantage.  Less distractions.

Larnaca is very very different to Paphos, and Cyprus seems different to when i last visited. More modern and affluent. Saying that, as you’d expect, if you wonder off out of the centre, everything gets more interesting.  The college studios are in the ‘old town’.  Here it is romantically dilapidated, crumbling balconies etc.  I got lost on the way to the studios on my first day and as I was photographing said romantic scenery, a man called me into his bakery/cafe place ” come in, come in ! “, I found myself obeying him, nervously.  He kissed me on the cheeks wishing me “happy new year” and offered me brandy.  I said i had to go as i needed to get to the college and he gave me two obviously just picked from a tree oranges, and a banana.  I assured him I would be back, I haven’t yet.

I have made a friend in a black cat called Midnight who took to me immediately.. he won’t give me any peace..  I am scratching the itches as I type.

It is quite expensive here because of the weak pound against the euro. I am on the hunt for cheaper food.

Walked all the way to a supermarket on Wednesday that was 27 mins away in the boily heat with a rucksack on my back, through the most horrid part of this city… disused strip clubs, massive roads… multi-story hotels and offices, only to find it was closed due to a public holiday.  I’m doing a lot of walking, my poor legs hurt.  I’m sure I will get very fit.

I have been shown a nice little local place to eat, not too expensive but not cheap either. I’ve checked out the charity shops, they should help.

Mostly I have been taking photos of this place and settling in. I managed to do some drawings of objects last night but nothing exciting. Small steps