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[miltiades]

Spent 10 glorious days on Paradise island, although busy with refurbishing my apartment ready for my semi retirement in late June early July, had enough time time to spent with my Cypriot family and of course my 3 grandchildren.
Visited every morning the apovathra ( pier) at Enaerios, chatted and watched the fishermen eagerly trying time and time again to secure their ...lunch, listened to their views on the recent economic disaster, and upon their request I refrained from commenting on the fascinating sunrise when the early morning sun rays break through throwing their reflection on near bye glass door buildings, along a straight line on the blue sea, bursting with so much vigour and pride through isolated clouds in the sky ( where else !)
What a joy to watch the day unfold and feel the warmth of the early rays on your body.
After some work at the apartment on Saturday, my second day in Limassol, I ventured out early evening and visited a bar that I had previously been to some 3 years ago when a certain young lady worked there until I suggested in a no nonsense way that she should get her bag and come with me, after her boss was extremely rude to her for talking to an old boy whom she met earlier on in a supermarket. She is still with me by the way!!!

Some 7 or 8 years ago a handsome man walked into my business in London buying some catering sundries for a restaurant he was working at part time whilst studying in London.He paid for the goods with a debit card and I couldn't help noticing his Greek name. I spoke to him in Greek, he was rather pleased and after a short chat he departed saying that he would come the following day for some other sundries but first had to clear it with his boss at the Croydon restaurant where he worked as a Chef.
It was during the time that my late wife was spending considerable time in Hospital having treatment and after visiting her I would come back to an empty house spending my evenings on the CY Forum.
How was my visit to the Limassol bar have any connection with what I related above about Giorgos ( not his real name).
Well a great deal that I shall reveal later on today.
All that I can say is that such events very rarely occur, and when they do, you wonder if someone actually arranged them to happen...

[miltiades]

After meeting George a few times and sharing personal details, I invited to my home one evening where we had a few drinks a little meze, listened to Greek music and talked about Greece and Cyprus, he of course was from Greece, married and had two little children, a boy and a girl.He showed me pictures of his family, his children and his exceeding beautiful blond wife who apparently had grown up in Greece but was born in Russia,
He expressed his best wishes for my wife's recovery and he really came across as a genuine guy, a family man trying to finish his studies in the UK and return to Greece.
On another occasion he came to my house after I invited him and after a few drinks and a chat asked if he could "!skype" his home in Greece and talk to his wife and see his very young children.He explained that he did not have skype in his lodgings. He called his home and after a brief, husband and wife chat, he introduced me to his wife, we exchanged some pleasantries, she spoke exceedingly good Greek, in fact much better than my Greek.
George was 34 years old and his wife 29.
Over a period of some months we got together, a few drinks, a chat and he would always ask if he could use skype to call his wife and see his children, always very polite and always grateful for the friendship I had accorded to him.
A few months later George had finished his studies and was returning to Greece but not before exchanging wishes to meet up again in Greece or Cyprus.
It was in September of 2005 when I received a Greek originated text from , Maria ( not her real name)
that left me in complete shock and speechless. George had suffered a massive heart attack and passed away.
I offered my condolences and made her promise she would keep in touch and give me news of the children.
Periodically over the last years Maria would text me on festive days such as Xmas, New year Easter etc and I would respond.So 3 or 4 times a year Maria would contact me asking about my wife's health, she was so so nice and caring.
Contact became less frequent as time went on and had not heard from her for some time, although when my wife passed away I texted her the sad news and she responded offering her condolences.
Thats almost 4 years ago.
I will carry on later with the Bar I visited in Limassol, the very same bar that my Belurasian lady worked at

[miltiades]

As I walked into the Bar, having first ensured that the old miserable sod with whom some 3 years back, I remonstrated with because he was so rude to the young lady and to my self, was not around i took my seat at the bar and waited to be served. A stunningly gorgeous blond came to me and asked for my order, I ordered a bottle of red but could not help staring at this lady behind the bar and thinking where on earth do I know her from. Well you guessed it.
She brought me some cheese and carrots to go with my wine and spoke to me in fluent Greek, I had on entering the bar and ordering my wine address her in English since she was clearly not a Cypriot.
Do I know from somewhere she uttered, I thought because I had stared at her a few times she was about to reprimand me. I dont think so I replied in Greek, but I cant help feeling that I have seen you somewhere before, feeling rather uncomfortable as I said those words, typical pick up effort !!
Do you live in England she asked, yes I replied, she gave me a long searching look and asked which part, South London I replied. She paused before asking the next question, looked at me again and asked.
May I know your name please Sir. John I replied, explaining that my Cypriot name is Yiannis but everyone calls me John. She attentively and in a very female way adjusted her long blond hair, before asking me , are you Mr John,
Thats when it clicked. George always introduced me to her on skype as Mr. John and she always started her texts Mr John....
It was her, it was Maria, the wife of my late acquaintance George.
We talked at length, the bar was not that busy and she genuinely was so happy to meet me. She told me that she was having great financial difficulties in Greece due to the economic situation and like many Greeks she came to find work in Cyprus bringing along her two young children.
I will continue soon....

[miltiades]

We talked at length and I couldn't help wondering how long the new owner would take to intervene. It was a quite night and I also related my acquaintance with Marias late husband and how we came to meet for the first time in his Bar, bought him a drink and had another red for my self.
A very jovial character in his mid 50s who spent some time in England so by the end of the night we knew much about each other.
I ask Maria how the children were and she suggested I meet them the following day, Sunday, I agreed and set up up a time and a place near my apartment Enaerios area.
As I came to the end of my second bottle it was time to go home. Maria by that time had tears in her eyes and I must admit I too became emotional.
We met at 4pm the following day, Maria and her her two children and had a little snack and drinks.We talked at length and Maria repeatedly told me how much respect her late husband had for me and how happy she was to have met me.
She was a very warm hearted woman but could help but notice that she had a right sparkle in her eyes.
She told me that on Monday she was moving into a new two bed apartment, as her present lodgings were far from the children's school and totally inadequate for their needs.She further added that she would have moved in before but some money that was coming from Greece had been delayed and that she had to move out from her present lodgings first thing Monday morning.She prayed, she said, that her expected money would arrive by tomorrow.
She exhibited much affection towards me and repeatedly told her children that Mr John was a friend of their late father.
We stayed for just over two hours, said our goodbyes promising to meet again.
At about 11 am on Monday my phone rung and it was Maria. She sounded distressed almost crying and told me that her money would not be in Cyprus until the coming Friday. She apologised profusely and and asked if I could do her a big favour !!
1000 Euros for her deposit and one months rent in advance, a loan she said until Friday.
It was quite embarrassing for me just as I was sure it was for her. I knew her late husband for a brief period of time and I couldn't really say he was a very close mate, but I did like the guy.
I hesitated and then agreed to help out, after all she had two young children and had to be out and at her new apartment on Monday.
I arranged to meet her and handed over the money, 1000 euros. She clearly was grateful and remarked that George would have been so grateful too, repeating time and time again that Friday morning she would go to the bank and draw out the money and pay me back.
Now, Im not some old fool that falls for scummers or the charms of ladies, after all my own lady is very good looking and very young, but I genuinely did it for the children .
Maria took the money and invited me back to the Bar on Tuesday as she was having Monday off in order to move to her new flat.......to continue

[miltiades]

I couldn't make it on Tuesday so I popped in about 9.30 pm on Wednesday.
The owner was happy to see me and immediately offered me a drink, I couldn't ask for a bottle of wine so I said thanks, I will have a scotch, now and again a stiff scotch goes down well, and boy did I need it.
Where is Maria I asked. Didn't she tell you he replied? What I said.
She went back to Greece yesterday !!!!
Oh he said, her last day here was Sunday, apparently she couldn't make a go of it in Cyprus and returned to Greece!!!
Im surprised he said that she did not tell you, she was so overtly happy to see you ! I did not have the heart to tell him.
Well Maria, wherever you are good luck to you and I hope your children derive some benefit from the money you conned out of me....
To my late friend George, may you rest in peace . I hope that our short friendship at least gave your children a little comfort.
The moral of the story is that anyone can be conned regardless of age and experience given the right circumstances.
I tried calling Maria on her Cyprus and Greek number but ....

[B25]

Milti, there is no shame and do not let it trouble you. Just put it down to experience, knowing you did a good deed. You will go to heaven.

[CBBB]

At least he left out the part about arriving in Britain for the first time in 19.....!

[Get Real!]

And the moral of this story… avoid Greeks like the plague!

[B25]

She was Russian re!

[Get Real!]

She was Russian re!

his children and his exceeding beautiful blond wife who apparently had grown up in Greece but was born in Russia,

If you grew up in Greece, were married to a Greek and living in Greece... it's a duck!