Books'nSundries

     We have moved around so much in our lives that we are doing less traveling now than ever. Shirley isn't particularly interested in travel anymore, but I still have some itches in this regard that I would like to scratch. For what it may be worth, I will share some general information on two of the trips I am planning, which is a round-the-world trip on a freighter and an extended stay on the island of Cyprus   For now though, these are just pleasant thoughts. I have done extensive research on both of these, and if you have any interest, you can have benefit of some of it here.
                                                                                          ...Tony Miller
►UPDATE!
     Since beginning this page I have spent more than 5 years in Southeast Asia (still there), mostly Thailand. Please click on these links for an accounting of some "rousing experiences" I had the first three months (been too busy to write anymore, but soon I hope), and to see the 1400+ photos I took.

FIRST:

First off, for those just arriving at this ill-defined and much-maligned milestone of life called "Senior Citizens", we will help you find some useful information we all need to begin thinking about at some point:

* Or call:   1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227)
                 Press 1 to sign up for Medicare, change your address, etc.
                 Press 2 for info on Medicaid programs and phone numbers of your
                      local Medicaid Offices.
                 Press 3 to find out how Doctor and Hospital bills are paid.
                 Press 4 to order publications about Medicare
                 Press 5 to find out the status of your Medicare Coverage
                 Press 0 to speak to a customer representative

* U. S. Dept. of Health and Human Services
Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services
7500 Security Blvd., Baltimore, Maryland, 21224-1850

You can check out how some of your old mouldy money is doing here:

MoneyCentral Stock Quote

Enter Symbol(s)

The RHODES CAR: (We thought you might find this interesting)
(Click to enlarge the photo)

   Here is a graphic of a Rhodes Car, a thing which we think is pretty neat. I have not tried one, but it appears to me to have definite possibilities for us "retarded" folk. They are set up so that all passengers can assist pedaling if they wish. Though apparently extremely easy to pedal (they have up to 36 speed gearing), such as this should give some good exercise to seniors needing it (which is most of us). And too, the possibility of a little income apparently exists according to their brochure (giving rides at parades, county fairs, mobile home retirement parks, getting groceries and running errands for shut-ins at retirement villages and mobile home parks, etc).
     They come in four passenger, three, two and even one passenger, and many extra accessories are available, including head and tail lights, steering wheel, top covers, solid wheels, different gearing, and more. I have considered establishing a retirement place in Florida in a mobile home park to spend a few months of the year at, and the ones I have looked into would almost all be perfect places to have one of these things, and a regular automobile would not really be necessary.
    Here is the link to their website:

* "Four out of five politicians surveyed prefer unarmed, ignorant peasants."
-- (most survey participants did not sign the form)

     This is a rather unique "trailer park" retirement club, with what I feel are some compelling aspects, and I describe it as a good example of a nice and fairly economical way to "retire" to Florida (or anywhere for that matter). Although it suits us personally to a "T", admittedly it is not for everyone. I have visited it twice and continue to be interested in it but as yet have not been able to pull the trigger on it. (The grandchildren don't like the idea too much).
     It is located in Palmetto, Florida, a small town sandwiched in between the huge Tampa/St.Petersburg metropolitan area (just across Tampa Bay) and the Bradenton/Sarasota areas. Everything imaginable is accessible in 30 minutes driving time including professional football and baseball games (I stay far away from such), but within walking distance of the facility can be found restaurants, grocery stores, drug stores and other stores, doctor's and dentist offices, and a posh marina with access to the Gulf. Here are my impressions and what I have found out about it:
     There are approximately 450 mobile homes here, which range in price (when available) from around $6,000 to 60,000. Most of them however are in the area of 30 years old +(-), and are from 8 to 12 feet wide and about 28 to 40 feet long. They are ALL however, in perfect condition, it being a requirement of membership, and all have a separate metal roof over them. The drives are narrow but perfectly maintained, the yards are small but immaculately manicured, there are attached carports and utility rooms at each one and most of them have a "Florida Room" added and attached also. The club grounds and utilities are well-maintained as a part of the nominal monthly fee required. There is a nice fishing lake around which are many of the homes, an office building and a large Recreational Building with ample parking which has ping-pong and pool tables, game rooms, large auditorium with stage, and a fully equipped kitchen. TV cable, phone, electricity etc. are the responsibility of the residents.
    One does not own his lot, all are held in joint ownership by the club itself, membership being required to purchase a home in the facility, which are all owned by the residents and on which they pay personal property taxes. All aspects of the facility is governed by the member/residents who elect a board of trustees to handle the business of the club. Board members run for election to these positions, and are charged among other duties, with accepting or rejecting new applicants to the club. All members and spouses must be over 55 years of age, and cannot rent out their homes or hold regular jobs, such being disruptive to the purpose - retirement. However family members of any age can come and stay whatever time they want, and children are especially welcome.
    Residents range from 55 to as old as Methuslah, and more than half live there the year around. Bingo is enjoyed weekly by residents as well as outsiders, and this place has as good a shuffleboard facility with bleachers as any in the state - in fact it is usually where the state championships are held each year. There are organized groups/clubs for tournaments and just about any other interest one can have including, travel, bicycling, card games, sailing, tennis and more.
     Although suited for those of limited means, many who live there are very wealthy - they just choose to live simply and unpretentiously.   The facility is one of the very few such facilities extant, and is economical because it was one of the original such member-owned parks in the state, it being grandfathered in, decades ago. The Liberal Democrats who controlled the Legislature "outlawed" them because they long since figured out many other and better ways of fleecing retirees of their retirement funds for use in their political agendas.
    The big downside for me is the tremendous number of people who live in this huge metro-plex area of Florida. It would surely take a week or more of bumper to bumper crawling to vacate the area if a hurricane threatened, though none has ever hit that part of Florida that I know of.
                                                               ...© Emil T. Miller (Tony miller)
                                                                         (Click here for AUTHOR'S BIO)

I was looking at a very nice, informative, Computer/Internet oriented site today, one that has some cutting edge, Avant Guarde offerings. The nice looking lady (well, gorgeous) who operates the site, Kim Komando, who bills herself as "America's Digital Goddess", has an excellent national radio show with informative advice on computers/computing/internet, etc, and a regular spot on TV as well.
She has a "page of thoughts" on her site. She says she wants to be more in touch with her viewers whose interaction has made her site into what it is, and for them to know her better. I thought such a thing would come off as an ego trip on her part, but it did not. I really enjoyed reading her "thoughts", and do now feel that I know a nice person a lot better. Raising her little boy appears to be the main focus of her life - as well it should be. She seems to be a decent, down to earth gal and she has just landed a regular spot on CNN to discuss the things her site is known for. Her very informative site is worth a look see:

http://www.komando.com/

And so below, along these lines and just for fun, I will try some "thoughts" of my own occasionally, just as they come to me. They might be interesting (or not), and you can make of them what you will. You will know me a little better, and if you write me back with some of your thoughts I will know you better as well (that would make us Cyberfriends, n'est ce pas?) Try these thoughts:

          Occasional moodiness is one of my great failings, and in a quiet, somber moment the other day, with a certain song playing softly in the background, I looked back over my life, reviewing it critically, and ticking off things I would change. Or correct. If I could.
     There were a few grievous and hurtful things I would surely correct, and yet there were many other seemingly insignificant little things as well, which become rather obscure in the larger mosaic of life. It was some of these latter that came to mind for the first time in years. One in particular. Not earth-shaking but I don't know if "mistake" or "regret" is the more correct description. They both seem to fit.
          Some years ago I was in the U. S. Army at Fort Ord, California. It was on the Wast coast near Monterey, Seaside, Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach, Salinas, - that area you know, and it was fabulous back then. I made many good memories there at that time, and yet I should have made many more. I did not treat or indulge myself nearly as much as most guys did, because I was a guy in a hurry. You know, places to go, things to do, a mark to be made in life. Having been raised in a home with much sickness resulting in deep poverty, I passed right on by most of the roses of those days without a sniff, just bidding my time, saving my money, waiting to get out of the Army and back to the good job I had waiting and to the corporate ladder I intended to climb as quickly as possible. For that place and those times I really was a rather "Kewl Dude" with more high-minded interests and pastimes than most guys (or so I thought). I would be happier these years later though, to have not been in such a hurry and remained there a few more months, spent a little more money, and smelled a few more roses. Roses, like life you know, flower only briefly then pass away, never to be seen or enjoyed again. And I can see now, that both slipped away from me a little too much in those days.

          The climate was fabulous and girls numerous.   There were the beautiful sandy beaches, the emerald green ocean with brilliant white-topped waves, the profusion of purple flowers which Pacific Grove and that whole area was known for, the beautiful Pebble Beach Golf Course (click to enlarge this photo of the 12th hole) on which I played a few rounds occasionally, my favorite, swank beach hotel and tennis before breakfast every weekend, shrimp, oysters and steak with fresh marinated artichoke hearts from nearby Salinas (the "Artichoke capitol of the world") eaten in a glass-floored restaurant built out over the ocean with the waves rolling shoreward underneath. And there was a glass of wine with the romance of the ages in it as I looked across the table into the mysterious, candle-lit, blue-green eyes of a certain sweet, breathtakingly beautiful girl. After dinner there was quiet, intimate conversation and slow-dancing at Sinbad's until 3 AM. It all made for an exotic playground for a young man from the deep South who had suddenly it seemed, come into his own, and caught the eye of more pretty girls than he had ever thought existed.  Ah, those were the days my friend - I thought they'd never end.
     "A Summer Place", the original Percy Faith version, is the the tune that always brings those days flooding vividly back to me.   There was a big beautiful house perched above the ocean on that side of the beach highway about 15 miles north of Monterey on Highway 1. Those times, that girl, that house, the view from it and the warm sand of the beach below it always jumps into my mind when I hear that tune - and for good and sweet reason, although the summer place in the movie was actually on the East coast.
          Yet I never think of these things without a little tinge of regret. Without remembering my biggest little mistake of those halcyon days.
          There was a white Jaguar single-seater at a dealership in Monterey. I mooned over that car. It had a big powerful engine, a real wood (mahogany) dashboard, tan, real leather upholstery, four on the floor, and all the bells and whistles. It was only 2 years old, and that car was in mint condition. For that area and that time, that car was the absolute ultimate in avant "kewl", and I rented one like it on certain long weekends. I had the money to pay cash and buy that car. But I didn't buy that car. That was my mistake. And now my regret. I should have bought that car. I deserved that car. My good Army buddies deserved to cat around with me in that car. And the far too few nice girls I allowed into my life at that time deserved to be seen flitting about town with me in that car.
                 Oh well...                               ...Tony                               (Click here for AUTHOR'S BIO)

     My interest in freighter travel stems from a time early in life when I shipped out for a few months as a wiper on an old "Rusty Bucket" in the late 1950's. This job was the lowest paid, dirtiest, roughest, hardest job there was on such a ship back in those days, but it was all new and interesting to a young "lubber" like me, and I hardly knew the difference anyway. To me it was all a challenging adventure, with time to spend in ports of call that ranged from wonderful and exotic to some of the worst hell-holes of the world. It was these experiences which led me, in this later life, to write my book: THE JADE MONKEY.
     There are pitifully few such vessels still in operation today, and none that I know of with registry in this country, as I rudely found out 4 or 5 years ago. To begin with, ocean-going freight is all containerized and computerized these days, and except for a relative few bulk material haulers such as grain and kaolin, this trade is overwhelmingly dominated by Container Ships, or "Contships" for short, and the "RoRo's" (roll on, roll off for autos), along with the ubiquitous and heavy-handed Maritime Unions. What I wanted was to take another working voyage aboard a freighter and during my off time, work on an adventure / mystery novel I had in mind, centered around ocean-going freighters and some shady activities of certain ones I knew of back in the 1950's (including the one I was on).
      I got my face laughed in. In the first place as few as 6 to 8 people crew the big Contships of today, whereas it took 15 to 30 back then, and on ships of far less size. Everything is computerized and automated, global positioning navigation systems and automatic steering make a snap of getting from one port to the other, and all that is needed is a few guys to keep an eye on things, push the buttons, and to cook the meals, etc. In the second place the *#% Maritime Unions dominate the hiring just as as back when I had my run-in with them - only they now have a even tighter strangle-hold. No one gets a job on a freighter without "knowing Joe" and/or a pay-off of some sort one way or the other to the union fat cats, and if any of them who read this takes issue with it they can contact me - I am ready willing and able to go right to work but without the baggage I figure to be prerequisite. I don't expect to have any offers.
     A person with any useful skills or trade (or even without) would have a better chance shipping out on a big cruise ship, or if you are an experienced sailor, on one of the few remaining "tall" sailing ships catering to that crowd. The cruise ships have a certain turnover of cooks, servers, maintenance personnel, clerks, cabin stewards, electricians, office workers, ombudsmen, entertainers, and activity supervisors, all having to do with the passengers and their quarters, but you can forget about anything to do with operating or maintaining the ship itself. I have cruised on these big ships and enjoyed it at the time, but wouldn't give a plugged nickel to do so ever again. But that's just me.
     Back to freighters, as I said, they are a totally different kettle of fish these days, but they are far less expensive to take a voyage on for obvious reasons. Don't think they are dirty and grimy like the one I shipped out on early in my life either. Everything is almost immaculate, and most of the actual maintenance work and cleaning takes place in port and is mostly done by others (in different unions).
    There are several things you should know about modern Contships. All of them now have a few very nice staterooms which will accommodate at least 10 to 12 passengers, some more, some less. All of them have nice Owner's Suites which can be scheduled at the price of little more than a regular stateroom (sometimes the same price), except for the times the actual owners are using them, which seems to be rather seldom. There are even some large Contships which feature most of the things found on the big cruise ships, just smaller and less of it. A few even have a casino, a movie theater, a "night club" with entertainment and another bar or two, swimming pool, and all that sort of stuff, but there are very few such ships.
     All meals on Contships are taken at the Captain's table with he and the other officers of the ship. These are usually the high points of the day, and enjoyed by all. The meals are prepared by a professional cook using the best and choicest foods available, and are as good and tasty as on the cruise ships, just less of a choice (no other choice in fact). They have impromptu parties and barbeques together frequently, and do such hi-jinks as one would expect at such parties ashore. The ships' officers and Captain spend their off hours in the same ways that you will, and in the same places, especially in the lounge and library in the evenings. They get as big a bang out of meeting and getting to know you as you do them. In a manner of speaking, you are their entertainment since you break their monotony from voyage to voyage, and most of them are always ready for good times and good conversation. The cabins are cleaned and serviced daily and the table is waited professionally, usually by Filipinos who appear to dominate these positions. There is always a nice lounge where drinks are served in the evenings (serve yourself during the day), and one can do what one does in such places (I myself do not imbibe).   There are DVD's and/or VCR's in the rooms and always a large selection of current and other movies to watch. A small library with many good books to read is provided, and convenient washers and dryers are available for doing your laundry. Deck chairs are provided and on most ships shuffleboard can be enjoyed. Some Contships have a small swimming pool as well.
     Freighter passengers basically have the run of the ship with only a few areas off limits for safety's sake, and it is very interesting to poke around the ships. Visits to the "Pilot House" is seldom denied, and the Captain will usually let you stand before the steering console and pretend you are steering the ship. That's about all he does anyway. He might even let you punch a button to start a turn if you are there at the right time and are lucky. The thing is, after a few days all the passengers and crew meld into one fairly intimate and congenial group, and before the voyage is ended you will learn things about each other that you had probably just as soon not know. But all in all you part as would a big happy family.
     Also you should know that age is never much of a consideration. They will take you at just about any age as long as you are in reasonable health, but single accommodations can cost a premium from high to modest. Here again, this is far less of a consideration on Contships, also because any time there are vacancies the extra charge is dropped or prorated accordingly. This occurs fairly frequently I am told, and passengers might embark or leave the ship at any port of call, creating or filling a vacancy. I understand their brochures state that such premiums will not apply unless they are fully booked. Another thing to know is that in case of less days at sea than advertised, proper credit will be given and likewise more charged if there are more days. This is especially applicable in the case of tramp freighters.
     In port it is very interesting to watch the automated precision with which the containers are off-loaded and more are on-loaded and secured. But because this operation is so efficient these days, there is seldom more than just a few hours available to enjoy the sights of the ports of call, unless some problem of delay is encountered, which happens from time to time. For most people this is a big drawback and it is especially so for me, because I like to get out amongst the people and see the sights. Therefore my plans are to take a trip on one of the few remaining bulk carriers since most of them are "tramps", and they usually stay in port from at least a day to sometimes several days. "Tramp" freighters go from port to port wherever they can get a load, with only a general itinerary, and one never knows exactly what ports will be visited, how long the voyage will last, how many ports it will go to, or exactly when it will get back to your port of embarkation. And in some cases you may not even get back to where you boarded the ship and will have to make travel arrangements to get back home from some faraway place on your own. You got to be loosey-goosey to travel on such ships, and that is just what kind of guy I am. And too, bulk carriers have fewer amenities than the others, but that doesn't bother me in the least. I guess the most attractive thing to me about the tramps are all these things and the fact that they are the most economical freighters to ship out on. Okay. So that makes me a cheapskate. Que sera, sera.
     To sum up, although freighter travel is right up my alley, it is not for everyone. The accommodations are nice enough, but activities and amenities are limited to virtually non-existent. If lazy days lounging in deck chairs, smelling the salty air, looking at the ocean and the sunrises and sunsets, playing cards and such, joking around with the other passengers and crew, reading, writing letters, (or books), watching DVD and VCR movies, and sleeping a lot is not your cup of tea, then you best not consider a voyage on a freighter.

                                                           ...© Emil T. Miller (Tony Miller)
                                                                                         (Click here for AUTHOR'S BIO)

I urge you to consider what I believe to be the very best newspaper in the country:


          TheWashingtonTimes-National Weekly Edition
                                     http://www.AmericasNewspaper.com

This excellent newspaper, published in Washington, D.C., is arguably the nation's foremost newspaper of record. Their National Weekly Edition costs little more than a dollar a week - only $59.95 for a full year. Coming in the mail once a week, it is a compendium of all the major World, National, and State news and articles which have appeared that week in their daily papers, along with articles from the more notable syndicated columnists, blurbs about the Hollywood Elite and their antics, inside the Beltway social doings and gossip, new book reviews, etc. The paper is editorially Conservative, but its articles are straightforward, without bias or slant, is non-selective and otherwise without agenda. It gives ALL the news ALL the time, the straight skinny without leaning right or left, and it keeps me up to date and completely informed at all times. I often quote from this paper in the articles I write, and it is one of the few that I have on occasion been able to get something of my own carried as an Op-Ed. When I was introduced to this paper some years ago, I cancelled 5 magazine subscriptions as well as my local and Nashville newspapers because I received far more true and unbiased information in it than all the rest of the left-leaning, agenda-driven publications combined. Unaltered truth and facts are what I require, and I highly recommend this newspaper!
                                                                                                      ...ETM

I will comment first about the Greek (southern) portion of the island, since in 1974 the Turks invaded and took over the northern half due to their belief that the Cypriots of Turkish extraction were being oppressed and hounded by those of Greek descent and who were backed by Greece. This is the situation as it still stands today, the dividing line being watched over by the United Nations. In recent days however, the news is that accord has been reached and that the island will again be whole over a certain schedule of time and as certain pre-conditions are met.

     I became interested in the balmy Mediterranean island of Cyprus as a result of my studies of World History over some years. This island is known as the "cradle of civilization" and its recorded history goes back some 12,000 years. It is the legendary birthplace of Aphrodite the mythical Greek goddess of love, who is said to have been "born out of the froth of the sea" at a certain point on the shore where there is a big rock. She is said to have lived in a non-existent castle in a small town nearby which you can visit. Many old and ancient Greek and Roman ruins exist on the island and can be examined along with some museums, things I dearly love to do. Saint Paul was shipwrecked on this island and it is the final resting place of one of Jesus' disciples, I can't remember which one. Cyprus was conquered in 1191 by Richard the Lionhearted, king of England, and it is is where he married Berengaria of Navarre (called Genevieve in some accounts). The remains of his castle is still there as well, and you can stand looking out the very window were Genevieve stood watching her lover ride up from his ship on the coast - and also where they both stood and watched the jousting matches of his Knights Templar on the grounds below, during the time of the Third Crusade which he led.
     Because of Aphrodite of Greek mythology, the Cypriots make a significant industry of enticing young couples there to be married. Posh accoutrements, accessories and accommodations for this purpose are to be had in abundance and more reasonably priced than one would expect. Tourist accommodations and amenities to fit almost any taste and pocketbook can be found along the beaches and seaside towns. Out of a total population of about 700,000 there are about 70,000 British expatriates living on Cyprus and the island is a magnet for those Brits able to relocate there and live independently. It being very close to the Middle East there are also a number of people from those countries on Cyprus as well. In fact for a modest amount one can take a three-day trip by ship from the Cyprus port of Limmisol to Egypt, Israel and Syria to see the pyramids and all the museums and things there are to see in Cairo as well as in Israel, and tour the Holy Land and Jerusalem. And for the even more stout of heart one can go on to Syria. But as an American one would have to use much caution there (I myself have lost nothing in Syria in any case), which would also apply to only a little lesser extent in Egypt. Such facts only whet my appetite for taking this trip.
    There is a British naval base on the south side of the island near Limmisol, a large city with a busy deepwater port. There is something for everyone on Cyprus. For the risque, the eastern end of the island in and around Ayia Napa is lacking nothing decadent or immoral known to mankind. It is the modern day Sodom and Gomorrah and anything and everything goes there. Night clubs are said to be hopping every night all night with notable entertainment nightly, and currently this place is the primary gathering place for the Jet Set looking for the latest in "garage". It is correctly assumed that anyone going there goes solely for the purpose of carousing, drinking and unrestrained, uninhibited sex.   I shun such areas like the plague.
     Fortunately one can live on Cyprus and never have go near that area. About any accommodation and fancy restaurant one could want are to be found along the coastal towns and villages and in all the touristy areas, but just a short drive inland from any point one finds many small villages where the friendly Cypriot people live and go about their lives just as they have for hundreds of years. They are known for their fine lace (the Vatican gets theirs here), decorative metalwork, and vineyards. They are a friendly people, very family and children oriented, and 90%+ of them speak English as well as Greek, making Cyprus a good place for family vacations or even to live. The social lives of the locals revolve around their local "tavernas" where they and their wives and children go especially on the weekends for special meals featuring dishes of local favorites called a "metz" which can be had for about 3 British pounds (their currency is tied to the English pound sterling), which be currently about $4.98 American. These consist of all you can eat of about 22 different and tasty meat and seafood dishes and including the locally made wine (very good I'm told) which is served with all meals much like a glass of water is served here in the U. S. - they bring it whether you ask for it or not, and keep the glass filled. They also have a beer brewed on the island called Keo, if that is your choice (I am a teetotaler), which the Brits absolutely rave over, and is to be had for chump change.
    These village tavernas have live local music and dancing especially on the weekends, even in the smallest of villages, and good times are had by these people in a family atmosphere. My sources tell me that few tourists go to these places in the inland villages, but aside from the weather and historical aspects of the island, such is part and parcel of why I want to go there. I have always had an abiding interest in meeting people of other countries, customs and cultures, sampling their food, etc., and I always try to reside among them and interact with the local, common every day people of whatever place I find myself.
     In the center of the island are the Troodoos Mountains, 5,000 to 6,000 feet high, which have snow in the winter months and a nice ski resort, making Cyprus unique in that one can go skiing in the morning and go swimming in the Mediterranean in the afternoon! The air is low in humidity, the climate is temperate, and many people living there have no heating or air conditioning in their homes whatsoever. There is fresh water fishing in the four largest lakes, and deep-sea fishing from just about any coastal town or village. One can also rent a horse and go exploring in the mountains and other areas. There is little crime on Cyprus since there is nowhere to hide and the few ways of ingress and egress are controlled very well. Firearms are not demonized there as it is attempted to do in the U.S, and there are even a few ranges where one can go and enjoy the shooting sports.
    The west end of the island is where most of the Brits have congregated to live, though they are all over. I have a great British email pal there who happens to be apparently the most prominent Brit on the island in the sense that most of them look to him for good solid Cyprus information and also because he is held in high esteem among them. I have emailed with others and they all know and speak highly of him. He is a wealthy guy but nice, and he spent 30 years as the Royal Family's representative to the Prime Minister. His office was actually at No.10 Downing Street, the Prime Minister's residence. It is from him I have gotten much of the large amount of information I have about Cyprus. He has just built a big nice villa at Paphos, a fair sized coastal town on the west end of the island, and he sent pictures of it.
     The island has all the luxuries and amenities of life that we have here in the U.S.   Great quality satellite TV is available, accessing scads of channels through SKY TV, Englands' big conglomerate. Private phone lines cost about 8 bp a month ($13 US), water costs $80 a year, dial-up internet connections are $4 a month and electricity is about $36 a month last I heard. Many people there only have their cell phones which work great there. Cars on the island, even older used ones, are expensive, but you can go any where on the island by taxi or van inexpensively, and the climate is so good that one could make do on a Mo-Ped if necessary. As near as I can tell the overall cost of living there is about 85 or 90% of what it costs us to live here in Middle Tennessee.
      I figure we could live there renting a small villa (about $250 per month) on our SS income providing we watched our P's and Q's. A small villa on the interior and away from the beaches and tourist areas would cost roughly $70,000 now, but it is breathtaking how fast real estate is appreciating there. Things were on hold due to their close proximity to the Iraq war, but are taking off again now I understand.
      For a long time I have dreamed of either owning a villa there or renting one for a few months of the year, but haven't been able to pull the trigger on it due to not wanting to be so far away from our children and grandchildren. It really wouldn't make sense that far away without living there year round unless we partnered with another couple in joint ownership.   I have done this several times over the years on property in Texas and Florida and it always worked out fine. We both made money when we sold, but Shirley and I don't know anyone around here that would be interested.
     There are other considerations as to living on Cyprus; some downsides as well, in addition to family separation. Airfare to and from, while reasonable now, has been and can still be awfully expensive. Another consideration is the surprising fact that the huge British expatriate community there will not all accept Americans evenhandedly. Until I delved into Cyprus as a possible retirement haven I had a pronounced affinity for the English - they being our mother country and all, but I have since been forced to change my view of them completely. As near as I can determine, about 72% of the people of England (and more than that it seems like on Cyprus) hate Americans about as much as the French do, and most of the rest don't like us very much. Of course they can give no credible reason other than not liking the fact that we are currently the worlds superpower militarily and have a larger economy than theirs. It can't be because of our cultural deficiencies (which are many and getting worse), because theirs are worse than ours (Muslims are entirely justified in criticizing both of us in that regard in my opinion), and the Brits are much farther over into the decadent abyss of Socialism than we are. They can't even defend themselves in their own homes nowadays without being prosecuted by the authorities for doing so. Indeed they have had their firearms outlawed and are virtually at the mercy of criminals, resulting in a far higher crime rate than in the United States and climbing, which makes one understand why 70,000+ have emigrated to Cyprus, with more who are financially able, flocking there and other places every year. Since I live by The Duke's motto (you can see it on this website) I wouldn't feel compelled to put up with any nonsense, so this stuff wouldn't bother me, and I don't need the company of such as them anyway. Indeed I don't associate with anyone who doesn't meet me on an even and square basis, but such as that would bother my wife and why subject her to such nonsense.
     None of this is to say there are not a few good, friendly, pro-American Brits living on the island, I must hasten to add. My Brit E-Pal friend I believe to be one of these and I have emailed with a few others living there. But I monitor (lurk) some of their discussion boards and have gotten a pretty accurate reading on what most of them think of us and say about us amongst themselves. You can believe me when I say it is NOT nice.
     All that considered, the sharp edge of my desire to live on Cyprus has dulled considerably (I'm sure the Brits would be happy to hear it), but I am still thinking of going for a few weeks at some point, renting an apartment or villa, and seeing first hand what it would be like living there.
     As to the TRNC (Turkish Republic of North Cyprus), it is as great a place as the southern portion (for my tastes, much more so), it is much more economical to visit or to live, but less developed and with fewer amenities and a significantly lower level of quality and service as to their infrastructure and utilities. The locals there are about as friendly as in the south I am told, and the beaches are much more pristine and less frequented, some even wonderfully remote. There is no danger of hostilities breaking out again, since Turkey is suing hard for admittance into the European Union and so must maintain good relations with Greece who has been a member for some time. The two have long been at odds but now find themselves with mutual interests and goals, since Greece wants the island to be re-united and for the Turkish soldiers to leave, and Turkey wants into the EU. As to vacationers and expatriates, the biggest problem that has existed since 1974 is the fact that although people from either the north or the south can freely visit back and forth across the dividing line they call the "Green Line", a thing called a "day pass", good for only a few daylight hours, must be obtained.   One can go anywhere in the TRNC, but you have to be back across the line by 5:00 in the afternoon or the Turks will be right ugly to you. This applies to everyone, visitors and citizens alike.
     If any of you go to Cyprus, please email me all about it.

                                                            ...© Emil T. Miller (Tony Miller)
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     I guess you can tell by now, if you have suffered... er, surfed this far into our site, that I, like Popeye, am a rather eccentric character. 69 years young (Update: 73 years old and still young), stout enough and in reasonably good health, I also admit to being tenderhearted as well as sometimes outspoken, opinionated, and even a little cantankerous, but I always try hard to be friendly. Although I am somewhat of a recluse, I have a thirst for knowledge and will talk your ears off if you let me. I enjoy people and love to explore their minds to see what what they think and why they think it, which sometimes gets me into trouble because some don't like that. Otherwise I am harmless and lay claim to a tender, compassionate and romantic heart. My wife on the other hand, never meets a stranger, and has none of the deficiencies I have. Come again and visit us, our family, and our friends here on this "eclectic" site.
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NOTE: For a compelling article about our sad contemporary situation in America today, click on the page link: FEATURED ARTICLE for this edition. (We fear not only for our well-being, preservation of capital and piece of mind, but especially for our children who will have to live with the consequences of what all is afoot in our country and in its' legal system today, which now threatens the very Republic itself...)

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