Kibkom North Cyprus Forum

Travelling around numerous villages here, and seeing the vast amount of work being done to make the villages beautiful, I must say that since Girne has taken control of Ozanköy it is looking decidedly scruffy, compared to Çatalköy and others. When was the last time we saw improvements around the village or even the mosquito vehicle spraying our village. Come on Girne spend some money on our village.

Ah! But have you driven up the Bellapais roundabout to Dream Castle Road into Ozankoy recently? Big changes and lots of work going on there. New pavements and pipelines. Road is in a bit of state at the moment though.

As for the Mossie machine, haven't seen it at all this year, any where in the village area!

We are in Alsancak, and great new pavements going in by Marie's Bar and the Golden Lady - but what for. They flal off into nothing, or a telephone box so no good for prams, wheelchairs etc. Talk about going nowherejust for show! I like it rural!

However, get up into our village, and no one has any idea of village beauty. Suits me in a way, as I can keep down with the Jones and not worry about appearances, - suits me, but to be fair the water lorry is up every day so we have the essentials! Appearances is more down to the individual home owners, and we do get the occasional road sweeper. But to be fair, with only so much labour, it seems that the Mayor is concentrating on priorities, and he is going ot put a play park in the village (which may well not be used, but will look good!). I do think they do their bvest, and as I say, limited funds and limited labour, means not doing what everyone would like. Have you checked with the Belediye office to see what their long term p0lans are. The Mayor of Alsancak has issued a booklet showing what is to be done. Very impressive,e but will probably take a couple of years to get it all done. Maybe there are plans for Ozankoy.

Owl Lady wrote:As for the Mossie machine, haven't seen it at all this year, any where in the village area!

Maybe as their breeding grounds ( stagnant water) is in such short supply - everywhere being dry as a bone - they don't feel the need to spray - I must say here in Esentepe it's months since I've seen a mozzie! (Hussar!)

We have had regular spraying where I live above Catalkoy village.

Same for us re the moggie spray, we are Catalkoy seaside and see it often. We are also in the process of having a new kids park rebuilt with over half completed, it had the metal slide and old fashioned swings, so now its plastic and modern, its taking a long time though, haven't seen anyone working on it for over 3 weeks.

I am right above the "Lake" in Ozankoy, not many people even know it exists .It has an official sign on it. Gelin Deresi Gol, pretty green railings around it. Admittedly it has been dry since mid May, but had about 2.5 metres of water until then. Mossies by the millions, could not leave my hall light on and even then wall to wall mossies. Not a sprayer in sight,the odd worker would go around the lake with a handful of some powder, that was it! They probably thought the frog population would solve the problem.
Thought I had gone deaf when the frogs went, but they will be back, when the rains come and the mossies!!

It defineately seems we are the poor neighbours to Çatalköy, they pay less for their water and get 10 ton a month where we only get 5 ton, what is it with Girne? It was never like this when we had our own Muhtar. Bring back our Muhtar.

No mozzie spraying in Karsiyaka (so far) this year.

I understood all mosquito spraying had been stopped , the spray they used has been found to have health risks, not only to mosquitoes

Catalkoy do not use the old style mossie spray, I asked about it and the new style is not a healt hazzard - well not to people and animals anyway!! Did you not get a new Muhtar in Ozankoy following the latest round of elections? Doubt the old one got it again as last I heard he was still waiting to go to court over a traffic accident outside Erdener Market. At least you have had some new tarmak put down where the sharp bend becomes a lake after the rain, its one step forward.

Same Muhtar, Ozankoy, Mustafa Irtem and still waiting!.

Ozanköy does not have a Muhtar any more we are controlled from Girne, yes Girne as far as I know have a new Mayor. New water pipes and pavements on one road, you think that makes a difference? I don't the village is looking very sad compared to neighbouring villages, ( Çatalköy & Doganköy )

Carbotec.

Ozankoy DOES have a Mukar, I voted for in in the elections a couple of weeks ago.
Yes Ozankoy does come under Girne but we still have the Muktar the office is in the centre of the village.

Thanks Karmels, thought I was cracking up!!!

Carbotec wrote: the village is looking very sad compared to neighbouring villages, ( Çatalköy & Doganköy )

I beg to differ on Dogankoy -one little place which has completely changed, the people who live there seem to have no respect for where to place their rubbish, it made us feel better as we thought we lived in *hit street and that is off the centre of Catalkoy. We may have new pavements but until the people living on this Island accept responsibility for their actions places will look sad. Why when placing several lemar bags of rubbish in the street is ok in their minds is beggars belief to me but I suppose it saves them 9tl for black bags. But please leave them outside your own house not mine! oh forgot the saying not on my doorstep.

The mosquito spray used in the past was one rejected by Turkey because it was known to be carcinogenic (can lead to cancer), yet we always shouted "thank you" to the mossie man as he sprayed us with his toxic filth. Hey, this is Cyprus

Owl Lady, you are confusing people, Ozanköy does not have a lake to my knowledge, the one you're talking about is a very small pond. Have seen larger ones in peoples gardens in the UK.

Karmels you're splitting hairs, all the decisions come from Girne, this is what was meant in my statement.

carbotec.Where are you talking about? Why does this lake below my house have an official plate on it saying Gelin Deresi Gol? Why did the powers that be spend thousands putting railings round this pond, on someone's garden? I would hardly say approx. 2.5 metres depth of water(maybe more, there is a marker posted in the water) constitutes a pond. Why did they also clear the ravine all the way down to the village, to the bridge near the back of 5 Finger and build a dam with tons of HUGE bolders? Also clear the ravine down from Bellapais to the lake? Please can anyone else confirm this lake!!!!

Carbotec.

It seems you are eather winding people up or you do not know Ozankoy.
I do not live in the village now but did for nearly 20yrs, I built a business which my wife and my self run for many years. My I say with out some of the sad comments from expats who have only lived here for less than 10 yrs but make comments that they think is LAW.
Every 4 yrs the Government changes, SO DO THE LAWS.
This forum is getting me down.
I try to give information that is reliable, I do not split hairs, but Zoe in the Mukars office is your first line of contact ref bills or anything else regarding your dwelling in Ozankoy, this is why there are PO boxes there at the MUKARS OFFICE.
I know this is off topic but if you do not have a valid stamp in your passport regardles of age do you think the Insurance company are going to pay you out.
NO.

Re the 'pond'at Ozankoy. The name Gelin Deres Gol means, stream of incoming goals. My husband was born and bred in Ozankoy and says that years ago this area was used to celebrate weddings in the village.

When a village couple were married guests and locals would go there to dance.

As far as I can understand there was some sort of underground drainage system there.

He has just been to have a look and he says there is no water there, only asphalt.

According to local gossip, the area near the five fingers with the fancy new fencing is going to be a childrens playground

Interesting that just about every Muhtar is putting in a fancy kids playground. We are going to get one as part of Alsancak's new scheme, but the rest of the village will not be tidied up~! But better they put in pretty kid s playgrounds than leave it all to be tall weeds and neglect.

Guess it is all 'yavas, yavas' , and small improvements are better than none.

Blue Butterfly.I do think people are referring to the wrong place, No one has actually asked where the "new Lake" is situated, but all seem to think it is my imagination!.I have said it is" dry" at the moment.

Karmels, have already suggested this on another thread about residency.

I know exactly the lake owllady is referring to. A dam was built in the ravine to form a lake - we are not talking reservoir size but certainly much bigger than a garden pond. Whilst it is dry at the moment, I have seen it when it was full and over flowing complete with mozzies by the millions!!!

Thank you Lady Lapta, at least some one else realises it is not in my imagination!!

Owl Lady.
You and me know were this is and Blue Butterfly live just about it.
It has been dry for quite a few years, I do remember it having a lot of water but it was not full, does anybody remember the lovley water fall above belapais that you could see after the heavy rains, it was to the left of the village and maybe another couple of hundred meters hight.
This stopped and never to be seen again, but were is the water going?? you can not change the course of water as it will find it's own way.

Hi Karmels. When "the new lake" over flowed on one particular day this year, after torrential rain, it flowed over the newly built dam and then over the dam built in the 50s by the Brits. It then went under ground ,apparently it still flows down under ground to the village and is "under the houses in the Olive grove" This info was given to me by my friend Kemal, who was born and bred on the village., you also know him! When it is full again, I will contact you to come and see it for yourself.

Hi, Please can you tell me exactly where this lake is. I was out walking this afternoon in the area above the village and a car stopped and asked me where the Ozankoy lake was. Unfortunately I had to say that I didn't know where is was and hadn't heard of it either. I've only been living in Ozankoy for 6 1/2 years!

I live in Catalkoy,upper part of Catalkoy is immaculate,clean,roads all newly tarmaced,I live in the lower part near the main road, completely different roads ,pavements etc unattended I wonder if it's because Mehmet Hulusioglu and all his family live up there?Mehmetbey spend less on the football team and the theatre and deal with real issues like other belediyes

Sewage, any idea what area Mehmetbey is responsible for and how far he has to stretch his budget? If you want to see what other belediyes spend their money on then take your 4X4 out and drive along the Catalkoy road through Ozankoy, it is wonderful to drive on their beautiful road system, don't try to walk mind you are pavements are few and very far between and make sure you take your mobile with you just in case you injure yourself or break the axle on your car on the wonderful paved roads!! I have lived in Catalkoy for the past 6 years now and the differences that have been made are excellent given the area he has to deal with - a little bit here and a little bit there - give him time, a lot is due to happen with the main road and changes are in the pipeline. Yavas, yavas.

Waddo I know where Sewage is coming from, on our side of Catalkoy, the Zafer Sok area, little work has been done. You take your life in your hands walking down Zafer Sok, no pavements around the bendy bits of road and at the bottom of the road, if you can call it that, we have had a year of road closures and collapsed dug up road. Even our 4x4 struggles over the bottom section of road because of the pumping station works which seems to be taking for ever.....
Approach the village from the Supreme turning and the approach to the village is beautiful, paved on both sides of the road, pot plants and renovations on the cave houses and stairway up to the top of the village. Approach the village from the main road via Zafer Sok a totally different story!

I quite agree, even the road works for the pumping station works have encroached out onto the main roads so I do take the point. However, I do not think that the forum is the place to moan about it in the forlorn hopes that Mehmetbey will read it, it would be better to go to the office and inquire what improvements are planned for that particular area in the coming year. With the area he is responsible for stretching from the Ozankoy border all the way out to Alagadi he has a tough job to do but I find him to be a decent man who will listen to all complaints and attempt to take action on them provided they do not interfere with his long term plans. I never hear any complaints about the things he does (coach trips etc) for the elderly and he provides the finest household waste collection system I have found anywhere but nobody mentions the good these days - only the bad I am afraid. I would much rather live here with its slowly developing systems than anywhere in the UK but work is slow and not all things can be done at once.

Waddo, Mehmet has been approached and spoken to about this side of Catalkoy by several of us, ex pats and TCs, and several issues have been raised with him via the Facebook page but nothing happens..........
I disagree that the good isn't mentioned I believe a negative should always be balanced by a positive. The Catalkoy festival and the Christmas party are lovely iniatives.
As to the coach trips for the elderly, yes an excellent idea in principle but in some cases it is taken advantage of, I know of several ex pats that are non Catalkoy residents who go along for a free jolly because they have friends in Catalkoy, the original idea was to give a treat to the elderly residents but these days that is not the case. I think Mehmet should be asking those who go and who can afford it to make a contribution.

With you 100% on the freeloaders that go on the coach trips (not been on one myself yet - don't want to be "Elderly" yet - lol) but disgusted with those that will travel to get a free ride! The production of the Pink/Blue book before boarding would stop that for sure!!!

Not been on one either for the same reason as you!;-)
Our pink books were kept by immigration once we hit the magic zero number and got two year residency. They told us we no longer needed them. Hey ho Cypriot logic, love it!

Any answer to where the Ozankoy lake is?

Judyvin , If you join the Crusader road with Erols to your left 300 yards up there is a paved road to your right ( Shipping container on the corner) the location of the lake is at the bottom of that road.

Judy, I was hoping somebody else would attempt the answer but here goes:

From the Mosque head towards "Erols" passing "The Corner House" on your left and the remains of "The Grafton" on your right, carry on past the newly refurbished "Five Fingers" on your right (you will now have traveled about 100 mtrs!!), come to the "T" junction and turn right, go over the bridge and keep to the left up the hill towards "Erols". Take the first turning on your right just before "Erols" and follow the winding (Single Track) road on up the hill. You will come to a sharp right hand bend that you can not see around - keep going - on your left is a big natural stone built house and on your right is a newly restored building of four flats with a small car park to the side adjoining another restored small house. Take the first right hand turning after these houses and just follow that road down hill and to the left - the "Lake" should be there on your right! It is not big so keep your eyes open.

If anyone who lives in Ozankoy and knows better directions to the lake would please correct mine - I would be very happy!!!!!

Thank you.

To Waldo how do you know that I drive 4x4 ?

To spewage, I thought all newbies drove 4X4 vehicles out here, till they learn where all the holes in the roads are anyway - lol!

"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?" (Quote from the Bible)

It beggars belief that people who drive large luxury cars , usually too fast, through narrow village streets far too narrow for them, should have the cheek to criticise the villagers for not disposing properly of their rubbish. Do these people not realise that they are responsible for sound and atmospheric pollution that destroys the environment, puts people's lives and health at risk, and reduces the amenities.

Ozankoy used to be a good place to live: not very glamorous perhaps, and not likely to win the tidiest village in Dorset prize, but friendly, quiet and safe. Children played on the streets , old people doddered down the street, pedestrians were safe,. dog walkers were able to get in the country in minutes and there were even a couple of men on mules who used to ride down my road. Now it is a cross between a race track for expat drivers of monstrous vehicles and a short cut for those in too much of a hurry to get to the pub or supermarket and commercial vehicles serving the expats. Do you not realise that you are the cause of the problem of the shabbiness and lack of public pride in the exterior of their homes?. I used to paint the outside of my house , and one year the Belediye painted all the houses on the street, but it was a waste of time and money - in hours the traffic had stained and chipped the pristine paint. I get thoroughly fed up of washing windows and curtains and road facing plants in summer and having front rooms choking with the exhaust of four by fours which come up to the level my window cill as they pass it with inches to spare.. In winter I daren't open my front door for fear of being run down - and certainty of being drenched with splashed water by a speeding idiot!

True there is a lot left to be desired by way of practicalities such as drainage and paving. But these narrow roads are never going to be suitable for anything larger than a small saloon at best , Let us stop being the pot calling the kettle black and instead of constantly carping and trying to encourage the authorities in turning the country into a geriatric ClubMediterranean be sensible and realistic set an example to our hosts showing some consideration and respect for existing customs and practices and residents of villages

Btw I find the refuse service in Ozankoy excellent - twice a week which is more than you would get in UK - rarely miss, and regular street cleaner who, poor man, also has to face the dirt and risks of the traffic.

A quiet day in Ozankoy: -

I drive up, and past all these land marks to pick up and drop off my friend when I am over visiting and tbh hate driving round all these narrow blind roads and would not have a hope in hell of finding this lake but would love to see it when next over.....

To ragged robin wow you really have an issue with people that drive a 4x4 just find it safer with the awful driving here and the crapy roads here maybe you should move to another area?

To waddo I am not new here 20 years

Sewage I think Waddo is referring to your newbie status on the forum.
I agree with you, that is exactly the reason we drive a 4x4, have seen too many accidents here to travel about in a small car.
Ragged Robin that is quite a set of vitriolic comments.
Life is too short live, live and let live, each to their own.
To quote Theroux.
" If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer.
Let each man dance to the music which he hears, however measured or far away."