The Bigger Picture

Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Mαρί, Larnaca, Cyprus
I had a proper little tanty the other day because the electricity was off and I couldn't straighten my hair. I felt like a bit of a cunt when I found out that 12 people died in the blast that knocked the biggest power station on the island out. 98 barrels of gunpowder went boom at the Evangelos Florakis Naval Base near a village called Mari, maybe an hour or so from where I live in Xylofagou. As well as the people that sadly died, many more were injured and there were widespread power cuts. It made the issue of my wavy locks seem somehow less important. I sheepishly donned my hat and went to work.

Power cuts are nothing new to us, they happen frequently in the villages as well as the water being cut off without warning, sometimes for a couple of days which means we have to rely on the tanks on the roof and if there are a few of you in the house, that takes some serious rationing. Ah ok, so it's not like we have to walk four miles to the nearest well in bare feet over broken glass. That's what people have children for. But yeah, it's inconvenient.

The tourist areas are never affected by the water or power cuts, tourism is all Cyprus has and it'll go out of its way to protect the fragile visitors. Until Monday, that is. A few of the hotels were without air conditioning which, in this heat, can be unbearable and holy fuck did they bitch about it! The reps said most people understood, but there were a few that wouldn't let it go, couldn't understand why there was no electricity yet and how long would it be and this was disgusting and they shouldn't have to put up with it.

I can understand. Yes, you're on holiday, you paid a lot of money to be here and you probably saved all year for it. But at the end of it, when you've gorged yourself stupid on all inclusive meals and sacrificed your liver on the alter of happy hour cocktails, when you've topped up your tan and spent the week floating in the hotel pools on your bright pink lilos, you'll be going home to your friends and families.

You know, the ones that haven't just been killed in an explosion. Shut the fuck up.
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