There aren't any Chinese grocery stores in Cyprus, ...None!! ...There is a sort of Indian Asian store, where she buys stuff from. Other than that, she can get different bit's from the major supermarkets here like noodles and different sauces/mixers. Her family send her food parcels , something along the lines of what Maxx wife receives.
Actually, Lucy quite likes Western food, so it's never a problem going to restaurants here. ( there every other shop..... it's a holiday Island after all) She's not too keen on the Chinese restaurants over here, reckons it's all fake Chinese food, hahaha!! But it doesn't stop her going to them, maybe, just to be able to rabbit away in Chinese. Even that's a problem, our local Chinese is staffed by HK Chinese, so language problems again, but they seem to be able to communicate pretty well.
When we do go out, it's normally chicken meat that she'll order, where I'll always be going for that thick juicy steak. Occasionally she'll order a pork chop, Now i don't know what sort of size of pork chops your used to in your country, ...in UK they tend to be tiny to small things similar to what you would get in China. Here they fill your plate, and it's always a pleasure to see the look on Lucy's face when her plate is put in front of her. We have a couple of small dogs, they always benefit when Lucy orders pork chops haha!! Thank god for Doggy bags!! ...haha!!
All our friends know what Lucy likes to eat now, so anyone having a BBQ, knows that she only tends to eat the chicken and veg kebabs, although she has been known to have a chicken leg at times. Our friends like to come to our BBQs, because of all the side dishes and sauces available to them that she makes herself. I've often told her to go into production, but she's not too keen on that idea. ..hahaha!! Another thing I've noticed, if we are still at a friends BBQ towards the end, it's Lucy that's going round collecting up plates, glasses and cups, ....and given the chance, starting on the washing-up too. I try and leave before she can start on the washing-up now day's, or we could be there for another hour haha!!
As for general food around the house, She just goes out and buys it fresh in the village here, a 2 minute walk. We have everything she wants as such available locally. We even have a discount fruit an veg shop now, that's just opened. As most of you know, the Chinese will pick-up and check every item of fruit and veg before they will buy it, you should see the look on the Cypriot shopkeepers faces, and the other customers come to that. haha!! Lucy just smiles at them and nods her head .....they always seem to smile back!! ...lol!! Does she know how to barter? ...you bet she does, for anything and everything, ..i tend to walk away and let her get on with it, ...and i'm very used to bartering myself, it's a way of life in the middle east, but Lucy can go to the extremes, and she rarely fails. God bless her big heart, hahaha!!
Oh, one more thing before i close, .... Lucy has picked up Greek here, she's by no means fluent, but she knows enough words and strings of words to be able to make herself understood quite well... Me i know the odd word or two, i rely on the Cyp's knowing English!! hahaha!!
David....