Cyprus: The island of excess

Cyprus is a nation of excess.

So much of what we do is too much, too many, too far.

We overfill our fridges, and cover our tables with food. There are two cars – sometimes three – outside every house. And when we take out the rubbish, it’s almost an exercise in weightlifting!

Quite how this is happening on our shrinking salaries is anyone’s guess. And certainly not everyone is this way – some of us survive on the bare minimum and ride the bus. But a lot of the island fits the pattern.

There’s a good reason for this. And it’s not about money.

A recent study on the island’s sociocultural profile reveals that Cyprus scores higher on a cultural dimension called Uncertainty Avoidance than any other country in the world.

In short, security and stability are paramount. We have a long and complex history; we know isolation, conflict, and scarcity. Within living memory, 1974 alone taught an entire generation that security can vanish overnight. And so we hoard, we stock, and we prepare…

Take transport, for example. Cyprus has one of the highest rates of car ownership in Europe: 661 vehicles per 1,000 people. It makes sense; public transport is not great. But there may be something more: a need for the reassurance and security that mobility brings. (And perhaps a smidgeon of the well-documented ‘I-have-more-cars-than-you’ syndrome!)

We also produce among the highest amounts of household rubbish in Europe, with each person generating hundreds of kilos every year – far above the EU average.

And just recently, research has shown that Cyprus has the highest rate of food waste on the entire continent. Granted, this gastronomic excess could well be our welcoming spirit: sit, eat, kopiaste! Or it might be the uncertainty dimension; who knows what tomorrow will bring? Perhaps we’re showing off – just a little.

But it all leaves Cyprus with a quiet contradiction: we’re a culture defined by care and generosity – that may have gone a bit overboard. Especially in terms of food!

And, as heat begins to haze our horizons, it’s only going to get worse. Leftovers turn quickly, fruit softens overnight, bread stales within hours. And household waste increases.

So it’s always worth keeping an eye on the weather…

Friday will be mild and warm; though cloudy across the island, highs will reach 20°C inland and on the coast. It feels pleasant – almost springlike, with a strengthening breeze.

Saturday turns unsettled. Showers move through most districts, accompanied by strong northerly winds. Nicosia cools to 17°C with rain and gusty conditions; Larnaca and Ayia Napa are particularly blustery, while Paphos sees the steadiest afternoon showers.

Up in Troodos, winter lingers. Highs hover around 5–6°C, dropping below zero overnight, with showers and biting air.

But by Sunday, sunshine returns across much of the island. Temperatures sit around 17–18°C, though a lingering breeze keeps it feeling a little cooler.

In other words, a mostly pleasant weekend, with the sort of gentle forecast that speaks of moderation. Not excess!