Blog – Page 2 – The Tales of Padistan Bear

August 4, 2016

The Cool Padistan

Hi Padistan here, in a very hot Cyprus.

The beaches here in Paphos are full with people enjoying the sun and the sand in temperatures of thirty-eight degrees, even forty on some days, it looks great fun, but I can tell you it’s no fun when you are covered in fur.
I get to drink fresh lemonade that John’s wife Ntina makes which is delicious, but the heat is so much that after a few minutes I need another one. Still, as my mother very often said, “You should not complain. It could be a lot worse.” But that, of course, was when we were unable to go out of our cave because the snow was so deep, now I cannot go out some days because the sun is so strong.
Ntina bought me an umbrella to shade from the sun but I look a bit silly, a bear walking along holding an umbrella in the sunshine.
Still, it has a good side, I get to sleep on the veranda at night, which, as we look over the sea, can be very refreshing and as I originate from the forest I am not at all scared.
This weather though does have another upside, we get to eat lots of fresh fruit and lovely ice cream. I had never had ice cream until I started my journey with Captain Horvarth. I sampled some at various ports but here in Cyprus they have so many to choose from like Mango, Mixed Berries, Pomegranate, Lemon Sorbet, all so delicious I think I will sample all of them as I go along.

John and Ntina take me out some nights to the harbour here in Paphos where there are so many people, they are all friendly to me and want to be photographed with me. Sometimes we are out for hours because of this and I think John loves this more than me. We walk along the harbour from one end to the other and back again. On one side there are many restaurants and coffee shops, brightly lit and full of people eating or having a welcome thirst quenching drink on these humid nights. Opposite, with the sound of the tide gently lapping the stone wall as we walk, we see many artists painting quick portraits of passers-by, caricatures which are fun to watch being painted, it’s an amazing talent. One night we saw a fire-eater, he was very good, dancing with fire lit swords and swallowing flaming rods of fire, the sweat pouring from him in the heat of the night and of the fire surrounding him. There were artists making stone gem bracelets, starting with just a wire and adding small gemstones, making the most beautiful bracelets in no time at all. Much more lined the harbour walls with the backdrop of the dark sea and bobbing lights of little boats in the distance and the gentle hum of the occasional plane as it came in to land, its lights blinking front and back. There is always something to do here in Cyprus making the days and nights fun and exciting.

Thank you for reading my blog…Padistan

Follow me here on Facebook and take a look at my website at
www.padistan-bear.com where you can download or read a sample of my book, The Tales of Padistan Bear: The Beginning.

July 6, 2016

We Are There

Hi everyone, Padistan Bear here.

Yes I am a jubilant bear and I will tell you why; on Tuesday last week my friend John woke me early with some great news. I was so eager to hear this news I forgot all about breakfast as I rushed down the stairs from my room to meet him. He stood with a big smile on his face holding The Book, The Tales of Padistan Bear: The Beginning.

My heart beating fast, I rushed towards him as he held the book aloft, there on the bright shiny cover was a picture of my lovely family, and my name all over the front.

Both of us, excited by this wonderful sight, sat down. We began carefully turning the pages so as not to crease or cause any damage to our precious gift. Shaking with excitement and with tears of joy flowing, I took the book from John and placed it on the table. As we turned each page, there before me were my family and friends from the forest in Bearvolia.

Being a new author John was also very emotional, as he turned each page he gave a sigh of happiness and pride as my story unfolded.

It was wonderful to see all the people from the forest I love and miss so much, beautifully portrayed on each page, and there was Professor Bearliston, just as I remembered him, warm, safe and full of knowledge.

So enthralled by the finished book neither John or I wanted to let go. Illustrator Angela Winstanley has brought my family and friends to life on each page with her wonderful images, as the author John has relayed my story just as I had imagined, and the professional skills of publisher Tom Kane, who has worked long and hard on producing the book, shine in the finished project.

We are all now very proud to see all the hard work displayed on Amazon and the Team and I cannot wait to tell you about all my other adventures . My journey to get where I am today has been an adventure, full of mystery and magic and we cannot wait for you to read about it and tell us what you think.

We have so much to show you all over the coming months, so keep a watch on FaceBook and my website website for news of what’s next.

Thank you all for your wonderful support. The Team have now become my firm friends, and we all hope you enjoy my journey as much as I have done.

Thank You, Padistan Bear.
(c) John Warner 2016

You can see the book here:-
Amazon USA
Amazon UK
CreateSpace
Or on any Amazon site around the world.

June 28, 2016May 2, 2019

A Lobster, a Whale and Magic

The waves lashed onto the decks of Captain Horvath’s vessel crashing down like thunder onto the deck. It had been a wild night, the storm had come upon us without warning and all hands were struggling to furl up the sails trying their best to prevent any further damage. The wind and sharp rain beat against my face, the salt water stinging my eyes, grease from the oil lamps made the deck slippery as we all tried to keep our balance.
Making my way along the port side a wave, which seemed almost fifty feet high, swept over the rails knocking over barrels and casks that lay on the deck. I grabbed the rope attached to the rail, but when the wave drew back I lost my balance and in a swirl of foam I was swept over the side into the raging sea below.

I felt suction as though I was in a pipe; at great speed, I was being sucked along what seemed like a tunnel, then everything became dark and still.
After a few moments of getting my eyes used to the darkness I heard a clicking sound, I looked around, and, moving along the wall beside me was a large crab. I moved slowly and as I did so large arm-like claws came up, bulbous eyes blinked and the creature said, “Found your feet then?”

I looked on astonished and stammered,”Well, almost, but it’s very slippery.”

“They all say the same thing, but you get used to it,” the crab replied

“You have been here before then?” I asked.

With a chuckle, the crab replied, “Well, yes, old Nemus here has a habit of repeating himself. I keep telling him he’s had me before but will he listen? Silly Whale.”

Surprised I shouted,“Whale! I am in a Whale?”

“Shush! Not so loud,” the crab replied. “You will give him heartburn.”

“But why are you, a crab, in a whale?” I asked.

Touching his forehead with his large claw the crab replied. “Well, first my dear young bear I am not, repeat not a crab, a crustacean yes, but a crab no, the very idea!” At this he touched his forehead with his claw again as though tossing his head in disgust at the thought and continued, “I am, my dear sir, a Lobster, the cream of the Crustacean Society.”

Feeling embarrassed I replied, “Oh, I am so sorry I never intended to offend.”

“And you didn’t young sir, you didn’t, you are not the first to make the mistake, he does every time,” the Lobster replied, pointing his claw upwards to the whale’s head. “No brains you see, no brains.”

With caution, as this Lobster was obviously a well-educated character, I continued, “But they say whales are very intelligent creatures.”

The Lobster, his bulbous eyes now firmly fixed on me replied, “Ah the famous they. Well, perhaps they are right in 99% of cases, but old Nemus here is the 1% who, if you will excuse the pun, is slightly adrift.”

Warming to this character I asked, “Have you known him long then?”

His front claws under his chin the Lobster replied slowly, “Let… me… see… On and off, or perhaps I should say in and out, for about twenty years. He is a good old soul really because you see he is a magical whale.”

A little shocked I replied, “A magical whale?”

“Oh yes indeed, he harms no one and when you leave here, and you will, you will take with you an extra special magical feeling that will never leave you in your lifetime. So remember your short time here my friend and never forget me or Nemus, because one day you will count on us to help you.” The Lobster lowered his left claw and picked up a small deep red stone, heart-shaped and rich in colour. He handed me the stone and as I took it his soulful eyes looked into mine as he said, “Here my friend take this stone and each night before you go to sleep ask for your dream, whatever it is, to come true.
The universe is full of magic and it awaits us all to find it, with this stone you may just be able to find some of that magic.
But remember… you have to believe.
Take it and take care, my friend.”

I took the stone and placed it in my bag. The lobster moved sideways to depart, turned, looked at me and said, “Do not be afraid you will leave here safely on the next wave, good luck Padistan.” And with that he moved quickly along the wall of the whale.

I shouted after him, “But I do not know your name, yet you know mine”.

The Lobster shouted back. “That Padistan, is the Magic of Nemus. Bon voyage my young friend.”

A rush of air lifted me, spun me around and threw me into the darkness and all I could see was a small light, a pinhole up ahead of me. Another rush of air and voices were shouting at me to climb up the rope on the side of the ship. When I clambered back onto the deck the first mate said, “Praise be we thought we had lost you, good job you grabbed the rope as you went over.”

That night as I lay safe in my bunk the weather now calm, the sea and the air still, I opened my bag and there shining up at me was a red heart shaped stone. When I touched it I felt a warm feeling rush through me… an almost magical feeling, I thought to myself.
Thank you for reading my story, follow me and my tales on FB and also my website
www.padistan-bear.com
Padistan

April 15, 2016May 2, 2019

The Tale of the Forest from Padistan

Hi everyone, ever since the day I left Bearvolia to go out into the big wide world I have loved adventure, mysteries and magical happenings. I hope you enjoy this adventure I had when on my travels.

It was a misty, dark early morning with the moon still riding high, when Captain Horvarth’s ship docked for repairs in Tirana, Albania. I decided to get some exercise off the ship. After walking for an hour or so I found myself on the edge of a dark forest. The air had a musty smell of fallen, rotting leaves. The sound of snapping twigs underfoot broke into the eerie silence as I walked through the forest. The Sun shone through the high tree tops sending shards of multi coloured rays before me. Small animals scurried from my path as I ventured deeper into the forest where old tree trunks lay. I clambered over a large trunk slipping on the mossy peat forest floor beneath me.

As I got my footing back I looked up and to my left there was a small opening in the thick foliage. Beyond this opening smaller trees and bushes intertwined with each other making further progress difficult.

Looking through I saw what appeared to be a hidden trail. I broke a branch from a small tree and began beating down the interwoven tentacle like bushes. Suddenly a trail hidden underneath by fallen leaves and twigs, was revealed to me. With the sunlight now behind me I walked on. As I moved forward I heard a sound I am used to. It was animal sounds, but it was not an animal, it was someone weeping.

I looked ahead; could see nothing so I carried on, walking and slipping on the muddy peat floor of the forest. I went deeper into the trail, and although scared I could not go back, though I remembered to mark my trail to make sure of the way back. I wanted to find out what lay ahead so struggled on beating down more bushes to clear the way, their thorns and sharp tiny branches scraping at my fur. Again I heard the sound, someone weeping, crying. I stood still for a moment and turned to make sure my tracks were visible for my return.

Moving further along the trail the bushes thinned out and bright sunlight shone through the leaves. I shielded my eyes against the bright midday rays and as I looked ahead there, in the clearing, stood the remains of a home. At first it looked as though it had been demolished, but as I drew closer there appeared the blackened remains of a burnt house.

ruins

Rain, frost and snow had taken its toll on the ruins. The only remaining feature defiantly pointing skyward was the chimney stack.

As the afternoon drew near, the sunlight grew weaker. As I moved to come away I noticed something shining in the wall of the chimney stack. Moving closer, I noticed a tiny opening in the wall of the stack. There wedged into the opening was a small box. Treasure, I thought, and my heart quickened as I reached in and tried to bring the box out. It was stuck fast. I picked up a small stick from the grate, poked around until the box became loose and came away.

celtic-wooden-treasure-box-13 Lolly smith .com

My efforts revealed a wooden handmade cask with an engraved lid. Excited by my find I lost my footing and dropped the box onto the hearth. The lid flew open and a small piece of delicate parchment of paper fell to the floor. I carried it to a patch of smooth grass, and opened the paper out, its edges crumbling to dust as I did so.

It was a poem about a man called Jeremiah.

There was a man named Jeremiah
Who sat all day beside his fire
With hair of silver and cheeks so red
Very often tears were shed

With no home comforts in his house
No sister, brother, cousin or spouse
No family, friends, no one to care
Not even a dog or cat was there

When it came his time to sleep
Up the stairs he would slowly creep
In his bedroom dark and cold
He always felt so frail, so old

When the light one morning came
To the fire he went again
As the flames soared higher and higher
There were no more tears for Jeremiah.

Who was Jeremiah? Did he live in this house? Had he written this sad poem? Had someone been here after the fire? Or was someone here before the fire? And who was weeping, crying? It was a mystery for sure. I carefully folded the paper and placing it my bag made my way back to the edge of the forest.

Thank you for reading. For more information on me and my adventure, please visit my website here.

Padistan

April 14, 2016May 8, 2017

Padistan’s Sunday Treat

Valva Rustic Retreat

Hi everyone, Padistan here.

I want to thank you all for the great support we had recently with our Free Book offer The Tales of Padistan Bear “An Idea in the Making” and to tell you about the lovely week-end I had when my friend John Warner and his wife Ntina took me to Nicosia last Sunday to meet their family.

Meeting the family was a wonderful experience, we had dinner and afterwards picked fresh oranges and lemons from the many trees in the large garden. Whilst picking the oranges a mosquito bit me, as there are no mosquitoes in Bearvolia this scared me just a little. The bite was treated with vinegar and after assurances that all would be well after the initial itching ceased, we carried on picking. John said the insects were early this year as they are usually around only when the weather gets hot and today it was cold here in Nicosia only eleven degrees. I said eleven degrees is hot in Bearvolia cold was minus fifteen. At lunchtime the kitchen table creaked under the weight of all the many delicious Cypriot dishes on offer.

The kitchen was filled with the chatter and laughter of the family and everyone asking many questions. How I came to be in Cyprus? What was Bearvolia like? Were there grizzly bears in Bearvolia? I had a lovely time and the time passed by quickly.

When we left, John`s Godmother Victoria wrapped a large slice of her homemade cake and handed me a jar of honey saying, “As you are a bear you will love this. Everyone loves my honey it’s the best there is.”

I told her my mother always says the same about her Pine Cone honey in Bearvolia.

She smiled saying “All mothers are the same Padistan mou; we all make the best food for our children.”

Confused I asked Ntina why Victoria had called me Padistan mou, Ntina explained that `mou` is very often used as a term of endearment by Cypriot women and means mine, it is often said to those we love. I now felt very pleased and part of the family.

As we travelled back home I thought of the day when John and Ntina found me on the roadside in Nicosia, my first day in Cyprus. I got a lift that day in an old truck from the port in Limassol to the Capital City of Nicosia. The truck, driven by an old man with the largest moustache I have ever seen, was filled to bursting with boxes of various shapes and sizes from foreign parts. The old man said he was going to the capital Nicosia and if I wanted a ride to get up on the back of the truck. With no idea which direction to go I thought the capital a good place to start, so I climbed on the back and sat across two boxes whose journey, as the labels said, had begun in China. After a long, noisy journey the truck reached Nicosia. I climbed down from the truck, thanked the driver for his help, and started to walk. Nicosia was busy, so much traffic and noise, I was shivering with fear. After walking for some time in no particular direction, I found myself at the highway again. I sat wondering what to do when John and his wife Ntina stopped to help. They were wonderful, and after hearing my tale they told me not to worry and suggested they take me to their home in Paphos where they knew people who would help. By the time we arrived at their home in Paphos I was adopted by John and Ntina. I am a very lucky bear, Grateful for all I have and looking forward to exciting times ahead. Thank You for reading My Blog, Padistan.