A week in Northern Cyprus

Staying with friends is a blessing and a luxury. It is so different from hotel life, even if meals are not shared due to work commitments. 

 Views from my friend's garden

I’d never been to Cyprus before. It is hardly European, although in Northern Cyprus, the Turkish part of the island, many British people have a home or second home. They are called “swallows” as they migrate from Cyprus to England and vice versa according to the season. I am told Northern Cyprus is a tax paradise, where one still gets interest on one’s savings, doesn’t pay tax on them, and where housing and food are cheap, so the cost of living is quite a bit lower than in England. Pensioners and divorced people with lower incomes seem to live happily here. And of course there is the climate, plus religious tolerance towards non- Muslims. There are many mosques, but hardly any veiled women. Lawrence Durrell was one of the famous writers, who once lived here as well, in a delightful village I visited, with famous Abbey ruins which are still used as a concert venue. His novel “Bitter Lemons” is about this period of his life.

 Bellapais, the Abbey ruins. Top left: the pulpit in the church

 The mountains going from West to East are wooded and green, rising rather abruptly from the coastal area and they have a very sharp and distinctive ridge, going steeply down again towards the South and affording a stunning view of both sides of the island, to the sea in the North and the plains on the South of the island.

 The village where Lawrence Durrell lived, with very steep streets

There are several castle ruins, which seem indomitable, high on the mountain tops. Hidden amongst the trees in the mountains many historic and old Greek-orthodox churches and monasteries can be found. The historic heritage is preserved, although many original Christian cathedrals and churches have been converted into mosques or museums in this part of Cyprus, and court ruins of monasteries are sometimes turned into parking lots in the walled towns or cities.

 Kyrenia, historic harbour

Kyrenia is a delightful town with a very picturesque old harbour, dominated by a sturdy castle. There are lots of restaurants on the quays, but more authentic and cheaper food can be had in small restaurants in other parts of the town and in the villages.

 The old Turkish quarter in Kyrenia, my route to the historic harbour

I rented a car for a few days so that I could explore Northern Cyprus a bit more. There is a great variety in landscape: beautiful sandy beaches where turtles lay their eggs are backed by mountains and woods. There are old abbeys and monasteries, winding mountain roads, not wider than just a one-car strip of tar, hidden villages, full of flowers, bougainville, oleanders and many other flowering shrubs, it being spring. There are palms, pines and orange and lemon trees. I had a sandwich in a private garden, high up a steep road in a village, the garden shaded by pergola’s, where I met a few tourists, panting after the walk uphill in the hot sun. Our hostess offered us homemade lemon lemonade, very refreshing. 

 Famagusta and one of the gates in the Venetian wall

 The former gothic cathedral, St. Nicholas, now a mosque as seen from the city walls

Another former church in Famagusta

There are towns like Famagusta, with thick and sturdy Venetian city walls and dry moats, gated and harbouring historic churches. There is Salamis, the very extensive ruins of a big Roman town, the amphitheatre most impressive. Walking there I could hear the silence, the remoteness of the place. Butterflies fluttered from flower to flower, and prehistoric looking big lizards slid silently across the hot stones. The only sound was the sound of the wind through the vegetation; the sun whitening the marble statues still decorating the big former halls.

 The same church, the former St. Nicolas and now the Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque as seen from the square, and the interior, one of the side aisles

Not far away is St. Barnabas, a Greek Orthodox Church now a museum with a wonderful collection of icons in the body of the church, and archaeological finds exhibited in the former cells around the cloisters. Next to the church, in a small chapel, the remains of St. Barnabas are supposed to be buried.  Barnabas was a Cypriot Jew and an early Christian who travelled together with Paul the apostle to evangelise the Jews and non-Jews. Barnabas is said to have been martyred on Cyprus near Salamis.

 Groups of children in Famagusta, dressed in different local costumes

In Famagusta children were having a special celebration, dressed in national costumes. I could not discover what the occasion was. A city full of ruins, but lived in, and with few tourists, at least when I was there.

 Salamis

With my beautiful and talented hostess I drove to Nicosia, the Greek and Southern part. While she was having meetings, I explored the walled historic centre, which during my explorations got flooded because of heavy showers. Here are some beautiful Greek Orthodox churches, still functioning as such. It was weird to come upon the border, a border which cuts through the main shopping street of Nicosia.

 Nicosia, Greek Orthodox Church

I haven’t seen enough to be able to say anything sensible about the difference between north and south. The south seemed more European and more prosperous, but that was probably because I was dropped off near the Anglican Cathedral, in the prosperous embassy quarter.

 Rain in Nicosia

The Venetian Walls in South Nicosia

As a house guest it was wonderful to meet people who live in this part of the world, and to be able to join the small choir for Sunday worship in the Anglican Church near the historic harbour. The church, freshly redecorated and still smelling of paint, was quite full, which surprised me. Apparently there are enough British living here to fill the church. And when they have gone back to a cooler climate in summer, they are replaced by tourists.

Another view from the garden and the house

I enjoyed the wonderful house, garden and piece of land of my hostess, an oasis on the edge of town, unfortunately gradually surrounded by modern apartment buildings. But the garden is walled as it was founded way back as a hermitage, so the property is protected. It has a tiny chapel. Olive trees were planted a few years ago and the oil is sold by the church.

Never had a cook on the plane before!

In just one week I could only get a foretaste of Cyprus. I would love to go back there to explore in detail, preferably with someone who likes a car with a right hand drive. I don’t mind keeping left, but if possible in my own car which is a left hand drive.