Cyprus

[TaurusTheBull]

Hi,

The final leg of my Ryanair-fest got underway with another late flight, from Stansted to Paphos.

Getting through Cyprus immigration at half past midnight, I settled down on a bench in the small Arrivals Hall. Quiet, hassle-free and restful, I slept until 7 a.m.

Cyprus is steeped in history and legend. From the birthplace of Aphrodite to the rule by Persians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Lusignans, Venetians and Ottomans. From the wedding of Richard the Lionhart to the rise of EOKA and the struggle for independence against Britain, proclaimed in 1960.

The coup d'état of 1974 against Archbishop Makarios threatened enosis, or union with Greece, and so was swiftly followed by a Turkish invasion that caused much upheaval, and resulted in a partition that has split the island ever since.

Paphos is 10 km west of the airport, but I walked to the old coastal road, and hitched eastwards to Limassol.

Blue skies are the norm here, a far cry from the persistent grey drizzle of an English Spring, and by April it regularly gets into the mid-twenties.

Limassol dates back four thousand years, and developed on the coast between the ancient cities of Amathus and Kourion.

Cyprus's second city has a population of about 200,000. Much has recently been spent on the promenade and marina development, and these, together with the old town and castle, draw a steady stream of visitors.

It's a shame that many walls and information plaques have been blighted by wanton graffiti.

Escaping the city, I took a bus (€1.50) sixty km, up to Troodos Square, beneath Mount Olympos (1,957 m), the highest point in Cyprus, with four ski slopes.

Geologically, the Troodos Mountains reflect a classic ophiolite sequence, in which sea-floor sediments were uplifted over millions of years by the colliding tectonic plates of Europe and Africa, followed by erosion that exposed rocks and minerals from the original magma chamber.

A couple of km from Troodos Square are the recently developed Botanic Gardens, opened in 2010 following an extensive reclamation program. It's on the site of the Amiantos asbestos mine, which operated from 1904 until 1988, after which berms were constructed and soil transplanted in an effort to repair the ecological damage.

Entrance is free and there's an interesting information centre covering the native flora. Hunting is banned in Cyprus, primarily to protect the endangered mouflon, a large wild sheep.

Having missed Sunday's last bus, I started walking and hitching towards Nicosia. There's not much traffic in April, but after a warm midday hike I finally got lucky... with a 4 km lift! That was quickly followed by another, 60 km to the outskirts of the capital.

I avoided the city and walked the last 4 km to Tseri, a small town 10 km south-west of Nicosia, staying at the homely Hostel Costas Action, dorm bed €10, where one night extended to four, and another two coming back. Tseri is a quiet base for day-trips into the capital.

Nicosia (Greek name Lefkosa) is a divided city, with a pedestrian-only crossing at the end of Ledra Street. Passport required, no drama unless behind a tour group.

Turkish Nicosia is quieter and cheaper than the south, run-down and derelict in places, bereft of EU grants. Northern Cyprus is only recognised by Turkey, and Turkish lira are used. Most place names have changed since 1974. My phone welcomed me to Turkey...

Kyrenia (now Girne) is a historic port with a picturesque harbour tucked behind high hills on the north coast. The "Pearl of the Mediterranean" is a tourist haunt. After looking around the harbour and castle I took another minibus south-west to the town of Morfou (now Güzelyurt, the Turkish equivalent of "beautiful land").

This is orange country, and after I'd checked into my en-suite double room with TV in the only hotel in town (60 Turkish lira, about €12), I was presented with four big oranges from the family orchard. Also grown are lemons, mandarins and grapefruit.

Güzelyurt is a small town whose church fell into disuse after 1974. Nearby is the 18th century St. Mamas monastery, built on original Byzantine ruins, maintained as a tourist attraction. Mamas was a legendary 12th century hermit with 14 Cypriot churches dedicated to him.

Adjacent to the monastery is the archeology and nature museum. There are few tourists, just the occasional tour group.

One day I took a dolmus (share taxi) 30 km towards Lefke, and visited the 4th century ruins at Soli, with it's famous Swan mosaic, followed by a 5 km uphill walk to the 5th century BC Vouni Palace, built by Persians on top of a 250m hill overlooking Morfou Bay. Both ruins were bereft of visitors.

Most of northern Cyprus has a quiet, run-down feel, with seemingly bored men wandering around, as if the World has passed them by. However, it's cheaper, more relaxing and arguably friendlier than the south. I got an unsolicited lift back from Vouni Palace.

Hitching back along the main road from Morfou to Nicosia the next day, I had a Father Ted moment when we passed several large, detached buildings, off the road and seemingly in the middle of nowhere. With names like "Lipstick" and "Mexico", I said to the the driver "Nightclubs?" and he replied "Girls!"

I found another €12 hotel (rates negotiable) in northern Nicosia. This would make a good base from which to explore northern Cyprus on day trips.

It's interesting to wander around the old walled city, very quiet in the evenings as many visitors return south across the Green Line, or back to the northern suburbs. The 13th century Lusignan churches were converted to mosques by the Ottomans. The Hamam baths and Great Khan marketplace are still in use.

Cyprus is an island divided, in pragmatic disagreement rather than open hostility. It's an EU country and not an EU country, a mish-mash of cultures and attitudes. And it's very sunny.

My final day was spent getting to Paphos Airport for a short hop across the Mediterranean. Paphos Town is full of tourists, known for it's historical remains, which I'll explore for a couple of days on my return.

Cheers
Taurus