On March 6th 2020, we flew from London Heathrow to Larnaca, Cyprus. The third largest island in the Mediterranean, partly ruled by Greece and partly Turkish, the island held some intrigue and we looked forward to exploring and learning more. We stayed in a little beach side hotel for two nights. A waterside promenade along the harbour led into town. We followed it and stopped for dinner at a lovely local place where they cooked the meat in a clay oven. The boys had a great time playing on the beach near the hotel and on the playground structure nearby. We were very near the airport and planes flew quite low over our heads while we sat on the beach.
A taxi took us to Nicosia, the capital. As we drove from Larnaca we passed the Salt Lake, a calm oasis popular with flamingoes and walkers. Shaded by a clump of trees, Hala Sultan Tekke, a former mosque, now an ancient complex without any particular religious ties, blends naturally in to the environment. The taxi driver was eager to chat, telling us about the island and pointing out places of interest en route. As we neared Nicosia and saw the Kyrenia Mountains he didn’t need to point out the huge Turkish Cypriot flag on the mountainside. Built from white stones, some painted red and covering about 50acres, the flag is so large it’s visible from space. While the national flag of Cyprus depicts the national map (Cyprus and Kosovo being the only two countries in the world which depict their national map on their flags), the Turkish Cypriot flag is similar to the Turkish flag with the crescent and star. However, the colors are reversed and there are two additional red stripes. Whilst the stone flag sits in northern Cyprus, its plainly visible from southern Cyprus, especially when it’s lit up at night. It’s a clear and permanent reminder of the countries divisions.
We checked into the Hilton Hotel on the outskirts of the city. It was a lovely complex but almost eerily quiet, the vast lobby was deserted. There was nobody staying there. We had a huge room with a balcony. We also got access to the club lounge, originally only for the first day but they never cancelled the key! There was a lovely breakfast buffet each morning, again we had the place to ourselves. The pool was too cold for us to swim in but a nice place to sit. The club lounge had afternoon tea and evening snacks and drinks, it was great. We didn’t need to venture beyond. We went to the Akakiko Japanese restaurant in the hotel one evening when the club menu didn’t suit the kids, that was also a big hit.
We visited Nicosia twice. Europe’s only divided capital city. The taxi dropped us at the Famagusta Gate. This is one of three gates that punctuate the Venetian walls that surround the Old Town. The liberty monument nearby symbolizes the liberation of the Cypriot nation. We headed to St John’s Cathedral with the golden ceilings. The small church has an unassuming presence from outside, sitting nestled in the ruins of a Benedictine Monastery. But once inside the 18th century frescoes on the ceiling which tell biblical stories were beyond impressive. The 19th century houses of the old town with decorated doorways and enclosed balconies offer a glimpse into the former power and wealth of the city.
We felt that we had missed some of the town so we returned the following day to explore some more. The taxi dropped us at the Cyprus Museum. This archaeological museum displays artifacts from the oldest traces of man in Cyprus to the end of Roman rule. There were lots of ceramics and ornate vases and a collection of 2000 terracotta figurines. Entry was about €5. The museum was originally dedicated to Queen Victoria now remembered by a plaque at the pillared entrance.
Walking from the museum towards the old town centre we passed some makeshift walls where the north side of the city was obviously closed off. Barbed wire fences and barrels on the green line were a shocking reality of the divided city. Nicosia is a city where the two sides of the city are governed by different governments, use different currencies and speak different languages. The south, where we were, is under greek Cypriot control and the north is Turkish owned. There is no love lost between the two sides, a map obtained in the southern side of the city does not have any markings of anything on the north side, and visa versa. The 11th floor of the Shacolas building offers a overview of the division with great views of both sides of the city and information on some of the buildings. Ledra street is a busy shopping street with a difference. A border control post cuts the street in two. The ‘Resolution’ artwork is a civil rights monument placed in front of the border post. Generally, the border is open and people can move freely between the two sides. However, as a result of the now escalating coronavirus pandemic north and south Cyprus are truly divided again as the borders are closed.
The Crowne place in Limassol was undergoing construction it appeared. The pool was empty and cordoned off. The beach beds were stacked and stored. We checked in for two nights. Black clouds started to roll in. We had a nice sea view room. Great to watch the lightning from when the storm kicked off. We walked the promenade looking for a restaurant. The best we could find was TGI Fridays. If we’d known that it would be one of our last outings in a while we’d never have settled for this sub standard fare. The following night made up for this disappointment when we went to the family run ‘Pizza Plus’ Italian across the road from the hotel. We were the only customers but this was not a reflection on the service or food both of which were outstanding.
We left Limassol and hoped to see the Neo Paphos Mosaics on the way to the next hotel. When we got there, despite having checked online before going, we found the place closed. There were paper signs stuck to the door and it looked like a last minute decision had been made to shut the doors. The restaurants along the harbour were busy with tourists. There was a strange feeling of impending doom. We headed on to the hotel.
We stayed in ‘The Paphos Breeze’ all inclusive hotel for a four nights. The hotel was fantastic. We had an apt in the complex near the beach. We spent our days sitting watching the waves and wondering about what was unfolding in the world around us. The meals were all superb. The promenade was a lovely place to walk and admire the sunset. The boys had a great time on the swings in the playground and playing football on the lawn. There was entertainment at night but we skipped it. Our initial attempts at social distancing.
And the world turns….
Hairylambthewanderyears 