CONTRASTS OF DIVIDED COUNTRY

NIKOSIA – DIVIDIED CAPITAL

The next day, I take a bus to Nikosia – the only divided capital in Europe. The city with two sides, but a single pulse. In the Greek part, cafés and European rhythm, on the Turkish bazars and the scent of spices. You cross the street – the atmosphere changes.

Ledra is the city’s lifeline. In the Geek part – European charm, branded stores, galleries, neat façades. Everything seems familiar, almost home-like.

And then – the check-point. For a few steps, holding your passport, you come to another world.

The border is formal, but you cross it without big problems. Your passport is inspected, you get a nod and you can pass with no difficulty. However, around the dividing line there are many abandoned houses through the broken windows of which whistles draft and with tree branches pushing through eh cracks in the façades and on the roofs.

In the Turkish part, the pace is different. The streets are narrower, the colours are warmer, the scents are more intensive. The first contact after the passport check was with a pastry shop selling Turkish delight, halva and other traditional sweets. I immediately grabbed a few and said to the shop assistant that on my way back I would take everything home for my Mum, aunts and neighbours to relish in Stara Varoš while sipping coffee.

From the stores and coffeeshops spreads the aroma of spices, freshly baked pastry and coffee which is prepared patiently, with no hurry.

All day long, I wandered around without a special plan. I entered small handicraft shops, talked to the merchants and learnt about the local culture. And, of course, I tried the specialities in their traditional restaurants. Everything is tasteful and full of aroma, thus brings back my childhood memories of various delicacies I tried when in the neighbourhood pans would be shared with pies, pastries and sweets, those we can find today only by chance on some streets like the ones in Nicosia.

In places, the old city centre is still surrounded by massive walls from the era when the Byzantine Empire and the Venetian Republic ruled over this island. In a couple of places, you can see ancient gates next to which there are numerous memorials to the modern-time heroes. In the Turkish part of the City, there are the memorials to Ataturk and his comrades, while in the Greek part there are those erected to the fighters for the independence of the island…

One of the greatest sights of the city is the Selimiye Mosque, which was once a Gothic church. This incredible combination of cultures and religions leaves no one indifferent! I also visited the nearby alleys packed with tourists and pushy vendors who try in e every possible way to sell the variety of their products.

Close to the bazar, there is Büyük Han, former caravanserai, which has preserved the charm of the former resting place for merchants, but also for travellers travelling westwards or eastwards, spreading the culture and customs, connecting mutually distant and unknown civilizations.

MAGICAL NOVEMBER IN LARNACA

I left the last day of my stay on Cyprus for an easy walk through Larnaca. Small ancient fortress on the very seashore reminds of the island standing at the crossroads of civilizations.

Finikoudes is the main city beach. It is a meeting place for families, tourists, local people, businessmen and pensioners. This is actually a place where people spent most of their time. Even in late autumn when I visited the island.

The Holy Church of Saint Lazarus is a spiritual centre of the city. I entered there on twice – once during the night and the other during the day. Inside, the scent of incense accompanies the eco of the loud prayer. Contrite believers light the candles in honour of the famous saint and enter the crypt in awe.

In the vicinity, there is an old commercial street with the shops and restaurants that have not changed their windows for decades. There is no luxury, but there is character. The vendors are familiar with the story of every object, eager to share it. I drank coffee with some of them and enjoyed the siesta, which the Mediterranean is famous for.

The Hala Sultan Tekke has a special energy being one of the largest Islamic pilgrimage sights. The mosque is located on the shores of Larnaca salt lake. The scene seems like some kind of magic. White edifice, blue sky, salt lake reflecting the light. In flamingo season, the landscape looks as though someone overdid the filters – yet everything is natural. Unfortunately, during my stay flamingos were far away…

This is just one mor reason for my returning there and enjoying this fairytale island which has left a special impression on me.

LIFE IN THE VILLAGE IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL

I spent one whole day visiting the interior of the island. I wanted to visit the Cyprus which is not a tourist destination and to find out how people live in the villages in the hills of the western part of the island.

I visited the vineyards and wineries, I drank Cyprus blue wine, brandies, but also craft beers. I liked everything there, and the conversation flowed easily with a good drop. The hosts were excellent, they told me stories about hard life, about difficulties with draughts, fires, but also about the joy of living on the island with ten-millennia-long tradition. The oldest settlements here were built as far back as in the Neolithic era with the life going on without interruption. Some people say the famous Cyprus cheese is equally old. I visited the farms of goats and sheep, tasted famous halloumi cheese, as well as its milder version - anari – fresh and old. They are mild and tasty, going well with dishes, and to be honest with homemade wine.

In the village of Omodos, I tried carob sweets, I saw how thick syrup was made of carob tree pods and I tried famous carob delicacy with sweet cream. My lunch in a national restaurant was a lesson in