Cyprus

[colly]

I have just come back from a couple of glorious sunny weeks in Cyprus and while I was there I hired a bike from these people:

http://www.wheeliecyprus.com

It's just a plug for them really. The bikes are a cut above the usual holiday badly maintained BSO that you usually have to suffer. They deliver the bikes to your door and come with maps, spare tubes, repair kits, helmets, mitts etc.

Alistair and Helen who run Wheelie Cyprus are friendly and helpful and know the area well so can give plenty of advice about where the best paces to ride are.

North West Cyprus near Polis and the Akamas peninsular is where they are based so if you do happen to be around there on holiday and want a decent bike to use give them a shout.

There are MASSES of unmade roads and forest tracks if you are into mountain biking. So if that's your thing it's well worth considering as a holiday destination.

 

[Glow worm]

The north (Turkish bit) of the island is great too. Kyrenia and the Karpas peninsula (the panhandle bit). Some amazing deserted beaches there. It's easier to cross over from the Greek side nowadays too. Didn't rent bikes though sadly - glad you had fun!

 

[ColinJ]

Sounds great colly.

In contrast - went to Corfu about 15 years ago and the hire bikes I found there were mostly the badly maintained BSOs you described.

 

[Slim]

The north (Turkish bit) of the island is great too. Kyrenia and the Karpas peninsula (the panhandle bit). Some amazing deserted beaches there. It's easier to cross over from the Greek side nowadays too. Didn't rent bikes though sadly - glad you had fun!

Just as long as you have no qualms regarding staying in properties taken from their original owners at gunpoint (and with the use of napalm)

Oh! and the "other side" is Cypriot not Greek.

Unfortunately, this story has a lot more than two sides to it and involves the United States, the UK, Greece and Turkey all fighting over the "unsinkable aircraft carrier" in the eastern Mediterranean. Another debate for another time.


BTW - I forgot to mention - I'd avoid cycling in town. The vast majority of drivers really could not care less if they knocked over a cyclist or two. Rules are for other people to obey.

 

[Glow worm]

Just as long as you have no qualms regarding staying in properties taken from their original owners at gunpoint (and with the use of napalm)

Oh! and the "other side" is Cypriot not Greek.

Yes I meant Greek speaking rather than Greek nationals. From my sketchy memory of the politics there, wasn't the Turkish invasion a response to Greek threats by the Athens Junta to take over the island? I don't suggest that's any excuse for Turkey's actions though, but I'm not sure it was quite as black and white as you suggest or there would still be a sizeable Turkish population in the south. The main thing is the situation has eased slightly, with Greek (speaking!) Cypriots now being able to visit their old homes in TRNC and one hopes they will one day be able to return for good as will the Turkish Cypriots to their homes in the south.
My favourite memory of my visit was to a village called Ritzokarpaso (or similar!) on the panhandle. I think it is the only mixed village left on Cyprus with Turkish and Greek bars next to eachother and a the two populations seemingly completely at ease with eachother. Hope for the future perhaps. One Turkish guy there told me the biggest problem is that the Turks and Greeks are just too similar, and ultimately he felt they are really brothers. As ever, it's the politicians who f*ck everything up!

 

[Globalti]

What kebab for cycling?

On my last business trip to Cyprus I looked out of the hotel window in Nicosia, over the green line a few yards away and saw the huge Turkish flag, big as several football pitches on the mountain that is illuminated at night and visible from all over the south of the island. As I watched it light up in sequence it suddenly struck me - it's a massive kebab shop sign!

I've been going to Cyprus for many years but this year for the first time I went with my Cypriot agent through to Famagusta where we had an excellent lunch with a Turkish customer. Going through the border was interesting and pretty laid-back.

 

[colly]

My mrs asked in a shop if they had any Turkish Delight.

'No but we have Cyprus Delight' came the reply.

 

[Slim]

Yes I meant Greek speaking rather than Greek nationals. From my sketchy memory of the politics there, wasn't the Turkish invasion a response to Greek threats by the Athens Junta to take over the island? I don't suggest that's any excuse for Turkey's actions though, but I'm not sure it was quite as black and white as you suggest or there would still be a sizeable Turkish population in the south. The main thing is the situation has eased slightly, with Greek (speaking!) Cypriots now being able to visit their old homes in TRNC and one hopes they will one day be able to return for good as will the Turkish Cypriots to their homes in the south.
My favourite memory of my visit was to a village called Ritzokarpaso (or similar!) on the panhandle. I think it is the only mixed village left on Cyprus with Turkish and Greek bars next to eachother and a the two populations seemingly completely at ease with eachother. Hope for the future perhaps. One Turkish guy there told me the biggest problem is that the Turks and Greeks are just too similar, and ultimately he felt they are really brothers. As ever, it's the politicians who f*ck everything up!

My reference to Cyprus being an unsinkable aircraft carrier is down to the fact that it's position in the Med' means it could reach (and listen to) anywhere in the Middle East, North Africa and parts of the Easter Bloc. At the time of the invasion the US were (justifiably) worried about soviet Russia's influence on the island so they prodded the Greek Junta (basically under the control of the CIA) to invade Cyprus. A fair chunk of the local Greek Cypriot population as well as all of the Turkish Cypriots resisted. When it looked like the coup would falter the Turks were prompted to invade under the guise of protecting the Turkish Cypriots. While all this was going on, Prime Minster Callaghan was basically told by Kissinger to stay out of the matter - despite the fact that the UK was supposed to be a guarantor of Cyprus' independence. The UK simply stood guard over it's bases and left the locals to it.

That's the political bit. On the ground, most of the locals would get on fine if the politicians and hot-head nationalists would stay out of it. In case you hadn't already guessed, I'm Cypriot. I'm not Greek and I do not label myself as Greek Cypriot. I once had a "discussion" with someone who insisted that, as I spoke Greek, I must be Greek Cypriot. My answer went along the lines that Barack Obama's first language was English but that doesn't mean he pulls on a white shirt every time the England football team play.

I have a greater affinity with Turkish speaking Cypriots than I do with mainland Greeks.

Apologies if any of the above comes on a bit strong. I passionately believe in the right of people to be left in peace and not be used as pawns in politicians' games.

 

[Glow worm]

Apologies if any of the above comes on a bit strong. I passionately believe in the right of people to be left in peace and not be used as pawns in politicians' games.

No need for any apologies, your replies were interesting and thought provoking. I've always loved the island and just hope the whole thing can be sorted out for the benefit of all Cypriots regardless of ethnicity.

 

[asterix]

From 1955 to 1960 I had the mixed pleasure of living in Cyprus until it was handed over to independent government (I still have the programme for the ceremony somewhere). At first there was no trouble and it was safe for us to live in places like Limassol, Larnaca and Nicosia. Turkish Cypriot lived amicably with Greek Cypriot. Then a nasty piece of work called Dighenis started Eoka with the aim of 'Enosis': union with Greece. Glad to say he didn't get his way.

We had to leave the urban areas and live out in the sticks. Some barsteward pipe bombed the road we used once, fortunately it didn't go off and for a period my brother and I were taken to school every day in a 4x4 - an army land rover with an armed squaddy sitting next to us.