See divided Cyprus and the only divided capital in the world in 6 days 6/2023 (Stop 6)

24-29 June 2023 After Jordan and Lebanon, I am ready for the 3rd country on this trip.

Larnaca

At midnight, after a 40-minute flight, I landed in Larnaca, Cyprus. I did not realize I was coming to Europe, having just been in Asia for more than 2 weeks just a short distance away. At the airport, I was stopped in my tracks being asked to pay in euros.

At 3 am, I was dropped at the wrong address by the airport taxi. Fortunately, I was given a lift to the right address by a young man after his night shift.

It is nice that English is widely spoken, credit cards are widely accepted, and water is drinkable straight from the tap.

The streets are cleaner, the dress is more expressive, and drivers are much more respectful of pedestrians and less cavalier.

Larnaca is a beach town. This is the peak season for tourists seeking sunshine and a healthy tan.

I arrived on the weekend, so the streets were unusually deserted and quiet, good for walking lazily. So, I took my time taking the heat from the sun, enjoying the walks on the beaches and the promenade, watching the people people-watching and historical buildings.

Food choices are abundant, and desserts are considered essential health food for a happy life. I wasted little time indulging myself.

I preferred more excitement, but relaxation and indulgence are good.

Nicosia

After a few days of sun and fun in Larnaca, it’s time to visit Nicosia, the capital of Cyprus. I took the public bus and arrived there in about an hour.

I headed straight for the Green Line, which splits the country into Turkish and Greek Cyprus, one an EU country, the other, recognized only by Turkey. Nicosia is the only divided capital in the world.

Before exploring the city, I sat down at a cafe, enjoying a piece of fresh Greek bread and hot chocolate for breakfast, facing a wall stacked with oil drums, sandbags, and barbed wire. Behind this line is the buffer zone manned by the UN peacekeepers. That got me in the mood.

Caption: Breakfast, hot chocolate and sesame roll, on the Greek side in Nicosia, just inside the drum walls separating the 2 sides in Nicosia on the Greek side

Right in the middle of Ledra Street, a shopping thoroughfare busy with shoppers and tourists, was the border crossing to the Turkish side. Both sides checked my passport and let me through with hardly a bother. I was delighted to be immediately greeted by Turkish Delight, and shops and restaurants, which were obviously more traditional and Turkish.

Walking towards the Turkish side of Cyprus

Walking street in, Nicosia Turkish Cyprus

I then came back to the Greek side and sauntered around the old walled city. Along and around Ledra Street, sitting in KFC, McDonald’s, and Starbucks, everything felt so normal. However, next to it and behind it, was an eerie and sorry sight. The streets almost felt deserted. Many of the shops looked to have been shuttered for years, while a few were still open. It is the most inexplicable consequence of a conflict that now shows no bloodshed, yet the sign of bad blood is everywhere.

Ledra Street, a major shopping thoroughfare in central Nicosia

Nicosia is one. I can easily think of Jerusalem as another one that continues to be a flash point. So, the clash of civilizations is not imaginary.

Limassol

Going west about an hour away along the southern coast is Limassol.

As the bus drove into the town, the Mediterranean immediately stole the limelight. It is more than obliged with intense aquamarine, but also clarity. All were invited to be close to the water. Swimmers were dipping in the sea, and others were on the beach getting burned. Wooden platforms were projected out to the sea, taking you out to sea. Concrete walkways and wide pavement ran along the shore for those who wanted to both walk and have the sea. A narrow park belt allowed others to chill and take the moments in.

It may not boast the fine and white sandy beaches, like those in South East Asia, nor the rowdy parties after a hot day on the beach, but it does have a charm of its own. Like many, I came to take it easy, and they let me.

So, after seeing Larnaca, Nicosia, and Limassol, I can see why many have come. The Mediterranean is always nearby, the summer sunshine is glorious and long, and we are in good company – good to enjoy European conveniences and civility.