Summer 2015 Blog 5 Off to Cyprus

Boo passed away the week before we were going to Cyprus, a blessing given her age but none the less very sad for us all. 

Walking each morning had become a habit, first with Tramp for over eighteen years and then with Boo for the past five and even though I no longer had a dog I continued to go walking each morning.

Jec moved into the house to look after Cian while we were away and with a money supply that was to be delivered in little brown envelopes twice a week by John, Peter and I set off for a holiday alone.

To be truthful we were actually going to Cyprus to see Kris and Romana as this was theoretically their last year there.

We booked into the Aldiana (at staff rates) for three days enjoying the all inclusive lifestyle and getting a few dives under our belts, then packing all our things we set off (after dinner of course) to explore the Island.

We drove in the dark to Cape Creko where we had dived the day of our arrival and parked the car in the small car park by the Chapel. 

We were planning to cross the border into North Cyprus in the morning but for tonight we were wild camping under the stars ….. until the police turned up!

They had stopped some youngsters who had pulled into the car park about mid night and seeing our car had walked over.

“Passports!” they demanded, “and car documents!” 

Peter found the car papers while I sorted our passports. 

“You have drugs?” said the police officer on my side of the car, for a brief second I thought he was offering but then realised the severity of the moment.

 “No we are just staying here to cross the border in the morning.” I replied in my sweetest British accent.

He looked past me into the back of the car.

 “If I search, you sure I wont find drugs?” Again he peared into the back of the car.

This was now getting silly as Peter was being asked the exact same questions by the police officer on his side of the car.

“There are NO DRUGS!” I protested “I am a Grand mother!”I added indignantly.

“You know how many Grandmothers smoke drugs?” He countered. 

He had a point!

Peter in the meantime was insisting that they let him out of the car so they could search it! 

Seeing his size and his determination to have them search the car they backed down, returned our passports and told us to be careful …. parked all alone in an isolated spot …... “many bad people around with Drugs!”

I slept beautifully that night once things had settled down. Peter stayed awake the entire night listening to every creak and bang and wondering if the 'Bad People' were the ones who had just pulled into the car park and unloaded all their fishing rods at 4am!

In the morning we discovered there was a picnic spot, complete with tables and toilets about 200m from where we had parked!

We washed and ate a breakfast of pre-packed hotel rolls and cheese, while gazing out at the bay we had only seen in the dark and then set off for the border.

Although we had passed the rock bridge many times on our way to the Cape Creko dive site, we had never actually stopped for a good look. 

This wonder of tide, sand stone and nature was definitely worth a look and looking at the cracks and splits I could see why it was cordoned off.

We crossed the border after over an hour spent searching for it! 

On the map there were loads of roads that crossed back and forth but as this was a disputed boarder, many of these roads had simply been blocked off with piles of dirt and barbed wire.

The last time we had been to the North part of Cyprus, with Cian, we had driven nearly to the end of the Eastern tip but had had to turn around before we reached it. 

With no children to worry about we got out the map and worked our way along the coast.

The contrast between North and South is incredible! The South is tourist orientated with shopping malls, hotels, cafés and restaurants everywhere you look. The North is home to the Turks, who simply live there!

There is the occasional restaurant beside the sea, there is the odd few shops huddled together but the crisp clean 'tourist trap' is missing.

As we drove we saw rubbish littering the sides of the main roads, derelict buildings stood next to half built ones. There is an air of incompleteness to some of the out lying areas.

Famagousta on the other hand is a bustling busy city like any other in Cyprus and it is only when you reach the Northern most coast that the true beauty of North Cyprus comes into its own.

Mile upon mile of pristine coast, deserted save for the odd small bungalow hidden amongst the crevasses.

We reached the Golden sands where we had turned back before,

stopped for a photo and carried on.

Around the next corner we came to a cattle grid with large gates. The gate on the right hand side of the road was closed and in the middle of the left hand side stood a donkey!

We edged closer sure he would move once the car came too close but he remained firmly in his place. When our bumper reached his nose we finally stopped. We were half way across the grid and there was no way we were going forward! We wondered what to do as beeping the horn was having no effect at all.

When we had left the Aldiana I had stocked up on fresh fruit for the journey. I pulled out an apple and passed it to Peter who held it out of the window. 

As if this was the magic word, the donkey promptly lifted his head, stepped to the window, took the apple and let us pass before resuming his position! That was one seriously clever donkey!

If every tourist paid his entrance fee he was definitely onto a good thing!

The road became a dirt track and still we drove on.

Blue Bird Resort is the final place with food and accommodation before the point. We found it purely by chance and enquired if they had any rooms available. 

Sixty five Euros got us a beach hut plus breakfast and evening meal! We were sold and booked ourselves in for two nights.

We spent the afternoon resting and swimming in the clear still water. We played backgammon on our veranda and enjoyed the view.

Evening meal was served in the large restaurant area over looking the bay. We had presumed it was a set menu but were told to order anything we wanted from the large blackboard on the wall.

Mixed Kebabs for Peter and as the vegetarian choice wasn't very extensive, a cheese salad for me.

What they hadn't told us was that every meal came with SIX complimentary side dishes!! 

I could have just eaten the side dishes with some bread!!

We retired to bed relatively early having decided over dinner that we would walk to the point before the sun got too hot in the morning, ie, leave at 7am.

With our cameras and plenty of water we set off just as the sun broke the horizon. The air was warm and the ground was dusty as we worked our way along the track.

Lizards darted across the track while early morning fisher men stood out on the flat cliffs.

We walked and we talked, we got hot and talked less.

I stopped to look back and took a few photos …

...Then rushed to catch up with Peter who was plodding onward to the point.

The sun was now high in the sky and we still had a long way to go.

With the end nearly in sight we realised the walk had taken us an hour! Peter remarked that next time we would take the car, I drank some more water, “What next time?” I asked!

Just before you reach the point there is a large outcrop of rocks with the Turkish flag raised high.

In the north side of the outcrop various caves adorned the cliff wall.

I climbed up to have a look inside but there were only charred remains of long forgotten fires.

Saying that the view back down the path was good!

I looked down to the final sentry post on the point to see Peter had arrived and hurried down to join him.

The post was unmanned on the day we were there, we peered in through barred windows 

(we tried the door first but it was locked!) 

we walked around it …

….. then bored we headed to the edge of the rocks. If the truth be told there is a tiny bit more to the Northern tip of Cyprus but unless you are a fisherman you can't get there.

There was however a very strange jetty that jutted out over the ledge!

A fishing post? 

A dead man's drop, as there wasn't very much water down below?

I sat on the edge and took a photo!

Having reached the point there was only one thing left to do …. …..

..... walk back!

I climbed up to the flags for a final photo looking back down the length of the point. In the distance I could just make out the beach huts. It was going to be a hot walk back!

What breeze we had enjoyed walking to the point had now dropped and what water we had drunk now leaked out of our pores in a steady trickle of sweat.

But we smiled, took more photos, and kept going. 

Breakfast waited for us, breakfast and then a cool refreshing swim!

Breakfast is served until 10am and and we got back at 9.30! 

My breakfast was amazing

and Peters had even more things on it!

Breakfast was followed by me having a relaxing few hours at the beach …...

while Peter went for a drive to find us some masks and snorkels!

We relaxed, we played backgammon, we read and we slept.

The most active thing we did was record a wonderful white praying mantis clamber all over our wheel arch. How he found foot holds on the hot metal is beyond me!

When the sun began to set we headed for the restaurant for our evening meal.

This time we were ready for all the extra dishes, I ordered my breakfast again much to the amusement of the staff while Peter, having enjoyed the Kebabs so much the night before, ate them again.

Immensely proud of ourselves for not wasting anything, we played a few games of backgammon, while finishing off the olives, before falling into our beds with total exhaustion!

It had been a busy day and tomorrow we were planning on driving to the other Northern tip of Cyprus!!

One point down, three quarters of an Island to go!