Exploring Cyprus

Our time in Cyprus was limited.  It was in fact extremely limited.  Taking into account the wedding, we realistically only had the day of our arrival, the time before the wedding and the day after to do any meaningful exploration of the island.  With that limited time, we had done our best to race around the area to see and enjoy as much as possible.

The area we were staying was to the Eastern end of the Greek part of the island.  The Northern parts were under Turkish occupation and there was a strong divide between the two parts of the island.  This area was far from the historical parts of the island which seemed to more towards the centre and the West.  Tourism seems to have always been a big part of the island and this area, but we were told that many of the best resorts and developments had been a bit further to the North and so had been consumed by the border and separation of the island.  Everywhere we went, we could see the intense level of investment to the coastal areas that was now boosting the infrastructure available for more tourists.  

With the car, Veronica and I drove off to the nearby Agia Thekla and Nissi Beach.  It was a short drive, only 15 minutes away.  These areas seemed to be the focal point of the tourism in the region.  Both locations were lovely, but Nissi Beach was far too crowded for our liking  We went back to Agia Thekla, with its beautiful white church and relaxed beach.  As we explored the church, a group of workers climbed onto the roof to start on some maintenance.  I asked if I could ring the church bell and they happily obliged my request.

  

At Agia Thekla, we relaxed on the beach under the shade of the umbrellas.  There didn't seem to be any hotels close by (none that were finished anyway) and so there wasn't the enormous crowd like at Nissi Beach.  It was a nice and calm experience.  I had now gotten used to the European approach of paying for the pleasure of sitting on a beach.  This experience was one of the most reasonably priced (only €5 for the both of us) and without the usual crowds it was an even more uniquely enjoyable.  Slightly behind the beach was a very small resort complex.  It had a restaurant and the staff were largely occupied setting up for a wedding.  We left our towels on the sunbeds and went for lunch.  The staff were friendly and talkative.  They asked where I was from and when I responded "Australia", they responded with surprise that "not many Australians come out here".  That didn't seem right, I responded that there were so many Cypriot-Australians that there must have been many who would visit (I grew up with many of them when I was in Melbourne).  The older man nodded a bit, but then said "yes, but they're still just Cypriots".  Culture and family still go a long way in Cyprus it seems.  We asked for the menu and we saw the usual fare of burger, steaks and fried fish.  I didn't feel like any of it, but the other guests seemed to happily eat it all.  The waiter seemed to sense my lack of enthusiasm, and asked me quietly "do you want fish?"  Of course I wanted fish, we were on a beach next to the ocean.  He took me back to the kitchen at the back and threw open the fridges pulling out several fresh fish.  "We cook you what we eat?" he suggested.  That worked for me.  Not long after, they brought out grilled fish and a Greek salad for us, which was far more appropriate and satisfying.

Every beach we went to, we were greeted with the same picture perfect scene.  We had been to a lot of very nice beaches in Europe over the last few years, but I did wonder whether these might be the best?  At the very least, these were the most consistently high quality.  It didn't seem to matter which one we went to, they were all the same (and by the same, I would once again add that they were all the same perfectly amazing beaches).

The waters were perfectly clear.  I thought back to Cefalu.  Maybe those were more clear?  What these waters also seemed was this lovely "shimmer".  The water moved every so slightly and caught the light of the sun, bouncing the light in intricate patterns like a true crystal.  Out not too from the shore, there was also a raised sandbar.  The waters weren't deep, so it was easy to wade out and to then find yourself standing on the dry sand in the middle of the sea, looking back towards the shore.

We visited several of these beaches during our limited time and on each occasion we were impressed.  The cost of flying here wasn't cheap at all, in fact it was several times higher for the European guests than flying to other locations.  The flip side of all of that was the low prices once you were here.  Food wasn't expensive, the hotels were reasonably priced and even the beach chairs and umbrellas were a fraction of the cost of other places I had visited. 

On our last night together in Cyprus, we went for dinner in Protaras with our Swiss friends.  This part of the island was the worst place we visited on the entire trip.  It was an example of the mass tourism beach towns that the Northern Europeans flock to during their summers.  The streets were full of tacky stores and equally awful restaurants serving nothing but burgers and beer.  These places grow with the purpose of serving those who want the warm weather and the beach, but with no desire to be away from the comforts and familiarities of their home.  Yet I'm not quite sure where such a home is?  These places don't resemble anywhere I've been further North and instead seem to just be a style all to themselves.  You could find this type of street scene anywhere from Bali to Thailand to India and all the back to Europe.  

It amazed me that these streets all seemed to grow and develop organically and still somehow look exactly the same around the world.  I wasn't being entirely reasonably though.  When looking out at the gathered crowds and people, it was also clear that they also looked similar no matter where you went.  This was probably more the environment developing to serve the needs of the population, and that population of tourists clearly wanted kebabs and beer.

Cypriot wedding

The wedding was being held in the shade of a nearby church.  It was right next to the beach and walking distance for all the various hotels that everyone was staying at.

The day felt hot, so we wanted to ensure we were well shaded when we arrived.  Knowing my Swiss friends well, I was certain they would all be on time.  I arranged to walk down to the wedding with them.  As expected, they had all agreed on the time to meet at the hotel and when to start walking.  Veronica and I happily joined them and we walked down to the wedding together.  We arrived early enough to have our first choice of places to sit, well shaded and with the ideal view of the wedding.

As the sun slowly began to set, the wedding began.  The groom has set himself up down the path leading from the door to the church.  After a very traditional delay, Corinne appeared, looking radiant and lovely, walking down the aisle towards Stelios.  I was incredibly happy for her.  We had known each other for a long time now.  All the back to when I lived in Australia and she was studying there.  We had become good friends and had even visited each other over the years on our various holidays.  I still remembered when she came to visit me in Hong Kong with Stelios as well.  I would never have imagined that I would now be at her wedding in Cyprus of all places.  I felt this strange sense of satisfaction and ease to see her happy with Stelios. 

Stelios and Corinne both looked great.  There were songs sung, vows exchanged and speeches made.  A lovely ceremony for everyone to witness.

  

After the wedding ceremony, we all made our way back to the large villa complex they had hired.  There on the grounds overlooking the water, the reception had been set up.  As the catering staff worked to get everything set up, all the guests enjoyed snacks and drinks. When we were seated at the tables, we were then given the most food I have ever seen at any wedding I have ever attended.  Every course was enormous, and the number of courses didn't seem to stop.  By the time it did finally stop, the tables were completely full of large plates.  Most people had long stopped eating, unable to handle anything extra.  

The bride and groom made their way around the tables.  Greeting everyone with smiles.  As the night continued, the drinks continued to flow and games were organised with all the guests. 

After more games and more speeches, the dancing began.  This was a Greek wedding, and no Greek wedding can truly be complete without the dancing.  I dragged Veronica with me to the dance floor so that we could join in, our tired feet reenergised by the music.

Cyprus with no baby

My good friend Corinne was getting married in Cyprus.  We were invited to her wedding, but with work commitments and the need to look after Pickle, it didn't seem possible.  Suddenly though, there was a change.  Projects that needed to be completed disappeared.  Reorganisations happened.  Jobs changed.  Suddenly a very busy time became quite free for the both of us.

We were out in a park with Pickle when I asked Veronica her thoughts on this very sudden idea.  Should we go?  Could we go?

It seemed incomprehensible only a few weeks earlier, but now it was all becoming something at least within the "realm of possibility".  I messaged Corinne to ask her if she was free to speak.  She was and took my call as we walked around the park.  I asked her whether it was too late to come, assuming we could get the logistics all worked out.  She breathed a sigh of relief, thinking the call was about something more concerning.  She was delighted and hoped we could make it work.

So for the next few days, a flurry of activity occurred as we tried to make the necessary arrangements for a trip to Cyprus.  Flights weren't cheap and they weren't convenient, but we found something passably acceptable (only just).  Pickle would be cared for by his grandparents for a few days.  Annual leave was arranged.  The days passed us by, and soon enough we were at the airport waiting for our flight to depart.

It all felt extremely strange.

We hadn't been parents for very long, but it was an all encompassing experience.  To find ourselves suddenly separated from it all just didn't feel right.  I knew that Pickle was being well looked after, but it didn't remove my sense of concern or anxiety for him.  

After a short stop in Doha, we arrived in Larnaca in Cyprus.

We had arranged a hire car to make things easier.  The wedding location was the East of the island, so instead of immediately driving over we started to explore the local area around Larnaca first.  It was one of the bigger cities in Cyprus, but it was still relatively quiet out on the outskirts near the "famous" Salt Lake.  As we stood on the salted crust of the lake, I bunch of young guys pulled up in their car and started to walk out to look as we were.  They were clearly tourists as well and one of the guys asked me in a joking and sarcastic manner: "Is this place any good?  I don't think it is."  He was probably right....

After the initial stops closer to the airport, we moved into the city itself to eat and explore.  We went to a souvlaki restaurant that had been recommended by the manager at the car hire company.  "It looks touristy, but it's actually good" was what he had told us.  He wasn't wrong, and we had what would be one of the best meals of the entire trip.  The vegetables were fresh and full of flavour, the meat was smokey and nicely grilled.  It was simple food, but it was from the region and set us in the right mood.

We walked around Larnaca after lunch.

It didn't feel big at all and there was a nice relaxed feeling to the place.  The height of the tourist season was over, so things were now apparently much quieter than what they would otherwise be.  It meant that the stroll through the town was a calm experience without any jostling or crowds.  The first place we went to on our exploration of the town was the Church of Saint Lazarus.  This church and the salt lake seemed to be the two most famous attractions of this area. After our visit to the lake, I was more reserved in my expectations for the church.  From the outside, it was a relatively small and humble looking church.

On the inside, it was far more magnificent.

It was still a very small church, but it was adorned with gold.  At the back, there was a large wall of Orthodox church icons.  Saints, with their images brightly illustrated and surrounded with ornate gold decorations.  It was a beautiful and impressive sight. 

We kept walking around the rest of Larnaca.  There wasn't too much exciting to the place.  There was a beach and promenade area.  Shops, restaurants and cafes all along the front, as well as an old fort.  We walked through the fort, stood up at the top and took some pictures before we walked through the town back to the car.

We now needed to get to Protaras where the wedding was.  It was mid afternoon and we had plenty of time.  It was a quick drive.  Only 45 minutes along the highway and we were already at the hotel.  At this point, we needed to be careful and quiet.  A pre-wedding dinner had been arranged this evening before the wedding day.  Corinne knew we were coming, but we had decided to keep it a secret from all our other Swiss friends as a surprise.  I had to be careful coming and out of the hotel to ensure we wouldn't be caught early.  I knew my Swiss friends well though, they would all most certainly be on time.  So after checking in, we intentionally delayed leaving to ensure we would be 10 minutes late (unheard of for my Swiss friends).  Everything we amazingly well and we arrived at the restaurant to looks of happiness and shock.

Dinner was a bit of a blur.  Veronica and I were jetlagged, but the emotion of seeing my old friends swept me us as well.  The food came and went, but none of it really mattered to me.  We all chatted and laughed, years had gone by and it was a joy to be able to spend time together with them again as well as to be able to introduce them all to Veronica.  If it was only this evening, the travel had already been worth it.