Cyprus: the good, the bad and it's mostly ugly part 2

Nicosia (Lefkosia in Turkish) the capital of Cyprus is a divided city, the last divided capital in the world.  The division is marked by the  "green line" named for the color of the ink used to draw the line on the map when the boundaries were decided in 1964.  The southern half of Cyprus is “Greek” Cyprus, the northern 1/3 of the island is “Turkish” Cyprus although Turkish rule is not recognized by any country other then Turkey. Technically the Island is just Cyprus with an occupied northern territory.

The history of Cyprus appears to be as convoluted as the Balkans'. Like the Balkans, different groups have at various times lived contently together. For centuries, Turkish, just 18% of the population, and Greek Cypriots lived in  harmony throughout the island.  Most spoke some of each language.   Also like the Balkans, roots of conflict go deep, even deeper in Cyprus going all the way back to Greek mythology where the island has a significant role, Aphrodite and Adonis were born here, leading to Cyprus’s deep attachment to Greece, so deep that during modern history, Cyprus has longed for enosis- return to Greece.  

Even though Cyprus is a tiny country,  the 3rd largest island in the Mediterranean , it is  geographically significant as a gateway to the east. For centuries it has been the stopping point for merchants, crusaders and armies.  Like all areas with a long history (with documented villages dating back to 8000 BC) it has traded hands multiple times, Greeks, Alexander the Great, Byzantines, Lusignans (wow, new players- from France!) Venetians, Ottoman, British-only Napoleon seems to have been been off the Cypriot dance card.  

Like Croatia and Tel Aviv, cats everywhere, here at an ancient bath house

A bit of humor along the Green Line

With the fall of the Ottomans, Britain picked up Cyprus in 1878 but by the close of WWI it was ready to reduce it’s colonial business. Britain  suggested that Turkey get involved, Turkey was not really interested.  Greece also declined taking Cyprus in 1915.  After WW2 , there was a time of turbulence involving Great Britain, Turkey, Greece and the Cypriots themselves.  Finally, Great Britain gave Cyprus it's independence in 1960,  and the turbulence only increased.  What followed was years of political manipulation and maneuvering sponsored by Greece and Turkey;  secret police on both sides created increased hostilities, tensions and violence. Cyprus was kind of like a child who  dealing with divisive parents (Greece and Turkey-never friendly with each other) who are more intent on maintaining their divisions regardless of the damage to the child. Most of Cyprus wanted to stay aligned with the motherland Greece, but newly interested step father Turkey wanted to be involved and in control.

On July 15 1974, the Greek majority staged an unsuccessful coup to unite with Greece (Enosis).  In retaliation, Turkey invaded 5 days later.  Escalating differences resulted in thousands dying, hundreds  still missing and many thousands displaced from their homes. 180,000 Greek Cypriots were forced out of Northern Cyprus, their property confiscated, 80,000 Turkish Cypriots (many prodded by their own leaders before 1974 to move) were similarly forced to desert their lives in the south and live in camps in the north until disputes settled.  An entire city in the north, previously a Greek Cypriot dominant city Famagusta remains deserted as a ghost town fenced off and now promoted as a tourist attraction, viewable from afar on a 40 euro tour.  In an effort to bolster the Turkish population, thousands of Turks were encouraged to emigrate from Turkey to the (northern portion of the) island, so that now about 28% of the population is Turkish.

Much of the continued animosity is due to the forced relocation on both sides, with generations still hurting from loss of life and property.  There also is a strong sentiment for reunification. 

How does this division work?
For the tourist, the biggest difference is probably that there are two names for many cities- the Greek and Turkish and the currency. The south is in the EU and use the euro and the north uses the Turkish Lira.  Prices are reportedly cheaper in the north.  
The Greek side felt more economically stable with multinational shops and restaurants, cleaner streets and more parks.  Southern Cyprus has a well developed public bus system, both inside of the cities and inter-city.  The North has very few public buses rather they use a network of individually owned  small, well-worn buses that go in between cities stopping in neighborhoods along the way. 

South

North

Public landscaping on both sides included tangerine trees. There was a reason they were still full of fruit. we picked fruit from two trees and the tangerines were horrible.

Both had large numbers of monuments honoring the recent history, although the styles were very different. The most common "monument" on both sides seemed to be the possibly abandoned concrete building shell-it was usually unclear if the building was in progress or just in decay. 

Urban renewal? A nylon facade wrapped around an empty building

"Victory" when the British left (South)

Monument surrounded by abandoned empty building (North) 

You can travel between the two sides, going through a passport check then walking 15 feet and going through another passport check.   We did it several times during our week in Nicosia and it was a benign process.  There are UN guarded barriers and a DMZ  along the green line, we weren’t allowed to take pictures, here is one.  Nick was only asked twice to move along while trying to get a closer look. 

There is a slight undercurrent of tension, maybe just our imagination spurred by the occasional sighting of Turkish or Cypriot armed military, but really minimal compared to what we felt in Belfast and Jerusalem.   And, again, unfortunately (and stupidly), religion plays a role.  The north is Muslim and the south, Greek Orthodox, but from our vantage point the country feels pretty secular. We were in the south for Epiphany (January 6) and Greek Orthodox Christmas (January 7) but most stores were open and just felt like any other day. We even checked out the famous old Orthodox church St. Lazarus in Larnaca on Epiphany morning and it seemed fairly low key, but there was a police presence around it.  

In the north, it also felt pretty secular.   We heard the call to pray multiple times a day, but nothing seemed to stop or change.  There were women with head scarves or well covered up (no burkas)  but most in Western clothes and uncovered up.  Men and women walked holding hands and the coffee houses/bars were full of couples. 

Despite the Islamic ban on alcohol, plenty of bars including one in the courtyard of the largest mosque. Gambling is also illegal in other Moslem countries but not so in North Cyprus. Kyrenia (or Girne in Turkish) is kind of an mini-Las Vegas but also with an ancient fort, ottoman cemetery and beautiful coastline in addition to the multiple casinos.

St Sophia minus  exterior gargoyles, angels and saints now Selimiye Mosque

We have seen repurposing of buildings throughout our European travels.  Castles converted to shops and residences; forts, ancient buildings to government buildings.  Again, here, in Northern Cyprus repurposing is commonplace. Almost all the churches in the Turkish portion were converted  to mosques or administration buildings during the Ottoman empire, leading to fusion architecture with church steeples side by side with minarets.  
We  experienced another example of repurposing as we checked out of second accommodation in Nicosia.   We had to go into the office to pay our bill and noticed medical diplomas on the wall, paintings of pregnant women and a bookcase filled with Gynecology books.  The owner explained that this floor had been her husband’s ob/gyn office which she had converted into the hotel  This helped explained our sterile-clean, small room with the odd bed and paper sheets.