Calis Beach and Fethiye Turkey Discussion Forum
Turkey Related Subjects => Turkey Discussion Forum (Not Calis specifically) => Topic started by: Colwyn on June 20, 2017, 16:42:37 PM
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We went on holiday to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (as you know since KKOB blurted it out). We spent the first week in Famagusta. The city was important and exceptionally wealthy in the Middle Ages and by the 1960s and early 1970s was one of the most popular tourist resorts in the world: the favourite playground of Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, et al. That was before the Liberation/Invasion of 1974.
The tourist area is now mostly within the old walled city where we rented a house. In the Medieval period the city's wealth was displayed by the building of churches many of which were converted to mosques during Ottoman rule (I'll chose show a small sample of them as there are over two dozen of them; one every 50 yards). In the centre is a pleasant square with the Cathedral on one side and the Venetian Palace facing it.
Cathedral/Mosque
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a138/ColwynJones/Famagusta01s_zpsiq1nh1zf.jpg)
Venetian Palace
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a138/ColwynJones/Famagusta03s_zpsyu4w6j9w.jpg)
Some Churches
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a138/ColwynJones/Famagusta05s_zps73iat3xd.jpg)
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a138/ColwynJones/Famagusta06s_zpsuejpqdgs.jpg)
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We went on holiday to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (as you know since KKOB blurted it out).
Awwwwww. You should have told us all you didn't want any publicity. Next time put an X in the box. Or, just keep it to yourself. ;)
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The Forbidden Zone
In 1974 the tourist area of Famagusta was about a kilometre south of the old city as the suburb of Varosha. When the Turkish Army reached Famagusta they stopped their advance there. It was the eastern point of the line that separated the Turkish north from the Greek south. Unlike everywhere else in in TRNC the Army decided to make Varosha into a forbidden zone. I have been able to find no plausible reason why they did this except the possibility that they wanted it as a bargaining counter with the south. Nor have I found any more plausible reason why reason why now, 43 years later, it is still a forbidden zone. Here is a notice saying so. The notice next to it said that it was also forbidden to take photographs so this one was taken with my special secret agent camera.
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a138/ColwynJones/Famagusta11s_zpsslrjocji.jpg)
All of this I had known before going to TRNC. What I hadn't appreciated was how huge this zone was. There is stretch of superb sand beach perhaps a kilometre long. Behind this there are hundreds of high-rise hotels slowly falling to pieces.
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a138/ColwynJones/Famagusta12s_zpsw9wrfbrs.jpg)
What has separated Varosha from the rest of Famagusta for the last 43 years? A stern wall like that the separated East and West Berlin for so many years? No. It is a fence of corrugated iron sheeting, bits of chain link fencing, barbed wire and general rusty bits and pieces that that hav been lined up and marched out into the sea. It is quite extraordinary; it looks like a junkheap.
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a138/ColwynJones/Famagusta13_zpstqptjhlm.jpg)
I image that virtually everybody who sees this grotesque sight says "What a wase!". Varosha might have become the mainstay of the Turkish Cypriot economy: now it only attracts tourists, especially from the south, to come and gawp at the "Ghost Town" for twenty minutes before hurrying away shaking their heads.
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Old Town Streets
The taxi driver who brought us from Larnaca Airport across the border told us we would enjoy Famagusat because we had a lovely house {which we did} and we would find it "Quiet". I think "Moribund" would have been a better word. There were very few tourists and the place was quite run down. There were a few well kept houses, like our own, but a lot of places needing treatment or demolition and a lot of of open wasteland piled with junk. Not really the usual tourist resort.
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a138/ColwynJones/Famagusta14s_zpscex1adsu.jpg)
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a138/ColwynJones/Famagusta15s_zpsuo1zzct6.jpg)
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Some Oddities
It was good to find an old-style Turkish menu.
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a138/ColwynJones/Famagusta16s_zpsf94lplnc.jpg)
We saw an open gate to couldn't resist sneaking inside to see what was there. It was a small yard that contained nothing but ancient sewing machines. ????
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a138/ColwynJones/Famagusta17s_zpswce08vjl.jpg)
We came across a shop specializing in uniforms with a splendid pictorial display outside. The models of the work uniforms on the left appear to have styled themselves on the Village People.
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a138/ColwynJones/Famagusta18s_zps0kkm1u13.jpg)
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Apparently my maternal grandfather has links to Cyprus, and with your review, Colwyn, I'm tempted to go.
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Well it was interesting, I have to say. It gets more touristy in the next episode when we head north to Kyrenia.
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I enjoyed reading The Sunrise by Victoria Hislop which is based on events in 1974, around the Famagusta area mostly. I have been to N Cyprus several times, have visited Famagusta a few times and have also looked at Varosha in some amazement. What a waste!
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Salamis
A few miles north of Famagusta is the ruined city of Salamis. Founded by Teucer who couldn't go home after the Trojan War because he had failed to avenge his brother Ajax {allegedly} it was capital of Cyprus over 3000 years ago. It was the most important city and port on the east coast of Cyprus under various regimes - Greek, Assyrian, Persian, Alexandrian, Roman - until it was abandoned after Arab invasion in the 7th century AD and power moved south to Famagusta. The remains viewable today are Roman. Only part of the large site is excavated since the international archaeological programme was suspended following 1974.
City Forum
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a138/ColwynJones/Famagusta19s_zpsfz6zlbnn.jpg)
Sauna (showing void for underfloor heating)
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a138/ColwynJones/Famagusta20_zpswya9gwbt.jpg)
Theatre {there was also supposed to be an amphitheatre but we couldn't find it, perhaps not excavated}
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a138/ColwynJones/Famagusta21s_zps1ffeeltz.jpg)
Most of the excavated parts are close to the entrance and, if you go there, I would recommend exploring that in detail rather than do what we did and traipse across a dry hot plain with little shade to find a heap of jumbled rocks. Unless, that is, you are a really keen archaeology buff.
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Leaving Famagusta
On reflection this review has been a little unfair to Famagusta. We had quite a pleasant time there; but a week was just too long.
You can have lunch next to the sea or admiring the great cathedral
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a138/ColwynJones/Famagusta22s_zpssv7rpwtr.jpg)
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a138/ColwynJones/Famagusta23s_zpsw6feh5ds.jpg)
There are moments that pull you up. What's a statue of Shakespeare dong in this little park by the old city wall? Well ... see that tower over there as part of the wall? Well that was the quarters of the garrison commander commanders. It is supposed to have inspired Shakespeare to write about Othello murdering Desdemona in the tower. So it has been renamed "Othello's Tower". Well, well.
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a138/ColwynJones/Famagusta24s_zpsborsl4tr.jpg)
On there is this little snack bar just inside the city wall with extraordinary carved seats.
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a138/ColwynJones/Famagusta25s_zpssxhuqpdc.jpg)
And then of, along every road, around every corner, is a Medieval church ...
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a138/ColwynJones/P1020628_zpsrapxwzsq.jpg)
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a138/ColwynJones/Famagusta08s_zpsnj5unktm.jpg)
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a138/ColwynJones/Famagusta09_zpsavyueisl.jpg)
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a138/ColwynJones/Famagusta10s_zpsi5g0issp.jpg)
So we said goodbye to Famagusta and all its churches and took a taxi north to Kyrenia. Cheerio!
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I spent a lot of my time around Famagusta and Dekelia in the 1960s when it was UK forces base,
Then it was a very busy place, I was based at Nicosia with the United Nations.
we spent a lot of our time off holidays, at Kyrenia,
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My son was sent to Cyprus for a debriefing by the army and his uniform was taken to be washed, they lost it! Love the photos and account of your travels!
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Great pics and review Colwyn. Which parts of northern Cyprus are livable in and don't look as run down. So many people rave about it..Which bits are they raving about? :D
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I'm not the best person to advise you on this Bernie. Up the mountainside from where we stayed for the second week I as told there is a village almost entirely ex-pat, British & German, called Karmi. I know that there a quite few ex-pats living on the north coast but I can't really help with suggestions.