Reading about Cyprus

This blog is about family travel around the world without leaving the UK. We do this in a bid to be less polluting and tackle climate change while at the same time keeping a global outlook. Lots of my elder daughter's friends have family links to Cyprus - I've seen their holiday snaps, but still hanker to know more about what this island is like. One way of finding out more is to get reading. Words from Nicola Baird (see www.nicolabaird.com for more info about my books and blogs).

Cyprus – allegedly the birthplace of Aphrodite – is probably better known as a tourist hotspot or being divided. At least that's what I knew... until I read a new book which doesn't tackle the politics, but does give a sense of what it was like to live there during the 1980s.

The Green Line Divide by Z Vally.

The Green Line Divide by Z Vally is a small book about a burgeoning romance between student Alexis and a UN blue beret from Sweden, Sven. Politics doesn’t really feature in the story. Instead the author concentrates on Alexis’ experiences trying to earn enough to survive and retake her college exams. And she does, thanks to her ability to do cleaning jobs. Luckily Cyprus is blessed with a lovely climate so much of the story takes place as Alexis cycles to jobs or meets friends to discuss their work hiccups during their time off.

I’ve always loved travel stories – even people talking about their holidays – and the new quantities of books arriving as a result of self-publishing in print and on e-readers give us all plenty of new ways of looking at the world from people who (without being rude to Z here) are more normal, more like you and me than the English Literature graduates from Oxbridge.  That said The Green Line Divide has some rather odd English constructions, so if you are a stickler for correct grammar then it’s not going to suit you.

Another drawback is that what the author thought was funny I didn't. Despite this, the book still offers insight into an adventurous young woman’s life as she gets to know herself and Cyprus - often by backpacking around it - during the 1980s. There are plenty of allusions to real life - dusty roads, warm sunshine and grilled hallumi; not much time spent as a tourist looking at ancient ruins. Towards the end Alexis and her boyfriend quarrel over what to drink, but then both end up independently choosing mythos served in frosted glasses - surely that was a clue that they were made for each other?

Cyprus basics

• In 1960 Cyprus gained it’s independence from the UK

• 1974 – Greek and Turkish clash led to a divided country. There is now a buffer zone (known as the Green Line) between the Greek part in the South and the Turkish part in the North. This is protected by UN peacekeepers.

• The capital is Nicosia (this is also divided)

• Population: 1.41 million

• Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean and a member of the EU.

• The Trodos Mountains have nine UNESCO heritage sites. Throughout the island are many important, ancient ruins.

The Green Line Divide: romance, travel and turmoils by Z Vally, available on Amazon.

Thoughts on Jaffa, oranges and Paddington bear

This blog is about low-carbon family travel. Here's a way to make use of Jaffa oranges and imagine yourself in Palestine or even Jordan's scented orange orchards. Post by Nicola Baird 

Stage 3 of making a Jaffa Cake - add a chocolate layer to the orange jelly layer.

Perhaps it's the time of the year but everyone seems to be talking oranges at the moment (January 2015). Admittedly I did go and see the film Paddington - so sweet, and a fantastic advert to the joys of making marmalade at home.

For the past 10 or more years I've made my own marmalade using Seville oranges available just after Christmas. But this year I've worked out that endlessly cooking boiling sugar and orange pith does my electric hob no good - at any rate I've had to replace two cracked hobs over the years. And though people have kindly offered their gas rings, I just can't imagine how I'd pace myself making marmalade in a friend's house as it seems to be a 24 hour experience!

And so I've turned to creating homemade Jaffa Cakes. Like marmalade making it is a bit of a procedure - lots of putting items to cool in fridge and freezer, not to mention the hunt for Agar flakes (a kind of seaweed that helps turn sauce into jelly).

Stage 1 of making a Jaffa Cake. This is the Genovese sponge base (lots of egg white whisking necessary). I made a trifle from the leftovers that didn't manage to make it into a 5cm disk.

I love Jaffa cakes and I'm always urging my non UK students to try them, claiming they are quintessentially English, and a biscuit. Until now I had no idea where the name came from. Turns out it's all a concoction - they are named after Jaffa oranges which are grown by Arab farmers in what is now Palestine. But you can also find Jaffa oranges growing in Cyprus, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Turkey. A nice thought to have about such troubled areas.

I'm not going to include the recipe of either my marmalade or the chocolate orange biscuits as I just looked on the internet, and recommend you do the same. But I can warn you that it takes a while and is definitely a tricky recipe. What i liked about making them was the little jaunt it gave my head out of my kitchen think and over to warm, scented orange orchards.

Over to you
What does the smell of oranges make you think about? Travel or teatime treats?

How the hackers made me travel to Cyprus (except I didn't)

This blog is about family travel around the world without leaving the UK. Impossible? No. This post takes a look at how being hacked on line allowed me to find out a lot about Limassol in Cyprus. Words from Nicola Baird (see www.nicolabaird.com for more info about my books and blogs).

Not quite Limassol, Cyprus though there are ruins and a sea view
at Harlech Castle in Wales. The Welsh coast here is full of sand dunes -
Limassol makes more use of its coast & has planted lines of palms
between the seafront and the city.

A few days ago my whole email list received a spam.

THIS IS SPAM.... (except the subject was SOS help)

Sorry for the inconveniences, I'm in Limassol, Cyprus and I just misplaced my bag containing all my vital items, phone and money at the Bus station. I am stranded at the moment, I may need a little help from you.

thanks Nicola

My email signature (with my phone numbers) had been deleted. This meant that anyone who didn't smell a grammatical rat and replied asking what help I wanted didn't send their email to me, instead they were redirected to a false yahoo email account which looked similar in name to my gmail account. They were then asked for 550 euros. I really hope no one handed that over. It's a lot of cash, especially when the obvious thing to do in a situation like that would be to go to the embassy...

Now I'm a journalist and I have ridiculous numbers of email contacts - many people don't know me very well. The moment I figured out I'd been hacked... (9am on a Friday morning)  I worked out a plan  about what to do - change my password, and cancel the email redirection (which I was frankly lucky to pick up as it just popped up for about 30 seconds near my dashboard before fading. 

I assumed that was it, but quite soon people started contacting me asking if I was OK. I had more than 30 calls/emails that day alone. It wasn't long before I was getting rather curious about LImassol, Cyprus. TripAdvisor has 65 hotels listed for this busy holiday and business centre. At the bus station (I couldn't resist looking at the timetables on line) there are zillions of buses including ones that run night, day, Sundays and to rural stops as well as the city. The restaurants look lovely - although some visitors aren't so keen on the many stray cats that turn up when you eat.

I may not have heard of Limassol before, but it's a big place: there's a port, a posh yacht club, fabulous ancient ruins, a lot of tourists, a sea front lined with palms, gardens (and a busy road of course).  Indeed it's such a cool spot that in 2017 it will be European City of Culture, see this link http://www.limassol-2017.com/index.php?pageid=26

On the LImassol bidding page for Culture Capital there is a fascinating poem written... 

...with the aim of obtaining the title European Capital of Culture, the long voyage towards the destination that is the city’s Programme for 2017 has begun. The words of Constantine Cavafy, one of the most important Greek poets of the modern era, are characteristic, as he described Odysseus’ journey to Ithaka.
“As you set out for Ithakahope the voyage is a long one, full of adventure, full of discovery. Keep Ithaka always in your mind. Arriving there is what you are destined for.B ut do not hurry the journey at all. Better if it lasts for years, so you are old by the time you reach the island, wealthy with all you have gained on the way, not expecting Ithaka to make you rich.” Constantine Kavafis

Culture is both a destination and a process and through the process comes the benefit, overcoming obstacles and dangers, gaining experiences and knowledge, always looking forward to arriving at the final destination. 2017 will be a special year and the city of Limassol will celebrate the success of reaching the final destination, having taken on board all that is required for the next voyage. The long voyage, however, begins with bad weather and stormy seas. The whole of Europe is still being buffeted by the effects of the global financial crisis while many neighbouring countries are experiencing social unrest and a great deal of questioning. Culture is nothing less than a catalyst for solutions and answers to all these passing challenges.

Here's a video which might help you get to know the place.

Looking at the pix I'm struggling to imagine where in the UK looks the same. But Kavafis' poem and interpretation for the Culture Capital 2017 certainly matches the spirit of this blog. This hacking incident not only gave me a taste of virtual travel, it also revealed that I have a stunning number of contacts who were willing to check I was OK, ranging from an ice cream seller to a lawyer, many people I've interviewed, even the guy who cuts my hair!

It's not quite like reading your own obituary, but it certainly made me realise that I'm a very lucky person blessed with a lot of friends. I'd rather not have been hacked (and will be changing my passwords far more regularly now) but on the plus side I have I've learnt a lot about Limassol in Cyprus and other people's generosity. Written up properly it would make a sweet little screen play, but that's a task for another day.

Went to Cyprus by tube

This blog is about family travel around the world without leaving the UK. Impossible? No. Even travelling around the London tube you get hints of other places - this time Cyprus.  This post is by Nicola Baird (see www.nicolabaird.com for more info about books and blogs). 

I went to Cyprus - by tube - this weekend. And so can you, if you live in London - or are visiting - as a few stops from City Airport on the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) you can make a detour to Cyprus. It's named after a nearby long-demolished Victorian estate, that was named after Britain's successful conquest of the third largest island in the Mediterranean, in 1848, see more here or here. It's all very modern: and quite hard to imagine being in Cyprus (no olive trees, no tourists) but there's an underground bar, a university campus (University of East London) which is absolutely empty on Sundays. But it does boast the best spot for sunbathing by the Thames - so long as you don't mind watching planes take off and land. Actually that may be what makes it just a little bit like Cyprus - watching the people come and go.

Lola, 13: "One of my friends is part Cypriot and talks about her papou (grandfather) and because I'd been reading on the tube it was really weird to look up and see a London station called Cyprus because I know it is a country. Then we went to a place opposite the airport which was really interesting - you could see how planes took off and landed. I wonder how many had come from the Mediterranean?"

Postcard summary
Quick summary about Cyprus - it's tourist heaven, but has been constantly fought over throughout history. There is still tension between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots. Britain also has two airbases there. Lots to find out at wikipedia.

Cheapo tourism is changing?
It's just £234 per person for seven nights half board with flights from Stansted for a week in a Cyprus resort hotel. But the popularity of this type of holiday seems to be on the wane. However tempting a dose of hotter sun can be in February (or many other months in Britain!), being stuck in a resort is becoming less of a holiday fashion. This is anecdotal - but it seems that adventure and experience holidays are on the up - great news as this type of experience can be easily done in the UK.

News reports suggest that many of the eastern Mediterranean holiday providers, such as Turkey, are now more interested in paying attention to Arabic visitors from the Gulf states because they are more generous spenders than Europeans. The trend started after 2011 Arab spring, see the Guardian here. By January 2012 tourism in nearby Istanbul was changing, see story here, but the quote below shows that it's all about money:

Ramazan Bingöl, head of the Association of All Restaurants, Eateries and Suppliers and owner of the Ramazan Bingöl Et restaurant, said: "Ten Arab guests spend as much money as 40 guests from a western country. They don't come with tour buses, and do not want to eat fixed menus at a fixed price." 

According to numbers published by the Turkish tourism industry, Arab tourists spent approximately £1,700 per person in shops and restaurants, nearly four times as much as western tourists.

It is probably better for everyone that generous-spending Arab neighbours get to know their area better than us penny-pinching Brits take up the cheapo package deals involving a long flight from home.

The good news is that a quick Oyster-card funded trip down the Docklands Light Railway to take in Cyprus is going to be very light on your carbon footprint. Here's to a safe journey!

Over to you
What's your favourite train station name that reminds you of somewhere else? I've been through Wellington recently (just near Wolverhampton, not in New Zealand), and now Cyprus. What gives you a little frisson of travel pleasure without having to leave home?