Cyprus
Island. Right above it is Turkey. Syria is on the right. But it’s part of the
EU. It is the closest part of Europe for refugees. A market in Northern
Lefkosia.
When
I was living in the suburbs of Boston, my landlord was from the Greek side of
Cyprus.
I
always wanted to visit one day. I explored the island in all directions in a
car.
・・Mountain road, Kakopetria
Everyone
in the Boston landlord’s family graduated from great schools like Harvard, MIT,
and Brown. Perhaps when you’re from a small island, you have to be smart to
survive.
Hittites,
Assyria, Persia, Rome, Byzantine, Frank, Venice, Ottoman Turkey, England.
The
rulers of this land are different from those of Malta, but it has a history of
being reigned.
And
to this day, this area is influenced by England. It became independent in 1960.
・・Lodging for Ottoman Turkey in North Cyprus
The
country split into the south and north in 1974.
The
south on Greek’s side joined EU in 2004 and switched its currency to Euro in
2008.
The
north on Turkey’s side was left behind.
But
the Greek financial crisis in 2010 struck the south side as well.
・・North Lefkosia
There
is something mysterious about both Larnaca and Nicosia (Lefkosia).
It’s
like Greek, it’s like Turkey.
It’s
like Mexico, it’s like Russia.
But
it’s not any of them.
This
isn’t anywhere.
Cyprus.
・・Larnaca, Saint Lazarus Church
A
rowdy atmosphere like the outskirts of cities in neutral countries like Geneva
or Vienna.
Or
a lack of nationality like Andorra or San Marino.
No,
that’s not it.
It’s
not any of them.
This
isn’t anywhere.
Cyprus.
・・Nicosia
History
of subjugation on the East and West. A history of religious interactions.
Perhaps that is what forms the dots of the mosaic, but for tourists from Asia,
it seems like one of the mixed cultures of Cyprus.
・・・North Cyprus, Saint Sophia Church built in 1208/Selimiye Mosque.
Mosque inside the Gothic architecture.
You
can find McDonalds, Kentucky, and Starbucks in the city.
The
radio only talk about what’s happening in Turkey and Russia.
Old
Greek looking men with grey hair and wrinkles gather at the cafe, doing
nothing.
By
the way, this is Commonwealth of Nations, but the mailbox is yellow.
The
mailboxes in North Cyprus is yellow too. They look alike.
South
side, North side, please get along.
End
of Cyprus report.
