Archive for August, 2007

Friday, August 31st, 2007

FREE AND EASY:It takes time to get to know a foreign country and its ways, and a holiday there, whrever it might be, is often not enough time to do this. Here are some reflections that might be of interest to tourists in

North Cyprus. 

            One of the great pleasures of being privlegend of live in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, this achingly beautiful part of the Eastern Medeterranean, is that live can be a joy and a celebration at all times of the year, regardless of the season. Brief spring brings its green and colorful freshness to the coastal meadows, the  vast Mesaoria plain and the Mesparmak mountain range alike, high summer more than satisfies the sun-sorshippers upon the baking hot and golden beaches, whilst autmn and winter bring a time of calm and coolness, sometimes a refreshing and very welcome shower of rain and occasionally a stunning son et lumiére at night, or even by day, when a violent storm shimmers , flashes and flares and explodes with reverberating rumbles over this ancient soil. Like many visitors to this little country, my first couple of eccursions here occured about twelve years ago durings a july or August, prompted by the absolutley guaranteed sunny weather, the equally certain prospect of warm and cheerful home from home hospitality with my sister- and  brother in- law who had already settled here- and not least because it was the only time of year when a UK schoolteacher could get away for more than three weeks. That was not really so long ago, and it’s hard to credit that even in those days there was barely a single flashy BMW, mercedes or Cherokee Jeep on the road, hardly any new cars in fact. I felt as if ı’d walked into a large showground for classic cars because at every turn there seemed to  be an old Ford Anglia, an Austin Cambridge or  a Morris Oxford.

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KISS THAT FROG:

Friday, August 17th, 2007

KISS THAT FROG:The frog is an amphibian classified as a member of the Anura family.(meaning “tail-less in Greek) Adult frogs are characterized by long hind legs, a short body, webbed digits, protuding eyes and the absence of  a tail. The lakes of North Cyprus serve as a home for three different species of frogs. Meets the Frogs of North Cyprus.   Frog are portrayed as ugly and useless creatures by some, while others connects them to hedeen talents and many cultures see them as magical creatures. They take part in lots of fairy tales, such as “the story of the frog prince”. The modern- day media and film indutry also use them as characters like Michigan J. Frog, Slippy Toad or Kermit the frog. Michigan J. Frog, featured in a caroon, will only perfom his singing and dancing routine for his owner. When another person looked at him, he would change back into  a frog, and begin croaking. Slippy Toad, form the Star Fox series of computer games, is a talented mechanic, but mediocre pilot ,who often ends up needing to be rescued by his team mates . Kermits the forg, on the other hand, is a conscientious and discliplined character of Sesame Street and the Muppet Show; while openly friendly and greatly talented, he is often portrayed as cringing at the fanciful behaviour  of more flamboynat characters. Nowadays, in Shrek, which is a very popular series of flims among children; Shrek’s father- in-law  ia King who used to be a Frog, amphitibian in the order Anura. Adult frogs are characterised by long hind legs, a short body, webbed digits, prtruding eyes and the absence of a tail. Most frogs have a semi-aquatic liftyle, but move easily on land by jumping or climbing. They typically lay their aggs in puddles, ponds or lakes; and their larves, called tadpoles, have gills and develops in water . adult frogs follow a carnivoruos diet, ostly noticeable by their call, which can be widely heard during the night or day, mainly in their mating  season. Frogs also have a place in history too. To the Egyptians, the frog was a symbol of life and fertility, since millions of them were born after the annual inundation of the

Nile,which brought fertility to the otherwise barren lands. Consequently, in Egyptian mythology, there began to be a frog- goddess, who represented ferility, named Heget,meaning frog’s head, or more rarely as a frog on the end of a phallus to explicity indicate her association with fertility.          Frogs also take part in Greek Mythology: The Frogs who wanted a King is a fable, attributed to Aesop. The frogs prayed to Zeus asking they wanted a fierce and terrible king,  not a mere figurhead. So Zeus sent them a Stork to be their king. The new king hunted and devoured his subjects (as many human kings also do).          Frogs has served as important model organism throughout the history of science. Eighteenth- century biologist Lugi Galvani discovered the link between electricity and the nervous system through studying frogs. The Africans clawed frog, Xenopus laevis, was first widely used in laboratories in pregnancy assays in the first half of the 20th century. In 1952 Robert Briggs and Thomas J. King cloned a frog by somatic cell nuclear transfer, the same technique that was later used to create Dolly the Sheep.          Frogs are eaten, notably in France. One dish is know as cuises de grenouille, frogs’legs, and altought it is not  especially common, it is taken as         indicative of French cuisine. Thus frogs are sometimes used to represent French people.          There three species of frogs in Cyprus. The green toad, Bufo viridis,is the most widespread as it is the hardiest of the three frogs can survive in fairly dry conditions for long periods. The small green tree frog, Hyla savignyi can be found, as is to be expected, in areas with fairly lush vegetation and fairly near water. Marsh areas are its main breeding areas which can often seen on the vegetation on the banks of the steams and other water-courses. The most aquatic of the Cyprus frogs is the marsh frog Rana awayfrom a permanent water body.          All frogs together with many other aquatic animals and animals that have an aquatic stage in their life were pratically exterminated from the island by the use of DDT in the antimalaria campaign. Now less harmful chemicals are used. However, populations of frog species of Vyprus are significant declining because of habitat loss due to encontrolles urbanization.

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CYPRUS THE ISLAND OF LEGENDS – THE MOTHER DAUGHTER LEGEND:

Tuesday, August 14th, 2007

CYPRUS THE ISLAND OF LEGENDS – THE MOTHER DAUGHTER LEGEND: 

There once was a village called Atyaş Vasili in an epoch long ago. The gardens and land of the village belonged to one rich person that may people worked for. That rich landowner didn’t give his labourers bread and equally wasted bread and food. He would never give the food to any one else, claiming the ingredients were stale and he would throw them away. This person, who was so merciless with people and blessings they had , was in actual fact a mother and her daughter. 

After some time her daughter gave birth. Naturally the squadering contiued. Because they had a lot of wheat and flour, their bread was plentiful. In those days villagers made pita bread to eat with their meals. The starving and improverished labourers who were close to dying from starvation continued to work. She would almost curse as she gave a small piece of bread to them. Because of the disposition she possessed, the labourers and the people that lived in the surrounding area would say, “one day God will replay her”. One day the rich woman, her daughter and her grandchild went to the labourers, to the legndary area where the rocks stand now. She began to shout again at the labrourers urging them to work harder. The small grandchild excreated faeces on himself. It was at that instant it all began to happen. On her daughter saying, “what are we to do? What are we going to use to wipe it with?” the rich woman pulls out a pita bread from her leather bag ad tries to stone on the disrespect they had shown to his blessings.” 

Many people of the Alevkayası-Kalavaç area strongly believe in this legend. They belive that those who betray their blessings will be punished by the God. The children of this area are brought up according to this elief. If a child drop a piece of bread, they take the bread , kiss it and put it somewhere where it won’t be stepped upon. This is because they fear that God will “burn them and turn them into stone”.

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Holy Site of Cornation Cermonis

Saturday, August 4th, 2007

HOLY SITE OF CORNATION CEREMONIES:

              St. Sophia Cathedral, nowadays called Selimiye Mosque, is one of the unique works of Gothic Architecture, has had two minarets  added to it entrie magnificience, continues to create a contrast to the dullness of the contemporary times. This holy site, once used for coronation ceremonies of Lusignan Kings, has become one of the island’s chief mosques for Muslim gatherings and religious wrship.            Lefkoşa, the capital city of Northern Cyprus, is home to many works remaining from various periods. Lefkoşa has been the capital of

Cyprus since the end of the Byzantine rule(X. Century), and according to historical researches, has developed most in the Lusignan period. One of the most important monuments of Lefkoşa is the Selimiye Mosque- for- merly a cathedral. The Latin Cathedral was consructed in the centre of Lefkoşa in the xxıı century, after the Lusignans had captured the island in 1192 A.D., as a symbol of theirr rule. It was built resembling the Notre Dame de Paris. Its blueprint was brought from Paris to

Cyprus by Archbishop Thierry and his famous stonecutters in 1209. The construction of St. Sophia Cathedral, the most important example of Gorhic architecture and a remnant of the French Middle Ages in

Cyprus, was finished in 1326. St. Sophia  Cathedral was consecrated and opened to religous service by the Roman Catholic Archbishop Eustorge de Monraigu. As it was the most important

church of

Cyprus at the time, Lusignan Cornation Ceremonies were conducted at St. Sophia Cathedral. It was plundered by the Genoese in 1373, by the Mamluks in 1426, and was severely damaged by a number of earthquakes in 1491. As it was being restored by the Venetians the grave of an old Lusignan king (Hugh II) was uncovered. The corpse was well preserved with a crown on its head, and items made of gold and documents with it. This monument- one of the most stunning historical buildings of Lefkoşa- astonishes with its ravishing beauty from the outside and amazes with its snow white ceiling inside. The cathedral has a monumental entertance and the carved windows above the entertance are example of unequalled Gothic art. The inside of the cathedral comprises of three aishles, six side sections, and little chapels. The chapel to the north was dedicated to St. Nicholas and the ones to the south to the Virgin Mary and St. Thomas Aquinas. The part of the mosque reserved for woman used to be the treasury. 

TOMBS OF THE ROYAL FAMILY:Like many other Roman Catholic churches, St. Sophia Cathedral has countless tombs of Kings and their family members on its grounds. The marble grave stones of these still constitue part of the floor tiles. The inscriptions and drawing on them have been well preserved since they are covered with rush mats, and people are not allowed to enter with their shoes on.             The cathedral, which was severlely damaged by Genoese looters in 1371 and by earthquakes in 1491 and 1547, was repaired and converted into a mosque in 1570 by the Ottomans during the rule of Selim II., and two 49- metres-high minarets were built over the two damaged belfries on either side of enterance. Thus, St. Sophia Cathedral was now “ Aya Sofya Mosque”, and in 1954  it was named “Selimiye Mosque”.

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Cyprus Birds

Friday, August 3rd, 2007

 BIRDS

Life becomes a passion, if you tak off and go wherever you may please and freely live the way you heart desires. Whenever we think of freedom, we always seem to mention it together with birds, wishing and wanting to be as “free as the birds”. We have enviously watched them fly freely in the sky, diseppear again with the onset of spring.These are the reasons why we have studied and watched birds so closely for years, even thoug we have collected a great deal of data about them, we still find we haven’t been able to discover the magical characteristics which captive us. Today, we know that annually billions of birds begin to migrate thousands of kilometres commencing spring  and autumn. Because of their migratory habits, birds stay active all year round sesonally feeding and taking advantage of nesting facilities in different regions of the world.In spite of this clear advantage, the price of migration can be dear, and the birds have to be physical strong in order to be able to cope with such long and tiring journeys. Most birds stock fat under their skin to facilitate the energy they need to make theri long trip. When the fat break up, it combines with the sama amount of carbonhydrates or protein, which provides the birds with twice the amount of energy and also produces water. It is because of this that the birds can complete their long journeys; even so the birds that are fortunate enougy to do this usually loose half of their average weight by the end of their journey. The less fortunate ones that are too weak to complete the journey, either end up as food for other birds of prey or die of diseases. Over half of the birds that migrate from the Northern hemisphere never return. But for whatever reason and risks there mya be, migration still continues to be part of their lives they cannot relinquish and hast its advantages.              There is a clear difference in the migratory habits of birds that glide, and of those that actively flap their wings while flying. Because gliding birds rely on thermal informaiton to fly along the shorelines during the day and where land masses are closest to each other along the caostline. On the other hand, many songbirds and water birds do not rely on the geograhic structure of the land and migrate at night in wide g

      Another phenomenon is that during migratory flight the birds from a V-shape. They benefit from flying in this orderly fashion because when each bird flaps its wings, it creates a current of air which lifts the bird behind it. A group of geese flyin in the V-formation increase their flight distance by using the air currents they create. By flying in this form a group, can double the maximum distance they can cover singularly . Migratin birds also tak weather conditions into consideration.  They will not embark on a long journey if air pressure and wind conditions are not suitable. Anoteher factor that mystifies humans and is a great point of curisosity is their ability to find direction, which is till a mystery no one has been able to reaveal to date.Because of their many mysterious characteristics and dazzling colours, they are of great interest to scientists and bird watchers a like. As a branch of eco-tourisim, bird watching provides intersted tourists the opportuniyt of visiting these areas. Because Cyprus, which is the third largest island in the Mediterranean, is centrally positioned on the migratory paths between Africa andAsia, it has become a prime spot for tourists interested in bird watching. Becasuse the

island of

Cyprus is a place where varying types of unique migratory birds visit, it is the only countyr that has been included in

Europe’s Most Important Bird Areas List. In the spring days we are currently experiencing, we are lucky to live in a rare place of the world where we can see the beauty of it all. I wish for all the living creatures around the world, enjoy living with the spelendour of spring.

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Major Cities and Historical places

Thursday, August 2nd, 2007

LEFKOŞA / NICOSIA 

It’s claimed in Assyrian sources that date back to the 7th century BC that the city that was called Ledra is the origin of Nicosia. During the old Egyptian period on the island, in the years around 300 BC, the son of Ptolemy 1, Lefkos,  rebyilt the city and gave it his name. The name Lefkoşa derived from this. Some also say that it derives from the white poplar trees, called Lefki, that grew in abundance in its river beds. The name

Nicosia was first used in the 12th C when the native people rebelled against the Knights Templar. From this date onwards the island was ruled from Nicosia and it was accepted as the capital city of

Cyprus.The city which was developed during the Lusignan period and continued until the Venetians conquered the island in 1489. During the Venetian administration, in order to strengten the walls, many chruches and palaces were demolished and the materials were used in the consturction.

Nicosia, conquered by the Ottomans in 1570, was ornamented with mosques, Turkish baths, moslem theological schools and inns which were Works of art of the Otoman culture…  Selimiye Mosque (Cathedral of St. Sophia):Built by the Lusignans between 1208 and 1326. selimiye is accepted to be the most important example of Gothic art. After the Ottoman conquest of Nicosia in 1570, a minaret was added to the cathedral and thus it was transformed into Hagia Sophia Mosque, which was renamed in 1954 as selimiye Mosque.           

Armenian Church(Notre Dame de Tyre):The church on Sehit Salahi Sevket Streetwas built in the 8th cebtury, probably by refugees from Jerusalem.           

The Great Inn:It’s constuction was ordered by the first Ottoman goverment of

Cyprus, Muzaffer Pasha, in 1572. ıt’s architecture resembles the many other inns of this period in

Anatolia. Araound the inner courtyard of the stone inn are 68 rooms and in 2002. ıts souvenir shops, restaurants and Cypriots wine bar attract locals and tourists alike. On certain afternoons and evenings live musics can be heard filling the inner courtyard.           

Kyrenia Gate:The Kyrenia Gate is the arched northern entry into

Nicosia, through the old walls which surround the city. It was built by the Venetians in 1567. The gate used to be called “Porta

Del Proveditre” named after the Venetian engineer Proveditore Francesco. On the walls of the gate inscriptions from Venetian and Ottoman times can be seen by sharp eyed visitors.  GIRNE / KYRENIA:Settlement in the Kyrenia area goes back to Neolitic times, and under the influence of the Anatolian coastel civisations during the Bronze Age, the population of the region grew. Until 312 BC Kyrenia was an independent city kingdom but was then taken over by Salamis. The name is thought to date back to that time when Ptolemy1, King of Salamis, referred the town as “Keravnia” which means Aphrodite with the Thunderbolt. During Roman times, Kyrenia  was a Christian city even before it had become the offical religion of the

Roman Empire. In 1571 the Ottomans conquered Kyrenia without firing a sinhle shot.           

Old

Kyrenia

Harbour:The horseshoe shaped harbour is the focal point of the town. The historical Kyrenia harbour, with its colorful fishing boats and yatchts and its lively bars and cafes is the heart of Kyrenia, both for locals and tourists.              Bellapais Abbey:The remains of an exquiste Gothic bulding in the beautiful mountain village of Bellapais are what are left of the building built by Augustinian monks in 1025 AC. Orginally known as the “Abbey of Our Lady of  the Mountains” , the Franks renamed it is now the scene of many wonderful concerts and ventage point to view countless beautiful sunsets.           

Buffavento

Castle:At  an altitude of 954 metres, Buffavento, meaning wind defying, was originally built as a watchtower against Arab raids by the Byzantines. It was later converted into castle by the Lusignans, who more generally used it as a prison rather than a military stronghold. Althougt little of the original building remains, a visit is worth it if only for the magnificent vistas from the site.           

Antiphonitis Monastery:The fresccovered walls of the Antiphonitis Monastery, located in the middle of the forest, are very interesting. The church, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, was built in the 12th C, however the nartex to its west and and the gallery to its south were added later by the Lusignans. A sturudy vehicle is needed in order to visit this outlying Monastery, but it is well the visit.           

 St. Hilarion Castle:Rumoured to be the inspiration for the Disney film “fantasia”, this castle sits atop the mountains overlooking Kyrenia. The site was originally the home of the hermit “Hilarion”, upon which a monastery was built in his honour. The castle , the third in a protective line, was built on the mountain tops to protect against attacks from the seafaring Arabs.           

The

Shipwreck

Museum:The shipwreck, 14.75 metres long and 4.4 metres wide and displayed in one of the rooms of the

Kyrenia

Castle , is the oldest shipwreck ever discovered. The findings suggest that the ship was a Syrian comercial ship which sank off the coast of Kyrenia in the 3rd

C BC with a cardo of nearly 400 amphorae of supplies and foodstuffs.  GAZIMAGUSA / FAMAGUSTA:Famagusta is thougt to have been established by King Ptolemy Philadelphus 2 (285247 BC) around the lagoon near the coast of what are now the

Salamis ruins. The modern town is built on the remains of the ancient city of Arsenoe, named after the ife of the king, which was built to replace

Salamis after its sacking by Arab raiders in 648AD. The name of the

new city, Ammkhostos, means “hidden in the sand” , and residents hoped not to attract the raiders. The city developed after conquest by the Crusaders in 1291. From this date onwards, Famagusta soon became a sropping off point for pilgrims on their way to

Jerusalem and it grew in both polotical strength and material wealth.In 1571 the Ottoman took the city  and it soon reverted to the inignificant port city it had been in early times. During British rule much of the arthitectural hertiga of the city was lost when stone was taken from many of the historical sites to aid in the building of the

Suez Canal.           

The Kertikli Baths:A building to te north of the city constructed by the Ottomans, these baths are notable for the domes. The building is comprised of six domed rooms, a reservior converted with a vaulted ceiling and a section belived to be the dressing room, the ceiling of which has collapsed.            Ravelin:Ravelin is one of the two arched entries into the walled city of

famagusta. When the Venetians were surrounded by the Ottomans in 1571, the white flag was hoisted here. For this reason, the Ravelin Gate was called “Akkule”(white tower) by the Ottomans.           

St. George of

Latins

Church:A beautiful example of Gothic architecture, said to be based on St. Chapelle in

Paris, was built towards the end of the 13th C.

St. Barnabas Monastery:St. Barnabas of Cyprus, was killed by his compatriots and corpse was hidden in a underground cave to the west of

Salamis. The corpse remainded hidden for many years, its whereabouts unknown. 432 years later, Bishop Anthemios saw the grave in a dream and has the place excavated. Informed about this, the Emperor  of Byzantium made a donation for  a monastery to be built on the location of the grave, and bestowed autonomy on the

Church of

Cyprus. The monastery, built in 477 AD, houses an icon museum today.           

The Twin Churches:The larger of the two churches built in the 14th C belonged to the Knighs Templar. When the last grandmaster and their other leaders were burned as heretics in 1313, the order came to an end and the church was left to Knights Hospitalers who owened the adjoring building. The building has been restored and is now being used by the Cyprus Art Society.  GUZELYURT / MORPHOU:Situated in the north-west of Cyprus, Morphou is a town probably founded by the Spartants. In the Middle Ages, the city was referred to as Morphou but also Theomorhou. The morphou area grew more than half of

Cyprus citrus fruits, most of them are exported. Surrounded by citrus gardens, Morphou also supplies watermelon, melon and vegetable varieties blossoming from its fertile bosom. Morphou contains one of the many churches in the country dedicated to St. Mamas, popularly belived to have lived as a hermit in a cave near Morphou. Dating back to Byzantine times , the church earns the town a reputation and importance among Orthodox Christians.

Housing

Middle East

Technical

University’s  North Cyprus Campus, Morphou is rich in cultural heritage.           

Güzelyurt

Museum of Archeology & Natural History:The ground floor of the museum is devoted to natural history and holds cabinets of geological samples, stuffed fish, mammals , and birds ntive to

Cyprus. Upstairs there is a small archeological collection with the isand’s best display of Late Bronze Age and the recently discovered Ephesian Artemis.           

St. Mamas Church:A famous saint of

Cyprus, St.Mamas lived as a hermit in a cave near Morphou. A church must have been established in the Byzantine times, yet nothing survived today. The church we see today is a complete reconstruction dating back to 1725.  Soli Antik Kenti:One of the Nine Cyprus Kingdoms, Soli rebelled against the Persians, who were in power in 498 BC, and faced a severe defeat. Had its most brilliant days in the Roman Times, Soli was copletely destroyed with the Arab raids in the 7th C AD. What remains today is a Soli Basilica, one ot the oldest chruches in Cyprus; and a 4000- spectator capacity Roman theatre.           

Tumba Tou Skouru:Situated on the west of Güzelyurt – Kyrenia road, several kilometres north of Güzelyurt, is a little town of

Late Bronze Era; Tumba Tou Skouru. The Findings, discovered are on exhibit in the Güzelyurt Museum of Archaeological and Natural History.  Vouni Sarayı:It was build by King Doxandros of Marion, who was a supporter of the Persian in the 5th C BC with an aim to supervise the city of Soli supporters of the Greek.The palace was destroyed by the Soli inhabitiants in 380 BC never to be renovated again.Excavations brought to light golden and silver jewellery silver cups various silver coins.In the south of the palace are the traces of a 5th –BC Athena Temple.

İSKELE / ISKELE:On the way to Karpaz from Famagusta, the largest settlement in the area is İskele.The town called Trikoma until 1974 is mainly inhabited by the Turkish-Cypriot refugees from Larnaca (now in south Cyprus) who relocated to here after 1974. situated on the way to Karpaz from Famagusta is a small town called Boğaz, which hosts several tourism facilities and fish restaurants. The coasline of Boğaz,

Haravadi

Beach, serves as a public beach in the high season. Untouched and beautiful beaches, rich vegetation and cultural heritage that adorn İskele and

Karpaz

Peninsula offer an ideal vacation of peace and tranquility. The region is also home to wild Cypriot donkeys.               Apostle Andreas Monastery:Situated at the easternmost tip of the island of 

Cyprus, the Monastery has been an important piligrimage destination for the Orthodox for hundreds of years . the oldest surviving part of the monastery is only a 15th-C chapel. 

Kantara

Castle:Erected on a group of steep hills, Kantara was built to overlook Medeterranean to secure the safety of the coastline. The castle took its final shape, which survived today, under the rule of King of Cyprus James 1, who made several changes in the arctitecture. With the Venetian conquestin 1525,

Kantara

Castle fell from fasion.             

Golden

Beach:

This is a kilometres-long beach famous for its peculiar tiny sand of golden colour. Every year hundereds of Cretta sea- turtles come to tis beatiful spot to lay their hatches.

Golden

Beach is the favourite spot of those who seek a tranquil and calm vacation.            Aphendrika:Aphrendika is considered one of the six important cites that existed in Cyprus at the begining of the 2nd

C BC. Nearby Aphrendika are three churches; Haghios Georgios, Panaghia Chryisiotisa and Panaghia Asomatos.             Haghios Philon:The early 5th- C complex was built on the foundations of earlier Hellenistic and Roman structures. The edifice was destroyed by Arab raids in the 9th C. In the 12th C a domed Byzantine structure was built on the ruins of the previous construction.             The

Panaghia

Kanakaria

Church:

Although there is no trace left of the first church thought to have belonged to the early Byzantine period, the present church was rebuilt as a multi-dome church in the 14th C. The mosaics in the apsis, representing “Madonna col Bambino et Ognissanti” , are one of the most noteworthly examples of early Byzantine art in

Cyprus.

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