harrygermany

New Member
Harry's trip to North Cyprus 2006
Hello everyone,

yesterday I returned back home (Germany) from my 3-week-trip to North Cyprus.
Here some impressions, shortly reported. I'm not looking up words to see whether I write them correct or not. I hope you will nevertheless understand what I mean.

On 19. March I arrived in Larnaka by plane, then had a transfer (arranged by "Sun Rent a Car") to Girne (Kyrenia) (58 EUR one way).
There I stayed at "Harbour Scene Hotel" (40 YTL=25 EUR/single B&B) which is near to the old Harbour. It was worth the money.
If you stay there, try to have a room away from the road, as some of the passing cars have special exhaust pipes that make the engine sound like 500 horses, and the radio seems to produce a 1000 Watts.
In the same road there is a rather good and unexpensive Turkish restaurant ("Aydin"). Try the red onions that come with the salad!
Directly at the harbour front there is the "Yellow Lion" for 25 YTL=15 EUR/single B&B. Rooms look OK there. Not easy to make reservations by phone there in English.

Girne near the touristy and beautyful harbour is expensive. 50 to 100 m backwards prices are normal again, but there the beautiful harbour scenery is missing.
Turkish coffee in harbour: 4 - 6,50 YTL, same coffee in town: 0,50 - 1 YTL !

For transportation to the hills with Hillarion, Bellapais and Buffavento you need a well filled purse for taxis, or you should rent a car. Left hand traffic!
The transportation with busses to the hills is partly not existing.

After I had seen the harbour for a few days, I decided to go to Karpaz, which is the peninsula in the far north-east. Just to have a look after the wild donkeys.
At 11 a.m. I took a bus to Famagusta (Virgo Trans, next to "Colony Hotel", 4,50 YTL, 70 minutes), and from there at 1 p.m. a bus to Dipkarpaz (120 min).
Busdriver stops for me very near to "Karpas Arch Houses".
"Karpas Arch Houses": several little houses, restored, rather nice, 17 EUR/single B&B, with aircon, fridge etc. Since April 2006 22 EUR/single B&B.
This area is good for walking (or rent a bike at "Arch Houses" and go to the ultimate end of the island at cape Andreas). In March and April flowers everywhere!!! And wild donkeys, if you go to the Andreas places (cape, monestary).
If you do not mind left hand traffic, rent a car and go from Girne to Karpaz by your car. That makes transportation much easier. On the way there you can visit Kantara castle easily.

At Dipkarpaz I stayed one week, having long walks to the north ("Oasis Restaurant" next to the sea, ca. 2 1/2 km) and to the south ("Blue Sea Hotel", also next to the sea, ca. 4 km).
Dipkarpaz is a cow-village (black and white Holland cows under palm trees) and has 2,500 inh., about 400 of them Greek Cypriots.
Besides the big mosque there are two smaller orthodox churches. On a Sunday I joined the ceremony in the church next to "Arch Houses" at 7 a.m. (2 1/2 hours!).

My next stop after a week in Dipkarpaz was the "Theresa Hotel" 6 km east of Yeni Erenkoey. I took a "privat taxi" there (20 YTL). The hotel charged me 15 EUR for a basic single room on B&B basis. You should pay attention to the basin in the bathroom: If it is tiny, just fitting in a corner, you got a too basic room. Ask for a better (bigger) one.
My first impression was: Oh, just a little hotel at the sea, in the middle of nowhere.
Then the owner of the "Theresa", Erdogan (say "Erdo-an"), showed me arround there. And I changed my mind.
So many things to see there if you are interested in nature: flowers (many orchids!), birds, very nice short or long walking, discovering historic buildings (partly hidden and forgotten). Enough for weeks!!!
The hotel is a bit basic, and the hotel's restaurant is expensive compared to a restaurant next door. But it is worth staying here, also for a week or longer!

After "Theresa Hotel" a friend took me to the "Bogaz Hotel" at Bogaz (say "Bo-az"), way down to Famagusta.
To go there was the only mistake I made on my trip.
Many people from UK like this place very much. I do not really understand why. As long as you are content with a overpriced hotel, a tiny little beach next to the harbour (harbour has the size of a bigger pool) and the hotel's restaurant more than 100 m away from the hotel, you may stay there.
But for me Bogaz was a place in the middle of nothing.
I found one good restaurant ("Kemacin Yeri Restaurant") next to the harbour (better than the "Bogaz Hotel Restaurant").
For 31 EUR I had a single room on B&B basis. The bathroom had no air circulation, that meant that I had to leave the door open. That again meant that I had to get fresh air by opening the balcony door. Because of early spring it became cold inside my room. That meant that I had to run the aircon.
So to ventilate the bathroom I had to open bathroom door, balcony door and to run aircon. All with a 3-star-single-room for L 22 (31 EUR)!
My stay there became a very short one.
For passing the time I took a taxi for 50 YTL including tip and went to Kantara castle, because to "explore" Bogaz takes a little more than 10 minutes.

The next day I went to Famagusta by taxi (25 YTL).
I had the only reasonable hotel inside the old walls, the "Altun Tabya Hotel", for 30 YTL B&B. It is no luxury at all, but this hotel is "honest". It does not promise what it doesn't hold. Clean, and a bit guesthouse-style like in Thailand or Nepal. Situated in the middle of all the nice and interesting places which are "must to be seen".

After three very nice days in that lovely old essential part of Gazimagusa I took a taxi to Larnaka airport (again arranged by "Sun Rent a Car" for 51 EUR).

And at the airport of Larnaka I had that symbolizing event:
Without thinking I ordered something to eat and to drink at a kiosk, opened my purse and saw, that I only had Turkish money.
I asked the waitress if I could change some Turkish money at the bank 10 m next to the kiosk to be able to pay.
The (Greek Cypriot) waitress answered: "You will not be able to change any of THAT money on whole Cyprus!"
Obviousely the Turkish part did not exist for her.

Too bad that a phantastic tour ended that way.
But anyway, I will come back one day. And if it is to enjoy some grilled Hallumi with salad, olives and bread and my Turkish coffee "medium" .

Harry
 
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Harry's trip to North Cyprus 2006
Hello Harry

I'm glad you had a good time in the TRNC. The Karpas is beautiful at this time of year,it's wonderful in the summer too-we spent lot's of time at Golden Beach, which is paradise.
I was in Girne from 12-19 March-it was quite cold. We lived there for quite a while and we do miss the place, it was nice to see our old friends there.
I agree with you about Bogaz-it's ok to stop for a coffee on your way further up into the Karpas, but that's all.
It's good for us Brit's in the TRNC as they drive on the same side of the road as us, but much harder if you're German.
I also like 'Oasis' at Ayios Philon-it's lovely for lunch in the summertime. My favourite is still 'Blue Sea' -people there are lovely and it's so tranquil.
Regards
Ann
 

Gail

Member
Harry's trip to North Cyprus 2006
Hi Harry I am so pleased you had a good time and thank you for your lovely write up, I'm sure it will really help others out who want to visit TRNC. :)
 

harrygermany

New Member
Harry's trip to North Cyprus 2006
I'm looking for your help with a recipe:

Together with my salad I had in North Cyprus some very nice RED ONIONS, thin cut, more juicy than crisp, seasoned with some unknown sweet-aromatic spice/herb.

These red onions were sooooo delicious that I URGENTLY :) need the recipe.

I pray that one of you can help me!

Regards

Harry
 
Harry's trip to North Cyprus 2006
hi harry ..i enjoyed your write up..danke schon...i think the salad you refer to is the same as one they do in antakya...its thin thin onions with chopped parsley and sumak...but it doesnt have to be red onions..its nice with a bbq too....i might not have spelled sumak properly i will ask yusuf when he comes in...cos he makes this salad really nice.
 

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