In addition to psychological wounds and other unseeable remnants of war (landmines, mostly), Cyprus also has many visible signs of war. This is remarkable when you consider its beaches and all-inclusive hotels host nearly three million tourists per year, most Read More
Cyprus
Vouni: A Very Old Palace
In antiquity, there were ten city-kingdoms in Cyprus. They were each distinct, and their inhabitants a veritable who’s-who of ancient civilizations, influences, and shifting allegiances: Mycenaean, Spartan, Phoenician, Assyrian, etc. The official tourist pamphlet at Vouni said something about Vouni’s Read More
Church of Christ Antiphonitis
Christ Antiphonitis means “Christ Who Responds”– apparently, this 13th century church is named after a miraculous icon that was known to respond to people’s prayers. While Severin was back in the States, I convinced some newcomers to drive up to Read More
A Segway Tour of Nicosia
In the category of “Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it” we went on a segway tour of Nicosia. One of our friends wanted to do something goofy for her husband’s birthday, so eight of us got together and went Read More
The August Doldrums
It’s my third August in Nicosia, and this month, and the whole summer really, has felt exceptionally long. I’ve compiled a long bucket list of all the places we still need to explore, restaurants we want to re-visit, and trips Read More
Cyprus in May
And just like that, it’s August again, and in late July we crossed our two-year threshold. Now, we begin with the “lasts”– this is my last August in Cyprus, and we have no idea where we’ll be next August. Read More
In Which Only the Strong Survive
Several months ago, one of the embassy’s local guards sent an enthusiastic email to all Embassy staff announcing “SOCRATES’ FIRST ANNUAL ROAD TRIP!” and promising 10,000 years of history in a single day. Since I appreciated his gumption, and the Read More
Lost in Translation
It is funny to me how subtle differences in language can really make a big difference. Cyprus is, for all intents and purposes, an English speaking country. When our garbagemen came around for their holiday tip, they spoke English. Rarely Read More
The Churches of Northern Cyprus
These days, Cyprus is clearly segregated between a Turkish Cypriot north and Greek Cypriot south. Though many wrongly assume this was always the case (and only reinforced by the presence of Turkish troops in the north since 1974), it is Read More
Wordless Wednesday: No Gas
Dipkarpaz, Cyprus