A little bit of Wintering...

Today marks the final day of January, which to me and the majority of us is the most difficult month of the year. Getting through it is an accomplishment in itself. February now beckons, a softer month, a romantic month and one that promises a long weekend.

As always, the new year means making new year's resolutions and now, by the end of January, some have been kept and some neglected. It's cold and gloomy and most of us tend to withdraw from too much contact with the world in these cold couple of months, opting to stay in, cook and cosy up with a good book or escapist series or film. Life is slow and sleepy, seemingly uneventful and quiet, a chance to refresh until spring arrives when the feeling to venture out again is more prevalent.

To me, this time of year means storing up knowledge and setting goals, whether they be visiting a place you have been meaning to for a while and learning something new, or making time to exercise or set a reading goal. January and February seem like months of slumber but they can also mean quietly and unassumingly working on yourself so that by spring and summer, something within you is ready to bloom and blossom.

Katherine May, in her book 'Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times,' explains the following, "Wintering brings about some of the most profound and insightful moments of our human experience, and wisdom resides in those who have wintered." 

So it is, that the bleakest months of the year, can in fact be beneficial for reflection and introspection and give more meaning and understanding to how our life is progressing. A little bit of wintering goes a long way, if we let it.

A Return To Nicosia...

"There is still a piece of a blue sky left in Cyprus, it is towards it that the boat of our hope is sailing."

Such was the saying by George Georghiou, which was surrounded by notes and pictures left by visitors of the exhibition entitled 'Sector 2' at the Leventis Municipal Museum.

The exhibition, housed on the second floor of the museum takes you through Nicosia's troubled past, notably the bi-communal troubles of 1956, 1958, 1964 and 1974.

As was explained by the guide, Nicosia before the troubles coexisted peacefully and photographs depict that time as different communities went about their daily routines. The aftermath of World War II and struggles against colonialism in the mid 20th century affected both communities.

The armed struggle of the Greek Cypriots against the British administration widened the distance between them. Organisations calling for partition of the island (taksim) led to clashes, violence and killings. In 1956 the murder of a Turkish- Cypriot auxiliary police officer by EOKA members stirred up violence. As a consequence, the first division of Nicosia was created when the British army placed barbed wire along Ermou Street which separated the Turkish- Cypriot section from the Greek-Cypriot one.

The Clemens or Mason-Dixon line as it was called, did not help to improve relations between the two communities and in 1958 the conflict got worse after the presentation of the Macmillan Plan for a solution to the Cyprus Problem. An attack on the Press Office of the Turkish consulate provoked violence and murders. This also led to a separation of municipalities.

Later, as is explained, stray shootings, house arrests, social isolation and a chilling silence were the characteristics that made up the image of the capital in December 1963. 

International pressure led to the creation of a Buffer Zone which was called the 'Green Line.' All houses and shops within the boundaries were abandoned and the area was evacuated. In March 1964 the United Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus arrived. Photographs in the exhibition display what life was like at this time and even includes a bicycle belonging to an Armenian resident, which he took with him when he left his home during the inter-communal riots in December 1963.

Life in Nicosia was tense because of fear of attacks. Turkish-Cypriots quit their jobs and as a result government broke down. Such was the situation in 1964 and tensions remained high. Crisis in schools, the government sector, police and postal delivery services and the inability of Turkish-Cypriots to access medical care, since the Nicosia General Hospital was under the control of the Greek-Cypriots, caused upheaval. There were also shortages of food and other necessities.

Around mid-1965 things began to improve but this was not to last. Dialogue between the two communities did happen in 1968 but it remained incomplete. The Greek junta-led coup against President Makarios on the 15th July 1974 provided a pretext for action by Turkey. On the 20th July 1974, the first phase of the Turkish invasion began and led to the division of Cyprus and the mass displacement of more than 200,000 people from both communities.

According to our guide, it would only take 48 hours to reunify Nicosia into one whole once again. One unanimous  decision, one unanimous agreement and the capital could move forward into a united and peaceful future and in the words of Michalis Pasiardes, "This, too is Nicosia's hope for tomorrow. For man-made lines to dissolve, for our city to once more discover her complete face."

Sources: Leventis Municipal Museum

              A Guide to the History of Nicosia

Ten Cypriot Staycation Summers...

The last time I hopped on a plane was to go to the UK on a wobbly Easy Jet flight to Leicester and was pleasantly surprised by the UK weather which was unexpectedly mild with no rain. That was September 2015.

Following that, for the next ten years, I opted to stay in Cyprus. During these years I have seen Cypriot presidents leave and take up office, lived through a pandemic which limited travel, switched jobs and welcomed a niece into the world and had to say goodbye to loved ones who passed away. It seems like a lifetime but in the process I have felt changed, even renewed despite the lack of travelling.

In this time I have also read steadily, gathered knowledge, visited places of interest in Cyprus and become more aware of this island's deep and complex history and culture. My Cypriot nature has become more apparent and I have blended in more with the world around me and my spoken Greek has improved.

Even though at times the desire to get on a plane and escape for a while is missed, the island pulls me back-its shores, its mountains, its lifestyle, its protective nature. There is so much I have yet to discover, so many more places I haven't yet visited or experienced. In short, we are lucky to live here. The climate, the food, the easy way of getting out and about. 

There are times when we complain, get angry and grumble at the state of things and there are certainly aspects of life here that can and must be improved, but being a small island changes and improvements are feasible as long as they are competently and effectively done. 

In its troubled past, this island had to start again from very little and it is commendable in itself that the unoccupied part of the island has made so much progress since those troubled times. More still needs to be done and the future awaits, but Cyprus pushes forward like all other nations into a period which will hopefully bring good fortune, prosperity but above all, peace and reunification.

Lawrence Durrell in his book 'Bitter Lemons of Cyprus,' said, "Taken leisurely, with all one's time at one's disposal Cyprus could, I calculate, afford one a minimum of two years reckoned in terms of novelty; hoarded as I intended to hoard it, it might last anything up to a decade."

For me, a decade it has been, without having had an eye on other lands, but despite this I have gained and seen an island like the sea around it, in all its seasons, in all its calm and upheaval but still with an eye on the horizon, looking out and awaiting what is next to come.

Mountains and Monasteries...

John Muir, the Scottish-American naturalist once said, "The mountains are calling and I must go." Such was the feeling today as we set off for a trip out of town and into a more peaceful and quiet area of the island.

Our first stop was the picturesque village of Omodos, surrounded by pines. Walking along its cobbled streets, we reached the famous Timiou Stavrou Monastery which stands in the centre of the village. Legend has it that St. Helena (mother of Emperor Constantine) left a piece of the rope with which Christ was tied to the cross and it is now kept in a cross-shaped reliquary. It is believed that on her return journey from Jerusalem after recovering the Cross of the Crucifixion, St. Helena was stranded by bad weather on the south shores of Cyprus. She first founded the monastery of the Holy Cross on Olympus peak, now known as Stavrovouni (Cross on the Mount) and then churches at Tochni, Lefkara and Omodos.

It is possible that on the site of the present monastery, on which St. Helena built only a church, there pre-existed another smaller church or even a pagan temple. The current church was built in 1858 to replace a smaller one that was demolished.

The monastery it is believed must have flourished during Frankish and Venetian rule since important icons survive from these periods. The village of Omodos developed from the monastery possibly as early as the Byzantine period but certainly during Frankish rule.

The local priest explained the monastery's past and the church has icons painted in the Russian Orthodox style as well as impressive murals created between 1905 and 1912 which are influenced by more Western traditions in painting.

I paid a visit to the Ecclesiastical Museum within the monastery which houses 16th century icons portraying Jesus' life as well as icons of St. John the Theologian, St. Peter and Archangel Gabriel among others. Also on display were religious robes worn by priests, a silver incense burner and silver trays and chalices.

The first floor took you to a display of Omodos papilla lace and as is explained by the historian Talbot Rice in his book 'The Icons of Cyprus,' these laces were highly valued in Europe and exported in the 14th century. 

Another museum on the top floor was dedicated to the EOKA struggle with descriptions of some of the fighters who died and displayed are an interesting collection of some of their clothes and belongings.

Leaving Omodos, we made our way higher up towards Platres and Trooditissa Monastery in a landscape of refreshing and lush greenery, the sky above overcast with a hope of rain and opening the car windows, we breathed in the cool, mountain air.

There was a soothing calm about the monastery with only the rustle of leaves breaking the silence. Local tradition dates the monastery to the 8th or 9th century, though the earliest written record is from the 14th century. The monastery was burned down by the Ottomans in 1585 and again by fire in 1842 with the current church built in 1731. The surrounding monastic buildings date from the late 18th and 19th centuries. Inside, the miracle-working icon is adorned with a silver-leaf cover and offers hope to childless couples.

We returned to Omodos for coffee and cake and as we sat idly in the cafe under the shade of large umbrellas, it started to rain. The rain felt auspicious and hopeful and a respite from the heat and humidity. Before leaving we bought 'arkatena' (bread typical of the village) as well as honey-coated cashew nuts and pomegranate-flavoured sesame seed candy known as 'pasteli.' 

The trip was a change of scene to the hustle and bustle of town life and on returning I felt changed and with a renewed sense of hope.

To A Godfather...

My godfather was a man who needed no introduction. Large, both physically and charismatically, he was full of witty and delightful sayings. One, which decorated his office back in the day, translated from Greek into 'When I met man, I started loving animals.' He was thoughtful, wise and a skillful businessman and from him I gathered the example of stoicism but also open-hearted generosity.

For his love of food I remember him distinctly. He loved fish and often cooked for us on a Sunday or national holiday. Stewed rabbit was also a special treat and he sometimes picked small mandarins from the tree in the front porch of his house and added them to his recipe.

He was a man who did nothing by halves. Open, outspoken, short-tempered at times but with wit and humour. He despised small-mindedness and gossips or people who were miserly with their time or money. He gave and needed nothing in return but love and understanding. In later years, he may have lost his vision and dynamic physicality, but he was still respected and cared for.

Family ties and relationships can sometimes be demanding and challenging and that is a universal truth, not just something tied to Cyprus. Cousins, aunts, uncles, godmothers and godfathers are cherished and loved despite their idiosyncrasies or a word spoken in anger or haste. In my family, even after heated discussions and arguments, we have always ended up in understanding and forgiveness, even in the silences in between.

Someone once said, ' Families are like stars, you don't always see them, but you know they are there.' After losing family members in the last few years, memory remains, those cherished moments you have spent with them, the lessons learnt and I believe their spirits remain, guiding and protecting even after they are long gone.

Colin Thubron: Journey Into Cyprus

It is not often you come across a book that promises everything you want it to be and does not disappoint. Such was the case on reading Colin Thubron's 'Journey Into Cyprus.' It describes the writer's trek through Cyprus in the spring and summer of 1972. There is a dreamlike, reflective melancholy throughout, intertwined with historical insight and touches of humour.

As the book unfolds and as the writer traverses the island, you feel you are walking with the writer yourself and with every step something new is revealed, something knowledgeable and informative, snippets of facts about the island that you didn't know before.

The thoughts and insights of the writer carry you away, to another point in time, a different period of the island before the tragic events of 1974 and it is with this knowledge, that you are reading about and witnessing an island before catastrophe, that it is all the more veiled with melancholy and reflection.

Thubron wanders through forests, mountains, rivers, villages and towns and he meets colourful personalities along the way. Often these chance encounters are peppered with humour such as his meeting with Chambis who believes he is a descendant of the Arcadians- " Of course we are Greeks,' said Chambi, but of a separate kind" or the tragic-comic encounter with the Turkish tomb robber who wants Thubron to purchase ancient artifacts -"On the table were fragments of Roman glass...The old man held one up to the light. He was spry and brown as a monkey. 'One pound,' he said. 'Will you buy?" In one humorous moment where he is invited to eat with a family, he experiences eating 'strouthos,' a bird which he soon discovers is far from chicken- " The skull fell off the neck with a tiny clatter. I scraped away a little of the chest and ate its dark, high meat."

There are also more sobering accounts such as his meeting with Christos the schoolmaster, who was tortured by the British because of his involvement with EOKA and the writer is shocked by his revelations as he shows him around the prison cells he was kept in and concluding that, "It seemed now that I was naive not to have believed it before. In every people, when angry or afraid, there is a quality which can be distorted into brutality. In my own, perhaps, it was a lack of sensitized emotion."

Beauty and ugliness intertwine in the narrative, as he describes the harsh landscape of the copper mines which had "taken on a mutilated synthetic look," in direct contrast with other places such as Akamas with "its flush of green [which] was entrancing, and a host of butterflies were tumbling about the trees." Often he is high up looking down with reflective thought as he experiences when he visits Stavrovouni Monastery on a star-filled night - "Below us cities and villages, by day invisible for haze, glimmered out of the darkness: Famagusta, Nicosia, Limassol, the bracelet of Larnaca on its bay; while to the west the Troodos mountains were piled with scattered sparks like a fairground canopy."

As Thubron reaches the northern tip of the island, he is all the more entranced by its beauty and history and as his journey ends, he reflects on Cyprus and its compexity. As a writer and traveller Thubron witnessed Cyprus in its last years of peace. He travelled around the entire island before partition and destruction. He experienced a unified Cyprus, so mesmerizing and authentic that by the end of the book you are left with a feeling of longing, a deep wish to see Cyprus unified once again and like Thubron, be able to walk the same path as his - no borders, no checkpoints, just freedom of passage around an island which is still waiting in the midst for that day to arrive again.

Gratitude: Peace for Today, Vision for Tomorrow...

In today's fast-paced lifestyles, where tedium and irritation seep in, where life often seems to throw us challenges one after the other and there is no end to to-do lists and mundane errands, August on this island, feels like a relief.

It is an opportunity to sit and relax, whether at the beach, in your garden or simply on your front porch or balcony, watching as afternoon slowly mellows into twilight and the cicadas' humming draws out into evening. For many it is a time for re-evaluation, a reset ready for a new beginning in September.

For a winemaker, in Cyprus and elsewhere, August are when the grapes are in the final stages of ripening and preparation for harvesting is underway as they are picked for eating or making wine.The winemaker's fruits of labour reach their end and if the harvest is bountiful, so much the better.

In the same way as grapes are harvested, so too must we cultivate gratitude despite life's setbacks and hurdles. Being simply present in the moment, quietly content and satisfied with what we have is, in today's world, immensely underrated. But it is only in these moments of gratitude, that new blessings arrive, often unexpectedly and unannounced.

It is often the case here in Cyprus, that many fall into the trap of wanting, when what they have is never enough and are easily influenced by others' supposed glamorous and more luxurious lifestyles. They perceive expensive belongings- cars, homes, the latest tech trend or expensive shoe or bag to be of more importance than generosity, humility, integrity or just a simple heartfelt compassion. We lose ourselves in wanting, in never being satisfied in having enough. Often it is the view of ourselves which is lacking. We identify ourselves with wanting and having than with just simply being.

The late American author Melody Beattie once said, "Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend." She also said, "Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow."

Rather than being caught up with what is lacking, we must be thankful for what we have, with the little we have. To someone in this world, it is a lot more than they could ever imagine possible. Someone's little could equate to another's plenty. Gratitude allows us to see this and be at peace with life as it is and look forward to what is to come.