Vamık Volkan:

We were like birds in a cage

Vamık Volkan, who left Cyprus in 1950 for Turkey, then America to study medicine, has been away from his homeland for 57 long years. The author of several books which have been published in many different languages, Volkan is the leading figure in the field of political psychology. Prof. Dr. Vamık Volkan visits the island for holiday every summer...


You have been away from Cyprus for 57 years. What was your relationship to the island in this long period?
Cyprus was always in my heart. Let me explain: In 1957, I went to America and three months later I received a letter from my father. Attached to the letter, there was a newspaper clipping with a picture of Erol, my flatmate in Ankara. Upon his return to Cyprus after he learnt that his mother was sick, Erol was killed by the Greek Cypriots. I was not aware of the true extent of this event's influence on me. There is a famous approach in psychology: “Survivor guilt.” I was affected by this syndrome. I was not able to leave American until 1968. It was a long time since I've been home, I nearly forgot my native tongue. Of course, while I was away, the unfortunate events unfolded. In this period, I had no contact with my family except for the occasional letter which a friend of mine brought on his return from his visits to Cyprus. The 1968 intervention of Turkey opened the doors of the ghetto. I was immediately on the island. After that year, Cyprus became a part of me.

I believe you regularly visit the island...
Yes, insofar as I find the economic opportunity. Additionally, I have a mission. In every conference I attend, in every book I write, I mention and present Cyprus to other people. Even when I write on schizophrenia, for instance, I mention Cyprus.

You have been living in the USA for 50 years. Which country makes you feel at home?
Definitely Cyprus. After I began to visit the island regularly, I cry every time on the way from the airport to my house. Every day, I wake up before the sunrise, touch and smell the soil in my garden. The garden of my house in America is nearly ten times larger than the one in Cyprus, but I don’t feel like smelling the soil there. It’s an interesting emotion.

CUTTING THROUGH THE FABRIC OF THE TENT
First you studied psychiatry, then psychoanalysis, and finally, the less known field of political psychology...
Actually this story is a bit accidental. In America, I was studying on psychoanalytic psychiatry, and, despite my young age, I was writing books and giving lectures. At that time, an association called "Psychiatry and Foreign Policy" was established. Together with a Greek friend of mine, I was selected to be the youngest member of this association. Usually, we were invited for a drink and chatted with other members! Of course, it was a pleasant situation. We were drinking for free! When we were not around, they were actually working on Turkish-Greek relations...

So, were these meetings influential in shaping your interest in political psychology?
While we were attending these meetings, the Egyptian President of the time Enver Sedat stated on his visit to Israel that the reason behind the conflict between Arabs and Israelis is psychological. Ecevit told the same thing for the Turkish-Greek conflict, but no one paid attention. What was happening was that the historical aspects of these conflicts were overemphasized with regard to their psychological aspects. After the statement of Enver Sedat, a council was founded and the USA sponsored studies in political psychology. Trips to Egypt and Israel were made. Three years later, I was the head of this group. Of course, when you are the head of such a group, you must learn and accumulate a wide range of knowledge. So, I started studying political psychology. This went on until 1986. During that period, we made preliminary studies for the dialogues between the Russians and the Americans. A team including psychiatrists and diplomats was formed. Then I visited the Soviet Union. We worked with Gorbachev for two years. I never met Reagan, but I am sure Gorbachev found our studies useful.

Then you visited many other sites of conflict, such as Israel, Albania, Palestine... Did you see common reasons for these ethnic-religious problems?
Actually, they are all the same. Only when religion is involved, things get a bit more complicated. The most important concept in these cases is the “large group identity”, that is to say, superidentites like Turkish, Kurdish, Catholic. Generally, all human beings belong to a superidentity which might change a little when we are drunk or asleep, but most of the time remains constant. We live in a tent together with thousands, even millions of different people. I use "tent" as an analogy for the concept of large group identity. The fabric of the tent represents the large group identity. There is a political pole which holds the tent upright. Every morning, we wake up under the Turkish flag, we read Turkish newspapers and we live a Turkish life. Yet, most of the time, we do not go through this consciously or it does not strike us as something special to be noticed. But whenever someone tries to cut through the fabric of the tent or whenever the political pole is not holding the tent strongly —and this is what is exactly happening in Turkey right now— everyone pays attention to the tent and is concerned about its continued existence. As the fabric of the tent is damaged, you cannot even think about the clothes you wear, an analogy for subidentities. This is the story of group identity... We are living in an age of ethnicity. Identity conflicts, questions like "who are we?", "how are we different?". The whole world is in decline and the worse is yet to come because religion is gaining significance, too.

TURKISH CYPRIOTS ARE NOT KNOWN
How do you analyze the Cyprus problem in light of this?
All large groups have their own processes. So does the current trauma lived in Cyprus. Turkish Cypriots can visit any place around the world, but without a passport that can show who they really are. This causes a big misrecognition. We can give many examples to this. For instance, the Serbian leader Milosevic was able to mobilize Serbian nationalism by making references to certain historical figures. He showed around and exhibited for one long year from village to village, and finally brought to Kosovo, the dead body of a Serbian killed 600 years ago during the Ottoman period. The body was buried every night but only to be digged up on the next day to repeat this cruel exhibit again and again. Can you imagine the consequences of such an event? Are there no reasonable people in Serbia? Is every Serbian born a killer? All great human tragedies are the result of such traumatic processes.

Is there any way to prevent these tragedies?
We may not prevent this once and for all, but we must surely enrich our diplomatic skills. The groups in conflict must gain an awareness regarding each others’ thoughts and this might help us develop arguments better suited to the psychological process. And this takes time.

As a Turkish Cypriot, how can you describe the psychological condition of your community?
I really want to make a serious study on this topic. My general theories might be correct with respect to Turkish Cypriots as well. Nevertheless, detailed research is necessary. 20- or 21-year-old young people do not know anything about the years of war. The new generations must be informed of their past. Most of us think of Cyprus as the whole world, as if there is nothing beyond Cyprus. The annual budget of a hospital that I worked with at the Virginia University is more than the annual budget of the TRNC!

As a Turkish Cypriot who have worked in many different countries, how do you think the world perceives the Cyprus problem?
Turkish Cypriots are not known in the world. This island has only one recognized state: The Republic of Cyprus, a EU member state. Those who learn that there are Turkish people and a political problem in Cyprus say "then, let's make everyone Cypriot". Maybe one day everyone can feel themselves to be Cypriot, but this is very unlikely for the moment. A Greek Cypriot can completely feel that he is a Cypriot. But what is his large group identity? No doubt that it is the one thousand year old Greek identity and you cannot expect that he will easily get over this identity. This goes for the Turks as well; and we are currently trying to figure out our identity! Hypothetically speaking, if a Greco-Ottoman empire was to be established, all the problems would have been solved. But, no! They have transferred the Turkish-Greek strife to a smaller country.

THE SPONGY CHEESE THEORY
During the Annan Plan period, you came up with a theory called “Spongy Cheese”. Has this theory worked in practice?
Actually what is happening now reflects what I told then. During the Annan Plan period, Alvaro de Soto visited Cyprus. We talked in my home before he started working on the subject. I told him my “spongy cheese" theory. But I don’t know whether he took me seriously. In order for the Cypriot people to find peace, they need to grant each other their different identities. There has to be a boundary. If you establish a spongy, that is, a permeable boundary, there will be exchange —not in the sense of today's market exchange! A psychological exchange. In the past, Cyprus was always like a spongy cheese. Both in the Ottoman and British periods. For instance, it was exceptional when a Turk and a Greek married. And today, the boundary is the main reason behind the feeling of safety.

As far as we know this spongy cheese theory was inspired by your studies in Estonia. Is there a resemblance between the situation in Estonia and that in Cyprus?
We studied in Estonia for 6.5 years. There is a similar situation in Estonia. The population is 1.5 million and 500,000 of them are not Estonian, but Russian. They are not even Estonian citizens. Estonians say that if they want to be citizens, they need to learn the native language! Faced with such a condescending condition, no one wants to learn that language. We made a psychoanalytic study on 40 people consisting of the leaders of both communities. They decided on the spongy cheese solution. They wanted to preserve their private spaces and their own communities, but also keep points of exchange between the communities. In the end, this worked out. But the Cyprus problem has a chronic nature! Sometimes I find in the house newspapers printed a decade ago. Believe me, the news, even the headlines are the same. And unfortunately there is nothing we can do about it.

BIRDS IN A CAGE
What kind of a trauma was created by the “Yes” of Turks and the “No” of Greeks as a result of the Annan Plan referandum?
This proved that the condescending attitude is still present. One sincerely believes that we can live together, the other damns the possibility.

Turkish Cypriots have been isolated and embargoed for a long time. What are the psychological repercussions of this?
If you live under disadvantageous circumstances for a long time, after some time you begin to direct your reactions toward yourself. This goes for both individuals and communities. This is the case for Turkish Cypriots. There is also the “booty psychology”. My neighbor is rich, I am not; I lost my property, he became a property owner... Because of these problems, we were divided among ourselves. And we are tired of it. Now there are more issues that we have to deal with: The old rich, the new rich, the old rich; those who came from Turkey but who are now Cypriots; Greeks; Turks; those who like Greeks, those who don’t...

On the other hand, it is as if the Cyprus problem is the only problem in North Cyprus. When other problems are discussed, there is always a mention of the Cyprus problem. Isn't there a risk of awaiting for the solution to the Cyprus problem and therefore postponing the solution to other serious problems?
Yes, today we have a traditional political structure. I think, the most serious problem is the application of the laws that we made. If we are a legitimate state and we have laws, we have to learn to live with them. You will have a military, you will have a state, but most important of all, you will have laws and law-abiding people. If we become a truly legal state, our communication with the outer world will change dramatically! What we need to do is focus on our internal affairs...

What do you think about the relationship between Turkish Cypriots and Turkey?
In the 1960s, when Turkish Cypriots were forced to live in ghettos, they needed a “motherland”, a sense of security. Interestingly, almost every Turkish Cypriots had birds in their houses. I think we were like those birds. There was a motherland who fed us and looked after us. This of course meant nationalism, which today has a perverted meaning. Turkish Cypriots were a product of the patriotism in Turkey. That was the reason why Turkey intervened in Cyprus.

Finally, tell us about your new projects. Will you analyze Cyprus in the near future?
Yes, I have something in mind, but I cannot possibly change the direction of the current process. At least for now. Because it is inevitable that I will be seen as someone partial. I can easily communicate with the Turkish people. But will the Greek Cypriots listen to me? Of course not...



Who is Vamık Volkan?
Vamık Cemal Volkan was born in 1932 in Lefkoşa. He graduated from Cyprus Islamic High School in 1950, and the Medicine Faculty at the Ankara University in 1956. He went to the USA in 1957 and stayed there. He was the president of the International Political Psychology Association fo rlong years. His books have been published in Finnish, German, Japanese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Swedish and Turkish. In 2003, Volkan received the Sigmund Freud award in the field of psychoanalysis. In 2004, he was chosen the educator of the year in the USA. He was nominated for several international awards. Volkan still lives in the USA.

Antonioni & Bergman

The White Screen Has Blacked Out

Another film giant has passed away following the death of Ingmar Bergman who was coined as the “greatest director alive” by the Time. From now and on, Michelengelo Antonioni and Ingmar Bergman will be remembered as the “greatest directors ever”.


Ingmar Bergman, who followed a unique path of his own through the labyrinths of feelings, passed away on the 29th of July. It was only a day after, on the 30th of July, when the Italian director Michelangelo Antonioni died: a director who beautifully embellished the alienation of men from men with the ironies of the age of miscommunication, and projected all of these on to the white screen with a poetic understanding of aesthetics.
Without any doubt, and happily, we still have great directors breathing with us and whom we follow closely. However, Antonioni and Bergman are not here anymore. They were the last representatives of the 'auteur' generation known for their remarkable contributions to the film industry, that is growing further apart from arts and transforming rapidly into an object of consumption.

We are more alienated than ever...
Antonioni was narrating the feeling of alienation, which emerged with the industrial revolution and reached to a climax with the rise of capitalism, and the pains of the early modern individual follwing the depression of the world wars and the psychological traumas reflecting onto the social.
He was a film maker who preferred telling stories through images rather than situations. In fact, most of the time the situations in his films would not follow a cause and effect relationship. However, most importantly, Antonioni had managed to establish a film language of his own by bringing images together in a poetic fashion and by using the feeling of emptiness created via space. Perhaps this was why he was interested more in location than scenario.
Antonioni was in the effort to “bring our hearts and eyes to the same level” just like the way the great photographer Henri-Cartier Bresson did. Drawing a line from our eyes to our hearts through camera angles, locations and images, he was delivering 'humanly feelings' by giving us a smooth rather than a big slap on the face.
Masterpieces such as L’Avventura (The Adventure, 1960), La Notte (The Night, 1961), L’Eclisse (Eclipse, 1962), Il Deserto Rosso (The Red Desert, 1964), Blowup (Blow-Up, 1966), Zabriskie Point (1970) and The Passenger (1975) narrated the problems of the modern individual, male-female relationships, problems in communication, the inner feeling of emptiness created by the world and alienation. Although he will not be able to create new ones, his existing masterpieces will keep on explaining 'men' to 'men'...

'The Magic Lantern' has gone out...
Another film maker who passed away in july was at the same time an actor, a playwright and a philosopher: Ingmar Bergman... Coined by the Time in 2005 as “the greatest director alive”, Bergman focused on issues of death, religion, solitude, the indiviual, identity and memory in a joyful, yet more often a pessimistic way. This pessimism was at such an extreme degree that he once said “When I watch some of my films, I feel my nerves wreck; tears grow in my eyes... This is so scary...”
However, there are moments when joy and melancholy melt into each other in the cinema of Bergman... For example, whereas one of his most 'joyful' films, “Wild Strawberries”, was marked by a deep melancholy, it was possible for a character in a rather noire scenario to crack into laughter. Perhaps what defined Bergman was a lyrical melancholoy; or maybe, his characters were in love with melancholoy in a lyrical fashion...
The possibility of mentioning both Tarkovsky and Woody Alen in the same sentence while giving an example to the directors influenced by Bergman might also be a sign of this fact.
Despite focusing on a variety of matters with his camera, the great director was actually reflecting the mirror to his very own self the whole time. Sometimes, his films were psychoanalytical narratives projected on to the white screen. Was it this commonality which brought Tarkovsky and Woody Allen into the same sentence?
Having directed such masterpieces as Sommarnattes Leende (The Smiles of a Summer Night, 1955), Det Sjunde inseglet (The Seventh Seal, 1956), Smultronstället (Wild Strawberries, 1957), Tystnaden (The Silence, 1963) ve Persona (Persona, 1965) Ingmar Bergman directed a sum of 54 films, produced 126 plays and wrote 39 radio dramas.
It was the 70th birthday of Bergman when Woody Allen said that “Bergman is the greatest artist that came about since the invention of the movie camera”. The movie camera is still recording images in the hands of others. However, Bergman who dealt with existential dilemmas on the editing desk with the coolness of a Scandinavian, played chess with death, confronted his body in his own coffin and embodied other faces in the mirror, will not be able to hold the camera in his hands ever again.
We can only find comfort in believing that the cinema of Bergman, which gave meaning to existentialism, will keep on shedding a light on the 'human' like a 'magic lantern'...

Burçin Tuncer

Cyprus

Tour North Cyprus in Seven Days

Days are longer, weather is warmer; the clocks hit the perfect time for a real dreamer! Come to your dreamland Cyprus and enjoy your week in the sun! Keep your magazine with you for you will find a comprehensive one-week Cyprus tour guide below...


1st DAY
As your plane descends to land in the skies of Cyprus, you may easily see the beautiful spot on the north coast of Cyprus, Kyrenia. If you look more carefully you may even point the Kyrenia Castle, with its quasi-square plan; and the ancient harbour beside. If you have a seat in the aisle or you are afraid enough to look down from your plane, never mind. For our tour is mainly centred in Kyrenia and its environs. So you can get enough of it. Kyrenia is approximately 45 minutes far from Ercan Airport. The tourism centre of Cyprus, Kyrenia houses a good number of hotels, ranging from modest taste or bungalows to luxury and elegantly furnished ones. As soon as you check in your hotel, you may swim in the warm blue waters of the Mediterranean, just in order to get rid of the dizziness of a long plane journey. Kyrenia is naturally adorned with many beaches. One of the favourite points of the locals and foreigners is the very beach where the Turkish troops landed during the Peace Operation, 1974. On this magnificent beach, you may find a restaurant and chaise-longs to sunbathe. After cooled by the waters of the Mediterranean, our next stop is Kyrenia Castle. Built in the 7th century by the Byzantines as a fortification against Arab raids, the castle today stands solid as it was 400 years ago. A museum today, Kyrenia Castle is a gate to the life-style of Byzantines and Venetians in the Middle Ages and Renaissance years. Leaving the castle, we head for the ancient harbour, situated just beside the castle. This little bay, still bearing traces from medieval times, exposes the tissue of a little Venetian town with its narrow streets. Usually there are ships anchored in the harbour and these may give you a good ride along the coastline. Many a restaurant and cafe are lined in the harbour. You may sit by the sea and sip a glass of cold beer and taste chips made from the famous Cyprus potatoes. The first day of our tour should better be not exhaustive. Therefore, we turn back to the hotel.

2nd DAY
Kyrenia was established by Achaeans in the 10th century BC. The city has the traces of a long history. Not only in Kyrenia, but all across Cyprus, the rich cultural heritage is observable. Maybe the most important of all these monuments is the Bellapais Abbey, situated on the heights of Kyrenia. The abbey exposes the elegant gothic style; pointed vaults seem like reaching heaven. The effect is doubled with the positioning of the abbey on steep hills. Refectory is the least damaged building of the abbey and today it serves as a concert hall. Bellapais is also the name for the little village, composed around the abbey. This village is famous for the air of idleness that dominates and takes hold of every new-comer. British writer Lawrence Durrell lived in this very village, of which he gives an account in his book ‘Bitter Lemons’. Departing from Bellapais Abbey, we head for St. Hilarion Castle, which holds the highest point in the mountain range lying at the back of Kyrenia. Following a short climb by car, we are welcomed by the fantastic view of the castle. Built by the Byzantines in order to observe and countervail Arap raids, the castle promises a journey into the depths of time surrounding you with its medieval tissue. Situated on a steep hill, the castle presents a complete view of the north shore, and tens of miles away into the Mediterranean. It is even possible to see as far as Turkey; the Toros mountain range on a clear day. But to be honest, the castle has a much more mystic atmosphere in winter. As clouds descend on the mountains and below, a trip to St.Hilarion offers a Tarkovskian experience of epiphany. Overwhelmed by its grandiose, we depart from St. Hillarion Castle and head for the mountain road plunging into the forests. This road is the alternative of the one laying along the coastline. You may find places to stop by and picnic. Follow Lapta signpost that will take you down to the city. The road is a feast as it winds its way through authentic Cypriot villages. It is time to live the pleasure of evening. There are a number of beaches on our way, but Camelot and MareMonte are exceptionally beautiful. We take a break to swim in the faint sunlight without getting burnt by direct sunlight.

3rd DAY
The greenest region in Cyprus is Güzelyurt without doubt. The first stop on our way is the Cape Koruçam. You need to follow the road to Güzelyurt then take the way signposted Sadrazamköy. Cape Koruçam marks the westernmost tip of the northern coast. Do not stop as the asphalt road ends; instead follow the gravel road till the end. Cape Koruçam promises an extraordinary experience with its exceptional geographic tissue. Following the road back to Sadrazamköy, we head for Koruçam Village, alias Kormacit. This village is mainly inhabited by Catholic Arabs, namely Maronites, who speak Arabic and Greek. There is a restaurant just across the cathedral, Yorgo Kasap Restoran. Offering a wide range of mezes from authentic Cypriot cuisine, Yorgo is also famous for its delicious Kleftiko. Now having enough energy to continue our trip, we head for Güzelyurt, “the citrus garden of Cyprus”. Do not leave without visiting St.Mamas Church and the Museum of Archaeology beside. On the way from Güzelyurt to Lefke, we stop by the ruins of the ancient city of Soli. One of the nine kingdoms on Cyprus, Soli hosts one of the oldest churches ever built in Cyprus; that is a fifth century basilica still observable today. Boasting a marvellous view and a 4-thousand spectator capacity Roman theatre, Soli deserves attention. Heading forth, we arrive at Yeşilırmak. This tiny village houses the biggest vine tree of Cyprus, documented by Guinness Records. The vine tree has an 85-cm diameter and produces three tons of grapes each year. There is a beautiful and inviting beach in front of the record vine. This is perfect place to swim and relax.

4th DAY
On the fourth day we will plunge into the streets of Nicosia, the very last divided capital in the world. The capital of both states on the island, Nicosia was founded in 300 BC. Nicosia is famous for its star shape. Also called “the star-shaped city”, Nicosia bears the traces of Venetian, Lusignan, Ottoman and British reigns. Inside the walls, the streets of Nicosia are very narrow and complex, like a huge labyrinth. The centre of the ancient city is marked with Arasta Bazaar. Situated beside the Bazaar is Büyük Han, the most striking Ottoman building in the town. Made of indigenous Cypriot stone, the building comprises 68 rooms and 10 shops. Today it includes an authentic Cypriot restaurant, numerous souvenir shops featuring samples of Cypriot handicrafts, and a few cafes. Büyük Han houses concert performances in summer evenings in its courtyard. Just a few metres away from Büyük Han is Selimiye Mosque, another monument. Almost 800 years old, this building was originally built by the Lusignans as St.Sophia Cathedral. Following the Ottoman invasion, the church was converted to a mosque without any defect in its gothic structure. Only Christian components such as statues and reliefs of saints are removed and frescoes were covered with white paint. As we have said before, Nicosia is the only divided capital in the world. This division is highly felt at the park situated on Yiğitler Burcu. Here you encounter barbed wire entanglement that marks the borders of two countries. Still you can see the Greek side at a step’s distance. The streets, the people walking or the cars parking are astonishingly close. On the right-hand side of the park, you can see Hotel Ledra Palas. The symbol of country’s dividedness, the hotel is currently at UN’s disposal All along the Green Line that divides Nicosia, there are a lot of destroyed buildings still displaying the traces of the war.

5th DAY
One of the most important stops of our one-week Cyprus tour is Famagusta. This ancient harbour city served as the last stop before Jerusalem during the Crusades. Famagusta is encircled by fascinating walls, which bears fingerprints of Leonarda da Vinci. The ancient city of Famagusta, still in walls today, is home to many monuments. You may climb the Othello Tower and remember that this city is the exact place where Shakespeare’s famous tragedy Othello takes place. You may travel back in time by visiting the twin churches, a Templar church. Although little remains, the Venetian Palace deserves a visit. Famagusta is astonishingly packed with churches, one after another. St.George of the Latins and St.Nicholas Cathedral are the most important of all. Converted into a mosque following Ottoman invasion, St.Nicholas Cathedral was built taking Reims Cathedral model. The minarets are carefully annexed to the main building without any defect in its French gothic character. Famagusta comprises many Ottoman buildings as well. Kertikli Baths and Famagusta Bazaar are the most important of them. Famagusta Bazaar comprises a number of cafes, restaurants and bars for those who wish to enjoy authentic Cypriot atmosphere. If you pass under the remaining arches of Venetian Palace, just across the Cathedral/Mosque, you can see the dungeon where the Turkish poet Namık Kemal spent his last years. Departing from Famagusta city centre, we drive towards Salamis Ruins. An 8-km far from the city centre, Salamis ruins are worth visiting. You may also see the Royal Tombs and Monastery of St. Barnabas, once the centre of Cypriot Orthodox Church. Harbouring many icons today, the Monastery of St. Barnabas is a museum with a rich collection of archaeological findings gathered across Cyprus.

6th DAY
On our 6th day our destination will be the Karpas Peninsula, which deserves to be seen most for its historical importance and natural beauty. With its natural virginity and beautiful beaches, this peninsula has always been the favourite place that people chose to run away from the rush of the modern world with a willingness of monkery. This is the reason why it is the region which has the most monasteries regarding its size. We will give a break in one of these, Panaghia Kanakaria. After visiting this church, which is dressed with icons and mosaics, we head for Dipkarpaz over Yenierenkoy. Basically follow the signposts that read Apostolos Andreas Monastery. A special local kind of donkey lives in freedom in this untouched virgin nature. This means do not be surprised if suddenly one of them approaches towards you. The road winds its way through fragranced herbs. As we get farther the road becomes narrower. The road reaches the Monastery of Apostolos Andreas at one point. One of the centres of pilgrimage for the Orthodox world, the Monastery is considered holy by both the Turkish and the Greek. We drink from the holy water of the Monastery and continue our way. A few kilometres after, the asphalt road comes to an end. We continue further following the gravel path. This time we arrive at the easternmost tip of the northern coast. At this point you may feel the excitement of standing at a distinctive place in the map. This spot features a fascinating view. We depart from Zafer Cape and start our return journey. On the way we are dazzled by the breathtaking view of Golden Beach. Seen from above, this long beach is twinkling with its blue waters and golden sand. Golden Beach is the usual destination of Caretta Caretta sea-turtles to lay their eggs. Swimming in these waters is an exceptional delight. We take our time in this marvellous beach and then we depart.

7th DAY
This is the last day of our one-week vacation. Today, we will spend our time in the Besparmak Mountain Range. First we stop by Buffavento Castle on our way. Buffavento means “standing before the wind”. The castle is built on steep hills of 950 metres high. You can see both Nicosia and Kyrenia from the castle. After exploring the castle we head for the Beşparmak Mountain. Beşparmak means “five fingers”, and if you look carefully this hill has the shape of a fist. This is a beautiful way that winds amongst the pine trees that provide a cool shelter from the heat of the sun. At some point we come across a picnic place situated on top of a hill that overlooks the eastern shores of the Kyrenia. This area is very crowded with people who come here to picnic. A way plunges into the forests winding downward. If you follow this road, you arrive at an old Armenian Monastery: Sourp Magar. Once the spot of Armenian pilgrims on their road to Jerusalem, the monastery serves as a guesthouse today. On the way back, we return the road we have come and reach the mountain road again. This mountain road will take us to Esentepe, a lovely Cypriot village. Esentepe is on the foot on the mountains and traversing the village we arrive at the coastline. Time to go back to the hotel and pack up for departure!
Of course there is a lot more to be seen in this beautiful island. What we have covered in a week’s time was to make you have a quick taste; sort of a “prologue”. Waiting with open arms among the blue waters of the Mediterranean, Cyprus is always ready to re-accommodate you...