Driving Around Bellepaix/ Beylerbeyi

Well, I wish I had bothered to look up the Turkish equivalent of Bellepaix, the lovely medieval monastery, before setting off to the north. Alas, I didn't...and who knows, if I had, I may never have gone to the village of Okanjoy or its Elvis bar. I enjoyed my visit to Bellepaix so much in the December that I wanted to go back while it was still green in the spring. So, I set off and stopped at St. Hilarion's castle. Well, while trying to find Bellepaix, I ended up driving to the village of Okanjoy. In Okanjoy, I stopped for directions and unwittingly popped into an Elvis bar. It looked normal enough until I noticed the Elvis decor. And then the proprieter himself-- he had a pompadour! It was unreal-- a slice of Americana in the middle of the north! Even his car had a photo of Elvis silkscreened on the hood. He was very kind and hospitable, and sent me on my way to Bellepaix, otherwise known as, Beylerbeyi. Most places in Cyprus have a Greek, Turkish and British name, which can be quite confusing...to say the least. When I finally arrived in Beylerbeyi/ Bellepaix, I trekked through town and found the house where Lawrence Durrell, the author of classic Bitter Lemons, resided during his stay in Cyprus.

A Beautiful Day in Kyrenia

Shortly before Marce finished his tour and left, we spent the day together in Kyrenia and explored Kyrenia castle. It was incredible. Kyrenia castle has the remains of a large ship inside, and the former holding, well, holes, of some unfortunate royal prisoners. Evidently, a jealous queen threw her husband's pregnant mistress underground while he was off at war. After scouting out the castle and checking out the view from the rooftop, we sat and drank sarip (a lovely hot Cypriot drink made with orchid tips) by Kyrenia harbor. It was the perfect day.

Kykkos Monastery

Shortly after visiting Asinou, my friend Marce suggested we check out Kykkos Monastery. I had heard all about it-- one of the finest museums and one of the richest monasteries in the Orthodox world. It did not disappoint. It was breathtaking. On the way up there, Marce and I hit a rock. When we got out to inspect the damage, I heard a heartwrenching hissing sound...and the people who had pulled off the road besides us drove away! Luckily, a lovely Turkish Cypriot family pulled over and helped Marce (I supervised) change the tire. As we pulled into the Monastery, we saw the same people who had left us by the side of the road -- very Christian act for a bunch of people on their way to a monastery! After entering inside, Marce and I drank in some of the most gorgeous icons and religious artifacts. It was well worth the trip-- even if it cost nearly 80 CYP to replace the tires!