The next couple months are going to be busy. I’m leaving for Dubai mid-week. Heading for the 3 B’s…….booze, bacon, and boyz. Just kiddin! I’ve never been to Dubai and our meeting is long overdue. It’s going to be a jam-packed visit. Later in the week my Kiwi partner in crime and I are flying to the Maldives. This involves a seaplane transfer to our all-inclusive resort. I’m filled with a mix of excitement and terror at the prospect of being in a seaplane. This will be a first for me, and I’m hoping I can remember it thru my medication induced haze. Remember how terrified of flying I am people!? It’s also going to be my first time staying at a fancy resort. All-inclusive resort type travel is pretty much at the opposite end of the spectrum from the travel style I’m used to and prefer. We have now booked 5 nights in a fancy island oasis where I’m sure we’ll standout, as the Maldives are the honeymoon capital of the world. No, we’re not on our Honeymoon. Yes, we do want separate beds. Please bring us more champagne. It will be tough. After that we fly back to Dubai for 3 nights before returning to the sandbox.
In May we’re heading to Bahrain with a group of embassy/engineers/nurses. Should be a super fun mix, and a really great weekend I have no doubt. In June, my dear Seattle friend is meeting me in Morocco for 2 weeks. I can’t wait to see her face and have some overdue catch-up time in a country that I’ve dreamed of traveling and photographing for years. I’m pretty jazzed about it. Then it will be Ramadan, which I will blog about what that means in relation to living in a Muslim country as it gets closer to that time.
I’m sure you’re now asking yourself, when does this girl actually work? Well work I do, rest assured. Some days are easier than others. Some days I’m not treated especially great. But, all that slips away and is easily forgotten when I’m jet-setting across the globe.
For me, travel is a never ending lesson in kindness. I truly believe that most people are good, and this belief is never more apparent then when I’m traveling. From India, to Bangladesh, to the corners of the Middle East, for the most part I’ve met kind, kind people.
Back in February I took a trip to Cyprus. My kiwi travel mate and I rented a car in the southern part of Cyprus where we toured around for the better part of a week. Our last few days in Cyprus were spend in the border city of Nicosia where the Green Line dissects the city into the southern Greek part and what they refer to as the “Turkish occupied” area to the North. We had been warned many times by people on the southern side that the people of the north couldn’t be trusted. That they were dishonest. That it was unsafe. And that we would be scammed. Naturally, I wanted to check out this place, full well knowing that this was likely very untrue.
We wanted to explore the Turkish side, but it was a bit of a paper-work nightmare to drive our rental car across. Even with the proper paperwork the end result was that we would likely still void the rental agreement we had with the car rental place in the south. So that seemed like not a great option. We inquired at our hotel in the southern part of Nicosia about booking a taxi for the day to take us around. At first the reception guy referenced the many reasons why we shouldn’t go to the north. They are bad, they treat their women bad, they will treat you bad. We then informed him where we live. He replied that we would find the north especially shocking then. He was dead serious. We laughed till our eyes watered. He then quoted us 350euros to book a taxi for the day. Again, I thought he was joking and started to laugh. Turns out he was not. So we told him we would walk across the border and negotiate a taxi ourselves. He was horrified at our blatant disregard for his safety warnings.
So cross the border we did. And we found a taxi stand and tried to negotiate with a couple drivers, but the lowest price we could get them down to was 120euros which still seemed rather steep. So, we wandered the market and found a small shawarma place called the Orange Cafe and Restaurant. We sat down and ordered a bite to eat and a couple beers to discuss our options. It then dawned on me that maybe we could just rent a car in the north for the day. So I asked the very nice Pakistani guy who was our server if there were any car rental places close by. He replied no, but then uttered the words “maybe my boss knows.” And off he went to get his boss.
Samie, as we would soon learn was the boss’s name strolled over a couple minutes later. He was in his late 40’s, wearing blue jeans, a leather jacket, and a hat with a maple leaf on the front. In Canada we call these hats a touque and the fact that his had a maple leaf on it made me like him immediately. So we told him our sad story of how we wanted to tour the north, but didn’t want to pay very much to do it. As it turned out Samie also owned a taxi company and told us he could get us a driver for the day for 100euros. Again we said it was too much, so then Samie said he had a BMW that he would lend us for 50euros the following day. He said he also had a Hummer, but that the it was too expensive in gas. Now granted, it did sound a little sketchy, but I’m one for seeing how a situation plays out. And 50euros to drive ourselves was exactly what we wanted. So we made arrangements to meet at 9am the following morning.
So the following morning we head back across the border to the north. It’s pouring rain, and by the time we arrive at the Orange Cafe we are drenched. Samie is there, and his “brother” is there, and no one really speaks great English. So we are invited to sit down for tea, and Samie brings us an olive loaf that his mother made. And it’s delicious. Samie makes a phone call that we eventually make out has to do with insurance for the car, and then a guy arrives with papers, and then things got a little confusing. Samie hands my kiwi mate the keys and we walk over to the BMW but the guy who delivered the papers is still there. So we’re thinking maybe we’ve totally misunderstood and this guy is taking us for the day? So Samie says basically “bring the car back whenever” and walks away. Now I’m in the backseat and my Kiwi friend is in the passenger seat, and this paper-delivery guy is now driving us through the winding narrow streets of Northern Nicosia. After a couple minutes he stops, gets out, and gets into another vehicle, and signals for us to follow him out of the old city walls.
And then just like that we’re on our own in a strangers car (that we’ve yet to pay the 50euros) and we’re driving further into the north, and we’re laughing at the absurdness of it all. That Samie trusted us enough upon initial impression to hand over the keys to his car. At the complete kindness and trust of a stranger. So we spent the day touring and getting lost in the north of Cyprus as I’ve previously told you. We got hopelessly lost trying to get back to the cafe. The winding narrow streets of the walled section of north Nicosia is disorienting and confusing. By complete fluke we ended up pulling over about to ask for directions and who was standing across the street? The original guy who delivered the insurance papers. So he jumped in and drove us back to the Orange Cafe and to the car’s rightful owner, Samie. We ordered some beer and some food and sat with Samie and his “brother” for a couple hours discussing politics and life in the north in broken English.
The following day (our last day in Cyprus) we stopped back at the Orange Cafe. By now we felt like they were our good friends. We had some apple tea, and said our goodbyes. So what did Samie teach me? He taught me that it’s ok to take a chance on a stranger, that people can do something kind, just for the reason of being kind and helpful. He taught me that each of us should make more of an effort to help tourists in our own country. Because even though I have had so many kind interactions with strangers while traveling, I could make more of an effort when I’m on my home soil. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that we should all immediately hand over our car keys to the next tourist you see, but that it’s ok to go out of your way to help a stranger. That kindness towards a stranger benefits not just the giver but also the receiver. Try it and I guarantee your heart will feel a little lighter.
I think I’m going to make a Lesson in Kindness a regular part of my blog. I’ve got so many wonderful stories of chance encounters with kind strangers that have been so humbling, I would love to share more of them. Those chance encounters where you walk away with the feeling that the world is a good place, and that compassion and kindness are the keys to the betterment of humanity. For as the Dalai Lama once said “Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive.” I agree wholeheartedly.
So one of the many fashion must-haves for women in Saudi Arabia is an abaya. You are required to wear one anytime you are out in public, or in my case when I’m off the hospital compound. Inside the hospital it isn’t required, and the other non-abaya places are in the Diplomatic Quarter or in western compounds. So naturally, if a girl has to cover she might as well look fashionable!
Abaya’s come in a variety of styles, but the most common colour for them by far is black. There is the pull over your head model that is useful when you don’t intend to take it off (as taking it off causes massive static electricity, and messes up your hair.) This is my go-to style when I’m going grocery shopping, running errands, or to the mall. Then there are the zipper or button front models for when you want to class it up a bit. The last time I lived here I bought this abaya that basically made me feel like a super hero. It had this sheer fabric bit in the back that looped out and attached to the end of my sleeves so I felt like an exotic princess/superhero. In theory this sounds amazing right? In actual fact the sleeves made eating very, very difficult, and they would get caught on everything making me resemble a marionette puppet because I couldn’t reach for things properly. Not cool abaya. Not cool.
Bedazzled abaya
My old superhero abaya
A few months ago I bought a very trendy abaya that was made in Dubai. It had a sheer lace top with a lining, and the base of it was a piece of beige fabric. So fashionable. Until I ripped a huge whole down the side of it in a taxi. Then it was a huge waste of money. So now I was sans a fashionable abaya. Earlier this week I ventured out to Deira Souk in hunt of a new abaya with my kiwi sidekick. Deira Souk has a bunch of abaya stores, and you can pick one up for anywhere between 80-150riyals. The day we went we were trailed by an older Saudi lady and her daughter who were very open about giving their fashion advice about which abaya we should buy. They were very vocal about their distaste for anything remotely flattering, and were giving us thumbs up for anything that fit us with the fashion style of being covered in a garbage bag. We thanked them for their “help” and quickly ditched them. In the third abaya shop that we went to I casually asked if they had anything with pockets. Abaya’s pretty much never have a pocket option, and its a pain in the butt as you have to carry a purse or risk misplacing your phone or keys as you have nowhere to put them. This my friends, is where I hit the abaya jackpot. Because, “yes mamm we have pockets” and out of the rack was the greatest abaya that has ever existed. It had a zipper front with 2 front pockets, and gold piping down the front, the sides, and around the pockets. I couldn’t have designed a better abaya. And then the man said something that almost made my head explode “mamm, we also have blue.” Blue. Midnight blue to be exact. With gold piping. If this abaya were a jackets and pants it would be the type of sporty outfit you see Indian men wearing. Part tracksuit, part workout gear, part abaya. Trendy, yet casual, yet retro. I had know idea I could love an abaya this much. So I am now the excited owner of a midnight blue abaya with gold piping. And pockets. Sir, you had me at pockets. So naturally I bartered a good price. And then asked the men where they were from. And they were from Bangladesh, one of my favourite countries I’ve visited. So I practiced the one Bengali word I know with them, and they were very impressed.
In February on the way back to Saudi from Cyprus, I had a stop over in Qatar. One of my goals while living in the Middle East is that I would eventually like to visit every Middle Eastern country. Yemen for obvious reasons is out, and I was lucky enough to visit Syria back in 2010 before the war. The only countries I had yet to see where Qatar, Kuwait, Israel, Iran, and Iraq. For obvious reasons, Iraq is also a no-go, and if I visited Israel I’d have a heck of a time explaining that stamp in my passport on my return to Saudi, so Qatar was a safe bet! The only land border Qatar shares is with Saudi Arabia to the southwest, and is otherwise surrounded by the Persian gulf. It is geographically very close to Bahrain and is the world’s richest country. Yes, the richest. Richer than the UAE and Saudi Arabia combined.
Qatari fashion is similar to Saudi fashion in many ways, except that the Abaya is not mandatory. As with any Middle Eastern country it’s respectful to dress conservatively, but western clothes are perfectly acceptable and you aren’t required to cover your hair. Many Qatari women did wear an Abaya, or had their hair covered. Many Qatari men also wore traditional dress which consists of a thobe (the white garment worn by many men throughout the Middle East) and either the white or red checkered head scarf, or a white “skull cap” which I’m unable to Google the proper name of. Being a Muslim country, alcohol is not readily available, but can be purchased in restaurants in the major hotels, or via permit for ex-pats living there.
We flew into Doha, and I was surprised that the city was quite a bit smaller than I had expected it to be. Riyadh has a population of around 4 million people, by comparison Doha has around 800,000 people living there. The main downtown area is full of tall brightly lit buildings clustered around the coast. There is a corniche that hugs the Doha Bay with a walking and cycling path. We drove past it and it was full of people exercising and enjoying the warm evening breeze. Temperatures in Doha are similar to that of Riyadh except that they there is the humidity factor of being on the coast, which makes it feel a great deal warmer in the summer.
We visited The Pearl which is a residential/commercial project involving a man-made island so named because it was build on the site of a major pearl diving site. We were in search of a movie theatre, which I’m sure sounds absurd to those of you living outside of Saudi. There are no movie theatres in Saudi Arabia, where it would be considered illegal to have men and women mixing in the darkness of a movie theatre. I love, love, love going to the movies, so whenever I’m traveling outside of Saudi I always try to fit in a movie. Our movie mission was very successful after we eventually found the theatre. The Pearl is a huge development and getting from one end to the other is quite a distance.
The following day we ventured out to Souq Waqif which has a very “traditional Arabia” feel to it. It’s full of restaurants, and curving alleyways that open into shops. We ate breakfast outdoors at one of the many cafes. I was pretty jazzed to order my favourite Arabic breakfast dish called shakshouka consisting of eggs, tomatoes, chili peppers, and onions served with Arabic bread. Yumm.
Qatari Police
Souq Waqif
After this we headed to the Islamic Arts Museum, which was the real highlight of Doha for me. First off, the building is very aesthetically pleasing. It’s on the Doha Bay with great views of the Doha skyline. Second, I love Islamic Art. I love the patterns, and the textures, and Arabic is a really beautiful written language. The museum has an amazing flow to it. I am often very overwhelmed in museums that don’t flow well, I sort of wander around aimlessly, and often times don’t really take too much in as the feeling of being overwhelmed often turns to being anxious. Not here. The museum is spacious, and well lit, and has a very calming atmosphere about it. Oh, and it’s free to get in. Yes. Free. I especially like free. There is art from neighbouring Middle Eastern countries spanning the 7th to 19th century. Exhibits include ceramics, textiles, and metal and wood work. When you’re done touring the museum there is a fantastic gift shop and a cafe with floor to ceiling views of the skyline. It’s well worth a visit.
Men traditionally dressed
At the Islamic Arts Museum
So, for those of you in Saudi Arabia, looking for a quick weekend getaway, Doha Qatar is a good option when you need to get out of the sandbox! I intend to return as we really only scratched the surface and there’s much more to see and do. And when I go back I’ll likely return to the Islamic Arts Museum. That’s how much I liked it!!
Growing up in Calgary Alberta I was used to weird weather phenomenons. Some days the weather felt like it ran the full spectrum of the 4 seasons. It could be a bitterly cold -25C winter day and yet the skies could be blue and the sun shining. Or it could be a full-on blizzard in June. One thing we didn’t get though, were sandstorms.
On Wednesday, I was at work and people kept talking about the wind picking up and that a sandstorm was coming. Working indoors makes it hard to get a clear (sandy) idea of what is actually happening outside the hospital walls. Sandstorms literally roll in like a huge wall of sand that clouds over the entire city. It gets very dark, and the sun is mostly blocked out to create this golden/brown aura. And then you start to taste the sand. And its a taste similar to dirt (not that I eat dirt people!) but it has a very dirty, gritty type taste and smell to it. Things start to look truly apocalyptic once you see people walking around the hospital compound in various types of medical masks with face shields thru the haziness of a sandstorm. It’s eery.
Now sandstorms and snowstorms do have an awful lot in common. They both make for terrible driving conditions. The wind causes the sand to literally drift across the road just as it does with blowing snow. Visibility gets very poor and it becomes a near “sand-out” (white-out) conditions. Drivers for the most part slow-down and put their flashers on, or pull over to the side of the road. Unlike a snowstorm there is no shoveling to clean up the aftermath of a sandstorm, but there is a whole lot of sweeping and wiping everything down. Because even though you might have your housing area sealed up the sand finds a way of getting in. Walking in my apartment complex the ends of the hallways were hazy. Inside my apartment unit, there was a thick layer of sand coating everything. My tiled floor was super slippery. And the really gross part is that we breathe all that sand in. It’s a great way to pick up a respiratory infection. I tend to cough a lot and my voice sounds quite hoarse. It’s not very pleasant. The outdoor pool areas fill with sand and take on the resemblance of a beach area, instead of a chlorinated pool. I would hate to be a pool cleaner here.
I spent Thursday and Friday cleaning and wiping everything down. And today, the weather forecast is………..you guessed it. Dust. Seriously. I guess I cleaned too soon!
So I’ve been posting far less than I’ve been wanting to, but rest assured I’ve got loads to tell you about, and a bunch of blog posts on their way. This last 6 weeks have been a real whirlwind of sorts. In early February I spend 12 lovely days in Cyprus, and then had a couple really busy work weeks immediately following. Then I moved out of my shared housing into private housing. Once I eventually get everything into its place I’ll do a blog post on it…..just don’t get too excited. It’s a studio apartment. Literally from my couch I can almost reach out and touch my bed, bathroom, and kitchen. But it’s all mine, and that’s really all that matters!
Mid March I traveled to Scandinavia for 16 glorious days on a mission to see the Northern Lights. My mission, FYI was successful!! My kiwi sidekick and I visited Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Denmark. I can’t wait to tell you all about it and show you the photos over the next few weeks. I’ve currently just come off a set of nights and my body really wants to sleep in the day, but I can’t since I’m back to day shift tomorrow. The next week is going to be busy as I’m studying for a course for work involving Neonatal Resuscitation, as I work with very freshly made babies. It’s proving to be more studying then I was expecting, So wish me luck on my test next week. Inshallah, I will pass!!
The other major thing that has been going on here is that there are more security related concerns. While I was in Finland the US embassy in Riyadh closed for a week amidst security threats. Warnings have been circulating informing westerners to be aware of their surroundings, minimize their profile when out and about, and to avoid crowds or large gatherings. Most of these warnings seem like common sense and apply when traveling to many countries that are politically unstable. This week Saudi Arabia started airstrikes within Yemen and there is talk that Saudi forces will be following up with a ground offensive as well. No one can predict the outcome of this, or in fact if there will be an increased instability or hostility in Saudi as a result. So, we just wait and see. And continue to be aware of our surroundings, and keep a low profile, while still maintaining some semblance of a life here………
In mid-February I flew from Riyadh via Doha, Qatar to Larnaca in Cyprus. Thankfully, I was heavily medicated and the flight was uneventful!! My Kiwi travel mate and I had booked a rental car, so after a short shuttle to a nearby parking lot we were on our way. Limassol bound. I love the way the name of this city rolls off my tongue. I never tire of saying it. It sounds like a flavour of gelato or an exotic dance move. Anyways, it takes about an hour to drive from Larnaca to Limassol. The roads are good, but they do drive on the left hand side so I left the driving to my Kiwi sidekick. The last time I drove on the left hand side was in Scotland and my pops has very vivid memories of me removing the passenger side mirror by rubbing up against a narrow bridge. In my defense, a large truck crossed the center line so moving over was my only option. Pops thinks I should’ve stopped on the bridge and waited. We still have a difference of opinions on this matter. Regardless, I wasn’t feeling up to testing my luck on Cyprus roads.
Limassol is larger than I had envisioned and the old town is chaotic to drive in, with all the one way and blocked off streets. We stayed 5 nights at an Airbnb rental that was perfect. The owner Pandora was lovely. Such a kind sweet lady. It was just a couple blocks from the castle and had parking out front. Not to mention that the place was beautifully restored. On the first night we were there we walked down to the main square and found 110 euros on the street. This made me especially love Limassol. That entire night we joked that “our benefactor” was picking up the tab!
Our lovely flat
The streets of Limassol
Most of the main tourist things in Limassol can be seen in a day. There’s the Limassol Castle which has a pretty cool museum and great views from the top. There’s a Grand Mosque although it was pretty small and not very ornate compared to mosques in the Middle East. My Kiwi sidekick was required to wear a cloak to cover her arms and seeing her looking like a Harry Potter character was well worth the visit. There are a couple oldish churches, and a central market that was less impressive than I was imagining. Then there is the beach area and the harbour.
Inside Limassol Castle
A tiny tucked away church
Limassol makes a great base to day trip from. There are many monasteries close by and wineries to tour. We were there off-season so not all the wineries were open. I was unaware that Cyprus was know for its wine, but it makes a sweet desert wine called Commandaria which is well worth trying. Cyprus wines are also great if you don’t know much about wines. You can literally order wines by saying you want “a medium sweet white, or a medium dry red” and you’ll get a bottle with that exact label.
The mountain area of Troodos also makes a good day trip, if the weather cooperates. We were there in what is still considered winter and the roads are considered high mountain roads and are very windy. This area apparently has a ski hill although we never saw it, or any skiers for that matter either. Fortunately, we encountered loads of rain but it never snowed which would’ve made this area difficult to see. There are wineries in this area also, and ten Byzantine churches that are classified as UNESCO heritage sites. They are quite a distance apart so it would be very difficult to fit them all into a day. We managed to see 3 of them and they really are quite incredible. Since it was off season many of the churches are locked, so in order to see the inside you have to find the “key-holder” or as in our case with the first church the “key-holder” found us. Outside of the first church an old man came walking down the lane gangling a ring of keys moments after we walked up. We were super excited as we figured that getting the church unlocked would pose more of a problem. So we’re inside this amazing church and we’re looking at the beautiful paintings on the walls and ceilings and this old man is getting a little close. At first I think he’s just being helpful, pointing out this and that, and next thing you know he’s got his arm around me and he’s rubbing my back and working his way down to my ass. And he wreaks of alcohol. So I step away. And now he tries to make a go at it with my Kiwi pal. Needless to say we were out of there lickity-split because Grandpa tried to get to first base. The other 2 churches we saw were also very cool, and thankfully no one tried to molest us. One of the them had an interesting painted image of Mary breastfeeding Jesus, and the other one had an image in which Mary appeared pregnant. Kykkos monastery is well worth a visit also, if only to take in its opulence. It is still a functioning monastery so you might see some Orthodox monks whilst there.
The site of the church groping
Agios Nikolaos tis Stegi Church
Kykkos Monastery
Colourful stained glass
Another easy day trip from Limassol is to drive towards Pafos and stop off at Aphrodite’s Rock named after the mythical goddess’s supposed birthplace. It is utterly beautiful. From there you can head back towards Limassol and stop off at Old Kourion an ancient city from the Byzantine period. Much of the site is in varying states of decay with some of it being an actual archaeological site. The coastal views from here are amazing. Then you can head to Kolossi Castle which reminded me of an old Scottish castle. It was built in the 12 century and you can climb the winding staircase to the roof for panoramic views. For some strange reason I got a really creeped out vibe at this castle and found the narrow spiral staircase really claustrophobic. Not the usual reaction I have to visiting ancient sites, but I honestly couldn’t get out of the main castle fast enough and out into the fresh outside air. Odd.
Aphrodite’s Rock
The beautiful Cyprus coastline
Ancient Kourion
Creepy Kolossi Castle
We spent a lot of time eating and drinking wine during our stay in Limassol. Sadly, we never really got onto the locals eating schedule of having dinner at 10pm. We ate early, and they always thought we were having our lunch when in fact it was our dinner. It was hard to stay motivated to stay up late while consuming a couple bottles of wine over a drawn out dinner. One of the favourite places we ate at was Il Castello. It has both indoor and outdoor seating in an open plaza facing the Castle in Limassol. We ate here a few times and the staff were super friendly. On our last morning there the kind owner gave us free coffees and tiny bottles of Commandaria wine. It’s well worth a visit. The other place we loved (mostly because of the darling elderly waiter) was Megaro restaurant- also located in Old Town. One night we ate here and tried Cyprus meze. I had the seafood meze and it was phenomenal. There were easily 20+ small plates including Greek salad, toasted bread, hummus, seafood spread, olives, calamari, beet salad, fires, fried fish, pasta, ink fish, mussels, prawns, a rice dish and a few other small plates that have escaped my memory. Meze is a must when in Cyprus, just make sure you come hungry, because the food will pile up in front of you. From Limassol we headed west towards Pafos. More on that soon…..
So 2 weeks ago I spent 9 days in Cyprus. It was a place I had wanted to visit when I was in Saudi Arabia last time, but never had the chance. Cyprus is an island in the Mediterranean Sea that neighbours Turkey, Syria, Israel, Lebanon, Egypt and Greece. Even though it is geographically close to these conflict areas, the island itself is actually quite safe. Petty crime and such are said to be on the rise related to recent economy issues. Its economy (at least in the southern part) is largely tied to Greece.
Cyprus has a sorted past. In the early 1900s it was a crown colony with ties to Britain. In 1960 it became the Republic of Cyprus and the government at that time needed to allocate a certain percentage of its seats to Turkish Cypriots. This led to internal strife between the Greek Cypriot majority and the Turkish Cypriot minority, so in 1964 UN peacekeepers were brought in. They are still in place. As a side note, we actually met a group of them out at a pub while we were in Nicosia. In 1974 Turkish forces invaded the northern part of the island, resulting in the displacement of huge numbers of Cypriots. It’s understandably been a point of contention ever since. Well, at least for the Greeks. Most of the Turkish we spoke to had no bad feelings towards the Greeks, and the word “peace” was mentioned several times. We met several people on both sides who’s families were greatly affected by the 1974 invasion. Our Airbnb host in Limassol’s family lived in North Nicosia, but was originally from Greece and so her family lost the home they owned and essentially had to start over. Same goes for a cafe owner we met in North Nicosia. His family was Turkish but had owned property in the south which they lost and had to start over on the Turkish side. Even though these events happened 40 years ago, for many people it is like it was yesterday. Spending time here made me reflect on how hard it is to imagine what it would be like to lose your house, possessions, neighbours, your whole life really, overnight. What it would be like to be striped of all your worldly possessions and having to start over.
After the 1974 Turkish invasion a UN Buffer Zone was established and monitored by UN peacekeepers. This basically entailed the formation of the Green Line which stretches 180km across the northern part of the island. It dissects through the capital city Nicosia. The border remained closed until 2003 when Greek Cypriots were allowed to cross into the north. I really loved the city of Nicosia, and we crossed into the north via the Ledra Street crossing several times during our stay there. This was an interesting experience as you walked through the DMZ (demilitarized zone or Green Line) to get back and forth. We were given a map of Nicosia at our hotel in the southern part of the city and it was very intriguing as it was basically blank on the map once you crossed into the north. All that was noted was that it was Turkish occupied territory since 1974. No street names. It reminded me of how I once bought a world map in Saudi Arabia and the country of Israel wasn’t identified. It was just left blank, almost as though it also didn’t exist.
So that’s my basic uneducated version of the history of Cyprus. Over the next couple weeks I’ll blog more specifically about what we saw and did while in Cyprus, as well as tell you a fabulous tale of that time a stranger lent us his BMW for 50euros so we could tour around the northern part of the island. It’s a really good story, and one that I’m really looking forward to sharing with you. On the 10th of March I’m heading to Copenhagen and spending 2 weeks hunting down the northern lights in Norway, Sweden and Finland. This has been a long standing dream of mine, as I’ve never seen the northern lights. I’m really, really excited to photograph them! More to come……
Hello there!! I’m back in Riyadh after spending 10 lovely days outside of the “sandpit” in Cyprus (more to come on this later!) . It was a much needed vacation, and it was difficult to want to come back. One of the things that made it a tad bit easier to return was that my Kiwi travel mate and I had agreed to dog-sit for some friends of ours who live in an undisclosed location in the Diplomatic Quarter, and we would have free run of their place in exchange for watching their 2 precious terriers.
The Diplomatic Quarter (DQ) is a secured area in Riyadh housing over 100 foreign embassies and consulates, as well as schools, stores and housing. There are secured gates to get in and out of the DQ with armed Saudi military patrolling the entrances and within the DQ itself. It’s like a different world in that women don’t have to wear an Abaya when out in public here and it has more of a western feel. Not western enough mind you that women are allowed to drive, but it does provided a taste of western freedom that many expats are accustomed to.
The place we are staying is palatial compared to our 1980’s shared accommodation provided by our hospital. It’s a 3 bedroom, 3 storied villa, with a lovely outdoor area and a BBQ that I’m pretty jazzed to grill a New Zealand steak on later tonight. We have an amazing security system with street view cameras and a “safe haven” in the event of intruders. One of the great things about the DQ is the abundance of park areas. They are everywhere, and often very beautiful with water fountains and play areas for the kids. It’s been really lovely walking the dogs around the neighbourhood. They are a big hit. Even at the guard stations.
The only down side of our dog sitting adventure is that we now have to commute to work instead of being able to walk to the hospital. This entails having a driver take us to and from our shifts at the hospital. Not being able to drive is often one of the most difficult things to living in Saudi Arabia. As a woman I am completely dependent on someone else to take me places. That means if they are late, you are late. If they don’t show up, you are stranded. It can be very, very frustrating. Let me describe yesterdays journey to you a bit. I start work at 7am, so normally leaving the DQ at 6:30 leaves plenty of time. My usual driver is home for the month in Pakistan so I’ve been using an Indian fellow. He was a little late. And then he said there was a lot of traffic on the side streets so the freeway would be quicker. As it turned out a camel would’ve been quicker. The freeway was basically a parking lot. The 4 lane freeway was packed at least 8 cars across everyone inching forward bumper to bumper. Some of the vehicles decided to pull the genius move of going the wrong way down the entrance ramp to take side streets. Others preferred to take the 4×4 option of jumping the curb and driving on the garden shoulder and bypassing the whole cluster!! Sadly, my driver was not up for an early morning adventure. So we sat. And inched forward. And sat some more. After 45 minutes I eventually made it to work. Oh wells……..
So that’s been my week. More on Cyprus very, very soon…..
I’m sure you are dying to know how the banking saga turned out. Well as of this afternoon I have a Saudi bank account. Yeah!!! I also have a multiple exit/re-entry visa, well, I will tomorrow after I print it off. This process of printing the visa out is different than the last time I was here. The lady at the passport office was getting exacerbated with me as she kept saying “you brint off goggle” (sidenote: many Arabic speakers have a hard time saying the letter ‘P’ and pronounce it ‘B’) anyways, over and over with a thick accent she said “goggle” pronouncing it as go-glah. After the sixth attempt of her thinking I was a complete idiot it registered. Google. Duh.
I have 2 more days of work and then I’m jetting off to Cyprus for 11 days of vacation. I literally can not wait. I’m counting the hours down. That, being said this blog will be a little quiet in my absence, but rest assured I’ll be back to tell you all about Cyprus when I return. If you can’t wait that long then you can always follow along with me on Instagram- under kristinewanders
By this time Thursday I’ll be sipping some legal beverages and toasting my freedom looking out at the Mediterranean. See ya’ll in a couple weeks!
