Week 3

 

This week we have started restorations on an old Islamic graveyard in Pano Lefkara that has become derelict. The people living in the Greek side of Cyprus, including Pano Lefkara, are Greek Orthodox, and the people living in the Turkish side are Muslim. The conflict in 1974 started through a Greek military coup which wanted to unite the island with mainland Greece, this resulted in an invasion by Turkey and left the country divided. Today there is still a split through the country, separating the people who live in each side. So, in 1974 the Muslim people that were living in Pano Lefkara fled to the north, leaving the graves of their loved ones uncared for. Soon after this people vandalised the graveyard, smashing headstones and defacing pictures of the people buried there.

With permission from the local authorities and the families of the dead we have been clearing the site of weeds and plants that have completely overgrown the graveyard. Next we will be attempting to piece together some of the gravestones that have been broken and give some love back to a sacred place that has not been cared for in decades.

On Tuesday we had a planned trip to the capital Nicosia. This is the only city in Europe that has border going through it. We were here to visit the national museum, which had a brilliant collection of artefacts from the Neolithic period through to the end of the Roman Empire and Christianity. We then went to an Orthodox church which is famous for its impressive structure originally built around 300 AD. We then visited a lace shop where we were showed the process of making handmade lace products. Lace production is a big part of Greek Cypriot culture, and they make beautiful designs from earrings to table clothes. Travelling to the Turkish side was a real cultural experience, first we had to do the Greek border control, where we showed our passports, then walked through a ‘no mans land’ area that is not owned by either side, then showed our passports at another control to get through to the Turkish side. Entering really was like walking into another country. Here we ate some traditional food and explored the city.

On Wednesday we were supposed to be continuing with restoration of the Islamic graveyard but it has had to be put on hold until next week, so instead we were dry stone walling again. This was a slightly bigger job than the previous time, as we had to complete a large, raised bed that could be used for teaching forestry and cookery students how to grow certain plants.

Thursday evening we had a big meal at Martin’s as it was the German cookery students’ last night in Cyprus, we had a big send of in the evening and took them to the airport the next day. It was an emotional goodbye as we have all become very good friends in the short time that we were together.

Weekend

On my penultimate weekend here in Cyprus we went back to Nicosia as we felt we didn’t have enough time to explore the first time. On the way back we visited a monastery in the mountains, I really enjoy visiting monasteries as they are often found in beautiful locations and have a peaceful sense around them. The one we visited is called the Holy Monastery of Panagia Macharia, an Orthodox monastery established in the 12th century. 

This was a slightly bigger job than the previous time, as we had to complete a large, raised bed that could be used for teaching forestry and cookery students how to grow certain plants.

Thursday evening we had a big meal at Martin’s as it was the German cookery students’ last night in Cyprus, we had a big send of in the evening and took them to the airport the next day. It was an emotional goodbye as we have all become very good friends in the short time that we were together.

Weekend

On my penultimate weekend here in Cyprus we went back to Nicosia as we felt we didn’t have enough time to explore the first time. On the way back we visited a monastery in the mountains, I really enjoy visiting monasteries as they are often found in beautiful locations and have a peaceful sense around them. The one we visited is called the Holy Monastery of Panagia Macharia, an Orthodox monastery established in the 12th century.

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