Cyprus-Forum.com

[BirKibrisli]

A penny for your thoughts ?

These pics bring a tear to my eyes - I so feel for you.

And many many thanks for sharing your experiences with us

You will have to wait for the book to learn my thoughts,LB...

Thanks for your support. Did your father-in-law ever made the trip to Istinjo???

[BirKibrisli]

BirK, your thread has been the best one on this forum..I feel like I dont need to read anything else anymore about CyprusProb.. your ''dairy'' has been such a good guide for all of us to realize that ''there is no borders but only good or bad people'' If we can cross the borders in our minds, Istinjo may turn the same dream village of your childhood one day..

Never say Never

Thank you,my Precious...

[BirKibrisli]

Bir,

I truelly am sorry for what you had to see, but if it is any consolation , a recent visit to my grandfathers house in the karpass region (not by me but my uncle) reveals that his house was demolished and that some miserable bastard is building something new on his land, land that is my heritage too and will probably never see.

At least your land is still free from any developement.

Either way sorry again, but keep up the diary as i am enjoying the read.

Thanks for the consolation,pantheman.
It does indeed make it easier to bear, to remember that hundreds of thousands of other Cypriots have gone trough the same thing. Not to mention the thousands who lost their lives...

[74LB]

A penny for your thoughts ?

These pics bring a tear to my eyes - I so feel for you.

And many many thanks for sharing your experiences with us

You will have to wait for the book to learn my thoughts,LB...

Thanks for your support. Did your father-in-law ever made the trip to Istinjo???

Unfortunately, no he hasn't and in all probability he will not make this journey. He had an opportunity about 2-3 years ago when his 2 brothers and an uncle/cousins visited Istinjo, and the pictures/video that they brought back were sufficient I think to put him off !

[zan]

I have already mentioned how I thought Cyprus drivers had a death wish.
Well I was exaggerating a little for comic effect of course. No one can go 40/50/60 kms over the speed limit,talk on the mobile,and smoke at the same time. But 2 out of 3 can still be a very hair-raising experience,if you had any hair that is...We were now driving back to Paphos and my non-existent hair was standing on its head. And my right foot was subconsciously pressing down on the imaginary break without much success...I kindly asked my TCB if he minded slowing down a bit,as I had forgotten to pack any clean underwear. His response took me totally by surprise. Pulling up on the side of the Motorway, "I am sorry,Brother," he said extinguishing his cigarette, "I am literally uncapable of driving any slower on motorways,you're quite welcome to drive the car yourself!"
There was no anger or frustration in his voice. Just plain resignation. Hence on my second last day in Cyprus, I found myself driving from Larnaca all the way to Paphos in a Toyota 4x4 hugging the left lane and sticking to the speeed limit. My homecoming was complete...

The following day we had a lunch appointment with another GC brother from Nicosia. MicAtCyp had rescheduled his business appointments for the day to meet us in Paphos. Lunch was another delicious seafood affair.
Grilled octopus and calamari,served with the usual dips and salads,followed by a baked fish whose size was big enough to sink a small boat.The conversation flowed easily helped along by generous bottles of Keo beer.After lunch we said goodbye to Kafenes who had joined us for lunch and retired to my TCB's flat nearby to consume the plate of Cyprus sweets Mic had brought along...

In the evening,on my last night in Cyprus,we went to listen to the big man with a big heart and a big voice. Kafenes again sung the song which had by now become our theme song.You guessed it, "You are just too good to be true..." The next day we got up early and drove to the Larnaca airport
more or less sticking to the speed limit. There I said goodbye to my TCB,and goodbye to Cyprus. As we hugged and kissed goodbye I found myself totally lost for words. I was not saying goodbye only to my new found TC Brother but also to my childhood,my dreams and hopes of reunification,and my chances of finding the sense of belonging I had lost 40 years earlier...My beloved country was divided,and I had only managed to visit half of it. The other half where most of my family and community lived remained forbidden to me. It lay occupied,militarised,isolated and ostracised from the world. My heart and soul were still condemned to remain divided and wounded. As I walked up the steps to board the plane to take me back to the Precious One in Greece,I vowed to do everything possible to heal my own spirit,to make the Greenline in my heart and soul disappear. Along with the fear,the sense of injustice,the bitterness and the hatred in which my beloved Cyprus seems to be drowning...

To finish up,please allow me to offer my thanks to all those people who made my homecoming so pleasant and memorable. All but one are members of this Forum. Which goes to show that on the human level we are capable of much more than what our often repeated insults and attacks on each other suggest. Cyprus and Cypriots deserve better than what we are getting form our politicians and so-called leaders. Thank you Kafenes and Natalie ,humanist,Jim,and MicAtCyp. And my special thanks go to the other two people who have made this trip possible. Firstly to my True Cypriot Brother whose generocity,hospitality and kindness know no bounds...And last but not least to The Precious One whose love,passion ,and devotion are simply to die for...

I am reading this as I go along Bir so I cannot see the comments that follow as yet but I want to comment on this post.

The story has been fantastic and the ending disappointing on two counts. First of all it reminds me of all those exams at school when I wrote some fantastic stories only to ruin them by running out of time and finishing off without saying all the things I wanted to say.....Which seems to be the case here.

The second is the snipe you once again took at the TRNC/KKTC....again...a place that you never visited but feel that you have the right to comment on in a negative and uninformed way.......Shame really.



On another point....Why do you and your TCB feel the need to hide his identity...... ........If I had my doubts at the beginning it soon faded away with the irrepressible need of Kifeas to boast, in a round about way, about his ability to multitask at the wheel...........I do understand the need not to be associated with this man but you sounded so proud????????

[zan]

My fathers voice is wringing in my head Bir.....His disappointment came out in anger on our first visit back. I am glad he saw his mum once more before she died though.....

[zan]

BirK, your thread has been the best one on this forum..I feel like I dont need to read anything else anymore about CyprusProb.. your ''dairy'' has been such a good guide for all of us to realize that ''there is no borders but only good or bad people'' If we can cross the borders in our minds, Istinjo may turn the same dream village of your childhood one day..

Never say Never

I cannot agree with that Karma.....Far too simplistic and we desperately need to look at the Cyprob with a clear head. There are many people that cannot cross the border even in their heads let alone bring themselves to do it physically as Bir has shown. It is no good HOPING for a good crop without planting anything......The ground has to be prepared and the right seeds found and watered and watched......Farming has no need of dreams but realities in the work that needs to be done.......

[denizaksulu]

BirK, your thread has been the best one on this forum..I feel like I dont need to read anything else anymore about CyprusProb.. your ''dairy'' has been such a good guide for all of us to realize that ''there is no borders but only good or bad people'' If we can cross the borders in our minds, Istinjo may turn the same dream village of your childhood one day..

Never say Never

I cannot agree with that Karma.....Far too simplistic and we desperately need to look at the Cyprob with a clear head. There are many people that cannot cross the border even in their heads let alone bring themselves to do it physically as Bir has shown. It is no good HOPING for a good crop without planting anything......The ground has to be prepared and the right seeds found and watered and watched......Farming has no need of dreams but realities in the work that needs to be done.......

Very wise words Zan. So let us go forth and cultivate the wilderness that is the Cyprob, choose the right seeds sow and cultivate the land as you say. Its your plan, what is stopping you.

btw Happy Bayram and a Happier New year

[zan]

BirK, your thread has been the best one on this forum..I feel like I dont need to read anything else anymore about CyprusProb.. your ''dairy'' has been such a good guide for all of us to realize that ''there is no borders but only good or bad people'' If we can cross the borders in our minds, Istinjo may turn the same dream village of your childhood one day..

Never say Never

I cannot agree with that Karma.....Far too simplistic and we desperately need to look at the Cyprob with a clear head. There are many people that cannot cross the border even in their heads let alone bring themselves to do it physically as Bir has shown. It is no good HOPING for a good crop without planting anything......The ground has to be prepared and the right seeds found and watered and watched......Farming has no need of dreams but realities in the work that needs to be done.......

Very wise words Zan. So let us go forth and cultivate the wilderness that is the Cyprob, choose the right seeds sow and cultivate the land as you say. Its your plan, what is stopping you.

btw Happy Bayram and a Happier New year

Bayraminiz Kutlu olsun Deniz....



As to your other question.........Nothing is stopping me and that is what I believe I am doing....Those that are trying to sell me bad seeds are getting an ear full...Is that alright or are we to take what ever we are given......After all....It is our own farm you know.....Knowing what ypou want is far better than buying what is sold don't you think......

[denizaksulu]

BirK, your thread has been the best one on this forum..I feel like I dont need to read anything else anymore about CyprusProb.. your ''dairy'' has been such a good guide for all of us to realize that ''there is no borders but only good or bad people'' If we can cross the borders in our minds, Istinjo may turn the same dream village of your childhood one day..

Never say Never

I cannot agree with that Karma.....Far too simplistic and we desperately need to look at the Cyprob with a clear head. There are many people that cannot cross the border even in their heads let alone bring themselves to do it physically as Bir has shown. It is no good HOPING for a good crop without planting anything......The ground has to be prepared and the right seeds found and watered and watched......Farming has no need of dreams but realities in the work that needs to be done.......

Very wise words Zan. So let us go forth and cultivate the wilderness that is the Cyprob, choose the right seeds sow and cultivate the land as you say. Its your plan, what is stopping you.

btw Happy Bayram and a Happier New year

Bayraminiz Kutlu olsun Deniz....



As to your other question.........Nothing is stopping me and that is what I believe I am doing....Those that are trying to sell me bad seeds are getting an ear full...Is that alright or are we to take what ever we are given......After all....It is our own farm you know.....Knowing what ypou want is far better than buying what is sold don't you think......

I am agreeing with here. With the choosing of the right seeds. Personally I think its too late. Politicians seem to have already set their minds for separation.
Maybe we also are facing the same dilemna as Pres. Makarios with his famous/infamous words of what was desirable and what was feasible (re: Enosis).