bill cobbett wrote:Do they still grow tobacco in the Karpas?... believe it used to be widely grown up there.
Not been there since 74 but yes because Latakia pipe tobacco, classified as Cyprian Latakia as opposed to Syrian Latakia, still comes from the Karpas, Latakia tobacco is widely sought after and commands a very high purchase price. Africa has its 'Blood Diamonds' and Cyprus its ' ? Latakia' although unlike the diamonds Latakia is never discussed.
Pre 74 there were vast tobacco plantations on the Karpas and at the height of the growing season it was very easy to become hopelessly lost while driving along the tracks that ran through a tall tobacco plantation maze, usually we would be rescued by a pigrim walking to or from Apostolos Andreas or a plantation worker trying to get home or at least to the nearest village coffee shop, most would have a brother/sister/child in the UK and of course the first question would be did we know them and the second question would be the invitation to eat at their home or join them for coffee and so we always made it back to the main unmade road that led to Apostalos Andreas or home to Famagusta, although we weren't always heading in the right direction
Both Turkey and Greece flew regular fighter aircraft patrols over the Karpas region and it was not unusal while driving along the tobacco plantation tracks or the main unmade road to be the victim of a thankfully dummy practice strafing run by some gung ho fcuking pilot, the first that you would know about it would be the car windscreen being totally obscured by the arse end of a Phantom or whatever jet then the car would be filled with deafening sound and all the tall tobacco plants either side of the track would be laid flat
Never Ever attempt to smoke unblended Cyprus Latakia, it leaves Magic Mushrooms in the shade
