Looking for a good curry in North Cyprus?

There’s no denying that the British enjoy a good curry, and with a staggering choice of Indian and Pakistani restaurants here in North Cyprus, it won’t be something you’ll miss from the UK. But if you’re looking for discerning cuisine at an average price, then look no further than Jashan.

Situated on the Girne – Lapta road at Karaoglanoglu, Jashan provides a vast array of mouth-watering European and Indian dishes with three specialised chefs to cater for your individual tastes.

The owner, Riaz, is no stranger to the restaurant business and has a wealth of experience in Indian cuisine. When he arrived here in 1995 from Pakistan, he worked as a waiter at Jashans before buying it from the previous owner 8 years ago. Riaz is very hands-on, meeting and greeting guests, and he’s very open to any feedback and criticism. Customer care is as important to him as the quality of his food and he strives to make his clientele happy.

Coming from Karaagac, a trip to Oleander is a bit of a trek for me, but it’s definitely worth the extra travelling. Because of the attentive service, relaxed ambience, and the delicious food, it does get busy with regulars and newcomers alike, so it may be advisable to book. Riaz can be contacted on 0542 850 0294.

Jashan Indian Restaurant - www.jashanrestaurant.com

The grass is greener in North Cyprus

Like anywhere in the world, living in North Cyprus isn’t perfect. Globally, the past few years have been hard on a lot of people, which makes us more inclined to moan and groan about life. But the next time you’re feeling down, think about the many good things that North Cyprus has to offer...

Some things I love about North Cyprus:

• The crime rate is much lower than the UK and other parts of the world. Family values still exist. It’s almost like the UK was 60 years ago.
• The sun shines for probably 330 days of the year.
• The cost of living is cheaper. Rates and mains water are a fraction of the cost than in the UK.
• The food actually tastes like food! I used to buy organic food in the UK but the fresh fruit, veg, and meat in North Cyprus are even more delicious.
• Your local supermarket gives you a free bottle of wine at Xmas and if it’s raining, a member of staff accompanies you outside with an umbrella! I never got that treatment at my local Tesco.
• When you visit your little village petrol station to fill up, you get invited in for Turkish coffee.
• The scenery is stunning and unspoilt. Because it’s not commercialised you have all the benefits of the Med, but still maintain a traditional Cypriot flavour.
• People make time for each other in North Cyprus. The hustle and bustle of the UK doesn’t exist and the lifestyle is more laid back. Yavaş yavaş is a national motto.
• Rush hour in North Cyprus is equivalent to off peak times in the UK.
• Turkish Cypriots are naturally friendly and hospitable. Sometimes perfect strangers will invite you in!
• Although the interest rate on Turkish Lira has come down in recent years, it’s still considerably higher than you would get in the UK on sterling.

The grass really is greener in North Cyprus!

North Cyprus makes history

It’s not surprising that North Cyprus attracts a lot of ex-pat residents. But as many people that move here are of retirement age, the subject of medical care can be a real worry, especially for those with complicated heart problems.

But lately, I’ve been hearing some good things about the private Medikent Hospital in Gönyeli, Lefkoşa, and in particular, Heart Surgeon Professor Cevat Yakut. A friend unfortunately had to undergo a serious heart operation at the hospital, but he couldn’t praise Professor Yakut or the staff highly enough. The hospital has also just made history by performing the first triple heart bypass operation in a private facility, and if that wasn’t impressive enough, it was the first time a left ventricle artery has been replaced in such a procedure anywhere in Cyprus!

The patient, Mark Snelson, was admitted and operated on 24 hours after being admitted. He was told that he would have to wait at least five years to have the same operation in the UK. Five years! By that time it could be too late so the speedy treatment in North Cyprus is welcome news. The hospital can also perform angiographies and heart X-rays in ten minutes.

Look after your heart!

Sibel

South Cyprus resolution slammed

There certainly seems to be a lot happening in Cyprus lately. And maybe it’s about time that the motives of the Greek Cypriot side are called into question.

Recently, the Greek Cypriot House of Representatives approved a resolution to reject any form of Guarantor powers for Cyprus. The Turkish Cypriot Parliament swiftly passed their own counter-resolution to make sure that the guarantees of Turkey still remain in place. Worryingly, the lack of action by the British Government to protect the rights of Turkish Cypriots and recent comments made by the British Minister for Europe appear to show that Britain, as another Guarantor of Cyprus, has little knowledge of the real Cyprus problem, so it falls to Turkey to maintain itself as the only Guarantor willing to help the Turkish Cypriots.

The Greek Cypriot government seems to believe that following a possible political settlement, the fact that Cyprus would come under the EU is guarantee enough to placate the Turkish Cypriots, however, Europe has failed to keep its many promises to relieve the embargoes and injustices placed on the North, so surely any future promises should be taken with a pinch of salt.

Not surprisingly, this action by the Greek Cypriot government has been condemned by The Association of Turkish Cypriots Abroad (ATCA) who have stated that any settlement to the Cyprus Problem must include the rights of all three original Guarantor countries – Britain, Greece, and Turkey. ATCA believes that this unprecedented decision by the South has raised some important questions as to the intent of the Greek Cypriot side.

Shouldn’t this type of action by the South be recognized internationally as undermining the current peace talks? The only thing it can achieve is to further cultivate a lack of trust by the Greek Cypriot side. Surely this will be just another nail in the coffin for a bi-zonal, bi-communal Cyprus and make permanent partition more likely.

Sibel

Calling all North Cyprus animal lovers

Brits are a nation of animal lovers, and the ex-pat community in North Cyprus is no different. Many people move here with the intention of getting a cute pooch or fluffy kitty, and with the big stray population of animals here some animals actually adopt an owner rather than the other way round.

But what happens to your pet if you have a family emergency back in the UK and you have to return suddenly, or, God forbid, you have an accident, and through no fault of your own, you’re unable to care for your pet for a while? Yes, some people are lucky enough to have friends or family here who are able to step in and help, but in some cases pet owners have no one to turn to. And if you’re already in the above situation, you’re going to be stressed, right? So the added worry of finding someone to care for your four-legged friend in times of difficulty will just add to the stress.

Samantha Arlington has set up a fostering service to provide a solution to the problem. The aim of Rescue Us Kyrenia is to provide emergency care for pets whose owners are temporarily unable to look after them. This isn’t designed to be a permanent re-homing venture, like Kyrenia Animal Rescue provides, instead, volunteer foster carers will provide short-term homes until the animals can be reunited with their owners.

Rescue Us Kyrenia are actively looking for volunteer foster carers and sponsors, so if you’re animal lover why not get in touch with them at: Rescue Us Kyrenia - www.rescueuskyrenia.com

There is also a launch party on 27th March - details on our forum.

-----

As a alternative, there is the NCDC Dog and Cat Hotel in Malatya as well.

Walking in North Cyprus

One of the best things about North Cyprus has to be the stunning scenery. And what better way to see it than by walking through the heart of it?

Winter is a sedentary time for a lot of people. We spend more time indoors, watching too much TV, eating too much, and, let’s face it; there are days when it’s been too cold or wet to want to set foot out of the house. But the cooler temperatures are ideal to discover the natural beauty here whilst keeping fit. And the good thing about walking is that it’s free! You don’t have to be a super-fit mountain climber either, like my brother-in-law who climbed Everest a couple of years ago, braving minus-stupid temperatures – a tad on the chilly side for me and luckily North Cyprus doesn’t get that cold! Walking can also be a great social event, whether you find a walking buddy or take a picnic and spend quality time with the family.

Every year we have sponsored walks for charity and organized walks to view the amazing orchids and wild flowers, but there’s also a fantastic book available called Walks in North Cyprus by Alison Downey that has many walks listed all the way from Lefke to Esentepe and includes the historic old towns of Nicosia and Famagusta. The book has very detailed information about each walk as well as ancient castles and churches, wild flowers, and birds. Whether you want to potter or be more energetic, there’s something in there for all abilities.

To book the next wild orchid walk, call this number: 0542 854 4329

Walks in North Cyprus can be purchased from The Round Tower, Kyrenia or The Garden Bookshop, Five Fingers Restaurant, Ozankoy.

So what are you waiting for? Take a hike!

Turkish Cypriot applies to the ECHR

It seems that the recent ECHR ruling about the validity of the TRNC’s Immovable Property Commission is stirring up the sensitive property issue in Cyprus.

Despite the government in South Cyprus urging Greek Cypriots who lost property and land in the North not to apply to the IPC, others in the South are suggesting that property owners should apply en masse, particularly those with claims in the Maraş (Varosha) area of Famagusta. The idea behind this is that Turkey will be unable to fund such a large number of compensation claims. Suddenly it looks like the IPC will become inundated with claims from Greek Cypriots who have lost faith in a political settlement to the Cyprus Problem and just want compensation now. There has been talk that Greek Cypriots must apply to the IPC before 31st December 2011, so it could well be a case of use it or lose it.

But surely what’s good for the North should be good for the South. Where is the Greek Cypriot equivalent of the IPC? Conveniently the rest of the world seems to forget about Turkish Cypriots who lost similar property and land in South Cyprus. We were bombarded with the propaganda regarding the Orams case in the press, but the international community never seems to hear about the other side of the story. Recently, however, Turkish Cypriot, Nazire Sofi, won an out-of-court settlement concerning her property in the South. She agreed to drop her case and South Cyprus agreed they would revise their 1991 law on the Guardianship of Turkish Cypriot Properties. Now this law is being challenged by another Turkish Cypriot property owner, and we come full circle, back to the ECHR. Ali Karamanoğlu has already exhausted all local remedies in the South so now he’s taking his claim against Greek Cypriot authorities to the ECHR.

Maybe the international press will get to hear about this case and put an end to the myth that the Cyprus property issue is one-sided.