North Cyprus in the EU?

It's not often I find myself gently nodding in agreement with an article in The Washington Post (EU and Turkey: still talking barely) but this one was an exception.

On Tuesday, talks resumed on Turkey's entry to the EU, and as the paper's correspondents said; "While neither side says the process is dead, few question that Turkey's goal of joining Europe's club is in deep trouble."

Despite opposition to membership by European heavyweights French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Turkey's strategic position as the 'tap' between Europe and their supplies of former Russian state gas cannot be overlooked.

Now, all this may be very exciting in Brussels, but what does it actually for us here in North Cyprus?

First of all, thank heavens we were NOT in the Euro currency when the credit crunch came, and we have been spared at least some of the pain of tumbling exchange rates.

But looking ahead, what can the EU give to us? Based on Britain's example, we'll get grants for deprived areas regeneration, but at the expense of endless red tape and EU regulations that often defy logic.

We'll get freedom to work anywhere in the EU, but at the expense of other countries being entitled to do the same, and risk an influx of workers.

An, of course EU membership alone will not solve the issues still being discussed in reunification talks.

A top analyst says it will take up to a decade for Turkey to join the EU as a full member, and so perhaps now is the time to get those talks moving faster, so that the way is paved for EU membership - if we want it by then, of course.

Got a view about EU membership? Discuss it as our Cyprus 44 forum!

Interview with Jack Afik

Jack is the director of Afik Group and a friend of mine. He is building one of those large property developments in Famagusta area and I think he is doing it pretty well. Here is a quick interview I did with him last week:

Izzet: I know your Caesar Resort property development in Famagusta has been very popular. What is the current status of Caesar Resort? When are you delivering the keys?

Jack: We have already handed over the keys to the first 5 blocks and are now in the process of handing over the keys to the 6th block from phase 1 (96 apartments). We will start to handover phase 2 (about 100 apartments) from this August onwards. The site has really transformed over the last couple of months, the central building ground floor is now open and host the inside pool & Jacuzzi, with changing rooms, toilets and shower as well as the Gym and the Bar, which the bar should be running by June. The outdoor facilities now in place are; Amphitheatre, outdoor Gym, Children’s playground, established green areas. By the end of May one of the outdoor pools and children’s paddling pools will be ready. We are having an opening party on the 19th of June, it is going to be a great event and we hope to see you there.

Izzet: Your new project is now Sea & Sun Bay in Esentepe. Can you tell us a bit more about it?

Jack: I felt that it was very important to be able to construct for a wide range of purchasers. I appreciate that there is a market for people who want to retreat away from the hustle and bustle of everyday. Sea & Sun Bay Cyprus is like a small piece of heaven that fell to earth. The serenity is just breath taking. I have designed this project in a way that is affordable to everyone’s budget. Upon entering the project at a first glance you would think all construction are villas. The villas are along the sea front and behind, in a cul’de’suc design, are the villas which are split into 2 ground floor apartments and first floor penthouse, all with sea and mountain views. Prices start at £53,000, enabling the opportunity that you can live in one of the most beautiful locations regardless of your budget.

Izzet: Is there an open show house at Sea and Sun Bay?

Jack: There are 11 sea front villas and 22 villas split into 2 ground floor apartments and first floor penthouses. This project is under construction and has a fully furnished show villa. I am a couple of months away from finishing the ground floor and first floor penthouse, which will also be furnished as a show apartment. I anticipate that this project will be completed in 2 years time, along with the following site facilities:
• Gymnasium
• Swimming pool
• Coffee shop
• Snack Bar
• Mini-Market
• Tennis Courts
• BBQ and picnic areas
• Back-up generator for public area

Izzet: Lastly, what do you think about the North Cyprus property market in 2009?

Jack: I believe that Northern Cyprus is still the best place to invest. As a Developer I am confident in my projects and with the advantage of having my own capital to finance my projects this ensures delivery to my purchasers. I have a fantastic team that are all long standing and all with constructional background. We pledge to uphold our commitment and high reputation therefore ensuring that for Afikgroup 2009 will be as successful as 2008.

Izzet: Thanks for this quick interview Jack and we wish you good luck with your property developments.

You can get more information about Afik Group on www.afikgroup.com

Which North Cyprus hotel do you think is best?

One question fills me with dread when friends ask me about North Cyprus; "Which hotel do you think is best?" Of course, the problem is, living here, I never stay in any! Most of my 'recommendations' come from friends of friends, or the experiences of my rather picky relatives.

So, when good friends, Guy and Sue, announced they were coming to visit at short notice, it was with some relief that they said they had already booked the Savoy Ottoman hotel via the Internet, because it had good reviews. And when they invited me to join them for dinner at the hotel, I couldn't help but want a nosey look around too!

The Savoy Ottoman is one of those hotels that I've gone past several times, but never stepped inside, and I was pleasantly surprised. Yes, it's all gold leaf on the ceilings and marble and gleaming surfaces, but in a 'this is a nice smart hotel' sort of way, not the usual brash 'let's be having your money then' feel! A quick peek out the back revealed a nice swimming pool overlooked by balconied rooms, and plenty of room to toast yourself on the poolside terraces, a must-do for most sun-starved European tourists it seems!

My friends' room was stylish and nicely decorated, and remarkably quiet for a central Kyrenia location, I thought. Sue said the bed was very comfy, although decorum prevented me from trying it out myself!

We ate in the Ottoman/Lebanese Sarayburnu Restaurant and I must say both food and service were excellent. It was a quiet night when we went, admittedly, but the staff were very attentive and smiling, a nice change from some "5 star" places I've ate at during my years here! Guy treated us to a bottle of very good French wine, which to me looked rather expensive but tasted divine with the chef's chocolate dessert! The bill was, shall we say, on the high side for North Cyprus but no more than Guy reckoned he would expect to pay in London for an OK meal in an OK place, not a swanky hotel.

Sue had tried the spa centre and voted the Turkish bath/sauna/steam bath experience as "Bliss", and Guy gave a thumbs up to the bar staff at the hotel's two bars. They had also been presented with a welcome drink of ‘gul suyu’ - which for our non-TRNC readers is a refreshing drink that is made from roses, and tastes like a cross between hibiscus tea and traditional British rosewater syrup you use on cooking, a nice touch.

Guy and Sue were thrilled with the hotel, loved North Cyprus (they enjoy walking deserted beaches, drinking beer and exploring ancient sites, not necessarily in that order), and best of all, didn't even start to expect me to house, feed and entertain them for free. Thanks Guy and Sue (and the Savoy Ottoman) - see you again next year!

Shopping in North or South Cyprus?

It's one of those traditional TRNC debates - should you shop in the south or stick to the North?

With the Euro exchange rate definitely not good for anyone whose income is in sterling, any shopping trip south is definitely not so much fun as it used to be! In fact, south Cyprus prices are approaching London prices, which is horrifying to someone like me who thought they had left all those expensive price tags behind in rainy Cricklewood!

However, a recent discussion on the Cyprus44 forum has reminded me that although you can take the girl out of Britain, you can't always take your taste buds out of Blighty! OK, we all know the jokes about the Brits needing regular shipments of marmalade or Marmite, or strong Yorkshire tea, or Mars bars or whatever, but the root of this surely goes deeper. I guess we are now so used to endless variety and choice in UK shopping, it's hard to slim down those expectations when we arrive in the TRNC.

Truth is, the difference between prices on the two sides of the border is minimal, and once you add petrol costs (and insurance), then it's potentially costing you more than you save. Most TRNC residents agree that for everyday items, it's really a choice between popping over the border to the nearest supermarket, usually Alphamega, or shopping at the bigger Lemar supermarket in Lefkosa (or the 2 branches in Kyrenia or the one in Famagusta). Staples like cornflakes are just cents more in the Lemar supermarket than Alphamarket, and British favourites such as Heinz tomato ketchup can actually be cheaper!

So, for my part, I'll treat expeditions to the south much as I used to regard shopping in London; go for the sales or specialist items, but otherwise shop local because it's better for the economy and in the end, usually cheaper and less hassle! And yes, it is amazing what you can get in a suitcase from the UK if you are good at packing; I've known intrepid residents bring LCD screen tvs, dvd players and other electrical items across, no problem. My secret? Wrap items in bubble wrap then inside an old sleeping bag to cushion the impact of Stansted's finest baggage handlers - and pray...

Property Insurance in the TRNC

I have owned several holiday homes in the UK before I bought my lovely villa here in Northern Cyprus. My experiences in the UK made me realise the vital importance of getting proper holiday home insurance, and it is something I would not be without, especially in these days of "Where there's blame, there's a claim."

In the UK, my buildings and contents insurance always covered almost every problem that might occur, from major flooding to accidental damage. I was always amazed at how clumsy some holiday-makers were! I assumed that finding the same level of insurance for my North Cyprus holiday villa would be easy, but I was wrong.

To begin with, I did not want any policy written in Turkish, as I would not know what I was signing. It was important that the policy covered not only the structure and contents of my villa, but included public and employer's liability for every person who might step one foot onto my property. I am lucky in having a good TRNC property manager who has an excellent network of tradesmen to fix any problems that arise, but as a result I never really know exactly who is in my property at any one time.

In the end, I looked at UK- based firms, and soon discovered that some companies just did not want to know about North Cyprus properties.  From those who did offer TRNC cover, I then discovered that both the level of cover offered and the prices charged varied enormously. In the end, I took out the holiday home policy from Intasure, not just because they offered good cover at half the price of everyone else, but also because when I rang the UK office, they had a real 'can-do' attitude and knowledge of their products. (After a prolonged battle with a company I once booked car insurance with over the internet, I now ring companies to check they really do know what they are doing!)

If you are a holiday home owner, I'm sure you have your own 'horror' stories, but I will never forget arriving at our first holiday home on the Isle of Wight late one night, popping the inevitable hot water bottles into the beds, and snuggling down for the night. The next day, my daughter was scratching like a hound, and when I took a look, she was covered in tiny red bites. It took us ten minutes to discover the masses of fleas covering the back of the curtain beside her bed, and three hours for the pest control specialist to fumigate and discover the source was dead birds in the roof space above. Moral of the story? Never neglect your holiday property's loft!

Kate Mitchel

Cyprus Holiday Snaps and memories

I may not post very often these days, but I love meeting new arrivals on the Cyprus44 forum.

Latest newbie to catch my eye is Jetnoise/Ralph, who has posted old holiday snaps of childhood holidays in the northern part of Cyprus, as it was then. Idyllic pictures of smiling children beside a caravan on a beach, posing with an ancient stone monument, all sunshine and laughter. Then you see the dates; Famagusta in 1972 and Kyrenia in 1973... (See actual post)

Which made me reach immediately for one of my favourite guide book on my shelves; "The Travellers' Guide to Cyprus" by Hazel Thurston, the revised 1971 edition! Yes, I've got all the latest North Cyprus guide books, including the Bradt and Landmark series, but I love this tatty old guidebook for its wonderful sketch maps.

There's something very satisfying about its detailed plans of the Gymnasium and bath complex at Salamis, the Wards at St Hilarion, and the walled city of Nicosia shown as one complete circle.

What is heart-warming is that the essential atmosphere of North Cyprus seems to have survived the years, even if the meaning of some words have changed since: "Kyrenia is no longer a backwater retreat for retired, excessively clubbable Empire-builders. It is gay and full of life.. Kyrenia has an atmosphere as highly coloured as its picture-postcards."

Yet the author is already bemoaning change; if they could see it now! For example, "The Dome is the doyen of Kyrenia hotels. It has now grown almost beyond recognition."

However, who now would recognise the description of a suburb of Famagusta:  "Varosha... now contains everything of modern importance from the point of administration, shopping, hotels and transport centres... above all, safe beaches make (Varosha) the perfect antidote to strenuous sightseeing programmes." 

I scoured the Famagusta sketch map and hotel listing for Ralph's elusive Regina Breach Hotel, but to no avail. Perhaps it was one of the new hotels that were springing up so fast the guidebook said it couldn't list them all...

Cyprus Issues Solved Over a Cup of Coffee?

America may be celebrating its new President elect, but it should also be pleased with its new First Lady too. Across the world, the wives of Presidents, Prime Ministers and politicians often work behind the scenes, quietly effecting change, whilst the world's media watches their husbands instead.

This week, without fuss or bother, the First Lady of the Republic of Cyprus, Elsi Christofias, came to northern Cyprus to meet Oya Talat, wife of Mehmet Ali Talat. Mrs Talat had invited Mrs Christofias to coffee, a purely social visit, and afterwards the two women strolled around the historic harbour at Kyrenia. However gentle this social call may seem, its importance could be far-reaching, since their husbands are now sitting down at talks on reunification.

The advantages of a charming wife for a leader should not be underestimated. Back in March, a friend of mine in the House of Lords was requested to look after the wife of a visiting President, a role usually looked upon as something of a chore. However, my friend leapt at the chance. Why? His taxing task was to escort the wife of French President Sarkozy, the singer and former model Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, and he was the envy of the House for weeks!

The vivacious and curvaceous Ms Bruni has previously modelled for such fashion houses greats as Christian Dior, Lacroix, Galliano, Chanel and Versace, so my titled friend was very sure to wear his best suit...