The Art of Roadtripping

Across Borders

- South to North via the North-West Coast -

Kalispéra 2.0!

A road trip is the epitome of dipping into the unknown - and thus often thought to hold plenty of surprises along the way. That being said, a road trip across the border of a divided country should be a revelation in its own right. Here is a little breakdown of our Sunday adventure, and hopefully some useful insights for practically any road trip ahead.

Of myths and legends

Every country preserves its own mystical stories from the past. Aphrodite is the goddess that is said to have risen from the foam on the coast of Cyprus. Conveniently located within the lush nature of the Akamas Peninsula, the Baths of Aphrodite feature a popular tourist site. But slightly off the beaten track and after a solid scramble down the hill, we arrived at a semi-secluded beach with crystal-clear waters. Whether following the legend’s footsteps or not, our personal Aphrodite experience lay off the indicated path, and so might yours.

Overlooking the Baths of Aphrodite Bay on the Akamas Peninsula

Unexpected Pitstops

Once in the flow of rolling past villages, coastlines, and hilltops, it can be useful to have hungry and thirsty passengers aboard that will remind you to take regular pitstops. After a little stroll through Kato Pyrgos, the last Greek village before the hitting the green line, we discovered a sign that declared it the home of a medieval fort. Due to time constraints we had to aboard this mission, but our little pitstop was still very much worth our while.

Kato Pyrgos, the last village on the Greek side before the border crossing

The Time Machine

The history of an area, and more importantly the way in which it is framed, can be very telling of the place you are visiting. After a rather unconventional and chaotic border crossing, the archaeological ruins of Vouni Palace marked our first stop in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Its cultural origins are not officially discerned, but it is confirmed that it came to life in a time when the island was town by dissension between the pro-Greek and the pro-Persian factions. The TRNC naturally attributes this historical site to the Persians, without further mentioning of their Greek opponents. Vouni Palace and its proximity to the border illustrate that the history of a place could flick one way or the other, depending on where the line is drawn and which sentiments pertain.

Vouni Palace Archaeological Site, origins 500 - 350 BC

New Heights

When in unchartered territory, it can be vital to apply a bird-eye’s perspective to your new surroundings. It is often argued that we should “look up more”, but a successful strategy to avoid the dilemma of head tilting is to make your way to the highest point and to simply see it unfolding in front of you. Our efforts were rewarded with spectacular views over the mountain ranges towards the green line on one side, and the long-winded bay reaching all the way to the tip of Northern Cyprus on the other side.

Overlooking the mountains from the Vouni Palace viewpoint

The view across Morphou Bay from Vouni Palace

Lastly, but arguably most importantly:

Make sure to be fed by the locals!

Do not underestimate the allure of hospitality, especially when local treats and delicacies are involved. We stopped off in a small Turkish-Cypriot village café, and the owner Ali accompanied one of us to a nearby bakery to get baklava. Back at the cafe, he then insisted on serving them to us the proper way. All of us, including the waiter himself, were all smiles when he came out of the kitchen a few minutes later with four plates of thoughtfully arranged baklava and ice-cream. We left feeling welcomed and cared for, and what better way to end a road trip across borders that suddenly do not feel like borders anymore.

Baklava in a café in Karavostasi

- Road show brought to you by Jenni Jostock