a week in Cyprus

my summer travels

In The Netherlands children have six weeks of summer holiday. The plan: Elora would spend the first three with me and the last three with her father. I had been looking forward to a long road trip to Sweden in the last weeks, but those plans fell apart when I broke up with my boyfriend.

Annoying, but there’s really never a good time for a break up. ;)

So, I could spend three weeks at home alone, when almost every single one of my girlfriends would be away on holiday, or travel alone or do something a little unusual…. You know I went for unusual, right? I booked a group trip to Cyprus with the company Villa Vibes.

I really had no idea what I was getting into. One of my friends felt sure it would be a dating trip, like speed dating crossed with a beach vacation. Another friend assumed that it was simply for people who prefer social contact to traveling alone. My mom was afraid it was a swingers trip! No, it wasn’t, mom. Promise.

It was a group of 39 single men and women, ages 42 - 59, who live throughout the Netherlands. We spent one week together with everything organized by Villa Vibes, from the travel to the accommodations, food and optional outings. I loved that for once I didn’t have to plan a thing, but could simply enjoy!

And enjoy I did. I chose a beach vacation because the ocean is my favorite place on earth. So long as there was clear water, warm weather and sand, it would be a true vacation for me.

The water in Cyprus didn’t disappoint! It’s clear and mild, with so much salt that one can float every which way. I saw a mom teaching her 18 month old to swim. There couldn’t be a better place to do so, as the waves are gentle as well. On our first full day in Cyprus, our group took a boat cruise to get to know one another. It was a casual way to break the ice, get to know the island and start on that tan.

Actually, I wasn’t going for a tan at all. I wore SPF 50 sunblock all the time, reapplying it faithfully (with a little help ;). I spent most of the time at the beach in the shade. Super responsible me… at least in that regard.

If the Cyprus sea is a treasure, I was less impressed by the land itself. The vegetation was dry. Still, thanks to irrigation, the fresh fruits and vegetables are excellent. They also have delicious wine, which we got to experience in an authentic way at a local restaurant wine tasting.

Our host was very enthusiastic about the history of Cypriot wine. It was informative and delicious, as the different wines were paired with appropriate cheeses and meats.

My first wine tasting, but definitely not my last! It was fun to do with a group.

I had booked this trip last minute and without a clue about Cyprus. I actually thought it was a Greek island, when in fact Cyprus is its own country with both Greek and Turkish cultural roots. On a cultural tour our local guide shared the island’s story going back to the time of the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. That’s when I remembered that I did have some mental connection to the place, from my Egpytian history phase way back when. The island was famed for its copper mines and for its temple to the goddess Aphrodite. According to ancient myth, she rose from the sea foam near the southwest coast of the island.

We didn’t get to see the Aphrodite area, but our visit to a Roman gymnasium and theater ruins was interesting.

Check out the tiling! I see a quilt!

In fact, this one is the same as my Honeycomb Stars pattern! So cool!

The northern part of the island has been controlled by Turkey since 1974. The occupied part includes Famagusta, which was once the most famous Cypriot tourist destination of all.

For 50 years now, the entire city of Famagusta has been empty and rotting away, kept frozen as a negotiating pawn. It struck me that everything has turned brown - all the buildings and signs. Color is a sign of life. Without life, it all fades.

Nowadays tourists can visit Famagusta and even swim on the famous shores. That’s how we finished our tour, with a creepy ghost town swim that’s definitely unique to Cyprus.

So, how was my last-minute, group travel experience? Overall, it was a nice vacation. Sure, it was exhausting at first to meet all the people and to speek Dutch so intensively socially. But eventually, I made a friend with whom I spoke a mixture of Dutch and English. Everyone was social and friendly, which is just what I had expected from Dutch people. It’s certainly interesting to meet so many strangers from all walks of life.

For this time in my life, the trip was a win. It was waaaay out of my comfort zone and thus a learning experience. Still, I do not know if I will do it again, as I definitely prefer traveling with good friends, family or a partner. So here’s hoping that next summer finds me on different shores.