10 preguntas frecuentes sobre Chipre

                                 Κύπρος

                                            

Como ya sabéis, me mudé a Chipre este mes, y eso originó muchas preguntas de la gente de mi alrededor, aquí os dejo las 10 preguntas más frecuentes que me hicieron, ¿Empezamos?

 ¡Levanten anclas!



1.       Pertenece Chipre a Grecia o Turquia?
Chipre es un país soberano y de la Union Europea, aún así, el norte, no entró la UE ya que desde hace 45 años está controlada por Turquía.


2.       ¿Qué moneda cursa en Chipre?
En el sur  de la isla (UE) el euro, mientras que en el norte se usa la lira turca.


3.       De que vive la gente en Chipre?
Principalmente del turismo.

3.1. ¿Turismo en Chipre? No lo había escuchado nunca
Pues sí, antes de la invasión turca, la ciudad de Famagusta era un importante punto turístico comparado a la hoy Marbella.

Chipre fue colonia inglesa, por esa razón, hay bases militares inglesas en la isla; la relación entre ambos países atrae a 1’5 millones  de turistas ingleses a la isla, ¡habiendo incluso asentamientos en el norte de la isla controlados por los ingleses!

Después, con un número también generoso, están los rusos, siendo estos 700 mil turistas anuales, y por último pero no menos importante, 150 mil turistas alemanes cada año.


4.       ¿Cuántos habitantes hay en Chipre?
En 2017 la cifra estaba en 854.802, ¡imaginad que es para los chipriotas 2,35 millones de turistas anuales!


5.       ¿Qué idioma se habla en Chipre?
De  manera oficial, en el sur se habla griego, así como en el norte turco.
Existen también dialectos y lenguas minoritarias.

Por suerte para los turistas y forasteros, la mayoría de gente habla un buen nivel de inglés.


6.       ¿Es caro vivir en Chipre?
El sur de Chipre, tiene un costo de vida parecido al de vivir en una zona metropolitana en España, pero sin burbujas inmobiliarias tan grandes  (no porque no lo intenten).  Aún así, es ligeramente más barato (entre  un 2 y un 5 %).

Sin embargo, en el norte de Chipre, la vida es muy barata, poco más cara que en Turquía.


7.       ¿Dónde se ubica Chipre?
Está en la zona más oriental del Mediterráneo, siendo los países más cercanos en el siguiente orden: Turquía (Norte), Siria (Este), Líbano (Sureste), Israel y Egipto (Sur).

El país más cercano está a 100 km y el más lejano 360 km.


8.       ¿Cómo son culturalmente los chipriotas?
Aunque Grecia no esté tan cerca como los países mencionados en el punto anterior, comparte grandes rasgos culturales: el idioma, la comida y la religión son algunos de ellos, las relaciones entre ambos países son muy fuertes, tanto es así, que en el sur de Grecia se llaman “greco-chipriotas”.

En el norte, en cambio, son mayoritariamente turcos, así que gran parte del territorio comparte la identificación cultural. (Concretaré sobre ello cuando haga una entrada sobre Turquía)

En Chipre existe una gran diversidad cultural, que enriquece a su gente tanto en el sur como en el norte.


9.       ¿Qué hay de especial en Chipre?
Al final, como todo el mediterráneo, comparte paisajes, clima y alimentación.  Pero eso no hace de Chipre un sitio menos exótico o interesante frente a otras destinaciones.

Hay motivos más que recalcables para visitar la isla

-          La comida, de base griega y de influencia de sus países vecinos, rica en especias y con postres  de todas las clases.

-          Se encuentra el primer vino comercializado del mundo, Commandaria, producido por primera vez hace 5000 años.

-          Cabo Greco, un paraíso en forma de cabo en el Mediterráneo, y con la mitad de turistas que otros cabos.

-          Petra tou Romiou, o dicho de otra forma, el lugar donde nació Afrodita, ahí verás una piedra, una que mola. Explicaré más sobre ella en el próximo post.

-          La única capital divida en el mundo, Nicosia -política aparte-  impresiona y da a reflexionar visitar  un lugar así.

-          Unas de las mejores playas del mundo para hacer  kitesurf.

-          Muchísima tranquilidad con las mejores playas, como la de Protaras o Ayia Napa.


10.   ¿Quedó algo de los ingleses en la isla?
Las bases militares comentadas con anterioridad, y la forma de conducir: por la izquierda.


~~~

Muchos no estaréis convencidos de visitar la isla por las noticias sobre Chipre y su división, pero os pediría que no os dejarais influenciar por los medios. Esta isla es super tranquila y segura, y nadie más que los chipriotas del sur y del norte desean paz y tranquilidad. Y eso es lo que realmente se respira aquí.



Esta entrada solo busca explicar sobe la isla a nivel de interés cultural, en ningún lugar dar una visión política.

~~~

…y en la próxima entrada, ¡más sobre Chipre!



Amarramos el barco por hoy, ¡feliz semana!


Annavolldamm

11 things you sure don't know about Georgia

Let's start with 11 things you sure do not know about Georgia, 

let's go? Raise the anchors!

საქართველო

1- How is Georgia in Georgian?

As you may have guessed from the title, it is called Sakartvelo, and in its alphabet is written as the red letters above.

2- How much money do you need in your pocket?

If a euro is 3.06 lari, you can image the cost of living in the Caucasian country.

Hosting on an Airbnb with an entire apartment in the "Old Tbilisi" for 60 euros a week or a local meal with a drink for 3 euros are some of the examples that show that living in the Georgian capital is, even though it is a capital, a destination very cheap for european travelers.

Of course, forget about those prices on Rustaveli Avenue, probably the most expensive in Tbilisi.

3-The bridge of peace

This bridge over the Kurá River, is a pedestrian bridge that connects the two Tbilisi, the oldest with the most recent.

From it you can see how the two parts divided by the river in the city, rise up on hills and descend until you reach the illuminated and iconic bridge, which during the day and at night offers wonderful views.

From this bridge you can also see emblematic sites such as the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity. Imposing and orthodox, this cathedral was completed in 2004 and is part of one of the buildings of the majority religion in the country with the most references in the city.

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In addition to all this, the bridge is located near one of the best cableway in Tbilisi.

4-Kartlis Deda is the mother of all (the Georgians)

On the hill of Sololaki is located since 1958 the statue known as "the Georgian mother." Standing 20 meters tall, this imposing woman offers wine in her left hand, thus greeting those who come as friends of Georgia, and in her right hand, a sword, wanting to protect the country from those who come as enemies.

5- What is a Kinkali?

The country offers a wide culinary offer, similar to that of neighboring countries.

Among its dishes, two national stars stand out; these are the Kinkalis and the Kachapuri Acharuli.

The Kinkalis are a paste-shaped sachet of different fillings, these can be meat, cheese or mushrooms.

It is eaten by grabbing them from the end of the bag, which will always be undercooked, and it is eaten until it reaches the extreme where it is caught, which is not eaten because it is considered a lack of education. (They'll look you weird if you do).

Kachapuri Acharuli is a bread dough with oval shape and elongated ends that in the center contains cheese and butter. Shortly after finishing their baking in the traditional stone oven, they add a raw egg.

The Kinkali use it as a national symbol and you can find it in all the souvenir shops as a key ring or figure. The same stores also have souvenir figures of Stalin, as a curious fact.

6- Wines only in Spain? Will I eat only kinkalis?

The streets of Tbilisi, especially the old town, as well as souvenir shops, are full of restaurants and wineries.

Wineries: In Georgia two fundamental things meet to have good wines, some excellent lands and climate for vineyards and a thousand-year-old tradition with the elaboration of wines. They also produce another type of distillate and fermented.

Their countrymen boast of their great tradition and quality of the wines, which can be found in their usual packaging (bottle of wine with cork) or in their traditional vases (if the wine you like and the vase too, you know, two for one).

Restaurants: not everything in the Georgian cuisine are Kinkalis and Kachapuris, as I already mentioned, it has a great gastronomic offer. Yes, my friend, if you are from the group of cilantrophobics, get ready, they throw cilantro to everything.

In its culinary offer I only miss more rice dishes, fish, vegetables and in general vegan offer.

Maspindzelo: Exquisite food in the restaurant.

It was without doubt the best restaurant we went to for traditional food

Marani Wine, really good.

The only rice dish we found.

7- What do the Georgians speak?

They speak the Kartuli, which for us is said Georgian.

They use an own alphabet that consists of very striking characters, for us they would be like drawings, and use this one also for the numbers. But do not worry, restaurant menus are also in English.

The alphabet they use is called "Mjedruli" or going back in the past "writing of the knights" and appeared in the 10th century. While the first allusion to the language dates back to the 2nd century.

8- Joseph Stalin wasn't born in Russia

Yet the truth is that Iosef Stalin was born and grew up in the city of Gori, Georgia.

Avoiding the border area with southern Ossetia, we can see where Stalin spent his childhood and early adulthood, visit the house where he was born and a museum dedicated to him.

- As I said before, something very curious about Georgia is that it is full of souvenirs with the image of the iconic Dictator

- In the next point you will find the reason why you should avoid the border area with Ossetia.

9- Do you need bodyguards to go to Georgia?

Quiet, as in any trip; you do not need anything more than desire and preparation to go to Georgia.

Tbilisi, still a capital, is not crazy and you can breathe mostly a peaceful atmosphere all the time. The peripheries are the peripheries, that is not different anywhere.

However, if you want to get away from the capital and travel to different places like Batumi, to the monastery dug in the mountain or Sighnaghi, you should avoid on your way places like borders with North or South Ossetia and with Abkhazia, which are the secessionist zones , as well as the Pansiki gorge.

Street in the Old Tbilisi, near the thermal baths.

Also, if you do not feel safe, in the entire capital you will find a lot of businesses and cars that advertise tours for tourists at affordable prices.

10- Quantis (or the Georgian horns)

No, this does not go with ulterior motives. Like the ancient Vikings, Georgians also use horns to drink. Although this is only done in formal meetings (a traditional dinner called "Supra")

In the aforementioned ceremonies, this horn is used to make a toast. They are meetings where the Georgians connect through speeches of experienced oratory with the past, present and future. They always do it from love and always start talking about the parents, to whom they give the greatest importance.

If someday, for mysteries of the universe, you find yourself making a toast surrounded by Georgians with a Quantis, remember, do it with wine or brandy, since with beer it is considered an insult.

11- Why does Georgia look like a hodgepodge of Russia, Ottoman style, medieval and European?

Now I will show you a short summary of Georgian history.

I have created this table for you to understand the cultural influences of the country ..

Georgia is an ideal place at the level of trade and military strategy, being a bridge between Europe and the East, and Asia and Europe. For that reason, history has developed in this country in the following way:

1160 - 1212	The western part "Cólquida" and the internal part "Iberia" -> colonized by Greeks. The Romans conquer everything and stay for 7 centuries	1800	Tsar Paul I of Russia incorporated Georgia into the Russian Empire. The last Georgian king was Solomon II in 1815
S.VII	The weakened kingdoms derive to the Muslim conquest	1918 - 1921	First modern state
S.X	The regions were liberated and united to the kingdom of Georgia. This kingdom was tolerant of Muslims and Jews	1921	Invasion and conversion to the URSS
S.XIII	The kingdom was subdued by the Mongols and later by the Timurid Empire.	April 9, 1991	Independence of the URSS
S.XVI	The Persian and Ottoman Empire were made with the east and west respectively.	May 26, 1991	The first president after independence was Zviad Gamsakhurdia
1783	The Russian Empire and the Georgian East signed a treaty of a mutual military support. The agreement was broken by Russia when it let the Persians sack the city of Tbilisi.		He is the first president after separating from the URSS, so the day of his election is considered the day of independence

Through the centuries, Georgia has harbored in it different empires, colonies and invasions.
For that the current Skartvelo, remember in its streets, people and its folklore, the relics and pieces of each stage of its past.

Other photos and anecdotes:

Yes, in Georgia Edeka arrives, I have added it as a curiosity. For those of you who have visited Germany or lived there, you will know what supermarkets I mean.

I especially laughed a lot, because I've worked years for this company. It is somehow, as if they "accompany" me.

In Tbilisi, one of the streets is literally called Salami Street". And here I'm!

(This coincidence with the salamis, will come with us on more trips)

I spend many hours collecting information, synthesizing it and trying to explain it in the most entertaining way possible. If you liked this article, share it and follow me, you will also find me in my instagram Annavolldamm02.

We tied the boat for today. See you between the lines.

Annavolldamm

Georgia: lost in Tbilisi

Georgia, that country that when you talk about it, first people think you talk about the US, but we really refer in this post to the great and little known by the Spaniards and many Europeans this Caucasian country.

 As neighbors it has Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, and Turkey. In addition Georgia is bounded by the Black Sea and on the boundary between Eastern Europe and Western Asia.

Its geographical location is so influential in its culture, in its buildings, clothes and traditions are reflected the Ottoman era, Russian Orthodox style, and medieval Europe.

All this makes it an unique place in the world, because it is easy to recognize each of these influences and, at the same time, how they have transformed it into a symbol of their identity.

Currency: lari

Georgia, like its neighboring countries of the Caucasus, is crossed by the Caucasian mountain range, that makes the landscape exceptional. It is a country full of forests, mountains and curious beaches. It should be noted that its citizens are responsible with pride and love to defend their landscapes.

Our experience

Section:

Travel

The trip and the hidden surprise

To get to Tbilisi we need to go first to Istanbul Atatürk airport, my life and travel partner flew from Barcelona and I from Basel. From there we took another plane to Tbilisi.

All this was with the Turkish airline "Pegasus Airlines". With which the flight experience was quality and quiet (with very cheap prices).

From the Georgian airport we go to the center with a bus line that connects with it every 35 minutes.

Once in the city we went to the hotel "Lost In Tbilisi". We had been awake for more than 20 hours and we were looking forward to getting there.

When we finally arrived at the hotel we were met with a big surprise, Lost in Tbilisi was really lost, it didn’t exist.

It was 6 in the morning and there were still no open cafes.

We were running out of internet and we did not have anywhere to go. So we waited until 7:30 to open a restaurant where (Rustaveli Avenue, Dinehall), I must say, I had the best coffee with ice cream of my life.

Dinehall, Rustaveli Avenue

Already tired (and desperate) we managed to contact Booking for a refund of the reservation at the ghost hotel. And at that time, we decided to rent through Airbnb a cute apartment but we could not access until 3pm, a whole show.

The apartment is located right in the old town, next to the botanical garden, that is, after a large hill.

What did we finally do? We left our suitcases with the appartment's owner and we went to the botanical garden. That is not especially small, which is beautiful and a recommended visit, in addition, is close to the baths / hot springs of Tbilisi, the favorites of Russians and newlyweds in the city.

It should be noted that the weather in May there is great. The little time it was raining, people went without an umbrella, because when the rain stopped, at 15 minutes you were absolutely dry.

Featured sites:

Old Tbilisi: beautiful and chaotic. Old town in reforms and dark streets. The feeling of security still, is very high.

Streets full of business thought for tourists: souvenirs, ex-change, restaurants ...

Rustaveli Avenue: full of historic buildings, shops, a big mall, hotels and exclusive restaurants.

Sololaki Hill: you can reach it with a cable car that crosses the city, that's where the mother of Georgia is, an aluminum statue 20 meters high. It is seen from all the city, and the hill has a complete panorama of the whole city.

The thermal baths "Sulfur Baths": Incredibly relaxing and unique beauty. They are recommended to treat skin problems, help with arthritis, insomnia ...

Or to go with your crush!

Parliament: The parliament is one of the majestic government buildings that can be seen on the famous Rustaveli avenue.

Liberty Square: the Peace Square, renamed several times during history, is located in the center of the city of Tbilisi and at the eastern end of Rustaveli Avenue.

Every 26th of May the anniversary of the Democratic Republic of Georgia is celebrated with a festive atmosphere going through all the streets of the capital.

(Restoration)

Maspindzelo: This was the best restaurant we found without a doubt in all of Tbilisi. It is close to the Sulfur Baths. There they make the best "Kachapuri Acharuli" (oval bread stuffed with cheese, butter and egg) and the best tasting quality price of the area. Definitely a stop-off site.

(Restoration)

MAQRO: From this place I can recommend the bowl of oatmeal with fresh fruits and the exquisite "Ice Coffe with Ice cream".

Also in front of this exclusive and luxurious place is the Tbilisi Opera House.

Cathedral of the Holy Trinity of Tbilisi: imposing orthodox cathedral of recommended visit for lovers of cultural and religious tourism.

Shardeni Street: iconic Tbilisi street full of entertainment, shisha and catering.

Outside the capital:

Ananuri: Natural beauty spot with an orthodox monastery. Landscape to the Caucasian mountain range.

Mtskheta: is a museum city near the capital is one of the oldest cities in Georgia and since the year 94 world heritage. Stands out for a beautiful Orthodox monastery (Jvari monastery) and the Svetitsjoveli cathedral. Within the city there are a multitude of stops and food stalls.

For us there is still a long list of places to visit in Georgia, we make a preview of the next trip:  

• Batumi: located on the coast of the Black Sea
• Gori: hometown of Joseph Stalin
• Vardzia: medieval monastery dug in the mountain.
• Sighnaghi: small town of great charm, the favorite of the couple to get married.

Section:

Trunk of the anecdotes

MAQRO: As I said earlier our first day in Tbilisi was a bit moved. At 6:00 in the morning we were lying without a hotel, internet or battery so we decided to walk along the "Rustaveli Avenue" and there my partner noticed a place with modern air that was still closed.

We decided to sit on a bench in front of the place that turned out to be a dinner hall. Coincidences of the universe the place ended up being one of the best places in Tbilisi for both breakfast and brunch.

(Culture)

Georgian Independence Day: we did not really know that May 26 was Independence Day, which was a surprise because that same day we returned to our corresponding destinations (Barcelona / Basel)

The return flight was at night so we enjoyed the festive atmosphere all day.

(Stores)

In the city that I currently live in Weil am Rhein there is a museum of architecture and interior design called Vitra, I was very surprised to find a store in Tbilisi of the same Vitra.

(Transportation and people)

In Tbilisi the normal thing is to get around with the bus, the metro or the taxi, we opt most of the time to take the taxi.

 One of the times we met with a nice taxi driver who although we did not really understand each other, his sympathy and his desire to be understood made us end up going with him on an excursion through Ananuri and Mtskheta. In the end, the gentleman ended up becoming a tour guide and a photographer. We made such good friends that after making a selfie we exchanged telephone numbers.

(By the way, in my opinion, the tbilisi metro is where I found the longest, fastest and steepest escalators in the world.)

(more about taxis)

But certainly one problem that we find in Georgia is that the majority of the population does not speak even a basic English, so when we took a taxi and left us in front of a shopping center we had the suspicion that the station was not there. So we told the taxi driver to take us to the place marked by Google Maps.

We got off the taxi a little surprised by the loneliness and misery that hit the area where we were.

It turns out that the almighty Google Maps was wrong and that there was no train station there (besides it was probably the worst periphery of Tbilisi) so we had no choice but to try to stop a taxi to return, it took us half an hour to stop a ramshackle car but we returned safely to Tbilisi.

I love Georgia, its landscapes, the influence of the different eras and empires in its streets, its people and its *kinkalis!

* Traditional Georgian food.

For me, to this day, it has been the trip that has marked me the most. I see Tbilisi as another European city, but with a much calmer people.

I felt very comfortable and "at home" and not just because I understood something there, absolutely everything in the streets is in Georgian, even the numbers are in this exceptional alphabet. (also in Russian and sometimes English)

But there are places that, without knowing an exact reason, reach the soul. This has been one, and at our annual meeting we will meet.

We tied the boat for today, Until the next post!