Members of the Xorg collective and guests have just returned from a brief excursion into The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, where we stayed for a couple of nights at The Salamis Bay Hotel near Famagusta. This hotel claims to be 'Five Star' but I reckon it would be lucky to get two stars anywhere else in Europe. No tea/coffee making facilities in the room; no extractor fan in the bathroom; under floor heating that can't be turned off and beds as stiff as a board. But it's clean and at £115 for two nights half-board for a twin room it's not bad value. The food was reasonable but not 'Five Star' by any means; a good selection of fresh salads but the cooked food was only just slightly better than yer average works canteen. Meal times are a bit of a free-for-all; self service and the tables are set out in long rows, and there's dreadful piped music in an acoustically imperfect dining hall so it's somewhat noisy.
Included in yer half-board is free use of the sauna, indoor swimming pool and Turkish baths. All very welcome and relaxing provided you can peacefully co-exist with a herd of swarthy Turks with a loose interpretation of the concept of decorum.
The hotel has a selective view of Islam. No pork products at meal times but there's a casino within the hotel, and they serve alcohol. Turkey itself is, of course, a secular state.
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