Happy Birthday Bash for 2 High Flyers in the TRNC

By Chris Elliott…

On Saturday the 15^th of October 2022 together with other friends, we gathered at the Tervetuloa Hotel in Alsancak to celebrate the 75th Birthday of Carol Blackwell Gibbs and her husband James Gibbs who had already passed his 86th Birthday.

They are a very popular couple in the community but perhaps few folk know that when they first met, James was a flying commercial aircraft and Carol was flying small private aircraft.

James served in Cyprus in the 50s with the Royal West Kents. and came here from Suez and Carol said “We met in Guernsey where I flew small aircraft and he had just left Air Seychelles to fly for the local Channel Island airline. When we met he bravely asked me which airline was I a Trolley Dolley for? I replied that I was front left-hand seat!”

Perhaps even more strange is the fact that as a result of contact with Carol, I was introduced to a local businessman, Ergun Olgun, and came to the TRNC to work for him and after 3 years settled down to live here as a resident.

So back to Tervetuloa’s restaurant which is very much a favourite of mine where I have dined many times on their traditional Turkish dishes and on this night, we were not disappointed with the menu options that Carol had organised following the traditional mese dishes served by the lovely Afet and her staff.

The lovely Katie B was also with us and entertained us with her great English and Turkish songs to which we all danced the night away.

Carol had also arranged a fundraising collection for her favourite cause “Help Those in Ukraine appeal” and she reported that they have raised over 2,100 TL and 50 Euros on the night with more pledges promised.

Happy Birthday again Carol and James and I look forward to seeing you again next year if not before.

Best wishes both and stay well and happy.