Friendships Never Grow Old at İskemleci in Mahmut Paşa Sokak

Friendships Never Grow Old at İskemleci in Mahmut Paşa Sokak

By Eren Erdogan…

This is my childhood friend, Özkan Öke, enjoying his Turkish coffee outside his little workshop at 48 Mahmut Paşa Sokak, inside the old walled city of Nicosia.

We’ve known each other since (1962) we were boys running through these same narrow streets. I was closer in age to his brothers, late Salih and Mehmet, RIP and I can still remember the excitement around their circumcision celebrations. Their father, known to everyone as İskemleci, was a master chair maker, and his wife, Gülfere, was like a second mother to me and my family. Their home was always open, and they treated us as if we were one of their own.

Today, Özkan carries on his father’s craft, making traditional Cypriot chairs by hand. He is one of the last craftsmen still keeping this beautiful trade alive, and I sincerely hope this wonderful tradition never disappears.

Back to Cyprus

Whenever I return to Cyprus, one of my favourite stops is his workshop. We sit, drink Turkish coffee, laugh until our sides hurt, and relive the good old days. Özkan is a character like no other especially when he gets going in Turkish.

Every visit feels as though no time has passed. For an hour or two, we’re not old men anymore we’re just two boys from Mahmut Paşa Sokak, laughing about the mischief we got up to inside the old city walls.

Long may the coffee flow, the stories continue, and the sound of a craftsman’s tools never disappear from Mahmut Paşa Sokak.

Editors note:

İskemleci is the name of a restaurant in Mahmut Paşa Sokak in Nicosia, which was originally Eren Erdogan’s childhood home, click here for more information.

Source: Frozen Cypriots Facebook

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