Cyprus

Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean.

It is the birthplace of the Greek Goddess Aphrodite, the goddess of love, beauty, pleasure and procreation, and therefore it is a beautiful island.

An island with over 300 days of sunshine, surrounded by crystal clear waters and sandy beaches, encompassed by pine covered mountains with ancient temples and archeological sites.

The Greeks came to the island over 3000 years ago, at the end of the Trojan war, and over the centuries, Cyprus has been dominated by various rulers including the Egyptians, Assyrians, Persian, Romans, Crusaders, Venetians, Ottomans and the British.

On July 20, 1974, Turkey invaded Cyprus and since then Cyprus is the only divided country in Europe. 

 

There is a neutral zone between the two countries which are guarded by the UN and that nobody can enter. In 2003, travel restrictions were eased for the first time, allowing Cypriots on both sides to cross the UN Buffer Zone, commonly known as the "Green Line". These crossing points have immigration check points and are guarded by the British army.

The place I am staying is right by the sealed border facing the beach resort town of Varosha - in Famagusta. You can see the empty building of what at one time used to be a booming beach resort for the rich and famous. Because neither side wants to agree to anything, the town still empty, deteriorating, just a mere reminder of what it used to be.