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| Cyprus, Cyprus |
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Rating: Not yet rated
Cyprus, Cyprus
June 13th, 2005
Pros: A wonderful place
Cons: extremely expensive
Arrived in Cypus last night. It is very different than Greece. There is a sort of tension here about the Cyprus Problem with Turkey. Our hotel is located about a block from the Green Line which is the UN Peacekeeping area between this divided country. The city of Nicosia (the capital) is a divided city. Today we had a lecture from the US Embassy people about the history and the issues surrounding the Turkish occupation and the occupied areas of northern Cyprus. I am at an Internet cafe, so I can't download photos (I'll try from the hotel soon). The streets of the old city are very narrow and lines with small shops, much like those in old European cities. The shop owners are not pesty about making purchases, unlike Mexico. It is obvious that the political problems of the past 25 years have affected the area. The area is undergoing a lot of remodeling and the economy, at least on the Greek Cypriot side, is undergoing a facelift and construction is everywhere. Tomorrow we will cross over to the the Turkish side. The country is very safe, there is very little crime. Because there is so much social welfare on the Greek Cypriot part, there is very little poverty evident (even thought the buildings are run down. The hotel we are staying in would make the Winchestery Mystery House look like a simple maze. This building has so many stairways and levels and doors that go nowhere--its a challenge just to find the path back to the room. The weather is very hot -- it feels like home. Later . . . |
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