| Northern Cyprus is arguably the most beautiful | | | | Further East is the even more eerie specter of |
| part of this Mediterranean Island paradise. With its | | | | the resort town of Famagust most of which lies |
| lush mountain ranges and green valleys the North | | | | in dereliction within the buffer zone. Tourist trips |
| is probably more fertile too. There are hundreds | | | | to Northern Cyprus take people to see the |
| of unspoiled beaches and the traditional Cypriot | | | | remains of this once proud holiday resort and |
| villages have breathtaking views out over the | | | | they can still see the shell damage to buildings |
| ocean. In fact many Greek Cypriots in the South | | | | with whole sides totally blown out. Famagusta was |
| would agree that Northern Cyprus is the better | | | | once the premier resort of the whole |
| half of the Island too. Unfortunately however | | | | Mediterranean and any luxury cruise worth its salt |
| these Greek Cypriots no longer live on the North | | | | would have berthed in Famagusta port. The |
| of the Island and see themselves as refugees or | | | | resort has miles of white sandy beach and the |
| displaced persons. You see, in 1974 Turkey | | | | beautiful Mediterranean ocean is crystal clear. |
| invaded Northern Cyprus which they have | | | | Visitors to this "ghost town" can't help but feel |
| occupied ever since despite international disaproval | | | | the tragic sense of loss that exudes from the |
| and numerous trade embargoes. | | | | crumbling buildings and miles of barbed wire. |
| Nicosia in Cyprus is the last dived city in the world | | | | If you take your Cyprus holidays in the |
| split by a 3kilometer buffer zone which is patrolled | | | | Famagusta area of Southern Cyprus look out for |
| by troops of the U.N. peace keeping force. | | | | the photos and pictures of the town proudly |
| Buildings abandoned within this zone have | | | | displayed by many of the business owners. These |
| remained untouched since 1974 and the shreds of | | | | people or their parents would have been driven |
| washing still on the clothes lines lend a ghostly air | | | | from their homes with nothing more than they |
| to the whole area. Visitors to the Greek Cypriot | | | | could carry. They would have lost everything |
| side of Nicosia can view this no mans land from | | | | they ever owned when they fled from Northern |
| several view points and even leave comments in | | | | Cyprus including land, homes and businesses |
| a visitors book too. The pages of this book tell an | | | | leaving them penniless refugees. In spite of these |
| emotional tale in many of the prayers and wishes | | | | loses most of them have rebuilt their lives and |
| that have been added to it over the years. There | | | | now have thriving businesses in the South close |
| is still a huge strength of emotion and feeling | | | | to the border. For most of them however the |
| surrounding the "Cyprus problem" even to this | | | | level of emotion has not eased with the passing |
| day by those that vividly remember the events | | | | of time and seeing their former homeland across |
| of that time. | | | | the border in Northern Cyprus doesn't help. |