Cyprus

Visited Tito Andreas and my cousin Alex in Cyprus over the weekend. I was there on Tuesday which marked the 36th anniversary of the Turkish invasion (July 20, 1974) and the beginning of the subsequent Turkish military occupation of northern Cyprus (the internationally unrecognized "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus"). Turkey continues to transfer Turkish settlers from mainland Turkey to occupied north Cyprus in order to solidify its hold on the island.

Nicosia is the last divided capital in the world. The Greek Cypriots control the south, the UN peacekeepers maintain a buffer zone (the Green Line), and the Turks control the north. Many buildings on both sides of the Green Line have been destroyed and abandoned; they can still be seen throughout the old city today. Crossing into Turkish northern Cyprus is like going back 30 years in time. Compared to the affluent Greek side with its advanced and high-income economy (32nd internationally in the Human Development Index), the Turkish side is mostly underdeveloped and underpopulated. Tito Andreas was a Lieutenant in the Greek Cypriot Army when the Turks invaded in 1974. Driving around the Green Line on the first day, he regaled me with his war stories of commanding his platoon to fight the Turks on the Green Line during his glory days in the Army. We ended the day by crossing over into the Turkish side of Nicosia and visiting his old house that his family was forced to abandon in 1974 when the Turks invaded. They were only able to take what they could carry as they fled across to the Greek-controlled area of Nicosia. The next time he would be able to go back to his old house was in 2008.

Most Cypriots today identify themselves with mainland Greece and the Turkish minority with Turkey. Like Lebanon across the sea (a mere 30 min flight away), Cyprus suffers from the same unfortunate paradox: naturally beautiful yet plagued by constant conflict. Greek mythology believes Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, was born in Cyprus and the island has since been referred to as Aphrodite's island. The beaches in Cyprus are world famous as some of the best in the Mediterranean (much better than Lebanon's...) The cultural past of Cyprus includes occupation by the ancient Hittites, Assyrians, Egyptians, Greeks, Persians, Romans, Byzantines, Rashiduns, Umayyads, Lusignans, Venetians, Ottomans, and British. Isolated in the Mediterranean Sea, the whole island is a gold mine for archaeology and ancient ruins.

Four days in Cyprus was definitely not long enough. It was more of an introduction to entice future visits. I already want to go back. I know I definitely will.

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