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