My first day in Cyprus was long and eventful.
To start, I had breakfast at the hotel. This breakfast had more options than a typical American breakfast. While it did have typical American entries such as eggs and toast, there were also more local options such as jams, almonds, and rice pudding.
After a good breakfast, we set out on our first walking tour. We met in a park which divided the new and old cities. This park was very modern which I learned divided the public’s opinion on it. On the walking tour of the new city, I noticed many differences between Nicosia and a typical American city. The main glaring difference was the amount of greenery that Nicosia had lining its streets. Trees, shrubs, and flowers were abundant and livened up the walking tour immensely. In Pittsburgh, you typically only see greenery in designated parks. In Nicosia this was completely different, there was even greenery lining a skyscraper the whole length of it. Another thing I noticed was that the streets appeared to be cleaner and in better condition overall than the streets in American cities. One thing that was like America was the number of cafes, although it did seem like Nicosia had more cafes overall.
Another theme I noticed in Nicosia was the more laid-back culture when compared to the United States. In the morning, the streets of Nicosia were relatively free of traffic and commotion. Additionally, many local Cypriots seemed to be very peaceful and content. Also, food service in Cyprus was a bit slower than in the United States, though this wasn’t a bad thing, it added to the relaxing feel of the island. In general, Cypriots seemed to be very friendly and outgoing. On one of our tours, a local vendor gave our tour guide a free bottle of water, showing the hospitality of Cypriots.
Lastly, I learned a lot about the rich history of the island of Cyprus. Originally, the island was under the control of the Ottoman empire. This was evident in the architecture of the old city. Ottoman-style housing contained closed balconies to provide privacy and modesty for women, who weren’t even allowed to walk about the streets freely. Then, when the British took over, the architectural style changed again as was evident by broad open windows. By 1960, Cyprus gained its independence. On our walking tour of the old city, we saw an inspiring sculpture representing this independence, which highlighted the bravery of those who fought for Cyprus’s freedom.
At the end of the day, I had a very interesting, although at times tiring, first day in Cyprus.