Today’s beach day! I had a good start to the day with a quick beach workout with a few of the guys, stopped for breakfast, and then we were on our way to Famagusta.

Once at the border, we were promptly informed that video and photos of the military personnel were strictly forbidden for national security reasons. I found it interesting that although the country of Cyprus is technically one country, the split between the northern, Turkish side, and the southern, Greek sides of the island has this large divide that seems almost hostile. We even had a Turkish supervisor come on our bus with us – because we had so people crossing – to monitor our travels and actions. Despite this, the locals in the areas we visited were very welcoming and seemed excited to have us come (perhaps because it was somewhat of a touristy destination). we ended up spending a good part of the day here, admiring some of the incredible historical sights, including a mosque so large that is thought it was a castle at first! I left the small town a delighted, bringing some handmade Turkish candies – they somewhat resemble fancy fruit roll-ups – home with me to enjoy in the states. 

For our second stop, we remained in the northern part of the part of the island, checking out a deserted and overgrown beach area in the enclosed area of Varosi. When we arrived, I was immediately put under the impression that the area must have been a war-zone, or at a minimum, a place where a natural disaster must have struck. Nope! This enclosed area, with many hotels and storefronts completely overtaken by the natural environment, once belonged to Greek Cypriots prior to the Turkish invasion of the island in 1974. When the Turkish came, they seized these incredible resorts, with balcony views over the most clear, blue ocean views as a negotiation tool when trying to overtake the island. In my opinion, this seems like a great strategy, but it sadly just brewed resentment among the Greeks, and left both sides empty handed. Now all that’s left are some empty, abandoned hotels and the same incredible beaches with little to no one to come an and appreciate their beauty. Although it was a shame to see this area all run down, the force of nature over man was displayed in full effect, and the frustration this must have caused for many Greeks solidified my understanding of the underlying tension within the island.

Finally, our last, and somewhat anticipated stop for the day: the beach! We immediately battled out hunger off the bus, grabbing a small bite at a local stand before racing to the small, sandy shores of Protaras. The oceans here are like noting I have ever seen before! The water is so incredibly clear, you could take a vision test that was placed 15 feet below the water line and score a 20/20 without issue. We spotted a large boulder out in the distance with a Greek flag waving us over, so as a group we collectively swam over to take pictures. Much to our naïvety, the rock was razor sharp to step on, and we walked on all fours to maneuver the harsh environment. Locals passed us in flip flops (must be nice) and chucked, as I am sure they went through the same process when they were younger to gaining the knowledge that we were now enduring. Exhausted and a little scratched up, out time at the beach came to a conclusion without much deliberation. 

Although today I was most looking forward to seeing the beach, I actually enjoyed learning about the history of the abandoned area in Varosi the most. The history behind the area and its interesting lessons left me wanting to learn and explore more of the area. I and looking forward to having some of these similar opportunities in the upcoming days!