Today we got a break from visiting companies to enjoy the nice weather and travel northward towards the city of Famagusta.  During our pre- departure lasses we learned that in 1974, Turkish forces invaded the northern part of Cyprus and forcibly removed Cypriots from their homes.  The Turkish forces separated Turkish Cypriots to the northern parts of the island and Greek Cypriots were relocated to southern parts of the island.  In order to maintain a state of stability, the EU and UN have intervened in Cyprus, by establishing a “buffer zone” between the Turkish controlled and Greek areas of Cyprus. Because of this, for many years northern Cypriots and southern Cypriots had no contact with each other.  However in 2004, Cypriots and visitors were permitted to cross over the buffer zone on either side.  Learning about this history beforehand, I had a hard time conceptualizing what this “buffer zone” and the separation between North and South Cyprus would appear like. 

On the way to cross over the border, our tour guides talked a bit about their experience with the separation and living after the events of 1974.  One story our guide, Dimitra, told us was about her colleague.  One of her colleagues had to evacuate the northern part of Cyprus during the Turkish invasion on her wedding day, and she had to leave behind pictures, clothes, dresses, and most of her possessions.  We also learned most other Cypriots who were displaced from their homes during this event had to leave behind important family items, which is very sad. Many of these items were confiscated by the Turkish forces, and sold off or thrown away.  Obviously this tragic event had a deep impact on many families and caused citizens of Cyprus to become refugees overnight in their own country.  Our other guide, Smaragda, explained some of the modern political implications of this event.  She said many Cypriots feel upset that they are required to show ID to cross over the border in their own nation.  Many Cypriots also are upset that many industries, such as the tourism industry, were interrupted by the invasion.  For example, the city of Famagusta used to be a large tourist destination, but after the Turkish invasion, a large part of the city was abandoned during the evacuation.  We got to see some of the abandoned parts of this,  called “Varosi.”

The first thing that I did not expect when crossing over, was that we would be given a Turkish “escort” while we were in north Cyprus for the day.  The area of the buffer zone was also surrounded by many military signs and barbed wire, among abandoned homes.  There were certain areas that we could not take pictures of within the zone. When we got to Varosi, I saw many large touristy areas and hotels which were abandoned. This really demonstrated how devastating the invasion was for the people of Cyprus, personally and for their industry.  Within Varosi, you could see remnants of what it used to be like, with beautiful sandy, blue beaches surrounding the many abandoned buildings.  Seeing the buffer zone and Varosi helped me to understand the political situation of Cypriots and what we had studied during pre-departure classes. 

After seeing Varosi, we visited Famagusta.  The city used to be the second largest in Cyprus, and according to both of our tour guides, the city is very appreciated and loved by Cypriots today.  One thing that struck me about Famagusta was the blending of cultures through architecture.  Around the city was large brick walls, built by the Venetians, when they came to Cyprus.  These walls were also used by the Crusaders on their way to the Holy Land.  We also saw remnants of “Othello’s Castle,” an ode to Shakespeare, a British playwright.  The centerpiece of the city was a large gothic style cathedral, built by the French during their decades of occupation in Cyprus.  During the Ottoman period, and today, the cathedral was converted into a Mosque and took on Turkish and Ottoman styles of architecture.  I thought it was interesting to see physical evidence all of the cultures and people who have passed through Cyprus throughout the centuries in the architecture of Famagusta.  Additionally, unlike southern Cyprus, Famagusta had many dogs!  A few even joined our group for lunch. 

We ended the day by crossing back over the buffer zone to visit Fig Tree Bay, a popular beach in Cyprus.  I really enjoyed the shops and streets around the area. I can’t wait to see Paphos, Aphrodite’s alleged birthplace, tomorrow!