On our last day staying in Limassol, we ventured to the east end of Cyprus where we crossed through the UN Buffer Zone and into the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. After our Turkish government escort for the day boarded the bus with us, our first stop was at Varosi, an abandoned resort town near Famagusta. The town is completely deserted as it was abandoned by Greek Cypriots fleeing south when the Turkish Army invaded in 1974. The later UN ceasefire deal prohibited either side from using the land, which is why it is still abandoned to this day. It was very eerie and odd to see, as the beaches are beautiful, yet the town is full of derelict, abandoned buildings. Aside from the main street which has been repaved, vegetation has taken over everywhere else.

We then visited the walled city of Famagusta, where Shakespeare based Othello on. The centerpiece of the town is the cathedral turned mosque, and the Venetian palace from a long gone time when the Venetians ruled the island. Overall, Famagusta really highlighted how many times Cyprus has changed hands and the wide range of cultures which influenced and continue to influence it. Its contemporary history did not begin <500 years ago as ours did in the U.S., but rather thousands of years ago. My impression of Famagusta was much tamer than what I had envisioned. I thought we would see soldiers with guns, only hear approved propaganda, and ultimately see a dystopian state. However, what I found was just Turkish Cypriots, like Greek Cypriots, living their lives on a divided island. Their way of living was truly no different, and they were just as hospitable as anywhere else.

Furthermore, it was very interesting to hear Cypriot perspectives on the situation. As our guide Dimitra put it, it truly is the Cypriot “problem”, which highlights just how ongoing the issue still is. While there may no longer be war, the effects are still painfully clear for the citizens of the island. No nation besides Turkey recognizes the Turkish state in the north, so handing over our passports today was really all for show. We were told that many Cypriots refuse to travel to the north as being required to show their ID to travel within their own state acknowledges and legitimizes the illegal occupation. Unfortunately, there is no easy solution to the problem, and it will be interesting to see what, if any, progress can be made in the future.