Today’s adventures in Cyrus involved what is probably the most unique experience I have ever had while traveling, as we spent much of our day in the Turkish-occupied region of northern Cyrus. This region is only recognized as part of Turkey by Tutkey itself and no other nations, but still requires two passport checkpoint across each side of a UN buffer zone to enter and exit. Our first stop of the day was the ghost town of Varosi, just across the border between the regions. This area is a large collection of completely abandoned and dilapidated buildings that were left 50 years ago when Cypriots were pushed out by invading Turks. Walking around this vast ghost town instilled unsettling and chilling feelings in me as we learned about how much pain this conflict caused and continues to cause today, and how none of the buildings we saw will ever be able to be touched again.
Next, we went inside the walls of the old city of Famagusta to experience the unique history and architecture it had to offer. This city was a frequent stop for crusaders on their way to the holy land in the middle ages, and the design of the city with it’s large walls certainly reflects that. Walking around this city, I could sense a clear change in feel from anywhere else we had visited in Cyprus. The main currency used here is the Turkish Lira, instead of the Euro, and a lot of Turkish national pride was on display in addition to Turkish being the most spoken language.
Over the course of the day, I learned a lot from our guides Dimitra and Smagarda about the recent history of Cyprus since the 1974 Turkish invasion. One thing Dimitra mentioned today with regards to the Turkish invasion was Turkey’s practice of seizing everything in the homes of those who fled and selling it back on the mainland. It was fascinating but tough to hear about how many valued family items would get taken forever and sold to anyone willing to buy them, not knowing their history or meanings. Another heartbreaking thing I learned from Dimitra about the invasion was the story of a woman who was supposed to get married in the day off the invasion, but had to run away with just the clothes on her back, leaving her dress behind. This provided another stark reminder about the immense strife this invasion and conflict has caused.
