We had another beautiful island day! On our way to Famagusta, our tour guide Georgia explained a lot about the history of Turkish influence in Cyprus. I learned that Turkish Cypriots first arrived in Cyprus during the ottoman period. Some were Ottoman officials, others were Christian converts. Some of the Greek Cypriots were converted by force, others chose to convert because the Ottomans made taxes much higher for Christians. For quite a while under Ottoman rule the Greek and Turkish Cypriots lived together peacefully. They struggled together under the oppressive Ottoman rule until 1878 when Cyprus was leased to Britain. Once again it was peaceful for a while, but some of the Cypriots wanted union with Greece and the British wouldn’t allow it. Instead, Britain suggested that the Greek and Turkish Cypriots divide. They hired Turkish Cypriots as police people to stop Greek Cypriot demonstrations and create distrust between the 2 communities. Eventually, Britain, Greece, and Turkey came to a begrudging agreement for the independence of Cyprus. Turkey had been looking for an opportunity to invade Cyprus for years, and they took advantage of Britain no longer being in control. The Turkish attempted to attack twice before finally invading in 1974. Throughout bombings and the invasion, many Cypriots, both Greek and Turkish, died. There were supposed to be negotiations to stop the attacks, but instead Turkey organized a second wave of invasions. Eventually there was a cease fire called, but Turkey did not stop and more land was taken over, including Famagusta. The UN told turkey to return Famagusta which Turkey debated for a year, before finally opening up the town and letting Turkish troops plunder everything.
Learning about the history the Cypriots went through was interesting, but seeing it as we walked through Varosi was truly impactful. Seeing a town like the one I live in, with grocery stores and photography studios, cafes and gardens, and yet completely abandoned and falling apart; it was surreal. Hearing about the devastation of a community is one thing, but walking through it and hearing personal experiences was much more sobering. I’m incredibly grateful for our tour guide Georgia, hearing stories from the town that used to be hers put everything into perspective, and I’m glad I’m much more aware of Cyprus’ history.
We ended our day at Fig Tree Bay, and the heat made it the perfect day to spend time in the water. The sea was gorgeous and I have never seen water that clear. Having fun and splashing around was the perfect way to end the day, and I am so grateful for another fantastic day in Cyprus!