Cyprus-Forum.com

[cymart]

Although I've been over many times before,my need to take the family to Larnaca Airport by lunch time left me with a spare afternoon, so despite the gloomy and rather cold weather,I decided to have another look at the town I now despair of ever returning to live in.Maybe because it was winter and many things were closed,but the whole place seemed very sombre and cheerless.The closed part of Varosha looked more eerie than ever with its faded and decaying buildings creating an atmosphere which is impossible to describe in words.(By the way it did not look as heavily guarded as it did in summer and there were many deserted spots where it was tempting to climb over the fence and try exploring?)I drove through a few other villages-Acheritou,Kalopsida etc. on the way back,and they seemed much more decrepid than when I last went to them some years ago.
This is the reality of Cyprus today,not the theoritical debates about legal nuances and political shenanigans-coming back to this side only made me feel worse with flash new cars and vulgar new buildings everywhere....The Cyprus we older people yearn for is gone,it's remnants slowly crumbling away with the remains of Varosha!I really suggest the political leaders on both sides should be forced to take a tour together around the whole island-and then wake-up to reality instead of insulting our intelligence any more!

[YFred]

We are running out of time, I am afraid.

[paliometoxo]

yes jump over if you want the army men to see you and shoot you on sight.. imagine if they shot a man down for trying to take the flag down without warning what they would do to you if you jumped the fence..

its a shame that they left the city there so the army men can live they use it as a big barganing chip

[MR-from-NG]

Although I've been over many times before,my need to take the family to Larnaca Airport by lunch time left me with a spare afternoon, so despite the gloomy and rather cold weather,I decided to have another look at the town I now despair of ever returning to live in.Maybe because it was winter and many things were closed,but the whole place seemed very sombre and cheerless.The closed part of Varosha looked more eerie than ever with its faded and decaying buildings creating an atmosphere which is impossible to describe in words.(By the way it did not look as heavily guarded as it did in summer and there were many deserted spots where it was tempting to climb over the fence and try exploring?)I drove through a few other villages-Acheritou,Kalopsida etc. on the way back,and they seemed much more decrepid than when I last went to them some years ago.
This is the reality of Cyprus today,not the theoritical debates about legal nuances and political shenanigans-coming back to this side only made me feel worse with flash new cars and vulgar new buildings everywhere....The Cyprus we older people yearn for is gone,it's remnants slowly crumbling away with the remains of Varosha!I really suggest the political leaders on both sides should be forced to take a tour together around the whole island-and then wake-up to reality instead of insulting our intelligence any more!

Let's not forget the blame is solely on your community for these sad state of affairs.

[YFred]

Although I've been over many times before,my need to take the family to Larnaca Airport by lunch time left me with a spare afternoon, so despite the gloomy and rather cold weather,I decided to have another look at the town I now despair of ever returning to live in.Maybe because it was winter and many things were closed,but the whole place seemed very sombre and cheerless.The closed part of Varosha looked more eerie than ever with its faded and decaying buildings creating an atmosphere which is impossible to describe in words.(By the way it did not look as heavily guarded as it did in summer and there were many deserted spots where it was tempting to climb over the fence and try exploring?)I drove through a few other villages-Acheritou,Kalopsida etc. on the way back,and they seemed much more decrepid than when I last went to them some years ago.
This is the reality of Cyprus today,not the theoritical debates about legal nuances and political shenanigans-coming back to this side only made me feel worse with flash new cars and vulgar new buildings everywhere....The Cyprus we older people yearn for is gone,it's remnants slowly crumbling away with the remains of Varosha!I really suggest the political leaders on both sides should be forced to take a tour together around the whole island-and then wake-up to reality instead of insulting our intelligence any more!

Let's not forget the blame is solely on your community for these sad state of affairs.

Surley us TCs also have some blame on these matters?

[MR-from-NG]

Although I've been over many times before,my need to take the family to Larnaca Airport by lunch time left me with a spare afternoon, so despite the gloomy and rather cold weather,I decided to have another look at the town I now despair of ever returning to live in.Maybe because it was winter and many things were closed,but the whole place seemed very sombre and cheerless.The closed part of Varosha looked more eerie than ever with its faded and decaying buildings creating an atmosphere which is impossible to describe in words.(By the way it did not look as heavily guarded as it did in summer and there were many deserted spots where it was tempting to climb over the fence and try exploring?)I drove through a few other villages-Acheritou,Kalopsida etc. on the way back,and they seemed much more decrepid than when I last went to them some years ago.
This is the reality of Cyprus today,not the theoritical debates about legal nuances and political shenanigans-coming back to this side only made me feel worse with flash new cars and vulgar new buildings everywhere....The Cyprus we older people yearn for is gone,it's remnants slowly crumbling away with the remains of Varosha!I really suggest the political leaders on both sides should be forced to take a tour together around the whole island-and then wake-up to reality instead of insulting our intelligence any more!

Let's not forget the blame is solely on your community for these sad state of affairs.

Surley us TCs also have some blame on these matters?

No, I accept no blame whatsoever, we are totally innocent of all that has happened since 1960.

[cymart]

This is a rather tricky subject:I know personally of two Greek-Cypriots who entered Varosha secretly in recent years and managed to get out again without being caught-one of them actually went to his house in Ayios Memnon and retrieved a bag of coins he buried in the garden when he left in 1974!He said that it can be done via the quieter part of the fence where the fields are along the Dherinia road and he is thinking of going again.However,I also know another British guy who went in twice, but got caught the second time, and was only let-off because he was holidaying in the north at the time.I doubt if the Turkish Army have orders to shoot unarmed people who are caught there but obviously arrest them for trespassing in what they classify as a grade one military zone,take them to court and fine them etc.If they did shoot down anyone you can imagine the bad publicity it would get-i.e. for somebody like me 'unarmed middle-age man shot down in cold blood by Turkish troops just for trying to see the house he used to live in over 35 years ago!!'
Of course if they had any intelligence they would not have allowed Varosha to deteriorate into such a state anyway and could have at least opened some more of the hotels and the beach area pending a solution,(just like they have been using the Sandy Beach since 1975).Now its totally derelict beyond renovation and the whole place will have to be demolished!
I cannot see how anybody can justify it......

[eleni]

Do know what really gets my goat! Cymart has actually said something very very sad, then suggesting the leaders of both sides need to take a look around them. Then you get a twat like NG straight away saying "your side is to blame"
Rightfully or wrongly It happened! But Turkey should never have stayed (FULL STOP).
So there is no point keep on apportioning blame on GC's or TC's neither are the problem now It's Turkey that is the problem..........

[MR-from-NG]

Do know what really gets my goat! Cymart has actually said something very very sad, then suggesting the leaders of both sides need to take a look around them. Then you get a twat like NG straight away saying "your side is to blame"
Rightfully or wrongly It happened! But Turkey should never have stayed (FULL STOP).
So there is no point keep on apportioning blame on GC's or TC's neither are the problem now It's Turkey that is the problem..........

Everything happens for a reason. In Cyprus's case there are 2 reasons for all that's happened. Reason one was the GCs desire to rid the island of TCs.

The second reason was for the island to be united with Greece (ENOSIS). You succeeded in none and instead got yourself in the shit you're in now. Sad but nevertheless undeniable facts.

[eleni]

The undeniable fact is that Turkey should have left... 36 years ago & this problem would never be the problem it is now!