NICOSIA, 2 July 2005 — Welcome to Cyprus, a land of contrasts where you can shop for fruits right off the trees by the roadside, or see a 4,000-year-old copper mine still up and running.
It’s a small Mediterranean country with a per capita income of over $19,000. Yet, its 800,000 population is outnumbered three to one by 2.4 million tourists who descend on this country with a picture postcard look — lush greenery, snow-capped mountains, silvery beaches and acres of orchards watered by natural springs and mountain streams.
No wonder, its pollution-free air, sparse population and an abundance of organic fruits and vegetables provide a potent combination in which the average life span of a Cypriot averages 76 years for men and 81 years for women.
Another interesting aspect of this small Mediterranean country is the fact that the Saudi standard time more or less corresponds to the local time, requiring no adjustment in one’s watch. Yet, Maghreb prayer is held at 8.30 p.m. and Isha prayers at 10.30 p.m.
The starting point of the voyage of discovery in Cyprus should begin from Nicosia, capital of the republic. With a population of 300,000 spread over 5,000 hectares, the city is sparsely populated, but well-maintained, with parks galore. The cars plying the streets are either Japanese or European, but hardly any American sedans.
“The Cyprus government is encouraging people to have larger families by promising incentives. But they have failed to persuade the people who limit their families to two children at the most. Greek Cypriots pay more attention to the education of their children than in having larger families,” says Maria Pattoura, press and information officer.
She points out that an indication of the relative affluence of Greek Cypriots is the fact that the vehicles registered in Nicosia bear three digits on the license plate, while those in the Turkish-controlled territory have two digits.
The contrast between the two regions also becomes glaring when one watches both sides across the divided capital from Shakolas Tower Museum. It is where you can capture in one sweep a kaleidoscopic view of the zenith and nadir of the economic development of the city. Tall, imposing buildings on the southern side of Nicosia dwarf those in the occupied zone up north.
Lidras Street nearby is more than just a vantage point from where to get a bird’s eye view of the divided city. It is where you can get your hands tattooed in the tattoo studio, or sip coke in the Coke Train.
A visit to the Ledra Palace in the UN-administered Buffer Zone is also a rewarding experience. Here you get to see Turkish Cypriots either going to or returning from their work in Nicosia. Some 8,000 Turkish Cypriots are employed by their Greek counterparts who have helped them earn 157 million Cyprus pounds ($345 million) annually, according to government spokesman Kypros Chrysostomides.
He says it is part of the government’s policy to have constructive engagement with Turkish Cypriot leaders and the Turkish government. Together with bi-communal engineering and health care projects involving professionals from both communities, the approach has paid dividends in maintaining peace and harmony between the two communities.
Beyond Nicosia, a visit to the tourist attractions of Limossol and Paphos is instructive. You learn about the multi-layered history of Cyprus steeped in Greek mythology, the successive conquests by Franks, Romans, Venetians, Ottomans, British and more recently in 1974 by Turkey. Limossol provides a flashback into the history of Cyprus in the shape of castles, Turkish baths and a rich legacy of Gothic architecture and stylized carvings that students of history would find fascinating.
For those interested in cultural and eco-tourism, there are plenty of other attractions. Mention should be made of its rich forest cover that includes oak, cyprus, black pine and other types of vegetation. In fact, according to Maria Piggoura, my guide, a group of Japanese tourists visited Limossol, Paphos and Troodos Mountains recently to study the flora, while others followed the geological trail of the Troodos Mountains.
The fauna comprises mainly some small mammals, such as the mouflon (deer-like goat), fox, hare, hedgehog, seal, dolphins and 61 species of birds, besides snakes and lizards.
The Troodos Mountains are a tourists’ delight. Just about 80 kilometers from Nicosia, or Lefkosia as the Cypriots would say, they may be described as the fruit basket of Europe. Apples, apricots, grapes, strawberries, cherries, bananas, oranges, melons, pistachio and almonds are among the other fresh and dried fruits that grow in the rich, fertile soil of the Troodos Mountains. You don’t have to go to a supermarket to buy fruits. You can shop them right off the trees lining the mountainous route.
The route between Limossol and Paphos, a distance of 70 km. or so, is interspersed with copper mines, most of which are now extinct. But they recall its past as a copper mining country which, together with the abundance of wood and vegetation cover, served as the mainstay of the Cypriot economy. The July 1974 Turkish invasion changed all that, with substantial natural resources now lying under Turkish control.
The partial loss of these resources has left the Republic of Cyprus with no alternative but to develop tourism as a major prop of the economy accounting for 15.5 percent of the GDP, according to Christos Moustras, marketing officer of Cyprus Tourism Organization.
He points out that the government is keen on attracting tourists and investment from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states, since Arab tourists number only 60,000 out of the 2.4 million visitors to the island. The number of Saudis is given as 5,000, which represents a drop since 9/11.
“Our strategy is to target Saudis in Lebanon, which is among the top destinations for them among the Arab countries. Since they stay in Lebanon for a long time in their own villas or apartments, they could be motivated to enjoy a short stay in Cyprus nearby and savor the beauty of its landscape, including the golf resorts in Paphos.”
The official said foreigners can rent or even own properties in tourist resorts under its liberal laws. In fact, this correspondent saw several properties for rent or sale in these tourist spots.
Saudis going out this summer could find themselves in Cyprus if they happen to be in Lebanon, the catchment area for Cyprus tourism.