Sample 1: An Inside Guide to Cyprus
Introduction
There is no doubt: Cyprus is the centre of the world. This is quite obvious when you are standing on top of a mountain: the rest of the world is just everywhere around you. Unfortunately not all countries appreciate the importance of Cyprus correctly; national egoisms quite often lead to a wrong and inappropriate view.
Accordingly, this new series of travel guides starts with the most important country of all: Cyprus. Similar guidebooks for other countries will follow – maybe.
With a more detailed description and inside knowledge of the country this guide tries to correct the wrong views and put Cyprus back on the map where it belongs: in the centre of the civilized world.
Geography
Cyprus is situated in the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea, which is an important clue, that this country is the centre of the world: the translation of the old-Italian word “Mediterranea” means “the middle of the new world”. If you compare the Mediterranean Sea with a bathtub, then Cyprus is the plug which stops the water from running out.
Cyprus is also the point where Europe, Asia and Africa meet. Already the oldest maps from the time, when the world was still a disc and not yet transformed into a ball, show Cyprus in the centre. (The areas of North and South America as well as Australia can be neglected here, because these are too young and not of importance anyway.)
From a geographical point of view it would be correct to say that Cyprus is the Continent, and that Europe, Asia and Africa are only the surrounding areas. These are important only to get tourists into Cyprus. Otherwise Cyprus could exist well without these areas which, during its long history, have caused nothing but trouble.
Cyprus is an Island. It is completely surrounded by water as well as a long coast. This coast is most important: without it the whole country would be drowned. The coastline is much longer than that of other countries, e.g. Switzerland and Luxembourg. Mount Olympus is the highest mountain with almost 2000 meters. In relation to the length of the whole country this is one of the highest mountains in the world.
Cyprus has areas with mountains and hills, as well as flat areas. The mountains are covered with trees, on the hills grows wine, and in the flat areas grow potatoes. At the moment there are only three directions in Cyprus: west, south and east. (Since 1974 the North is occupied by the Turks, and it is the only country in the world which is not a country.) The missing fourth direction sometimes causes problems. Therefore the term “the opposite direction of south” has been introduced as a temporary measure.
The climate in Cyprus changes all the time: sometimes it is sunny and sometimes cloudy; sometimes it is hot and sometimes warm; sometimes it is dry, and sometimes wet. And sometimes there is wind. But without any exception, there is weather every day. Even on holidays. It is easy to distinguish between summer and winter. In the summer tourists tend to drop from the sky, mainly in the Paphos and Larnaca areas.
The infrastructure of the country consists of towns, villages and roads. Half of the roads connect the towns and villages. The other half of the roads go nowhere. In addition, there are boats and ships, mainly along the coast. In the country these are only of minor importance and not often to be seen on the motorways.
Nicosia (or Lefkosia) is the capital of the island and the pinnacle of the world. Compared with Nicosia all big towns and cities in the world are only villages. Paphos is situated in the south-west, and is the world centre of tourism. Limassol (or Lemesos), situated on the south coast, is the biggest port and the world trade centre. And Larnaca, several thousand centimeters east of Limassol, is the hub of the world air traffic. Famagusta, which used to be the largest port, and Kyrenia are situated in the northern part of the island and have lost their importance.
Nicosia is, like Berlin used to be, a divided town with a heavily guarded border across the center. Since a few years there are some transit points, but nevertheless, the whole border to the North, which takes up 37.5% of the island, is heavily guarded by soldiers on both sides as well as 150 UN control points.
Flora and Fauna
The flora of the country consists of trees, plants, flowers and potatoes, which can be seen almost everywhere, especially in garden centres.
There are not many wild animals in Cyprus (tourists excluded), and farms are more or less hidden in the countryside. Usually you cannot see them, but you can smell them.
But especially during the summertime you can find stupid cows, sheep, goats, stupid geese and birds of all kinds in great numbers on the beaches.
History
Already the Greek goddess Aphrodite spent her holidays in Cyprus, and it is likely that some of her divine colleagues visited her during her stays. Nowadays Aphrodite’s bathtub is one of the major attractions.
Cyprus is inhabited since more than 10000 years. Whether the first settlers arrived by boat or plane is not clear. The records of the shipping companies and airlines got lost, most likely in a natural disaster or a computer crash.
What we know however is that the Cypriots always were too busy to do their own administration. Therefore they outsourced the government of the island to employees from other countries: Assyrians, Egyptians, Persians, Ptolemaists, Romans, Byzantines, Lusignanians, Venetians, Ottomans and Brits (twice). By the end of the 19th century Cyprus was the biggest power; it ruled the world and the seas. It had colonies all over the world, of which maybe Great Britain was the most important. Therefore the administration of the whole empire was left in the hands of a lady called Victoria in London, a suburb of Nicosia with many Cypriot restaurants and fish and chips shops.
But in the late 1950’s Cyprus was no longer happy with the foreign administrators, because they had managed to gamble away their empire. Cyprus gave notice and dismissed the foreigners in 1960. Since then, like most countries, Cyprus is administrated by a bunch of mainly male third-class actors, which call themselves “Government”. The northern part of the island has a so-called “Government” as well. This is a group of puppets whose strings are pulled from Turkey.
Since 2004 the Republic of Cyprus is a member state of the EU as well. The EU was lucky that it could win the most important country in the world as a member. This has improved the importance of the EU enormously.
Population
With just under one million inhabitants Cyprus is the country with the highest population, at least within a radius of several 10 kilometers around the island.
Depending on which suburbs are included, about 200000 to 300000 people live in Nicosia. This makes Nicosia one of the super-towns of the world.
The population of the country consists to about 80% of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots. The Greek Cypriots speak a kind of Greek, which is not understood in Greece, and the Turkish Cypriots speak a kind of Turkish, which is not understood in Turkey. Therefore Cyprus needs a big number of (mainly British) interpreters, which understand neither of these languages, and therefore have made English the basis for communication.
The family still has a big importance in Cyprus. If somebody is a friend of a friend of an acquaintance of a distant cousin, then he or she is automatically a member of the inner circle of the family. The family ties are demonstrated in common celebrations, which consist of common eating and drinking. Holidays are therefore very important and a good reason for celebrations. The more important the holiday, the more excessive is the eating and drinking. The level of drunkenness is also regulated by the importance of the holiday. If a day should not be a holiday (which is unlikely in the big families), then a holiday is invented.
The most important holiday is Easter. The celebrations begin on Good Friday with a visit to the local hospital, to get a bag full of medicine – just in case. On Friday night or early Saturday morning, just after the church service, it is time for a big meal, to celebrate the end of the fasting period. Late Saturday morning is used for the big shopping, and about lunchtime the barbecue is started. This stays on until Monday evening, without interruption. And on Tuesday morning most people are back in the hospital, with all kinds of stomach problems.
If it is not prevented by a holiday Cypriots work hard. If the work is categorized into two groups, the mainly physical work and the mainly clerical work, then there are two distinct patterns. The clerical work is done strictly according to rules. This means that identical cases are never dealt with in the same way. The rule is just the example how a case should not be dealt with. Everything is a matter of interpretation. How should an employee get job satisfaction if cases would be dealt with in the same way several times? The principle is called chaotic bureaucracy. And this takes time, much time. Very much time.
With the physical work the Cypriots are very inventive. They permanently work out new ways and methods how something can be done wrong. And it seems that the options are endless. The results are quite often astonishing. But this way of working takes time, much time. Very much time. The completion of the Cologne Cathedral took more than 600 years, but many houses in Cyprus are never completed.
Business relations – at least for bigger projects - are dealt with in three phases.
In the first phase the prospective customer is treated like a friend and almost like a member of the family. This lasts until a contract has been signed. After the contract has been signed the customer is demoted to a number (unless, of course, he is a member of the family). Nobody knows anything about the contract and nobody can answer any questions. After the goods or whatever have been delivered (which takes time, much time, very much time) the contract is finished. Should the customer have a question or even a complaint, then he becomes automatically an enemy. In this situation there is only one standard answer to all questions, which is avrio. This means tomorrow. But it can also mean tomorrow after tomorrow. Or tomorrow after tomorrow in a year.
Economy
The economy in Cyprus is better than in many other countries. There are restaurants, pubs, bars, souvenir shops and hotels almost everywhere, especially in the coastal areas. But there are also underdeveloped areas, mainly in the woodlands, where it is impossible to find a single pub within a radius of 5 km. Tourists are advised to avoid these areas.
Tourism is an important factor in the economy of the country, because they have to fill these pubs, shops and hotels. Therefore tourists are very welcome and treated well, as long as they spend enough money.
Tourists generally move rhythmically between bed, beach, restaurant and bar during their one- or two-week stay (apart from the transfers to and from the airport). To ease this stress many hotels offer all inclusive packages. This means that the tourists can enjoy their holidays without having to leave the boundaries of the hotel. Only the unlucky ones which stay in a place without all inclusive service have to go into the town occasionally for their meals or to get drunk.
Because most of the tourists are British, the typical British food is available everywhere. Only the visitors from other countries have to search more and walk longer distances to find their typical food and the known brands of beer. But it is always more difficult for minorities.
Only a minority of the more adventurous tourists (those who are awkward always and everywhere) book an excursion or boat trip to see something of the country apart from their hotel and preferred bar.
Some tourists even rent a hire car. But tourists from countries other than the UK, Ireland and Malta have to be careful. In Cyprus cars tend to drive on the right side of the road, which is the left side, whereas these tourists are used in their home countries to drive on the wrong side of the road, which is the right side. Visitors from Non-EU countries should ask their embassies for advice. If you are in doubt, then drive in the middle of the road. That is what the Cypriots do as well.
Hire cars have red number plates. This helps the police to sop only tourists and not, by mistake, a member of the family.
A special adventure, mainly for steam railway enthusiasts, is a trip on the Cyprus Government Railway from Famagusta via Nicosia to Evrykhou. At the moment the usage of this railway is free of charge, but there are two minor obstacles to overcome. First, the railway is situated in the North. And second, the railway was closed in 1951. So, if you want to enjoy a trip, you have to book your holidays in the first half of the 20th century. And if you want to travel the full distance of 120 km, then the years from 1915 to 1932 are advisable.
Traveling on public buses in Cyprus is free of charge. You only have to pay to enter the bus.
Most Cypriots used to be farmers before tourism started to change their lives. But their experience in dealing with cattle (and milking) made the transition into their new occupations quite easy.
Culture
A country with more than 10000 years of civilization has of course a lot of cultural things and events to offer. The most important are, as already mentioned, eating and drinking and celebrating holidays. Relics from the prehistoric times before ca. 1950 are relatively sparse to find. But therefore the visitor can find an abundance of relics from the so-called throw-away culture. Driving across the country the visitor will find old cars, lorries and tractors as well as fridges, washing machines and furniture, mainly in unrestored condition almost everywhere. Archaeologically interested people will have great days out.
Many villages also have a small museum, which is usually closed. But normally there is a pub nearby, which is open and where the tourist can relax from the stress of sightseeing.
There are also some markets, where tourists can find all the things which they do not need but which they buy nevertheless. Cypriots do their shopping in the supermarkets, where all goods, well packed and labeled with the well known brand names, are available.
In the big towns there are even theatres and cinemas. A visit to the theatre is a special treat, because most visitors can’t understand a word, which makes it very exciting.
In Nicosia there is a big Scandinavian culture centre with a permanent exhibition of mainly Swedish household goods. This centre is very well known, and almost everybody knows where it is and has been there at least once. If you want to visit it, you only have to ask for the way to Ikea.
Even football hooligans can now enjoy their stay in Cyprus. There are more and more events where they can enjoy a good beating-up in a relaxed atmosphere. The police help to organize these events. Cyprus just tries to satisfy the tastes of most visitors.
If you want to talk to a Cypriot, then do not do it directly. Use your mobile phone instead. This is a question of politeness and respect of their culture.
Addendum: Tips for visitors
Here are the answers to some typical questions. Hopefully this will help to make your stay in Cyprus enjoyable.
Q: Do I get my beer in Cyprus?
A: Yes, Cyprus is a civilized country. This means that you can get drunk whenever and wherever you like.
Q: Do I get my typical food?
A: If you are British, yes. Visitors from other countries are advised to bring a good supply of their preferred food. Generally only a minority of tourists is willing to try the local food, because it could taste different from the traditional Sunday roast.
Q: Do I get vegetarian food in Cyprus?
A: Of course. The Cypriot kitchen has a good variety of tasty meals. And these are all suited for vegetarians, as long as they don’t mind that these dishes can contain meat.
Q: What do I do if I don’t like my accommodation?
A: You can complain, but it is unlikely that this will change anything. But you can rent a motorbike or scooter, cause an accident, and spend the rest of your holiday comfortably in a hospital with full board.
Q: Do the hotels and restaurant understand my language?
A: It depends. If your stay is long enough, then you can teach the personnel the basics of your language.
Q: What can I do to reduce the cost of my stay?
A: There are different ways. The most common is to find a rich friend on the beach or in the bar, who is willing to pay for your stay.
Q: Can I pay with Euros in Cyprus?
A: Yes, Cyprus is a member of the monetary union. But some smaller shops prefer payment with Cypriot Euros and accept foreign Euros only reluctantly.
Q: I am a student and would like to work during my stay. Is this possible?
A: Yes. Hotels and restaurants always need help during the high season. If you are not expecting any payment or if you are willing to pay for your service, then your help will be very welcome in most places.
Q: Can I drive to Cyprus in my car?
A: Yes, this is quite easy. You drive to Greece, put your car on a freight ship and look for a flight or fishing boat, which can take you to Cyprus. In Cyprus you collect your car in the port of Limassol. However, it is likely that your car will arrive only after you have gone back home. But that is no problem either. If you are not there to collect it, your car will simply be scrapped.
Q: Can I rent a car for my holiday?
A: Yes, there are plenty of car hire companies around. But if you are not from the UK, Ireland or Malta, then you have to consider that you have to drive permanently in reverse gear, so that you keep on the correct side of the road. On long trips this can be quite tiring.
Q: Can I rent a boat?
A: Yes, this is possible as well. But it depends on the type of boat you are looking for. If, for example, you want a boat which does not let water in, then the choice is restricted.
Q: What do I do in case of a breakdown?
A: Just leave the car where it is and buy or rent a new car.
Q: How long is the transfer to the hotel?
A: This depends on the distance between airport and hotel. Is your hotel 50 km away, then, with a maximum speed of 100 km per hour on motorways, the minimum theoretical time is 30 minutes. But most bus drivers and all taxi drivers can do it in a much shorter time, without exceeding the speed limit by significantly more than 50%.
Q: What if I get ill during my holiday?
A: You can go to a hospital or see a doctor. Or you can simply stay ill.
Q: Can I bring my pets?
A: Basically yes. But not all hotels appreciate a giraffe, a rhinoceros or a dinosaur. It is much easier with fish. During your holiday you can keep your shark or piranha or crocodile in the hotel pool. And during the high season there is usually no surcharge for the food.
Q: Can I drive back to the hotel after I had something to drink in a bar?
A: Yes, you can. But you mustn’t.
Q: How do I avoid a sunburn?
A: There are several ways: You can stay in your room, or you can buy a deep sea diver’s outfit. Many visitors simply stay in the bar. But the easiest way is not to come to Cyprus.
Q: Are children welcome?
A: Yes, very much. Cypriots love children, and they are welcome almost everywhere. It might be a bit difficult for the quiet type, but the noisy ones integrate easily.
There is no doubt: Cyprus is the centre of the world. This is quite obvious when you are standing on top of a mountain: the rest of the world is just everywhere around you. Unfortunately not all countries appreciate the importance of Cyprus correctly; national egoisms quite often lead to a wrong and inappropriate view.
Accordingly, this new series of travel guides starts with the most important country of all: Cyprus. Similar guidebooks for other countries will follow – maybe.
With a more detailed description and inside knowledge of the country this guide tries to correct the wrong views and put Cyprus back on the map where it belongs: in the centre of the civilized world.
Geography
Cyprus is situated in the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea, which is an important clue, that this country is the centre of the world: the translation of the old-Italian word “Mediterranea” means “the middle of the new world”. If you compare the Mediterranean Sea with a bathtub, then Cyprus is the plug which stops the water from running out.
Cyprus is also the point where Europe, Asia and Africa meet. Already the oldest maps from the time, when the world was still a disc and not yet transformed into a ball, show Cyprus in the centre. (The areas of North and South America as well as Australia can be neglected here, because these are too young and not of importance anyway.)
From a geographical point of view it would be correct to say that Cyprus is the Continent, and that Europe, Asia and Africa are only the surrounding areas. These are important only to get tourists into Cyprus. Otherwise Cyprus could exist well without these areas which, during its long history, have caused nothing but trouble.
Cyprus is an Island. It is completely surrounded by water as well as a long coast. This coast is most important: without it the whole country would be drowned. The coastline is much longer than that of other countries, e.g. Switzerland and Luxembourg. Mount Olympus is the highest mountain with almost 2000 meters. In relation to the length of the whole country this is one of the highest mountains in the world.
Cyprus has areas with mountains and hills, as well as flat areas. The mountains are covered with trees, on the hills grows wine, and in the flat areas grow potatoes. At the moment there are only three directions in Cyprus: west, south and east. (Since 1974 the North is occupied by the Turks, and it is the only country in the world which is not a country.) The missing fourth direction sometimes causes problems. Therefore the term “the opposite direction of south” has been introduced as a temporary measure.
The climate in Cyprus changes all the time: sometimes it is sunny and sometimes cloudy; sometimes it is hot and sometimes warm; sometimes it is dry, and sometimes wet. And sometimes there is wind. But without any exception, there is weather every day. Even on holidays. It is easy to distinguish between summer and winter. In the summer tourists tend to drop from the sky, mainly in the Paphos and Larnaca areas.
The infrastructure of the country consists of towns, villages and roads. Half of the roads connect the towns and villages. The other half of the roads go nowhere. In addition, there are boats and ships, mainly along the coast. In the country these are only of minor importance and not often to be seen on the motorways.
Nicosia (or Lefkosia) is the capital of the island and the pinnacle of the world. Compared with Nicosia all big towns and cities in the world are only villages. Paphos is situated in the south-west, and is the world centre of tourism. Limassol (or Lemesos), situated on the south coast, is the biggest port and the world trade centre. And Larnaca, several thousand centimeters east of Limassol, is the hub of the world air traffic. Famagusta, which used to be the largest port, and Kyrenia are situated in the northern part of the island and have lost their importance.
Nicosia is, like Berlin used to be, a divided town with a heavily guarded border across the center. Since a few years there are some transit points, but nevertheless, the whole border to the North, which takes up 37.5% of the island, is heavily guarded by soldiers on both sides as well as 150 UN control points.
Flora and Fauna
The flora of the country consists of trees, plants, flowers and potatoes, which can be seen almost everywhere, especially in garden centres.
There are not many wild animals in Cyprus (tourists excluded), and farms are more or less hidden in the countryside. Usually you cannot see them, but you can smell them.
But especially during the summertime you can find stupid cows, sheep, goats, stupid geese and birds of all kinds in great numbers on the beaches.
History
Already the Greek goddess Aphrodite spent her holidays in Cyprus, and it is likely that some of her divine colleagues visited her during her stays. Nowadays Aphrodite’s bathtub is one of the major attractions.
Cyprus is inhabited since more than 10000 years. Whether the first settlers arrived by boat or plane is not clear. The records of the shipping companies and airlines got lost, most likely in a natural disaster or a computer crash.
What we know however is that the Cypriots always were too busy to do their own administration. Therefore they outsourced the government of the island to employees from other countries: Assyrians, Egyptians, Persians, Ptolemaists, Romans, Byzantines, Lusignanians, Venetians, Ottomans and Brits (twice). By the end of the 19th century Cyprus was the biggest power; it ruled the world and the seas. It had colonies all over the world, of which maybe Great Britain was the most important. Therefore the administration of the whole empire was left in the hands of a lady called Victoria in London, a suburb of Nicosia with many Cypriot restaurants and fish and chips shops.
But in the late 1950’s Cyprus was no longer happy with the foreign administrators, because they had managed to gamble away their empire. Cyprus gave notice and dismissed the foreigners in 1960. Since then, like most countries, Cyprus is administrated by a bunch of mainly male third-class actors, which call themselves “Government”. The northern part of the island has a so-called “Government” as well. This is a group of puppets whose strings are pulled from Turkey.
Since 2004 the Republic of Cyprus is a member state of the EU as well. The EU was lucky that it could win the most important country in the world as a member. This has improved the importance of the EU enormously.
Population
With just under one million inhabitants Cyprus is the country with the highest population, at least within a radius of several 10 kilometers around the island.
Depending on which suburbs are included, about 200000 to 300000 people live in Nicosia. This makes Nicosia one of the super-towns of the world.
The population of the country consists to about 80% of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots. The Greek Cypriots speak a kind of Greek, which is not understood in Greece, and the Turkish Cypriots speak a kind of Turkish, which is not understood in Turkey. Therefore Cyprus needs a big number of (mainly British) interpreters, which understand neither of these languages, and therefore have made English the basis for communication.
The family still has a big importance in Cyprus. If somebody is a friend of a friend of an acquaintance of a distant cousin, then he or she is automatically a member of the inner circle of the family. The family ties are demonstrated in common celebrations, which consist of common eating and drinking. Holidays are therefore very important and a good reason for celebrations. The more important the holiday, the more excessive is the eating and drinking. The level of drunkenness is also regulated by the importance of the holiday. If a day should not be a holiday (which is unlikely in the big families), then a holiday is invented.
The most important holiday is Easter. The celebrations begin on Good Friday with a visit to the local hospital, to get a bag full of medicine – just in case. On Friday night or early Saturday morning, just after the church service, it is time for a big meal, to celebrate the end of the fasting period. Late Saturday morning is used for the big shopping, and about lunchtime the barbecue is started. This stays on until Monday evening, without interruption. And on Tuesday morning most people are back in the hospital, with all kinds of stomach problems.
If it is not prevented by a holiday Cypriots work hard. If the work is categorized into two groups, the mainly physical work and the mainly clerical work, then there are two distinct patterns. The clerical work is done strictly according to rules. This means that identical cases are never dealt with in the same way. The rule is just the example how a case should not be dealt with. Everything is a matter of interpretation. How should an employee get job satisfaction if cases would be dealt with in the same way several times? The principle is called chaotic bureaucracy. And this takes time, much time. Very much time.
With the physical work the Cypriots are very inventive. They permanently work out new ways and methods how something can be done wrong. And it seems that the options are endless. The results are quite often astonishing. But this way of working takes time, much time. Very much time. The completion of the Cologne Cathedral took more than 600 years, but many houses in Cyprus are never completed.
Business relations – at least for bigger projects - are dealt with in three phases.
In the first phase the prospective customer is treated like a friend and almost like a member of the family. This lasts until a contract has been signed. After the contract has been signed the customer is demoted to a number (unless, of course, he is a member of the family). Nobody knows anything about the contract and nobody can answer any questions. After the goods or whatever have been delivered (which takes time, much time, very much time) the contract is finished. Should the customer have a question or even a complaint, then he becomes automatically an enemy. In this situation there is only one standard answer to all questions, which is avrio. This means tomorrow. But it can also mean tomorrow after tomorrow. Or tomorrow after tomorrow in a year.
Economy
The economy in Cyprus is better than in many other countries. There are restaurants, pubs, bars, souvenir shops and hotels almost everywhere, especially in the coastal areas. But there are also underdeveloped areas, mainly in the woodlands, where it is impossible to find a single pub within a radius of 5 km. Tourists are advised to avoid these areas.
Tourism is an important factor in the economy of the country, because they have to fill these pubs, shops and hotels. Therefore tourists are very welcome and treated well, as long as they spend enough money.
Tourists generally move rhythmically between bed, beach, restaurant and bar during their one- or two-week stay (apart from the transfers to and from the airport). To ease this stress many hotels offer all inclusive packages. This means that the tourists can enjoy their holidays without having to leave the boundaries of the hotel. Only the unlucky ones which stay in a place without all inclusive service have to go into the town occasionally for their meals or to get drunk.
Because most of the tourists are British, the typical British food is available everywhere. Only the visitors from other countries have to search more and walk longer distances to find their typical food and the known brands of beer. But it is always more difficult for minorities.
Only a minority of the more adventurous tourists (those who are awkward always and everywhere) book an excursion or boat trip to see something of the country apart from their hotel and preferred bar.
Some tourists even rent a hire car. But tourists from countries other than the UK, Ireland and Malta have to be careful. In Cyprus cars tend to drive on the right side of the road, which is the left side, whereas these tourists are used in their home countries to drive on the wrong side of the road, which is the right side. Visitors from Non-EU countries should ask their embassies for advice. If you are in doubt, then drive in the middle of the road. That is what the Cypriots do as well.
Hire cars have red number plates. This helps the police to sop only tourists and not, by mistake, a member of the family.
A special adventure, mainly for steam railway enthusiasts, is a trip on the Cyprus Government Railway from Famagusta via Nicosia to Evrykhou. At the moment the usage of this railway is free of charge, but there are two minor obstacles to overcome. First, the railway is situated in the North. And second, the railway was closed in 1951. So, if you want to enjoy a trip, you have to book your holidays in the first half of the 20th century. And if you want to travel the full distance of 120 km, then the years from 1915 to 1932 are advisable.
Traveling on public buses in Cyprus is free of charge. You only have to pay to enter the bus.
Most Cypriots used to be farmers before tourism started to change their lives. But their experience in dealing with cattle (and milking) made the transition into their new occupations quite easy.
Culture
A country with more than 10000 years of civilization has of course a lot of cultural things and events to offer. The most important are, as already mentioned, eating and drinking and celebrating holidays. Relics from the prehistoric times before ca. 1950 are relatively sparse to find. But therefore the visitor can find an abundance of relics from the so-called throw-away culture. Driving across the country the visitor will find old cars, lorries and tractors as well as fridges, washing machines and furniture, mainly in unrestored condition almost everywhere. Archaeologically interested people will have great days out.
Many villages also have a small museum, which is usually closed. But normally there is a pub nearby, which is open and where the tourist can relax from the stress of sightseeing.
There are also some markets, where tourists can find all the things which they do not need but which they buy nevertheless. Cypriots do their shopping in the supermarkets, where all goods, well packed and labeled with the well known brand names, are available.
In the big towns there are even theatres and cinemas. A visit to the theatre is a special treat, because most visitors can’t understand a word, which makes it very exciting.
In Nicosia there is a big Scandinavian culture centre with a permanent exhibition of mainly Swedish household goods. This centre is very well known, and almost everybody knows where it is and has been there at least once. If you want to visit it, you only have to ask for the way to Ikea.
Even football hooligans can now enjoy their stay in Cyprus. There are more and more events where they can enjoy a good beating-up in a relaxed atmosphere. The police help to organize these events. Cyprus just tries to satisfy the tastes of most visitors.
If you want to talk to a Cypriot, then do not do it directly. Use your mobile phone instead. This is a question of politeness and respect of their culture.
Addendum: Tips for visitors
Here are the answers to some typical questions. Hopefully this will help to make your stay in Cyprus enjoyable.
Q: Do I get my beer in Cyprus?
A: Yes, Cyprus is a civilized country. This means that you can get drunk whenever and wherever you like.
Q: Do I get my typical food?
A: If you are British, yes. Visitors from other countries are advised to bring a good supply of their preferred food. Generally only a minority of tourists is willing to try the local food, because it could taste different from the traditional Sunday roast.
Q: Do I get vegetarian food in Cyprus?
A: Of course. The Cypriot kitchen has a good variety of tasty meals. And these are all suited for vegetarians, as long as they don’t mind that these dishes can contain meat.
Q: What do I do if I don’t like my accommodation?
A: You can complain, but it is unlikely that this will change anything. But you can rent a motorbike or scooter, cause an accident, and spend the rest of your holiday comfortably in a hospital with full board.
Q: Do the hotels and restaurant understand my language?
A: It depends. If your stay is long enough, then you can teach the personnel the basics of your language.
Q: What can I do to reduce the cost of my stay?
A: There are different ways. The most common is to find a rich friend on the beach or in the bar, who is willing to pay for your stay.
Q: Can I pay with Euros in Cyprus?
A: Yes, Cyprus is a member of the monetary union. But some smaller shops prefer payment with Cypriot Euros and accept foreign Euros only reluctantly.
Q: I am a student and would like to work during my stay. Is this possible?
A: Yes. Hotels and restaurants always need help during the high season. If you are not expecting any payment or if you are willing to pay for your service, then your help will be very welcome in most places.
Q: Can I drive to Cyprus in my car?
A: Yes, this is quite easy. You drive to Greece, put your car on a freight ship and look for a flight or fishing boat, which can take you to Cyprus. In Cyprus you collect your car in the port of Limassol. However, it is likely that your car will arrive only after you have gone back home. But that is no problem either. If you are not there to collect it, your car will simply be scrapped.
Q: Can I rent a car for my holiday?
A: Yes, there are plenty of car hire companies around. But if you are not from the UK, Ireland or Malta, then you have to consider that you have to drive permanently in reverse gear, so that you keep on the correct side of the road. On long trips this can be quite tiring.
Q: Can I rent a boat?
A: Yes, this is possible as well. But it depends on the type of boat you are looking for. If, for example, you want a boat which does not let water in, then the choice is restricted.
Q: What do I do in case of a breakdown?
A: Just leave the car where it is and buy or rent a new car.
Q: How long is the transfer to the hotel?
A: This depends on the distance between airport and hotel. Is your hotel 50 km away, then, with a maximum speed of 100 km per hour on motorways, the minimum theoretical time is 30 minutes. But most bus drivers and all taxi drivers can do it in a much shorter time, without exceeding the speed limit by significantly more than 50%.
Q: What if I get ill during my holiday?
A: You can go to a hospital or see a doctor. Or you can simply stay ill.
Q: Can I bring my pets?
A: Basically yes. But not all hotels appreciate a giraffe, a rhinoceros or a dinosaur. It is much easier with fish. During your holiday you can keep your shark or piranha or crocodile in the hotel pool. And during the high season there is usually no surcharge for the food.
Q: Can I drive back to the hotel after I had something to drink in a bar?
A: Yes, you can. But you mustn’t.
Q: How do I avoid a sunburn?
A: There are several ways: You can stay in your room, or you can buy a deep sea diver’s outfit. Many visitors simply stay in the bar. But the easiest way is not to come to Cyprus.
Q: Are children welcome?
A: Yes, very much. Cypriots love children, and they are welcome almost everywhere. It might be a bit difficult for the quiet type, but the noisy ones integrate easily.