Cyprus-Forum.com

[Me Ed]

SO THE dilemma is this. You're sick of Spain, tired of Turkey, you've had a gutful of Greece and Portugal seems passé.

Frankly, you've got to the point where all those crowded beaches, cloudless skies and seafront eateries serving undercooked chicken and dubious prawns have merged into one.

The diagnosis: You've got what's known in the travel business as RSI or Repetitive Spain Injury. The cure: Take yourself off to somewhere that doesn't exist.

That's right. A country not officially recognised by Britain - or most of the rest of the world for that matter. Somewhere you can't fly to directly from any international airport.

A state that doesn't have an extradition treaty with the UK (which is presumably why one of the chief suspects of the £53million Securitas heist has apparently decided to move there).

Northern Cyprus is officially the Turkish Republic of North Cyprus. It's the lesser known top third of the island that's southern Greek neighbour is known for the teenagers' playground of Aya Napa, a huge British Army base, and for always giving Douze Points to Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest.

SPECTACULAR: The 12th Century hillside monastery of Bellapais
Compared to the rest of Cyprus, the north is picturesque and unspoilt, has wonderful sandy beaches, is great value for money... and it's not overrun by thousands of other Brit tourists.

Legend has it that the island is the birthplace of Aphrodite, the ancient Greek goddess of love - but there's been little of that between Greek and Turkish Cypriots since the Turks invaded the northern half in 1974.

It's been partitioned ever since, with UN troops manning the Green Line border that runs through the middle. Even now, Turkey is the only country in the world to officially recognise the state of North Cyprus and still keeps 30,000 troops there.

So holidaymakers heading there have to touch down first in Turkey under international law before flying on to the island, which adds a couple of hours to what should be a four-hour direct flight.

But when you get there it's worth the effort: Stunning hills sweeping down to silver sands, breathtaking ancient monuments, great swimming beaches and an abundance of wildlife. And no sign at all of the conflict that has dogged the island's past.

Flights land at the small Ercan aiport close to Nicosia (or Lefkosa), the divided city that's the capital to both sides of the island...

From: http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/lifestyle/lifestyle_travel/807812/Whisk-yourself-away-to-this-picturesque-unspoilt-haven-for-an-island-fantasy.html

[Malapapa]

"As for northern Cyprus. Well, it ain't a country, it ain't Cyprus ... but it certainly ain't the same old holiday destination either."

Sure. And ain't you got to be a scummy, ignorant illiterate to want to stay somewhere in Cyprus that ain't Cyprus?

[Pyrpolizer]

SO THE dilemma is this. You're sick of Spain, tired of Turkey, you've had a gutful of Greece and Portugal seems passé.

Frankly, you've got to the point where all those crowded beaches, cloudless skies and seafront eateries serving undercooked chicken and dubious prawns have merged into one.

The diagnosis: You've got what's known in the travel business as RSI or Repetitive Spain Injury. The cure: Take yourself off to somewhere that doesn't exist.

That's right. A country not officially recognised by Britain - or most of the rest of the world for that matter. Somewhere you can't fly to directly from any international airport.

A state that doesn't have an extradition treaty with the UK (which is presumably why one of the chief suspects of the £53million Securitas heist has apparently decided to move there).

Northern Cyprus is officially the Turkish Republic of North Cyprus. It's the lesser known top third of the island that's southern Greek neighbour is known for the teenagers' playground of Aya Napa, a huge British Army base, and for always giving Douze Points to Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest.

SPECTACULAR: The 12th Century hillside monastery of Bellapais
Compared to the rest of Cyprus, the north is picturesque and unspoilt, has wonderful sandy beaches, is great value for money... and it's not overrun by thousands of other Brit tourists.

Legend has it that the island is the birthplace of Aphrodite, the ancient Greek goddess of love - but there's been little of that between Greek and Turkish Cypriots since the Turks invaded the northern half in 1974.

It's been partitioned ever since, with UN troops manning the Green Line border that runs through the middle. Even now, Turkey is the only country in the world to officially recognise the state of North Cyprus and still keeps 30,000 troops there.

So holidaymakers heading there have to touch down first in Turkey under international law before flying on to the island, which adds a couple of hours to what should be a four-hour direct flight.

But when you get there it's worth the effort: Stunning hills sweeping down to silver sands, breathtaking ancient monuments, great swimming beaches and an abundance of wildlife. And no sign at all of the conflict that has dogged the island's past.

Flights land at the small Ercan aiport close to Nicosia (or Lefkosa), the divided city that's the capital to both sides of the island...

From: http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/lifestyle/lifestyle_travel/807812/Whisk-yourself-away-to-this-picturesque-unspoilt-haven-for-an-island-fantasy.html

I admit I 've never seen an advertisement of Coca Cola with some cockroaches bubbling up in the "kaymaki".
Who knows, if they do one they may attract some Chinese clients. Worth trying, no?

[aussieturk]

"As for northern Cyprus. Well, it ain't a country, it ain't Cyprus ... but it certainly ain't the same old holiday destination either."

Sure. And ain't you got to be a scummy, ignorant illiterate to want to stay somewhere in Cyprus that ain't Cyprus?

Still Cyprus me boy, NORTH CYPRUS

[denizaksulu]

SO THE dilemma is this. You're sick of Spain, tired of Turkey, you've had a gutful of Greece and Portugal seems passé.

Frankly, you've got to the point where all those crowded beaches, cloudless skies and seafront eateries serving undercooked chicken and dubious prawns have merged into one.

The diagnosis: You've got what's known in the travel business as RSI or Repetitive Spain Injury. The cure: Take yourself off to somewhere that doesn't exist.

That's right. A country not officially recognised by Britain - or most of the rest of the world for that matter. Somewhere you can't fly to directly from any international airport.

A state that doesn't have an extradition treaty with the UK (which is presumably why one of the chief suspects of the £53million Securitas heist has apparently decided to move there).

Northern Cyprus is officially the Turkish Republic of North Cyprus. It's the lesser known top third of the island that's southern Greek neighbour is known for the teenagers' playground of Aya Napa, a huge British Army base, and for always giving Douze Points to Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest.

SPECTACULAR: The 12th Century hillside monastery of Bellapais
Compared to the rest of Cyprus, the north is picturesque and unspoilt, has wonderful sandy beaches, is great value for money... and it's not overrun by thousands of other Brit tourists.

Legend has it that the island is the birthplace of Aphrodite, the ancient Greek goddess of love - but there's been little of that between Greek and Turkish Cypriots since the Turks invaded the northern half in 1974.

It's been partitioned ever since, with UN troops manning the Green Line border that runs through the middle. Even now, Turkey is the only country in the world to officially recognise the state of North Cyprus and still keeps 30,000 troops there.

So holidaymakers heading there have to touch down first in Turkey under international law before flying on to the island, which adds a couple of hours to what should be a four-hour direct flight.

But when you get there it's worth the effort: Stunning hills sweeping down to silver sands, breathtaking ancient monuments, great swimming beaches and an abundance of wildlife. And no sign at all of the conflict that has dogged the island's past.

Flights land at the small Ercan aiport close to Nicosia (or Lefkosa), the divided city that's the capital to both sides of the island...

From: http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/lifestyle/lifestyle_travel/807812/Whisk-yourself-away-to-this-picturesque-unspoilt-haven-for-an-island-fantasy.html

Who is this geeza; The north is unspoilt? Has he been to the north? Even the mountains are disappearing apart from the olive and carob groves.

[Malapapa]

"As for northern Cyprus. Well, it ain't a country, it ain't Cyprus ... but it certainly ain't the same old holiday destination either."

Sure. And ain't you got to be a scummy, ignorant illiterate to want to stay somewhere in Cyprus that ain't Cyprus?

Still Cyprus me boy, NORTH CYPRUS

Are you suggesting the News of the World is lying?

[Gasman]

News of the World lie?

Perish the thought!

[Gasman]

Did you notice he even said he stayed at the Globe?

[denizaksulu]

Did you notice he even said he stayed at the Globe?

How theatrical?

[YFred]

Did you notice he even said he stayed at the Globe?

How theatrical?

I second that, I was at the Globe theatre the other day .................