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[Nikitas]

Just back to Greece from spending a few days in Limassol, a city I did not know very well.

First observation- the new seafront is superb, better than anything I have seen in Spain or France. The separation of motor, bicycle, and pedestrian traffic is brilliantly done, no one gets in anyone's way and the pedestrians get the lion's share of space along with grass verges, shade trees and amenities for all income levels.

Second observation- for an Athens inhabitant it is so rare, and so pleasant, to be in a city where cars actually stop at zepbra crossings, you do not hear incessant honking and no one, absolutely no one, called anyone malaka in the week I spent there.

The redone old part of town is a real part of the city, not an artifice, attracting more locals than tourists, and on Friday night, which seems to be the time all of Limassol goes out, everyone was drinking, yet not one single person was drunk or abusive, despite the total absence of police.

The heat and the humidity were at record levels, yet the place was still pleasant and so different from my childhood memories of a constricted bustling industrial town.

Nicosia seemed dead by comparison.

And the women were all so sleek and attractive! And best of all, dying the hair blonde is not a Limassol fashion, unlike Athens.

[Tim Drayton]

I agree. I consider myself fortunate to live here, even if the humidity at this very moment is overpowering - but then it is August.

[Paphitis]

Yeh Cypriots appear to be a whole lot more civilized on the roads than the Greek counterparts.

I remember one time crossing the corner turn off in front of Syntagma. It was a pedestrian crossing and there was a lot of traffic as usual, so I hop onto the road into oncoming traffic and suddenly I heard a screech of skidding. The guy stopped, as he had no choice, and appeared very angry as if how dare I do this. I had children with me, and a motorcyclist stopped at the red signal was shaking his head and waving his hands because he was disappointed that the other car had no intention of stopping. You basically have to walk out in front of traffic in order to cross the turnoff pedestrian crossing to get to the pedestrian lights if that makes sense. You can see them swear and curse everyone and everything from their mother's to the Virgin Mary. As if that is something to stress about.

Anyway, you got to wonder. I really hate the roadside manners of Greeks. They are the worse along with the Vietnamese and Indonesians. Absolutely no respect.

Cypriots are certainly not perfect, but they are a hell of a lot better than most Greeks are. Rules are pretty much a nuisance in Greece. At least Cypriots make an effort.

[Paphitis]

The other issue I have a gripe with is the fact these things even occur in front of about a dozen Police Officers.

One thing you notice at Syntagma is that Police are everywhere. Fairly normal because Parliament House, the Unknown Soldier Tomb and various important Government Departments and consulates are nearby as well.

You see the police parked up with their motor bikes on every corner. They all invariably have Ray Ban sunglasses. Oh yeh, I bet they thing they look cool and God's gift. But all they do is stand there.

They couldn't give a stuff at what motorists do.

In other countries, if you see a Police Officer you tremble in fear if you have done something wrong because there is no way they will let you go if you had to emergency brake at Pedestrian Crossing or at a Red Light. They will come over and issue a ticket and usually they don't have a sense of humour about it either. They will also test you for alcohol.

In Greece you do whatever you want and the police usually do nothing.

I must admit though, in Kerkira, I saw a Police Officer stop a car and issue a ticket. I looked at my wife in astonishment and both of us packed up laughing because that we had never seen before. Whoever that Police Officer was, all I can say is THANK YOU for doing your job.