Cyprus: Perfect Holiday or Perfect Hell?
In short the answer to this question soley depends on who you are. If you are a young English clubber, then Cyprus is at present the place to be. It costs practically nothing to go on a package holiday to Cyprus. Agia Nappa is one of the most famous clubbing areas in Europe at the moment, and is full of youngsters who have gone over for practically nothing to get very drunk every night and go clubbing. These people barely know where they are, and do not appreciate the country for what it really is. It has beautiful landscapes and is great for walks and camping. The mountainous areas of Troodos and Platres are ideal for a holiday in the summer. There are great nature paths taking you through the forests or the mountains. For 'good' tourists, the country is perfect for sight seeing as there are many ancient sites such as the Kourion and the ancient shrine of Athene in Paphos.
The somber truth about this country is that it is at the mercy of the many tourists visiting it each year, and as a result of this many traditions have been forgotten. The main source of income for Cyprus is now tourism, whereas before agriculture and farming were. Many farmers have been forced to quit farming, which had been in their families for decades, and replace their fields with supermarkets and cheap cafés. Upon visiting one of the numerous tourist restaurants in Paphos, I found out what the owner thought of the current situation. When he had brought me my food, dressed in what was presumed to be a traditional Cypriot costume, we started speaking. He explained to me that he was a refugee from the 1974 illegal invasion of Cyprus by Turkey; his village and land had been taken by the Turkish invaders. He had no qualifications and was forced to open a restaurant. He explained to me with some bitterness that he had to, as he put it, dress up ridiculously for the tourists' enjoyment. He was not happy about what he was doing but he had to do it in order to nourish his family.
In short the answer to this question soley depends on who you are. If you are a young English clubber, then Cyprus is at present the place to be. It costs practically nothing to go on a package holiday to Cyprus. Agia Nappa is one of the most famous clubbing areas in Europe at the moment, and is full of youngsters who have gone over for practically nothing to get very drunk every night and go clubbing. These people barely know where they are, and do not appreciate the country for what it really is. It has beautiful landscapes and is great for walks and camping. The mountainous areas of Troodos and Platres are ideal for a holiday in the summer. There are great nature paths taking you through the forests or the mountains. For 'good' tourists, the country is perfect for sight seeing as there are many ancient sites such as the Kourion and the ancient shrine of Athene in Paphos.
The somber truth about this country is that it is at the mercy of the many tourists visiting it each year, and as a result of this many traditions have been forgotten. The main source of income for Cyprus is now tourism, whereas before agriculture and farming were. Many farmers have been forced to quit farming, which had been in their families for decades, and replace their fields with supermarkets and cheap cafés. Upon visiting one of the numerous tourist restaurants in Paphos, I found out what the owner thought of the current situation. When he had brought me my food, dressed in what was presumed to be a traditional Cypriot costume, we started speaking. He explained to me that he was a refugee from the 1974 illegal invasion of Cyprus by Turkey; his village and land had been taken by the Turkish invaders. He had no qualifications and was forced to open a restaurant. He explained to me with some bitterness that he had to, as he put it, dress up ridiculously for the tourists' enjoyment. He was not happy about what he was doing but he had to do it in order to nourish his family.
