The problem isn't the Turkish Cypriots, they miss their country as well, it's the Kurds and the Military and the mass development of N.Cyprus that really annoys me. They are building homes on land which doesn't belong to them. When the Anan plan was proposed it was grossly biased towards the Turks and we were told that we'd have to share our land with them, and that we'd have to give 100% of the Turkish property back, but we'd only get back some of the non Turkish property/land on the invaded side. Remember, this is an ILLEGAL occupation and the TRNC is not a recognised state. The north is being overdeveloped and basically destroyed. The poor from Turkey are living in squats or turning beautiful Cypriot properties into squalid wrecks as they're not maintaining them - it's a sad shame. Crossing the border is like going from the 1st world to the 3rd world I'm not kidding, there are parts of Nicosia where you'd feel confident you were in a war torn place like Afghanistan. The Greek arrogance hasn't helped it must be said, but at the same time they are not stupid people, and they know when they've been rogered.
I was there on the day they opened the Ledra Palace border, it was very very emotional. Seeing old friends reunited, the emotions flowing were absolutely immense. Now it's beautiful, you hear Greek and Turkish Cypriots playing tavli drinking coffee and reminiscing in the little border cafes... but it's not quite right yet. Now you can cross the border freely and it's pretty simple, in fact, very simple, which is fortunate as I have interests in both sides.
The south is very much a modern thriving country with a strong economy and good trade, the north feels like a poor country, because it is. In the north you have a lot of people who have bought property there with arrogance that it's theirs and they are untouchable - but in all honesty from a legal point of view, they don't actually own the land they've bought as the kochani they have will not be valid under EU law. IF you're lucky enough to have had a property before 1974 you should hold 2 kochanis, one for the Greek and one for the Turkish authorities. There are a lot of people (Germans, Brits etc...) living there with arrogance and disdain for the Greek Cypriots, and that makes me sick - how dare they tbh... The problem is it's now so complicated. Personally I'd be quite happy to raise all the new builds to the ground (most of which are appallingly badly built) kick all the "illegal" land owners out, or offer them to pay the premium of what the land should cost, or buy it off it's ACTUAL owners, and get it back to the multicultural, Orthodox/Muslim country it was. It was perfect, it was like a small version of Lebanon, 2 creeds living in harmony with little prejudice. Most of my friends in the North are true Cypriots - heck they don't even refer to themselves as Turkish - Panagia mou eimaste Kypriou!!!
Unfortunately the rise of clubbing tourism, Russian drug barons (we didn't have VIsa requirements for a while for Russians as we were "brethren") crime has increased dramatically - most banks still don't have screens and you can walk behind the cashiers and along the corridors freely! People used to leave keys in their cars. I remember about 12 years ago I read an article in the newspaper, roughly translated it said "Bank robbery!!" - this news kept doing the rounds for over 6 weeks (other than all the other political stories that were rife at the time) - that's how big a deal it was!
I don't want to get into how it all started as there's plenty of unbiased information out there, the Greeks weren't 100% squeaky clean, but mind you they are still very much the victims.
Cyprus is a beautiful country, cultured, rich in ambience, magical and historical. The people are welcoming and friendly, cultured and intelligent. It's a Mediterranean lifestyle and a culture shock for a lot of Brits, but if you immerse yourself in their lives you get hooked, you really do. If you go there, I urge you to leave your "Britishness" behind and go there with an open mind. It is for me one of the best escapes I have to get away from it all. It's a little bit of paradise for me.
) and things were MUCH better value. The Cypriot pound went a lot further, you could buy more for your pound - needless to say the quality of the products were second to none as well. I feel this has changes somewhat over the past 10 years in a sort of decline, but hopefully it'll bounce back to where it was. The Euro hasn't helped I don't think either.
However I often cross the border to stay in Kyrenia, but I also frequent the shores of Larnaca. I keep away from the SE and SW of the island.
