"Cyprus ~~ Sun, Sand and Sadness" a Cyprus Travel Page by tagalonggal

My visit to Cyprus was the result of my husband's sudden business trip there and so we decided to combine business with pleasure. I spent 7 days there, 4 days on my own, 3 days with my husband. On one of those days, we made a day trip to Nicosia.

Our hotel was on the outskirts of Limassol with easy bus service into a lovely downtown shopping area. In the shops, restaurants and taxis, enough English was spoken or at least understood to pose no problems. As in most countries, a smile and cheerful greeting help to break the ice.

The one surprise about Cyprus was the never-ending reminder of the political situation. It didn't matter where we went, shopping, taxi rides, dining or just browsing the shops, we would be approached and asked to tell our government that the Cypriot people were being unfairly occupied and that the outside world must come to their aid and free their country. For the most part people simply wanted their story told and as guests in their country, we listened politely over and over. But there were a couple of occasions the men were so aggressive, following us for over 30 minutes, constantly reappearing and refusing to let us alone. I actually felt intimidated! Based on this experience, I would not return to Cyprus for a holiday where relaxation was my goal!