Travel Daily News International, Greece
March 1 2005

Cyprus: The Island for all seasons
Monday, February 28, 2005

Welcome to the island of legends that basks year-round in the light
of the warm Mediterranean sun. A storied past 10,000 years long has
seen civilizations come and go and the likes of everyone from
Alexander the Great to Cleopatra stake their claim here ~V but then,
people do tend to get possessive when faced with such beauty.
Aphrodite made her home on Cyprus and travelers throughout antiquity
came here just to pay her tribute.

The cultural heritage of a people is its most important asset, its
identity and a sense of continuation through time. Cyprus is the
third largest island in the Mediterranean and standing as it does at
the crossroads of Europe, Asia and Africa it has had a tumultuous
history.

History
The Mycenaeans Achaeans brought their civilisation here, establishing
the first Greek roots 3,000 years ago. Many others passed through,
including Phoenicians, Assyrians, Egyptians, Persians, Romans,
Crusaders, Venetians, Ottomans and the British. The apostles of
Christ walked this land. The splendour of Byzantium, founded by
Constantine the Great at Constantinople, encompassed the island of
Cyprus. Here are prehistoric settlements, ancient Greek temples,
Roman theatres and villas, Early Christian Basilicas, Byzantine
churches and monasteries, Crusader castles, Gothic churches and
Venetian fortifications. In the villages, old customs and traditions
are still kept alive. Young girls still engage in lace making in the
beautiful village of Lefkara just as their grandmothers did before
them. Potters still create wondrous anthropomorphic shapes to
decorate their earthenware vessels at picturesque Foini and the sound
of handlooms can still be heard in Fyti, home of attractive
hand-woven materials, whilst, men in traditional baggy trousers
‘vraka’, still congregate at the coffee shop for a game of
backgammon.

In Cyprus the 21st century rubs shoulders with a civilisation 10,000
years old. There are festivals whose origins stretch back into
antiquity; like carnival and anthestiria organised in honour of God
Dionysos; at Kouklia, where the Temple of Aphrodite once stood, a
church was known until a few years ago as ‘the Church of the Virgin
Mary Aphroditissa’. The aura of the Great Goddess of Cyprus is still
present in Pafos, and all over ‘the Sweet land of Cyprus’ in the
beauty of the landscape, the mildness of the climate and the charm of
the people. The immortal words of Euripides and Sophocles ring out on
warm summer evenings at the Ancient Kourion Theatre and the Pafos
Odeon during performances of ancient Greek drama.

And in September wine flows free and the spirit of Dionysos, god of
wine and merriment, is present throughout the Wine Festival. The
Mediaeval folk songs are still sung in Cyprus keeping alive the
legends of Digenis, the unconquerable border guard of Byzantium, and
his beautiful Queen, Rigaina. In the narrow streets of the walled
city of Lefkosia the coppersmith works with the metal, as did his
ancestors 5,000 years ago. In the shade of old houses with their
overlooking balconies, the flavour of the past lingers among the old
typical stone houses.

In Cyprus the past lives side by side with the present in a unique
tapestry of living history.

Geography / climate / population
Cyprus is the third largest and the easternmost island in the
Mediterranean Sea, west of Syria, south of Turkey, north of Egypt and
in close proximity to the east of the Greek island of Rhodes.
Prominent geographic features include the Troodos massif that
occupies most of the southwestern part of the country, the
Pentadaktylos range in the north around Kyrenia and the Messaoria
Plain in between them. It is here that the capital city, Lefkosia is
located. The elongated Karpasia Peninsula occupies the northeastern
part of Cyprus, while the southeastern point terminates in Cape
Gkreco. The southern coast is where the major towns of Larnaka and
Lemesos are located. Pafos and the Akamas Peninsula are on the far
western edge.

Aphrodite’s island enjoys the ideal mild, typically Mediterranean
climate, with abundant sunshine and fine temperatures almost every
day.

Population: 802,500 (end 2002)

Language
Greek and Turkish are the official languages. English is widely
spoken. French and German are also spoken within the tourism
industry.

Religion
The country enjoys an exceedingly high level of freedom of worship.
While the majority of Cypriots are Greek Orthodox Christian (85%),
other religious faiths are represented on the island as well,
including Roman Catholics, Armenians, Maronites, Latins and Muslims.

Metrification
Speed limits and car speedometers are shown in kilometres

Currency
The Cyprus pound ~V C£, which is divided into 100 cents. The Cyprus
pound is not traded internationally. Commercial banks offer a wide
range of banking services and have correspondents in most major
cities around the world. Commercial banks are open to the public on
weekdays (Monday ~V Friday) 08:30 ~V 13:00 and from October ~V April
every Monday afternoon 15:15 ~V 16:45 and in some tourist resorts
afternoon exchange is available during the summer season. Banks at
Larnaka and Pafos International Airports provide exchange bureaux
services on a 24-hour basis. Similar facilities are also available at
Lemesos harbour. All major credit cards are accepted.

Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) are available outside most branches
of banks in all towns. Credit cards and foreign currency are normally
accepted in hotels, large shops and restaurants. The rates of
exchange are published daily in the local press and are broadcast
through the media.

Further information on Cyprus banking system is available at the
Central Bank’s website; or at the websites of
Cypriot commercial banks.

Electricity
The standard electricity supply is 240 volts, a.c. 50Hz. Sockets are
usually 13 amp, square pin in most buildings.

Passports and visas
No visas are required for entry into Cyprus by nationals of most
European countries. National of other countries should contact the
nearest Consulate of the Republic of Cyprus, or if non, the nearest
British Consulate.

–Boundary_(ID_NGRW1SLROmqpwdj73NJwVg)–

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress