Cyprus, an observation – not an opinion! – Maytheroadriseuptomeetyou …

After two weeks in Cyprus here are a few things we have observed:

There is rubbish everywhere! When you live amongst it … you don’t see it!!
It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean
1.2 million people live here
It has the oldest winery in the world [apparently] – Aphrodite loved wine [so do I!]
The street signs are tiny and hard to read, if they are there at all [and they are meant to have white writing, but most have faded out!] 🤔
You can [apparently] buy a Cypriot passport by investing approx €350,000 in property
It has a seemingly romantic nature and laid back atmosphere about it
Halloumi has been made in Cyprus for centuries
The bougainvillea throughout the villages are beautiful
The Mediterranean Sea sparkles likes ‘jewels’, on a sunny day
It is cold here in winter! We have the fire on today 🔥
Most people speak English
There are half finished condos everywhere
Rubbish is collected twice a week in villages and three times a week in towns to keep the rat populations down! If rubbish is collected so often, then why is it everywhere?
The roads are lumpy and bumpy!
There are a lot of foreigners living here – like any other country in the world!

It is still occupied [illegally in 1974] by Turkey in the north
There are huge numbers of UK / Russian expats living here
Hire cars have red number plates – so glad we have a local car/number plate!
There are trees laden with fruit and fruit rotting on the ground?!?
Cyprus was invaded by Turkey, then the British, then it became a republic [circa 1960’s]. It is a member of the EU, but not the Turkish occupied area in the north
It is a holiday destination with all the trappings
A lot of drivers drive toward the centre of the road as the edges are all falling apart
There is a low crime rate [perfect, makes you feel safe]
There are British who live here, who love their pubs and they [pubs] can be found everywhere?!?
There is low taxation
They have a lot of earthquakes here
The farmers and growers have a challenging job with the rocky ground
Some British who live here aren’t fond of other immigration? They have been coming here the longest, but seemingly don’t like the changes.

You can’t put anything in the loo that doesn’t come from you! This includes toilet paper!! This is even in most hotels and it is because the pipes are too small and block frequently, so only pee and poop in the loo!
It is so hot here in summer that a lot of the expats head back to their respective countries [also to avoid the tourists!]
There are an incredible number of feral cats and mangey dogs

The Cypriot people are not known for their love of pets – 1,000’s of dogs are abandoned every year as they can’t afford to take them to the vet, and there is apparently more feral cats than people 😮 😞
There is rubbish everywhere! I pick up rubbish and bin it every time we are out walking our little dogs, and there are piles of rubbish dumped everywhere.
The beaches are littered with rubbish – apparently not in front of the ‘hotel strip’ [but we haven’t been there]
There is incredible history here 🏰
Living amongst the locals has been wonderful – so friendly and welcoming.
If you are a ‘local’ you will always be in the ‘right’ in a car accident! Just give way to everyone and adopt a I’m in no hurry policy.
Parking is everywhere and anywhere, if there is a footpath it is likely a car park as well
The rubbish! I can’t get past it – everyone, tourists and locals alike, need to clean up this island and return it, to its former ‘bewitching’ beauty.