Of Love and Hate

Most people know Cyprus as the sunny Mediterranean island that travel agencies call "the Island of Aphrodite" or "the Island of Love." Millions of tourists visit each year the southern part of Cyprus and they meet a Greek speaking country, influenced by Greek culture. Incidentally they learn about another Cyprus, a Turk Cypriot area behind a border hardly any western travel agencies cross. Cyprus was once one country, but since 1974 divided into two. The north part of Cyprus is a small country, condemned and denied by the rest of the world. The country's name is Kuzey Kibris, the Turkish Republic of North Cyprus.