11/8/2005: Varosha, ghost city of Cyprus

Undertoad · 11-08-2005, 06:19 PM

Imagine a beautiful beachfront city on the shores of a European island in the Mediterranean. Imagine if, one day 30 years ago, everyone suddenly up and left and nobody returned.

Blogger Michael Totten is living in Lebanon for six months. For visa purposes he had to go to Cyprus for a short while. He took a few shots of the city above and tells us what happened there:

In 1974 the Turkish military invaded and carved up the island. Greek Cypriots in the north were forced to move south side of the line. Turkish Cypriots from the south were forced to move north. Greek Cypriot citizens in Varosha fled the Turkish invasion in terror. They expected to return to their homes within days. Instead, the Turks seized the empty city and wrapped it in fencing and wire. They forbid anyone from entering it to this day.

But Totten was taking a chance, taking that picture:

Photographing the dead city is not permitted. But if no one is watching there is nothing to physically stop you... just as I snapped a picture of the skyline of Varosha, a Turkish military patrol came around the corner on the other side of the fence and saw me with my camera. The driver of the jeep slammed on his brakes... I had to get out of there fast before they confiscated my camera.

gerstle · 11-08-2005, 06:51 PM

very applicable who said it game:

"What is he doing in there..."

limey · 11-08-2005, 06:52 PM

It's pretty wierd looking over the wall that splits Nicosia, too, from the prosperous Greek half, over no-man's land, to the poorer Turkish half ...

Troubleshooter · 11-08-2005, 07:36 PM

Stupid fuckers.

Griff · 11-08-2005, 08:50 PM

Hmmm... can't get it on google earth. Famagusta is there though.

Sun_Sparkz · 11-08-2005, 08:54 PM

What a waste

xoxoxoBruce · 11-08-2005, 11:23 PM

I don't understand why they didn't let the Turkish Cypriots move in since it's on their side of the line?. Fear of the Greek Cypriots getting pissed?

Elspode · 11-08-2005, 11:39 PM

Someone just hasn't offered someone else enough money. This place is crying for casinos, nude beaches and uber-expensive hotels. Its all about the money. Politics is secondary if there's enough money to be tossed around.

It does look like everything of value was removed, even from a distance. This is further evidence of my monetary solution.

Wormfood · 11-09-2005, 03:49 PM

And this country wants ,or almost demands it, to get into EU.

capnhowdy · 11-09-2005, 03:52 PM

I agree with TS.

STUPID FUCKERS

I would suggest they use it to house their military people who are mentally challenged, but this little city prolly wouldn't hold them all.

Trilby · 11-09-2005, 04:28 PM

Turkeys!

Troubleshooter · 11-09-2005, 07:17 PM

Let's not forget one of my favorite Turkish traditions, the debtor's brothels.

When I was in Turkey in '92 our bus driver made a pit stop at this place that looked like a small, low security jail. He walked up the the guard shack, gave the guard what amounted to $5 and got a blue chip. He walked down the stalls which housed the wives of men in debt, picked a girl, gave her the chip, took fucked her, came back to the bus and took us where we needed to go.

Just lovely people.

Ubergeek · 11-09-2005, 11:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

I don't understand why they didn't let the Turkish Cypriots move in since it's on their side of the line?. Fear of the Greek Cypriots getting pissed?

No.

I did a peacekeeping tour in Cyprus. Places like this, and along the DMZ line between the two sides of Cyprus, were stuffed full of bobby traps so that when the "vermin" (what most of the Turk officer's called the Greek's) came back, some of them would be wiped out by the bobby traps. Nobody at the time seemed to think of fact that "they" might want to actually use these places someday.

We caught one Turkish "civilian" planting Teddy Bears rigged with incendiary grenades, AN-M14's. A nasty bit of work, filled with thermite's to get you burning, and nitrates to keep you burning... even total submergence in water won't put these fucking things out. Teddy Bear folks... think about who this waste of DNA was targeting.

Oh, btw, I completely agree with the sentiment about Turks being fuckers.

zippyt · 11-11-2005, 12:27 AM

I think i would take my chances with enough silly string , http://www.cockeyed.com/citizen/silly/silly.html

11-08-2005, 06:19 PM	#1
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	11/8/2005: Varosha, ghost city of Cyprus Imagine a beautiful beachfront city on the shores of a European island in the Mediterranean. Imagine if, one day 30 years ago, everyone suddenly up and left and nobody returned. Blogger Michael Totten is living in Lebanon for six months. For visa purposes he had to go to Cyprus for a short while. He took a few shots of the city above and tells us what happened there: In 1974 the Turkish military invaded and carved up the island. Greek Cypriots in the north were forced to move south side of the line. Turkish Cypriots from the south were forced to move north. Greek Cypriot citizens in Varosha fled the Turkish invasion in terror. They expected to return to their homes within days. Instead, the Turks seized the empty city and wrapped it in fencing and wire. They forbid anyone from entering it to this day. But Totten was taking a chance, taking that picture: Photographing the dead city is not permitted. But if no one is watching there is nothing to physically stop you... just as I snapped a picture of the skyline of Varosha, a Turkish military patrol came around the corner on the other side of the fence and saw me with my camera. The driver of the jeep slammed on his brakes... I had to get out of there fast before they confiscated my camera.

11-08-2005, 06:52 PM	#3
limey Encroaching on your decrees Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: An island within the south-west coast of Scotland Posts: 7,016	It's pretty wierd looking over the wall that splits Nicosia, too, from the prosperous Greek half, over no-man's land, to the poorer Turkish half ... __________________ Living it up on the edge ... of civilisation, within the southwest coast of

11-08-2005, 07:36 PM	#4
Troubleshooter The urban Jane Goodall Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Florida Posts: 3,012	Stupid fuckers. __________________ I have gained this from philosophy: that I do without being commanded what others do only from fear of the law. - Aristotle

11-08-2005, 08:50 PM	#5
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	Hmmm... can't get it on google earth. Famagusta is there though. __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

11-08-2005, 08:54 PM	#6
Sun_Sparkz Has Body Temperature Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: I come from a land downunder Posts: 1,105	What a waste __________________ We'll never be as young as we are right now

11-08-2005, 06:51 PM	#2
gerstle some guy. Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 21	very applicable who said it game: "What is he doing in there..."

11-08-2005, 11:23 PM	#7
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	I don't understand why they didn't let the Turkish Cypriots move in since it's on their side of the line?. Fear of the Greek Cypriots getting pissed? __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

11-08-2005, 11:39 PM	#8
Elspode When Do I Get Virtual Unreality? Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Raytown, Missouri Posts: 12,719	Someone just hasn't offered someone else enough money. This place is crying for casinos, nude beaches and uber-expensive hotels. Its all about the money. Politics is secondary if there's enough money to be tossed around. It does look like everything of value was removed, even from a distance. This is further evidence of my monetary solution. __________________ "To those of you who are wearing ties, I think my dad would appreciate it if you took them off." - Robert Moog

11-09-2005, 03:49 PM	#9
Wormfood Superior Inhabitant Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sweden Posts: 73	And this country wants ,or almost demands it, to get into EU.

11-09-2005, 03:52 PM	#10
capnhowdy Blatantly Homosapien Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 6,200	I agree with TS. STUPID FUCKERS I would suggest they use it to house their military people who are mentally challenged, but this little city prolly wouldn't hold them all. __________________ Please type slowly. I can't read very fast............... and no holy water, please.

11-09-2005, 04:28 PM	#11
Trilby Slattern of the Swail Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 15,654	Turkeys! __________________ In Barrie's play and novel, the roles of fairies are brief: they are allies to the Lost Boys, the source of fairy dust and ...They are portrayed as dangerous, whimsical and extremely clever but quite hedonistic. "Shall I give you a kiss?" Peter asked and, jerking an acorn button off his coat, solemnly presented it to her. —James Barrie Wimminfolk they be tricksy. - ZenGum

11-09-2005, 07:17 PM	#12
Troubleshooter The urban Jane Goodall Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Florida Posts: 3,012	Let's not forget one of my favorite Turkish traditions, the debtor's brothels. When I was in Turkey in '92 our bus driver made a pit stop at this place that looked like a small, low security jail. He walked up the the guard shack, gave the guard what amounted to $5 and got a blue chip. He walked down the stalls which housed the wives of men in debt, picked a girl, gave her the chip, took fucked her, came back to the bus and took us where we needed to go. Just lovely people. __________________ I have gained this from philosophy: that I do without being commanded what others do only from fear of the law. - Aristotle

11-11-2005, 12:27 AM	#14
zippyt LONG LIVE KING ZIPPY! per Feetz Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Arkansas Posts: 7,661	I think i would take my chances with enough silly string , http://www.cockeyed.com/citizen/silly/silly.html __________________ "Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get. " Brother Dave Gardner

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