One of the most interesting things about Cyprus is that it's a divided nation. In 1974 Turkey invaded and took control over the Northern part of the Island.This resulted in many Cypriots evacuated from their homes and misplaced. Talking to Greek Cypriots about the invasion gives you a sense of sadness and anger at what happened. The island is still divided today, but you can easily cross over into Northern Cyprus if you want. The capital city of Nicosia (Λευκωσία) is split in two much like Berlin was during the Cold War. Crossing from the Greek side into the Turkish side makes you feel like you've entered another country since the Turkish flag is everywhere, and everyone is speaking Turkish instead of Greek.

     Famagusta is the one city where you get the best sense of how the division affected the people of Cyprus. Famagusta used to be a major beach resort in the 60's with many celebrities vacationing there. When the Turkish invaded they bombed Famagusta, and they haven't tried to rebuild it. You can still see all of the destruction, and seeing it really changes your perspective on wars and other conflicts between countries. You aren't allowed to take any photos or videos of Famagusta, and if you do, the Turkish military could either take your camera, or even arrest you (and if you're arrested in Northern Cyprus, no embassy is able to come and help you).