Transition in Cyprus

Because of the recent Six-Day War between Israel and the United Arab Republic (consisting then of Egypt and Syria), we were not allowed to fly directly from Israel into Cairo. We were required to spend some time in a neutral nation before going directly to Egypt. So we flew to the airport at Larnaca, Cyprus. We spent a couple of days touring the country before flying out to Egypt. I remember especially the beautiful yellow and white buildings in Nicosia. Especially prominent was the home of Archbishop Macarios, who was not only the spiritual leader, but also the political leader of the Greek Cypriot community at that time. Cyprus was in the midst of its own way war at the time. Greeks and Turks were fighting for supremacy on the island in a conflict that settled into a smoldering disagreement that was never fully resolved.Læs mere