Cyprus crossing reopens
Written on 3 April 2008 by adminGreek and Turkish Cypriots have reopened a major crossing in the divided Cypriot capital of Nicosia.
Ledra Street, which had come to symbolise the partition of the island, was declared open by local officials.
It was split in 1964, during an outbreak of violence between the ethnic Greek and Turkish communities.
Click here to read the BBC News article
Cheap Cyprus Holiday
Written on 21 March 2008 by adminWell last week I booked a cheap holiday to Cyprus for the end of April with Olympic Holidays
8 nights, mainly because the flight going out is late Saturday night, staying at Anthea Hotel Apartments in Ayia Napa, we were just looking for a very cheap break to get away from the English weather and get some sun, and at £162 this is a bargain considering some of the cheapest flights we looked at were around this price!
Now I just can’t wait to go, it will be interesting to see how the Euro has affected prices out there but with the Euro rate having dropped so much against the English Pound then it’s bound to seem expensive anyway, so maybe that cheap bottle of KEO or LEON isn’t going to be so cheap anymore 
Cyprus leaders to discuss reunification
Written on 21 March 2008 by adminLeaders of Cyprus’s Greek and Turkish communities agreed on Friday to relaunch reunification talks and to open a barricaded street in Nicosia that symbolises the island’s division.
It was the first meeting between Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat since Christofias was elected to the Cypriot presidency last month and raised hopes for reviving talks that are also crucial for Turkey’s bid to join the European Union.
More on this article can be read here - Reuters.com
Napa Plaza Hotel, Ayia Napa Cyprus
Written on 14 February 2008 by adminThe Napa Plaza hotel is probably my favourite hotel in Ayia Napa, it is set in the heart of Ayia Napa next to the monestry which is located perfectly for the Square with all the bars and clubs and just a few minutes walk from the beach.
The hotel has 221 rooms and as the official site says it is built around a magnificent courtyard. The outdoor lagoon style swimming pool lies in the centre of this courtyard amidst richly Mediterranean landscaped gardens with palm trees, olive and citrus trees.
The hotel is very clean throughout and the rooms are of a great standard, I couldn’t actually fault the hotel.
Attached to the hotel is the very popular Pepper Bar, which became my favourite bar in Ayia Napa, playing some great funky house music as the nights went on and they serve some fantastic cocktails.
More rain and Snow in Cyprus
Written on 12 February 2008 by adminThe heavens opened up on Cyprus yesterday afternoon, with torrential rain in many parts of the island and even snow on the mountains.
In Protaras and Ayia Napa the scene was of grey skies and rain.
Flooding was reported in some parts of Larnaca and Nicosia.
The wet weather is expected to continue until Wednesday, with evening temperatures on the coasts dropping to just 7oC.
The wet weather is welcome news for the water board after reserves have been running low after a lack of rain.
It’s good that Cyprus is getting some rain like this, a couple of days rain will do no harm and as the article says will help the water reserves of the island.
Swiss mortgage in Cyprus?
Written on 11 February 2008 by adminI cam across this story of a couple who have bought a property in Cyprus using a Swiss Mortgage.
orraine and Tommy Duncan are soaking up the sun in their Cyprus holiday home - thanks to a Swiss mortgage.
Lorraine, 41, and Tommy, 55, had fancied taking a leap on to the foreign property ladder for a while.
They were unsure how far their modest budget would stretch but after an inspection trip with Atlas International, they have snapped up a two-bed apartment in Cyprus for just over £100,000.
The Duncans put down a 20 per cent deposit on the property, which cost £82,915CY (£105,649).
They are paying the balance by taking the unusual step of opting for a mortgage that will be repaid in Swiss Francs.
Lorraine said: “Because I’m a mortgage advisor I knew that taking a mortgage in Britain or in the country where you’re buying isn’t always the best option.
“The Swiss mortgage has a low fixed rate of interest.”
You can read the rest of the story at sundaymail.co.uk
British soldiers charged after bar brawl in Ayia Napa
Written on 4 February 2008 by adminNine British soldiers have been charged following a bar brawl in Ayia Napa on Friday. The men had been celebrating what is known as “millionaire’s weekend” - they had received their last pay packet before their tour of duty on the island was due to come to an end next month.
Five people - three soldiers and two Greek Cypriots - were injured after tables, chairs and bottles were thrown in a fight in the island’s Bedrock Inn. One was reported to have been taken to Larnaca general hospital suffering from internal bleeding and one of the soldiers suffered a fractured skull.
For more information see The Guardian
End of an era for the Cyprus Pound
Written on 31 January 2008 by adminTODAY is a landmark for the Cyprus Republic. It is the last day that the Cyprus pound will be in circulation. From tomorrow, it will cease to be the island’s medium of exchange, and all transactions will have to be paid for in euros.
People will still be able to exchange pounds at the banks until the end of June, after which only the Central Bank will be allowed to carry out these transactions – for another six to eight years. So nobody need worry about not being able to recall where they had hid those £20-notes they were saving for a special night out.
It is a sad day as the pound has been the symbol of the Republic’s prospering economy, a strong currency that held its ground even at the most difficult times. It may have been occasionally propped up by Central Bank intervention, but this was the exception rather than the rule.
Read the rest of the article at Cyprus Mail
Ice and Snow in Cyprus
Written on 31 January 2008 by adminIt’s not unknown for Cyprus to get snow in the mountains, but currently there is snow and ice all over Cyprus.
Here is a picture found on the Holiday Truths website of snow close to paphos
Can I still use the Cyprus pound?
Written on 26 January 2008 by admin
If you are going to Cyprus this year and are wondering if you can still use your old Cyprus pounds then hopefully this bit of information will be of help.
From January 1 2008 the Euro became the legal tender on Cyprus at the fixed exchange rate of €1=CY£0.585274.
According to the Sunday Times travel expert you should be able to exchange your old money (up to £1,000 Cyprus Pounds per customer per transaction in notes, and up to £50 in coins) free of charge at any of the Island’s banks. From July 1 an exchange will continue to be possible, but only at the Central Bank of Cyprus in Nicosia, until the end of 2017.
If you are a regular visitor to Cyprus and had got used to the old currency and its value, there will be dual display of prices in Cyprus pounds and Euro’s until September 30th 2008, this is good to see which places are trying to profiteer out of the change of currency.
