Map of Cyprus

The date of this card is relevant because of the division of the map showing the northern section labelled Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.  That was declared in 1983.  The card is postmarked Girne and dated 1990, not 1980 as I first thought.  Unless of course they started using the country name earlier.

The message on this card gives a lovely idea of someone's holiday, I think.

This unsophisticated country has a lot of other things [other than postcards].  Yesterday for example, I saw sunrise and moonrise over Richard Coeur de Lion's castle across the harbour - the sunrise from my room at 6:45 local time or 4:45 GMT; and moonrise from my balcony at drinks time, when the bats had just finished batting.
My friends' constant hospitality this year included a picnic at the farthest end of the Karpaz (wild nature reserve peninsula) and a night at the newest casino - delicious free buffet supper and free drinks, very, very, strong in the hope you'll lose all your money!

Paphos

Considering that Paphos, on the south west tip of Cyprus, is so steeped in history that the whole town was added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites, it seems a shame that this particular card was chosen for my father in 1987.  There is an excuse though, it was used to announce an engagement, so the romantic scene is fitting.

Temple of Apollo, Cyprus

Postmarked Paphos, Cyprus, and dated 7 April 1986.

The temple was one of the most sacred sites in ancient Cyprus, once surrounded by a forest.  It was so sacred that anyone touching the altar would be thrown from the cliffs.

The message says that the weather was wonderful and the temperature 83 degrees F (28 C), in April.  I believe that is what could be expected. normally but three years ago a friend, whose family is from Cyprus, had an April wedding there.  It was abnormally cold and all the photographs show guests with jackets and cardys on over their wedding finery.  Such a shame.

Cyprus

Dated 16 June 1987, but as there is no stamp or postmark, I have to assume it was sent inside an envelope.

Cyprus is the third biggest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily and Sardinia.  It was a British Protectorate until 1960 when it became an independent republic.  However, in fact it is divided into Greek (in the south)  and Turkish areas.

It is a very popular tourist destination though by coincidence I know two sets of people who are there at the moment for different reasons.  One set is visiting family which always results in stories of the "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" variety.  They consider that to be a documentary, not a comedy.  The others were planning to retire there but are having second thoughts and are instead returning to the vagaries of the National Health Service in the UK in preference to whatever service Cyprus has to offer.

The island has an amazingly varied and ancient history, somewhere I'd love to visit out of the tourist season.