This last weekend

This weekend we took a field trip to the capitol of Cyprus, Nicosia. Among other things, the old town in Nicosia is surrounded by a land wall built by the Venetians when they took over the island in the late 1400's.

The old town is cool. It's what you'd imagine for an old-school mediterranean city. Except, as you travel down the shopping touristy section, you arrive at...
The Green Line.
Nicosia, like the sign says, is the last divided capital in the world. Ever since the invasion of the Turks in 1974, the top half of the island has been under their control. The situation is still a very hot political topic. The invasion was in reaction to radical Greek nationalist groups targeting innocent Turkish-Cypriot civillians, but it seems to have brought on even more strife. Today it seems like the Greek-Cypriots simply want a united Cyprus, but the Turkish-Cypriots simply want to be able to exist--and they're constantly reminded by the Turkish-run government of the dangers of "greek rule". Sticky situation.
The green zone is patrolled by the U.N. and there are troops all over the place along the line.
This is something I had to post. I haven't even seen this kind of awesome creativity in the states.

Until next time, peace out.