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INTRODUCTION
Cyprus still remains one of the most popular tourist destinations on the Mediterranean despite its past and present troubles. Unfortunately the best view tourists and refugees from Turkish Occupied northern Cyprus can get of the ghost city of Famagusta, overrun by the Turks in July 1974 is like the one in our front page from
the observation point at Dherenia a few kilometres to the south of the city.
Laurie and Carol Patton from Perth, Scotland have been frequent visitors to the island for almost quarter of a century and from the first time they arrived on Cyprus fell in love with the country and its people.
In 1973 and 1974 they stayed in Famagusta. Postcards were sent to all their friends showing them what a beautiful part of the world Cyprus was. Sadly sending postcards for Famagusta is no
longer possible. Luckily Laurie brought along his 35mm camera and took dozens of photographs of Cyprus. Many were of Famagusta with its superb beaches and cosmopolitan shopping centre. More
were taken of Kyrenia with its sophisticated harbour, ancient castle and smart waterfront fish restaurants. For years the photographs have lain in my slide box and only taken out now and again. We've made so many friends here and had so much pleasure
from our visits to Cyprus that I thought the least I could do was to have these photographs put on the Net so the world could share what Kyrenia and Famagusta were like in the early 1970s.
Thanks to the generosity of Panayiotis Zaphiris these photos are here for you to see. They are quite large and may take a little time to download but I'm sure you'll agree that they give
an insight to what life was like in northern Cyprus before the invasion.
Laurie Patton
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