Last year we had a whole 4-day vacation. This year we wanted to go in spring, then Corona came along. We were slowly running on empty. So we decided to become pioneers in tourism and seize the first opportunity.
Where are you allowed to go and where is it “safe”?
Our vacation resort had to meet the following criteria: Beach, warmth, swimming, interesting surroundings. A comparison of these criteria with the list of countries to which we were allowed to enter without restrictions showed that Cyprus was in pole position. The island had recorded fewer than 1,000 cases thanks to strict lockdown measures, with no new infections from June 15. From June 20, German tourists were able to enter the country again without restrictions, we landed on June 21, and of course we are talking about the Greek south of the island here, because the northern, Turkish, part of the island was still “closed”.
Package deal or “it’s up to the booker”?
On the internet, it was often recommended to book a package holiday, as there is greater security in the event of renewed restrictions. We opted for the individual solution. As we only wanted to travel for a week and booked just two weeks in advance, the risk of being “stranded” abroad due to coronavirus seemed very low to us. The result was:
- A tolerably expensive flight with Lufthansa/Austrian Airlines from Frankfurt via Vienna to Larnaca (return flight directly with Lufthansa)
- A simple but fully equipped and affordable apartment
- A fairly cheap rental car.
All in all, an investment of just under 900 euros for two people, so we couldn’t complain. Research had revealed that the beaches in the south-east were said to be very beautiful. So that’s where we went, to Protaras.
The flight – like sardines with a mask
The first tension arose at Frankfurt Airport. Of course, masks were compulsory, which all travelers and airport employees complied with. The flight from Frankfurt to Vienna was then packed, as was the flight from Vienna to Larnaca. Masks were also compulsory on the plane, and at least the majority of travelers complied with this. On the other hand, it did make you wonder when members of cultures where observing rules is not part of the core value system were rather casual about this actually very sensible rule. Especially when they were sitting next to you. Polite reminders served their purpose, but only for a limited time.
I can understand that the already hard-pressed airlines want to fill their flights. But the flight attendants’ request to please keep a safe distance when disembarking seemed like pure mockery in view of the fact that you had just spent 3 hours next to another traveler with a distance of 30 cm.
Things went better on the return flight. The plane wasn’t too full, but passengers who were more relaxed about the mask requirement were of course also on board. On the other hand, disembarking in Frankfurt after rows went smoothly.
A certain belief in the airlines’ confirmations that flying was safe was definitely helpful here.
The flight – catering on the back burner
With reference to Corona, Austrian Airlines offered 1 bottle of water per passenger on the outbound flight. Lufthansa was more generous on the return flight. In addition to coffee, tea, soft drinks and wine (!), a sandwich was also distributed. Obviously, the general conditions have to settle down again, but at least there was something again.
The airport – actually quite relaxed
After leaving the plane, we still couldn’t take off our masks, as there was also a strict mask requirement at Larnaca airport, which the airport staff, who also wore gloves, fully complied with. Keeping your distance was very easy, as the number of travelers was more than manageable. Of course, this was also due to the fact that we arrived one day after all restrictions for German travelers had been lifted. So not much could have happened yet.
The “Cyprus Passport”
It was also interesting that we had to fill out a so-called Cyprus passport before entering the country. It asked who you were, where you wanted to go, how you got there etc.. Actually a sensible thing to do. We spent about 30 minutes filling out the forms and printed them out, 3 A4 pages per traveler. That was all that was necessary. In Vienna we were asked if we had this document and it was noted with relief when we showed the printout. When we arrived in Larnaca, we were also asked for it. We showed the pages and were waved through. Mind you, in both cases we only showed that we had them with us. Nobody checked or registered anything. If we hadn’t had the printouts in Vienna, the Austrians would have made us fill in the forms by hand. Perhaps the Cypriot authorities would come back to this if we had become infected, but otherwise we couldn’t really see the point of this measure.
The vacation accommodation – all ready
The journey to our vacation accommodation went smoothly. Once there, we found everything as booked, including hand sanitizer. However, the landlord was not allowed to enter the apartment during our stay, so he was not allowed to clean it or change the bed linen. As we were only there for 1 week, this was bearable.
The restaurants – Enjoy your meal!
Protaras exists because there is tourism. One hotel follows the next and the center is full of bars, cafés and restaurants. Of these, about ¼ were open. Many visitors were locals, especially at the weekend. Masks were not compulsory for restaurant visitors. This only applied to waiters and waitresses. Social distancing rules were observed, hand sanitizer was available at the entrance and the tables were disinfected after each use. The menus were not slimmed down and offered typical Cypriot delights. However, the choice of food was very limited at lunchtime, as most restaurants only opened in the evening. And then there was something going on! In addition, everyone was very friendly and happy that the season was starting again.
The menus – here it becomes clear which way the wind is blowing
Cypriot menus are available in 3 languages: Greek, English and Russian. It’s clear what importance tourists have here. If you consider the situation in Great Britain and Russia and the associated travel restrictions, it is easy to imagine that the Cypriots are happy for every guest.
The vacation resort – sometimes spooky
It was spooky when we went to the beach during the week in the morning – empty streets wherever you looked, only a few people were out and about. The scenery reminded me a little of scenes from “The Walking Dead”. It was only in the evening that life began to flourish thanks to the locals and then there was something going on, but without giving the impression that the place was overcrowded. Here, too, it was easy to keep your distance.
The beach – fantastic!
This is how it should be! Glorious sunshine, clear blue-green water and fine, light-colored sand – and almost all to yourself! Not a dozen bathers were lost on the beach! You could hire sun loungers and parasols for little money. How far apart? You could choose how many meters you wanted to put between you and the others. All holidaymakers dream of something like this when they have to look for sun loungers close together in the south during the season. At least you can take something good out of the crisis. As we found out on our return, the German beaches are already overcrowded again.
Towards the end of the week – it fills up
At the end of our week, the hustle and bustle on the beach picked up. Of course, more planes were arriving again. Many guests were Cypriots, but we also heard more Russian and British English. Both countries were on the list of countries from which travelers were not allowed to enter freely. So it had to be people who either live on the island (there is a large Russian community in Limassol) or in other EU countries. Without wanting to stigmatize, there was still a strange feeling.
Conclusion – why wander near when the distance is so close
It was great, there’s no other way to describe it. If you’re looking for a halligalli, you’ll have to wait a little longer, but it was the perfect setting for a relaxing beach vacation with excursions. We only had to cut back on some of the museums and excursion destinations, as not all of them were open again. But if culture is not your top priority, now is a good time to head south again. As we have seen, the German vacation destinations are virtually fully booked. The risk of infection may be higher there than in Cyprus, for example. And we have the impression that people want to “get out” again after all the restrictions. But one thing is also obvious: despite all the caution, the coming together of many people from all possible directions is of course also a risk. I wouldn’t be surprised if infections from tourism were to rise again. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen. In any case, we really enjoyed our vacation.
