Dnmarxiakes Leukwsias

Nicosia is becoming a bit of a chaos without a character or identity, while Larnaka is still a mantis place but big bravo to Limassol for the shore road. Since I was born and raid in Nicosia at a time that it was a nice place to live, it became an ugly place to live over the years. There is absolutely no planning and now efforts to solve the problems that are becoming bigger and bigger. Last change I remember was the introduction of 'one way streets' around Makarios Avenue that has put some order 20 years or so ago. However, the city is growing and growing and nothing was improved in terms of infrastructure. Same roads, same bus routes, everything the same but way more cars and the neighborhoods start looking more like Saudi Arabia... just houses and nothing else. More than 20 years ago, the center of the town was plateia eleu8erias, with hadjisavvas cafe where the dairy queen is now. It was to be a quiet and nice downtown, however, the town has grown towards anthoupoli and Latsia and the center was moved 500 meters to Makarios Avenue. The real geographical center of Nicosia is really where Melconian is right now and usually, this should have been the point of reference in terms of public transportation and not solomou square at the end of the city. The current transportation system is pathetic and needs to be overhauled and maybe add a tram system. Since Makarios Av (around le cafe area) is the center of the city with all people really coming from a 100 degree angle (agios antonios, GSP, Akropoli/likabitos) instead of 360 degrees, then it is a traffic mess. What the city could do is have shuttles to go around town and if I am coming from say Dasoupoli, to have the option of parking near the Melconian school and then take a bus that runs up and down Makarios Avenue and go down town. Also, there should have been a shuttle going around down town so I won't need my car to go from Woolworth to say Le-Cafe. I know it's a walkable distance, but trying to do that in 40+ degrees and humidity it turns out to be a bad idea... Now, the old city is becoming a shitty place to visit... I am embarrased to take foreign friends there, and it's becoming a bit like the other side of the old time in the T/C areas, where it's the poorest part of the town. In our case a visitor might think that they are in Pakistan given that the demographics have changed. For someone living more than 5km from the old town, visiting it can be real hell due to trafic. No easy access to the old city so how can we expect to revive it if it is hard to visit to begin with? Give incentives to businesses (cafeterias, restaurants, movie theaters, etc. etc.) to open in the old city and make it easy for the people to get there, plus interest free loans to house owners to fix them up. The municipality of Nicosia spends shit loads of money doing xmas parties in Eleftheria square but do nothing to improve the city. Also, in the rest of the city do some fucking planning for parking lots, enforce some architectural standards so it has some character (tora va erti o Aristo Developers tze va ta kamei ishia ishia), help the new neighborhoods (likabitos, akropolis, etc. etc.) become communities rather than just buildings where people live. Parks and squares like Athens, where people can congregate for a coffee or just to buy souvlakia. The municipality should sit down with the businesses and see how they can work together to make the place a better place to live. Municipal elections are coming up, but nobody is addressing specific problems for the town, it's more political candidates (tze pistefko n Maurou might do a good job) and power struggle between the parties. Zambellas was useless. Lellos used to do good things, but during his last term he has done nothing... I guess he focused on the mental problems of his younger son and his need for ultra expensive cars, tons of food and russian super model hookers.
H Anna Marangou has not convinced me that she will make a difference... seems like an ex flower. Very tempted to vote for her given her photos with the ultimate leader, the inspirational comedian, the eternal source of conspiracies Ex President of Cyprus, twice president of the Parliament, upourgillikia, klp klp... the late Spiros Kiprianou! http://www.annamarangou.com/photos.html