The mayor of Nicosia, the capital of Cyprus, hopes to throw a wet blanket on your vacation plans. That’s especially true if you fantasize about traveling to his city and gawking at newly washed laundry hanging from outdoor clotheslines. According to Reuters, "The unseemly sight of underwear flapping in the breeze along narrow streets of the medieval city will be punishable with a 50 Cyprus pound ($96) fine as of October 1." Cleanliness may be next to godliness, but apparently not in Nicosia, where it carries a price. The mayor, who hopes to clean up the city’s image for visitors, told Cyprus radio, "Imagine walking along a road and having wet washing drip all over you...from someone else’s underwear." He added that washing wardens will also prevent city residents from beating carpets and rugs on their balconies and throwing laundry water into the streets. The announcement is unfortunate news for travel agents who might have been busy during the past year, developing winter vacation packages centered around the theme, "Nicosia – – Real people, real lives." The new travel plans, if they exist, are intended to placate tourists who become eventually bored with thousand-year-old cities. They want something more than the 1570 Famagusta Gate, the Presidential Palace and the Cyprus Archaeological Museum have to offer. The most promising tour package was The Underwear Tour, and it understandably was for adults only. "If you can’t see enough long underwear, thongs or high rise briefs in your own neighborhood, this is the tour for you! You will be fascinated with the fast-drying characteristics of silks and synthetics. Members of your tour group will not only languish in a lovely landscape of lingerie, but you also gain a new appreciation of how quickly undergarments can dry under the hot Cyprus sun. A shortened, light-hearted version of the tour is also available and it’s appropriately called, The Briefs." The On the Beaten Path Tour might also have been popular with tourists of all ages. "Watch in amazement as rugs and carpets of every imaginable size and color are dragged from homes and artfully draped over fences, clotheslines and balcony railings. Be prepared for the thrill of a lifetime as homeowners, equipped only with wire rug beaters or sticks, pound upon those carpets and rugs for all they’re worth. Experience second-hand what it must be like to have your sweat-covered face and body bake in the sweltering Cyprus sun as you take out all of your pent-up aggressions on a four-by-six wool rug. " No boats would be required for The Nicosia Underwater Tour. "This exciting tour simply involves walking up and down the side streets and alleys of the ancient city and playfully dodging washbasins, pails and tubs of water unexpectedly thrown from balconies high above you. Immerse yourself in this primitive version of a water park as you try to sidestep additional wash water tossed from open windows and doorways. The surprise drenchings of this tour will make the wet t-shirt contests back home pale by comparison. " Given what these three tourist packages might have offered – – glimpses of everyday life on a Mediterranean island – – the mayor’s plan is definitely a washout.