Too Many Visitors in the Old Town

Mira lives in a small old town by the sea.

Every summer, thousands of visitors come to see its narrow streets and colorful houses.

Last year, more than two million people visited the town, which has only five thousand residents.

In July, the noise starts at six in the morning and does not stop until midnight.

Many families have moved away because rents have become too high.

Mira's neighbor, an old fisherman, sold his boat and left last spring.

Some local people now work as guides or sell drinks to tourists, but most of the money goes to big hotel companies.

Last month, the town council held a meeting to discuss the problem.

After listening to residents for three hours, they decided to limit the number of daily visitors starting next summer.

Mira hopes this will help, though she knows it will not bring her old friends back.

This summer, the first limit began.

Only eight thousand visitors are allowed each day, and the streets feel quieter.

Mira has started a small craft group in her old school.

Ten women meet every week to make baskets and cloth bags, and they sell them in a little shop near the harbor.

Tourists buy these things because they are made by hand, not by machines.

Mira believes the town can grow in a new way, one that keeps its people and its traditions alive.