Sunday, May 7th
I am so happy to be done with flying for the next two weeks. Although the flights were long and bumpy, I am just happy everything was on time and everyone’s luggage made it to Cyprus. It is somewhat surreal that we are actually here. Seeing all the signs in Greek and seeing the rolling countryside from the bus window does not feel real. Today the weather was fairly gloomy and colder than normal, but it is still beautiful here. I was not expecting the terrain of the country to be so hilly and expansive. I also noticed a lot of unique vegetation growing along the side of the road that I had never seen before. There were a lot more trees and flowers than I was expecting for this time of year considering how little rain Cyprus gets during this season. The houses we drove past were so picturesque with their terracotta roofs, it looks exactly like you would imagine it. Once we got closer to Limassol, we started to see more modern buildings which didn’t exactly match the feel of the traditional style houses, but somehow despite the mismatch, everything feels cohesive. It is really interesting to me how you can see the history in the different styles of architecture and how much it plays a role in the identity of Cyprus as a whole. Once we arrived at our hotel in Limassol, we only had the evening to explore the marina and old port city. Limassol is very tightly packed, and all of the buildings are very different from each other. From the balcony of our hotel room, you can see everything from traditional Mediterranean style churches to ultra-modern hotels and businesses. You can tell this area is a larger tourist destination because of the number of restaurants, shops, and hotels that surround the beach and ports. I am looking forward to getting more time to explore the diverse food, shopping, and sights that can be found in Limassol.
