This morning we kicked off day two in Cyprus with a tour of the mosque near Cyprus’s salt lakes and St. Lazarus church in the city of Larnaca. I liked that we toured both religious sites on the same day because it was interesting to see the similarities and differences between these two holy sites. The mosque and monastery had a more minimal interior compared to St. Lazarus church, however, I noticed that the outside area was surrounded by beautiful palm trees and greenery. St. Lazarus church had a much more ornate interior. Our tour guide pointed out old “icons” or images of important scenes and figures in Christianity within the church. One thing she said that I thought was interesting, was that the act of kissing icons, which is tradition in Orthodox Christianity, can errode these images overtime. In the past people use to put a golden or fine metal shield between the public and the icon, but today, glass is mostly used to protect these old icons from eroding. I also noticed that both the mosque and church utilized domes in their architecture. Overall, both sites were very beautiful in person!

After the short tours in the morning, we drove to the seaside walk and beach in Larnaca. I was impressed with how clean the beach was compared to some of the beaches I have traveled to in America. There was not a lot of trash along the coastline. Additionally, the staff around the beach were friendly. The beach had chairs and umbrellas supplied by the town, which I could rent for a few Euros to enjoy the sun. Staff also walked around the beach and took food and beverage orders, which was very accommodating. Although the sand and water at the beach was similar to America, Larnaca beach seemed to emphasize cleanliness, hospitality, and community comfort more.

After the beach, we quickly walked around the town and stopped at a few shops. Once again, I noticed that cats seem to have a special place in Cyprus. Many tote bags, hats, and mugs could be found with cats on them. I also noticed many of the seaside shops sold hats and beach items. The beach seems like a very important part of life in Cyprus, as a relaxing and comforting place. I can’t wait to see the other beaches on our trip!