We started our day off at the Hala Sultan Tekke which was absolutely beautiful. We learned about the tomb of Umm Haram and even though we weren’t able to go inside to see it, we could look at it through the windows. I enjoyed the architecture as well all the cats and kittens that were around the Temple! On our drive back from the Temple we passed some of the salt lakes located in Larnaca. Our tour guide told us that the water evaporates every summer and all that is left is pounds of salt. Historically, people would collect the salt into pyramids and use it to preserve both fish and meat.

Our next stop was to St. Lazarus Church. I also enjoyed the architecture of the Church, especially the big chandeliers. On the roof there were three circles made out of wood that our guide said used to be domes. They used three domes in order to represent the holy trinity. Apparently some Churches use five domes in order to create the shape of a cross on top of the Church. I enjoyed seeing locals and getting to interact with them in the Church.

After our amazing tours, we got to explore the area for a few hours! After a delicious lunch, we all went to the beach and got to hang out with each other. Ever since I had seen how blue the water in Cyprus was, I had been wanting to go in it. It was cold, but very refreshing. Something that surprised me was how salty the water was. When I got out of the water I could still feel salt on me, but that didn’t stop me from going back in! I finished my day by visiting some souvenir shops and getting some items to bring home. I am glad to know I will always have things to remind me of my time here!