Although our third day in Cyprus was the first one with rain, the activities of the day more than made up for the weather. We started our day at the video game company Wargaming. I may not be the biggest gaming person, but learning about the game development industry was interesting. I learned about how and why video games can be developed between PC, console, and mobile, along with how gaming platforms work; specifically, how 30% of revenue goes to each platform. I also understand more about the digital distribution aspects of supply chain. There are many benefits of digital products including instant delivery, access to data collection and analysis, and the ability to fix and update already purchased products. I learned a lot, and I’m grateful we had the opportunity to visit Wargaming.
After lunch, the rest of our day was spent in Kakopetria village and St. Nicholas of the Roof church. The village was cozy and very picturesque. As we walked around, I noticed the variety of hills and stairs in the village. Although beautiful, most of Kakopetria is not very accessible. I’m curious to know if accessibility laws are drastically different in Cyprus versus the United States, or if some buildings and towns are just so old they can’t be rebuilt or renovated. At the end of my time in Kakopetria I had a conversation with a lovely barista in a cafe. She had noticed me apologize to a classmate and explained that a Cypriot wouldn’t have responded in a similar way. She said that although Cypriots are careful with their manners, general conversation and interaction can be a rougher experience. I had known this was common in places like Italy and the UK, but it was interesting to learn about customs in Cyprus.
After exploring the village, we ended the day at St. Nicholas of the Roof church. The frescos were gorgeous, and shockingly well preserved. Learning about the stories behind the paintings was fascinating, and I was interested by the different bible interpretations different regions of the world have. The differences in Mary’s headdress and the crucifixion were particularly interesting. I also enjoyed learning about the creation of the frescoes themselves. I had no idea that when a painted church needs to be redecorated the original walls are slightly chipped away, more plaster is added, and the new painting is added while the plaster is still wet. This definitely put the incredible preservation into perspective.