After one last pancake breakfast in Nicosia, we loaded the bus and headed towards Limassol. Our first seaside stop, however, was the ancient village of Kourion. While touring we learned that the village was hit by a disastrous earthquake in the 4th century. As a result of the damage people didn’t have access to reliable baths or stable shelter. Luckily a man named Eustolios in the village and was determined to help. He was much wealthier than his neighbors and lived in a grand house that survived the earthquake. Thus, he opened his house for people to take baths and take shelter if needed. By doing this Eustolios helped the village survive the tragedy and rebuild into a thriving community. Kourion also provided stunning views of the Mediterranean Sea and Cypriot countryside. So many stories live in the Kourion archeological site, and I loved getting to learn a few.

After Kourion we arrived in Limassol and spent the afternoon wandering the marina area and the medieval castle. While exploring the marina a group of us grabbed some lunch. During our meal a very friendly cat came to say hello and ended up jumping up to join me on the bench. After the cat showed interest in the seafood pasta, we gave them a shrimp, and they scarfed it down before running off. Our next stop was a nature made goods store that had natural sponges, soaps, hand carved wood, fun souvenirs, and more. I picked up a couple keychains before meeting back up with the whole class. Our final stop before heading to the hotel was the medieval castle located next to the Limassol Marina. This castle was originally built in in the 14th century. Unfortunately, the Venetians demolished the structure to prevent the Ottoman’s from taking control. Currently the rebuilt and restored castle houses the Medieval Museum of Cyprus holding artifacts from across the island. There are so many striking stories held by the items in this castle and I can’t wait to learn even more about Cypriot history over the next week. Following our tour of the castle we headed to the hotel and were able to get settled. The plan for tonight is to explore the streets around our hotel and maybe visit the beach. Tomorrow, we travel to the occupied territory, and I can’t wait.