Today was our last day in Cyprus but we definitely ended on a high note. We once again visited a small village in the hills of Cyprus, today it was Lefkara. On the bus ride our lovely tour guide, Georgia, explained the history of the town. She explained how they were famous for lace and silverwares. She told us the story of how the Lefkara church ended up with a segment from the holy cross Jesus was crucified on and described how the town was impacted by the Turkish invasion. But before we arrived in Lefkara we stopped at the St. Minas Monastery. The origins of this monastery date back to at least the 18th century. The stonework and church paintings are beautiful. In recent history this monastery has been used as a nunnery. These nuns make and sell a variety of products, and it was interesting to speak with them about their honey and preserves production. Our next stop was Lefkara, a stunning village rich with Cypriot tradition. Georgia took us on a guided tour around the village showing us the shops where the traditional lace was made, the gorgeous architecture, the amazing church, and told us so many little stories about the places we passed. It was like she knew everyone, and it was an amazing way to gain insight into how life in Lefkara truly was. Following this tour, we were given time to explore. Our little group used this time to shop, eat lunch, and hold a mini photo shoot. While shopping we spent a lot of time in the lace store and the family that owned it was so nice and hospitable, they even brought us glasses of homemade lemonade. After our picturesque day in Lefkara we headed back to the hotel. This evening consists of packing and getting some rest before our 4am meeting time to head for the airport.
