We were quite tired today after two extremely long and exhausting tour days in Israel but we slowly inched our way out of bed and got ready for today's activities. Neither Bob nor I had been to Cyprus before so we were excited to see the sites. We started with a scenic drive through the citrus groves and vineyards. We can definitely tell that we are in a Mediterranean climate.
Our first stop was to see the site where legend has it that Aphrodite, goddess of beauty and love, was born from the sea foam and carried by waves to this site. In the ancient Greek civilization the goddess Aphrodite was one of the most important figures. Today, people flock to this area to swim around and around the rock, convinced that Aphrodite will help them find love (either that, or they'll be too exhausted to care)!!!
Our next stop was at the Tombs of the Kings, which is a burial site which dates back from 3rd century B.C. and features open, peri-style courtyards surrounded by burial chambers. I wish I could share more about this site with you, however, there was a bit of a hiccup at the beginning of my visit. I was walking down the gravel path to get to the tombs and I slipped on some loose stones. I looked like I was doing a country line dance all by myself, as I bent my elbows, swayed my arms back and forth, and started dancing sideways, trying desperately to catch myself. However, on the gravel I couldn't regain my footing and Bob said suddenly I went flying and landed on my side and bonked my head!! It took me a second to realize what had happened. Bob, our guide and the ships' escort came running to help me. I was able to sit up and somewhat collect myself, and got myself to my feet. I had a large lump above my left eye, a few very small cuts on my hands and wrists and large bruises on my legs, but thankfully I was okay. I rested a few minutes and our escort cleaned up my cuts and put a bandage on them. I assured everyone I was fine (just angry at myself for being so old and clumsy). I caught up with the tour group. I took it slow and didn't climb down into the tombs but they were open so I could see them from above. I imagine that tomorrow I will have a shiny black eye. Another new experience!!!
Our next stop was at Paphos, which is a small harbor town and popular resort. It's considered one of the most beautiful places on the island. Today, the entire town is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We stopped at the House of Dionysos to see the gorgeous mosaics unearthed during the excavation of a 3rd century A.D. Roman nobleman's villa. The mosaics depict Roman legends with scenes from Greek mythology and are considered to be some of the finest mosaics in the area. There are two structures exhibiting the beautiful floors, a lovely visitor center and, of course, a gift shop. However, the best deals were from the street vendors along the pier. We made our "big" purchase, our door magnet, on the pier. Although this was an interesting stop, I'm not a huge Greek mythology fan. I did appreciate the tremendous effort that must have gone in to creating these beautiful mosaics. The pieces were so tiny and the designs were extremely intricate. Absolutely beautiful work.
We were on our way back to the ship. My eye was starting to swell so I was glad to get back to our room and relax. Next, on to Greece!!!!
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