Cyprus - The Island of Sunshine and the Goddess of Love
By Cruising With Honey - 16:59
Cyprus - The Island of Sunshine and the Goddess of Love
There are some places in the world you have a very clear idea about, the landmarks or must-see tourist spots. This wasn’t the case for me with Cyprus.
Still coming down from the high that was my spectacular day in Egypt, I was not expecting too much from our next stop. As Celestyal Journey made her way to Cyprus, I was looking forward to a pleasant day. Little did I know this would be one of the most surprising stops on my three-continent cruise.
Docking at Limassol, the coaches were lined up at the port to take eager cruisers to discover this island country, and particularly the city of Paphos. With my history buff daughter in tow, today was all about her seeing some archaeological sites and learning more about the deep history. I just wanted to eat haloumi cheese.
But before we could get to mosaics and ruins, the coach made a stop which literally took my breath away.
Still coming down from the high that was my spectacular day in Egypt, I was not expecting too much from our next stop. As Celestyal Journey made her way to Cyprus, I was looking forward to a pleasant day. Little did I know this would be one of the most surprising stops on my three-continent cruise.
Docking at Limassol, the coaches were lined up at the port to take eager cruisers to discover this island country, and particularly the city of Paphos. With my history buff daughter in tow, today was all about her seeing some archaeological sites and learning more about the deep history. I just wanted to eat haloumi cheese.
But before we could get to mosaics and ruins, the coach made a stop which literally took my breath away.
Aphrodite's Rock
The coach pulled over, the passengers piled out and right before our eyes was a place that unsurprisingly inspired legendary tales of beauty and love.
This was Aphrodite’s Rock. How did I NOT know this wonder existed? WHY haven’t I read about this before and HOW can natural beauty like this actually be real?
Rays of golden light hit the deep blue water like a laser, piercing and pristine. The white cliffs rose high and majestic, creating an enclave where I was sure the goddess herself was going to emerge on a seashell from the churning waves below escorted by sweet cherubs and a choir of angels.
Standing there, it was easy to see how the myth that this was the birthplace of Aphrodite came about. I yearned to swim in the beckoning waters below, but the stop was brief and we needed to keep moving.
Rays of golden light hit the deep blue water like a laser, piercing and pristine. The white cliffs rose high and majestic, creating an enclave where I was sure the goddess herself was going to emerge on a seashell from the churning waves below escorted by sweet cherubs and a choir of angels.
Standing there, it was easy to see how the myth that this was the birthplace of Aphrodite came about. I yearned to swim in the beckoning waters below, but the stop was brief and we needed to keep moving.
Royal-type tombs
I walked into several tombs, taking the steep stone steps down into the final resting places of Paphitic aristocrats. The magnificent tombs were very well preserved, but I have to admit it was actually a little bit eerie. I’m guessing that the state of these tombs is due to the glorious weather Cyprus boasts.
Did you know that it is sunny on Cyprus between 300 to 350 days of the year?
Mosaics of art
Finally, our last stop was the archaeological park, a listed UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here my daughter was in her element. We explored the large estate, including the vilas of Dionysos, Theseus, Aion and Orpheus where we ooh’s and ahh’d over the stunning mosaics. These are among the finest in the Mediterranean and were discovered by accident by a farmer in 1962. Incredible!
The day wasn’t complete yet – I was still to try the local haloumi. I could not have come all the way over here and NOT tuck into my favouite cheese.
As I took my first mouthful and watched one of the most stunning sunsets over the harbour, I knew at the at moment, that Cyprus had completely and utterly stolen my heart.
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