Greetings!
On our last full day in Cyprus, we decided to take the car east of Larnaca to the southeastern tip of the island (and of Europe) to where frequently it's necessary to use dune buggies and four-wheel drive vehicles. We were not disappointed with the ocean views, the pearly white sands, and the rugged cliffs dropping into some of the bluest and clearest water I've seen.
It wasn't surprising that the town of
Ayia Napa has attracted a couple of high-rise buildings, and several resorts on the beachfronts. Nearby one of them is a burial tomb site, constructed in Roman times with a dozen deep caves carved into the limestone rock. Yea, if I was a rich Roman merchant, I'd want my last days and beyond to be yards from these beaches. Rivals anything Malibu has to offer.
But the absolute topper for the day, as anyone following this blog will guess, is the
Thalassa Municipal Museum. It was founded and directed by the Pierides Foundation, the same family which brought the two Cyprus Museums in Larnaca and Nicosia (also Athens). This is the first museum of its kind across the Mediterranean region to present the impact and significance of the sea upon the history of the island. The museum incorporates seven levels within a three-story building made of marble, onyx, wood, metal, and other unique experiences appealing to all of our senses with its birds eye view.
Its paleontological, geological, archeological marine-life exhibits are presented in underground showcases, where visitors are able to walk and view from the all perspectives. Pat and I found the descriptions in the cases some of the best explanations of the many important time periods which frame the last six thousand years of area history. Definitely worth the trip out to this coast.
Tomorrow, we fly to Malta, to join a tour with five others hosted by a company from San Rafael in Northern California. We'll be staying in a single hotel, and taking day-trips all over the island.
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