Larnaca and Leaving Cyprus to Egypt

Larnaca is our last stop on the Island of Cyprus. We arrive to find that every second person speaks Russian, a lot have migrated from the Baltic countries to find work, others who have come in to money have purchased holiday apartments in the area.

Nice name for a kids clothing store.

First order of business, sightseeing:

Church of Saint Lazarus. Lazarus was a follower of Jesus, who lived in Bethany (near Jerusalem). Jesus hears news that Lazarus is ill but decides to wait it out a couple of days before heading over.

By the time Jesus gets to Bethany, he finds that Lazarus has died and been in his tomb for four days. Martha, Lazarus' sister is upset that Jesus was too late to save her brother. Jesus replies "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die".

Jesus then proceeds to visit the tomb, has the stone rolled away and calls for Lazarus to come out from his tomb. Lazarus is miraculously alive again.

According to the legend, after the resurrection of Christ, there began in Judea, the persecution of the Christians; then Lazarus sought refuge in Cyprus, in ancient Kition (modern Larnaca), where he became the first bishop of Kition. Here he lived for about thirty years and here he was buried for the second and last time. Over his tomb there was erected, 1100 years ago, the magnificent Byzantine Church we see today.

Looking out from Larnaca Castle. Built in 1625 by the Ottomans, and located in the Turkish quarter opposite the mosque (pictured later). Originally used to defend the Turkish harbour, then converted to a prison. Acted as a German outpost in WWI.

Buyuk Kebir Cami

We head to the airport for our flight to Cairo, Egypt. The plane is delayed by twenty minutes and a storm breaks out. All hell breaks lose and for the next couple of hours, we contemplate the idea of having to spend a night at the airport.

The airline hands out food coupons to the value of $3 per person and between myself, my sister and my dad, we have $21 which we spend on a great dinner.

Eventually the storm stops and we take off, four hours later than we should have.