Last week, my Toyota Europe colleagues and I had to endure a week on the Mediterranean resort of Cyprus, for a conference among all of the Toyota distributors in Europe...
Cyprus is the third-largest island in the Mediterranean, just behind Sicily and Sardinia. Geographically, it is located just south of Turkey, west of Lebanon, a little southeast of Greece and north of Egypt. ( I just learned all of this prior to my departure...)
Besides being a popular resort destination for Russian and British tourists, Cyprus has such a fascinating history, both real and mythical. Egyptians, Persians, Greeks and the British have all had their turns ruling Cyprus. Alexander the Great was said to have conquered Cyprus, because he enjoyed spending his summers there...
But, probably Cyprus' claim to fame is being the mythological birthplace of Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love! (Although Adonis and Pygmalion were also born here, they don't get top billing...) And recently, there has been strong speculation that the lost city of Atlantis lies underneath where Cyprus is now.
But today, visitors are attracted to not only Cyprus' beaches and resorts, but to ancient attractions such as Kourion, the Greco-Roman amphitheater overlooking the ocean. And also to the adjoining bath houses, that are said to go back over 8,000 years!
If I have learned anything during this week, it is that Cypriots (yup, that's what they call themselves) love to party! Here is shot of our group enjoying a nice meal at a traditional Cyprus restaurant, followed by live local entertainment.
And, here is our waiter bringing all of the drinks that we ordered! (actually, he was the star of the dinner show and could pretty much balance everything we threw at him)
Toyota people hate to be outdone, so here is my Norwegian buddy Erik, taking on the challenge! Go Erik!
Cyprus is a beautiful island resort with nice beaches, warm waters and friendly people. If you ever get the chance to visit (even for work!), you owe it to yourself to do so...
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