holidays in Cyprus
Time of stay from 07.10. 2017 to 13.10. 2017 Harmony bay hotel 3*, Limassol Biblioglobus tour operator
This is not our first trip to Cyprus, and again to Limassol.
Let's start with the fact that Rossiya airline's flight from Tyumen to Cyprus was delayed for 3 hours, however, soft drinks were offered at the airport.
Arrived in Larnaca at lunchtime. The weather is comfortable: in the afternoon +27-28 C. Meeting with the transfer guide at the airport and transfer to the hotel within 1.5 hours. The hotel is a decent 3-storey treshka on the seashore, interiors without "troubles", in the style of "Ikea". Meals are half board, although it is possible for an extra charge and all inclusive. Russian-speaking employee at the reception, works 5 days a week - 2 days off. The rest of the staff in Russian is generally not “boom-boom”. Wi-fi 10 euros per day throughout the hotel. There is a free gym on the ground floor. The rooms are spacious enough.
The "Standard" has a view of the neighboring building and a piece of the sea, the room has 2 single beds, a TV (3 Russian channels), air conditioning, a hairdryer, a safe (extra charge), a shower cabin in the bathroom, shampoo and liquid soap are always in abundance . It is possible to borrow a mini fridge for a fee. Cleaning daily, change of linen and towels 2p/week. Hotel guide Olga provided all the information about the country, city, hotel, excursions, car rental (somewhat more expensive than in a rent a car in the city). The guide did not feel much joy from meeting with the guests and interest, everything was rather dry and restrained and with a stone face without a shadow of a smile, apparently by the end of the season she was already "tired" of all of us. The hotel has a small swimming pool and a slab area for relaxing by the sea. Umbrellas and sun loungers by the pool and the sea are free of charge, you can take towels from the room. Entrance to the sea along the ladder, for comfort, sandbags were placed under the feet. The water is clean, invigorating +23.
Nearby there is a free piece of volcanic sand beach, the entrance to the sea is a fairly large pebble. As elsewhere in Cyprus, there are many kind cats of various colors. Nearby there is a eucalyptus park with benches and sea views, where you can breathe in environmentally friendly air. Behind the hotel there is a bus stop number 30 (goes to the port of the marina and the old town) The price of a single ticket is 1.5 euros per person. Near the hotel there is a bank, a pharmacy, a police station, a supermarket, many souvenir shops and cafes. At 500 m cooking "Sigma" with delicious pastries. 750 m from the hotel, next to the "Oval" (office center in the shape of an egg), the multi-brand shopping center "Debenhams". Somewhere in 1.5 km from the hotel is the Jumbo hypermarket with a variety of goods, but more emphasis on the children's assortment. To the port of the marina and the old town about 6 km, it's 20 min. by bus or 2 hours walking along the promenade.
Walking along the embankment on the way to the old town, you can see the surroundings and take good photos. There is nothing much to see in the port and the old town. There is a large souvenir center where you can buy everything that is in the shops of Cyprus + Dead Sea cosmetics (prices are reasonable). The tour operator’s tour has been updated a little, several new ones have been added, and they stopped taking them to northern Cyprus, which is a pity. There is something to see. For excursions, Biblioglobus now has seasonal discounts: "Orthodox heritage of Cyprus" (monasteries of Troodos) 40 euros per person. A trip to Israel for 1 day with a discount costs 230 euros per person. The price includes flights, breakfast + lunch, Bethlehem (Church of the Nativity), Dead Sea and Jerusalem (Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Wailing Wall) + souvenir shops. We took this excursion, it turned out to be quite difficult, because almost a day on the road of rest and without sleep + airports-flights-inspections.
We were picked up from the hotel at 4 am and returned home at 2:30 am the next day. The guide Alena from Biblioglobus, who accompanied us from Cyprus to Israel, was no good at all. She was first seen on a plane before flying to Tel Aviv, back - the same story. Accordingly, all the inspections and the endless labyrinths of the airport passed by themselves as best they could, and with Israeli security it’s still a pleasure... Alena didn’t even think to check the number of tourists when flying back and forth. so that maybe someone did not return from the holy land or did not fly to it ...)) There are no questions for the Israeli guide Margarita - experience, professionalism, clarity. She had everything under control both in terms of tourists and the situation in places of stay and was regulated in time. Somewhat strained explicit focus on additional earnings on tourists. In Bethlehem, an hour was spent on a shop with religious paraphernalia (not cheap, by the way).
As we were told, this is the only place on our excursion route where you can buy icons of candles and crosses to consecrate in churches, because in Israel it is not customary to trade in churches, as we do in Russia. In fact, you could buy candles and oil in the temple, but naturally cheaper. . . The same story at the Dead Sea - more than an hour for a cosmetics store and 30-40 minutes at the sea, where these cosmetics were naturally cheaper. In Jerusalem, in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, an unpleasant incident generally happened. Our group was allowed not to stand in the general flow of tourists from all over the world to venerate the shrine and light a candle, and they offered to leave a donation to the temple at our discretion in a box.
The most “interesting” thing began when the clergyman stood and supervised who left how many donations, and if, in his opinion, they gave little money (as it turned out, 2 euros was not money at all), then with the words “Very bad”, returned the donation and sent it to the exit, without giving the opportunity to put a candle... But that's not all. When it was time to say goodbye at the airport to the guide and the driver who took us around Israel, the bus, we were offered to thank the driver with money, but they warned that they do not accept small coins in the bank of Israel ...)) So there was some sediment left from staying on the holy land. . . After this, you begin to respect the Cypriots even more, and especially the clergy in Torodos, because there are no such obvious requisitions there. In general, the holiday was a success! I recommend to everyone who has not been to Cyprus to visit at least once, but it is only necessary to go to the mountains and visit the monasteries to see the real Cyprus.
