We were on the road for over 24 hours. Edie began copping a totally bad attitude at the airport when she was told their seats were in the middle of the middle aisle. But the bad energy started before that when the United Airlines computer system went down and there was only one agent to check everyone in. We did meet a lovely young couple from San Francisco and heard great UPS stories delivering in SF.
But upon boarding the plane, Edie discovered the middle aisle was only three seats and hers was in the fron row with plenty of leg room and easy access to get up and around. This was an important lesson for her and she apoligized to the her travelling companions.
The next trial was landing in Dulles....on a prior visit it was complete bedlam, but this time was so easy...and all four team red bags arrived. The only drama was when Sabrina and Michael checked voice mail and work. There was an escape by Cooper (he's safe), a marriage split (they've reconsidered and are entering counseling) and a key personnel quitting (a replacement is working out wonderfully). So all in all, the world continued on quite well in our absence. Oh, and all four team red bags arrived and the limos were waiting to take us home.
We're back in our homes....our own beds, our own toilets, our own pets (kitty witty was ecstatic upon our return)...and the suitcases are upacked, laundry is in process, photos are uploaded and ready to print.
Now we begin planning for next year!
Friday, October 31, 2008
Rome...the last day
Checking our location...do we look as dog tired as we were feeling?
Our walk through historical sites.
We ate our last vacation dinner at a place next to the Trevi Fountain. The table next to us ended up with two couples....from Almaden! And the one guy is a commercial broker who worked with CoAmerica bank on a lease on Main Street Pleasanton...small world.
The good weather lasted all day...until we were eating....then the skies opened up. The good thing is the streets were deserted and we were the only people at Trevi Fountain.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
The Flood
Last night, along with the thunder and lightening, there was plenty of water. Our hotel got flooded! The rooms on the first floor are soaked. Good thing we're on the second floor. The drains must not have worked very well and the water came in over the door sills. The computers in the public area were damaged, along with the rugs, etc. We're using our laptop again...along with the WiFi. We have no access to Sabrina's email and it's making her crazy. We were able to check the Sharks game results too.
Upon our return to mainland Rome....
We happened upon a student demonstration when we detoured to the Piazza Navona. The high school students are not happy because the new conservative government has axed 18,000 teachers that were added under the former liberal government (that ramped up spending and government services over a short period). Now there's not too much money. Sound familiar? It's all the same.
There was tear gas, Polizia in riot gear, Carbiniera, paddy wagons, bull horns...and students running every where....rampaging through the streets. Actually they looked like hormonal teens. Oh, and they are totally in to saggy pants here too.
We also met James, a scout for the Royal Canadien army on leave from Khandahar, Afghanistan....and an Obama supporter. He spent a great deal of time and effort explaining American politics to us. Why is everyone explaining American politics to Americans?
There was tear gas, Polizia in riot gear, Carbiniera, paddy wagons, bull horns...and students running every where....rampaging through the streets. Actually they looked like hormonal teens. Oh, and they are totally in to saggy pants here too.
We also met James, a scout for the Royal Canadien army on leave from Khandahar, Afghanistan....and an Obama supporter. He spent a great deal of time and effort explaining American politics to us. Why is everyone explaining American politics to Americans?
Our Audience with the Pope
We walked to the Vatican to see the Pieta again, unbeknownst to us, our petition for an audience with the Pope was granted. Unfortunately the Pope invited thousands of others! We entered St. Peter's Square on a Wednesday around 11, and the Pope arrives in his G Series MBZ..not the Pope mobile. He was about 20 feet away from us and looked right at us. Then we heard Paul's letter to the church at Corinth in about 7 different languages. We didn't hang around for the whole thing....we exited to the souvenier shops. The guys tired after one, so they sat on a bench and smoked Cubanitos. Everyone was happy.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Italians and Politics
They all ask us about the election and they all like McCain...go figure. In fact in all three countries we have visited, they like McCain. They are in to it more than we are....our cab driver, who could barely speak English, starting telling us how Bush is a cowboy stupido...but that when they say that McCain is like Bush they are wrong...and that Obama is a socialist which is not good for America...because however America goes, Europe is affected (or is it effected?)
We were so looking forward to missing the election stuff and then here it is.
We were so looking forward to missing the election stuff and then here it is.
We got mini-hustled
Left Sorrento just as the weather turned windy and rainy. Took a private driver and van to the train station in Naples. This station is where you actually experience all those crime stories you hear about travelling in big cities. We were warned by Patricia, our travel agent, to be careful...and Rick Steves too. We were just fine...except for this one little old man. He was wearing a °Goodwill° hand me down jacket from the train officials...the patch had been ripped off, just like we were about to be. Our first clue should have been his missing teeth....his English was good and he acted very official. Edie figured it out right away....Sabrina was looking out for the wild gypsy guy. The guys were watching over us, and being WAY too nice. The old guy did help us out...by getting us to the right train (which we could have done on our own) and reminding us to stamp our tickets (which Rick Steves told us about) and carrying our bags on the train (which we could also do)...Michael Neu was going to give him a 2 euro tip...Dave offered him 5 euro...and he would not leave until we gave him 10 euro. But at least he gave us a story to blog about.
Train ride was uneventful....got to Rome and it was sunny until we went out walking around the town. Dave and Edie were not as prepared as Michael and Sabrina....they left their rain coats and umbrellas at the hotel. Edie paid 5 euro for an umbrella from an illegal immigrant near the Trevi Fountain that fell apart before we got back to the hotel.
We had gelato, toured the Pantheon, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, and some random church....plenty of shopping and a good dinner. Funny thing is that it was a place we had eaten at when we were here before.
It is a little different here from 4 years ago...definite Asian influence and they are out on the street trying to get us to eat at places that made us wait until 7 when they opened last time...now they are open all the time.
Just as we were walking back to the hotel....the thunder and lightening began in earnest....it is pouring now.
Tomorrow we visit the Pope.
Ciao!
Train ride was uneventful....got to Rome and it was sunny until we went out walking around the town. Dave and Edie were not as prepared as Michael and Sabrina....they left their rain coats and umbrellas at the hotel. Edie paid 5 euro for an umbrella from an illegal immigrant near the Trevi Fountain that fell apart before we got back to the hotel.
We had gelato, toured the Pantheon, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, and some random church....plenty of shopping and a good dinner. Funny thing is that it was a place we had eaten at when we were here before.
It is a little different here from 4 years ago...definite Asian influence and they are out on the street trying to get us to eat at places that made us wait until 7 when they opened last time...now they are open all the time.
Just as we were walking back to the hotel....the thunder and lightening began in earnest....it is pouring now.
Tomorrow we visit the Pope.
Ciao!
Monday, October 27, 2008
Santorini, Greece photos
It really is this beautiful in real life.
Some perspective on our hike up the donkey trail
Istanbul photos
Our rug demonstration....set up at the uncle's rug shop
Learning ablution in front of the mosque from our guide
Learning how to stand on the prayer rug in the mosque
Bad Hair Day
Since breakfast, Sabrina must have mentioned...oh at least 20 times...that she hated the hotel hair dryer. It's a flex tube that looks like a vacuum hose...has cool air and no power. She was really not liking her hair. So we arrive in Capri and this women stops Sabrina and asked her, in Italian, where she got her hair cut. Sabrina tells her California, and she said told her it was fabulous.
So Michael begins telling her she doesn't need a $200 hair dryer with 7,000 watts of power...he'll just blow on it for free. Dave jumps in to say that "When you think you're having a bad hair day...it really looks good. So...those days when you look you're having a good hair day.....not so good". That stopped her in her tracks.
So Michael begins telling her she doesn't need a $200 hair dryer with 7,000 watts of power...he'll just blow on it for free. Dave jumps in to say that "When you think you're having a bad hair day...it really looks good. So...those days when you look you're having a good hair day.....not so good". That stopped her in her tracks.
Our New Best Friends in Capri
Carlos and Nina waving from their villa with the panorama...
Today we took a ferry from Sorrento to Capri (Kap-ree...not Ka-pree like the pants) and we walked all over...up and down. Michael has set a 5 mile per day minimum. So we trudge up the side of the hill....Michael takes the lead...pretending to be a race car drive....pointing out "land minds" left by those cute dogs....calling out the grade...telling us when to down shift in to granny. But then when the younguns passed us up, he picked up the pace and told us to take the inside lane. Edie was at the back drafting off the others.
Sabrina stopped to look at a little well in the front court yard, and this 84 year old guy, Carlos, steps out on his porch and asked us where we were from...then his wife, Nina, came out too. They were so funny, and they invited us in to their home to show us around. They showed us their "panorama", view...which was totally awesome. Nina took Edie and Sabrina in to her bedroom to show them a certificate from the Pope commemorating their 50 years of marriage in 2005. Anyway, Carlos was very enfatuated with Sabrina...he had her turn around for her panorama. I mean, you cannot make this stuff up. Michael was a little jealous, but mostly annoyed because he wanted to eat lunch. But then Carlos told us it was time to go because he had to eat his lunch.
Photos!
Nancy and Marty (aka El Tigre) dancing in their matching outfits
The Cigar smoking guys....Michael, El Tigre, and Dave
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Today we see the Gypsies
We're on the commuter train (Dave called it the circumcision train...the Italian name looks like that word) and about 4 stops in, two couples with strollers and children got on. We realized they were gypies when they walked up and asked for money. One of the young women, holding a large toddler.....her bare breast dripping mother's milk...no hooter hider for her. That's what Dave saw as he turned to respond to her question in a foreign dialect. Then they had their 6 yr. old daughter work the train. It is just so sad and odd. The entire families just looked like mongrels.
It was sunny and about 80 today as be strolled through Pompeii. We are so smart now that we can identify columns and building styles. At least Dave can....the rest of us are lucky guessers. We didn't hire a guide, we used Rick Steve's.
We had pizza and salad in Piazza Tasso, then walked all over Sorrento. We made a few purchases..Sabrina this time...plus Cuban cigars for the guys. This town is known for lemons...limoncello, a very high alcohol content, is available all over....Sabrina had a sample and we thought she was going to spit it out all over the poor sales lady.
The other funny thing is when we went in to this wonderful cathedral, it's famous for the inlaid wood design on the doors. Inside, there was an American priest performing a service in English. Then, the lighting of candles is actually flipping a switch to light the light on the candle...no flame, actually a light bulb.
When we returned to our hotel, they apologized and have us in junior suites....large for Europe, but normal for US. Michael and Sabrina's have a terrace and stairs up to their bathroom. Dave and Edie have floor to ceiling windows on two walls and a Cleopatra couch. There's hygiene wash by the bidet and a high tech shower which shows the temperature and a mirror to shave.
This connection is better, so we're going to possibly put some photos up. But now, we go to dinner.
Ciao!
It was sunny and about 80 today as be strolled through Pompeii. We are so smart now that we can identify columns and building styles. At least Dave can....the rest of us are lucky guessers. We didn't hire a guide, we used Rick Steve's.
We had pizza and salad in Piazza Tasso, then walked all over Sorrento. We made a few purchases..Sabrina this time...plus Cuban cigars for the guys. This town is known for lemons...limoncello, a very high alcohol content, is available all over....Sabrina had a sample and we thought she was going to spit it out all over the poor sales lady.
The other funny thing is when we went in to this wonderful cathedral, it's famous for the inlaid wood design on the doors. Inside, there was an American priest performing a service in English. Then, the lighting of candles is actually flipping a switch to light the light on the candle...no flame, actually a light bulb.
When we returned to our hotel, they apologized and have us in junior suites....large for Europe, but normal for US. Michael and Sabrina's have a terrace and stairs up to their bathroom. Dave and Edie have floor to ceiling windows on two walls and a Cleopatra couch. There's hygiene wash by the bidet and a high tech shower which shows the temperature and a mirror to shave.
This connection is better, so we're going to possibly put some photos up. But now, we go to dinner.
Ciao!
Saturday events..end of the cruise
We said our fond farewells to Nancy & Marty...they said they're in mourning and will no longer dress alike! It was an event landing in Athens....along with 6 other ships and 50,000 people (may be a little overstating the number...but not much). We found our ride, we had a bus for 20+ all to ourselves...then we met Yolanda, our guide. She's highly educated chimney smoking hippie. We learned WAY more than we ever wanted to about the Acropolis, ancient Greek history and architecture. We met up with the 50,000 people atop the Acropolis.
Then Yolanda left us and the driver gave us an extra hour tour...which we enjoyed more than Yolanda. We're seeing a trend here...we like the help...we hang better with them.
Then we were off on our flight from Athens to Milan, in northern Italy....then from Milan to Naples...check a map...it's like flying to Seattle from Vegas to get to Los Angeles. Then the fun begins....well, there was the plane full of Italian business men all talking loudly at the same time and the guy in front of Michael and Sabrina coughing and sneezing. Back to our arrival in Naples....our four bags were the first on the belt and then the driver was waiting was waiting for us. He was a little ADHD who we couldn't understand what he was saying. A normal one hour drive took almost 2....he said all the young people were driving to the Disco....we would see about 50 young people hanging out on the side of the road and then a food wagon (or roach coach or taco truck) was there selling food. Dave's theory is they go to the dark side of the road for privacy, work up a hunger, and then the food truck arrives.
Then the real fun started....Edie & Sabrina walk in to the hotel at 10:30 and the guy behind the desk begins a controlled panic when we hand him the voucher. He ran to his "assoicate" and then he got a third person. It seems there were no rooms. Dave and Michael came in,....with the ADHD driver still hanging around....all 4 begin speaking excitedly in Italian (is there any other way they speak?).....Sabrina and Edie sat on the bench laughing at the whole thing. We ended up next door in this modern style hotel for the night.
But now we're back in the groove...had a spectacularly fresh breakfast (Sabrina and Dave have decided that Michael and Edie have an enabling food bond) and we're headed out on a train to Pompeii. We can't wreck that...it's already destroyed!
Ciao!
Then Yolanda left us and the driver gave us an extra hour tour...which we enjoyed more than Yolanda. We're seeing a trend here...we like the help...we hang better with them.
Then we were off on our flight from Athens to Milan, in northern Italy....then from Milan to Naples...check a map...it's like flying to Seattle from Vegas to get to Los Angeles. Then the fun begins....well, there was the plane full of Italian business men all talking loudly at the same time and the guy in front of Michael and Sabrina coughing and sneezing. Back to our arrival in Naples....our four bags were the first on the belt and then the driver was waiting was waiting for us. He was a little ADHD who we couldn't understand what he was saying. A normal one hour drive took almost 2....he said all the young people were driving to the Disco....we would see about 50 young people hanging out on the side of the road and then a food wagon (or roach coach or taco truck) was there selling food. Dave's theory is they go to the dark side of the road for privacy, work up a hunger, and then the food truck arrives.
Then the real fun started....Edie & Sabrina walk in to the hotel at 10:30 and the guy behind the desk begins a controlled panic when we hand him the voucher. He ran to his "assoicate" and then he got a third person. It seems there were no rooms. Dave and Michael came in,....with the ADHD driver still hanging around....all 4 begin speaking excitedly in Italian (is there any other way they speak?).....Sabrina and Edie sat on the bench laughing at the whole thing. We ended up next door in this modern style hotel for the night.
But now we're back in the groove...had a spectacularly fresh breakfast (Sabrina and Dave have decided that Michael and Edie have an enabling food bond) and we're headed out on a train to Pompeii. We can't wreck that...it's already destroyed!
Ciao!
Friday, October 24, 2008
Leaving the ship
We loved our last stop...we walked 2+ miles to town, up the hills and through the town, then back to the tender another 2+ miles. Very low key town.
Edie got a little sea sick and missed dinner...not alarming to miss a meal. We're all packed up and ready for a critical day....pick up for private tour of Athens (Acropolis, etc.), two flights to Naples, private driver to Sorrento. We're looking forward to Italy and fresh food. We should have better internet connections and possibly load up some photos...there's plenty of evidence of a good time.
it's sad to leave Nancy & Tiger, but we're ready for the next part of the adventure.
Miss you all...Love the four of us.
Edie got a little sea sick and missed dinner...not alarming to miss a meal. We're all packed up and ready for a critical day....pick up for private tour of Athens (Acropolis, etc.), two flights to Naples, private driver to Sorrento. We're looking forward to Italy and fresh food. We should have better internet connections and possibly load up some photos...there's plenty of evidence of a good time.
it's sad to leave Nancy & Tiger, but we're ready for the next part of the adventure.
Miss you all...Love the four of us.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Santorini, Greece
This is what you think of when you think of Greece....this is the town with with buildings and blue roofs. We loved this stop. We tendered in and then climbed 580+ steps up the side of the cliff...switch backs....among the donkey doo. There are two other ways up the cliff...by the cable car tram or riding a donkey...very few people climb...not sure if it's the physical demand or the stench..perhaps both.
There were several purchases for the Arterburn home...Dave did not receive support from Michael to stop the cash flow.
Last night was a Bar-B-Que dinner...in gale force winds. Then the staff put on a little show. We were on the back deck with our friends, Nancy and Marty (aka El Tigre). The guys were unable to secure cigars for the evening (they refused to pay 45 euro per) so Marty gave the guys a couple of his to smoke. We did add an attorney from Seattle to the group, just for the cigar.
Because of the weather, we are headed to Monemvasia, Greece instead of Mykonos. This is a much smaller place, but we think we'll enjoy it more since it isn't a huge tourist shopping place. Plus we have water sports today! we can kayak, ski, swim, etc.
It should be around 70 degrees and sunny. We're having good weather, but the sea is a bit rough. We're all handling it okay.
Edie has the laundry thing going....every night she's washing stuff out and hanging it in the shower...makes her feel at home.
The only bad part of the trip is CNN Europe....if you think CNN USA is bad....this is way worse.
There were several purchases for the Arterburn home...Dave did not receive support from Michael to stop the cash flow.
Last night was a Bar-B-Que dinner...in gale force winds. Then the staff put on a little show. We were on the back deck with our friends, Nancy and Marty (aka El Tigre). The guys were unable to secure cigars for the evening (they refused to pay 45 euro per) so Marty gave the guys a couple of his to smoke. We did add an attorney from Seattle to the group, just for the cigar.
Because of the weather, we are headed to Monemvasia, Greece instead of Mykonos. This is a much smaller place, but we think we'll enjoy it more since it isn't a huge tourist shopping place. Plus we have water sports today! we can kayak, ski, swim, etc.
It should be around 70 degrees and sunny. We're having good weather, but the sea is a bit rough. We're all handling it okay.
Edie has the laundry thing going....every night she's washing stuff out and hanging it in the shower...makes her feel at home.
The only bad part of the trip is CNN Europe....if you think CNN USA is bad....this is way worse.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Afternoon Update
We took a long walk today all along the water, at least 5 miles....at 80 degrees and tons of sun. We did a little shopping too. And let's just say that the shopkeepers were happy to see us leave. They had this team approach to shoppers, but they were no match for the four of us....we have our act down. They have rarely worked so hard for a sale. Michael felt so sorry for the last guys that he tipped them a Euro! It seems that Turkey is missing the large US presence of military at the air bases.
We did more reading and visiting with others. Oh, and those friendly dogs....a puppy bit one of the passengers and the doctor is now beginning rabie (sp?) shots on her.
We went for a raucous ride on the little Zodiac boat too.
And then there's the Greek dancers that gave a show.
Got to go and get cleaned up for dinner!
We did more reading and visiting with others. Oh, and those friendly dogs....a puppy bit one of the passengers and the doctor is now beginning rabie (sp?) shots on her.
We went for a raucous ride on the little Zodiac boat too.
And then there's the Greek dancers that gave a show.
Got to go and get cleaned up for dinner!
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
It's all Greek to me
We were able to simply walk off the ship in Rhodes, Greece but will be "tendering" in from the ship in Bodrum, Turkey. We'll ride a smaller boat fromt he ship to the dock. Today's weather will be 79 and sunny. Dave is the only one who thought to check the weather before we left and packed shorts and flip flops. The rest of us are wearing jeans....can't imagine this place in the summer.
We walked for miles yesterday in the old part of town. It's all walled off, as most of the old towns are.....cute little streets. And tons of laundry on clotheslines...right in the front doors! I know of a few people that would be having hissy fits. Oh, and we stopped at a Starbucks to get a water and use the WC.
Today we'll be walking the streets of Bodrum...our last stop in Turkey. Michael already told Sabrina she can't even slow down at a rug shop...he refuses to sit through another demonstration. No one wants a rug, but if you slow down they get you in to the shop.
Last night we played "Name that tune" in the lounge with the rest of the guests. And Tiger and Nancy were cutting the rug on the dance floor...the first ones on the dance floor were 87 and 74...oh to be like them....but they could really dance.
Well..we're off to breakfast...more food.
We walked for miles yesterday in the old part of town. It's all walled off, as most of the old towns are.....cute little streets. And tons of laundry on clotheslines...right in the front doors! I know of a few people that would be having hissy fits. Oh, and we stopped at a Starbucks to get a water and use the WC.
Today we'll be walking the streets of Bodrum...our last stop in Turkey. Michael already told Sabrina she can't even slow down at a rug shop...he refuses to sit through another demonstration. No one wants a rug, but if you slow down they get you in to the shop.
Last night we played "Name that tune" in the lounge with the rest of the guests. And Tiger and Nancy were cutting the rug on the dance floor...the first ones on the dance floor were 87 and 74...oh to be like them....but they could really dance.
Well..we're off to breakfast...more food.
Greece is the word....
Today we're docking in Rhodes, Greece. The weather is 75 and sunny. We have plenty of good photos, but we're using a satellite internet access which is painfully slow and we're paying by the minute. We're all doing great, except the food intake does not equal the food output. We're having the same trouble as our new friends, and the guys smokin' buddy, Tiger. He's 87 and his wife, Nancy, is 74. We run with a fast crowd.
We really don't have much to report because we're eating, sleeping, reading our books, and spending time with each other.
We're excited to see what Greece looks like, from the ship the shore looks like Nevada, a desert.
Oh, one really interesting thing is that the Turks really love animals. The cats and dogs run wild. No one really brings them to their own homes. They tag the ear of a dog to show that it has all it's shots and has been spayed/neutered. They're well fed, have good coats, and friendly. Sabrina talks to all the animals and they come to her, except they bolt when they figure out she doesn't have food!
We really don't have much to report because we're eating, sleeping, reading our books, and spending time with each other.
We're excited to see what Greece looks like, from the ship the shore looks like Nevada, a desert.
Oh, one really interesting thing is that the Turks really love animals. The cats and dogs run wild. No one really brings them to their own homes. They tag the ear of a dog to show that it has all it's shots and has been spayed/neutered. They're well fed, have good coats, and friendly. Sabrina talks to all the animals and they come to her, except they bolt when they figure out she doesn't have food!
Monday, October 20, 2008
We've adjusted our attitude about Turkey
We spent the day in Ephesus and believe our original idea about Turkey, based upon Istanbul, may have been in error. We pulled in to port at Kusadsi and it's a Mediterranean resort, more our speed. Great weather, 75 and sunny. The water is beautiful. We went to the ruins in Ephesus....very interesting history and wonderful guide..he didn't pimp us to a rug shop....and we could understand him.
We are well fed on this ship...girls are having spa treatments and the guys are buying Cuban cigars to smoke with their new friend Tiger....he's 87 years old and chasing his lovely wife around.....oh to be like them.
We're headed to the bazaar to buy junk this afternoon. Great textiles here, Carol K. would go nuts.
Oh, and we learned what a Narthex is! We'll tell Diane all about it.
We are well fed on this ship...girls are having spa treatments and the guys are buying Cuban cigars to smoke with their new friend Tiger....he's 87 years old and chasing his lovely wife around.....oh to be like them.
We're headed to the bazaar to buy junk this afternoon. Great textiles here, Carol K. would go nuts.
Oh, and we learned what a Narthex is! We'll tell Diane all about it.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Been There, Done That
We're really glad we went to istanbul, but we're not coming back. it's just not us. And now we know what it would be like to vacation in iraq! The people were very nice, and like Americans...or American money..who knows? There's just something wrong with women running around in Burquas (sp?)....no eye candy for the guys...well except for their wives.
Bad food, watery wine, dark and drab landscape...now let's move on to a positive....We love the ship, Windstar....not too many people, great accomodations, great food (and plenty of it...Spencer and Jon have their work cut out). We're at sea today...lounging around and reading our books....tomorrow we start our sightseeing on a tour in Ephesus.
Bad food, watery wine, dark and drab landscape...now let's move on to a positive....We love the ship, Windstar....not too many people, great accomodations, great food (and plenty of it...Spencer and Jon have their work cut out). We're at sea today...lounging around and reading our books....tomorrow we start our sightseeing on a tour in Ephesus.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Exotic or Annoying?
Waking up at 6 with prayers.....it sounds a bit like melodious moaning. Dave thought it annoying. Not quite the same intensity as evening prayers.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Istanbul was Once Constantinople
Why it changes is nobody's business but the Turks....that's the song Wes & Diane Wolford sang to us as they drove us to BART. So now we're singing it...and those are the only words we know!
Here's a link to take a tour of our hotel
After 22 hours of travel we have arrived. As we flew in, the scene was rows and rows of high density housing. Oh, and the prayer towers next to all the mosques. A little different than the Bay Area.
We ate at the hotel on the terrace...soup and salad all around. The guys shared wine and the girls shared water. Until Sabrina got the waiter going and he was working on his tip....he brought the girls fresh orange juice and told Sabrina it was wine...which got her amped up a bit. Then later he brought desserts to share....a molten chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream with berry sauce. And we were serenaded with Andre Bocelli on the overhead speakers and the night prayers/chants from the nearby Mosques. They meet at the mosque each night for the fifth (not to drink a fifth) round of prayer. Not a chance any of us will be converting to that faith.
Oh, and there are MANY websites that are blocked by the Turkish government. Odd ones, makes you wonder.
Our day is planned for tomorrow.....meet for breakfast at 7:30, private tour at 9 until 3, then we get picked up and taken to the dock to board the ship which departs at 5. So much to do....
Here's a link to take a tour of our hotel
After 22 hours of travel we have arrived. As we flew in, the scene was rows and rows of high density housing. Oh, and the prayer towers next to all the mosques. A little different than the Bay Area.
We ate at the hotel on the terrace...soup and salad all around. The guys shared wine and the girls shared water. Until Sabrina got the waiter going and he was working on his tip....he brought the girls fresh orange juice and told Sabrina it was wine...which got her amped up a bit. Then later he brought desserts to share....a molten chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream with berry sauce. And we were serenaded with Andre Bocelli on the overhead speakers and the night prayers/chants from the nearby Mosques. They meet at the mosque each night for the fifth (not to drink a fifth) round of prayer. Not a chance any of us will be converting to that faith.
Oh, and there are MANY websites that are blocked by the Turkish government. Odd ones, makes you wonder.
Our day is planned for tomorrow.....meet for breakfast at 7:30, private tour at 9 until 3, then we get picked up and taken to the dock to board the ship which departs at 5. So much to do....
We're Packed and Ready to Go
We're all packed, passports copied, paperwork in order, and ready to go. We're beginning our adventure at 9 am when we are picked up by the Wolford Express (aka Diane) and dropped off at BART. The limo was $140 and BART is $20 and we didn't want to make anyone drive to SFO.
We have an 11 hour flight to Frankfurt, Germany then about 3 hours to Istanbul, Turkey. For your reference, Turkey is in the Eastern European time zone, or 10 hours ahead of California.
It's sad to leave our lovely home. We can see why Jesse & Lucille never wanted to wander afar. This is like a resort!
Sunday, October 12, 2008
That Was Fun, I Think....
The big shindig was last night, our "Mission Accomplished" party. We're novices at entertaining, much less large groups, fortunately we have friends and family that love us and pitch in to bail us out. Dave and I never had the time to eat! We had people arriving 40 minutes EARLY!
I didn't even get to tell my lovely niece, Michelle, that she looked absolutely beautiful...or to check out her shoes because she was having a very tall day. And I didn't get to talk to her boyfriend, Rob, (other than to harass him about a possible wedding) about the house in Boulder Creek... I may have a client that has a son who has been looking for a place to rent or buy there.
We think everyone had a good time, we barely had time to talk to anyone because we were docents...leading tours. We weren't even taking photos..imagine that.
Jessica and Wills received their wedding quilt from Granny...it is beautiful.
The house is officially our home and no longer a construction zone (and yeah, we still love our contractors...Millennium Enterprises). Now we can go on vacation!
Thursday, October 9, 2008
I Wish I Took a Photo...
The classroom looks so fun...not bad at all for our first try. I've been buying stuff (my first foray deep into the craft world....Tuesday Mornings and Boswells and Richards) for Jessica's classroom. At the suggestion of my good friend and crafty person extraordinaire, Margaret, I went to Richards all the way out in Livermore. I love that store and the people are so helpful. All the Halloween stuff is 50% off! I found the most wonderful vulture. I wish I could be there when the children walk in tomorrow.
I am not very fond of the white spider web stuff. It is just way too messy for me. You have to be very unstructed and that's not me. It's good to get outside of the lines.
I think Jessica was very pleased with the outcome. We're talking about what to do in the next few months. She is giving me more and more guidelines and restrictions, but I can work with that.
Oh, I almost forgot......I bought a fog machine!
I am not very fond of the white spider web stuff. It is just way too messy for me. You have to be very unstructed and that's not me. It's good to get outside of the lines.
I think Jessica was very pleased with the outcome. We're talking about what to do in the next few months. She is giving me more and more guidelines and restrictions, but I can work with that.
Oh, I almost forgot......I bought a fog machine!
Monday, October 6, 2008
Monday, Monday
Today was my first day in 5th Grade. I worked in my sweet daughter's classroom. I filed away paperwork for a couple of hours while the classroom hummed along in controlled chaos. The kids are really calm and quiet and Jessica does a marvelous job. But she just instructs them on their task and in comes someone to take the entire classroom out to test their hearing. This is the perfect place to do screening, but it does disrupt the teaching. Then they were off to lunch, only to return to the D.A.R.E. instruction. The statistics on this program are not good, but everyone feels good about it. But again, it takes away from teaching time. In order to cover the material, there's homework....then people talk about all the homework their child has. It is a vicious cycle.
i was horrified that the bulletin boards had not been updated for the fall season, but that will be changing soon. After my daughter took me to lunch, she even paid for it, I went off to Boswell's and bought plenty of stuff for the boards. They will be updated shortly.
Oh, and I'm to wear a hideous neon orange sticky tag....that won't be happening without serious modifications.
Then the evening is tutoring the Wills, Jessica taking control of the remote (During the MLB playoff where the Angels choke and the Bosox live for the next level) and her dad isn't even making her go to Monday Night Football! I truly may be in bizarro world.
And I picked up the travel documents for our adventure. This should be a really different trip. Have I mentioned how much I need a vacation?
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Saturday Fun?
We're still getting used to the sounds of our home. We wake up at odd hours and then can't get back to sleep. Sometimes it's our crazy cat, Kitty Witty. She runs up and down the hallway, sliding and slamming in to the walls. At around 3 a.m.! Or the Wild Turkeys being "natural", or the deer in the leaves, or the greens maintenance workers. Last night it was the torrential down pour that made a puddle on our floor, since we left the windows open.
We had a lazy morning and didn't get over to Jessica's until 10ish. We walked to the Farmers' Market and then took off for our chores. Wills works on Saturday, so we keep Jessica company and drag her on our errands. Something we never did when she lived at home. Not that she wasn't invited, but she wasn't interested. We ended our day lunching at Baja Fresh. That's where we're getting the food for the Mission Accomplished party.
We spent the rest of the afternoon cleaning up the driveway from the DG (decompossed granite) parking pad erosion. Lovely idea, just doesn't work in the real world. We'll be adding rock this week. We've finished up with the boxes and as soon as the contractor gets their stuff out of the third bay, we'll have all vehicles parked in the garage. Not too bad for 5 weeks in the house.
We LOVE our house, and still love our contractors. It's good to be us.
We had a lazy morning and didn't get over to Jessica's until 10ish. We walked to the Farmers' Market and then took off for our chores. Wills works on Saturday, so we keep Jessica company and drag her on our errands. Something we never did when she lived at home. Not that she wasn't invited, but she wasn't interested. We ended our day lunching at Baja Fresh. That's where we're getting the food for the Mission Accomplished party.
We spent the rest of the afternoon cleaning up the driveway from the DG (decompossed granite) parking pad erosion. Lovely idea, just doesn't work in the real world. We'll be adding rock this week. We've finished up with the boxes and as soon as the contractor gets their stuff out of the third bay, we'll have all vehicles parked in the garage. Not too bad for 5 weeks in the house.
We LOVE our house, and still love our contractors. It's good to be us.
Friday, October 3, 2008
T.G.I.F.
This has been one long week...or maybe a culmination of the last two years. We are so ready for our vacation. We're putting in the hours, working hard at getting our desks cleared off so we can get out of here for two weeks.
It was so nice around 5, when Dave walked in with a glass of wine for each of us. We forwarded the calls to the answering service and then sat down in front of the TV to watch the baseball playoffs. When your team isn't in the game, it's a whole new thing. Right now Ozzie's team is getting beat and it fells really good. Dotel, former A, just gave up the insurance run. We can't wait for the Angels v Sox. Since I HATE the sox and loathe the Angels, it's no love fest. It feels so odd wishing the Angels beat the Sox.
The rug for the office arrived today and it makes a huge difference. We're loving it.
The forecast for tomorrow is rain, which doesn't bode well for a bike ride. All I know is that it clouded up shortly after I had the whites on the line. It looked beautiful, all the white towels flapping in the slight breeze. How can you possibly think that sight isn't gorgeous?
Oh, and Landscape Pest Control came by today to kill that plant eating gopher.
It was so nice around 5, when Dave walked in with a glass of wine for each of us. We forwarded the calls to the answering service and then sat down in front of the TV to watch the baseball playoffs. When your team isn't in the game, it's a whole new thing. Right now Ozzie's team is getting beat and it fells really good. Dotel, former A, just gave up the insurance run. We can't wait for the Angels v Sox. Since I HATE the sox and loathe the Angels, it's no love fest. It feels so odd wishing the Angels beat the Sox.
The rug for the office arrived today and it makes a huge difference. We're loving it.
The forecast for tomorrow is rain, which doesn't bode well for a bike ride. All I know is that it clouded up shortly after I had the whites on the line. It looked beautiful, all the white towels flapping in the slight breeze. How can you possibly think that sight isn't gorgeous?
Oh, and Landscape Pest Control came by today to kill that plant eating gopher.
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