Turkey is terrific!

We left for a cluster meeting in Turkey a week and a half ago and even though Turkey is modern and has all the conveniences of the western world, the internet connection at our hotel was so bad that we couldn't update our blog. We had a great trip and would love to go back again for another vacation!

We started off in Istanbul, visiting with one of our member care team leaders and his wife. They picked us up at 9 am and took us around town to show us their world, and we talked about work off and on all day while we saw the sights.

The traffic was horrendous, just like in Budapest and any other city that was designed for about half as many cars as there are today. The airport is about 25 miles from the guesthouse where we stayed, but it took us about an hour and a half to get across town!

I just about flipped when I saw Little Caesar's Pizza! They also have Domino's Pizza! Even though we had a delicious Turkish dinner out with two couples who live there, I kind of had in my mind that if we ate early enough, I could order a small pizza to be delivered late that evening to the guesthouse, just for the experience of having a Little Caesar's pizza, but the dinner was too good, too filling, and we didn't get home until 11 pm and we were so exhausted that we went straight to bed!

We took a 20 minute boat ride across the Sea of Marmara to the other side of Istanbul. We traveled from the Asian side to the European side, and then back again. The clouds were low and heavy, and definitely overcast all day, but at least it wasn't cold or raining.

The view from the ferry was incredible as we looked back. I did not know that Istanbul was hilly; it sure made for some beautiful pictures!

"To save water, flush twice" Huh?

Loved this sign! I'm sure that there is a reason that flushing twice saves water, but it alludes me!

The Blue Mosque

The men are washing up before going up to the area under the arches for their prayer time. We saw lots of mosques in Istanbul.

"Reading a menu"

How do you read a menu in a language you don't understand? It's easy when there are pictures! We loved the Turkish food!

Chocolate covered peanut butter balls for sale? Unfortunately, not! Roasted chestnuts were for sale everywhere in these little rolling kiosks.

Remember the Spirograph?

We saw several guys selling the clear, pastel colored circles on TV trays, and they would stand there all day long making samples on the sheets of paper so that you could see how beautiful your designs can be. What a way to "work".

As Glenn and I travel, we see some pretty strange things and I was making a photo file of them (before the robbery and my old computer was stolen), and now I have one to start my new collection.

The cluster meeting was held Sunday through Tuesday on the southern coastal town of Antalya, which was formerly called Pamphylia in the Bible times. It is the top vacation destination in Turkey, and is a favorite of Germans and Russians all year long. In our hotel and every where we went, people thought we were German (since we smile, they knew we weren't Russian) and greeted us with "Wie gehts?" (How are you?)

After the cluster meeting ended, Glenn and I took two vacation days. We spent one day in Antalya on our own and one day on a tour with a couple of our families who also stayed a few extra days.

During our day in Antalya, we took a one hour boat ride and got some gorgeous photos of the coastline! Part of the coastline is sheer cliffs and the other part is pebbled beaches.

Tons of colorful spices

We spent a couple of hours in the Old Market, wandering up and down winding alleys not much wider than a car. I loved the colors! Spices of all kinds were found in interesting displays.

The pottery always caught my eye, and if I didn't already have a Polish pottery collection started, I would have bought a couple of plates and bowls from Turkey.

I took this picture from the top of a cliff, and just a few feet to my right began the flat, pebbly Lara beach.

This waterfall, called the Lower Duden Waterfall, begins as a river that flows through town, goes under the road, and comes up again right at the edge of a cliff where it overflows into the Mediterranean Sea. This was an awesome sight!

Gorgeous, isn't it?

Glenn and I enjoyed the kebabs. Our "waiter" was engaging and told us that the spindly thing is called a doner, and hence the name of these kinds of food stands are called "doner". There are even some "McDoners" around, taking their name from McDonald's.

We also went to the Upper Duden Waterfall (which is where the first photo on this blog was taken) and found this sign. We have NO IDEA what it is supposed to mean. Do you?

One day we went to nearby Perge to visit the ruins. Eleven miles outside of Antalya, Perge is known as one of the cities where Paul visited on his missionary journey in 46 AD. This town that is now only ruins was an important city to Christians during the Byzantine period and is believed to be where Paul preached his first sermon.

Who knows? Maybe Paul stood under this archway too?!?

I took 329 pictures in Perge, mostly of the ruins from the Greeks and Romans (mostly Romans). I never could get a picture that I felt adequately showed how massive the ruins were! This lady "set up shop" inside one of the Roman baths, hoping to sell a few beaded necklaces and earrings.

I would love to return to Antalya for a week in the winter! We stayed in a beautiful hotel on the Mediterranean Sea for $44 a night, per person, all inclusive! Three meals a day, all the drinks we wanted, Turkish baths, swimming pool, fitness center, etc. The rate is so reasonable because it is the off-season; ordinarily the rate is 6 times higher during the spring, summer and fall!

When we got back to Bp on Friday night, Mick, Dalese and Dalese's friend from America, Lisa, were snuggled nicely into our house, arriving the day before us to watch the basketball tournament between Christian schools in Europe.

While Glenn took care of a medical emergency of one of the basketball players, I was out with Lisa and Dalese at the Szecheny thermal spa and a few other fun spots. On Sunday, before their train departed for Prague (from whence they came) we took a quick trip back into town to show Lisa a few more sites. We took a brief respite in this McCafe.

Have you ever seen a McDonald's in America that is as beautifully decorated like this one? It looks like a train station.

After enjoying a couple of latte machiattos and white hot chocolates, we went for a quick lunch at Arriba's, our favorite Mexican restaurant, before they boarded the train for Prague.

We are home for several weeks but they will be very, very busy! Our new MK education guidelines came out this past Wednesday and my work load automatically increased. Should be an interesting couple of weeks as I learn the new policies that will govern our educational options available to our personnel. Please pray for wisdom, compassion and consistency as I help families deal with some necessary changes.

Have a great week! It's good to be home!