If you've been wondering why I've been on radio silence with respect to your comments recently, it's only because we spent the past 10 days in Turkey, a kind of last hurrah for our international adventure. I managed to post plenty in advance of our departure but thankfully was disconnected from the computer for the duration of our trip.
Our Turkish holidays was a study in contrasts: a relaxing week on a gullet, a Turkish style yacht, cruising the waters of southwestern Turkey from Göcek to Andriake, followed by two nights in busy Istanbul. On the Mediterranean, our days were spent kayaking along the rocky coast, hiking to the sites of the ancient Lycians, snorkeling over sunken ruins, reading, and napping. With its pink sunrises, turquoise seas, and trails we shared only with goats, the setting was almost zen.
In Istanbul, our short stay was a whirlwind of visits to mosques, museums, haggling over carpets (which in the end we decided not to buy), and wandering both the busy Bazaar quarter and the quiet back streets of the Sultanahmet. Women in head scarves and those in full burqa; vendors hawking corn on the cob, watermelon, umbrellas, and ice cream; tour groups from cruise ships and families out enjoying lovely weekend weather; and the din of the call to prayer over tinny loudspeakers made for a colorful and chaotic scene.
A trip to remember? Without a doubt. And now our four last days in Paris, sure to be busy with chores and a last round of favorites, lie ahead of us. Ready, set, go!
4 comments:
It's so funny we're leaving exactly the same time! Turkey looks amazing.
would love to know what the last round of favorites are!
Wow. It sounds like such a brilliant trip. Especially the zen part. :)
But I can't believe you have only four days left in Paris. Enjoy them, Anne! Good luck with everything! Thinking of you!
I am very sorry to see you departing. An international civil servant (OECD) splitting my time between here and Boston for the last 15 years, your blog has become a part of my routine. Your perceptive observations and imaginative photos were a constant source of pleasure in the evenings after a hard days work. Good luck in your future endevours, though I don't envy your returning to the cesspit that is the US political situation these days (though would be very interested in your reactions when you get back.) How will it be possible to be "just another two worker policy oriented family" in a place where rational analysis counts for nothing?
Good luck!! Joe
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