Friday, our last full day in Istanbul, was wonderful. We finally went inside the Blue Mosque. I can't put into words the majesty and beauty. The dome is about 15 stories high and painted white with blue and red and green patterns. There are lots of windows. You're walking on a plush red carpet with no shoes on and craning your neck to look up into all the light. It's very powerful. I'm glad we saved it for the final day.
We also went to an old Roman cistern – an amazing feat of architecture – that collected water brought via aqueduct from a forest 19 kilometers away; and spent some time on the rooftop garden of our place. Friday night we went to the Sirkeci station (the famed end of the Orient Express) to watch a Sufi mevlevi (whirling dervish) ceremony. I did not expect it to be as moving as it was. For them it is an act of worship, and you can see it in them; in their faces and their demeanor. Their central tenant is love and they are accepting of all. They happily share their ceremony with any who care to watch. It felt like a very generous gift. We finished our day by eating at a fun local restaurant overlooking the Galata bridge.
The trip to Bodrum went smoothly. Local airports are very easy to navigate. The timeshare we are staying at is on the outskirts of town; up a hill and with a nice view of the Aegean. This area is a tourist destination for Turks as well as international travelers. It's gotten quite built up, and the harbor is bustling; full of yachts and gullets (Turkish sailing boats).
We are much more left to our own devices here. The staff don't speak much English and are a little more bureaucratic (less creative or able to find solutions) than we experienced before. It's a good progression for us. We were taken care of at our family-owned inn in Istanbul, got a little experience under our belts, and now we have to stretch more.
We rode the local bus into town yesterday to explore and get some staples. We talked to several of the boat captains while there and decided to schedule an adventure with a salty looking guy. On Monday he will take us for a cruise around the local waters. The boat is lovely wood – as all of them are. Way fun!
Although it was a Saturday night and all the nightclubs were going to get hopping, we decided it was time to slow down and head home for a quiet evening. So we went to the store and tried to understand what we were buying. We wanted yogurt. There was an entire yogurt section-- all different varieties of unflavored yogurt. Who knew? In the end we just grabbed one randomly. Of course, along with all the other groceries and soap, etc, Jan wanted to get the twenty gallon bottle of water at the store. Did I mention that we are staying at the top of a hill? A really steep hill? And the bus stops at the bottom of the hill? That was interesting.
Our drama of the day was that Patty had understood that we would have a washer and dryer in our apartment. Not. And their laundry service is very expensive. We all got a little cranky. I decided to just do it. While Jim and Pat went up to watch the sunset, I got back into my best Peace Corps mode and sat on the veranda hand washing all our dirtiest clothes in a rubber tub. Jan was the official rinser and wringer. He did an excellent job. We hung them all on the veranda and then we finally got a good, long night's sleep. Wonderful.
This morning I am sitting in our little living room looking out over the Aegean sea. I am wearing a sleeveless shirt and am perfectly warm. We just made and drank our own Turkish tea. The power was out in phases all over Bodrum – but we got our water heated before the problem started. The yogurt was fine – though on the sour side compared to others we've had while here, whatever that means. Jim got jealous that our clothes were now clean and dry and decided he could do this. I gave him a tutorial – told him I'd wave the consulting fee.
Today is Mother's Day. Pat is thinking of Mina and Morna and hoping they have a wonderful day together. Erma – hope you got our flowers and that you are having a fabulous day. Jenny and Jill we are proud of you and how great you are as mothers. And happy belated birthday to Dick! Love to all.
We haven't had internet access since Friday. I'm off to see where we can hook up!
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