Goodbye, Alanya

Our Alanya (Oba neighborhood) beach sunset

Tonight we had a very nice McGhee Center farewell dinner with the entire crew. Tomorrow we leave Alanya for a two-day visit to Istanbul before we head home. That way, Kelly can visit a few more sites there that she was not able to visit originally, but it also seems fitting to end in Istanbul where we started. This return to our beginning reminds me of the boat trip up and down the Bosphorous Strait that we took as a class and family during that first week in Turkey. The Bosphorous winds itself through the middle of Istanbul between the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea. But more appropriately for this blogpost, it also separates Europe from Asia - West from East. And our trip to Turkey has been such an incredible experience in a totally different culture, but now we are returning from whence we came.

Mix of historic and new on Istanbul's Bosphorous Strait
Dohlmabace Palace surrounded by modernity

Now that the tourist season is over (and maybe due also to the length of time we have spent in Alanya), it has felt easier to be a part of the Turkish culture (notwithstanding that we are still in a Mediterranean resort city). We will miss all that Alanya has offered us, and we will certainly never forget it or this experience as a family! - Alan

Last ruin of the trip, ohhhhhh

Just this week, in mid-December

I will definitely miss my work view

Last day at the Market

On Monday I made my last trip to the Oba market.   Much to the dismay of the vendors I regularly visit, I went without the kids.  I picked up just a few things to get us through the last days of our stay- one pound each of mixed shelled nuts and dried apricots/figs for the travel home, one head of lettuce, a handful of cukes/carrots, two pounds each of mandarin oranges and strawberries, and a loaf of bread.  In all I spent about $20.

I took our camera this time and tried to capture a few of the people that make the market so very special to me.  It's hard to convey through pictures (especially a novice like me) but imagine a market where a very diverse community comes together, the farmer, the businessman, the expat, children, families, everyone, to sell and buy their weekly produce.   The variety is incredible- vegetables, fruits, herbs, fungi, nuts, candies, oils, cheeses, eggs, teas and spices - not to mention all the non food items (there is a guy there that sells nothing but vacuum cleaner bags every week).  The smells are amazing-  spices are in the air, nuts are roasting, corn is steaming, and tea is brewing.  It's buzzing.  It is the thing I will miss the most about Turkey.

So colorful

Of course I don't know what lies beneath this bustling surface.  I don't know if the farmers and other vendors efforts result in a living wage or if their workers are treated fairly.  And I know nothing about their farming techniques.  Nonetheless I love the market because I feel like it has been my one window into the life of a true, traditional Turk.  You know, the guy who has never traveled beyond Antalya, who prays 3 times a day and wears the baggy turkish pants.  That guy, and his wife, they aren't hanging out at the beach, or at ruins, or at OHEP (the private school that we visit every week).   That guy doesn't speak English but I know from my market visits that he is humble, loves children and family, and is a hard worker. - Kelly

A man serving tea to a honey vendor

spices galore

Traditional dress; a common sight
at the market

Nuts, lemons, tomatoes, cucumbers

A smaller vendor; note the old school bike and beautiful
bouganivillia in the background

An olive oil vendor having tea and chatting

Love this lady who is there every week
with a humble inventory

Note this avocado guy's vehicle; a motorcycle with a trailer

Another farmer's vehicle

Gigantic cabbages

One - Off Historical Sites

On our last study tour, almost a month ago, we saw so many ruins that it is difficult to keep them and their individual histories straight after awhile. Some are quite well-known on the tourist circuit such as Epheus (which already received its own blogpost). Another ancient (but not historic?) tourist site I particularly enjoyed was the white travertines of Pamukkale; it's difficult for me to beat good natural beauty. Of course, it also helped that we were able to walk through the ruins above of Hierapolis (a World UNESCO site) immediately beforehand.

But what has stuck out in my mind about some of them is how off the beaten track they seemed and in what incredible condition they are (maybe they are related?). An example is the ruins of Aphrodisias. Of course, it made a huge difference that we were outside of the major tourist season, so several times we were literally the ONLY people at the site, including this one. Now THAT'S the way to see some ruins. Another very memorable one was our trip to Assos on the Aegean Sea. It seemed like it popped out of nowhere on our bus trek, but it yielded the Temple of Athena where Aristotle was invited to study for several years.

I have included several photos of the most memorable on this tour, although I have a lot more to share later personally. What they have in common is the uniqueness of each of these particular sites, at least for me in terms of other historical ruins I have seen in past travels. - Alan

Roman theater of Hierapolis

What must be done (I guess) with all the 'extra' ruins at sites
before they are completely restored - moved out of the way

 

Temple of Aphrodite

Aphrodisias architecture

Aphrodisias stadium

Aphrodisias Tetrapylon gateway

Our tour guide Mehmet Bey and I enjoying a warm mineral foot
bath while walking barefoot down the chilly slopes of Pamukkale

Literally, in the footsteps of Aristotle
Temple of Athena - Assos

Christmas festivities in Turkey

I can't remember the exact statistic, but well over 90% of Turks identify themselves as Muslim.   It's mid December and, aside from the day I picked Brewer up from his weekly kindergarten visit and they were "learning about Christmas" (They were listening to "Here Comes Santa Claus" and baking Sugar Cookies, if that qualifies), I hadn't heard a single Christmas carol.  Nope.  Not one. Unbelievable huh?

The festival; Taurus Mountains
in the background

That all changed this past Sunday when we went down to the harbour for the Alanya International Noel Festival.   Yes, Alanya has a relatively large European expat community and so we were treated to some familiar Christmas cheer for the afternoon, including those beloved Christmas carols.  We even got our annual picture with Santa.  It was lovely.  As we mingled between the artisan booths listening to the familiar call to prayer waft down from a nearby mosque and mix with the Christmas atmosphere, I was reminded once again how lucky we are to have landed in this open and loving community.
 

The kids with St. Nic.  Separate picture
taken with the big guy.

One of the few Christmas trees we've seen
this season

Brewer playing on a ride

Goodbye beach.  We love you!

The next day we enjoyed what was likely our very last beach day in Turkey.  Feeling like we could  not let the opportunity pass, we all even went for a short dip in the sea.  It was sunny but only about 68 degrees.  We didn't last long. - Kelly

Building (a Kid's) Memories

Reading time is always fun (and important)

Ruby and Brewer have really grown throughout our Turkish adventure, both physically and socially. We can see the physical changes within the timeline of our photo streams. But socially, I have to think back to all of the different growth opportunities they (and we) have had. And with so many adventures, I think it will come down to the different memories they have accumulated throughout this trip (even those subconscious ones). We have already blogged about the friends they have made and the multiple excursions they have undertaken with us. So below is a montage of other memories that we think (and hope) our children will remember - even young Ruby - about day-to-day life in and from Turkey. - Alan

Learning new games in new locations

The Three Amigos

We all need our goofy time

It's hard to beat snuggle time, too

Best Buddies till the end!

Special moments together can come at any time!

I'm Spiderman

No, I'm a construction engineer

Are you sure Turkey is closer to China,
because this hole is leading nowhere?

Family time rocks!

Sometimes the pebbles at our feet are enough

There's an artist somewhere in all of us

Hard work does pay off
(homemade art from sea glass collected at the beach)

Achieving treats is well worth the effort!

We'll follow Mom anywhere

No matter where I go, I must have a
playground to soothe my spirit

Does it get any better than this?

Ruins are fine, but why
did the squirrel leave his acorns here?

Have no fear; let's discover all there is to find

It's nice (and good) to have time to contemplate life

"I'm DaDa's nugget"