Masai Village, Ngorongoro Crater
Tanzania
This morning we woke up in the Serena Lodge, Ngorongoro Crater; a stunning property which sits up on the crater’s rim at 7,000 feet. Each room has a gorgeous view of the entire basin and we were up early to watch the sunrise and then the fog as it slowly rolled in over the upper edges of the perimeter of the crater. It was a beautiful way to begin our 17th anniversary.
After breakfast, we ventured out for a six hour safari of Ngorongoro Crater. In an unplanned turn of events, on the way down the crater, we decided to visit a local Masai Village where we were warmly welcomed by the men of the village, as they danced and sang for us. As we entered the village, we were immediately greeted by the women and children as they took our hands, smiled and laughed, placed their beaded collars over our heads, and decorated us with their jewelry. Matt then asked the head of the village if it might be possible to receive a Masai wedding blessing, as it was our 17th anniversary. After some more singing and dancing, we were ushered into the cow corral, where Matt and I were invited to sit down on two plastic buckets, as the entire village surrounded us. The ladies decorated me the best they could. They laughed as they took turns trying their beaded collars on me because my head is full of hair, and much larger then theirs! After four or five tries, finally they were satisfied to find one that fit. The men gave Matt a beaded leadership stick and a cow-tail switch, which is reserved for the village elders as a sign of respect (and used to swat flies!) The village elder, a beautiful man who might have been 60 or might have been 100, appeared before us to give us our blessing. He held a small gourd filled with cow’s milk and honey, and stuffed at the top with a type of weedy plant. As he gave us his blessing, he walked around us and sprinkled us with the honey milk. When that was done, he took the weedy plant and stuffed a bunch of it in Matt’s shirt and some in my jacket, close to our hearts. The blessing was over and Matt and I kissed and all the Masai ladies giggled. Our ceremony concluded with the Masai art of fire making, which is completely astonishing. The village elder retired to his hut and the ladies disappeared to wrangle the cows into the corral for the morning milking. We were then led to the kindergarten where about fifteen adorable Masai children were studying their English alphabet, numbers to 100, and some simple words. They were very serious as they studied, but they all smiled and laughed when we got silly with them. We were invited inside one of the Masai huts, which are made from sticks, grass, and cow dung. The huts are divided into four sections: the calf room (where six calves stay at night when it’s cold), the bed for the male, the bed for the females and children, and the center of the hut, which is for a small fire, cooking, and eating. All of this is contained within about 100 square feet. The hut was warm and cozy and incredibly efficient.
The Masai number about 500,000 in Kenya and Tanzania. They are some of the kindest, most gentle spirits we have ever met. The girls were so taken with their smiles and hospitality and meeting the Masai was one of their favorite experiences from Africa. They happily participated in our celebration and they were so supportive and sweet.
Matt and I have shared some really special anniversaries with great food, beautiful gifts, travel and celebrations with the girls, but nothing will ever compare to the beautiful day we spent at the Masai village in Tanzania. The blessing we received from these honest, kind people meant so much to us and we are forever grateful for their spirit and generosity.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Mombasa
We left the Masai Mara and headed back to Nairobi for one night before flying to Mombasa for five days at the beach. Our plan all along was to use this time to rest, finish up school work and enjoy the Indian Ocean. We stayed at another Serena property and it was quiet and lovely and exactly what we needed for the week. The tropical downpours of rain were thrilling and just the motivation we needed to get our work done. We played with the monkeys that dominate the property, walked on the white sandy beaches, talked to the African parrot in the lobby, played pool, worked out in the gym and took care of business. The week was relaxing and beautiful, but we were all very excited to get back on the little Twin Otter plane and fly to Tanzania for the rest of our safari adventure!
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Photo update
Uploading to Picasa is slow in Mombasa (hey, that rhymes), so I'll have to upload from Dubai in about 10 days.
Jambo from Masai Mara
After spending three great days in Nairobi, we flew out to the Masai Mara for a three day safari excursion. As our Air Kenya flight glided over the scenic Mara we were treated to herds of elephants, giraffes, zebras and gazelles! This was just a hint of what the next three days had in store for us. We stayed at the Serena Lodge, which is tucked away on a hillside overlooking the Masai Mara. The property perfectly blends into its environment and you would hardly notice it if you didn’t know it was there. It was lovely. Every room had wonderful views of the Mara and in the lot below the hotel we had daily visits from elephants, buffalo, a lion, giraffes, baboons and a hippo, not to mention the fantastic variety of birds. Our game ride guide for the three days was a sweet, funny and knowledgeable man named Julius. The four of us, along with another really fun couple from France, piled into the green safari jeep and took off for our first two-hour game ride. We had incredible luck on our first day out and all four of us were thrilled by the experience! Over the course of the six game rides we took, we observed cheetahs with their cubs, male and female lions with their cubs, hippos, crocodiles (huge!), elephants, giraffes, zebras, topis, warthogs, jackals, buffalos, gazelles, ostriches (the Masai Mara breed are massive), eagles, vultures, hyenas and cute little hyrax. Spotting the animals is one experience, but to sit in the open jeep and observe sixteen lions just twenty feet away from you, is quite another. To hear the sound a baby cub makes when it’s nuzzling its mommas face is remarkable. The zebras use big rocks as scratching posts and it’s pretty comical to watch. A lone buffalo was making a mess out of himself while he cooled off in a giant mud puddle – he almost seemed embarrassed when he saw us watching him. The male ostrich’s body slam each other as they try to get attention from the female! Two baby cheetah cubs sat patiently on a termite hill, anxiously awaiting the return of their momma as she stalked off for her morning hunt. As hippos emerge from the water, they twirl their ears to clear the water and blow water out of their noses with great force. Giraffes are pristine, graceful and perfectly silent. An entire herd of topis bowed their heads rhythmically, like a Japanese salutation, as we drove away from them. The entire jeep cracked up hysterically. The 6:30 am rides were so serene. The air is clean and sweet, the sunrise is breathtaking, the bird songs are delightful and the animals are ready for another day of survival. Every hour was a new adventure.
Here’s a good story. On our second day, Madeline decided to take a nap after our morning ride, while Matt, Alex and I went to the pool. As we were sitting at the pool, Matt happened to notice a very large (at least my size, with a much bigger butt!) baboon hopping up onto the hotel room decks, looking for an open door. As he approached our room, he hopped over the deck railing and disappeared! We had left our sliding door open – and Madeline was sleeping in the room next to us with the adjoining room door open! Everyone began yelling and running to the room and as the staff opened our door, the baboon was scared off and jumped out the sliding door! Madeline slept through the whole event (luckily). The baboon had just enough time to pull my carry on bag down from the desk and find a pack of gum that he apparently planned to chew!
On our first day we met three lovely men, Adam, Phil and Nawaz from BBC news based in Nairobi. They were in the Masai Mara doing a story on the effects of tourism after the post-election violence. They asked us if they could film us on our afternoon game ride and we agreed. We shared some beers and laughs with them later that night by the fire and we really enjoyed their company. We’ll keep you posted on the segment and when it will air so you can see our 15 seconds of fame!
We had breakfast with the hippos, danced with the Masai men, and generally had the time of our lives. I don’t think I have ever seen the girls so happy. The Kenyans are warm, funny and some of the most beautiful people we have ever met. Their hospitality is genuine and appreciated. Our French safari partners were hilarious and we fell in love with our guide, Julius. As our flight pulled away from the Mara Serena airstrip we looked out the window and there was Julius, jumping up and down, waving his hands in the air at us. It was sad to leave this special place behind, but as we flew over the Masai Mara, we got one last look at this miraculous site.
Here’s a good story. On our second day, Madeline decided to take a nap after our morning ride, while Matt, Alex and I went to the pool. As we were sitting at the pool, Matt happened to notice a very large (at least my size, with a much bigger butt!) baboon hopping up onto the hotel room decks, looking for an open door. As he approached our room, he hopped over the deck railing and disappeared! We had left our sliding door open – and Madeline was sleeping in the room next to us with the adjoining room door open! Everyone began yelling and running to the room and as the staff opened our door, the baboon was scared off and jumped out the sliding door! Madeline slept through the whole event (luckily). The baboon had just enough time to pull my carry on bag down from the desk and find a pack of gum that he apparently planned to chew!
On our first day we met three lovely men, Adam, Phil and Nawaz from BBC news based in Nairobi. They were in the Masai Mara doing a story on the effects of tourism after the post-election violence. They asked us if they could film us on our afternoon game ride and we agreed. We shared some beers and laughs with them later that night by the fire and we really enjoyed their company. We’ll keep you posted on the segment and when it will air so you can see our 15 seconds of fame!
We had breakfast with the hippos, danced with the Masai men, and generally had the time of our lives. I don’t think I have ever seen the girls so happy. The Kenyans are warm, funny and some of the most beautiful people we have ever met. Their hospitality is genuine and appreciated. Our French safari partners were hilarious and we fell in love with our guide, Julius. As our flight pulled away from the Mara Serena airstrip we looked out the window and there was Julius, jumping up and down, waving his hands in the air at us. It was sad to leave this special place behind, but as we flew over the Masai Mara, we got one last look at this miraculous site.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Israel
When we walked across the border from Taba, Egypt to Elat, Israel, I have to say, it was incredibly comforting to see the beautiful blue and white Israeli flags flying over the border crossing. We were ready to move on and we knew Israel would be a welcome site. Elat was so much fun. We only spent one night there but it was a total party atmosphere because it was a three day week-end celebrating the anniversary of Israel’s reunification. We walked along the beach, ate falafel (natch) and shopped around on the boardwalk of Niki Beach. The next day we took a bus to Jerusalem and the route took us all along the Dead Sea. Wow. I have never seen such beautiful colors in any body of water as those of the Dead Sea. It was an incredible site and I’m really happy we took the bus so we could experience that part of Israel.
Jerusalem is lovely. The people are peaceful and kind, the city is clean and pretty and. when you’re there it’s hard to imagine that so much political and emotional controversy surrounds this special place. We spent our three days exploring all four quarters of the Old City; the Jewish Quarter, the Armenian Quarter (we love you Lilly) the Muslim Quarter and the Christian Quarter. Contained within the walls of the old city are the very roots of Christian, Muslim and Jewish religions. The Holy Sepulcher, the Wailing Wall and The Temple on the Mount all sit, side by side, uniting the three monotheistic religions by proximity and history. It’s remarkable. We learned so much and felt privileged to have visited such a special place to so many people.
We spent one day floating in the Dead Sea. What a blast. Everyone covers their bodies with the silky mud that is abundant on the bottom of the sea floor. Then – you just float. It’s awesome. You literally could fall asleep just lying there in the water. We loved it.
We flew out of Tel-Aviv and decided that Israel is definitely a “return to” place. There is so much more to see and learn and we look forward to visiting again.
When we walked across the border from Taba, Egypt to Elat, Israel, I have to say, it was incredibly comforting to see the beautiful blue and white Israeli flags flying over the border crossing. We were ready to move on and we knew Israel would be a welcome site. Elat was so much fun. We only spent one night there but it was a total party atmosphere because it was a three day week-end celebrating the anniversary of Israel’s reunification. We walked along the beach, ate falafel (natch) and shopped around on the boardwalk of Niki Beach. The next day we took a bus to Jerusalem and the route took us all along the Dead Sea. Wow. I have never seen such beautiful colors in any body of water as those of the Dead Sea. It was an incredible site and I’m really happy we took the bus so we could experience that part of Israel.
Jerusalem is lovely. The people are peaceful and kind, the city is clean and pretty and. when you’re there it’s hard to imagine that so much political and emotional controversy surrounds this special place. We spent our three days exploring all four quarters of the Old City; the Jewish Quarter, the Armenian Quarter (we love you Lilly) the Muslim Quarter and the Christian Quarter. Contained within the walls of the old city are the very roots of Christian, Muslim and Jewish religions. The Holy Sepulcher, the Wailing Wall and The Temple on the Mount all sit, side by side, uniting the three monotheistic religions by proximity and history. It’s remarkable. We learned so much and felt privileged to have visited such a special place to so many people.
We spent one day floating in the Dead Sea. What a blast. Everyone covers their bodies with the silky mud that is abundant on the bottom of the sea floor. Then – you just float. It’s awesome. You literally could fall asleep just lying there in the water. We loved it.
We flew out of Tel-Aviv and decided that Israel is definitely a “return to” place. There is so much more to see and learn and we look forward to visiting again.
Friday, May 9, 2008
Egypt
I’m writing this blog entry as we cross the eastern part of the Egyptian desert bound for Taba. Matt just turned to me and said “it looks like we’re on Mars!” There is nothing out here but a few stray camels and some electrical towers – a stark contrast to the chaos of Cairo!
Our Egypt story began in Aswan where we boarded a Nile River ferry (floating hotel) for a four day tour of Aswan and Luxor. The first day there, we hopped on a small river boat which took us to the Aswan Botanical Gardens. The gardens, on a small island in the middle of the Nile, are truly remarkable. Every tree from Asia is represented in the garden and it’s green and lush and colorful. Our next stop was the east shore where we rode camels to visit a Nubian village. Riding the camels was definitely a highlight and the girls were loving it! During the “cruise” we visited the High Dam, Kom-Ombo Temple, Edfu Temple, Luxor Temple, Karnak Temple and The Valley of the Kings. To say that one temple was more impressive then another would be misleading because they are all so unique. Each temple, with its own story and presence is completely powerful and majestic in its own way. I think our favorite was Luxor Temple because we were there as the sun was setting and it was magical to see it in the fading light of day. The Valley of the Kings, where 64 tombs have been found to date, was pretty amazing. The Egyptians chose this area for burial because it was quite a distance from the Nile and they knew it would be safe from flooding (little did they know that flooding was the least of their worries for ensuring their kings were safely resting in their afterlife where nobody would disturb them!) The tombs were interesting, and a little sad. These people went to such great lengths to honor their kings with elaborate burials and most of the tombs are stripped of their original belongings and all you really see are the paintings and decorations on the walls leading to the burial chambers. The valley is beautiful and far enough away from Luxor to not be affected by Luxor’s nasty pollution.
After spending one more night in Luxor, we flew back to Cairo to see the pyramids and visit the Egyptian Museum. Cairo is insane. It’s the most densely populated city we’ve been to yet and the traffic and pollution are just gross. The pyramids of Giza are simply alien. We spent a couple of hours walking around each pyramid and, of course, the sphinx, and we had to stop and pinch ourselves a few times because we couldn’t believe what we were seeing. The Egyptian Museum is surprisingly old-fashioned and funky! The collection there is outstanding, but the displays and placards are more like those you might find in some nutty archaeologists home office! Actually, because of this, it’s quite charming and kind of a fun way to enjoy all these ancient treasures. We were very pleased with our time spent there.
I write this blog with mixed emotions because there were so many incredibly distasteful aspects of traveling in Egypt. The unpleasant experiences don’t even deserve attention in this blog because these memories are, ultimately, for the girls, and to harbor on the negative would be tedious. I will say that I have never been more in touch with my “Mama Lioness protecting her cubs” then I was in Egypt. And as far as Matt was concerned, I think I even heard him roar a few times. He was awesome and we were, and are, so incredibly proud of, and comforted by, the way he took care of us. The man has cajones!
We were happy to leave Egypt and the sight of Israeli flags flying over the border crossing was so welcoming. Egypt was an experience we’re happy we had together as a family, but sadly, I doubt that any of us will ever return.
I’m writing this blog entry as we cross the eastern part of the Egyptian desert bound for Taba. Matt just turned to me and said “it looks like we’re on Mars!” There is nothing out here but a few stray camels and some electrical towers – a stark contrast to the chaos of Cairo!
Our Egypt story began in Aswan where we boarded a Nile River ferry (floating hotel) for a four day tour of Aswan and Luxor. The first day there, we hopped on a small river boat which took us to the Aswan Botanical Gardens. The gardens, on a small island in the middle of the Nile, are truly remarkable. Every tree from Asia is represented in the garden and it’s green and lush and colorful. Our next stop was the east shore where we rode camels to visit a Nubian village. Riding the camels was definitely a highlight and the girls were loving it! During the “cruise” we visited the High Dam, Kom-Ombo Temple, Edfu Temple, Luxor Temple, Karnak Temple and The Valley of the Kings. To say that one temple was more impressive then another would be misleading because they are all so unique. Each temple, with its own story and presence is completely powerful and majestic in its own way. I think our favorite was Luxor Temple because we were there as the sun was setting and it was magical to see it in the fading light of day. The Valley of the Kings, where 64 tombs have been found to date, was pretty amazing. The Egyptians chose this area for burial because it was quite a distance from the Nile and they knew it would be safe from flooding (little did they know that flooding was the least of their worries for ensuring their kings were safely resting in their afterlife where nobody would disturb them!) The tombs were interesting, and a little sad. These people went to such great lengths to honor their kings with elaborate burials and most of the tombs are stripped of their original belongings and all you really see are the paintings and decorations on the walls leading to the burial chambers. The valley is beautiful and far enough away from Luxor to not be affected by Luxor’s nasty pollution.
After spending one more night in Luxor, we flew back to Cairo to see the pyramids and visit the Egyptian Museum. Cairo is insane. It’s the most densely populated city we’ve been to yet and the traffic and pollution are just gross. The pyramids of Giza are simply alien. We spent a couple of hours walking around each pyramid and, of course, the sphinx, and we had to stop and pinch ourselves a few times because we couldn’t believe what we were seeing. The Egyptian Museum is surprisingly old-fashioned and funky! The collection there is outstanding, but the displays and placards are more like those you might find in some nutty archaeologists home office! Actually, because of this, it’s quite charming and kind of a fun way to enjoy all these ancient treasures. We were very pleased with our time spent there.
I write this blog with mixed emotions because there were so many incredibly distasteful aspects of traveling in Egypt. The unpleasant experiences don’t even deserve attention in this blog because these memories are, ultimately, for the girls, and to harbor on the negative would be tedious. I will say that I have never been more in touch with my “Mama Lioness protecting her cubs” then I was in Egypt. And as far as Matt was concerned, I think I even heard him roar a few times. He was awesome and we were, and are, so incredibly proud of, and comforted by, the way he took care of us. The man has cajones!
We were happy to leave Egypt and the sight of Israeli flags flying over the border crossing was so welcoming. Egypt was an experience we’re happy we had together as a family, but sadly, I doubt that any of us will ever return.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Istanbul & Izmir, Turkey
Istanbul was filled with good times, lots of laugh and some really memorable travel experiences as a family. We arrived late and night and were driven to the old section of town where our hotel was located. We were only a few blocks from Aya Sofya and Sultan Ahmet (the Blue Mosque). It was a really cool neighborhood and everything was within walking distance. The first day we hired a tour guide and, along with one other kind gentleman from Singapore, we set for a really great day. We visited several important historical sights (the Hippodrome) in the old town, but most impressive was Sultan Ahmet. The girls and I had read about, and studied, the importance of this mosque during their 7th grade social studies classes, so to actually see it in person was so memorable. The mosque is absolutely breathtaking. The massive dome ceilings are covered with intricately designed tiles of every color, including the cobalt blue tiles that are inherent to this region of Turkey. This is the first non-Christian church we’ve visited on this trip and I was fascinated with the process of prayer and worship of the Muslims and especially how it affects the inner design of the mosque. It’s really quite powerful and beautiful. We next visited Aya Sofya, which started off as a Christian church, was converted to a mosque and is now a museum. It’s history is fascinating, but the structure feels like a building in transition – like it doesn’t quite know what it is anymore! We ended the day at Topkapi Palace, which is the Sultan’s palace, grounds and museum. Our favorite part was the Sultan’s kitchen where the Head Chef was responsible for preparing 2,000 meals, three times a day! At the end of the day, we were driving back to the hotel and the muezzin began the evening call to prayer. We all fell silent and just looked at each other and smiled. Again, we had read about this in books, but to actually hear the call in person is mesmerizing.
Our overnight to Izmir was with one intention – to visit the great city of ancient Ephesus. We were pleasantly surprised to learn that our private tour guide was an archaeologist from Turkey. He actually worked on several excavations at Ephesus, and everyone there knew him like an old friend. He was so informational and he really brought Ephesus to life for us. We were amazed to learn how sophisticated, organized and modern their lives were. Matt and I were particularly impressed with the three mile promenade that leads from the city to the port. It was paved in stone, lined with columns and flanked by high-end shops like jewelers, sculpturers, shoes makers and clothiers. To top it all off, many businesses had advertisements in the form of stone tablets with messages about “2 for 1 deals!” We couldn’t believe it! We had lunch at a little nomadic village that makes Turkish rugs, their own silk and has an organic farm. The girls got to try their hand at rug making and later in the day, Matt got to throw a pot at the Ephesus Ceramic Shop! We also visited Mary’s House, which is where the Mother Mary lived her last days after fleeing Jerusalem. Pretty wild. A lot to think about there. Ephesus was awesome!
We flew back to Istanbul where we continued to have fun. We decided to experience a family style Turkish bath and the memory will forever go down as one our best travel moments! The Suleymaniye Hamam (Turkish bath) was built by the great architect Sinan (his work rivals that of Michelangelo) and it was a beautiful building built in 1550. After changing into cotton bikini tops and shorts (no bikini top for Matt) we were lead into the warm steam area where we laid down on a huge marble slab and just relaxed for about 45 minutes. The temperature was perfect – enough to make you sweat and feel warm, but not too hot. Eventually a man comes and gets you in pairs and leads you to a small area for cool rinsing, hair shampooing and massage. The massage starts off by covering your body with the most amazing moisturizing bubbles – it’s indescribable. The bath ends with another rinse, a little more warming in the steam room, wrapping in dry towels and a Turkish tea. You have to try this, it’s heavenly!
The Grand Bazaar is a trip! It’s packed with 4,000 shops and I must admit, there are some really cool things there. In fact – I made a connection with a store owner there and am anxious to get home to start my new business! I have my company name, logo and idea in motion as we travel. Stay tuned.
We ate kebap and simits, we drank apple and Turkish tea, we smoked an apple Hookah pipe, we took care of business at the post office and Turkish laundry, and we generally fell in love with the Turkish people. It’s likely we’ll all return to Turkey - probably sooner then later.
Istanbul was filled with good times, lots of laugh and some really memorable travel experiences as a family. We arrived late and night and were driven to the old section of town where our hotel was located. We were only a few blocks from Aya Sofya and Sultan Ahmet (the Blue Mosque). It was a really cool neighborhood and everything was within walking distance. The first day we hired a tour guide and, along with one other kind gentleman from Singapore, we set for a really great day. We visited several important historical sights (the Hippodrome) in the old town, but most impressive was Sultan Ahmet. The girls and I had read about, and studied, the importance of this mosque during their 7th grade social studies classes, so to actually see it in person was so memorable. The mosque is absolutely breathtaking. The massive dome ceilings are covered with intricately designed tiles of every color, including the cobalt blue tiles that are inherent to this region of Turkey. This is the first non-Christian church we’ve visited on this trip and I was fascinated with the process of prayer and worship of the Muslims and especially how it affects the inner design of the mosque. It’s really quite powerful and beautiful. We next visited Aya Sofya, which started off as a Christian church, was converted to a mosque and is now a museum. It’s history is fascinating, but the structure feels like a building in transition – like it doesn’t quite know what it is anymore! We ended the day at Topkapi Palace, which is the Sultan’s palace, grounds and museum. Our favorite part was the Sultan’s kitchen where the Head Chef was responsible for preparing 2,000 meals, three times a day! At the end of the day, we were driving back to the hotel and the muezzin began the evening call to prayer. We all fell silent and just looked at each other and smiled. Again, we had read about this in books, but to actually hear the call in person is mesmerizing.
Our overnight to Izmir was with one intention – to visit the great city of ancient Ephesus. We were pleasantly surprised to learn that our private tour guide was an archaeologist from Turkey. He actually worked on several excavations at Ephesus, and everyone there knew him like an old friend. He was so informational and he really brought Ephesus to life for us. We were amazed to learn how sophisticated, organized and modern their lives were. Matt and I were particularly impressed with the three mile promenade that leads from the city to the port. It was paved in stone, lined with columns and flanked by high-end shops like jewelers, sculpturers, shoes makers and clothiers. To top it all off, many businesses had advertisements in the form of stone tablets with messages about “2 for 1 deals!” We couldn’t believe it! We had lunch at a little nomadic village that makes Turkish rugs, their own silk and has an organic farm. The girls got to try their hand at rug making and later in the day, Matt got to throw a pot at the Ephesus Ceramic Shop! We also visited Mary’s House, which is where the Mother Mary lived her last days after fleeing Jerusalem. Pretty wild. A lot to think about there. Ephesus was awesome!
We flew back to Istanbul where we continued to have fun. We decided to experience a family style Turkish bath and the memory will forever go down as one our best travel moments! The Suleymaniye Hamam (Turkish bath) was built by the great architect Sinan (his work rivals that of Michelangelo) and it was a beautiful building built in 1550. After changing into cotton bikini tops and shorts (no bikini top for Matt) we were lead into the warm steam area where we laid down on a huge marble slab and just relaxed for about 45 minutes. The temperature was perfect – enough to make you sweat and feel warm, but not too hot. Eventually a man comes and gets you in pairs and leads you to a small area for cool rinsing, hair shampooing and massage. The massage starts off by covering your body with the most amazing moisturizing bubbles – it’s indescribable. The bath ends with another rinse, a little more warming in the steam room, wrapping in dry towels and a Turkish tea. You have to try this, it’s heavenly!
The Grand Bazaar is a trip! It’s packed with 4,000 shops and I must admit, there are some really cool things there. In fact – I made a connection with a store owner there and am anxious to get home to start my new business! I have my company name, logo and idea in motion as we travel. Stay tuned.
We ate kebap and simits, we drank apple and Turkish tea, we smoked an apple Hookah pipe, we took care of business at the post office and Turkish laundry, and we generally fell in love with the Turkish people. It’s likely we’ll all return to Turkey - probably sooner then later.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Athens
I was so taken with Santorini that I completely forgot to blog about Athens. We were only there for three days and I have to say - I didn’t love it. We all enjoyed visiting the Acropolis and the Temple of Zeus, but the city itself is no Grecian beauty. In fact, it’s quite homely! Aside from an older, quaint area of the city called Paka, Athens was a disappointment. The city was designed for one million people and today has a population of close to four million. The beige four-story apartment complexes that seem to completely dominate the entire city are just plain sad. Athens feels like a city that sprung up without much thought or planning. I was happy we stopped off, but would not make an effort to return, when there are so many other beautiful cities to spend your time in. The people were lovely, we had two fantastic meals at a restaurant called Memphis, and I’m sure there are some incredible places to visit outside the city, but we were all ready to move on to Santorini. That’s all!
I was so taken with Santorini that I completely forgot to blog about Athens. We were only there for three days and I have to say - I didn’t love it. We all enjoyed visiting the Acropolis and the Temple of Zeus, but the city itself is no Grecian beauty. In fact, it’s quite homely! Aside from an older, quaint area of the city called Paka, Athens was a disappointment. The city was designed for one million people and today has a population of close to four million. The beige four-story apartment complexes that seem to completely dominate the entire city are just plain sad. Athens feels like a city that sprung up without much thought or planning. I was happy we stopped off, but would not make an effort to return, when there are so many other beautiful cities to spend your time in. The people were lovely, we had two fantastic meals at a restaurant called Memphis, and I’m sure there are some incredible places to visit outside the city, but we were all ready to move on to Santorini. That’s all!
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