lairdandjonelle

Sunday we went to Gallipoli — I don’t think I told you about it because we were beat to s***t by the time we got back.  I had no idea it was FIVE HOURS AWAY!  Then four or five hours to tour, in the bus, out of the bus, in the bus, out of the bus.  Our guide had such a strange way of talking, and I’d forget to listen to what he was saying as I tried to figure out whether he had a speech impediment or what.  Lots of dates and deaths.  The location is magnificent, the Dardenelles, the hills — so much better as a resort sight than a months’ long battlefield where so many died.  I woke up about 3:00 a.m., that was that, had to get up at 5:30 to get ready and downstairs for bus at 6:30.  We drove and we drove and we drove.  Stopped for breakfast about 10:30, finally got to whatever the town  below Gallipoli is named, had lunch then on a bigger bus and off we went.  The cemeteries are maintained by an international graves organization that keeps up, I think, war cemeteries in numerous countries.  They have done a great job here.  So beautiful, yet so sad.  What a tragic waste, even more than “normal” battles because there wasn’t a way in hell the allies were going to win.  Well, yes, they did ultimately win, but they didn’t win Gallipoli.

We drove and drove and drove back to Istanbul, got back about 11:30 and we were DONE.  We didn’t wake up this morning until almost noon.  Walled to Topkapi for lunch on the Golden Horn and another walk around the palace.  I want to live there!  I want to live with all those stunning tile walls and decorated ceilings and large verandas looking out at the Bosporus.  Tomorrow we go on a boat tour and a dervish performance, then dinner at a recommended fish restaurant.  I went to hamam this evening, the oldest one in Istanbul supposedly; built in 14something.  Laird stayed here.  Said he didn’t enjoy the one in our hotel; tried to tell him that a self-service hamam is NOT the same as a real hamam, but he was not convinced.  It was quite swell, and I think I’ll have to fit in another time before we leave.  though I expect to be sore tomorrow — these ladies are not gentle — and us whussy Americans who are used to nice, padded massage tables instead of ungiving marble are in for a rough time.  Particularly when someone is mauling you.  But lying on hot marble is pretty damn relaxing.  Oh, but then the bring out the brillo pad glove and off we go!  Then back to hotel (free pick-up and return, isn’t that cool?) and dinner at restaurant on corner.  We shared mixed plate of appetizers, a shepard’s salad and shepard’s kebap — yummy.  I do so like the food here!  OK, it is almost tomorrow so time for bed, up for Turkish breakfast then boat ride around the golden horn.  Or the Bosporus, I forget.  Sweet dreams my sweeties!

So where was I? In the beginning, I FINALLY woke up and got down to Turkish breakfast before it closed.  Yummmm, Renee!  Cucumbers here have so much more flavor.  Good cheeses, not great bread, but that was ok.  Good olives, too.  And off we went to Grand Bazaar.  Before we even got there, I had spent like three times my Istanbul budget!  Maybe even four times.  And, I can’t believe this, I bought a rug!  Now talk about coals to Newcastle — where am I going to put another rug????  We met two very charming men, Kurdish, brothers in law, from whom I bought a couple of presents and then Omer insisted that we go to his rug shop.  I told him I wasn’t going to buy, but clearly he knew better.  He was so charming, I couldn’t resist.  After those two shops I was so exhausted and leery, I was afraid to stop or even slow down in front of any shop in grand bazaar.  Long walk home, and way past time for nap.  Now, I think the post picks up at the post below.  I can report that hamam was nice, but nothing special — there is a big, important, oldest-in-Istanbul hamam that I want to go to, with 2-3 chambers of warm, hot, hottest marbles.  Just have to find it, find out how to get there, have time to get there.  After 8:00, time for bed again.  We forgot to take our No Jet Lag, bummer.  Now I know the stuff works when you take it instead of leaving It in the overhead bins during flight.  Always good to know something works, I guess, even if by omission.  Good night, sleep well.  jm & lg

Yea, were finally here after a fairly brutal 12.5 (I think longer) trip from LA, plus all those hours getting to LA and waiting for Turkish airlines flight. Very bumpy ride, made drinking hard to do. I watched 4 movies and read a lot during the interminable hours. I realized I should have written a “we’re off!” blog before we left yesterday — was it really only yesterday???? Thanks so very much to Dona for coming to help us with loose ends and taking us to airport and being willing to pick us up on what is probably the last flight into ABQ on June 2! Thank you, thank you! Plus, she’s going to sell the bracelets we made, the button flowers I made and the potholders and towels that Sandy made at the Turquoise Trail volunteer fire dept flea market on Saturday — everyone go out to support them and buy our stuff! Anyway, we got into Istanbul, went through a hideously long immigration line, though to be fair it moved relatively fast — at least they had more booths open than the US usually has. Got our luggage, found our driver and got to the Hotel Perula in Sultanamet area. Room is small, but it’s very nice and has a hammam, a Turkish bath that I can’t wait to use. After getting connecting internetly, we went out to late dinner that was amzing. Hummel (close approximation of spelling with umlats and other things) sultan and ravan kebab — oh so tasty. The hotel guy showed us the restaurant and even though they were busy they seemed genuinely happy we were there and treated us so well — such a joy, makes me want to leave big tips. So now it’s 10:30 Friday night Turkey time and I last slept about 3:30 a.m. on Thursday morning, so I really, really hear this bed calling me. Tomorrow we are off for adventures in the Grand Bazaar — we’ll tell all about it! Love, jm and lg

Great — Putin is considering invading Ukraine on the eve of our planned trip to Russia. Of course we have paid for our tickets! Of course I bought loads of Indian jewelry to take as presents! Of course our teaching pay is in rubles, which has tanked against the dollar! I see dollar signs passing before my eyes and vanishing into the vague, unknown future! On the plus side, I could buy a whole lot more presents for the same amount of money; but on the minus side, they wouldn’t fit in my suitcase. What’s a person to do? And meanwhile, I’ll still have to prepare TWO public lectures on the as-now continuing assumption that we’re going — and they have to each be 90 minutes long. Laird, of course, already has his done and keeps adding and adding to them every day. By now, he has a two-year course of study prepared — and I still haven’t decided on my topics! But my sweetie bought me a laptop, so at least I’ll have something to frantically work upon on the plane ride over.

Everybody please put peaceful thoughts out into the universe for the stand-off to resolve itself into the big “Never mind!”