Blog 19 April 2010
11:50 am. The big wigs of airline travel decided to wait until last minute to cancel our flight. As of last night, airlines in Germany were opening back up at 2pm. Well our flight was supposed to leave at 3pm, and because it wasn’t cancelled sooner, we were unable to make different plans. So here we are, sitting in our hotel lobby, using our cellphones (not a cheap hobby!) to contact the 2 travel agencies we are working with. As of right now, our options are less attractive than poop on a stick. We can take a 3-day bus ride back to Germany. No thanks… We can take a 12-hour bus ride to Istanbul, Turkey, and stay there until APRIL 26 when we can fly to Dulles. That would give us 3 days in the states, and another week of living in a hotel, which could be fun but luxury living costs a bit too much for that! Should I start fundraising?
This is a bit frustrating. Actually, I don’t mind a few delays here and there, or even a small change in plans. I’ve prepared myself for that, but I’ve not prepared myself for a BIG change of plans. I want to see my Mommy, Daddy, Other Mother &Dad, little sister, and everyone else we love! Daniel is on the phone right now trying to find other options… If we are stuck, we better make it fun! Right?
We are looking into flights maybe to anywhere on the East coast… Oh wait
UPDATE 12:15pm Turkeytime: we are flying to Vienna, Austria! From there we will try to get a flight to the US. That is ALL I know… oh wait, they called again.
Update 12:20 pm
Looks like we will be spending the night in Vienna, maybe. We are headed to the aiport in Antalya now, so I should be able to update.. maybe. We might stay in Turkey another night, haha We know nothing, but if we’re stuck in Austria, I’ll tell you all about it. Looks like we will get to the states somehow though. Hope we have internet in Vienna so I can tell you what’s up.
Love love the Wises.
xo
Monday, April 19, 2010
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Day 9. International Meals 17 April 2010
We had lunch with some Turkish folk, and it was wonderful because they all spoke fine English. They’ve been hiding it all week! The guys who work entertainment here want to make Parker smile, but 11 times out of 10, they scare him when they pick him up and talk with their loud voices, calling him OBAMA!!!! It’s kind of funny because the exact same thing has happened every time. I think he’s just scared of their loudness.
So, what is Parker scared of? Extreme loudness, facial hair, and getting thrown into the air. I feel certain he will eventually outgrow these fears.
We played in the Sea again, and the sunset this evening was gorgeous!
We had dinner with “Oma and Opa” (that’s German for Grandma and Grandpa), a sweet and adorable older couple. They just L-o-v-e Parker, and they’re youngest grandkid is 5, so Oma said this time was very good for her. Parker loved being fed applesauce straight from the spoon of Oma, and this is only the beginning of the spoiling he will experience once he’s around the Real Grandparents!!
So, what does Parker Love? APPLE(sauce), Mommy milk, Dada, crinkly sounds, and sand. I feel certain he will keep these on the “love list” for a while. It will grow A LOT when he meets all his relatives in the States! He doesn’t know it yet, but he is Super excited about the 2nd half of our vacation!
The volcano looks like it will cause flights to be cancelled until Monday. Our flight is supposed to take us to Frankfurt Monday. We are then supposed to fly to the states on Tuesday. If the first flight gets cancelled, they WILL reschedule everything, so hopefully the volcano will shut its hole and we will be able to come back to our roots as planned. If not, we hope to be there in time to keep our plans. If not, it will STINK but it will be OK. If not, we must trust that everything happens for a reason. But until then, we are staying VERY PUMPED UP about seeing our Moms, Dads, Nana, Aunts, Uncles, Grandparents, cousins, friends, etc etc etc!!!!
Did I mention this place is SPEEDO CENTRAL? I was considering doing a whole post about them, but I’m not really fond of the idea of documenting the experience with photos. If you’re planning a European beach vacation, prepare your left and right brain for all the grown-man-upper-thighs you will be seeing. I guess it’s really not THAT bad, but I’m definitely FOR the swim trunks style of America’s beaches. And my husband doesn’t have a choice. haha
I guess this is a good note to end on for tonight! Haha! Love, the Wises
So, what is Parker scared of? Extreme loudness, facial hair, and getting thrown into the air. I feel certain he will eventually outgrow these fears.
We played in the Sea again, and the sunset this evening was gorgeous!
We had dinner with “Oma and Opa” (that’s German for Grandma and Grandpa), a sweet and adorable older couple. They just L-o-v-e Parker, and they’re youngest grandkid is 5, so Oma said this time was very good for her. Parker loved being fed applesauce straight from the spoon of Oma, and this is only the beginning of the spoiling he will experience once he’s around the Real Grandparents!!
So, what does Parker Love? APPLE(sauce), Mommy milk, Dada, crinkly sounds, and sand. I feel certain he will keep these on the “love list” for a while. It will grow A LOT when he meets all his relatives in the States! He doesn’t know it yet, but he is Super excited about the 2nd half of our vacation!
The volcano looks like it will cause flights to be cancelled until Monday. Our flight is supposed to take us to Frankfurt Monday. We are then supposed to fly to the states on Tuesday. If the first flight gets cancelled, they WILL reschedule everything, so hopefully the volcano will shut its hole and we will be able to come back to our roots as planned. If not, we hope to be there in time to keep our plans. If not, it will STINK but it will be OK. If not, we must trust that everything happens for a reason. But until then, we are staying VERY PUMPED UP about seeing our Moms, Dads, Nana, Aunts, Uncles, Grandparents, cousins, friends, etc etc etc!!!!
Did I mention this place is SPEEDO CENTRAL? I was considering doing a whole post about them, but I’m not really fond of the idea of documenting the experience with photos. If you’re planning a European beach vacation, prepare your left and right brain for all the grown-man-upper-thighs you will be seeing. I guess it’s really not THAT bad, but I’m definitely FOR the swim trunks style of America’s beaches. And my husband doesn’t have a choice. haha
I guess this is a good note to end on for tonight! Haha! Love, the Wises
Day 8, Our 24th Monoversary! 16 April 2010
We started the day with an Apple, and guess what! Parker actually said it twice today! It sounds more like “Abble” but it clearly means “please give me that delicious ball of yum”. The first time was at breakfast, then again at dinner. The girl sitting with us at dinner is Turkish and doesn’t know English, but she heard him repeat us, and she was astonished… “He says it!”
The boys had guytime and Mommy took a THREE HOUR NAP. It was fabulous. Look at these cuties:
We sat out on the pier for a while enjoying the beauty.
Then the boys passed out for a while.
We spent the later part of the day playing at the Sea. The waves were no higher than 6 inches. Perfect for playing in the water with the Baybee. He really likes standing in it, and that makes me happy! It’s the first time we actually got all the way in the water. It seems much warmer today.
They don’t have seashells here. Seriously, I didn’t find a single one. The pebbles are quite beautiful though, as you can see from our small selection:
Parker found a pet rock, and chewed on it for a while. He doesn’t actually have teeth yet, and it was too big to choke on, so I figured since it makes him happy, he can enjoy it for now. It’s illegal to bring pebbles home anyway, so its not like rock chewing will become a habit.
It’s weird to see all the way to the bottom. There were a few little fish swimming alongside me, and after a billion pebbles, the ocean floor was finally smooth, but it was one slick rock. WEIRD> It’s like swimming in a river. Daniel says he’s almost prefer not to see the bottom.
That safari hat was Daniel’s
Today is our Monoversary, and Parker actually fell asleep at dinner so we had a date!
It was fun being able to focus on each other. 2 people came by to take a photo of us on our camera so here we are!
The boys had guytime and Mommy took a THREE HOUR NAP. It was fabulous. Look at these cuties:
We sat out on the pier for a while enjoying the beauty.
Then the boys passed out for a while.
We spent the later part of the day playing at the Sea. The waves were no higher than 6 inches. Perfect for playing in the water with the Baybee. He really likes standing in it, and that makes me happy! It’s the first time we actually got all the way in the water. It seems much warmer today.
They don’t have seashells here. Seriously, I didn’t find a single one. The pebbles are quite beautiful though, as you can see from our small selection:
Parker found a pet rock, and chewed on it for a while. He doesn’t actually have teeth yet, and it was too big to choke on, so I figured since it makes him happy, he can enjoy it for now. It’s illegal to bring pebbles home anyway, so its not like rock chewing will become a habit.
It’s weird to see all the way to the bottom. There were a few little fish swimming alongside me, and after a billion pebbles, the ocean floor was finally smooth, but it was one slick rock. WEIRD> It’s like swimming in a river. Daniel says he’s almost prefer not to see the bottom.
That safari hat was Daniel’s
Today is our Monoversary, and Parker actually fell asleep at dinner so we had a date!
It was fun being able to focus on each other. 2 people came by to take a photo of us on our camera so here we are!
Day 7 An Apple A Day…. And a Volcano 15 April
Happy Tax Day.Thanks to our tax refund, this trip is paid for. Have you taken care of your tax stuff? Enough business talk, let’s get to vacation!
Parker LOVES the baby in the reflection.
And of all the toys we brought, he seems most amused by empty water bottles and the empty wipes bag. He’s easily amused, much like his parental units.
We headed straight out to the seashore for us big people to catch some rays.
Don’t worry, Parker is SPF’ed from head to toe
Then we headed to the pool so the babe and I could sit in the shade. Dada was BRAVE and jumped in. The pool water is Really Cold. Colder than the ocean! I like this one because it looks like he dived into the pavement:
During our chilltime, we found BBC, the British news station. The volcano in Iceland just might change our travel plans. No need to worry yet, but we’re keeping our ears open. We both want哦to go to弹劾三他特色so八达岭y
Woah, something Parker pushed made it go Asian. What I was saying is, we both want to go to the states SO bad. We've already had 2 "maybe not" moments where we thought we might not be able to come. The flights in Germany are probably going to be cancelled if it keeps blowing smoke... We Know that God is control so it will be OKAY!
Over the past few days, we have found the solution to a fussy baby during meals. Just give him an apple to play with. It’s like a ball, and any boy would love a ball, plus it tastes sweet, so it’s the perfect solution. Pears work too. We give him an apple at least once a day. He gets very excited when he sees an apple! Kind of like my reaction to ice cream cake…
Speaking of ice cream cake, this is how you say it in Turkish (spelled out phonetically): Dahn Dur MALLeh Pasta. Don't forget to roll your "r" after you're finished being so happy about its deliciousness.
Happy Birthday is "Eee Key Doe Dune YourName Here"-- it actually means something like "it is So good that you were born this day" and they use the same Happy Birthday tune.
And Thank You is "Day Shay Coolah"-- I remember this by thinking "one day Shay will be cooler"
Now we are ready to attend a Turkish birthday party!!
Parker LOVES the baby in the reflection.
And of all the toys we brought, he seems most amused by empty water bottles and the empty wipes bag. He’s easily amused, much like his parental units.
We headed straight out to the seashore for us big people to catch some rays.
Don’t worry, Parker is SPF’ed from head to toe
Then we headed to the pool so the babe and I could sit in the shade. Dada was BRAVE and jumped in. The pool water is Really Cold. Colder than the ocean! I like this one because it looks like he dived into the pavement:
During our chilltime, we found BBC, the British news station. The volcano in Iceland just might change our travel plans. No need to worry yet, but we’re keeping our ears open. We both want哦to go to弹劾三他特色so八达岭y
Woah, something Parker pushed made it go Asian. What I was saying is, we both want to go to the states SO bad. We've already had 2 "maybe not" moments where we thought we might not be able to come. The flights in Germany are probably going to be cancelled if it keeps blowing smoke... We Know that God is control so it will be OKAY!
Over the past few days, we have found the solution to a fussy baby during meals. Just give him an apple to play with. It’s like a ball, and any boy would love a ball, plus it tastes sweet, so it’s the perfect solution. Pears work too. We give him an apple at least once a day. He gets very excited when he sees an apple! Kind of like my reaction to ice cream cake…
Speaking of ice cream cake, this is how you say it in Turkish (spelled out phonetically): Dahn Dur MALLeh Pasta. Don't forget to roll your "r" after you're finished being so happy about its deliciousness.
Happy Birthday is "Eee Key Doe Dune YourName Here"-- it actually means something like "it is So good that you were born this day" and they use the same Happy Birthday tune.
And Thank You is "Day Shay Coolah"-- I remember this by thinking "one day Shay will be cooler"
Now we are ready to attend a Turkish birthday party!!
Day 6 Me No Comprend-day 14 April
Note: There will be pictures whenever we get to a faster internet connection!
We started with a nice teeth and gum cleaning.
Then headed out to catch the city bus. We wanted to visit Kale Alanya (pronounced Kah-lay, it means Castle). We hopped on the first bus we saw, and luckily it was full of English people. They informed us that we are on the wrong bus, and we are going the exact opposite direction of the castle. Oops. So the driver knew a little English and decided he would take us with him on his lunch break [awkward, but we got a free cup of tea!], and then drive us back to the city, so we could either catch another bus in attempts to get to the castle, or wander around like fools in the streets of Alanya. Guess what we did? We wandered. We could see the castle far away, so we just headed toward it. I saw all sorts of fake name-brand clothes I sort of wanted to buy, but Daniel is VERY good at saying no to the hustlers. Good thing, or else we might have to buy another piece of luggage. Interestingly, all the sellers start out speaking in English, and if you don’t answer they switch to Deutsch, and I was happy to hear my native tongue so many times in one day, especially since they were saying “I give you good price”… I like good prices. But I don’t need any clothes and I’m waiting for US bargains anyway.
We came upon a street of restaurants, and decided to eat at the one AFTER the one with a hookah pipe on each table. We decided on Mahperi. The waiter was friendly, the food was fine, and sitting outside with a view of the Castle and the Mediterranean Sea makes you feel quite special; Royal almost. We like Turkish bread. It’s flat bread with seeds on top, and they gladly give seconds.
I ordered a mushroom omelet and have officially decided that I love fried baby chickens from anywhere in the world. Daniel got Turkish Lamb something or other with French fries and rice. This lambchop looks just like an electric guitar:
Parker was a good boy.
Then we walked around the marina, and finally decided to take a boat tour. We worked together and successfully changed our first diaper on a boat. The grown up bathroom was DISGUSTING, I will not go into detail. Let’s just say, being on a boat surrounded by water sounds after drinking a bottle of water was NOT ENOUGH to make me use that toilet. Yah, it was that gross. Anyway, We got to see the castle from the Sea (and we found out we’d missed all the busses for the day that take you to the castle— so this was as good as it gets), and then some fishes that they called “dolphins” but were actually just fish eating bread, and a few caves. I think we took the cheap tour, but it was still fun to see the beautiful ocean and castle walls. And the lighthouse was pretty too.
Look at this beautiful mosaic made from pebbles at the marina.
Here is the doorway of a mosque. The bathroom was downstairs, and I didn’t use it because I was wearing shorts and my shoulders were showing and well, I just wasn’t sure if I was allowed to go in there so I didn’t. But Daniel was brave and consequently was relieved much sooner than I was.
Back on a bus. We found a Turkish man at a plant store to help us get on the right one to take us to our hotel. Here you can see the normal safety standards of cars. Yep that is a little girl with NO seatbelt sitting on a lady’s lap in the front seat. Oye. I prefer being on a bus. As Daniel says, they have authority on the road. The drivers don’t wait for you to sit down before they take off, but at least you normally have a few people around to catch you if you lose balance while searching for a seat.
The day was unplanned, exciting, and fun, and ended with a beautiful sunset. This is the pool right outside our front door.
We gave P a bath in the shower, using his shirt to clog the drain. He enjoyed it and so did we! Look at that curly hair!
Daniel says this face makes him look like me. Not sure if that was nice or not. Haha.
Parker also has a deliciously cute butt, but I’ll have to show you that in person. I’m not gonna post his whole nekkid backside online!
We started with a nice teeth and gum cleaning.
Then headed out to catch the city bus. We wanted to visit Kale Alanya (pronounced Kah-lay, it means Castle). We hopped on the first bus we saw, and luckily it was full of English people. They informed us that we are on the wrong bus, and we are going the exact opposite direction of the castle. Oops. So the driver knew a little English and decided he would take us with him on his lunch break [awkward, but we got a free cup of tea!], and then drive us back to the city, so we could either catch another bus in attempts to get to the castle, or wander around like fools in the streets of Alanya. Guess what we did? We wandered. We could see the castle far away, so we just headed toward it. I saw all sorts of fake name-brand clothes I sort of wanted to buy, but Daniel is VERY good at saying no to the hustlers. Good thing, or else we might have to buy another piece of luggage. Interestingly, all the sellers start out speaking in English, and if you don’t answer they switch to Deutsch, and I was happy to hear my native tongue so many times in one day, especially since they were saying “I give you good price”… I like good prices. But I don’t need any clothes and I’m waiting for US bargains anyway.
We came upon a street of restaurants, and decided to eat at the one AFTER the one with a hookah pipe on each table. We decided on Mahperi. The waiter was friendly, the food was fine, and sitting outside with a view of the Castle and the Mediterranean Sea makes you feel quite special; Royal almost. We like Turkish bread. It’s flat bread with seeds on top, and they gladly give seconds.
I ordered a mushroom omelet and have officially decided that I love fried baby chickens from anywhere in the world. Daniel got Turkish Lamb something or other with French fries and rice. This lambchop looks just like an electric guitar:
Parker was a good boy.
Then we walked around the marina, and finally decided to take a boat tour. We worked together and successfully changed our first diaper on a boat. The grown up bathroom was DISGUSTING, I will not go into detail. Let’s just say, being on a boat surrounded by water sounds after drinking a bottle of water was NOT ENOUGH to make me use that toilet. Yah, it was that gross. Anyway, We got to see the castle from the Sea (and we found out we’d missed all the busses for the day that take you to the castle— so this was as good as it gets), and then some fishes that they called “dolphins” but were actually just fish eating bread, and a few caves. I think we took the cheap tour, but it was still fun to see the beautiful ocean and castle walls. And the lighthouse was pretty too.
Look at this beautiful mosaic made from pebbles at the marina.
Here is the doorway of a mosque. The bathroom was downstairs, and I didn’t use it because I was wearing shorts and my shoulders were showing and well, I just wasn’t sure if I was allowed to go in there so I didn’t. But Daniel was brave and consequently was relieved much sooner than I was.
Back on a bus. We found a Turkish man at a plant store to help us get on the right one to take us to our hotel. Here you can see the normal safety standards of cars. Yep that is a little girl with NO seatbelt sitting on a lady’s lap in the front seat. Oye. I prefer being on a bus. As Daniel says, they have authority on the road. The drivers don’t wait for you to sit down before they take off, but at least you normally have a few people around to catch you if you lose balance while searching for a seat.
The day was unplanned, exciting, and fun, and ended with a beautiful sunset. This is the pool right outside our front door.
We gave P a bath in the shower, using his shirt to clog the drain. He enjoyed it and so did we! Look at that curly hair!
Daniel says this face makes him look like me. Not sure if that was nice or not. Haha.
Parker also has a deliciously cute butt, but I’ll have to show you that in person. I’m not gonna post his whole nekkid backside online!
Day 5 Cleopatra Treatment
A beautiful new bloom woke us up this morning :)
We did a little time on the shore this morning, then came in because we were turning pinkish. After being in the arctic for so long, we are not too tough in the sunshine. We watched Nickelodeon for the first time in over a year-- Spongebob and Madagascar, translated in German, and a European soccer game. Not too eventful, but isn't vacation about relaxing?
Today we ventured to the Spa and Wellness Center, and got the "Welcome Paket". We sat in the sauna, then got "Cleopatra Care"-- where we lay on a big slab of stone and get SCRUBBED with 'sea salts in a silk purse', then an aromatic foam massage, then get covered with honey and milk, and in between each step, they rinse you with cold or hot water (whatever comes out, I suppose). Then D got the Sports Massage, and I got the Aromatherapy Massage-- ah it was nice, and Daniel thought it was OK... Then we got Algae face masks. Right towards the end of this pampering, Parker woke up and since he didn't know the "babysitter" he cried and I could hear him upstairs. My masseuse was telling me to "chill out, it's good for Mama to chill out", so I tried my best. Daniel got him and comforted him while I continued to "chill out", and I must say my back feels SO GOOD! D said he wasn't crazy about it, and would rather let me have 2 massages. I won't argue!
We then walked around the hotel, it is so pretty here! Nothing dramatical, and I'm SO GLAD! God is so good!
We did a little time on the shore this morning, then came in because we were turning pinkish. After being in the arctic for so long, we are not too tough in the sunshine. We watched Nickelodeon for the first time in over a year-- Spongebob and Madagascar, translated in German, and a European soccer game. Not too eventful, but isn't vacation about relaxing?
Today we ventured to the Spa and Wellness Center, and got the "Welcome Paket". We sat in the sauna, then got "Cleopatra Care"-- where we lay on a big slab of stone and get SCRUBBED with 'sea salts in a silk purse', then an aromatic foam massage, then get covered with honey and milk, and in between each step, they rinse you with cold or hot water (whatever comes out, I suppose). Then D got the Sports Massage, and I got the Aromatherapy Massage-- ah it was nice, and Daniel thought it was OK... Then we got Algae face masks. Right towards the end of this pampering, Parker woke up and since he didn't know the "babysitter" he cried and I could hear him upstairs. My masseuse was telling me to "chill out, it's good for Mama to chill out", so I tried my best. Daniel got him and comforted him while I continued to "chill out", and I must say my back feels SO GOOD! D said he wasn't crazy about it, and would rather let me have 2 massages. I won't argue!
We then walked around the hotel, it is so pretty here! Nothing dramatical, and I'm SO GLAD! God is so good!
Monday, April 12, 2010
Day 4. Voyage to Alanya
The boys played in the hotel room before breakfast
We left Antalya this morning and headed over to Alanya. Alanya is the biggest wedding gift in the history of the world! It was given to Cleopatra by Antollos (?look it up) What a cool wedding gift! The trip over was beautiful, and reminded us a lot of 17 at Myrtle Beach, with the exception of this water looking like Kool-Aid with all its beautiful blueness.
We munched on our baklava as we in-processed and waited for the bellboys to carry our luggage in. Our hotel room is AWESOME and if we ever build a house I want our room to be a lot like this. There is a sliding glass door in the back that has an Ocean view from the porch. At first, they brought a baby pink bed,
but then brought a boyish pack-n-play for Mister Parker. We “moved in” and then headed out to the beach after Parker started napping. We plopped him in his tent and took a few moments to stick our feet in. It is FREEZING water!
We ‘tanned’ for a while, and once Parker woke up, he just didn’t want to stay in that tent. He wanted to be out with us big folks. He wanted to see what that sand stuff was all about
He likes how it tastes. I didn’t stop him because I would rather him like it than hate it.
We tried to binky to keep him from eating sand, but he just used it as a digging tool. I’d stick it in my mouth to clean it; so I ate some sand today, too, and really, it’s not too bad.
He wasn’t too crazy about having his feet in the water. He just stared at the ocean and did a sort of “run in place” thing when the waves hit his feet.
Then we sat in the Wet sand. He liked that a lot, too.
For the first time in 2+ years, we saw MTV! It was subtitled in German, and all the commercials are German, but we watched the show about America’s Best Dance Team, and Next. I can’t say I MISSED seeing that stuff, but it was fun to watch the dance teams.
Dinner was delicious and we finally found 2 boys that speak English! We are the first Americans they’ve met since working in this hotel, and at first they thought I might be Turkish.. Which means maybe I did get a little tiny tan! LoL. The lunch crew didn’t seem too friendly but then again none of them could speak with us. The dinner was yummy, and here, we eat outside, so Parker gets to check out the kitties that clean the floor.
After dinner, we hurried to go on a sunset walk. I wanted to freshen my breath, so I grabbed the complimentary bottle of blue stuff and put it to my mouth. Guess what. Shampoo doesn’t freshen your breath… Yes, That’s what I get for making assumptions, it was shampoo, not mouthwash. Luckily it was kinda thick so I didn’t get too much but OYE it was disgusting.
Our walk was nice and P fell asleep as soon as he could hear the waves crashing.
It is so beautiful here!
Here is a happy puddle Daniel found on our way back. He is super goofy once you get to know him. We are two peas in a pod I suppose. He definitely puts many smiles on this face.
smiley puddle.
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