Coming Back

It is hard to explain being back in Virginia for the the past month. Things are still familiar and I know my way around, but it is not the same place that I left, nor am I the same person. Midlothian, Virginia will always be my childhood home, but it isn't where I currently call home. I know that some say that home is where the heart is and I am not saying they are wrong, but I think that your heart can be in more than one place. I love my family and friends, but a piece of me and my life are in Abu Dhabi. For all its quirks that is home for me, at least for one more year. 

Being back in the states has been a lot of fun. I got to catch up with long time friends, make plans for the future, and get some much needed rest-- sometimes. While a month seems like a long time, it was just enough for me. I have some good memories to take back with me. The wonky house we rented at the beach for a week, the silly laughter with family and friends, and my bed-hog of a 96lb. dog. 

I wish that I could say that I want to stay, I am sure it would make my friends and family feel much better, but it would be a lie. It was really nice to come back, but it is not where I am supposed to be right now. Home is Abu Dhabi for now and I don't know where my next home will be . . . I am living my life moment to moment for now, and I kind of like it that way.

Santorini and Athens

Santorini is the island that I was looking forward to since I planned the trip back in March. Formally a circle formed by a volcano, it is current a crescent moon shape with an island volcano nearby. The volcano is sleeping, but active. It has three main areas on the island. The northwest end where there is the city of Oia. The southeast end with the black sand beaches and last the middle where the capital Fira is located.

Our villa was located nearby the capital in an area called Firostephani. Built on the cliff side the only way to access our rooms was through a series of steps. Lots and lots of steps. Thankfully, we did not have to take these steps with our luggage, but the steep stairs were exercise enough.Despite the work involved, it was the most luxurious location and room we were in the entire trip. Each of us had our own queen size bed, I had a jacuzzi and shower, we even got a free bottle of wine, which of course was drank. Outside we had a breakfast nook and lounge chairs. I couldn't have asked for anything better. From our hotel villas we had a clear few of the Mediterranean and the volcano. It was such a beautiful and relaxing place that I was ready to look into getting a flight out of Santorini and skipping Athens completely. In the end, logic won out and I made the best of the two days I had, but it is somewhere I will want to go again.

There was nothing officially scheduled for us by our original tour group, but we arranged a tour through the hotel and spent a whole day touring Santorini. It started with a visit to the highest point on the island. The view from there was exquisite. It was a almost cloudless day and you could see for miles. After taking time to get all the bet pictures, we headed back down the cliffs to the port.

An an old style pirate like ship, we made our way across the seas to the volcano. It was much steeper and taller once you got up close. Though considering my only view before that was from up on the cliff side, I guess a up close view it would have seemed larger now matter what. Looking back, I should have picked up a rock or two, but seeing as I didn't know how to fit the things I had already to bring home, rocks would have been difficult to fit--not to mention the weight they would have added. As much as I wanted to explore the volcano and enjoy going around Santorini, I also didn't want to end up exhausted and sore the next day. Traveling is never fun if you are in pain. I went half of the way up the volcano to the first set of craters, but opted out of going the full way up.

After the volcano it was time for a swim! I was excited. It was in the Hot Springs near the volcano, but we had to leave the boat a fair distance away. This made for a nice swim. You could slowly feel the heat increasing in the water as you got closer to the hot springs. They were not as warm as I thought they would be though. I have never swam in hot springs, but I expected it to be much warmer then it was. I guess some are warmer than others maybe. All I know is that my bathing suit, even after repeated washing, is stained a coppery color in some areas from that swim. Something that will always make sure I remember it, not that I won't. For the brief time I was able to be in the water . . . it was one of the highlights for me. Though I have always felt more at home in the water than on land. So explain to me why I am so happy living in the desert? That is a discussion for another time. I am veering of topic.

After the swim we stopped for lunch on a island nearby, once originally part of the circular island of Santorini, called Thissira. Once again, a long winding path was the only way up. I choose to remain down near the port because we had more steps to climb later in Oia. There was the option of a donkey, but I was more concerned with getting my stomach satisfied. It was a nice break after our swim. I was able to take my time and explore the port area a little before it was time to head back to the boat to make our way to the main island.

Oia, was the area I was most looking forward to visiting. Known for it traditional style buildings and charm, people flock the northwest end of the island to see the beautiful sunset. Since we can see the sunset from our villa, I chose to take the time to shop and explore the city a little. To get to the city I took a donkey. It is one experience I don't think I will forget. While others were less well-behaved mine was chill. It was like he could sense my attitude. He kept up with the rest, but just ambled from side to side as he criss-crossed his way up the winding stairs. I am glad that I took the donkey because it is an experience that is unique to the islands. Plus, those steps would have been killer. I found more jewelry, took some great pictures and soaked in the atmosphere. It was a wonderful way to end our time in Santorini.

The next afternoon, it was time to make our way to the port to get on our last ferry to Athens. As was the trend with all the ferries that we had taken since leaving Turkey, this one was late as well. We arrived in Athens very late, where we once again found out that taxis were on strike. Luckily, our agents had gotten us a car, but the guy did not seem pleased that our ferry was late. He wasn't very friendly and then on top of it, dropped us at the wrong hotel at first. We did make it to the right hotel, but by then it was nearly midnight and I just wanted to crash in bed. We had a full day of touring the next day and I already knew it was going to hard to get up.

I did get up though, begrudgingly. So what do you go and see in Athens . . . the historical sites of course. The Acropolis, Olympic Stadium, Zeus' Temple, and various others. Those are the ones that stand out in my mind. As much as I love history, I honestly could have done without Athens. Though I am glad that we went, and I really enjoyed the dinner and show we saw our last night, I am not a city person at heart. Athens was too much of a city, what I mean is that the charm was lost behind graffiti, and traffic. The Plaka area was the only area I felt I could walk around and truly get a feel for the city. I realized that the current politic issues in the country could have had a large effect on the atmosphere of the city, but it just wasn't that highlight of the tour for me. The views from the Acropolis were wonderful and I enjoyed getting to see the detail of the structures.

At night we got our reward for the trouble in Samos in the form a dinner and show. It totally made up for the struggle in Samos, and it was the perfect way to end our tour. I would have to say that it was the best display of culture, new and old. If not for that food of entertainment and good food, I am not sure I would have left feeling positive from Athens.

If I look back at the time spent in Greece, I can smile. It has always been somewhere that I have wanted to visit and I am glad that I was blessed to have the opportunity and means to be able to see that dream fulfilled. Did it meet all my expectations? Yes and no, but even when the expectations were not met, I was pleased with the experience nonetheless. It has given me memories to last many lifetimes (sorry for the cliche) and if given the chance to return, I would glad make my way back to experience it all again.

Samos and Mykonos

The Greek part of our adventure got off to a not so great start, but fortunately went uphill from there.

It all started when our ferry decided to take us into a smaller port on Samos instead of the main port. The plan was to stay one night and get on a ferry to Mykonos in the morning. The hotel was less than one kilometer from the port so our travel company did not arrange for anyone to pick us up. That would have been the case if the ferry had come into the correct port. Upon arrival we did not know that there was more than one port. We assumed we were where we needed to be and started walking to try and find our hotel. We walked maybe four blocks down and realized that something was not right. Asking a nice looking man we found were given a double dose of bad news.

Bad news one: We needed to get to Samos Town on the other side of the island.
Bad news two: The taxis were on strike so our only option was a bus. The bus station was up the hill a few streets.

Despite this bad news, which of course I didn't take so well at the time, I guess things could have been worse. We got to the bus stop, paid the cheap fare and made ourselves comfortable as we wove our way across the island. It was actually quite pretty as the sun was setting, but at the time I was tired and pissed off. I had two very heavy bags and the bus driver did not even help us get them in and out of the bus. Secondly, he refused to travel just a little further down the road to get us closer to our hotel. Dragging our luggage behind us, we weaved in and out of pedestrian traffic on the sidewalks. First passes the hotel and making it all the way to the port, we backtracked and found the place we were looking for. Apparently, the ferries were having all sorts of problem that day because when we arrived we were fed the next piece of bad news.

The ferry we were supposed to leave on the next morning was in an accident and it was unsure whether it would be running the next day.

Isn't the saying that bad things happen in threes. At that point I was pissed, tired, and just ready to get some food and rest. After getting our bags into the room we headed to the roof for a lovely late dinner. I got to eat a delicious salad and PORK. I love Greek Salad! It was a nice end to a very long afternoon and evening. Though thinking back, I am not sure I was as nonchalant about the whole thing at the time. Looking back at it now, traveling always has its bumps and this one got us an extra treat our last night in Athens. I still enjoyed the trip, bumps and all, that is the part that matters.

The next morning, well rested and fed, we checked out and dragged ourselves the one block to the port. After sitting around in an empty port for a while, I decided to check in with the offices nearby. Though we were told the night before by our agents that the ferry was running as usual, that was not exactly the case. It was delayed--significantly. It was supposed to leave at 9AM and didn't leave until closer to 3PM. It worked out better in the end because that allowed us to explore Samos while we waited. The best part was being able to dump our bags in the travel office so we were able to walk around more freely. After some lunch, and wandering through shops, we were able to waste enough time until the ferry arrived.

Mykonos' arrival went much smoother than the one to Samos. Things were looking up. Though arriving much later than we planned, we had someone waiting for us, and he helped with our bags.

The Princess of Mykonos Hotel was more an elaborate maze of suites and villa like rooms. Now I am not saying that is a bad thing, but the name hotel doesn't have the same meaning on the Greek Islands. We had a beautiful room with a sea view, its own balcony--not that we were there to use it--and comfortable plush bed. It was the first time we were in a room that was bigger than a closet. We had space to move around and spread out a little. Too bad we were not staying that long. We enjoyed our time while we had it though.

After a bus into town and a short walk through the labyrinth of streets, we found the bus to the beaches. Not what I expected, but then I am not sure I expected anything but beautiful blue seas. That much I had. The only thing I didn't expect was the cold water. I wasn't able to stay in the water very long. Maybe five minutes at the most. The sand was less sand and more pebbles, but there were comfortable lounge chairs that I was able to rent and just lay back and enjoy the nice weather.

There is a nice charm to the Greek Islands. Each one is different, but have similar aspects. For one, it is laid back and stress free. As I wandered the streets I had no idea where I was going, but I just kept walking anyway. Took a turn here, another there, and in the end I was able to get where I wanted to go each time. I am not sure I would say that Mykonos was my favorite of the island, but there wasn't one I didn't like. It would have been nice to spend some more time there and explore some of the other beaches and town some more, but what can you do. You just have to make the best of the time you have, and that is what I did. The two relaxing days passed quickly and it was time to drag our bags back to the port to skim across the water once again towards Santorini.

Kudasi

The last stop on the Turkey tour was Kudasi. From here we were able to travel to nearby locations to see beautiful scenery, lots of amazing history, and a few religious sites too.

Kudasi in general reminded me of home. It is very mountainous and has trees running up and down the hillsides. As we got closer and closer to home I guess I saw what I wanted to see and that was the Blue Ridge Mountains. Looking back at pictures--I think I was starting to get a bit tired and homesick.
One of the bad things about this leg of the trip was the travel time. There are probably a lot of other things that could have been done and seen if we didn't travel the 3 hours each way to and from Pammukale. However, travel is never perfect, especially when someone else plans the tough stuff for you.

At Pammukale is the ruins of the city Hieropolis. It was a Roman city at one time complete with a theater, school, baths, and much more. Today, most of the buildings are just random collections of rocks--my opinion-- but the view from the city is beautiful. From Hieropolis you can look down on the town from cliffs or sheer white rock. Dotted along the cliff's edge are pool of natural spring water that you can wade through. It is rumored that Cleopatra and Marc Anthony came for a honeymoon like trip to the city because of the natural springs and pools. The beautiful views were gorgeous, but I am hesitant to say that I am not sure I would have made the long trip if I was planning it on my own.

The last day in Turkey ended well. It was a long day of touring and then travel, but it was worth it. We started by going to see Ephesus, an ancient Greco-Roman city. It is remarkably well preserved in the mountains near Kudasi. My favorite part was the detailing on the stones. From animals and food, to depictions of the gods each line and curve shapes a beautiful piece of art. The whole city stretches throughout a valley and ends with a long market street that takes you out to the water. It was really interesting to see how the people lived then, and to get to walk among so much history.

After Ephesus we went up the mountain to the House of the Virgin Mary. For those of you who don't know, it where she was rumored to spend the last days of her life. I think if this is true, she has really good taste. It is pushed back off the the main roads in a lush green area with flowers and trees. From parts of the grounds you can look down into the valley and see the ancient ruins of Ephesus. The house itself is something that would be considered very small by our modern standards, but I guess it served its purpose. Inside, of which I was not able to take pictures, one religious woman sits and prays and protects the shrine created for the Virgin Mary. With candles, pictures, flowers, and statues. Shrines are set-up to honor her. Once leaving the house, you may light a candle for a loved one and pray that Mary watch over them. Further down from the house is the spring where she got her water. It is believed that if you drink from this, you will receives blessings. Last is the wishing wall. Where thousands of wishes have been hung in hopes that Mary will help to make them a reality. I am not a deeply religious person, but it was still a moving experience for me.

Artemis Temple was next on our list, but I am not sure you can really call it that. In reality all that is left of the temple is a  single column. Storks have built a nest and turned it into and home, and except for some intricate detailing it is hard to really imagine what the temple must have looked like.

The tour for us ended when we were dropped off at the port in Kudasi. From there we boarded a ferry that would take us to Samos where we would start our Greek adventures.

Cappadocia

The next stop on the tour was Cappadocia. It is located in central Turkey where there are a lot of hills and valleys with beautiful rock formations. Most of this leg of the trip was enjoying the great outdoors, and getting a bit of exercise too.

The night we arrived we got in too late to explore at all. We barely made it in time to get dinner. After a good night's rest, we set off the next day to explore the region. I really enjoyed the tour guide that we had for this leg of the trip. The one in Istanbul was talking more to hear himself speak. Ranya, the one in Cappodocia, was spunky and full of energy. She gave us enough information to know what we were looking at, but didn't make us listen to a bunch of meaningless details.

The first stop of the day was a valley along one of the major roads. From there we were able to see some of the fairy chimneys that make the area famous. Then came the first test of the day, the underground city in Derinkuyu.

Used as a place to hide from invaders, the city can hold up to 3,000 people. Apparently, very short of stature because for most of the tour underground I had to walk bent over, sometimes crouching as well. It was a true test of how strong the muscle of my back were. Through a maze of stairways and sloping tunnels, the people of Turkey built an entire city. By storing food and water ahead of time, they would be able to remain hidden underground for months, as enemy armies lay siege to the ground above. Though not somewhere I would want to spend an extended amount of time, with the amount of invaders coming through the area throughout history, its existence makes complete sense.

After "crawling" my way through the underground city, it was time to enjoy some open-air on an easy grade hike. Well, at least easy grade was the term that the brochure used. I don't think I would have done the same. The sad fact is that we only really hike about half of the entire length of the valley, but that half (4km) was plenty for me.

At some point while we were underground, my camera died, so I will do my best to explain the beauty of the valley hike. Someone along the line a smart person decided to put a set of steps along the wall at the halfway point of the valley. This was the start of the journey. The stairs we steep and after the time in the underground city my legs were not real happy with me. I fought through the aching and tried to keep up with our energetic guide. It was at this point I was wishing that she had a little less spunk, but I guess when you do this day in and day out for tours, the hike was just like walking to the corner store for her.

The valley was a decent size with a small stream running the length. With lush green trees, and natural rock formations, you could spend hours enjoying the scenery around you. With houses and churches carved straight out of the rock, the valley has been inhabited for a long time. Now home to birds, and passing tourists you can enjoy the quiet serenity is offers, if your guide will give you the moment to stop and relax.

To be bluntly honest, one of the things that kept my aching legs moving was the promise of a delicious lunch waiting at the end of the trail. Set next to the stream, down in the heart of the valley was our restaurant for lunch. I dug in and enjoyed fresh bread, delicious savory meat and vegetables served in traditional pottery fashion. Thankfully the hike concluded that days adventure and I returned to the hotel happy to be able to rest up for more exploration the next day.

The next day was only a half day tour because that night we were getting on a plane and heading to Izmir, but before we get there I want to talk about Imagination Valley, and the Pottery and Rug Places that we were able to visit.

Imagination valley is called such because of the various shapes and images you can create out of the rock formations. Any your imagination can come up with, you can see formed from these natural rocks. As you wonder around you can see how the wind, water, and shifting of the earth has slowly eaten away the surface over time. Further into the valley you can see old houses that are built into the rock. No one lives there today, except this one dog. He followed around as we explored the valley and when we went inside somewhere he dutifully stood guard.

The pottery place was the last stop. All I can say is BEAUTIFUL. I spent too much money and could have spent more. To see people still put some much work and art into something like that was really nice to see. each piece was unique and hand-made. A nice change from the factory duplicates that you see in stores.

 Fairy Chimneys

 The guard/guide dog.

Though I had already gotten a brief history on Turkish rugs, I had not seen them made, or the process which they get the silk for the carpets. Thus, the trip to the rug store/factory was actually one that I enjoyed. The other three times we had to sit through the history and types of rugs, well lets just say they really want you to come home with a rug. Before you ask I didn't, but I am getting off topic. The Turkish rug is the only rugs that use the double knot technique and are still made by hand to this day. As I mentioned, they also harvest a weave their own silk as well. Except for the fact that a dead silkworm was currently inside all the little white cocoons, it was an interesting process to watch. All and all it was a really nice relaxing way to end our time in Cappadocia before moving on to the next and last stop in Turkey.

Istanbul is Constantinople and . . . well you know how it goes

As excited as I was about my upcoming adventures and the eventual arrival at home, I struggled to pack. I just wasn't motivated. It involved too many decisions that I didn't have the energy to deal with. Though my stress factor was much lower than it has been in years, by the end of the school year I was still worn out and ready to sit around and do nothing for a while. I didn't have much time to accomplish this, thus the last minute packing, which I believe is the result of why I had too much baggage. Well that and I cannot buy just one thing for friends and family, I must buy everything I see.

July 16th I dragged myself out of the Four Points Sheraton in Dubai and made my way to the International Airport. The Dubai International Airport is not one of my favorites. It is broken up into three terminals. I knew which we needed for the flight, but finding where to drop the rental car was a little more complicated. It is only after you exit to go to the terminal of choice that you actual see signs that tell you the various choices that you have at that particular terminal. I had planned ahead and left myself with plenty of time to get to the gate so it all worked out fine in the end. After paying a small fortune in baggage fees, I boarded my flight to Istanbul, the first stop on my fourteen day vacation.

The airport in Istanbul was fairly easy to navigate, though I have to say I was glad to have someone waiting for us on the other side. Though that didn't necessarily mean that everything would work out well once we got to the hotel.

Upon arrival at the Lady Diana Hotel, we were told that there is a problem with our room and it would not be ready until the following day. However, just around the corner (or up the hill two blocks and down another two) was a room for us to stay the night. After a day of travel, I just wanted a shower and a bed. However, I am glad that the first hotel was not where we were staying the entire three days.

It was the size of my closet back in Liwa, and my only closet is a four door wardrobe. I am still not sure how we fit in there with all our luggage. Two inches taller and I would not have fit in the shower, though not a terrible loss since it either froze me out or scalded my skin. The bed was small, but plenty comfortable and I got a good night's sleep so that is all that really matters in the end.

I am struggling to sift through the details of my memory to give you the most poignant details.  I guess I will breezily state that the Lady Diana was better than the hotel that first night. As tired as Susan, my travel partner, and I were we needed to venture out to find dinner. It didn't take long for me to fall in love with this city.

As we walked along the cobblestone streets and marble sidewalks in the fading sunlight, I tried to take in everything around me. From the street vendors to the ruins tucked behind overgrown greenery, each step brought new charm to the city. Living in the UAE for the past year, I had seen how people can try and live in a modern world while holding on to their old world charm. However, I never really felt it the way I did that first night in Istanbul. The old relics are placed right in the heart of a modern, thriving city. It is hard to explain that it is that made me truly fall in love so easily. I mean you still have the tourist traps and the men who try to peddle things on the street, but blocking out those elements, I was able to just enjoy the sights and sounds of the city.

Good food, good people, good times. That would be the best way to describe those short three days in Istanbul. I wish we could have had more time, we just barely scratched the surface of the city, but I am glad that I got to spend even some time there.

As beautiful as and Bosphorus cruise was, I have to say that my favorite thing in Istanbul was the Hagga Sophia. It is also known as the Saint Sophia. It is one of the few places in the world were you can see the influence of Christianity and Islam diplayed together. Built as a church and then later used as a mosque, the two religions are both on display in this beautiful old building. I could have spent hours on end taking in all that Hagga Sophia has to offer, but unfortunately, there were other things on our list to due that day.

The Blue Mosque was beautiful, but to me just another mosque. Once you have seen the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, no other mosque compares in beauty, but it was still nice to get to see it. Though I am not sure why it is named as such, is still a mystery to me.

As mentioned earlier, I was able to go on a cruise down the Bosphorus, the body of water that connects the Black Sea and Istanbul. While cruising the water, I was able to take in elaborate houses, old palaces, and some forts as well. It was a beautiful day and made me wish even more that it was not the last day in the city, but alas after three days I had to move on to another part of Turkey.

 Blue Mosque

 Hagga Sophia

 Inside Hagga Sophia

Closing of the First Year

The countdown has reached double digits. In eighteen days I will be in Istanbul. Seven days later I will be in the islands of Greece. About six days after that . . . USA.

It is hard to grasp the idea that I have really not been home since September. I video chat with my parents, and it sometimes seems like I never left . . . sometimes.

It is at the end that we start to think about the beginning, or at least that is what I am told. To be honest, I am just thinking about the days ahead. If I am really reflecting on anything it is how complicated life can get. How decisions can cause you to tear yourself into pieces in order to do what is necessary. Don't get me wrong, I do not feel that moving here to teach was the wrong decision, I actually I think it was the best decision that I have made in a long time.