rebecca soble

I’m blank. It’s been a difficult month and I don’t feel like explaining. But I want a new post, so here are some pics from my last trip to Mersin, Aug 20-30 2009.

Breakfast at a little place up in the hills outside Mersin.  Sat Aug 22.  It was a really good typical turkish breakfast.  Total 30tl for two people.

Emrah looking over the scenery.  I forget the name of the place, outside Mersin.  Gözde maybe.

A big cavernous hole in the ground at Cennet Cehennem (Heaven and Hell).  I think this hole was hell.

These pics are a bit out of order.  This is from another cavernous hole in the ground at a place called Kanlidevani, which means something like “bloody crazy”.  Apparently people were sent down into the recesses as punishment.

Emrah eating keci boynuzu (carob bean) which is supposedly an energy/aphrodisiac source.  He’s got a wild look in his eye.

Climbing the ancient stonework over large pits in the ground.  First E,

Then me.  I walked up and down a bit more cautiously than he did.

He likes climbing around old ruins.

And then snacking afterwards.  Kavurma is one of his favorites, and I rather like it too.

Inside the Cennet (Heaven) hole in the ground was an old Christian church.  Behind the church the hole in the ground (green, with trees etc) becomes a real cavern.

We also spent a lot of time at the beach.  This was at a place where we rented a tent and slept overnight.

Between the last post and this one, besides this difficult month, I also spent a lovely six weeks at home with my family.  Hopefully things will look up again soon.

Mersin’de çok güzel bir tatil yaptık…

Emrah Kız Kalesin önünde. Mayolarımız götürmedik, düşündük ki hava yeter sıcak değildi ama yanlıştık.

Pedal çevırerek Kız Kalesi etrafina gezdik.

Kız Kalesinde.

Merdivende en uygun grafiti.

Kız Kalesinin kapısındayım.

Kız Kalesinin dışardayım. Yüzmeye çok istedim.

Kale içindeyim.

Gezdikten sonra Adana kebab yedik.

Mersin sahilde çok uzun yuruyabilirsin.  O gün çok ruzgarlıydı, dalgalar çok hareketlıydı.

Outside the Mersin Archaeology Museum.

Detail on an ancient column

Playing along with the statues

Lovely palm tree view from the upstairs window of the museum.

Mersin marina, with floating fish restaurants

We had to take our own picture since there were no papparazzi around!

Rowing in the marina, with oars of two different lengths.  a bit tough!

I’m getting the hang of it!

And so is my sweetie.  xo!

Şimdi eminim, Heybeliada en sevdim ada.

Of course, I did go on a partly-cloudy Monday, when there will naturally be many fewer people than on a sunny weekend, but it was glorious.  Back roads, empty of everyone but me, the singing birds, and seemingly zillions of little green lizards.  Found a comfy bench with a terrific view, so sat and did some knitting in nature.  Walked a loop around the island, which I have done before.  But last time I stuck to the low roads and had a much longer walk.  This time I went up to the high roads, had nicer views, a stop at an interesting Greek Orthodox cemetery, and a shorter loop.

Heading out of the main village

Alone with the birds and trees

A lovely spot to sit in the sunshine

And some green friends for company.  This is just two of at least a dozen I saw.

view of the Marmara sea

Pics from my visit to Emrah in Mersin coming soon…

Emrah and I spent two days in Bursa, one touring around old buildings (where I became obsessed with patterns in stonework), and the other at 1634 meters.  (More pics on Facebook or Flickr).

Several times, standing in the falling snow, I stopped to listen … and heard absolutely nothing.  It was splendid.

Today Emrah turned 30.  He seemed relatively okay with it, though this morning he said “yarim yoldayim” which basically means he thinks he’ll die at 60.   Just one year ago I arrived back in Turkey to celebrate his 29th birthday after 3 months at home in the US, so today is a quasi-anniversary as well as a birthday.  While I’m missing my family more than usual these days, I’m also amazed at how quickly this year has passed.  And overall, it’s been really good.

Today was sunny and warm, something I never take for granted on the last day of November.  To celebrate both the birthday and the weather, we took the Banlio Tren out to the last stop (Gebze) and then hopped a quick dolmuş to the fishing village of Eskihisar (thanks RG for the idea).

On the train

The hisar in Eskihisar is not open to the public apparently. But here’s a closeup of a closed gate.

Another view of the eski hisar in Eskihisar.

I should have asked Emrah to open his mouth and pretend to eat the boat!

An old house. Emrah took this pic – he really likes old houses.

Hello – anybody home? Another old house.

Me with the fishermen. Notice the cats slinking nearby on the lookout for some fishy snacks.

There are a lot of fishermen in Eskihisar.

Seaside.

Together at the seaside. Thanks to the guy who took the picture.

Sunset.

In the evening, watching the boats.

Evening, a nice view of the marina with the hisar behind. Not sure what setting Emrah was using on the camera to get the nice graininess.

Another photo with nice graininess.