There Is No Place Like Nebraska

...so the song goes. And I think Denis would agree. Within the first couple of days at my parents' place, D managed to:

drive the lawn mower with Grandpa

explore the big back yard with Grandma

giddy-up on the neighbor's horse

play the piano

water the bushes

cool off in the pool

feed the llamas at the zoo

smile for the camera!

I know it really isn't June 29, as this post says. It's July 15. Our time in Nebraska has come and gone, and somehow I did not find the time to sit down and write one blog entry the entire time we were there. But woe is not me! We had a wonderfully busy time, and Denis loved the craziness of my large family. We're now in Canada, and since there aren't any fences to be built, garages to be sided, or gardens to be weeded (!), I plan to get caught up on my posts so Denis can one day read about his introduction to the Midwest. Because really, there is no place like Nebraska. ;)

Goodbye'i Hawai'i

Hard to believe our time in Hawaii is almost up. We've had a good - and successful - trip, despite the jet lag and colds we've all been fighting over the last few days. We did manage to hit the beach a few times between our visits to various government offices, which was nice, but we didn't do much else. In the end, we got what we came for - a certificate of citizenship and a US passport - and that's all that matters. We're off to Nebraska tomorrow evening. Here's hoping someone sleeps on the plane!

A few pictures of our Hawaiian hiatus:

The view upon entering our hotel

The view (ocean, harbor, lagoon) from our balcony

The lagoon (a perfect, wave-free beach for toddlers!)

Hauling sand...

...and more sand

Hauling Denis!

Hi Papa!

Trying out my new train (thanks, Vicky and Dan!)

Making a swimming hole

Trying out my new shades

Two passports!

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there - especially Jon, Mike, and Tom! This won't be nearly as long or as sappy as my Mother's Day post, much to the relief of my husband, but that doesn't mean I don't appreciate all the dads in my life.

I probably don't need to tell many of you what a wonderful dad Jon is. He's a natural dad! With a seemingly endless supply of energy and patience and silliness. Denis's face lights up whenever Jon walks into the room. When Jon comes home from work at night, Denis calls out, "Hello?" and then runs to the door to see who it is. "Papa!" All with a huge smile on his face. It's the sweetest thing I've ever seen. Happy Father's Day, Jon/Papa! We're lucky to have you. And we're so glad you liked your gifts! :)

Happy Father's Day to my dad, Mike. Your love and support and generosity are things I've probably taken for granted all my life. Did I ever thank you for attending all those ball games and middle school concerts? For always telling me I did a great job, even if I didn't? And how about for giving me my first car? Even if it was an old 1976 Ford LTD! :) Do you remember that time my friend Heidi and I came to see you and Mom in NH, and you 'took a long lunch' so you could hang out with us a little longer? And how you told us we had it all figured out - being teachers who had their summers free to travel and see the world and not be worried about work? How, if you could do it all over again, you might do the same thing? Well, that has stuck with me all these years. I, then a 20-something-year-old, was so pleased that my dad, then a 60-something-year-old, thought that what I was doing was cool. (Does this mean you aren't too disappointed that I didn't grow up to be a political scientist?!) Thanks for all you've done over the years, Dad. I can't wait for you to meet Denis!

Happy Father's Day to Tom, my father-in-law. I'll never forget our first meeting in Latvia in the spring of 2000. Did you ever think that bleach-blonde girl from Nebraska would still be hanging around?! Well, I'm glad I stuck around and joined your family (and returned to my natural hair color!). Thanks for welcoming me as a Schatzky and for sharing your second son with me. Thanks, too, for all the good memories at the cottage and in and around Ottawa. I'm counting the days until we arrive!

Ok, not too sappy, right?

Missing Photos

Quick question. If you scroll down to my Istanbul - Day Two post, can you see the pictures? If not, could you see them the other day? They seem to have disappeared and I'm not sure why. When I check the html, they're there, but they don't appear when I view the blog.

Anyone have any idea where they might have gone?

Aloha!

Aloha! We made it! And it's still Saturday! We left Osaka at 10:30 last night (Saturday) and arrived in Honolulu at 11:30 this morning (also Saturday). Only, we didn't realize that. We booked our hotel from Sunday-Friday. Oops! Seemed natural to us - an overnight flight on Saturday lands you in a new place on Sunday morning. We're usually a bit more travel-savvy than that! Anyway, we were able to get a room at a different hotel for today and then we'll move hotels tomorrow. Here's the view from this 'other' hotel:

Not bad, eh? I did have to zoom in past a few tall buildings, but still! And now we're all off to bed. Someone only slept 2 hours on the flight last night.

Headed to Hawaii

We're off to Honolulu tonight! Fingers crossed that all goes well in getting Denis his US passport.

Two things I'd like to know: (1) How does one little 2-year-old double the amount of luggage you normally travel with? and (2) How is Denis's new fear of bugs going to affect our summer plans? I can already hear the mosquitos and deer flies buzzing around his terrified little head at the cottage. (This is brand new as of today. This kid has shown NO FEAR in any situation - for better and for worse - until the unfortunate incident with the fly this afternoon.)

Istanbul - Day Three

Sunday, my last day in Istanbul, was spent the way Sundays were meant to be spent:

Brunching beside the Bosphorus

Strolling along the Bosphorus

Cruising down the Bosphorus

Boat watching on the Bosphorus

Castle viewing from the Bosphorus

Enjoying one last beer...not far from the Bosphorus

My wonderful weekend came to an end, as all good things must. But I'll be visiting Istanbul again, someday, as it is far too fascinating a city to only visit once in a lifetime. Thanks for a wonderful weekend, S&S! Until next time!

******************

Monday came much too soon, with a 6:15AM flight out of Istanbul. I had a seven-hour layover on the way back home, so I hopped on a train and spent a few of those hours roaming around one of my favorite cities:

Sipping a cappuccino at a corner cafe

Enjoying a gelato in the piazza

Sight-seeing at the Pantheon

When in Rome...right?

Istanbul - Day Two

I awoke Saturday with that "Today's the Day!" feeling one gets on special occasions. Saturday was the day I would meet up with old friends and see Loreena McKennitt in concert - two very special occasions, indeed!

The morning began with another rooftop breakfast, followed by more sight-seeing. This time I visited Topkapi Palace, home of the sultan and his court during the Ottoman Empire. The buildings and grounds have been beautifully maintained, and one could spend an entire day exploring the palace. I only had a couple of hours, so I chose to focus on the Harem. This part of the palace was the residence for the wives, concubines, and female relatives of the sultan. It was also the home of the Queen Mother, the sultan's mother, who ran the Harem and had great influence over the Empire. From the little I learned in two hours, it was a fascinating time in history.

After visiting Topkapi Palace, I walked back to the hotel so I could pack and check-out. As I was coming down the stairs with my bags, a familiar face was smiling up at me from across the hotel lobby. Sean! At long last! Big hugs, lots of laughter, and huge smiles marked the moment. (I'm still smiling!) Realizing we couldn't stand in the lobby all day, I quickly settled my hotel bill and we were off. We took the tram and headed to his place in Beyoglu, catching up along the way. I barely had my feet in their doorway when another familiar face peeked at me from around the corner. Susan! More hugs and more laughter and more smiles! Words can't really express how it good it was to see their faces and hear their voices after eight long years. For those of you who don't know, Sean and Susan (both from Australia) are good friends of mine from my teaching days in Lithuania. They started at the school the same year I did - 1998 - and for three years we enjoyed Vilnius and its environs together. That was my first overseas experience, and they are largely responsible for the wonderful time I had - am still having - as an overseas teacher. The school we taught at, the American International School of Vilnius, was a very small school, with only a handful of teachers. Had I come in with a different group of people, people who didn't know how to have a good time, I might not be living the life I'm living today. I may have packed it up after my initial two-year contract and gone back home. No kidding. So, here's to Sean and Susan!

It took us about thirty seconds to make our way to their balcony, and another ten seconds for Susan to serve us all G&T's (just as promised!). We spent the next couple of hours catching up on all we'd missed over the last 8 years - news of our friends and former colleagues from AISV in Lithuania, my time in Peru and Japan, their time in Thailand and Turkey... We paused only now and again so we could comment on the gorgeous view from their balcony:

While Susan was seeing her niece (who had been traveling in Turkey for 6 weeks and was headed back to Australia) off to the airport, Sean and I walked to Istiklal Caddesi. This is the main shopping and strolling street in Istanbul, and I was able to pick up a few souvenirs - a scarf, some evil eyes (can you say 'Christmas ornaments', family-o-mine?!), a vase, a few boxes of Turkish Delight candies, and some 'musical' spoons for Denis.

The three of us went back to the balcony (one could spend whole days out there!) and had dinner al fresco. More catching up and more marveling at the spectacular views. I love this shot of Asian Istanbul as the sun was starting to set. For a few moments, we were blinded by the bright golden light as the sun reflected off the windows and bounced off the water.

Suddenly, it was time. It was time to get dressed and head to the concert. THE concert. The one I'd traveled 6,000 miles to go to! Sean walked me to the venue - Cemil Topuzlu Harbiye Amphitheatre - which was, coincidentally enough, in their neighborhood. I found my seat and waited out the 15 minutes with a mixture of emotions. I was beyond excited! I was finally going to see one of my favorite artists perform live. The show couldn't start soon enough! And yet, I felt a bit nostalgic, if that's possible. Something I'd been waiting a long time for was about to happen and would soon be over. I was worried I wouldn't 'take it in' enough, or 'lose myself in the moment' enough, or something like that. You know that feeling? It was almost as if I was nervous for her to walk out on stage. Silly, isn't it?! Well, she did walk out on stage, and she played and sang her heart out for two hours. It was absolutely fabulous! And I took in every moment of it. I found I kept closing my eyes so that I could hear her voice and the music more clearly. (You should have been there with me, sis! I know you - who introduced me to her music in the first place - would have loved it as much as I did. For what it's worth, I could feel you in the empty seat next to me!) And then... it was over. But, and this is a BIG BUT, the excitement wasn't over for me just yet. Why? Because, I HAD A BACKSTAGE PASS TO MEET LOREENA MCKENNITT!! Yes, it's true! I got to go backstage and chat with Loreena for a few moments. Talk about nervous and giddy with excitement! What do you actually say to someone you've admired for so long? I knew our meeting would be brief as there were many other people backstage waiting to meet her as well, so I made some pleasant small talk and told her how thoroughly I enjoyed the concert. We chatted for a few more moments, making the connection of how I came to be there that night, and then I was on my way. How did I come to be there that night?, you are probably wondering. Let's just say I have a wonderful mother-in-law who just happens to have made Loreena's acquaintance through a mutual friend/relative. (THANK YOU, MAR!) Unfortunately, I have no photos of the concert or our meeting, but not to worry. They're forever etched in my mind.

Istanbul - Day One

I'm back! What a perfect weekend! I knew it was off to a good start when I saw the weather forecast for the three days I'd be in Istanbul. More good omens followed when I boarded the plane and discovered I had the whole row - three seats! - to myself for the long 12-hour flight to Paris. Then there was the plane itself. It was one of those with individual movie screens on the back of every seat and a plethora of movies to choose from, movies to watch at any time during the flight, movies I hadn't yet seen! As if all that wasn't treat enough, the Air France flight attendants kept strolling through the aisles offering more mini-baguettes and more mini-bottles of wine. How could I resist? When in Rome, right? Needless to say, it was a lovely flight. The kind of flight that makes you feel like you're going somewhere special (even if Paris is not your final destination). If I hadn't been so eager to get to Istanbul, and if 12 delightful hours on a plane didn't still feel like 12 hours on a plane, I almost would have been sad to de-plane. The short flight from Paris to Istanbul was full and on time. I arrived at my hotel just after midnight, and just in time for a Skype session with my boys, who were just waking up in Kobe.

I spent Friday touring the main attractions of the Sultanahmet area. I woke up just before 6:00 and decided to get an early start. I took a quick shower, grabbed my camera, and went for a stroll. It was great being out and about before anyone else was up, save the bread vendors. I got some fairly good shots at that early morning hour; my favorite being this one of the Blue Mosque and the lone Turk waiting to sell his bread. The benches near him would be filled with tourists the rest of the day, especially at night when the mosque is flood-lit. 

After my early morning stroll, I went back to the hotel for breakfast on the rooftop. I had my first taste of Turkish tea and my first glimpse of the Bosphorus Strait.

I then set out for the day. I visited Haghia Sophia, the Basilica Cistern, and the Blue Mosque - all of which are within easy walking distance of one another. I found I was most impressed by the architecture of these buildings. They make an absolutely stunning skyline. Their insides are equally as impressive with their domed ceilings, arched doorways and windows, hand-painted tiles, Arabic writings, and tipped-over Medusas(?). 

Just as I was making my way to the Blue Mosque, a Turkish man offered to walk with me and 'help' me. He arranged it so I could enter the Mosque via a door that was only for locals and which had a much shorter line. My first introduction to the infamously charming Turk! Of course, he asked that I visit his carpet shop after I leave the Mosque... And so I did. I figured I'd play the game. When in Rome, right? So, I visited his carpet shop where he and his uncle pulled out countless carpets for me to look at and ahhh over. I sipped on my second glass of Turkish tea that morning and agreed that, yes, the carpets were certainly gorgeous. If only I was in the market for a carpet. We then got to talking about Istanbul and how much I was enjoying it thus far. The uncle advised me to enjoy it as a visitor but to never live there as it was much too dangerous. Dangerous? Why? Anti-American sentiments? "No. Because, if you ever move here, you will fall in love with a Turkish man and it will ruin your marriage. Very dangerous." I told him if the opportunity of moving to Istanbul ever presented itself, I'd take my chances! I politely excused myself after I finished my tea and went on my way. I stopped at the lovely Cafe Amedros and lunched on some stuffed grape leaves and an Efes beer on my way to the Grand Bazaar. A bit of refueling was in order!

The Grand Bazaar. I wasn't in much of a shopping mood, and there is only so much Turkish charm a girl can handle in one day, so I didn't spend much time there. It is an amazing place, however. As I was walking through the streets of the Bazaar, I tried to imagine what it was like back in the late 1400s when it was filled with merchants of long ago selling and trading their wares.

Needing a change of pace, I decided it was time to hop on the tram and go pick up my concert ticket at Istiklal Kitabevi. The tram took me across the water to another area of Istanbul which I hadn't seen yet. I must admit, that at that point in the afternoon, it felt nice to sight-see from the comfort of a tram seat! On the way back to the Sultanahmet area, I stopped at the Spice Bazaar - a much smaller and more manageable bazaar - and had a look around. The spices were in beautiful mounds of yellows and oranges, reds and browns. The smell was heavenly.

Dinner found me at the Rumeli Cafe - a restaurant recommended to me by some friends here in Kobe. With a view of the Blue Mosque and a delicious stewed lamb dish, it didn't disappoint. After dinner I headed to Cemberlitas Hamam - a Turkish bath. I paid for the full works, and this is how the full works worked: Upon entering the women's section of the hamam, I was met by a bath attendant who showed me to my locker and gave me a small towel and a pair of slippers. Towel-clad, I walked into the main bathing area where I was met by yet another attendant. This attendant instructed me to lay face down on my towel on a large slab of marble in the center of the hot room. A few minutes later, she came and started scrubbing me down with a kese and lathering me up in soap. She then rinsed me with buckets of warm water, followed by buckets of cold water. I then soaked in a hot tub for a few minutes and went for a 30-minute oil massage. All in all, it was a good experience. (No, that's not me in the photo! It's the free postcard I got when leaving. And no, the bath is not usually enjoyed by one lucky woman at a time. That marble slab had several women on it when I was there. But, you get the idea...) 

On my way back to the hotel, I walked past Haghia Sophia and the Blue Mosque again to see them lit up at night. Beautiful! As timing would have it, the call to prayer was just beginning. I watched, mesmerized, as people drifted toward the mosque...answering yet another call to prayer.

More on Days Two and Three tomorrow.