We are spending the most wonderful week in Izmir, Turkey! Izmir is also known as Smyrna, one of the seven churches from the Book of Revelation.
Disclaimer: Since we'll eventually make a book out of our time in Turkey, we'll provide a lot of detail regarding this trip. We don't mean to bore you with the details!
Sunday: We flew Pegasus Airlines (sorta like Southwest 10 yrs ago) out of Adana and arrived in Izmir with the whole day ahead of us. In Adana, they put more tags than we could count on our car seat and stroller because we wanted to check both at the gate. It turned out to be a pretty funny situation when the gate ended up being on the other side of the room...about 50 feet away!
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| This picture shows exactly half of the airport! |
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| Our view over Adana and Incirlik |
On the drive into the hotel, our taxi driver was very nice and even slowed down as we passed by a monument to Mustafa Kemal, a.k.a. Ataturk, Turkey's version of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin all rolled into one.
The Swissotel upgraded us to a 2-room business suite, nicer than we could have ever hoped for! Afternoon naps taken, we explored the stores and restaurants close by, eating dinner at Cafe Recis (pronounced Reggie's) at our friends' suggestion. Good food and atmosphere!
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| This statue of the fat Swiss man on his fat pony outside the hotel...serious business! |
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| Enjoying his mac 'n' cheese like always |
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| Trying out the portable high chair for the first time |
Monday: Daniel went to work down the street, while Anu and the boys spent the morning playing in the hotel's children's playroom and then went window shopping. They walked all the way to the water's edge in Alsancak. Seeing stores like The Body Shop, GAP, Lacoste, MAC and Steve Madden made Anu feel closer to home! That evening, the whole family wandered down the Kordon by the water. Some people rushed to catch the ferry home, while others relaxed at outside cafes on the water's edge. We visited the Konak Shopping Center on the Konak Pier but ate near the hotel at
Villa Grilla.
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Swissotel children's playroom
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| Alsancak |
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| Ferries along the Kordon |
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| Izmir at night |
Tuesday: After breakfast with Daddy, Mommy and the boys caught a taxi to Bornova and the local IKEA. This was a small part of a nice outdoor shopping center, but they only had time and energy for several hours at Mommy's favorite (and only) Swedish home store! That evening, we all took it easy and had a light dinner near the hotel at
Kırçiçeği, recommended by some of Daniel's coworkers.
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| changing room at IKEA |
(More to follow!)
2 comments:
Oh No, I wanted to keep reading...will have to wait. I am just loving these posts and please keep them coming.
I just read the letter to the Church of Smyrna this morning!That was a Church that endured a lot persecution
I love the pictures of what you've done and where you've gone in Izmir (Smyrna). You've done and seen ALOT!! Looking forward to Part II. Also, so glad that Ezekiel is keeping up with the DOW :-)
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