Amys in SA

Camels, camels, and more camels! (The camel market in Hofuf)

2008-02-07T08:44:00.000-08:00

We visited the camel market in Hofuf (about 1 hour away). There were camels EVERYWHERE! And pricey ones too. The one camel we looked at was claimed to be worth about 60,000 US dollars, another was reputed to be worth 200,000 dollars!

Deb (kindergarten teacher) received a camel kiss, and I got my first sit on a camel (yes..very exciting for me!)

Carpet Making in Cappadocia

2008-01-02T23:48:00.001-08:00

This is one of the (many) carpet places we saw while in Turkey. It shows a little bit about how the silk is retrieved from the silkworm cocoons (it was pretty amazing to see!), and how the ladies both wove, and tied the carpets. The speed that they work at is pretty incredible.

Pamukkale

2008-01-02T23:36:00.000-08:00

Nope - it's not snow, (but it was still pretty cold!) Pamukkale is a calcium deposit, and location of thermal springs (which Bruce enjoyed - it was too cold for the rest of us!) It was a thermal spa since before the Roman era. While Bruce swam, Shelley, Rick and I walked up to the amphitheater (within the ancient city of Hieropolis) which was incredibly high (at the back row), and offered quite a view. Drinking apple tea seemed to be a Turkish custom, and one which we took part in pretty much daily! It was a tasty, cheap way to get warmed up!

Ephesus

2008-01-02T10:23:00.000-08:00

One of the most spectacular places we visited was Ephesus. The roads and many buildings were remarkably well restored. The library of Celsus is the one with the impressive front entrance way (and where Bruce is standing). Also, the Greco-Roman theater where the apostle Paul preached. Rick's having a sit on the public toilets (not a lot of privacy back in the day ....)! Shelley and I also made a trip up to what is believed to be Mary's house. Bruce and Rick stayed in town to see the museum there. Although there maybe some argument as to whether or not it truly was Mary's house, it was a beautiful location for a quiet getaway from all the business of a tour.

Cappadocia

2008-01-02T10:11:00.000-08:00

Cappadocia was such an interesting place. The "fairy chimneys", and cave dwellings made you think of something from a science-fiction/fantasy story. The cave dwellings were home to many monastic groups, and were a hiding place for early Christians during times of persecution. Even our hotel rooms were built within the caves - it was pretty modern living for us though! Underground cities were also built - 8 levels deep! People could live beneath the ground in these "cities" for up to 2 months, but you wouldn't have wanted to be very big - some of the hallways, (crawl-ways) were pretty tight!

Istanbul

2008-01-02T09:42:00.000-08:00

Istanbul was great. The "tourist" center was easy to see on foot, and there was lots to see and do. The Blue Mosque (seen behind Shelley and Rick) was quite something - the ceilings inside high and beautifully painted. The Aya Sofia - a Christian cathedral that had been turned into a mosque, is now a museum, right across from the Blue mosque. Inside, you can see painted ceilings, where the layers of paint have been uncovered to reveal the "original" art work from the time that it was a cathedral. Rick had a chance to try out his pottery skills at a shop we wandered into. We also wandered down into the Roman underground cistern - it would be a great place for some spooky movie scenes!

Some sights along the highway....

2007-12-13T10:55:00.000-08:00

and outside...

2007-12-08T09:45:00.000-08:00

Now it's more like home...

2007-12-06T01:22:00.001-08:00

It's great to have our own things....definitely time to get rid of the old Aramco couch!

So here it is! Home sweet home! Take note of the guest room.......it's ready and waiting!

Hofuf 11/07

2007-11-09T03:07:00.000-08:00

The potters workshop was interesting - he was a tough bargainer!

The caves in Hofuf are really pretty amazing and very extensive. In fact, so extensive that the day we were there, someone had called into the National Guard from inside the caves to say they had gotten lost!! Luckily their cell phone was able to connect.

Our trip to Hofuf

2007-11-09T02:41:00.000-08:00

We had a great time visiting Hofuf - the Turkish Palace has some pretty interesting architecture. We were privileged to be able to enter the "forbidden" (to women anyway...!) Tea House. Even our guide had never been inside this Men-only tea house before. A couple of the guys enjoyed some "hubbly bubbly" while we were there.

The bakery was very interesting. This fellow had a fire heated round oven where he baked flat breads. He can make several rounds in a very short period of time. It has sort of a sweet flavor, but is a whole wheat based bread. Quite tasty.

Weekend in Bahrain

2007-10-14T11:26:00.000-07:00

Our first visit to Bahrain. The causeway from Saudi into Bahrain is pretty amazing. It goes from Saudi, touches down on 2 islands for customs/passport check, and then on to the main island of Bahrain. It's 25 km long, and is 4 lanes across.
The sunsets here are pretty amazing - the sun looks huge, right until is passes from view.
There have been some archaeological digs done in the area. They've uncovered some ancient temples (like this one in Barbar), which is believed to have been dedicated to the god of the water. There are lots more sites we plan to visit on return trips.

Getting started in Saudi Arabia

2007-10-09T10:48:00.000-07:00

Our new car! Purchased through the help of a co-worker, we found this Galloper. FREEDOM!!

Aramco furniture is pretty basic, but does the job for now. Our things are en route....maybe they'll arrive by Christmas?

The back yard is looking pretty bare right now....grass is on the way though, and we can't wait to spend some R&R time hanging out and relaxing.

Starbucks is here! The Persian Gulf is in the view, but a little difficult to see with the sunlight.