We Are Back...

From a Very Busy Weekend in Scotland.

Just popped in, just home, Ralph has worked so hard getting his mum's bathroom sorted for her and he has made a fabulous job of it. Stupidly I did not take a photo:(

My relationship with his mum reached another place, a wonderful place. 
She is a wonderful lady and so determined to get moblie again.

Well tomorrow is June 1st and I have a
PLAN TO GET BACK ON TRACK.
Each Tuesday will be my Truthful Tuesday, it will be my weigh day, my review day, my honesty day.
(I mean a completely hand on heart honesty day)
So if there is anything you wish to know about me, ask me on a Tuesday and I will tell you.

Good night, hope you have had a great weekend.

I'm Sooooo Tired.....

We had a five hour delay at Dalman airport, at the time we were picked up at the hotel, the plane due to bring us back, hadn't even left Manchester. It was not a pleasant experience at the airport. Besides being held to ransom for a bottle of water £2.60 for 250ml. We were getting it for 25ct's in the resort.  They had us held captive, with the security thing of no liquids coming in, which I thoroughly agree with.  But a price hike of 5000% is immoral. 

I have never experienced a delay like last nights and I hope I never do again. I'm not going to whinge about it, we were lucky, just us to look after, the families with children were the one's entiltled to have a rant, boy if I was one for those mothers you would hear me ranting right now!!

We arrived back in the shoebox at 5.30 this morning, neither of us feeling very well, we went to bed straight after checking the post.  My man is still there snoring for Scotland...

I got up at 10.30, awoked by the sound of his snoring;)
I got up, got on the scales.....OMG.....OMG.....OMG......

I only put on four pounds.....  I'm dancing a happy dance. Can you see me...LoL
I really did expect more, even though we ate healthily most of the time, and we walked miles, plus the bike ride on day,  so I am very happy with that.

My plan starts on Tuesday, so you never know the official weigh in could be less, I have four days, mind  you that is for days in Scotland...mmm..Well we shall see, I am very happy with the numbers this morning.

I am very happy to be back in our little shoebox, the sun is shining, ok so it's not Turkey, but it's England, it's home and we are safe and sound and one of us is blissfully snoring.

Time To Go Home

Here I am sitting in the reception area of the hotel, where I have sat each time I have written a post.  Now I am sitting waiting for the transfer coach to the airport. Writing a post...

It has been very hot today, I have been most uncomfortable as have most of the people I have spoken to, staff and guests alike here in the hotel.  It feels like there is a storm comming.  It better come and go before we get to the airport!

I feel quite sad leaving here today, the staff from the receptionist through to the waiters who have taken care of us have been absolutley wonderful.  Our chambermaid was quite emotional this morning when we said our goodbye to her. The Turkish people really are wonderfully warm and genuine folk and I feel quite terrible in that for many years I have thought they were miserable and hard.  I make an apology to them all here.  The only miserable one I have come across is the manager here. I think the global economic situation is affecting holiday bookings and he is looking like a man with a lot of worries on his shoulder's. They have done a lot of refurbishment in the closed season and they are looking to recoup some of it this year. 
I hope things pick up for this hotel and all the other's in the town.  It was extremely quiet in the town last night, some of the bar's and resaurant's were completely empty.  It is half term in the UK next week so maybe it will pick up at the weekend. Turkey is cheaper than most other European holiday destinations as they are nort in the EU.  So not in the Eurozone which is floundering badly at the moment. It is a little more expensive than we were led to believe but still cheaper than Spain, Greece etc.

I have taken photo's of the people we have enjoyed this past eleven days and will post photo's when/if I get the chance over the weekend. We have just heard the flight is delayed but don't know for how long:(  I have warned my man if we are delayed more than an hour, we will not be driving to Scotland tomorrow.  He is not happy with me, but knows I am only concerned about his health and safety.  Driving six hours on just a few hours sleep in a fools errand and I ain't no fool. The flight is due in to Manchester at 11:25pm, by the time we get through baggage and customs and get to the car, we are looking at getting home by 1:00am at the earliest.  If delayed it will be later.  He wants to drive to Scotland late morning, who is the fool?  But he is my fool and I adore him.

Catch up with you soon, here's to a safe flight home.

Some Turkish Food Delights

Apple Tea...

Deliciously Refreshing.

Fresh Fuit Cake, Deliciously Naughty.

Turkish Bread, Garlic and Parsley Butter and Goat's Cheese, Delicously Warm.

Phyllo Pastry Parcels Deliciously Vegetarian.

Spinach Ravioli with Yogurt and Garlic, Delicously Fabulous.

Fish Casserole, I didn't try it but Ralph says it was delicious.

The Claypot the casserole was cooked in.

The traditional end to a Turkish meal, Turkish coffee.

We are just about to get ready to go out for our final evening meal here in Turkey, feeling a little sad the holiday is coming to an end, but at the same time looking forward to getting home.  Even if it is only for a few hours.  We are heading up to Scotland on Friday to help sort things for Ralph's mum with Heather, his sister.  She is being discharged from hospital on Saturday. There is an awful lot to get organised in the three days we up there.

Will send my final post from Turkey tomorrow afternoon, while waiting for the coach transfer to the airport.

Then it is back to getting healthy....

Hello I'm Having too Much fun to Blog;)

My Very Favourit Flower in All the World

Just been dipping in and out, usually when my man is having a swim.  I am having a wonderful time.  This has been a totally relaxed holiday, one we both needed.  We have met some really lovely people, the Turkish are so genuinely friendly.

I have enjoyed some delicous meals, delightful pastries and to die for salads.  I have put weight on, I can see it and feel it around my middle.  Do you know something, I don't care right now.  I have a plan for when we get back, so right now I am enjoying every moment, every morsel.

Although,I do have a body image problem that won't let me wear a swimsuit in public, we went to the beach and I sat fully clothed on a sunbed under a canopy. As I looked around I questioned why I am like this, as there are many women much larger than me, stripping off and wearing bikini's, appearing not to give a toss.  Why can't I be like that. It is not something that upset's me as it has always been part and parcel of who I am since childhood. So it is nothing new and it is not raw, if you know what I mean. It does bother Ralph though, he is proud of me and wishes I would wear a swimsuit to the beach.  I have no body image problem as far as he is concerned, I am so confident of his love and commitment to me, I don't hide from him. In fact we have had a lot of fun:o)

Yes here is the proof, I did ride a bike on holiday.

Her name was Alice...God love her, having to carry me..lol

A Bouquet from Turkey

 We have had another relaxed day; the weather forecast was for rain, so we didn’t catch the dolbus to the beach. Instead we went for a walk around the local shopping area, checked out a local supermarket. Looking at the food in the local market and the super market we have decided if we come or should I say, when we come back to Turkey, we will rent a villa or an apartment. It is cheap enough to eat out and we would still do so most nights. But for breakfast and lunch there would be more control over the food we eat.

 This collection of photos is of all the flowers I have come across. The perfume from some of these flowers is most intoxicating. Oleander is beautiful, both in its self and its perfume. We came across a villa called “Villa Jasmine” and the planting there was out of this world, of course there was Jasmine, but intermingled there were perfumed roses, honeysuckle and passion flower. It was a heady mixture and I must try to recreate the perfume in the garden at home.

 The rain came, with thunder, it is now feeling a bit chilly, I’m wearing a cardy... I believe it is 27 degree's at home...It is 22 here but feels cold because of the rain.

The photo ey the byccyle and me will be here tomorrow, thank you for the great advice about my wrists and managing with a bicycle. Ralph has been on line and found some wrist supports so the to to plans are back on track. Sorry Suzi about the Turkish Delight, but I am being tortured by a box of mixed flavour's bought by

 he-who-is-cruel, last night.  They are on the bedside table, but are for taking home....Why didn't he wait until next Wednesday night to buy them?  He is supposed to love me!!!

Turkish Delights Three

                  The view from our room after the gardener trimmed ton's of branches off the Bouganvillia.

We had a lazy, relaxed day yesterday, Ralph went for his Turkish bath while I surfed some blog’s and did a post. Then we had lunch by the pool, I had a vegetable pitta which was to die for, I will be having that again. Then we went for a leisurely walk around the outskirts of the town. Took some photo’s some of which are below.

We then came back and I had a nap, while Ralph had a read. I am just about to have a shower before we go out to dinner (posh again) tonight we have booked into the restaurant we went to on our first night. they are having a “Tandir Night” I am led to believe it is lamb cooked slowly for two days, I think it may be similar to the Greek Klephtiko, which is delicious. I hope I am not going to be disappointed, haven’t been so far.

Thursday Afternoon...

The Tandir was delicious and we had a lovely evening. Today we hired bikes, yes you heard me, and we hired bikes at 10am and went for a two hour ride. Ok we stopped several times so it was probably a one and a half hour ride. There is a photo to prove it, still in the camera. I did learn a lesson today though, cycling and arthritic wrists do not mix. I terrain here is rough, not smooth ride at all. So it has got Ralph worrying that I won’t be able to cycle when we get back home. The bikes we were supposed to get last year are on the to do list for when we get home. Now do I go ahead and by one or will my wrists hurt no matter what surface I ride on? All advice welcome.

Here are two examples of villa's for sale here in Dalyan...



 

 

 

This is my idea of idyllic, I must try to grow som climbers up and over my shed.

Some random photo's from our walk yesterday. Ralph is just back from his cycle ride so we are going over to the pool bar for a drink.  Oh this is the life...

Turkish Delights Part Two

Good Morning from Dalyan, the weather is perfect, I am sat alone in the reception area of the hotel.  My man has gone for a Turkish Bath, I am not into pain so giving that a miss.

Yesterday we sent on an all day coach trip which was very enjoyable.  We visited a gold centre and I am so glad we left the plastic at home.  There was a ring there I would definately have had if I had had a little bit of plastic in my purse. Do I need  ring? No, do I want a ring? Well I did when it was on my finger, but I am not missing it now. So I am very please the plastic is in my knickers...

We then went to Fethiye and there was a large market, which was fabulous. Even in the torrential rain, it was so entertaining watching the stall holders shifting the rainwater from their tenting.  the laughter and shouting was brillant, it was an impromptu entertainment, I don't know who enjoyed it most, the Turkish stall holders or the tourist's.

My man haggeld over a pair of long shorts, it is all part of life over here.  I am not comfortable with it, but Ralph used to do it in Saudi so he knows the ropes so to speak.  Anyway the stall holder wouldn't come down to Ralph's price, so we walked away, or should I say Ralph did,  I was already 12ft away!!  We were about 50 yards down the row and we heard "sorry...sorry" we turned around and the stall holders wife was there, with the shorts, in a bag and saying "sorry, yes 20lire". I was gob smacked and Ralph was chuffed. So seemingly it does work..lol.

We  then went for a buffet meal at a ghost town, the meal was delicious, but I found the ghost town very sad.
It was a Greek village, but was cleared in 1929, I think I have the date right but it might be 1923. When Atta Turk lead the fight for Turkish Independance.  The Greeks had to leave overnight and no one has lived there since. This is not the first village I have seen like this, there is one in Cyprus, where the reverse happened, the Turk's had to leave overnight and no one has lived there since either.

We visited a small hippy type market just outside the ghost town and I treated myself to a bracelet and necklace. So that's my soveneirs of the holiday sorted.  After that we were taken to Oledeniz another resort down the coast, they have the Blue Lagoon beach which is one of the best beaches in Turkey.  My man went for a swim, I didn't.  I am a Piscean,  love to be by water, walk by water, but get in the water, no way...

On the way back we visited a Turkish Delight factory, it was heavenly, the smells were mmmmmmmm.....  We were shown how it is made, very interesting, but I must stay away from it.  Pure Sugar!! They also sell spice's and part of the entertainment was the owner mixing spice mixes, one for marinading meats and on for spaggetti based meals.  They again were aromatic heaven,  we bought some of the spagetti mix to take home.  Can't wait to use it.  We didn't buy any Turkish Delight, oh it was sooo hard leaving it..