Last days and a few thoughts

Carpet shopping

Too many beautiful carpets - after looking at dozens it was so hard to make a choice..... This was a great shop; the owner spoke excellent English and was assisted by his 83 year old "Baba" (father).  As with most Turkish businesses, we were offered tea, and they even had apple tea for us.   He also gave us a ride home with our three purchases in his car.

A different style of Muslim cemetery in Ankara

Kugulu (swan) Park

This was the small lovely park very close to our apartment - we got to see the seasons change here.

The BYU Chamber Orchestra stopped in Ankara on their Eastern European tour and performed at Bilkent University with two local performers.  Very well done.







Probably the greatest thing about traveling is the chance to meet new friends.  The hard part is saying good-bye, but I am confident we will meet again and that reunion will be sweet.

Our Senior Primary class; front L to R:  Christian Goff, Zeynap, Jessica Goff, Sasha Flanigan, Sarah Lewis.  Back: L to R, Bryce Lewis, Deb, Brigham Erimtinger, Roy
We really enjoyed team teaching the Old Testament and quickly came to love these wonderful children.

Our favorite missionaries: Elder Alton and Elder Levitt

Goff family in their Easter dresses from Grandma

Bud and LeeAnn Fackrell 

Tazehabadi family: Tara, Tina, Mina, Irani 

Lewis family

Hansen family: Suzie, Ralph and Suzie's mother - Annette

Ralph was the Air Force Attaché in Ankara as well the Branch President.  Suzie had an amazing voice and organized the Women at the Well Fireside.  Annette held a weekly quilting group to tie coverlets to give to refugees (10,000s in Turkey from Syria, Iraq, & Iran).

What I will miss about Turkey:
- The view from our apartment overlooking the city.  We could see Ataturk's mausoleum and the large mosque.  It was spectacular at night.
- yummy fresh bread
- walking everywhere I wanted and taking a taxi home if needed
- Nisantashi bazaar where all the sellers would offer samples of exotic, unique foods
- Selep - winter-time hot drink made from powdered ground orchid root
- Sacrament prayers in Turkish in our small Branch
- friendly shop keepers at Ulus
- friendly Turks especially in the small villages
- new Bechtel friends at the office
- being within walking distance of church although uphill going but downhill coming home :)

 I will not miss:
- the crazy Taxi drivers that sometimes went much too fast
- Turkish drivers period.
- grouchy checkers at the grocery shops
- expensive long distance phone calls to my family and friends in the US
- very few low-fat food items at the grocery shops (lots of things are laced with honey!)
- not having a large clothes dryer
- my tiny and temperamental oven

Our last two Turkish explorations

Yes, did you catch that? Our last chance to explore Turkey, at least for now.  We will be leaving to return home to Houston in a few weeks.  What the heck?  Yes, we thought we had come for several years, but I guess it was not to be.  Long story very short:  The pipeline client put the project out for bid again earlier this Spring and after an intense bidding process, Bechtel lost.
We are very sad to leave this incredible country.  Before we left though, we were able to make two fun day trips.
North to Amasra near the Black Sea.  Or at least that is where we intended to go.  Since Roy was the driver, that made me the navigator and I am usually pretty good at it.  So I will blame the poor signs and/or the poor road numbering system. We missed our turn and ended up many kilometers West in the town of Zonguldak.  But we still got to see the Black Sea and experience the winding coastal road (think California highway One) for about 100 kilometers.

We were excited to see this hillside of wild rhododendron 

 Yes, we believe that was a small casket.  A sad story for sure.

Crusader castle

an old amphitheater ?

Southeast to Cappadocia region in Central Anatolia

This is an immensely popular tourist spot - a visit to Turkey would not be complete without seeing these region's fascinating rock formations or so we had been told.  And yes, we have to admit, it was worth the drive.

Very popular to go for an early morning balloon ride (6AM early)

The landscape of Cappadocia was created around 30 million years ago when erupting volcanoes blanketed the region with ash.  The ash solidified into an easily eroded material called tuff, overlain in places by layers of hard volcanic rock.  Over time, the tuff was worn away, creating distinctive formations, including the capped-cone "fairy chimneys".

Houses, motels and many old Christian churches are carved into the rock.  Sadly we didn't have time to do more that walk through the town of Göreme.

note the chimney 

So when planning a trip to Turkey be sure and book at least two days here.  We hear the underground Churches are amazing and motels carved into rock a unique adventure.

















Last stop:  Seyte Gölu  (Gölu = lake)
On the drive back to Ankara Roy wanted to see this lake (about 30 miles off the highway) to do some birding.  We stopped at this very nice park and Roy and the local naturalist had a wonderful exchange - he didn't speak any English and Roy doesn't speak Turkish but both spoke "Bird" looking at each other's bird books.  It was a fun adventure and springtime on the Anatolian plateau is truly beautiful.

We converge in Virginia

The stars lined up or the Tender Mercies of the Lord and we were all able to come to Virginia the first week of May to sing Happy Birthday to Scout and attend Isaak's baptism.  Mary had a week break between Spring and Summer classes and Alex and Ashlee managed a few days off and were able to fly with Alex's employee benefits.  Have I mentioned he has been working part-time for Skywest Airlines at the Idaho Falls Airport?

A few days in Williamsburg

Uncle Stuart, Katy and Isaak

Scout

Gracie

Zach

Gracie, Katy and Stuart

Pitre's and a new friend

cousins at a Bounce house

Aunt Mary's new fun game

Roy was a busy guy: a Washington DC Nationals Game with Isaak and Gerald

A day of fly fishing with Stuart, although the weather did not cooperate, poor guys.

National Children's Museum at National Harbor on another rainy morning.  This was a nice museum and although new, we were disappointed it was so small.

Senor Zach

Katy

Ellie

Ellie, Gracie, Zach

Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum - Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center at Dulles Airport

 This is a great place!  Highly recommend it and, like all Smithsonian's, it's FREE!

With the Discovery Space Shuttle

perfect weather to enjoy Becky's back deck (Roy even got a new bird from here this week (prairie warbler))

while the kids played in the yard

Mary, Stuart, and I took the kids into Washington DC for a day.  Quick visits to three Museums:  National Archives, Natural History, and the Native American.   I was very proud of myself for driving into and back home using the HOV lanes.  I might learn to navigate around DC yet!

on the Mall with Uncle Stuart/Dad

Happy 11th Birthday Scout!  Enjoyed a fun Mexican dinner with newly arrived Grandpa and Grandma Fowkes

Scout with the locket we gave her

Baptism day  3 May 2014

Gerald, Isaak and Becky

 Roy, Debi Woodward, Isaak, Rene'e, Steve Fowkes

Pitre's

Alex and Ashlee 

Gerald and Isaak

It was a wonderful baptism.  Many of Becky and Gerald's friend's attended.  Becky played the piano, Mary led the music.  The grandma's gave the prayers and the grandpa's gave the talks.  Gerald played a cello solo.  There was a special Spirit there.