thanks Thanks, Bill and Carol, for all the interesting stories and pictures of Turkey. Looking forward to seeing you in Seattle later this year. Love, Vince and Sylvia
Have a safe trip back home Dear Carol and Bill,
Thank you so much for sharing your great experience in Turkey. We are looking forward to seeing you again this summer in Seattle. Your blogs are a great introduction to our October trip.
Love,
Elsie
Thanks so much for sharing your travels. It was an absolute delight to hear the stories and see the pictures. Hope your travels to the north are a great finale for you.
Such a treasure! Thank you so much for your sharing of these incredible adventures through these past two years. It has made the missing you almost worth it! Take care and continue enjoying as your brain wraps around other 'old world' parts of northern Europe before you get back to us where we get excited over our homes that were built "nearly a hundred years ago!"
thanks for the virtual adventure! I so enjoyed your blogs, prose and pictures. An amazing place and I feel that I've experienced some of it with you. Safe travels home.
Excited to see you!! I'm not suprised it's going to be a huge wrench to leave Antalya, but know that we in Seattle are thrilled at the thought of seeing you again. My department chair had a party the other night, and I was talking to his wife, who mentioned that once her husband retires in Dec. they might go back to Turkey where he did a teaching stint at the University of Koc back in 2001-2. She said that may have been the happiest year of her life--she loved Turkey! When I told her about my friends who were coming to the end of two years in Turkey, she was so envious and said she'd love to hear about your time there. So I told her I'd invite the four of you to dinner sometime and let you compare notes about Turkey.
See you soon,
Judi
Thanks for sharing these wonderful stories and photos! It sounds like leaving is bittersweet - this is probably the sign of a wonderful experience. I wonder what the next chapter in your life will bring?! I am so excited to have you back in Seattle soon. Safe travels and see you in July! Love, Catherine
How wonderful I love your blog - we have good memories of Ephesus and Istanbul but 2 years in Turkey is wonderful.
We will be in Seattle for a week beginning August 11 and we hope to see you both.
Love
Stephanie
ps. Stork porn!
Wherever you are- there's your family! Bill and Carol - Congratulations on what sounds like a life-altering, joyful adventure! I so wish I could be there with you! Thanks for sharing your experiences. Looking forward to catching up upon your return to your US family.
Extraordinary Journey We have been mesmerized by your beautiful pictures and Carol's longtime gift of writing--what a treasure you have imprinted on us! We had actually talked of the end of your journey being near, so this entry is most welcome. Have good travels on your way home, and welcome home to you in July. Love, Al and Sharon
Bon Voyage! (I don't know how to say that in Turkish.) Contratulations on a wonderful adventure, and thanks for sharing it with us. Travel safely, and savor all that you have experienced.
All the best!
Doug
Home Exchanges in 2013 Hi Bill and Carol
When you said you were hoping to do some exchanges next spring and summer, I am not sure if you realised that our website www.homeexchange50plus.com can help you there, so hopefully we will see you join us when you get back home.
All the best and enjoy the rest of your trip and have a good journey back home.
Brian L
Happy last few months Hi Bill and Carol
I have just found your blog, almost too late, but look forward to hearing how your last few months go. So far I have only been to Istanbul which I loved and will go back but also wish to visit other parts of the country and I love how you have done it. A great idea to spend more time than just a vacation of two weeks.
What are your plans for when you return?
Back Home for a while We very much want to spend time with our children and grandchildren and our friends after being away for two years. We plan to do some volunteering , working for Obama and, hopefully, do some home exchanges next Spring and early Summer.
Love the grizzle What a wonderful post! I love the term grizzle, although it seems to calm to use when talking about the state of politics back here in the US. I don't know if we can survive the petty words and even blatant hatred on the air until the November elections. But we'll love having you back here. And your pictures are outstanding.
Wonderful stories and pictures! I'm so grateful you've taken the time throughout these two years to share your stories and pictures with us at home. Your friends will have a much better idea of your experiences through reading your blog, and I'm sure writing down your adventures and thoughts makes them more lasting. Can't wait to see you and hear even more details about all your adventures.
All is well with the Kalitkzi Beekmans!
Amazing adventure Your writing and pictures are fascinating to us--we feel a real connection to your experiences. Have a safe journey home.
Carol--hope you had a special memory on your birthday last month!
Grizzling There is lots of grizzling going on here too (I'm glad you know about the Congress because that is enough to grizzle about almost daily). I am so glad you have had such a marvelous adventure and it will be so wonderful to have you home. I'm sorry I missed being able to come visit you but I will be heading to Costa Rica sometime this summer depending on Erin's schedule.
Homecoming Thanks so much for sharing this amazing adventure over the last two years! Thanks to Carol's painting with words skills, I have felt like I was tagging along on every adventure.
Bill, I know you will be eager to get into the sports scene in Seattle again. Not much has changed with the Mariners and Seahawks, but the basketball team is now one of the best in the NBA. Unfortunately, they found greener pastures in Oklahoma City.
I love your stories I really love reading your posts - they are eye opening, make me chuckle and are a great diversion from day to day life in Seattle. Thanks for having such a great adventure!
wrapping up Hi Carol and Bill, Hard to believe your time in Turkey is wrapping up already. How tame Seattle will seem (for better or worse). Would love to have come visit this year. Hope we can see Turkey sometime in the future, but it's been great to see it through your eyes. Thanks.
I look forward to your return! Hi Carol and Bill!
Thank you for the wonderful stories. Sorry to hear that you are feeling the need to do "a little grizzling". Perhaps it is your soul calling you home to Seattle. As humans we all feel a need to see the wrongs in the world and invest ourselves in making the world better. Now that you know that your trip is nearing its end it is difficult to invest yourself there. Please keep your eye on the news of what is happening hear in Seattle. At SUUC we are getting involved with Occupy movement. We look forward to your involvement if you choose to join us. In the meantime, may your travels be joyous until you are home! Love and peace, Frog
Good Travel Have a wonderful trip back, you need to visit all the places you have not as yet experienced I am sure that is an endlless list.
Gute Reise
So beautiful! I loved your blog entry and your photos. Antalya is so beautiful in winter! I couldn't believe the one picture with the snow on the mountains- was the tide really as low as it looked? I think it's normal to have some complaints now that the "honeymoon" with Turkey may be over and some realities are clearer. Loved the bus driver story too! And loved seeing the pictures of the friends in the pub. Please give my love to Annie! How are Andy and Chloe? I am so looking forward to having you back in Seattle! Enjoy the spring! Love, Catherine
Carol and I have moved to Antalya, Turkey where we will be living for two years. We wanted to live in another culture, learn Turkish, possibly teach some English and enjoy a beautiful place and friendly and welcoming people. We would like to experience Turkey as people who live here rather than as tourists, passing through.... full info
vince
non-member comment
thanks
Thanks, Bill and Carol, for all the interesting stories and pictures of Turkey. Looking forward to seeing you in Seattle later this year. Love, Vince and Sylvia