au revoir, khairete, allaha ismarladik, good bye

tour de france finals

riding down the champs des elysses

beautiful buildings
changing of the guards
visiting louis

day out sightseeing
au revoir

in any lanuguage it's always sad to say good bye...don't you agree? especially to a very fun time in many wonderful parts of the world...today we finished up in paris...by walking alllllll over....our legs and feet HURT!! anyway...it was fun walking as we were shopping..as we were walking and shopping we ran into the presidential palace with the changing of the guards....yesterday jeff did his favorite thing in watching the tour de france...today we did ours..we also ran into some good friends at chanel, louis, h & m..and we had fun at those stores! so a great way to end a fantastic vacation...it will bring wonderful memories forever....turkey with it's mystery, very friendly people, amazing scenery, greece with it's monuments, the beautiful blues of the ocean, paris with it's beautiful buildings...and all of the history we have seen...you couldn't ask for a better trip....

where else but euro disney

outside euro disney
at pirate's of carribean
by it's a small world
cinderella's castle

after many museums and beauties of paris...we decided to go to euro disney....kerry has been trying to get there since the first time we came to paris...it's about 45 min. train ride from paris...so off we went while the rest of the family watched the end of the tour de france...euro disney is the same yet different from our disneyland...the rides are tweaked a bit..some better, some worse...the haunted house..or phantom manor as they call it, is a bit more creepy...indiana jones is a roller coaster...it has a height limit of about 5 feet! thunder mountain is set on a island...space mountain has an upside down loop...it was fun to go, but we think ours at home is better...it's bigger...more rides...cleaner and better run...but, it was fun to check it out...and another one off of kerry's list...she's wants to go to all disney parks in the world....so we're off on our last day of our trip...better get it all in!

ahhh paris!!

inside notre dame
notre dame

whit in paris
skyline
on ferris wheel
eiffel tower
biggest cotton candy

merci, oui oui..these are the words we are hearing now...today we saw paris...what a beautiful city...we went to the louvre...i think we went in circles trying to find the egyptian mummies...russ wanted to see those...everyone we asked said something different...we finally gave up...but, we saw some wonderful things..we saw alot of greek statues that were taken from greece.the guide in greece had mentioned they were taken.....then we went on the ferris wheel and saw the beautiful view of the city from above..russ got the biggest cotton candy i've ever seen...then went to notre dame, that's a beautiful cathedral...wandered along the banks of the seine, took a little boat ride home...our feet were aching...then, did a walk down the champs des elysees...lots of wonderful stores to see...tomorrow is the final of the tour de france..it's right outside our door, so hopefully we can catch some of it..we started off in istanbul which is called "paris of the east" and have ended up in paris...what a fun time and great experience!

crete

view from our room
island in front of hotel, used to be a leper colony
jeff and owen..pretty in pink
scenery of crete

we have been in crete for the last few days...it's been relaxing because it's been really really hot, they are having a heat wave, and so we didn't do much besides lay out...the hotel is really nice...the kids had the flu also, so we took it easy...today we all had spa treatments...russ had a balinese massage that was with the masseuses feet! he said it was wierd..then we went on a boat tour of the area..that was fun...it's fun to see the island from a different perspective...then we girls went back to the spa, they have this fun pool with all these different jets that relax you or whatever...first you float in this salt water pool...then there are the jets for your feet, you are standing and the jets can actually lift you off the ground...then you sit and jets hit your back legs, then there is a shower jet, that about killed whit, it's really hard on your head and shoulders...then there is this whirlpool jet, a lazy river one, then a hot tub...it was pretty fun to do...so tomorrow, off to our last stop of paris...oh, we've learned that cretan olive oil is the best and they use it for food, bodies, faces everything...

the blues of santorini

ker, whit and rus at red beach
russ and jeff on scooter
kids in oia
oia at sunset
russ at red beach

now, this is the greece i was dreaming of....santorini is beautiful...it's not all lush, like hawaii...it's actually sort of dry with cacutus and boganvilla like california...but, it's got the added greek houses and churches...all in white with blue doors or windows...i love it.our hotel is set among vineyards and the view is so pretty...each room is a different color...kerry and whit's is bright, bright yellow...did i say bright? kelly and jeffs is turquoise mine is actually just off white..lucky me.....the people are very friendly...last night we went to oia which is pronounce eee-ah...it's a beautiful town hanging off the cliffs, known for it's gorgeous sunset...that was fun to see...today we rented a little car and 2 scooters...we drove around the island...went to the red beach which after a bit of a hike you get to this beach which has black and red rocky sand...very cool...that was fun...there was a fruit stand there and this cute old man was selling the best fruit ever...then we drove to kamaris which after getting a bit lost and driving to the highest point on the island which has a wonderful view...we wandered that town, had lunch etc...it's just so nice and so different...this is my kind of place...they have fun jewelry...lots of gold etc...fun to look at...the people are all really friendly...one lady at a shop in our hotel fell in love with whit and kerry...she was so nice...we are good friends now...she loved the babies...anyway...more later....

ac

hot, hot, hot

russ, kerry and whit at temple of zeus
ker and russ at parthenon
gav hiding on the steps of acropolis
from our hotel
another view

so, today was one of those days...at least the first half....not to complain on this wonderful trip....but.....we set up a tour for 10 am...get down to the lobby..wait, wait, talk to concierge, wait...at 10:20 they say, your bus is outside...when we got on the bus, he had been waiting for a half an hour...what's with this hotel? then, we find out, they only ordered a driver. no guide...well, he was nice enough to give us a little tour...usually these drivers don't speak english, so we were lucky..he took us to the acropolis and we get out...after buying our tickets with the thousands others, we find a tour guide there...she was very good and very nice, told interesting stories of greece...it was really hot.....so, hot, kelly thought she was going to faint, she was out of sorts, because, she jeff and gav all had either the flu or food poisoning the night before...there were more people at the acropolis than i've ever seen at a tourist site...it was crazy!!! anyway, it was fantastic to see..amazing what those people did so long ago.....then we got back on the bus after russ and i inadvertantly (sp?) took too many frozen lemonades...he took 2 and i took 2...oh well....then, our bus driver drove us around to some other sites...at which time his bus broke down! he felt very bad, but, what are you going to do? so we walked back to the hotel, up this long hill....poor kelly.....poor me...poor babies...the others were fine..anyway...after that, i was wiped...had a headache all day...so we went to the pool....that was verrrry cool....and refreshing...and just sort of hung out the rest of the day....so, i guess every trip needs one down day...the sites were great though....we go to santorini tomorrow....hope it 's only us.....

whirling whirling

whirling dervishes


today was another interesting day...we started off with horseback riding...as usual on a ride like this you just walk....but, we had the added fun of crazy horses...at least russ and i did...russ kept saying his had tourettes...they were very spritied i'll tell you..maybe it was the 100's of flies that were flying around..it was crazy i'll tell you...then, our guides lit up marlboro's...oh, another thing....the girls had to wear helmets..not russ...guess they thought he could ride...so we're walking along...with smoke and flies...when one of them asks "who wants to go swimming" i said...i do...so we go into the river...that was actually the best part...until whit's horse started splashing everyone else like a 2 year old.....then, kerry got to go running...i was afraid if my horse galloped, i would be gone with the wind...afterwards we had lunch..have i said how nice all the people are? they are very nice...love the babies...always want to take owen..tried to get kelly to leave owen and go on the horses...tonight we went to see the whirling dervishes...that was very interesting...it's a form of religion, islam, here...they whirl into a meditative state...it all means something...it was interesting and very different...so tomorrow we leave the "land of beautiful horses" (that what cappadocia means) and fly to ancient greece....

travelin' round turkey

soldier's post
caves
at the rug factory, owen with ladies
kerry at caves
kerry making pottery

today was jeff's birthday...happy birthday! as i listen to the lovely night music that comes on every night..calling the people to prayer...i'll tell you about our day.... we had a fun time....went on a tour of cappadocia...we saw the underground city...full of tunnels, caves, churches in caves etc...they have been living in them since about 100 a.d.

they stopped living in caves in about 1950s...very cool...they have caves that are churches...painted inside like a church...then we saw stones called fairy chimneys or mushrooms...amazing how nature has made them...so beautiful...we went to a pottery factory and saw how they make pottery...got to try it ourselves...went to a rug market..saw how they weave rugs...make silk..amazing...we ate alot of good turkish food...very fun time...it's an amazing area...

cappadocia, turkey

our hotel patio
relaxing on the patio
hotel
hotel
caves

yesterday we flew to cappodicia turkey ..about an hour and a half away...it's in the middle of the country...the scenery is rocky caves which they are famous for...we drove for about 1 hour...finally got to our hotel...it's pretty interesting...the hotel is built out of caves..my room was a stable...they have just cleaned them up and changed things around.pretty interesting...the town is sort of like the escalante of turkey....very small..not a lot going on...i think the kids are wondering what the heck we're doing way out here...tomorrow we will find out...they have underground cities, lots of caves, things called fairy chimneys..we are going on a hot air balloon ride monday morning..supposed to be fantastic...so, i'll be getting back to you and tell if it was worth it...

turkish baths

kel and owen at blue mosque
kerry at grand bazaar
blue mosque
hotel grounds..used to be a palace
russ and me in sophia hagia..door points towards mecca

so, just to let you know..this blogging is sort of hard over here, because everthing is in turkish, i think..actually i made a new blog when i thought i was just signing in.... all the titles...so, im just glad i made it to the posting page...so, i left you when i went to have a turkish bath....wow! that was an experience...lets just say that every single inch was scrubbed and cleaned and massaged...my skin felt like it was coming off!!! no more modesty..at least i was alone..kerry and whit were together... quite an experience....but, when you're in rome...today we saw the sultans palace..beautiful jewels, swords etc..the we saw this amazing aqueduct system that was built in the 6th century a.d. and had these colums from all over the world...and amazing bit of history......anyway, here are some pictures of our trip so far...by the way...did you know that turquoise means turkish blue?

istanbul

we are on our trip in turkey now...after a long flight to frankfurt and then a shorter flight to turkey, we made it here last night...our hotel is on the bosphorus strait..we can see the bridge that connects the european side and the asian side...it's so beautiful...today we saw the blue mosque which is a working mosque...named the blue mosque for the blue tiles inside it...we were able to go in and see it...very ornate and beautiful...then right next door is the sophia hagia...it was originally a christian church built in 600 a.d. then in the 1600's it was turned into a moslem mosque...now it is a museum...it is the 4th largest church in the world...very beautiful...from there we went to a rug store and they showed us how they make turkish rugs...very interesting...they gave us apple tea...very good...then we went to the grand bazaar...these are stores...over 4000 of them...they sell everything...jewelry, rugs, knicknacks, pottery, purses etc...very fun....a crazy place to get lost in...it is over 500 years old..tomorrow we are going to the grand palace...topaki..and spice markets...this city is very cosmopolitan and interesting...so many cultures going on in one place...so, more later...we're going to have turkish baths!

favorite person

jo and kathy in our younger days

kathy and taryn at craig's wedding
mullin's and fryer's in melbourn
fryers and mullins at homestead

so, i was told by my one of my closest friends that i must not like her because she isn't on my list of "favorite people" on my blog...i tried to explain to her that they are links to other blogs....but, i don't think she understood...so, i will blog about her instead....i've known kathy for a million years...ok, maybe only since we were 8...but, when you're our age...that can seem like a million years ago,....she was always my best buddy...we didn't always do everything together, but we knew we were there for each other...no matter where we have lived we've stayed in touch one way or the other...i moved away first and then she moved....and moved and moved...she and steve have lived in utah, chicago, conneticut, chicago, australia, new york, australia and back to utah...and where else in the future? with them you never know...while i have only lived in the same house...but, in all those different places i could call kathy and know she was there to listen to my rants and raves.i loved it when she was in australia because i could call her so late and she would be up..we have a fun time together..we have gone on many trips together...we met in boston, in washington d.c, in australia,in california, we tried to meet in tahiti and our family was a no show, we met in mexico...some really fun times....our kids love to be together..we've had very funny experiences together and we laugh alot .kathy is very smart...very crafty...she loves to get things done..she walks fast...i walk slow...she loves to help others....she's very funny...i'm lucky to have such a wonderful friend....the only thing wrong is that she doesn't blog!!!