Just catching up on the news:

Yahoo launches podcast site (Washington Post). http://www.podcasts.yahoo.com

Bible group spreads word by SMS (cnn.com). The Bible Society in Australia launched a SMS translation of Bible verses: “In da Bginnin God cre8d da heavens & da earth.” The word of God dispensed via cell phones, oh dear.
http://www.biblesociety.com.au/smsbible/

Oct. 29, Business Blogging 101 seminar in Seattle: Business Blogging 101 is a full-day workshop for those new to blogging. Get up and running with an effective weblog strategy. Cost is $195.00 and includes lunch and continental breakfast. Great speakers: Molly E. Holzschlag, Robert Scoble, DL Byron, Buzz Bruggeman and Steve Broback. http://www.blogbusinesssummit.com/seminars/

Yahoo! Last night James and I returned from Greece and Turkey. James’ brother picked us up at the airport and delivered us to his house for turkey dinner. That was awesome, even though I was ready to fall asleep after the first sip of wine, ok, it was even before the wine. We woke at 5 am, caught the 6 am airport shuttle, got on the 9 am flight to London, then the 3:30 pm flight to Vancouver. And after a full 22 hours we were back in Vancouver.

Quick trip review:
London was amazing and I cannot believe how many things we saw in 3 days, it was an unbelievable time. Then we went off to Greece and took the ferry to Santorini island for some R&R. Again we had fabulous dinners and some Santorini white wine. James and I scootered across the island. Scooter buddies. We went to a red sand beach, a black sand one, and a white sand beach. These are pebbly beaches rather than soft sand.

We practically missed our flight from Athens to Leros. The train was delayed 2x and we got to the airport 15 minutes before the flight. The agent told us we couldn’t get on the flight but we begged. Eventually she let us go with our bag, which we had to drag to the passenger gate and then beg security to push it through the scanner. That was no small feat! In the end we made the plane and I was thrilled it was Greece and not Canada. I doubt we would have had any luck getting on a Canadian flight 15 min. before departure.

In Leros we met up with a bunch of other couples for our sailing trip. Two weeks sailing from Greece to Turkey. It was so incredible. Greek food was fresh and lovely and cheap. The islands were beautiful and then Turkey was even better. The food was better tasting and the landscape was brilliant, lots of red rock and cliffs.

After the sailing trip we had 8 days beating around Turkey. We took minibuses and coaches to Ephesus, where the ruins of an ancient city exist. That was really cool–3,000 year old rocks set in amazing cliff faces. I was wishing I had a geologist friend along to explain the land formations.

We flew to Istanbul for our final 4 days and the night we arrived was the first day of Ramadan. Around the Blue Mosque were all sorts of street vendors and every night there was a market with sausage and corn, kebabs, donars, cotton candy, twirl candy, dates and almonds. I loved it.

I still can’t believe how much we did in 5 weeks, now I feel like I can barely think about going back to work and regular life.

James and I arrived in Istanbul yesterday at sundown, the exact time that Muslims were finishing the first day of Ramadan.

Ramadan is celebrated in the 9th month of the Muslim calendar, which means it occurs at a different time each year. It is believed that the Holy Quran was sent down from heaven and the Fast of Ramadan lasts an entire month. During this time Muslims cannot eat or drink during daylight. At the end of the fast there is prayer then a big meal. They get up before sunlight, about 4 am, to eat again then sleep and go to work. Lots of people complain of headaches but I’m not sure if that is from the fast or because they cannot smoke.

Istanbul is the perfect place to be at the moment. Every night there is a festival and food vendors around the Blue Mosque. We had popcorn and dates and almonds yesterday, and today we had a traditional dessert made of milk and walnuts and cranberries. I had a spicy sausage and James had a donar plus more popcorn. I’d like to have a twirl candy tomorrow. It looks ghastly sweet and I drank pomegranet juice tonight so I was not up for any more sweetness. The festival lasts all month so I think I can guess what we are doing for the next couple of days.

Dolmush is the phonetic pronunciation for the mini-buses that ferry people across the great land of Turkey. James and I arrived at the bus stop at 8 am, then we took a coach to Aydin. We are staying at Jimmy’s Place in Selcuk. The c has a cidilla, which means the town is pronounced Sell-chuck.

The hostel seems pretty fun and we have a nice room and I’m hoping that the shower pummels me with water tomorrow morning. Showering from a garden hose has gotten a little tiresome.

We went to the Ephesus Museum today, then climbed the hill to St. John’s Basillica, built in 58 AD. The ruins here are incredible. Tomorrow we visit Ephesus, which is the largest ancient city still, kind of, intact. (I don’t know if that is true.)

At 6 pm we leave for Istanbul, the final leg of our trip.

Ok not Dodge but Marmaris. James and I originally planned to go to Rhodes from Marmaris but now we are going to Epheseus and we do not know how to get there. Marmaris is a busy tourist trap that we must flee. I do not know if we will have to pay for both nights here or not, we are trying to leave 1 day earlier. It is all complicated and my least favourite part of travelling. That and not being able to find the apostrophe key. No conjunctions until we leave Turkey.

Just in: shift 2 is apostrophe. Excellent.

James and I left Keci Buku today. Our boatmates left at 5:30 this morning and the sky was chucking down the rain. That is when we found the sky light leaked. About 8 L of water collected in tupperware. It was quite the party. Thankfully the rain stopped and we left around 11 am.

The rest of the itinerary is in the air. We are going to have to trust the crazy carpet salesman who has a friend in Selcuk with a hostel. Sounds dodgey, but we’re getting out of Dodge.

Pictures are pending. I would like to upload some to the site but unfortunately everything is in Turkish and I cannot understand a word.

Yesterday James went to the berbur of Bozburun, the barbar. It was quite the experience. Big straight edge blade, the pinching of the skin, the ear shave. All in all an interesting male ritual. The day before we went with about 10 people from another boat to a Turkish bath. The captain of the boat asked last night if it was true that we all went in the buff. Yes. I was in peels of laughter to find out that it is rather unprecedented for a group to all be buff. It is more funny because it was James and I with a bunch of 60 and 70 year olds who have been friends for years, never of course have they hung around in a hot room naked together.

A Turkish bath is a bit like a car wash. You change into a tea towel, lay on an octogan slab of marble that is steaming hot, some large Turkish man comes in and rubs you down to take off all the dead skin. Very gross. Then you are sent off for the shower. Next up is the soap, which is in a pillow case that they fill with air. When they drop the case on you there is soap foam everywhere. That was my favourite part. You have to flip over at one point and you are so soapy that you just spin right around. Second shower. Then you are off to the oil massage. The female massage was quite gentle but the sounds from the men were quite different, much like the thwapping sound at the end of a car wash. It was not a real massage more of an oil rub.

Overall it was a strange naked experience with folks I barely know but certainly know a lot more about now. The men and women are together for the entire time except the massage, and you really just have the tea towel, which the Turkish men sort of reposition every 2 minutes so they can scrub, soap, and oil.

Dirsek is our stop tonight. It is a one tavern town.

Basic impressions of Turkey: I am enjoying the landscape and food more in Turkey than Greece. The food is amazing, lots of great casserole dishes–meat with spicy sauces, onions and peppers. But everything is more expensive.

I bought two Turkish carpets yesterday.

And most important, happy birthday to Janice today and The White Rabbit tomorrow. The one taverna town tonight has no phone and it is quite surprising that we have an internet connection here in Bozburun.

Next up Istanbul.

We should be in Turkey today, passports stamped and arriving in Turgutreis, which is a lively little town and hopefully has a laundry facility. Turgutreis is known for spectacular sunsets and I hope to appreciate one over an evening cocktail.

Day 8 we sail south for Palamut, another fishing village. I do hope there are things I can eat. Fish allergy.

We might be able to go to Knidos, which around 400-500 BC was the key harbour in the ancient world.

Day 9 we’re off to Ova Buku, another tiny, out-of-the-way spot with a fantastic beachfront taverna. I’ve been told to expect the best home-cooked Turkish food and belly dancing. Swivel swivel, snake hips.

Day 10 we sail to Datca, and hopefully hit an ATM. Datca has several bars and a haman so perhaps a Turkish bath is in order.

Day 11 is Bozburun, a village that is home to a still-thriving wooden boat-building industry. I think there is a hammock with my name on it.

Day 12 we take a gentle run to Dirsek and celebrate James’ mom’s birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY.

Day 13 we sail to Keci Buku and celebrate my mom’s birthday. ALL THE BEST RABBIT.

And sadly on Day 14 we disembark and travel 30 minutes to Marmaris and back to modern-day Turkey.

We plan to hang out in Marmaris and take the ferry to Rhodes, but we eventually have to get up to Dalaman so that we can fly to Istanbul.

More adventures await us.

Today is the day James and I board our sailboat. We embark at 11 am in Lakki, which is the main harbour on Leros. We get all the details, like how to use the boat toilet, then we sail for Lipsos, island of the 42 blue-domed churches. Lipsos is a pretty untouristy place, which I’m sure will be well appreciated after the bustle of London and Athens.

The next day we head to Arki, a little island with a permanent population of 47 people. Perhaps we’ll be able to meet them all. We’re going to Manoli’s place. Manoli runs a little oasis of a taverna and is apparently quite the DJ.

Day 3 we sail to Patmos and explore the famous Monastery Island where St. John was inspired by visions to write the Book of Revelations. The 10th century monastery built by the Crusader Knights is still active and part of daily life. I’m looking forward to the bakery.

Day 4 we sail for Pandeli, day 5 Paleonissos, which has little more than a herd of goats, day 6 Vathi and up to a tiny fishing village to Poppy’s, which is a little family taverna. I hear that Poppy’s mom makes the best homemade dolmades. Then day 7 we leave for Kos at sunrise. While the skipper is dealing with the paperwork to get us into Turkey, we’re going to see the famous tree where Hippocrates supposedly taught, then we’ll enjoy a chocolate milkshake on the waterfront as recommended by the skipper.

We’re sailing with SeaScape Sailing and they sail the boat but also teach us how to sail. I think there are about 8 people per boat and they take 3 boats. The first thing they told us was to read the itinerary then ignore it. We go where the weather lets us go and some of these small islands can become inaccessible.

Next stop Turkey.