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Karla LalimKarla Lalim
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retired teacher, active in our church, attend Bible Study Fellowship, a grandma, enjoy playing golf, like to play cards, married for 46 years. Read more Rio Verde, Arizona
  • TravelerEight Countries in 41 days
    Day 21

    Ronda, Spain

    September 20, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    After one of our morning shifts working the golf tournament, we took a little driving trip to the town of Ronda, Spain, the birthplace of bull fighting. It was the 450 year anniversary this year. Francisco Romero, from Ronda, Spain, is generally regarded as having been the first to introduce the practice of fighting bulls on foot around 1726, using the muleta in the last stage of the fight and an estoc to kill the bull. Only problem was when we went back to get our rental car, we found it up on a hoist ready to be towed somewhere with a police car in front, yelling something to us in Spanish. I wanted to take a picture but decided it probably wasn't a good idea. Scott tried to explain to the tow driver, we don't understand Spanish, or where we could park in town. He wasn't buying it as he didn't speak any English. But what we did understand was there was going to be a charge to get him to release our car. After we finally figured out what he was trying to tell us about how much to pay (it wasn't cheap), we were on our way. We were thankful we didn't need to go to a Spanish police station somewhere and could drive back to Marbella, ready to volunteer the next day.Read more

  • TravelerEight Countries in 41 days
    1
    Day 19–26

    Malaga, Marbella, Solheim Cup

    September 18, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    We arrived in Malaga on Australian Airlines on Monday around noon, September 18th. After getting our rental car at Hertz at the airport we drove to a beach area on the Mediterranean in Malaga where we stopped for lunch. After lunch, we drove to Ona Valle Romano Hotel in Marbella, a 12 minute drive to the golf course where we'd be working for seven days. We had a view of the Mediterranean from our apartment. I marshaled on Hole 10 in the grandstands. It was a par 3, 172 meters or 188 yards . My job was to get the crowd pumped up and quiet while the girls were hitting. "Ola, Ola, and EUROPE!" were favorite chants among the Europeans and the Americans countered with, "USA, USA!" A very fun, manageable, respectful crowd. Scott worked on the tee box for Hole 10, again making sure the spectators were quiet when the girls were hitting and keeping them away from the girls as they left the tee box to the green. Of course, my favorite golfer was Carlota Ciganda from Spain. She was the star of the game. USA and Europeans ended in a tie on Sunday, 14 to 14. Unfortunately, because Europe had won the last Solheim Cup in Toledo, Ohio, it meant they got to keep the Cup until we face off again in Virginia in the USA in 2024.Read more

  • TravelerEight Countries in 41 days
    Day 18–23

    Turkish Bath, Spice Market, & More

    September 17, 2023 in Turkey ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    There were many Turkish bath houses in Istanbul. We felt very fortunate to have gotten into The Hagia Sophia Hurrem Sultan Bathhouse, which lies between the Hague Sophia and the Blue Mosque. From the bathhouse, it was a short walk to either Mosque. The bathhouse itself is a sixteenth-century Turkish bathhouse. It was commissioned by Hurrem Sultan, consort and wife of the Ottoman sultan Süleyman the Magnificent. The last renovation was in 2011.
    Today, we visited the Spice Market or Spice Bazaar. It was built in 1664. It's a very colorful bazaar that offers countless spices, Turkish treats, which they were continuously giving out different samples to try, soaps, and a variety of other Turkish made items. It was fun to see a Turkish man giving out samples with an Arizona t-shirt on. I had to have my picture taken with him.
    One of the most famous palaces in Istanbul is the Topkapi Palace. It's set on top of the most visible hill of Istanbul and is said to be the symbol of the city. Opulent, decadent, and steeped in history, it offers visitors a chance to get to know the Sultans of the Ottoman Empire rather more intimately. Rather than one building, it was a collection of buildings, each showcasing some of their most prize possessions. The most prized single item is the Spoonmaker's Diamond. It weighs 86 carats on its own and is surrounded by a double row of 49 old-mine cut diamonds. Various stories are told about the Spoonmaker's Diamond. Another amazing structure was the Bascilica Cistern.
    This subterranean structure was commissioned by Emperor Justinian and built in 532.AD. It's the largest surviving Byzantine cistern in İstanbul. It was constructed using 336 columns, many of which were salvaged from ruined temples and feature fine carved capitals. It was amazing how big it was.
    We enjoyed a late traditional Turkish lunch of shish kabobs sitting on mats on the floor. We were wondering how we'd get up, but thankfully, we made it up after two beers🍺😁and we were off to get our massages at that bathhouse to end a beautiful day.    Read more

  • TravelerEight Countries in 41 days
    Day 17

    Monuments, Mosques, and More

    September 16, 2023 in Turkey ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Today one very popular broad, beautiful avenue in Istanbul that's full of lots of pedestrian traffic along with lots of restaurants and shops was once the chariot-racing center of public life for nearly a millennium and a half in Byzantine and Ottoman times. It was referred to as the Hippodrome back in the day, and several ancient monuments are still standing in this area, the Egyptian Obelisk of Theodosius and the Hellenic Spiral Column, of which only half of it is still there. Part of the column was destroyed in the 17th century by Christians as it symbolized a three-headed serpent, a god, the early Egyptians worshipped. It's sometimes referred to as the Serpent Column. These date back to 1500 BC and are the oldest monuments in Istanbul.
    Our private tour gave us VIP access to Hague Sofia and the Blue Mosque. We were glad we had this service as the lines were long, and we could avoid them. Both of these mosques were spectacular and different.. It was fun to watch how Turkish rugs were made. Such a labor-intensive process! It was a big decision to purchase a rug, but in the end, we felt we made a good decision and that it would be a great souvenir and keepsake from our trip.    Read more

  • TravelerEight Countries in 41 days
    Day 16–19

    Istanbul

    September 15, 2023 in Turkey ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    Loved this city! Culturally so different from the United States! Several mornings, we were awakened with what sounded like some loud chanting. Later, to find out it was the Muslims call to prayer. It happens five times throughout the day, depending on the earth's rotation, among other things. Actually, it's very beautiful and amazing! We stayed at the Dersaadet Hotel in the Fatih area of Istanbul. Apparently, that was the former name for Istanbul, who knew. The hotel's location was great, safe, and in the middle of everything.Read more

  • TravelerEight Countries in 41 days
    13
    Day 15–16

    Dubai

    September 14, 2023 in the United Arab Emirates ⋅ ☀️ 36 °C

    On Wednesday, September 13th, we left Nairobi at 10:30 pm on an Emirates flight to Dubai . We arrived at 4:50 am on September 14th. Knowing we'd only be in Dubai for a little over 24 hours, we hit the ground running 🏃‍♂️ . Many of the men wore long white dresses with their heads covered in turbans. We often saw them walking or conversing in twos. The ladies, on the other hand, were dressed in full black dresses with their heads covered in black as well. Kissing and embracing out in the open in Dubai is strictly forbidden, and most hotels in the city do not allow unmarried couples to book the same room. One thing that was easy to feel was the wealth of Dubai. The shopping center put the Mall of America to shame with so many high-end shops. We went to the top of the tallest building in the world, visited the Museum of the Future, and took a boat cruise. We stayed at the Marriott Resort Palm Jumeriah, Dubai. The weather was unbelievably HOT. It would have been fun to enjoy the beautiful hotel more, but early Friday morning, we had a flight to Istanbul.Read more

  • TravelerEight Countries in 41 days
    Day 13

    Last Night Surprises and One More Safari

    September 12, 2023 in Kenya ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    On our last day, we were surprised to see some zebras watching us as we left our tent. The last evening meal was a fun celebration and tribute to Nick and Jolene, the newlyweds. Then it was saying goodbye to this camp for the last time. We had a little safari time on our way to the airfield. The hyena was looking back as if he'd miss us. When we got to the airfield, the Maasai women were displaying their wares on blankets, hoping we would buy. Then, back to Nairobi, where we'd have to say goodbye to Nick and Jolene. What memories we have to treasure!Read more

  • TravelerEight Countries in 41 days
    Day 13

    Truck Breaks Down

    September 12, 2023 in Kenya ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    It's early in the morning, and we awake to a beautiful sunrise. It was a drive from our camp to the Mara River where we couldn't wait to experience the Great Migration. We had a little taste of it the day before, but we couldn't wait to experience more. The terrain was rough, and there was plenty of water to get through as well. We had heard little sounds coming from our truck but kept pushing on. Finally, around noon, the truck we were traveling in gave out, and we were left out in the wild with little protection. Luckily, the wild animals out there didn't know of our predicament and didn't bother us. Many trucks drove by us. Bennett tried to get them to help. After several hours, we jumped on board several other trucks. They took us back to our camp. Bennett was left out there trying to solve the truck problem. It was right after we got back to camp that I realized my phone was missing. We spent the next few hours looking for my phone both at the camp and out in the brush. Thankfully, it was finally found.Read more

  • TravelerEight Countries in 41 days
    1
    Day 12

    Maasai Mara: The Great Migration

    September 11, 2023 in Kenya ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    In what is one of the world’s most quintessential wildlife experiences, the annual Great Migration in Africa is an event like no other. Millions of zebras, wildebeest, and other antelope species make this incredible journey across Kenya and Tanzania every year, facing crocodile infested waters and terrestrial predators (lions, leopards, etc) along the way.Read more

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