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International Jaunts 2020

februari - november 2020
  • Two to Travel
  • Ahmet Erkun
From the US to Turkey and back ... trips that were realized ... trips that had to be shortened ... trips that were canceled. All during a year that saw the world dealing with the Coronavirus pandemic. Meer informatie
  • Two to Travel
  • Ahmet Erkun

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Nieuwste eerst
  • International Jaunts 2020

    Aboard TK2340 ... Catching Up

    13 maart 2020, Turkije ⋅ 🌙 54 °F

    Our second flight of the day departed the gate at IST on time at 8:00p. But the new airport in İstanbul is so big that it took us another 30 minutes to get into position for take-off. Anyway, we’re in the air and winging our way to İzmir. Even on this one-hour flight THY will serve us drinks and something to eat. Already the aroma of a toasted sandwich is wafting in the air.

    I expect to hear the captain’s voice announcing our descent into ADB as we’re scarfing down our food. So, just a few quick words before I have to put the iPad away.

    If the rumors of flight suspensions from Spain (and elsewhere from Europe) into İstanbul through Tuesday are true, we’ve been very lucky arriving when we did. Mui and I are seriously discussing canceling the rest of our overseas plans. Not in panic mode, but we are concerned that it will become more and more difficult to travel back to the US as the Corona virus spreads further and further in bigger and bigger numbers. And then there’s the issue of health insurance ... it would be best if we are home in Colorado should the worst happen and we find ourselves stricken with COVID-19.

    But that’s a decision yet to be made ... we have some travel research to do first ... more later.    Meer informatie

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  • International Jaunts 2020

    It Is Done!

    14 maart 2020, Turkije ⋅ ☀️ 66 °F

    The airline tickets for our unanticipated early departure from Turkey are purchased.

    We're taking this step primarily because, in this quickly changing COVID-19 environment, we're not sure what will be happening with transportation worldwide. While being stranded in Turkey with family is not necessarily a bad thing, our lives — and our health insurance — are US-based. Best to be back home in more familiar territory.

    Our original 2020 overseas jaunt included time in Turkey with family, followed by a few days in England and a cruise along coastal France. Those plans would have seen us flying back to the US in early June. Instead, we've scrapped everything and will be flying back to Colorado on March 19.

    I'll address any financial ramifications of our decision in a separate post after we've canceled or postponed everything ... but we already know that the biggest chunk — our European Quest cruise on Oceania — will be given back to us as a future cruise credit per the new liberal cancelation policy that was put in to effect last week.

    We're sad to be cutting our time with the family short ... it is what it is, I guess.    Meer informatie

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  • International Jaunts 2020
    Not fun, but necessary ... in Alsancak, İzmir — Turkey.

    Chores & Errands in İzmir

    14 maart 2020, Turkije ⋅ ☀️ 66 °F

    Despite the chaos around the world, all is well in our tiny corner of it. We’re doing everything we can to keep it that way ... washy, washy of hands is at the top of our prevention measures.

    After working on revising this year’s overseas jaunt, Mui went out to run errands. I spent the afternoon with mom and Aylin. After dinner with the family, we returned home. A load of laundry was in order ... need clean clothes to wear while we’re here. Another small load or two tomorrow should see us through to our departure.

    Tomorrow we’ll go out and have some fun. The weather promises to be delightful.    Meer informatie

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  • International Jaunts 2020
    A nice day to enjoy a seaside suburb ... Urla, İzmir — Turkey.
    Mui and Murat debate Iced coffee vs hot coffee ... Urla, İzmir — Turkey.Social distancing behind the glass wall at Dokuz ... Urla, İzmir — Turkey.Ortaya ... casual but elegant ... Urla, İzmir — Turkey.Enjoying "lundin" (lunch-dinner) at Ortaya ... Urla, İzmir — Turkey.Tepsi: a selection of yummy dishes at Ortaya ... Urla, İzmir — Turkey.Delicious mains to share at Ortaya ... Urla, İzmir — Turkey."Oh-my-good-sweets" to wrap up our meal @ Ortaya ... Urla, İzmir — Turkey.

    Urla: It’s All About Food

    15 maart 2020, Turkije ⋅ ⛅ 64 °F

    Took advantage of a 75F day — with mostly sunny skies — to head out to Urla, a seaside suburb of İzmir. Even when a breeze came up, it was comfortable enough to wander around with just a lightweight sweater ... felt good on this early spring day ... especially since we’re expecting the temperature to drop quite a bit starting tomorrow.

    First we went to the shore, parked the car, and took a stroll on the waterfront promenade. While some of the shore-side cafes and such were quite crowded, where we walked was nearly deserted. Then we found a café — Dokuz ... which means “nine” and is a reference to the building’s street number — to enjoy some beverages.

    It was too hot in the sun to sit outdoors ... and it was too crowded anyway. To practice social distancing, we took a table indoors. The raspberry parfait — flavored hot chocolate — that I ordered was exceptionally tasty ... even if they were out of marshmallows.

    Around 1:30p, we piled back into the car and went to Urla proper. Our destination was a restaurant that Aylin and Murat had enjoyed previously on the recommendation of a friend. Apparently they had planned to take us there for my birthday ... but that’s almost a month hence and we’ll be long gone by then.

    Ortaya — which translates as “into the middle,” is a lovely restaurant. While it is possible to order individual mains, the premise is to order a bunch of dishes to share ... sort of like tapas or mezes, but with a twist on Turkish cuisine. As it was an off hour for a meal — neither lunch or dinner — we were just one of two tables in the entire place ... perfect for social distancing.

    We started off with a selection of dishes called “tepsi” ... which means tray in English. It consisted of six different mezes ... all very tasty 😋 Then we ordered three other dishes to share from the mains section of the menu ... all very tasty 😋 Finally we wrapped up with three delicious desserts to share ... 😋 A long, chatty meal that was a delight to share with family.

    A wonderful day amidst the COVID-19 chaos.

    🌸🌼🌺🌸🌼🌺🌸🌼🌺

    For those interested, I’ll note the various dishes here since there’s no way I can fit the information in the photo captions.

    Tepsi (Clockwise from top left): Tsatsiki with pomegranate; smoked eggplant dip topped with fried onions; fine bulgur salad with beets; Çerkez tavuğu (a dip made with chicken) topped with sun dried tomatoes; humus with sweet pumpkin and smoked paprika; celery root with quince.

    Mains: Spicy home-style potatoes in a cream sauce; rocket salad with poached quince and goat cheese ... with red wine vinaigrette; smoked beef slices.

    Dessert: Quince with kaymak (cream); San Sebastian (a type of cheesecake); tart with baked tahini filling.    Meer informatie

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  • International Jaunts 2020
    Knitting is a good indoor pastime ... in Alsancak, İzmir — Turkey.

    All’s Well!

    16 maart 2020, Turkije ⋅ ☁️ 48 °F

    Just checking in. Not a very exciting day ... which is not necessarily a bad thing these days. It’s a bitterly cold day with a strong wind making the chill worse than it should have been based on temperature alone.

    A few chores and errands ... some internet work ... some iPad Kindle reading ... a few more rows of knitting.

    Oh ... and we canceled a few car rental reservations and the B&B we had booked for our brief stay in England in May. All were pay-on-arrival ... so no financial impact to us from our change in plans. I’m going to work on canceling the more complicated arrangements after we get home.

    All’s well in our little corner of the world.    Meer informatie

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  • International Jaunts 2020
    People, people ... what happened to social distancing? Buying kolonya in Konak, İzmir — Turkey.

    Turkey’s Kolonya Culture

    17 maart 2020, Turkije ⋅ ☀️ 48 °F

    Limon Kolonyası. What is that, you ask? It’s cologne with a lemon fragrance, though there are other aromas as well ... lavender being another popular version ... as is lily. Every household in Turkey has a bottle of two on a shelf or in a cabinet ... always.

    Kolonya has a high alcohol content — as much as 80% — which gives it a refreshing quality. It’s quite popular to offer it to guests for that purpose. Or to be offered some when you go to a restaurant ... or into a shop ... or even when you travel by bus on a long distance trip. It’s very much a staple that is readily offered to people who go to visit a sick person ... whether in a hospital or at home. I can think of a lot of other circumstances where kolonya is used, but you get the idea. It is and always has been part of daily life in Turkey.

    Of course, due to its alcohol content, kolonya also has an anti-bacterial effect ... always a good thing ... even more so in this day and age of the coronavirus pandemic. It’s a good tradition to continue for sure.

    Which explains the long lines at the outlet shop of one of the producers of this fragrant cologne. Mui encountered this long line when he went downtown to pick up a couple of bottles for mom and Aylin. Needless to say, with no social distancing in this queue, he opted to pass on the purchase. He’ll pick up some from a pharmacy instead.

    We’ve already picked up and packed in our bags a couple of bottles of a different brand that we prefer to bring back to the US ... as we do every year. Might pick up an extra bottle this year 😉    Meer informatie

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  • International Jaunts 2020
    Breakfast hosted by Aylin & Murat ... Alsancak, İzmir — Turkey.
    Not a soul on Kordon in this direction ... Alsancak, İzmir — Turkey.Aside from anglers, not many people on Kordon in this direction ... Alsancak, İzmir — Turkey.This digital panel counts the number of bikers and walkers. Mui's the 452nd person to walk by today

    Last Day of Abbreviated Europe Trip

    18 maart 2020, Turkije ⋅ ☀️ 46 °F

    Our departure day is nearly at hand ... much earlier than anticipated when we set out from Colorado on 27 February. Tomorrow morning we head to the airport to begin the long haul back.

    We’re sad, but the circumstances are what they are. Our goal now is to get home safe and sound. Reports from several friends who have entered the US from overseas in the past few days indicate no hassles or delays at the airports ... at least at the international terminals. 🤞🏻our experience follows suit.

    This morning Aylin hosted us for breakfast. Afterwards, Mui and I left to get haircuts at the barber at the US military facility here in İzmir ... one less thing to have to deal with when we get home.

    Since we had time before our appointment, we decided to take a circuitous route to get to the barber. The weather was nice and a bit of fresh air was in order ... felt really good after two bone-chillingly cold days. I’ve never seen Kordon, the waterfront promenade, this deserted ... except perhaps on census day. With all the bars, pubs, cafés, bistros, coffee houses, and similar establishments temporarily closed by government decree, only a few souls were out and about ... and most of those people were fishing on the boardwalk. The shops were mostly deserted ... some limiting the number of patrons who can enter at any one time to two or three.

    I’m now at mom’s ... Aylin and Murat joined us for afternoon tea. As did Mui ... after taking care of a few last minute errands. We’ll have dinner together as a family before Mui and I head back to the condo for an early night ... we’ll be off to the airport at 6:00a.    Meer informatie

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  • International Jaunts 2020
    please send a taxi van ... in Alsancak, İzmir — Turkey.

    Bags Are Packed ... Ready to Go

    19 maart 2020, Turkije ⋅ 🌙 39 °F

    Alrighty ... calling for a taxi to take us to the airport in İzmir. First ✈️ of the day at 8:00a.

    Taking advantage of our luggage allowance for business class tickets to take back all the wedding paraphernalia that we left behind last year.Meer informatie

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