Juice Only

June 29, 2012

Even though I spent a day in Bodrum, fear not weddıng goers - I waited to see almost all the historical sites for when you arrive!  I did, however, take it upon myself to do some Haman (Turkish Bath) and night club research for when everyone gets here . . . not for fun of course, but to benefıt you!  Next time I will sneak my camera into the Haman so you can see what fun it is! 

 A view of Bodrum!

 Walking around Bodrum's city center.

Another 7 anient wonder of the world - Bodrum Mausoleion.  And another disappointment . . . there's nothing there except a giant hole in the ground!!! (This is the view from outside the gate . . . I was too cheap to pay the few bucks to go inside and gawk at a hole.)

Gary's going away party!  Gary is getting off the bus, much to our disappointment, but I guess that is how a hop on/hop off bus works.

The best part about all the dance clubs here???  They are all staffed by hotties (male only) who do choreographed dancıng all nıght long.  You just jump on in and they teach ya the moves!

Katie and I starting the night . . . with juice mother, juice only.



Old Skool in Turkey . . .

June 27, 2012

After my one night in Canakkale (where I was eaten alive by mosquitos) I have been travelling south on the Fez bus visiting all the sites and then some.  It's been more time on the bus than I thought, but we have been watching movies, playing cards and I am already on book number 4.  I made it Bodrum late tonight where tomorrow will be a relaxing day to walk around the city, swim and do some laundry.  I am just ready for a break from all the ruins I have been seeing!  Woe is me!

 Who knew that the ancient city of Troy was also an amusement park?  Check out the middle for yours truely.

 Not only did I learn the war wasn't over Helen, there was no real trojan horse, but there wasn't a whole lot of Troy left to see!  Mud bricks do not stand the test of time!

Not sure what the Greeks found so difficult! 

 The city of Ephesus is known as the best preserved ruins and I can see why!

 Dedicated to Jeff who taught me everything I know about planking.

 The Godess Nike - see the swoosh symbol in her skirt?

 With hair like that how could I not be related to Medusa???

 Ancient bathrooms for the social peer.  This brings whole new meaning to women going to the bathroom together.

The library at Ephesus. 

 I know, right???

 Turkish carpet knotting at the carpet heritage center . . . one silk worm chrysalis = one mile of silk thread.  Do these count as being vegan???

 I thought about buying one until I discovered the silk carpets sell for around $30,000 US - I guess for 5 - 9 years of work that is fair-ish.

 If you can't buy one - lie on one!

 Virgin Mary's last known house.

 The wishing wall at my home girl Mary's house.

 The Temple of Artemis . . . can you believe this qualifies for being 1 of the 7 ancient wonders of the world!

 Laura, Claire and I hitting the night club up . . . not at all the traditional Irish pub it claimed to be.

A vegan's worse nightmare - a leather fashion show! 

 Pammukkale - another UNESCO site.  These thermal pools are surrounded by calcium.  It looks like snow.

 Alison-free view.

The water has healing properties - what good news for my knee!

Ciao Rome... Hello Turkey

June 24th

Well your ever organized (it must be Opposites Day) and fearless leader here has made it to Turkey, to Canakkale to be exact.  After getting into Istanbul late and spending the night with the Evin's family, I decided this morning to join the Fez bus, a bus that travels around Turkey's main cities that with one ticket you can jump on and off as you please.  However, by the time I read up on them and decided to join them they had alread left Istanbul . . . next bus one week later!!!  So I chased the bus, on another bus, (think really slow chase scene) and low and behold I caught them here in this famous and beautiful coastal town!!!  Next stop, Troy!  However, most of these photos are from my last day in Rome and what a day it was . . .  

 Mt. Vesuvıus - it looks harmless!!!

 We made it to the top of the crater!

 Pompeii's amphitheater!

 I could live here!  This Pompeii mansion had it's own steam room!

 On second thought, maybe not such a good place to live.

As great American rapper Nelly once said, "İt's getting hot in here . . ." 

 This was dug out from 30 ft. of ashes and dirt!

 What a modern town!!! - it even had a menu for the local brothel . .  option A!

 Option B!

 Note Mt. Vesuvıus only 5 miles in the back ground!

 Another cathederal wıth too many dead monks! 

 Who comes up wıth these ideas???

 Rome's oldest crypt - the pic's a little blurry as İ wasn't quite allowed to take pics.

 Ramen and I outside San Sebastiano - home of the oldest crypt in Rome.

 Circus Maximus - home of chariot racing.  There was actually a lone jogger down there - the irony wasn't lost on me!

 Bocca della Verita - The Mouth of Truth.  Legend says if you put your hand in it's mouth and tell a lie it will bite of your hand.  I declared that I was the most beautiful lady in all the world . . . and nothing happened!

 Not as good as S.F. but just as fun!!!

 I take that back ... maybe better than SF!

 The historical Ottoman clock tower . . . I think using historical and Ottoman together is a bit of an oxymoron.

 The Trojan horse that was used in the movie of Troy.  You know what that means right? . . . I almost touched something Brad Pitt touched!

The night life of Canakkale . . . complete wıth a disco Mosque!



Pasta + Wine = Tuscany

June 21,2012

What's better than a last minute day trip to Tuscany??? . . . not much as far as I am concerned!  After our 10 hour death march thru the streets of Rome yesterday, Raman and I decided to join a day tour out of town to Tuscany.  And what a day it was!

 Our meeting place for the tour, Piazza del Popolo - does it look familiar?  One of the scences from Angels and Demons was filmed here!  (Read the book though, much better than the movie.)

 Raman and I in a town square in the medevial town of Montepulciano!

 A view from the top of the town!  It was quite steep . . . not a great sandal wearing day!

 The newest in shoe fashion!

 Italians love their leather like Catholic priests love little boys!

 Just an old wall in the town of Montepulciano.

 Next stop on our Tuscany tour - Sant Antimo Abbey.  We got to listen to the monks here use the Gregorian Chant!!!  It was better than Britney but not as good as classic Madonna!

 Another view of the abbey.

 And the inside of the abbey . . . not as good looking without the monks chanting.

 Ahhh . . . Tuscany! (Just pretend like that one twat didn't walk into my picture.)

 One of the dining rooms at the winery we stopped at for tasting and lunch. The winery was Poggi Il Castellare.

 Raman and I eating lunch: beans, brucshetta, bread salad and home made pasta to die for!!! Being a vegan in Italy is turning out A OK!

 An amazing view ... and I am not just talking about those hotties.

 And finally the town of Pienza . . . an UNESCO world heritage site!

 No joke . . . I started gagging from the cheese smell and almost threw up in the shop!  You better appreciate this sheep milk cheese lovers!

 Not quite an Aprilia.

The entrance and exit piazza to Pienza - celebrating it's 500th birthday!