Bodrum!

I've decided to go back in time a little. I was too excited to blog about the turkish wedding that we had that I left a few things behind in my wake of excitement over the wedding. 

After the sailing trip, we immediately hoped on a 3 hour bus ride to Bodrum from Marmaris. This was such an awful experience. It was sooo hot on the bus. No words can describe the amount of sweat that excreted from our bodies. The air was on high but it was as if we were being tortured with the sound of the air on high but nothing would come out from the vents. It was the WORST. We tried desperately to sleep through it, but I would keep waking up from a tickle of a drip of sweat on my skin. John's entire shirt was drenched... let it be known, we have never in our lives needed a shower so badly. BUT- there was a light at the end of the dark, dark, dark tunnel we were in... the name of that light was Bodrum.

Bodrum was not what any of us had anticipated. It had been years since Ayse and Ross had been. I believe John was a child when they had been there last. So our expectations were slim due to our experience on the way there and then the fact that we had been on a boat for 7 days. At this point, anything was better than the current state we were in. So when we arrived to the hotel (Otel), it was.. wait for it... Better than christmas morning. Yes, that good. Take a looky loo for yourself... 

The Entrance.... Just put yourself in our shoes really quick... remember, sweaty- hot, tired, exhausted, been on a boat for 7 days...need showers ASAP, sticky... hot... did I mention sweaty??.. and then we walk into this...Better known as a little heaven on earth..

This was very common thing to be found on the streets and sidewalks in Bodrum. This is an Evil Eye and is very cherished here in Turkey. It is believed that if an evil eye is present in a room, car, on a boat, on the ground... wherever, it is believed that it will ward off evil thoughts or feelings that someone may have as they come into contact with that person that owns said room, car, boat, or ground. It is a simple gesture of kindness and desire for a person to receive luck and success in life, to avoid people who are negative and wish negative things upon people. I have really come to love it. It is everywhere here. EVERYWHERE. Especially in Bodrum in the streets, mixed in with the cobble stones.

There is a peek of the pool.

The view...

The view from the pool.

Our room entrance..

The view right outside our door...

Then right across the street from our otel was this historical site called "Antik Tiyatro" (Antique theatre if you were a little unsure of that one). Before we went across to visit, we met two fellow heaven on earth dwellers (other hotel guests) and they came with us. They are an indian couple (from India) and they have been married two years. The husband was an endodontist and his wife was a pediatric dentist. They were our age. Really, really smart people and we were happy they were so successful. Anyway, it was fun to go with another young couple and see this site and take some pictures. There is a photo of them at the end..

View also across from the antique theatre.

Look closely in this photo- that is a castle... next post will be about our visit there.

Here is the nice couple we got to hang with for an hour or so. So sweet! We're facebook friends now!

We loved Bodrum. The hotel was everything we needed to be happy there but then there was the going down into the downtown area that added even more greatness to our experience. It was loud, and there was partying way late into the night... Definitely would go there again!