Hair, Travel, Work

I got my hair cut very short. I can still make a tiny pony tail though. Root touch up, cut, wash and styling plus my eyebrows cost me USD 33 not including the tip. Now, I can color my own hair again. I was expecting to pay about

We came back to Izmir on Sunday. Tomorrow I am going to another city 3 hours away for work. I will stay there for two days and come back on Wednesday night. Don't know when we will be going back to Istanbul yet.

This time, I packed way less stuff coming here. We can wash our things when we need to so, why bother? Mom did the same.

I also brought two purses/handbags to my sister. Both were barely used. I hope, she will use them. She seems like she liked them but, you never know my sister.

Today my new tenant called to say there is a repair that needs to be done regarding the heating system. There is an upcoming expense. Hopefully, it will not be too big. I can also deduct it from the taxes next year. Comes with the territory when you a are landlady.

I will invoice 3 plus days this month. This should cover both the above expense and the home repair coming up in my apartment.

Savings and waste and stuff

Since I had the vertigo, we were at home all this week until today. We had enough groceries to cover our meals and we did well. Today we went out for coffee and a treat. Both mom and I resented our choices and we felt nauseaus afterwards. Not a big chunk of money but, surely a waste.

I bought two bottles of shampoo deeply discounted. Then we returned home.

Tomorrow we both have doctors appointments for prescriptions and I need a blood test. We will have breakfast after the doctors visit. Having breakfast out is better than having dinner out moneywise. Right?

I will also have a haircut and get my hair shortened significantly which will get rid of the balayage and from then on I will be able to color my own hair again. This will save me quiet a chunk of change. Especially, when I am in the US for almost three months come October, that will help me manage my hair. I am not setting foot at a hair salon in the US. Yikes! It is a lot cheaper in here.

I have two days of work next week so, there will be some little extra income.

The economy in the country is headed to disaster so, saving every penny, or "kurush" in my case is becoming more important.

I cannot believe that I have less than 90 days to go before my big vacation. I saved USD 16 by re-booking the same hotel room at a different site that offered a discount yesterday. I will be staying at hotels for 12 days for the time being during my road trip from NY to FL and back. I may end up scheduling some other travel during my time there but that depends on the plans we will make with my friends.

Vertigo!

It had been quiet a while since, I had a vertigo attack. Then voila! I had one three days ago and today is the first day, I am feeling normal.

It's raining outside and it is a cool day. It feels like a mid-summer reminder of the approaching Fall.

Both mom and I got up late today. Need to take care of things that I let slip due to the vertigo and hope to catch up with my favorite blogs.

Hope, everyone has a great day!

Home Sweet Home!

I am back home in Istanbul. As soon as we got home, I opened the windows and the apartment got aired. It was really cool at night. After hot Izmir, my apartment is pure heaven. Istanbul is not cool at all but, not as hot as Izmir was. My apartment is in the shade due to many nice grown trees and I am sure, upper floors are warmer.

I missed reading my favorite blogs so, I have a lot of catching up to do.

We got home around 6 p.m. yesterday and I went shopping today. I did not buy any vegetables. Tomorrow, mom and I are going to the farmer's market. After tomorrow, we will be well stocked. I am planning to cook a lot of food and freeze them. Tonight we are having sea bass for dinner with a salad. I cannot believe half of the summer is over.

Kas, Antalya, Turkey... Pictures

We had a three day weekend so mom, sister, BIL and I went to Kas in Antalya. It is further down south and on the Mediterrenean but, not as hot as Izmir. It is a very hilly and small place. Visitors make the traffic terrible and driving in the tiny streets is very tricky. We parked our car and used taxis or the shuttle service our hotel offered mostly. Since we made our reservations in different times, mom and I stayed at a hotel and my sister and BIL stayed at the bungalows by one of the beaches.

I spent tons of time in the water and enjoyed it very much. The water gets deep right away and I do love that. I am not a fan of sand.

The whole town was covered in Bouganvilles. Too bad I could not take more pictures of them.

Bouganvilles of the hotel behid ours

From our chaise lounges in the shade

From the trerrace of our hotel where we had breakfast

The picture does not do the color justice. Was much brighter in person.

More Bouganvilles

Beaches...

Yesterday mom and I went to a beach club. We chose to sit at a table rather than sit on the chaise lounges. I do not like to be exposed to the sun unless I am in the water. This is a picture from our table:

The picture was taken around 10:30 a.m. so, you do not see many people. The whole place was really big and it was only about 1/4 full because it was a week day and the place is a bit pricey. However, there weren't many alternatives where mm could be so comfortable. There was a nice breeze and she was able to read and enjoy the view all day. The food was excellent and so was the service. I used those steps to go in the water.

This place is called Hagia Yorgi Bay at Cesme. The water was so clean and clear. We will go back again next week after we come back from Kas. Mom is willing to go in the water which is next to impossible these days.

Here is another beach I used to go to:

It is also very nice but the facilities would not please mom. I used to rent chaise lounges under the trees rather than being under an umbrella. It was a bit crowded too.

Then we had ice cream in town in Cesme before we headed back home.

This area is a peninsula with several bays and beaches so, you can be at a different beach every day for at least 3 weeks.

The weather was much nicer than it was in downtown Izmir. Nice breeze made it very pleasant.

Realizations about myself...

After spending two weeks in Izmir, I have realized that I cannot move to Izmir or any other place on the Aegean because;

1. It is too darn HOT! 
2. People are soooo sssllloooowwww....
3. Service Industry sucks
4. I am a fast paced, BIG CITY GAL! It is Istanbul or New York City or bust!
5. People here have no idea about driving properly minding the rules and people around

I am never coming here in June-July-August. Have I mentioned that it was so darn HOT?

Today we went to a beach where the water was really cold and it was a dream. I could stay in the water forever. We found another beach where mom can stay in the shade while I go and swim. On Tuesday we will go there.

Next weekend is a three day weekend and mom, my sister and brother (in law) and I will go to Kas in Antalya on the Mediterranean. It will be hot but, the sea is amazing there.

Off I go to melt away...