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...

Mayoral Elections

WE WON!

https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2019-06-23/the-latest-turkeys-erdogan-votes-in-istanbul-mayoral-rerun

The president lost. Hope he loses the presidency, soon too!

Work... Out of the blue

I was thinking that there were no work prospects for the summer. However, I have been called to a meeting today. There is a customer meeting on Friday and one of the projects which we thought was buried, came alive. I will help out a new colleague for the Friday meeting but, will not be involved with that project.

The zombie project is only two hours away from Izmir so, I will be working from my sister's home. I may have to go to the customer site once or twice a week. Nice!

I have been told there was another project somewhere on the Black Sea coast but, I have already planned to be in Izmir for some time so, I bowed out of that one. I will support them offline if and when they need help. No direct flights from Izmir to that city and to be honest, it is not something I would like. Family owned businesses are OK when there is one senir person calling the shots but when there are too many egos involved, thank you very much! Don't need the stress.

We will see how much extra money I will be able to bring in before I leave for my big vacation in October. I have the money earmarked for it but every little extra is nice.

I have a very solid budget yet, unanticipated expenses pop here and there all the time. In August for instance, I will have some repairs done for a water damage in my bedroom. After the fix, the whole room will be painted. I knew the repairs would have to be done but, did not have any idea regarding the cost. My estimate was a little over half of what it will be.

As I type this, I am enjoying a nice, cool breeze after a hot day. It is almost midnight so, I better go. Hope everyone is having a good day.