Well, it was a trifle hectic! I had four days in Amsterdam in which to work through a to-do list of about 20 items, look after gardens (mine and David's), fix several important items with banks and insurances, makes a few reservations for flights this summer, play with my grandchildren and see friends. Note: the list I have just made is in haphazard order... Happily, when my frazzle reached too high a level, I had wonderful friends with whom to share (or perhaps I should say, to unburden) my stress. Thank you, all kind listeners (this of course includes my son and family).
My stay was made most pleasant by lovely spring sunshine, so for the whole time I was in Amsterdam and on my short visit to The Hague there was ne'er a drop o' rain. Amazing!
Below a pic of my back garden, where the small daffodils are proudly present. And a blurred pic of Daniel and Nadia in their new house (Yara by this time was asleep, after our invigorating walk along the sandy shore at Scheveningen (try saying that fast...)!
I found time to pop round to David's and survey with delight the transformations taking place in his back garden. Here a few pix to show the flower boxes ... as yet uninhabited.
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| complete with garden gnome (noe of my doing!) |
So armed with all requisite material and clothes, I set off on my flight via Istanbul to Izmir. On the plane I had the good fortune to sit next to a lady about my age, speaking fluent Italian, but whose mother language is Turkish. A stroke of good luck, or, as she put it
il destino... So she (Giulia) and I took a taxi from the airport to Kusadasi marina and there we met David, cool as the night, and the good life began again...
Giulia joined us the next day for lunch and we made plans for future meetings. Her brother is a tour-guide based in Kusadasi. Wonderful to have her help in translating Turkish, which remains a more-or-less closed book... (to me).
The weather is glorious, warm but not hot and the sun blessing the world (I mean, that's how it feels to me!). David and I go about our daily tasks while the boat rocks gently, and peace abounds. Here we are at breakfast time.
And the longer we stay in Kusadasi the more we like it. It really helps speaking a little Turkish ... we slowly increase our vocabualry, mainly food and weather items!
Cokk gule!
I am hoping to have time, now the frazzle has departed, to write some more. Here is a whole new world, a culture I scarcely know, and a warm climate to enjoy. Time to compose some poems.
Next week we shall be joined for several days by Karen, Amsterdam friend of 35 years' standing...
After that, a journey to Cappadocia with another friend.
We are presently planning the days until I leave for Dubai in just over five week's time.
How to catch the wind??
(Picture above shows the still waters in Kusadasi marina, seen from our boat.)
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