We’re basking in the wonderful sunny days of Tucson. Just to let blog readers know we won’t be boring you with our daily activities. The plan is to spend time in Tucson and Colorado and then return to Eskisehir where we still have our apartment sometime in March. We hope to do all our traveling around Turkey when we return. Hope everyone is doing well and hope to see many of you at our happy hour on Friday Feb 18th about 5 at our daughter’s house at 310 W. 4th St. I have a cell # now so I can be reached at 909-3112.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Saturday, February 5, 2011
This and That Observations on Spain
There are hundreds of orange trees all over the city. The oranges were being picked while we were here; however, we found out they are ornamental!
They still do bull fights in the spring and summer season. You can take a tour of the bullring but we haven’t done it yet.
All or most of the village houses are white. Our guide, Paul, said that it started during the time of the black plague. The people thought that white paint would stop the spread of the disease. Apparently it helped because of the lime in the white paint. Looking at these beautiful white villages from the road is quite a sight.
Thousands of olive trees throughout the area and great olives at every meal.
Gelato is really good but Italy has the edge on this one. Hasn’t stopped us from eating lots.
People are friendly and nice but not as nice as the Turkish people. So far, Turkey has the edge on every place we’ve ever been.
There is a homeless guy on our regular route from restaurants and the center city who has set up in an alcove of a closed store. He has a mattress, a little cabinet, a dog, radio and a bowl for donations. He is always lying down reading or doing puzzles when we walk by. Interesting set up. The location is what surprises me and that no one has apparently made him move.
We went to Granada yesterday to see the “stunning” Alhambra. The guide book used the word stunning and they were right. Pictures will be coming.
20% unemployment, about the same as Turkey. Economy, in general, has people concerned.
Sevilla or Seville is a great walking city. Has a river walk and narrow twisted streets where you just roam around. The city has done a great job with bike paths. They green colored paths wind throughout the city. There are hundreds of city sponsored bikes that people seem to actually use. You can just use a card to unlock them and ride to your destination.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Paul’s White Mountain Villages Spain
Southern Spain what a treat. This was home as we left Turkey. 
We just bumped into a really nice guy from Australia while waaaaaalking in old Seville. He said he had a different kind of white to show us. So he “sorta of” spoke English. No just kidding he is wonderful and speaks fluent Spanish and of course excellent English. He has been here for 12 or 13 years and we made a deal for a great private tour in our rental car. That’s the Facebook page of our guide who took us to four beautiful
mountain villages about 100 kilometers from Seville. The biggest was 10,000 people the smallest 1500.
One had houses built into the caves. The houses looked perfectly normal from the front but the back was entirely hidden by the cave. All the homes had been renovated and were clean white buildings but the history was everywhere in old churches, Roman roads, and fortresses from the 14th century. The religious wars of the past remind me too much of the religious wars of the present. Jerry will post some pictures soon. You would not believe lunch. It was the classic feast sitting in
the sunshine, just like in the movies. Cobblestone streets and all the rest. 
We spent Wednesday evening at a Flamingo Dance show with a tapas meal and lots of energy and castanets. There was a whole bus full of Chinese tourists at the show.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
February 18th invitation for blog readers
We couldn’t figure out a way to see everyone we wanted to see on our short visit to Tucson so we ask our daughter, Meg, if we could borrow her house for an evening. So, we hope you can join us for a very casual happy hour about 5:00 on Feb 18th at 310 W. 4th St (off of Stone almost to the railroad tracks). We’re really looking forward to seeing our friends and family. I’ll be checking e-mails as usual clittle1946@gmail.com and you can leave a message at 906-0282 but just come on by if you have a chance.
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