More Pictures of Bodrum!

OK... More Pictures of Bodrum. I made Long Rock go up and down those stairs because I love them so, I thought I would wait and post more pictures... But Then I thought... I will do it now because I love looking at the pictures. 
 I really love Bodrum and in loving Bodrum I can not wait to see the other cities in Turkey that are on our list (I say "our" because Long Rock wants to see them too and I love seeing them with Long Rock. Traveling is so much better with him)
 So, here they are... More pictures of Bodrum, and I am sure long awaited!  (btw if anyone has questions and wants an American perspective on Turkey, please feel free to ask me) Also, I have bad internet connection so I will have to post more tomorrow because these pictures took forever to post. 
  I regret having to stop posting my pictures, but, internet is slow, I will post more though!

Long Rock at the bottom of the stairs I love

Going into the Castle walls.

See where I got my Blog Picture?

He's so cute I love taking pictures of him

We took so many pictures this daya nd spent 3.5-4 hours at the castle... Long Rock and I loved it so much there

Long Rock took this, He is such an amazing photographer

Anyone wondered where St Nicolas is really from? Yep: Antalya, Turkey. He went to the North Pole when he got fat and it was too hot in Antalya.

Proof I am The Diva

Persian Sphinx... VERY old like 350 BC

Castle overlooking the Bay.. What a view!

American Professor from San Francisco took this! They were here studying the Castle as he is a History teacher. He wrote a couple books

This Castle makes good photo opportunities: Back ground that this the English Tower

I took this. One of the holes for arrows, this is a window used to guard the castle ... I can't imagine trying to shoot arrows through there.

Tons of statues lying around. It is said that these statues once came from the Mausoleum and by 1530, the Mausoleum was basically in ruin as it is today. 

The Last I wrote was about two weeks ago...

I really must apologize. 
 I was intending to write about my trip with Long Rock to Bodrum we took about 4 weeks ago, but so  many things happened, and I was not able to. 
  Those things will have to wait, because I promised a debut of pictures in Boddrum, and I will post those first. Then I will have to catch you up on the rest of my life. Life is always happening... I don't know if that is good or bad... Just that is what is going on. 
  Well, Let me tell you what happened. Log Rock and I wanted to go to Bodrum and we were going to go alone. We wanted to have a get-away together of just the two of us. When I got back to Turkey from being in the USA I saw that my Turkish mom needed to get away too, and I told Long Rock, we should just invite the family and anyone that wants to go, can come. That is all good, and nice and everything, but honestly, we need to go alone. I would never tell him that. Ooops he might read this, crap. 
  Anyway, It was Long Rock's mom's first time on an air plane. That made me so excited. I love air plane rides. I saw that when we go to USA she will have to have Me with her to help her feel comfortable and help with some things like air plane changing... It is really confusing in English, etc, and USA is a big trip for the first time by yourself. 
  Anyway... So... We left early in the morning and arrived at the air port three hours before the plane took off. I wanted to sit in the concord and watch the planes. But no one understood that you have have to sit where they are announcing that the planes are boarding. But at least I talked Long Rock into sitting there because we got there right in time for the boarding. YAY. 
   We arrived in Bodrum at about 2:30 and a shuttle bus took us to the Gumbet section of Bodrum, where our hotel was. 
  Our hotel was freaking scary. Long Rock was wondering and wondering where should we stay and he saw this hotel... Wella and I said ok let2s stay there but then he kept looking and looking. We found a hotel for 30 Lira a night and I said OK let's stay there. OMG... Never EVER EVER stay there!!! It was like the song, "Hotel California" seriously... It is amazing we did not die. It was like right out of a scary movie.. When we got there, there was a guy that was sleeping on a cot and had his shirt off and some board shorts on. He was our receptionist, our bell boy too... REALLY??? There was a skinny dog, that looked like he has not eaten in days. He was a cocker spaniel but, dang that dog was really sickly. The guy woke up and came to help us with our bags... And we looked in our room... There was a pool, but it did not look like it was cleaned and the pool side furniture had things on there that looked like a party happened a few weeks before and no one got around to cleaning the bar area. Erkan wanted to leave right then and htere. I wanted to stay to see if things got better, but I have to admit, I just was so tired of walking and carrying my things and I just wanted to sleep... Of course, we left the next day. YAY!!! Better hotel and nicer. 
  Let's get something right off the bat ... Let me tell you something about Turkish Hotels. You want real "Star" System, please Americans, Stay in an American hotel. You want to stay in American hotel and get treated like you do in America, Do not waste your tie with hotels that say they are 1-5 Stars and are not American, unless you are in Dubai or Ab Dhabi, and I am serious about that. If you want "clean for Turkish Hotels" and basic... I mean basic... Than you can stay in a Non- American hotel but do not think that you are staying in Anything nicer than a Motel 8. Do not even complain about staying in something that you think you are getting 2 or 3 stars if it is not American because you will be SORELY ticked off. 

Just like any city in Turkey, You will find Greek and Byzantine Ruins just... Laying around. I don't ever get used to it 

One of the Many Many Coat of arms on the Castle. This is on the outside of the Castle Walls

Old Water Storage... Like more than 2,000 years old

In the Court yard of the Castle... There is a lot of room for several Gardens here

  We stayed in a hotel called Wela. It is right on a street in Gumbet where there are a lot of people that walk by. There are many restaurants and many many things to do and see. That is another thing... If you have something negative to say about anyone, and you are speaking English, everyone in Bodrum can understand you because they are all from Holland, England, Scotland, etc etc etc, they are Europeans coming to Turkey for sun because they don't get any in their country. Also, they do take their tops off here in Bodrum, Yes, we saw a lot of nudity. The beaches are not like USA where people have a respect for privacy either. There is small strip of sand and people use every inch of it and take off their tops and lay in the sun that way. I felt out of place because I did not have my top off but then again, no thanks, that is not for me.   I really loved the ancient city and the sight seeing. I could have spend days and days there just sight seeing alone. 
   We spent a good time on the beaches but a good time sight seeing as well. 
  We went to the Castle there. It is called  "Bodrum Castle" and this place is amazing. I mean, really a sight to behold 
To learn more of this spectacular Caslte click me :) 
 We also went to downtown Bodrum    Read about Bodrum by clicking me :) 
Yes we went to the Mausoleum of King Mausolus, and dude, it was breath taking. All of the city was! It was enchanting there and Long rock was also enchanted! We both agreed we love that city. We would love to come back. Anyone want to come visit us and come to the Aegean Sea and hang out a couple days in Bodrum, we will take you! 
Here are the pictures now:::

Facing the West side of the Bay that Gumbet sits on. Lights in the back are hotels and night clubs. Bodrum's Gumbet is filled with Night Clubs

Long Rock's family is trying not to be tired.

I was experimenting with this type picture. It worked! YAY

Enjoying the Aegean Sea. That Sea is gorgeous!

Afternoon Tea

I never could figure out what this statue was but it looked ancient so I took a pic of it

We went to the ancient Yacht dock... Loved it

This bit is interesting. This man is a painter and his Art Gallery is in the walls of the Ancient Castle. He is exhibiting his photography.

The Artist painting.

Art Gallery Long Rock stumbled upon

Another picture of the Art Gallery

This is Mother Mary. Yes, She is an icon here in Turkey and highly regarded as a woman of Holiness. There is a strong Christian undertone here in Turkey because there once were MANY Christians.

A place I wanted to go so much. It looked so dang cool

Castle... I loved this castle

This jerk would not get out of my way. Seriously... His Gf was at the top of the stairs and he knew I was waiting and waiting to take a picture of this he kept looking and looking at me and his GF was saying Come on... He was an A$$ but I thought these steps were freaking awesome

I am going to post these for now, as I have been very sick the last week with some kind of flu. However, I will post more pictures of Bodrum sometime in the near future soon. 
 I hope Long Rock takes me back there and soon. We both need some Vitamin D, and I need to get my hair blonder... Hear that Long Rock? I love spending time with you!!! 
Pictures to be posted later, that is a promise people

As it is 4:24 am here in Turkey...

I will sadly have to blog about the trip I made to Bodrum tomorrow. 
 I really should have written about it earlier. 
I can not wait to post the pictures and tell you all about my trip with Long Rock there

I would like to say

I am in partnership with my father, Dr Larry Cyril Jensen, and through the wisdom and help and partnership of my Fiance: (still not allowed to use his real name so I will say) Long Rock, are starting a new webpage and business that will  focus on helping people improve their lives and helping them with personal growth and change for the better!! 
  We are so excited about this endeavor and I hope that all of you will join us in creating our world to make it a happier, better and peaceful world! 
 Happy people truly are Happier :)

Kına Gece (Henna Night)

Since I have been living here I have been intrigued with the idea of going to a Kına Gece. Of course I have never heard of it before I came here, and I must say, I only wanted to go to settle this curiosity. I, honestly must add that I wanted to go to see, but I have never really thought of it as in interest for me to participate. 
  For my readers outside Turkey or those that do not know what Henna night is, Let me tell you as an outsider what it is. 
 It is usually held the night before a couple gets married. Sometimes a few days but usually the night before the Bride and Groom marry. What it entails is the Bride will invite those whom wish to see her in a small Ceremony if you can say. It is like a right of passage for lack of better words. 
 The Bride will have it in the street of her neighborhood, sometimes in a large event hall, and the evening will start with a meal given by the Bride and Grooms families. Sometimes, just the Bride's family. 
  She will be dressed in a silk pant and shirt with a jacket that is as long as the pants. The pants are gathered at the bottom and her head is covered with a hat that is squared on the top and everything is very intricately embroidered. (pictures will follow) Traditionally the Groom wears a traditonal Turkish outfit but modern Grooms are not wearing them anymore.
The Groom, bride and families will dance after eating and sharing their meal with the guests. 
  After a while of dancing and Brides dances and Grooms dances, the ceremony will begin. 
 The Bride will lower her veil over her face, and girls will come out with the bride and they will walk in a circle around her as she sits in the middle. A decorated tray will have the Kına on it and they will go around her while music (traditional Kına songs) is played. 
After the tray is brought to the middle of the circle, the Mother of the Bride and Groom will sit in front of the Bride and each will put Henna on her hands and then put a gold coin on her hand then cover her hands with a silk glove type mitten to keep the henna from going all over everything. 
 The Groom will come and carry her off, as a sign that she is leaving home and starting a new home with her husband. 
  This is a very big tradition in Turkey, and I was invited to go to a couple of them. I had the chance of going to one. It was Long Rock's cousin's Kına Night. Here are the pictures of that night. 
 I wanted to go to a friends of mine as she is really close to me but Long Rock told me to chose between Kına or Her Wedding, and since I was doing her Wedding bouquet and her Flowers for the Groom and two of the family members, I was compelled to go that. Sadly and traumatically I did not make it to that either. Maybe someday I can blog about it but right now I am not compelled to speak about the details as to why I did not make it to such a sweet friend's wedding. I will post those Kına Night pictures now

Sister in Law (brother's wife) passing the tray to the bride. Tray is with Kına

Bride's family placing the Kına on the left hand

Groom's family placing the Kına on the Right hand

After the Kına is placed, the two families dance

Bride's mother on the Left, Grooms mother on the right, Bride in the Middle

Groom, Bride's mother, Bride, Groom's mother

Girl with the butterfly shirt is an unknown person. But she seemed like a friend or cousin of the Bride...

Two Families do some more dancing

Bride's mother, Groom, Bride's sister in law, bride's Brother, Bride's nephew, Bride's dad. One big happy family