Odds and Ends for the End of 2014

Well, December has been a bit of a slog... weather-wise and work-wise! Classes and exams are over, and later this morning I'll submit the final grades [cue anticipation drumroll] and then.... another round of proficiency exams [cue sad trombone]. On the bright side, Margaret and Jason are coming to visit the following week, and that is sooo exciting! I CAN'T WAIT...

So, here are a few odds and ends from some fun things we have done lately:

Christmas tour of nearby villages

 

Pylons for the Third Bridge

 Fishing boat frenzy

 Chickens among the ruins

 The beach at Kilyos

 Random ivy covered remains of an arch or wall in Kilyos

 Approaching more monster pylons for the highway that will connect with the Third Bridge, 

taken from inside the minibus

A tiny glimpse of the madness that was the Istanbul Coffee Festival

Someone's homemade scooter, pretty much held together with packing tape

 Holiday day lights at the apartment complex

Thanksgiving in Turkey!

Our belated ex-pat potluck Thanksgiving was celebrated in grand style yesterday evening. It was a big mix of people from Koç University, Arizona, and friends of friends. We had plenty to eat and drink, no doubt! (I'll bring several leftover desserts to work on Monday.) Now for a quiet Sunday...

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Escape Planet Escape

Last Friday, coincidentally Halloween, a group of us teamed up to escape from the "Sherlock Room" at Escape Planet. If one of these room size puzzles is established nearby, do it! It was fantastic!! I can't give away too many details, but we were locked in a room furnished in an early 20th century style. We had to find clues and use logic to figure out the combinations to several locked drawers and boxes around the room. The goal was to find the key to get us out of the room in an hour. We did escape, with a little extra time given by the puzzle organizer. Here is the team flush with success!

"Grading Day," i.e. No, I didn't go to work today.

Look! The sun has graced us today... and I got outside to soak it up.

Walk around Rumeli Kavağı

Just a jaunt to a little fishing village where the Black Sea and Bosphorus meet 

and the pylons of the Third Bridge loom

Rainy Days

The Black Sea imposes itself once again.

To celebrate the 91st Anniversary of the Founding of the Turkish Republic, we are given a two-day holiday in the middle of the week. Of course, the weather turned to cold, windy, bone-chilling rain, so I have made applesauce, knit a cowl, graded speaking exams, done laundry, drunk copious amounts of tea, watched several episodes of Firefly, read, waterproofed my shoes, planned for classes, and have not yet gone outside!

Post Big Breakfast Walk

Last glimpse of the glow of the sun... the rainy season is here.

Migration at Sunset

The little flecks are birds in migration...

Big Dog Bully

Someone put catfood out for the little stray kittens, but the dog was hungry too. I saw their standoff, and it lasted long enough for me to get this photo! Seconds later, Big Dog Bully, pulled the paper towel away and started gobbling the food. Jerk!

Fall Colors

It has been a slow transition to autumn. The leaves are changing, but the weather has remained surprisingly mild and sunny. No complaints about that! 

The Princes' Islands

Yesterday we took a day-trip to the Princes' Islands, stopping at the Big Island, Büyükada, for a good hike up the hill to an old monastery dedicated to Saint George, Aya Yorgi. I guess it is now an annual tradition; you might remember last year's expedition. Needless to say, it was fun again! Here are some views from the day:

Bougainvillea everywhere!

Apparently other people had the same idea as we did.

The easy uphill part

One of...

...many!

Just a simple summer cottage

The real uphill part

Bunnies!?!

The Monastery of Saint George (Aya Yorgi)

Resting and regrouping for the trek downhill

Who's this guarding the soccer field?

It's Kocayusuf; Big Joe, that is!

Cat adoration time