An apartment of golds and blues with a ladybug-shaped pool nestled outside its doors was where we began our journey of Turkey. Many mornings were spent having brunch on the patio before lounging, swimming and chatting with Jeanette and Doug. We went for some traditional Turkish breakfasts as well with some wonderful eats although the coffee was described as a warm gritty mud. A call to prayer would catch our attention each day. Turquoise has been named from the colors of the waters in Turkey. We made our way to some wonderful beaches over winding rocky mountain roads, through marshes aboard a canopied delta tour boat, and on double-decker touring boat on a twelve island tour. We played in warm bays, snorkelled and swam with a sea turtle. Doug and Doug would manage to find a hike nearby and became known as those Canadian mountain men. As we drove to our destinations we passed mounds of roadside watermelon stands, dried-out corn and sunflower fields, and trees of pomegranate, orange, lemon, peaches and palm. A familiar sight became storks nesting upon poles, goats, sheep and donkeys. Open-air restaurants welcomed us many days where we sat in gazebos, orchards, tree forts, rooftops, riverside looking at ancient tombs in the rock and beside gentle waterfalls. We were treated to oven to hand bread each time, cold mezes, wines and syrups made from pomegranate and fish caught that day. Shopping until midnight whether in a small town, city or Turkish bazaar would bring us back to the apartment ready for our nightly ritual of Turkish tea and baklava. It has been an exquisite time with Jeanette and Doug.

From Paris we rented a car and drove west and south. The first stop, the Palais de Versailles, we found to be almost overly grandiose. The opulence of the Palace with its luxurious furnishings and numerous portraits and tapestries was offset somewhat by the natural beauty of the gardens with their lakes and fountains.
The city of Chartres displayed her spectacular cathedral which emanates amazing reverence and beauty through her antique stained glass and the intricate labyrinth in her stone floor. Then on to the Loire Valley where Christine’s father’s roots originate. We spent Bastille Day in Ambroise with a visit to a chateau and spectacular fireworks display. The Loire Valley brought us through fields of wheat, corn, sunflowers and vineyards before we headed north to Mont Saint Michel and then to the D-Day beaches of Normandy. Finally, we strolled through Monet’s gardens in Giverny enjoying the flowers, orchards and water lilies which are seen in his paintings.
Back in Paris we said goodbye to Coll and Gary before moving on to Dalaman in Turkey where we were welcomed by Christine’s sister, Jeanette and her husband, Doug.

PARIS
I can only call this place enchanted. As we visit Musee D’Orsay, Musee De L’Orangerie, and The Louvre I come out feeling like the structure of my cells has changed from the satiation of beauty of viewing the masters’ artworks. Especially loved are Monet, Degas, Renoir, Da Vinci and Van Gogh. Striding the streets of Paris, the stairs of L’Arc D‘Triomphe or strolling Pont Alexandre the Third and the Champs Elysee, we are strengthened, body and mind. Experiencing the cathedrals Notre Dame and Sacre Coeur at Montmartre slows our pace with reverence. As we picnic by the Eiffel Tower and on the Seine with our friends, Colleen and Gary we feel very blessed to be sharing all these experiences with them. Atop the Arc D’Triomphe, cruising along the Seine and in the hustle of the metro or streets our eyes are shifting. They take in the pleasures of colourful produce markets, patisseries and choclatiers. I felt dipped into chocolate heaven and left to sit there with a smile on my face from having the best of ice-cream on the Champs Elysee. Pedestrians weave through bustling traffic, a lady begs, a couple is kissing, and friends chat. So much movement of body, mind and heart.

Drove from Ennis to Tralee, famous for ‘the Rose of Tralee’, then over the mountains to Dingle. Two nights in this whimsical town with a sheltered bay. Long walks along the water’s edge, watching the playful antics of Fungie, the resident wild dolphin. Then further exploration of the rugged and historic Dingle Peninsula to Slea Head and the westernmost point in Europe, and fog shrouded views over the Blasket Islands. Onward through Killarney to Kenmare, which marks the start of the ‘Ring of Kerry’ and the location of Druid stone circles which date back 3000 years. A drive to Cork, big and cosmopolitan and lacking the Irish charm, bringing us quickly on to Kilkenny where the Irish spirit and beauty is abundant. Lovely walks in the forested grounds of Kilkenny Castle, enjoying the forty shades of green along the River Nore. We felt drawn to time spent in the mysticism of the Kyteler Inn, the old home of Kilkenny’s renowned witch from the 14th century. We were intrigued by the Wiccan stories and the beautiful stone architecture dating back 700 years. Two more days in Kilkenny, will bring us to Dublin to fly to Paris to meet our good friends Colleen and Gary. In 1981, Colleen and Christine backpacked through Europe and said “One day we will meet on the Champs Elysees with our husbands.”