In progress / getting started

My set up!!

Paintings of Atlas to get me started painting and to get me ready for the project. These are not quite done but almost done. The paintings are not drying quickly, or at all, because I don't have any Liquin... ordered some today. Sucky!

Taking a bus from Datca to Mugla

On a bus right now back to Mugla... it has AC, a small TV on the back of the seat in front of me, WI-FI, and they serve drinks on the bus as you drive along. Nice!! It will be about a 3 hour bus trip by the time I arrive, but it has been comfortable. I lost my bus ticket and almost had to pay twice. They let me stay on the bus!!

Turkish wedding Day 2 - Saturday, June 25th

This was the wedding day. It is more like a wedding you would see in the states. The grooms family came to pick up the bride from her families home. A tradition that happened both days is that family from the bride's side would block the grooms family with their cars, or some of the brides family sat on the dowry chest. Any time that would happen, the grooms father would have to pay them a tip to get out of the way... interesting.

It was a huge event. It was on the beach. There was live music, dancing, drinking, eating... really nice. The food was excellent. It was a big party. There was probably 3+ hundred people!! Huge.

Turkish Wedding Day 1 - Friday, June 24th

THE HENNA PARTY

The earlier part of the day I have posted in an earlier post. The groom and his friends come and get the dowry of the bride to be. They leave and a party happens in the evening called the "Henna Party." There was live music, dancing, drinks, and snacks. You will see a tray on fire which I believe contains the henna that will be used to paint the hands (I think feet as well) of the bride and groom. The music is a traditional Turkish Music along with some Gypsy Music. There are Turkish Standards that everyone knows. The standards are regional and there are standards that are for the whole country. People were singing the music and dancing. The dance is a traditional dance as well. Very lively and fun!!!

Monday June 27 - Palamutbuku

This was on the way to Palamutbuku

This was the little bay where we set up shop.

I went to another amazing beach village called Palamutbuku (Pala-moot-boo-koo). I went snorkeling in this amazing bay!! The water is so clear!! The interesting thing is that there wasn't many fish to be seen. Apparently over fishing could be the cause? I am not sure why. It was like looking into this amazing aquarium but without many things in it. More fish might come out in the evening... maybe?

One of my biggest complaints about Turkey so far is that people litter. So there is trash in the most amazing places ever!! It is so beautiful here that you would think people would keep it clean, but... NO!! So while snorkeling, I got to see trash at the bottom of the ocean. A couple of beer cans, plastic wrappers, etc. These things were on the beach as well. Sucky!!

Anyways, the water was cool/cold and it felt so nice to come up on the beach and get warm in the sun, really nice place. It is on the way to Knidos (kah-nee-dos), which is about 30 minutes away from Palamutbuku. I have been told by numerous people that I should go there. Maybe I will get the chance.

See below:

Knidos or Cnidus ( /ˈnaɪdəs/; Ancient Greek: Κνίδος [knidos]) is an ancient settlement located in Turkey. It was an ancient Greek city ofCaria, part of the Dorian Hexapolis. It was situated on the Datça peninsula, which forms the southern side of the Sinus Ceramicus, now known as Gulf of Gökova. By the fourth century BC, Knidos was located at the site of modern Tekir, opposite Triopion Island. But earlier, it was probably at the site of modern Datça (at the half-way point of the peninsula).^[1]

It was built partly on the mainland and partly on the Island of Triopion or Cape Krio. The debate about it being an island or cape is caused by the fact that in ancient times it was connected to the mainland by a causeway and bridge. Today the connection is formed by a narrow sandyisthmus. By means of the causeway the channel between island and mainland was formed into two harbours, of which the larger, or southern, was further enclosed by two strongly built moles that are still in good part entire.

The extreme length of the city was little less than a mile, and the whole intramural area is still thickly strewn with architectural remains. The walls, both of the island and on the mainland, can be traced throughout their whole circuit; and in many places, especially round the acropolis, at the northeast corner of the city, they are remarkably perfect. The first Western knowledge of the site was due to the mission of the Dilettante Society in 1812, and the excavations executed by C. T. Newton in 1857-1858.

Turkish barber

Okay.... I went to the barber today to get a shave. The barber shaves you with a razor... Awesome... and after the shave gives you a little back/arm message... more Awesome!!!

PS. I hate shaving and the message was a bonus!! I will not personally shave again while in Turkey!!

Turkish Wedding O'boy!!

Utku's sister, "the Bride"

The groom has the white shirt and goatee

This is a cousin sitting on the "dowry" and the groom has to give her a tip to get off the dowry as part of the tradition.

So... as a tradition... the groom and his family come in and negotiate the dowry. Once the negotiating is done the groom and his guys take the dowry. More to come.

Bodrum then ferry over to Datca

Utku's sister is getting married this weekend... so we drove to Bodrum (bo-drum, like it is spelled) and took a ferryboat over to Datca (datch-a).

Old Mugla, walked through yesterday!!

This is a procession for a kid who is getting circumcised or just got circumcised.



They were blowing their horns and it is apparently a big party for the kid. He looked about 8 or 9... ouch!!