Portsmouth

Portsmouth was my favorite town on the entire trip. By its name, you can tell it's on the water.

I found the whole town charming with many buildings from the 17th-19th centuries. The downtown is filled with charming shops, good restaurants, and oodles of tourists. I don't know if I wrote about our B & B, but it was wonderful with 2 rooms and a sunporch--unfortunately it was a little cool for the sunporch.

We toured Strawberry Banke, which is an open air museum with buildings from the 17th-20th centuries. The Shapiro House was the most interesting for me because it was owned by a Jewish family around the turn of the twentieth century. Many of the buildings have costumed hosts/hostesses, who stay in character for their particular time period. The hostess at Shapiro House takes her "job" very seriously. In her kitchen, she had mandelbroit (cookies), honey cake, kreplach (filled dumplings), and homemade noodles. The dining room was set for shabbat dinner, and a number of the rooms had Jewish artifacts. We tried to find out about the current synagogue; fortunately it was already in existence when the Shapiros lived there so she was able to tell us where it was, and we were able to visit it.

I also particularly enjoyed a grocery store from 1943. Again the hostess made the experience particularly interesting. She was dressed in an American Legion Uniform and asked Dan why he wasn't fighting in the war. She also asked us for our ration books. I knew they existed during the war, but I had never seen them. What was most surprising was that so many of the brands (Campbells, Del Monte) from the 1940's look the same as they do now--no change in packaging in over 60 years.

The grounds and gardens were beautiful. There were swings and old-fashioned out-door games. Of course, I had to try them all.

One final note before I end my blog for this trip:

Wherever we toured the first few days in New England, we encountered "religious" Jews.

If you read my blog from this summer, you know they are as foreign to me as they are to my Christian friends. I have a difficult time understanding their old-fashioned (strict) way-of-life. At West Point, there were about 8-9. They were fascinated by the canons but refused to go into the West Point Chapel. Cooties???

Signing off for this trip....Hope you enjoyed. Shirley

People who "meet" people...

People who “meet” people are the luckiest people…..

This trip has been amazing not only because of the art, theater, opera, scenery, and history, but because of all the wonderful long time and brand new friends and relatives we’ve seen.

We spent a wonderful day in Tarrytown with our dear friends from home, Stan and Elaine, who were visiting family. (See first blog)

In NY we met up with Page (Atlanta) and Gloria,(Charlotte, NC) who roomed together in college. On our Baltic cruise four years ago we hooked up with them and six others to tour St. Petersberg. For ten people who had never known each other, we were extremely compatible and became instant life-long friends, who keep in touch via internet. Dan and I stayed overnight with Page and her husband, Dan, in their beautiful home on a lake in Atlanta, and we even went on an Elderhostel trip with them. On this trip, we spent two days with Page and Gloria touring the art museums of New York, laughing at some of the modern art (???), and drooling over the Impressionists. They both lust after Dan (or so they tell me and Page is even married!), but they are so wonderful I don’t mind.

The four of us had brunch with Joyce and Roger, (New Jersey) also from the Baltic cruise. Roger is a professor of mathematics at Rutgers and Joyce is a retired prof of economics. We caught up on all their trips—they even saw polar bears in the Arctic Circle!

In an earlier blog, I mentioned that we had dinner in NY with a long, lost second cousin of Dan’s, Esta and her husband. They came all the way from Baltimore to meet us! They were so delightful that we felt as if we had always known them.

Dan had a first cousin, David, close to his age, who unfortunately died very young—in his forties (he had diabetes since childhood). His widow, Coralyn, her significant other, her daughter, and granddaughter, live in Vermont, and had us over to dinner at her home. We thoroughly enjoyed their company and New England hospitality.

Over ten-fifteen years ago, we met a wonderful couple from New Jersey, Ruby and Will, when we were seated with them on a cruise. When we first met them, Will pretended to be a “soprano” type from NJ. All I could think was, “Oh, no! We’re stuck with him on the entire cruise!” It turned out that he was a professor of drama and English; both he and Ruby were delightful. We even met up with them some years ago when we toured Charleston. They now live half the year in Nova Scotia and half in Florida. Will was driving down to pick up Ruby, who was visiting friends in NY, and went out of his way to have breakfast and stimulating conversation with us.

Many years ago, I posted my maiden name on Jewish genealogy, and was contacted by a Sue Price from Providence, RI. It turns out we were related on my father’s side and her mother’s side, and she was able to fill in information about m great-great-grandparents. Sue, her mom Salome (pronounced Salom (long ‘O”), and her dad Sherman drove two hours to have lunch with us. Dan and I are very appreciative of how so many people on this trip drove or flew great distances to be with us. We’re honored, indeed! We had a three-hour lunch with family tree, family photos and documents spread out all over the table. The family resemblance from her photos and my photos was remarkable! It is wonderful to have new friends as well as new family.

Last night we had diner in Harvard Square with Dan’s first cousin, Janey, her husband, David, and their son, Danny. Danny is a senior at Boston Latin School, the oldest public school in the country. It is necessary to “test” to get into it. Danny and his parents feel it’s vastly overrated, and after a few of the horror stories Danny told, I have to agree. Janey has owned her own PR firm for years; her main client is MacDonalds, and David is a real estate lawyers. The last time we had seen Danny and David was at Danny’ Bar Mitzvah five years ago.

This morning my Dan had breakfast with Janey’s brother (Dan’s first cousin, )Larry and one of Larry’s daughter’s, Alyssa, who is a paralegal in Boston while her sister Amanda is an attorney in NY. I was too overwhelmed to make it at the early hour—not really early (9 AM), but I needed to pack for our schlep home. Also I no longer can look at food!

A Poem Lovely as a Tree

Beyond Perfect or “I think that I shall never see a poem lovely as a tree….”

A few comments on NH---Ugly is outlawed by the state constitution, and quaint is mandated. Is it possible to get bored by beauty? I haven’t so far. The B & B we stayed in Friday night owned the covered bridge next to it. Behind the B & B was a beautiful rushing stream and more of the ubiquitous and mandated beautiful trees. All the buildings are decorated in fall—scarecrows, cornstalks, pumpkins. It is the perfect setting to celebrate Halloween and Thanksgiving.

We went on a five- hour train ride yesterday to Crawford Notch—the most scenic ride I’ve ever been on, and married to a train fanatic, I’ve been on many. Again we saw forest after forest of fall foliage. In order to take pictures, Dan hung his head out like a dog( minus the wagging tongue) in a car window taking picture after picture.

We are now in Portsmouth, MA in our most expensive stay on the trip: $200/ night including breakfast. At least it’s worth it. We have a a separate sitting room, and our own screened in porch—everything decorated in a charming and tasteful way. Everything is booked in New England this time of the year because Columbus Day is a MAJOR holiday. One more note about NH, I don’t think it has any freeways, and everyone seems to drive 5 miles UNDER the speedlimit. I miss good old CA speed demons!

…..Shirley

Fall Foliage, Part 2

Fall Foliage, Part 2

Leaving White River Junction, we visited Billings Farm. I thought—farm, big deal! But it was. The grounds were extensive, again with rolling green fields of beautifully mowed grass and trees in the fall colors. First of all we watched an academy award nominated movie about the history of the farm, which has been owned by 3 families beginning in the nineteenth century: Marsh, Billings, and Lawrence Roosevelt—each was a visionary and conservationist. Billings (as in the capital of Montana) was the most fascinating. He lived in San Francisco for part of his life, helping to establish the University of CA at Berkeley. (f he’d known what a pitiful football team we’d have, maybe he wouldn’t have been involved!)

The farm is quite large with cows, horses, sheep, and chickens. We were able to see them up close and personal. In the field, the cows had a particular eau d’cow, which prevented me from making a long visit. Inside a barn were all the milk cows and pregnant cows. It was around 11:30 and they weren’t going to be milked until four, but, they looked very ready. If a Baby’s R Us had been nearby, I would have treated them to a breast pump! Their calves are taken from them when they’re hours old! I think that’s cruel, but we were able to visit the calves, too, and they didn’t look unhappy.

We toured an old farmhouse that was built for the farm manager by Marsh. I thought it was more charming and livable than Roosevelt’s home. This next bit is for my friend, Elaine. In Roosevelt’s home were a large number of stuffed birds. Birds fascinated him, and his father let him kill one female and one male of each breed but not during breeding or nesting season. The farmhouse was very modern for its day with hot and cold running water and indoor plumbing.

Near the farm was Woodstock, Vermont (not THE Woodstock, NY). It is considered the quintessential New England town, and it was most charming—somewhat like but smaller than Carmel with little shops. art galleries, restaurants and tons of tourists.

On the way to our Inn, we stopped at Queeche Gorge, which was very nice (I damn with faint praise) until we saw much more incredible sights yesterday and today. The ride was unbelievably spectacular. For miles and miles the small roads and big highways are lined with trees dressed in their fall foliage. I particularly liked the narrow roads where the arms of the trees would make a canopy over the highway, their branches barely meeting like Michelangelo’s painting of God creating Adam with just their fingertips barely touching. On this trip, the journey not just the individual stops, is remarkable.

Our inn was a full service inn with swimming pool (I think not), horse back riding, gliders, lounges, and games. I played darts with Dan. At first my darts were hitting everything but the dartboard. In the end, I was a centimeter from two bulls eyes.

Today was unbelievable. The day started cool (not cold) and clear (not sunny). We were in Franconia Notch. I used to think that Norway, and Glacier Park were the most spectacular places I had ever been. The scenery today topped both of those. We went on a short hike along a wide stream cascading over boulders again surrounded by a zillion trees. The fallen leaves were so thick it was like walking on a padded carpet in the forest. I picked up a tree booklet at the inn and started gathering fallen leaves so that I could ID them. The trees include sugar, red, and striped maple; yellow birch and white birch; white ash and American mountain; ash; northern red oak. One of the listings was sumac, which I think is like poison oak/ivy, so I was careful not to pick up any fallen sumac. We continued with a second hike to Franconia gorge, which again was rushing water through beautiful forests.

Finishing out the day, we went on a cog railway up to Mt. Washington, which is known for the worst weather in the U.S. It’s also the highest point on the East Coast at 6880 ft. I renamed the ride the “Polar Express.” It is the oldest cog railway in the U.S.—Dan thinks in the world---very, very rickety. When we started, it was raining lightly. Two thirds of the 40 -minute ride up, we saw patches of snow on the ground, and then a complete white out for a third of the way. It was other- worldly. At the top, the ground was covered with iced snow. I slipped and slid into the visitor’s building at the top. When I found that the bathroom was locked, I slipped and slid back to the train. There was a porta potty outside, but I would have peed in my pants before using it! For those of you who know me well, you know how I tolerate cold---NOT. I had on a long-sleeved shirt, a quilted vest, a jacket to match my pants, a cordoroy jacket, and a lined rain coat—my outfit was finished off with a hat, gloves, and wool scarf. Dan had on a long sleeved shirt and a windbreaker. We were the last train of the day because they cancelled the remaining one due to the weather. I clung to Dan on the way down as the brakeman got off to put anti-freeze on the switches, and the announcement on the two-way radio said, ”be careful coming down.” It was an experience!

Fall Foliage, Part 1

All the people who told us we were too early for fall foliage were crazy –OK misinformed. Locals have told us that the foliage is particularly spectacular and early this year due to all the rain in the area this summer. We had a glorious ride yesterday from MA to VT. We woke up to rain and wind, but it was almost ethereal---the leaves were gently drifting down from the trees—at first I thought it was snow. It rained off and on most of day, but the rain made the glistening trees even more beautiful.

Our first brief stop was a reform synagogue of about 400 members. We were surprised to find a congregation that size in a small New England town.

Next we visited the Norman Rockwell Museum. Originally I hadn’t wanted to go there thinking Rockwell was too sentimental and trite. Was I wrong! I love his art! Just looking at the Saturday Evening Post magazine covers (the museum displayed one of each) it is impossible to appreciate what a fine artist he was. He painted with incredible detail, humor, warmth, and pathos. One painting shows a young boy (Rockwell’s son) eating in a diner on a train. It is possible to read the comic book visible in his pocket, a ticket stub on the table, and a menu. The only other figure is an older black waiter, who smiles kindly at the young boy. He is definitely not the typical stereotype of a black man. Rockwell searched for the perfect model, which he almost always did, so the figure is a definite individual painted with great care.

The most moving painting for me dealt with Civil Rights and the integration of schools. It depicts a young black girl accompanied by U.S. Marshals (they are visible only from the waist up). In the background is a wall with racial epithets. The portraits of Eisenhower, Lincoln, and Kennedy are superb.

The rest of the day we “oohed and aahed” as we drove through quaint New England towns, scenic back roads, and even scenic highways going from MA to VT. Against the expanse of green lawns (who mows them?) and purple mountains (majesty?) is a patchwork quilt of multi-hued trees in yellows, tawny orange, scarlet reds, and vibrant rusts. On the two lane roads, the branches formed a delicate, graceful canopy over our heads. Dan stopped suddenly so many times to take pictures it’s a miracle we didn’t have an accident. We spent the evening with Dan’s cousin, who lives in the area and the morning with an old friend we met on a cruise many, many years ago. I’m going to spend a whole blog on the people known and unknown we met on this trip.

Final Day in NY

Our Final Day

After I chose the title, I realize it sounds like the Apocolypse! Dan says he’ll be happy if he never sets foot in another museum, but I’m disappointed to have missed a number on my list like the Whitney and the American Folk Museum. We’ll just have to plan another trip.

We did finish up with two outstanding museums. First, we visited the Guggenheim, which is celebrating its 50^th anniversary with a Kadinsky exhibit. I never really cared for Kadinsky until I saw this exhibit. He was a prolific painter with a wide variety of styles.

I liked his early realistic paintings and his final paintings which were influenced by Miro….very whimsical with a lot of color. Off in a separate section were a number of Impressionists—two incredible Cezanne landscapes. I suggested Dan distract the guard while I put them in my purse, but unfortunately they were too big.

We had seen a lot of Degas at previous museums, but the Guggenheim had one in particular that I loved. The ballerinas’ skirts sparkled. Have you figured out that I’m an art junky?

Our final museum (only because I couldn’t Dan into any more) was the Jewish Museum, which I think houses the best collection of Judaica outside of Israel. The highlight for me was the menorah collection. I own about 13 or more menorahs and have seen countless others, but these were historical and beautiful, each one reflecting the country of origin. An amazing one from Germany was done in silver with many tiers and a clock! A whimsical one consisted of eight souvenir Statues of Liberty with birthday candle holders instead of torches. Four faced one way; four faced another. One interpretation is that America welcomed some immigrants but not others. Who knows?

In the evening we took the subway to Chinatown and Little Italy. After walking by a zillion restaurants, each with a man outside trying to get us to enter, we decided on one after talking to some New Yorkers who were eating there. It was a beautiful evening so we were able to sit outside and had a delicious dinner. I made a good donation to the tzatzke shops: 2 wool scarfs, a hat, and a genuine fake watch.

Additional thoughts on NY: Everyone owns a dog. It is better to own a small dog in NY than a big dog because they have to be walked, and people have to clean up after them. I rather clean up after a small dog…..Also many of the trees have cute little skirts to “protect” them from the dogs.

I know I mentioned how clean the subways are. While they are generally clean, some are cleaner than others. All-in-all, we saw very little litter and graffiti…I think I already mentioned this.

Tuesday

We took off in a very comfortable hybrid rental car and drove along the Hudson to West Point, where we went on an excellent tour. What is most remarkable about WP is its setting—absolutely glorious view of the Hudson River, large green expanse of lawns, beautiful colored trees. Then we headed to Hyde Park, where we toured Roosevelt’s home and library. Dan used his GPS to go from Hyde Park to Greater Barrington, MA. We think the GPS took us the long way on a scenic backroad of charming farms, churches, lakes and, green fields; but it was so beautiful we didn’t care. A number of people had told us we were too early for fall foliage. Fortunately they were wrong. The colors (oranges, reds, yellows, browns, greens are magnificent. Our room at the B & B is large and very comfortable. The owner was wearing a c’hai, hamsa, and Star of David. She said there is a synagogue in Greater Barrington with a membership of 400. Who would have thought it! Dan and I are exhausted so I don’t feel very witty. Goodnight

Playing Tourist

We spent Sunday being typical tourists starting out with brunch at Carnegie Deli--the entertainment value is worth the high cost of the sandwiches. The waitstaff goes to the University of Rudeness and Chutzpah, which is part of the fun. Our waitress was about 80 with palsy, and shuffled along as she served us food. Actually, she was rather pleasant. When I asked another waitress where the restroom was, she replied, "It's right in your face." The portions are ginormous. Dan ate about 1 lb of salami--no kidding. I had blintzes. I asked for a side order but no such luck so I got 3 humongous blintzes. If you've never been there...patrons are seated at tables with other people. The couple next to us were a brother and sister from England. Somehow when I spotted her black spangled beret, I knew she was in show business, which she confirmed--a theatrical agent. It turned out her sister is the female star of Billy Elliot!

It was a magnificent autumn day in the mid 70's so we enjoyed a three hour Circle Line boat tour all around Manhattan. The commentator was excellent combining sightseeing patter with philosophy, and I learned a lot about New York City. He also had a political agenda--if we passed something that he felt needed fixing, he told us which city officials to contact.

We finished the day (not counting dinner) at the top of the Empire State Building. (We had purchased a NY City Pass, which gave us entrance to the Met, MOMA, Guggenheim, Circle Line Tour, Empire State Building, Natural History Museum....well worth it!). Our pass was supposed to zip us past the ticket lines....which it did. However, after that we were in lines a la Disneyland to get our picture taken (mandatory), take the elevator to the 80th floor, take the elevator to the 86th floor, etc. When we got to the 80th, we were advised we could walk up 6 flights or wait 20 minutes for the elevator. Guess what we did.........................we walked with all the teens and twenty-somethings and foreigners. I think Dan and I were the only Americans over forty to make the trek. It was packed at the top, but I patiently waited (elbowed my way) to the edge and pushed people aside) to get the best view. We had free audio guides that were very informative. I thought the best part was the art deco style of the building. Oh, the elevator ride was very smooth. I was prepared to leave remnants of blintzes but didn't even notice we were moving.

Dinner was at a charming neighborhood Italian restaurant near our hotel..cost: $44 compared to the $165 rip off we had with Dan's cousins.

All this took place yesterday. Today was fantastic, but we're getting up early to leave for the fall foliage, which I hear is two weeks away. I'll tell you about today in the next post. Is anyone reading this?

Impressions of NY

The last time Dan and I were here together--1982--we arrived by train during rush hour. Two scary men grabbed our luggage and took off. Running after them, we ended up at a taxi zone where we had to ransom our luggage. When we arrived at our hotel, a man on a bike zipped by and grabbed our cabbie's money. The hotel was a postage stamp room where we heard gunshots all night long. The next day, Dan was sure I was going to be killed because I never watch where I'm going. "Look up!" he said. I looked up and stepped into a big pile of dog shit (you should excuse the expression) I hated NY!

Now, I love it. The people are amazingly friendly--not at all like the famous stereotypes. They give up their seats on the bus/subway (or maybe I just look old). They are gracious about giving directions. The restaurant and hotel staff are patient and helpful.

Amazingly the city is clean!!!! Very little litter and almost no graffiti, and the subways and buses are immaculate. I'm fascinated by the rats running on the subway rails but actually they're something to watch while we wait for the trains. There is spontaneous (but planned) entertainment on the subway--men playing instruments or singing, kids breakdancing in the narrow aisles, and a gospel choir on the platform.

I expected the food to be expensive but in some cases it's cheaper than what we're used to experiencing(with one exception). Some people visit NY to eat. We're eating to visit NY...We much rather sightsee than spend time or money on gourmet dining. Wherever and whenever we are, we find something to eat.

The one exception was a dinner with Dan's cousins who came all the way from Baltimore to have dinner with us. She and Dan had not seen each other in over 55+ years. Despite the fact that her 12 carat diamond blinded me and that she looked younger than I do, (maybe a face lift??) I liked her immediately. They chose a restaurant that Regis frequents assuring us it wasn't expensive. HA! I had Pelligrino, pasta, sorbet, and coffee. Our portion of the bill was $165. I thought our entire NY, eating experience was going to be as costly..

Nannies: We are on the Upper East Side, a residential area. A new experience for me is seeing all the nannies and their wards. Actually I'm surprised at all the kids on the buses. I think Noah and Leo have only been on school buses and a tour bus when we went to Utah.

Dan tells me I have to get ready--off to do a Circle Line Tour included in a pass we bought.

For those who like, more later.

Beyond Art

Rather than write chronologically, I'm writing in topics. I knew there were two things I wanted to see in NY: Billy Elliot and Tosca. Billy Elliott is the hottest musical in town--supposedly sold out. I stood in the ticket return line for about 2 hours last night. At 7:55 (show started at 8), we got 2 premium tickets, which normally sell for $296!, for $126. We were third row center! The 10 people before us just got any returned ticket anywhere as did the 3 people behind us. As the box office man said, "we lucked out!!" I LOVED Billy Elliott. I could see it again. It was raining when we left. We grabbed some "to go" pizza slices on our way to the subway.

Today after meeting friends for lunch opposite Lincoln Center (more on that later), I walked up the steps and bought a $160 ticket for $120. The singing in Tosca was amazing. The set was bizarre. The first act was OK with very high grey walls simulating the inside of a cathedral. If you don't know the story, it begins with an artist painting a large picture of Mary Magdalene. In this Tosca, MaryM had a large boob hanging out. The second act takes place in an early 19th pallazio that actually exists in Rome. This looked like gestapo headquarters about 1930. I heard the opening night (which was last week) audience, booed and some walked out.

Anyway--the music was glorious, and now I've been to the Met--cross another item off my bucket list. Tomorrow--impressions of NY.

New York, 2

"A thing of beauty is a joy forever. It's loveliness increases with the years."

I am getting my museum fix in New York. We spent 5+ hours in the Met, and we could have spent more, but our legs gave out. For all of you who have been there, you know what I'm talking about. If you've never been, it is one of the great art museums of the world. Because I love ancient history, in the past I've concentrated on all the ancient cultures; but now that I"m taking an American history art course, a whole new world has opened for me. The Tiffany stained glass is amazing. My favorite is one of a water fountain surrounded by plants. Its iridescence is otherworldly. Of course, we spent hours in the Impressionists. Yesterday we went to the Frick, which is a small gem of a museum in magnificent house originally owned by Mr. Frick. The house itself is worth a visit. I was in awe going from room to room seeing one famous masterpiece after another: Rembrandt, El Greco, Hans Holbein, Vermeer, Whistler.

Later we went to MOMA--modern art: lots and lots of Picassos, Miro, Cezanne, and a bunch of junk: a flourescnt light bulb at an angle, a pile of bricks, a completely black canvas. Yuck

OK--enough art--If you're not an art junky, I'm sure you're bored.

Last night we got into Billy Elliot, the hottest musical on Broadway--also sold-out. We waited in a cancellation line for almost 2 hours, but it was worth it. It was fun people watching and talking to the other crazies in line. We lucked out big time. At 7:55, they released the premium seats, which sell for almost $300. We got third row center for the price of regular tickets $126. It was fabulous!!!!

I have all kinds of observations on NY, but we're off to Lincoln Center....

New York, Dan 1

New York, Fall, 2009

Sept 30

“New York! New York! It’s a wonderful town! The Bronx is up. and the Battery’s down.” We’re so far uptown I think we’re in Maine!

Actually the Courtyard by Marriett is perfect—not a huge room but very comfortable, clean, quiet with all the amenities—it’s just a schlep into the heart of the action. As many of you know, the price is right—we got it for free so I can’t complain.

Yesterday, we took the subway (standing room only, and I think I had an intimate encounter with a stranger!) to Grand Central Station, which is a hub of activity, stores, restaurants, and people.

We ate breakfast at a small place across the street while waiting for the train. For under $6, I had lox, eggs, toast, and tea! Our adventure took us to Tarrytown, maybe 35-40 minutes away along the Hudson. Our very good friends, the Goulds from San Jose, were visiting their kids and grandkids. After meeting us at the station, we walked around the charming downtown and had lunch and then headed to Kykuit, which housed 4 generations of Rockerfellers. We picked up our tickets in Sleepy Hollow (of the Headless Horseman fame). The ticket/gift shop was on a small, beautiful lake across the bridge from an early seventeenth century house. A van took about 20 of us up to the top of the hill (Kykuit means something like “top of the hill” on a scenic, wooded drive.

The house is classic revival style, furnished with a lot of Chinese art. The extensive grounds contain many interesting modern statues. Our tour guide was excellent giving us just the right amount of information. The first Rockerfeller to occupy the house was a self-made man and an ardent Baptist. His idea of fun included organ concerts (he had an organ in his house) and enjoying the outdoors. His son was a disappointment to him because he was an intellectual art lover not interested in the business. He and succeeding generation amassed an incredible art collection. The lower floor is literally an art gallery with many Picassos. Included were about 5-6 Picasso tapestries, which I never knew existed. The grounds and views are stunning—all of it manmade overlooking the Hudson River. Dan would have liked to have played the golf course on the property!

We drove around the area, which is charming and went on a majestic walk beneath tall trees along a lake. We even met 3 Bambies, who were not at all spooked by humans.

Today we spent our entire time in the Met with 2 good friends, one from North Carolina and one from George—but I’ll have to write about that tomorrow as we’re meeting Dan’s cousins for dinner.

One more comment

I forgot to talk about the pigeons! Turks love them! I think they're rats with wings. Many of the tufa have man-made pigeon holes in them. The Turks raise pigeons for their droppings, which are used as fertilizer. I couldn't omit this fascinating fact.

Cappadocia, Part 3 and sign off

Goreme, Cappadocia, part 3

We went to the Goreme Outdoor Museum today, the fifth most visited place in Turkey. It consists of a series of monasteries, dating from the 11^th and 12^th century, each one very close to the next. These were constructed in the large tufa, the strange volcanic triangle formations that are famous in Cappadocia. By the way, Cappadocia is an area; Goreme is a small town in Cappadocia, and we are staying at the Kelebek Hotel, which I love. It has a great website—check it out. The monasteries are not like any churches we’ve ever seen. They are carved out of stone and have very primitive frescos on the walls. The sad part is that many of the faces have been scratched out. Turkey is the holiest site for Christians outside of the Vatican and Israel. In the fourth century Constantine made Christianity the official language of the Roman Empire. Byzantine was the capital; after Constantine’s death, the name was changed to Constantinople. When the Turks came, it became Istanbul. It was Constantine’s mother who went to what is today Israel to identify the holy sites: here is where Jesus had the last supper, here is where he was born, etc. The Christian church here is, of course, the Eastern Orthodox. Our guide yesterday repeatedly pointed out how tolerant Turkey has always been, given refuge to persecuted people.

They did accept the Jews when Spain kicked them out after the Inquisition and seem tolerant of them today.

Turkish Bath: The Kelebek Hotel has the BEST spa. I indulged in a Turkish massage today. It costs $70 for 70 mins, but really lasted 1 hr and 45 mins. If you go to the Kelebek website, you can see the room. In the middle is a large, heated marble slab—maybe 10-12 ft in diameter with a butterfly design in the middle (Kelebek means butterfly) and a skylight overhead. I was given a small Turkish towel for cover. This is a coed room, and I was grateful that I was the only one there because the towel slips a lot! The therapist was a teeny, tiny Japanese young woman. Next to her, I looked like Jaba the Hut. First she poured large bowls of hot water all over me. Then she used a loofa to scrub me, covered me with soapy water using a pillow full of the bubble bath., and gave me a massage. I thought it was all over, but wait—there’s more! She took me to a cool down room and then to a private massage room, where I got another great massage. Finally I got a facial mask. Sublime

Observation: You have to be very healthy and fit to travel in Turkey. This is not a place for sissies or anyone with a handicap. There is no ADA here. There are no warnings about how steep or how slippery a trail may be , how low a ceiling is, or how narrow a passageway. There are no waivers to sign. Everything seems to involve climbing a lot of stairs. I’m glad Dan and I did this while we’re still reasonably fit!

Turkish language: Evidently the Turkish language is related to Japanese, Korean, and Finnish!!! Two guides shared this info with us. I don’t know if it can be validated on Snopes.

As soon as I edit my pictures, put them to music and add captions, I will invite anyone who has received this blog to come see the DVD.

Signing off…(unless something really interesting happens in the next 24 hrs)

Shirley

Capadoccia, Part 2

It’s a good thing our trip is coming to an end because I’m running out of superlatives and didn’t bring my Thesaurus.

We went on another tour yesterday. Tours seem to be the best way to see the area. A van holding up to 15 picks us up at our hotel, drives us from spot to spot, waits for us. The price of 30 euros per person includes all entrance fees, a guided tour, and lunch. On our van yesterday there were 7 of us: 2 French Canadians, 2 young girls from CA, and 1 Japanese young woman. We started off at a winery—there are many vineyards in the area and wine making is a big deal. According to our guide, wine making began in this region 6,000 years ago. We tasted a glass of red and a glass of white—both very dry, which is what I prefer. No one bought wine, and there was no pressure to do so.

On our next stop we visited the deepest of the underground dwellings—it goes down 8 layers, but tourists are only allowed to go down 4. These dwelling were probably first built by the Hittites, but then the earliest Christians used them to hide from invaders. The ventilation system was such that they were able to dissipate the smoke from fires so it wouldn’t be seen. It’s not an easy task to visit the caves because you’re either bending in half to navigate the low tunnels or you’re climbing up or down steep areas.

Lunch was in a new, very large, stone building with arches and separate eating areas around a common central area where a musician was playing. We had lentil soup, followed by white beans in a liquid—very soup like, too, then a dish baked in a clay pot with chicken, meat, and vegetables. The very surprising thing about the Turkish cooking we’ve had is that it is all very bland.

After lunch, we visited a pottery making site, owned and run by the same family for generations. We watched a young man “throw” a pot and lid on a rather primitive wheel. It was fascinating to watch the artists design and paint the pots. Some pots were in ochre, tan, orange, red, and black with Hittite designs. Others had Byzantine, Moorish, or Ottoman designs. Again there was no pressure to buy. The garden outside the building was beautiful with a zillion zinnias. (Please appreciate the alliteration!)

We next visited 3 sites with fascinating tufa formations. One site had tufas that looked like various animals: camels, lizard, fish. The best site had a monastery with a fresco inside built in one of the tufas. In order to reach it, it was necessary to climb a steep ladder—easy going up, but not so easy going down. Chicken Dan didn’t climb up but stayed down to take a very unflattering picture of my butt as I came down.

The end of the day was the best—another absolutely fantastic hike!

When we go on Elderhostel trips, they have pictographs to indicate the level of difficulty of the activities. On the ship, the brochures would have 1-3 little pictures of a man walking to indicate how strenuous a tour was going to be. In Turkey, you take your chances!! The host at our hotel said it would be a 30 minute walk—well 2 hours later, we reached our van, but it was so worth it!! We were in the Rose Valley, which had been impassable for 5 previous days because of rain. We were able to navigate the path(?) but it was still slippery. I put a question mark after path, because for a lot of the trail there wasn’t one. At the beginning of the trail, we scrambled down, a steep, narrow, rocky gravely path. We straddled rivulets of running water, maneuvered over rocks. At the bottom was a picturesque valley with orchards of grape vines, apricot, walnut, and cherry trees. Our guide climbed up the trees to pick fresh fruit for us.

About 2/3 of the way in, was a “pit stop”. A large rectangular area with one side against a large rock wall and 3 sides open. Poles held up a covering for shelter. Around the rectangle were seats on the ground with cushions and pillows. A man served tea and soft drinks. The 8 of us—an interesting group of 3 Christians, 1 Muslim, 1 Hindu, 1 Buddist, and 2 Jews-- sat around talking—particularly about the Kurds and Armenians. Again, Dan and I were the oldest in the group by about 30 years.

This AM, we got up at 4:45 and went up in a hot air balloon. I’ve been hot air ballooning twice before and love it! We glided over agricultural valleys,

through the tufa, and saw breathtaking panoramas of the area. The weather hadbeen poor for about a week, but today was absolutely perfect!!!

Dan and I are currently outside, on a raised platform with cushions and pillows overlooking the outside eating area. Dan is currently snoring…

Stay tuned for my last blog.

Goreme, Cappadocia--Fabulous!!!

Goreme, Cappadocia rain! Cool!

This trip gets better and better. We are in an unbelievable hotel in an unbelievable fairyland. The hotel has many levels with terraces

each with a phenomenal view of “fairy castles,” which are volcanic tufa. I’m sitting on a raised pillow area, drinking Turkish tea looking out on the lighted tufa.

Our room is quite large with a separate sitting area and a small balcony—again with a view. It entitles us access to a Turkish bath (hamman) and spa. I was even able to talk Dan into trying it. We wrapped ourselves in Turkish towels (it’s coed), went in the sauna and then sat on marble with a large basin with hot and cold running water between us. We had silver colored bowel that we used to dip the water and pour over us—it was amazingly refreshing. A couple we’ve met were on a very large, heated marble stand getting Turkish massages. I may have to indulge before I leave.

We went on a remarkable tour today in a van with 13 other people: 3 from Australia, 4 from Spain, 4 from London, 4 from US. This area is known for multi-level underground dwellings; we visited a small one probably started by the Phillistines. The early Christians, who were persecuted, hid in them for months. To get to one part, we had to go down a hole backwards. Tomorrow we’re going to see a larger one.

It had been raining, but the weather cleared, and we went on the best hike ever. It was over 4 miles along a rushing river in a canyon. We had to scramble over rocks, hike up a few steep hills, and walk where there was no trail. The wildflowers—white, yellow, and blue daisies, red poppies, white and lavender unknowns—were in bloom everywhere. High up in the canyons were monasteries carved into stone. Dan and I were the oldest people by far—our guide was 24—most of the other couples were in their 30’s and 40’s, and there was a 12 year old girl. I have to brag that we kept up with everyone. I did get help from an adorable young man from Barcelona. I was able to practice my Spanish with him while we walked. At the end of the hike, we had lunch in an outdoor restaurant: lentil soup, salad, and a choice of entrees. Dan and I had small pieces of chicken cooked with peppers, onions, and tomatoes served with rice. Delicious.

We drove a short distance to a huge caravan stop along the Silk Road. again built in the rock. We walked up a steep, rock-filled trail (I thought we were done with hiking!)through narrow passage ways. At one point there was space only to put one foot in front of the other. The people of the caravans could stay for free for 3 nights. Somehow they even housed their camels and donkeys.

Tomorrow, we’re going on another guided tour. If it’s anything like today, it will be wonderful. The day after we’re going up in a hot air balloon.

When we disembarked the ship in Istanbul, I thought perhaps we had made a mistake adding on 8 days in Turkey. No way!!! This has been a fantastic experience!

Pamukkale--A find

Pamukkale 80’s

Wow! It was worth the schlep to get to Pamukkale….definitely a highlight of our trip. I can understand why it’s a World Heritage Sight. Surprisingly,

we only heard American English spoken once-- when we met a couple at our hotel from New York—he’s an Italian citizen; she’s from Columbia, raised in a very Jewish section of NY—she used to fast on Yom Kippur—and she’s Catholic! I don’t think they get many Americans here. I’m going to become the unofficial ambassador because it’s not to be missed on any tour of Turkey.

The experience here was fascinating on three levels:

First it is another collection of ruins but with a difference: Dan and I thought we had OD’d on ruins, but we both loved these. They are spread out over a large area and were practically empty. We were the only people strolling the ancient main street. There are many sarcophagi and necropoli throughout. My favorite ruin was the bath/basilica. Originally it had been a bath; when Christianity arrived, they built a basilica over it. Dan got excited when he read there was a nymphaeumu, but it turned out to be a temple in honor of the Greek nymphs. What also made these ruins different was that the entire area is beautifully landscaped with raised flower beds of multi-colored flowers and oleander and olive trees kept immaculate by the many gardeners we saw.

Second. We got to swim in the “sacred” pools, which consist of ancient pools of fresh, circulating mineral water at body temperature that is supposed to cure “diseases of eye, derma, hearth and blood circulatory system, respiratory and urinary system weariness and post opereation diseases.” (errors are from brochure) Supposedly as Cleopatra was aging, she sent out envoys to find a cure for her wrinkles. They found the pools at Pamukkale, and voila—Cleopatra had an ancient facelift. As we were entering the pool, we suddenly realized that we were walking over the remains of ancient columns. At first I thought it was a Disneyland gimmick—someone had placed the columns and other remains on purpose for the effect—but I found out that the ruins remained where they had fallen after 2 devastating earthquakes in the earliest years of the common era.

Many of the people at the pools that day were Ukranian and/or Russian. We found out in St. Petersburg that the Russian women pose like movie stars for photographs so I followed their example. Dan took many pictures of girls in string bikinis, but when I downloaded them on my computer, I went “delete, delete.” I posed next to a 300 lb woman because she made me look skinny.

The third—and the best—is difficult to describe. In a mountainside of white travertine marble, are about 20 small to medium pools of turquoise mineral water cascading from the top to the bottom of the mountain. The deepest pools only came up to the middle of my calf, most are ankle deep. Along the pools runs a culvert of rushing water. I was like a kid—going in every pool on my way down and sitting in the culverts—the only adult to do so. I felt very smug because I wore a pair of waterproof shoes with great soles. Otherwise, the walk was hard on the feet. I found out later, that wearing shoes in the pools is forbidden, but I was lucky not to get caught by the “shoe Nazis”.

It was an amazing experience!

Pamekkale is in a beautiful valley surrounded by mountains. Despite the brothel decoration in our room (see previous e-mail), the hotel was charming with a stone patio with tables covered with colorful multi-colored Turkish tablecloths. We had a great homemade dinner, cooked by the owner’s auntie, served on the patio.

I think I could get a job in Turkey rewriting the tourist info in correct English. To give you one example of many, here are the first sentences just as they are written in a brochure on the area

“Hierapolis antique city is one of the most attractive centers reached today from antique ages. The city have ruins belonged to Late and Early Helenistic periods. Hierapolis toot place in UNESCO World Heritage Site.”

For those of you who knew my Aunt Pearl, she’d have a field day with this!

Comment on air travel in Turkey: Even the tiny airports we have been in are clean, modern, and very efficient. I didn’t have to take off my shoes, and they let me carry my water bottles thru security. On the 3 flights we’ve taken (each one no longer than around an hour), they served a meal. Granted it was the same for breakfast, lunch and dinner: seeded roll with mozzarella cheese and tomato and chocolate pudding.” The seats are wide and comfy with good legroom. On the flight to Keyseri, there was a tour of people all dressed very traditionally. Dan’s seat was next to one of the women. She changed with one of the men in her party. It was either something he said, his need to bathe, or a cultural concern.We are in Cappadoccia, which is unreal, but Ill save that for my next blog.

Pamukkale 80’s

Wow! It was worth the schlep to get to Pamukkale….definitely a highlight of our trip. I can understand why it’s a World Heritage Sight. Surprisingly,

we only heard American English spoken once-- when we met a couple at our hotel from New York—he’s an Italian citizen; she’s from Columbia, raised in a very Jewish section of NY—she used to fast on Yom Kippur—and she’s Catholic! I don’t think they get many Americans here. I’m going to become the unofficial ambassador because it’s not to be missed on any tour of Turkey.

The experience here was fascinating on three levels:

First it is another collection of ruins but with a difference: Dan and I thought we had OD’d on ruins, but we both loved these. They are spread out over a large area and were practically empty. We were the only people strolling the ancient main street. There are many sarcophagi and necropoli throughout. My favorite ruin was the bath/basilica. Originally it had been a bath; when Christianity arrived, they built a basilica over it. Dan got excited when he read there was a nymphaeumu, but it turned out to be a temple in honor of the Greek nymphs. What also made these ruins different was that the entire area is beautifully landscaped with raised flower beds of multi-colored flowers and oleander and olive trees kept immaculate by the many gardeners we saw.

Second. We got to swim in the “sacred” pools, which consist of ancient pools of fresh, circulating mineral water at body temperature that is supposed to cure “diseases of eye, derma, hearth and blood circulatory system, respiratory and urinary system weariness and post opereation diseases.” (errors are from brochure) Supposedly as Cleopatra was aging, she sent out envoys to find a cure for her wrinkles. They found the pools at Pamukkale, and voila—Cleopatra had an ancient facelift. As we were entering the pool, we suddenly realized that we were walking over the remains of ancient columns. At first I thought it was a Disneyland gimmick—someone had placed the columns and other remains on purpose for the effect—but I found out that the ruins remained where they had fallen after 2 devastating earthquakes in the earliest years of the common era.

Many of the people at the pools that day were Ukranian and/or Russian. We found out in St. Petersburg that the Russian women pose like movie stars for photographs so I followed their example. Dan took many pictures of girls in string bikinis, but when I downloaded them on my computer, I went “delete, delete.” I posed next to a 300 lb woman because she made me look skinny.

The third—and the best—is difficult to describe. In a mountainside of white travertine marble, are about 20 small to medium pools of turquoise mineral water cascading from the top to the bottom of the mountain. The deepest pools only came up to the middle of my calf, most are ankle deep. Along the pools runs a culvert of rushing water. I was like a kid—going in every pool on my way down and sitting in the culverts—the only adult to do so. I felt very smug because I wore a pair of waterproof shoes with great soles. Otherwise, the walk was hard on the feet. I found out later, that wearing shoes in the pools is forbidden, but I was lucky not to get caught by the “shoe Nazis”.

It was an amazing experience!

Pamekkale is in a beautiful valley surrounded by mountains. Despite the brothel decoration in our room (see previous e-mail), the hotel was charming with a stone patio with tables covered with colorful multi-colored Turkish tablecloths. We had a great homemade dinner, cooked by the owner’s auntie, served on the patio.

I think I could get a job in Turkey rewriting the tourist info in correct English. To give you one example of many, here are the first sentences just as they are written in a brochure on the area

“Hierapolis antique city is one of the most attractive centers reached today from antique ages. The city have ruins belonged to Late and Early Helenistic periods. Hierapolis toot place in UNESCO World Heritage Site.”

For those of you who knew my Aunt Pearl, she’d have a field day with this!

Comment on air travel in Turkey: Even the tiny airports we have been in are clean, modern, and very efficient. I didn’t have to take off my shoes, and they let me carry my water bottles thru security. On the 3 flights we’ve taken (each one no longer than around an hour), they served a meal. Granted it was the same for breakfast, lunch and dinner: seeded roll with mozzarella cheese and tomato and chocolate pudding.” The seats are wide and comfy with good legroom. On the flight to Keyseri, there was a tour of people all dressed very traditionally. Dan’s seat was next to one of the women. She changed with one of the men in her party. It was either something he said, his need to bathe, or a cultural concern.We are in Cappadoccia, which is unreal, but Ill save that for my next blog.

Pamukkale 80’s

Wow! It was worth the schlep to get to Pamukkale….definitely a highlight of our trip. I can understand why it’s a World Heritage Sight. Surprisingly,

we only heard American English spoken once-- when we met a couple at our hotel from New York—he’s an Italian citizen; she’s from Columbia, raised in a very Jewish section of NY—she used to fast on Yom Kippur—and she’s Catholic! I don’t think they get many Americans here. I’m going to become the unofficial ambassador because it’s not to be missed on any tour of Turkey.

The experience here was fascinating on three levels:

First it is another collection of ruins but with a difference: Dan and I thought we had OD’d on ruins, but we both loved these. They are spread out over a large area and were practically empty. We were the only people strolling the ancient main street. There are many sarcophagi and necropoli throughout. My favorite ruin was the bath/basilica. Originally it had been a bath; when Christianity arrived, they built a basilica over it. Dan got excited when he read there was a nymphaeumu, but it turned out to be a temple in honor of the Greek nymphs. What also made these ruins different was that the entire area is beautifully landscaped with raised flower beds of multi-colored flowers and oleander and olive trees kept immaculate by the many gardeners we saw.

Second. We got to swim in the “sacred” pools, which consist of ancient pools of fresh, circulating mineral water at body temperature that is supposed to cure “diseases of eye, derma, hearth and blood circulatory system, respiratory and urinary system weariness and post opereation diseases.” (errors are from brochure) Supposedly as Cleopatra was aging, she sent out envoys to find a cure for her wrinkles. They found the pools at Pamukkale, and voila—Cleopatra had an ancient facelift. As we were entering the pool, we suddenly realized that we were walking over the remains of ancient columns. At first I thought it was a Disneyland gimmick—someone had placed the columns and other remains on purpose for the effect—but I found out that the ruins remained where they had fallen after 2 devastating earthquakes in the earliest years of the common era.

Many of the people at the pools that day were Ukranian and/or Russian. We found out in St. Petersburg that the Russian women pose like movie stars for photographs so I followed their example. Dan took many pictures of girls in string bikinis, but when I downloaded them on my computer, I went “delete, delete.” I posed next to a 300 lb woman because she made me look skinny.

The third—and the best—is difficult to describe. In a mountainside of white travertine marble, are about 20 small to medium pools of turquoise mineral water cascading from the top to the bottom of the mountain. The deepest pools only came up to the middle of my calf, most are ankle deep. Along the pools runs a culvert of rushing water. I was like a kid—going in every pool on my way down and sitting in the culverts—the only adult to do so. I felt very smug because I wore a pair of waterproof shoes with great soles. Otherwise, the walk was hard on the feet. I found out later, that wearing shoes in the pools is forbidden, but I was lucky not to get caught by the “shoe Nazis”.

It was an amazing experience!

Pamekkale is in a beautiful valley surrounded by mountains. Despite the brothel decoration in our room (see previous e-mail), the hotel was charming with a stone patio with tables covered with colorful multi-colored Turkish tablecloths. We had a great homemade dinner, cooked by the owner’s auntie, served on the patio.

I think I could get a job in Turkey rewriting the tourist info in correct English. To give you one example of many, here are the first sentences just as they are written in a brochure on the area

“Hierapolis antique city is one of the most attractive centers reached today from antique ages. The city have ruins belonged to Late and Early Helenistic periods. Hierapolis toot place in UNESCO World Heritage Site.”

For those of you who knew my Aunt Pearl, she’d have a field day with this!

Comment on air travel in Turkey: Even the tiny airports we have been in are clean, modern, and very efficient. I didn’t have to take off my shoes, and they let me carry my water bottles thru security. On the 3 flights we’ve taken (each one no longer than around an hour), they served a meal. Granted it was the same for breakfast, lunch and dinner: seeded roll with mozzarella cheese and tomato and chocolate pudding.” The seats are wide and comfy with good legroom. On the flight to Keyseri, there was a tour of people all dressed very traditionally. Dan’s seat was next to one of the women. She changed with one of the men in her party. It was either something he said, his need to bathe, or a cultural concern.We are in Cappadoccia, which is unreal, but Ill save that for my next blog.

Istanbul, Part 2

Istanbul, Part 2

OK…back to our entertaining dinner. One of the dishes on the menu is baked in a clay container with a narrow top and wide bottom. Our host put the container in a fire, took it out, tapped it all around cracking it, and voila—there was dinner! After dinner, Dan and I went to the very top of our hotel for a final nighttime view of Istanbul.

On our last day we visited the Blue Mosque, which is immaculate—beautiful clean Turkish carpet…(reread my blog on the visit to the mosque in Alexandria, which by comparison is a zoo with garbage! ) Tourists are not allowed in the prayer area, but we could see all of it. There were only about 4 worshippers as it wasn’t prayer time. I love to listen to the Muzzenine (have no idea exactly what the word is) the men who sing the call to prayer. It’s possible to hear one after the other from the different minarets at prayer time, which occurs 5 times a day. Many of them, however, are now outsourced—recorded!

We then took a tram and a funicular to the new section of Istanbul, which Rick Steves gives 3 stars. I give it ½ star. It’s just the modern part of town with Starbucks, Burger King, etc….neither quaint nor upscale enough to be interesting. Dan and I had an overpriced so-so lunch. We saw our friends from the ship who were staying at the Intercontinental. It’s a beautiful hotel, but when they asked the front desk for a converter, they said they could buy one. (In Barcelona our hotel gave us one to keep!) Breakast and lunch were over $70 for a buffet. . I’m so glad we stayed in the old part of town!

Note on the Turkish people: Dan and I have traveled a lot and are now ready to give Turkey the award for the friendliest, most helpful, and most hospitable people. (except at Intercontinental) Wherever we went, —whether at our hotel, a restaurant, the Grand Bazzar, or just asking directions on the street—the Turks could not do enough to help us. Two small examples: our host at the restaurant “treated” us to our tea, coffee, cappuccino. At my hotel, when I commented how much I liked the decorative, ceramic coasters in our room, the young man at the desk gave them to me. We were often stopped by people just so they could talk to us. I think of the Turks of yore—the ferocious Turks conquering everyone. Their descendants certainly don’t take after them.

On the ride to the airport, we drove along the seaside through a beautiful area with colorful flowers and trees. The airport was clean, modern, and efficient.

Cleanliness: Debbie asked me if Turkey is clean. The answer is an unequivocal “yes!” We have seen almost no trash or graffiti. Even the bathrooms in the tiniest places are immaculate. I saw many workers picking up trash and sweeping the streets. Shop owners in the Grand Bazzar were washing down the street in front of their stores with water. Contrast this to Egypt…

A funny comment….I asked the young man at our hotel if he had ever been to Egypt. He replied, “I’m afraid to visit an Arab country.”

Women: The Turks pride themselves that when Ataturk came into power (1920’s, I believe), Turkey became a secular state, and women had full rights, which they continue to have. What surprised me is that so many of them still dress traditionally. We were told that this is a personal choice.

I think it’s an odd choice. Although we have been lucky with the weather,

high 80’s. many of the women wear long, heavy coats over their dresses/skirts. I asked one woman why they didn’t wear something modest but cooler—such as a black, cotton covering. She said that cotton clings to the body and is too revealing.