Hospitality at it's Best

 Sept 19 2012

Well after our friend invited us to his Uncle's home for the night, 

made us Cay (tea), climbed up to the roof of the home to cut down some grapes for us, brought us hazelnuts, took the boys to the nearby field on the side of the mountain (speeding off in the back of the truck in the total darkness) to catch a small bird for hawk hunting the next morning, THEN

moved us outside for midnight picnic (complete with a pumpkin roasted after Isaac had just picked it from the field, apples, juice, and bread / we also pulled out the Jif Peanut Butter and introduced our American love to our friend).  We told stories, sat in the rain, and the night/ early morning air.

We turned in for some sleep around 2 a.m........................We had been sufficiently 

HOSPITALITY HIJACKED.

And loved every minute of it.  

I woke up to this view of a nearby house.  

Here is the third story of this home where our friend climbed to get grapes. 

 Then we loaded up in the back of the truck to have breakfast on a different mtn peak, 

then go Hawk Hunting. 

This Firtina, He ran behind the truck almost the whole way as we drove to and from breakfast.

 Some neighbors going to pick tea.

And the view from the top.  Another amazing view. 

Our friend preparing the food as took a walk.

 The Blind

 Drew and Craig sitting inside.

Here is a view of a new tea field being planted.  The little white dots at the top of this dirt field are people picking the tea. 

 Part of our breakfast (figs, apples, grapes, bread, Cay, juice.........)

 Now for the Hawk Hunting. 

1st- Birds are harmed in this hunting.  

2nd- This whole city is know for Hawk hunting.  (Falconry is a sport like hunting here in the states, except here they just keep the bird, feed it, and keep it as a pet for some time before releasing it again)

3rd- It seemed fun. 

Our friend watching for the right kind of hawk.  

He sits in the blind with a small bird (like the one he caught in the field the night before), he puts nets up on either side of the blind, when he sees a hawk, he signals the bird with a hawk like sound, hold up the stick with the small bird on it (making it flap up and down), the hawk sees the bird, and since that is the kind of small bird these hawks eat, it flys in towards the bird getting caught in the net.  

 The small bird has blinders on its eyes which prevents him from becoming panicked.  

 Coming down the mtn. 

Say see ya later to our friend.  

 A city statue.  Hawk.

 Driving away from this place, I just knew I had to come back again.

 And here the Son shines.  

Firtina White Water Rafting

Sept 18 2012

 This is downriver from where we rafted and still beautiful, 

even though the water was low this time of year. 

 But first, Cay.  

 Spending time with my Honey,  just after we Facetimed with our boys in MS.  I was sure missing them at this point in the trip. 

 And our new friend, the hawk.

 Here is our friend.  Isaac and his hawk.  The hat he is wearing is from MS and he loved it.  

 Here we go. CRAZY???? we will see.  

 Drew's ears stuck out but I thought it was cute.  

 The Boys

 The gals.

 Trying to decipher the instructions, and since they were in Turkish, we needed a translator.  

 Rode to our drop off spot in the back of the truck. 

 Last group pic before we get in the cold water.  

 They told us 95% of the rafters fall out at some point in the trip.  

 It was absolutely beautiful drifting down river in between the mountains, tea fields on both sides, low clouds and mist hanging around, and the sound of rushing water.  I fell in love with the area.  

 I am happy to report that NONE of us fell out.  

After our rafting we got to take a ride up the mountain.  

See some tea farms, local honey, and Kiwi trees.  

 up close look

 The Kiwi Trees among the tea plants.  

 Then Isaac took us up even higher to show us how he caught his hawks.  

 And to see the city from on high.

 Drew got to shoot his first pistol off the mountain.  

 Then our friend here unloaded the rest.