Back Home Again!

Aspen getting lifted out of the water in Marmaris, Turkey.  Notice the steel cradle that she will rest in - they have very large earthquakes in Turkey so we don't want to take any chances!

Modern girl meets ancient Hittite...

That is one big head of a statue!

Istanbul's Spice Market.  So many spices to buy!

 Our friends David and Deborah from Australia who happened to be in Istanbul so we had dinner with them!

Maria with Dawn at Grand Lake, New Brunswick, Canada.  The cool weather and gentle rain were really refreshing after being baked and parched in Turkey and Greece!

Laurie, Dawn and us at what else, a bar in New Brunswick, Canada eh?

Maria is really enjoying the New Brunswick lobster, corn and wine!

Riding bikes around the countryside in Fredericton.  Yes that was a bit soggy too!

The view over Grand Lake, New Brunswick, Canada from Laurie and Dawn's cottage.  Notice the Hobie Cat at the water's edge.  The sailing can be really good here!

Fiddleheads!!!  This is really a local delicacy in New Brunswick.  Even Captain Steve ate them!

Maria spending time with our grandsons, Nik and Sir Timothy in Illinois.  Aren't they cute...!

Maria's sister Judy, her brother Phil and her Mom having a fantastic lunch.  the Gnocchi and meatballs were unbelievable!!!

 Steve was so enthralled with the gnocchi that he had to take a closeup.  Notice the cheese wafted over the top too.  Mmmmmmm!

Steve's cousins from Illinois.  Notice the resemblance?  Maria is hanging on to the mayonnaise and mustard that we can't get in Euro Land!

A quick trip to the Arizona desert was also part of our journey home.  It looked so much like Turkey, except for the bars, Mexican food and fast food restaurants!

Back Home Again!

It was a whirlwind voyage from March to October for Aspen and her crew.  Turkey, Greece and Israel taught us how pleasurable sailing, living and exploring on Aspen should be once again.

We returned to Turkey where we hauled Aspen out of the water and she is getting another well-deserved rest once again in Marmaris.

Flying from Marmaris to Istanbul was so easy compared with sailing all that way!  Once in Istanbul we just had to see the Rod of Moses once again at the Palace before meeting our friends David and Deborah from Australia.  We had a very pleasant dinner where we reminisced about sailing together when both of our boats were in the Caribbean over 6 years ago.  A lot of water has passed under our keel since those days!

Now we have come back home to the high altitude of our Colorado Mountains and the clean, clear and very crisp air!

On our way back from Turkey we visited with our sailing friends Laurie and Dawn in New Brunswick, Canada who showed us how spectacular their part of that country really is.  It rains a lot there and that is probably why they have so much water to frolic in!  The biking, neighborhood get-togethers and relaxing in their lake cottage eating lobster, fiddleheads, soaking in the hot tub, watching the moon come up and listening to the loons (the birds of course) was so much fun!

We then stopped in Chicago to visit our families.  There was also a very special occasion where we had a family reunion with everyone saying goodbye to our beloved step-dad Larry.

Now it is time to bundle up for the quickly approaching Colorado winter while we settle into life back in the good old USA! 

It really is good to be home again!!! 

Sail on, sail on and sail safe Aspen...