Spontaneous trip to Athens
I am not spontaneous. I am a planner. For me, part of a vacation experience is the planning process - reading about sites to see, possible hotels, ways to get from here to there. So, what I did recently was so unlike me that I now feel it was a fantasy. I went to Athens, Greece during a Covid lockdown. With coronavirus numbers rising, the Turkish government began a full lockdown in April. My daughter, Maggie, and son-in-law, Ross, were coming the week of Ramadan when I knew I had 3 days off. After full lockdown was announced, we decided to postpone their visit. Jim had flown in April 20 to visit and be here for their trip in May. He and I managed to see Turkish tulips in bloom at Emirgan Park and take an excursion on the Bosporus the afternoon before full lockdown went into effect. Both great experiences! Then Jim busied himself around the apartment and grounds of the “sitesi,” while I continued teaching online. The Ministry of Education in Turkey is full of