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Friday, December 30, 2011
Road Trip: Rocky Beach
Our first day, we took the kids to swim in the hotel pool. It's an act of love, trust me. Turks believe making the pool warm will breed bacteria. Everytime we take them swimming, I have to remind myself someday I'll look back on this and laugh. It is so.very.cold. I get in, splash, laugh, hold my little boy who doesn't know how to swim. And just as soon as everyone has noted that Mom did indeed swim with them, I curl up in a towel on the side and begin the yearly thaw. We also walked across the street to the beach. Miss Middler picked me this flower and took my picture.
The beaches in Southern Turkey are mostly rocky with some coarse sand. I do love the rugged beauty of it. You can turn and see craggy mountains all around. It's gorgeous. The Mediterranean Sea is also cold. It's about 60 degrees out, so you can imagine the temperature of the sea water. But my girls dive right in. I tell myself there has to be some health benefit to this...perhaps so shocking their immune systems that it will ward off colds for months? I know we look odd.
I never ever dreamed Big Ben would have any interest in getting in the water. He doesn't like to be cold or wet or both at the same time. But as soon as we got down to the water, he literally took ALL his clothes off and headed for the ocean. My eyes flew open, I told him we are NOT European, we are AMERICANS. I finally managed to get some underwear on him. And off he went again. My photo of this is so adorably cute, but alas, it's a public blog. He will thank me one day for not posting a picture of him in Scooby Doo hand-me-down underwear. He didn't stay in the water long, but I was impressed with my little Polar Bear Swimmer.
As for me, I happily stretched out and enjoyed the warmth of the sunshine, the smell of the ocean, and the laughter of my children.
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2 comments:
Maybe its me but I have yet to see a boy who was not a natural swimmer. I am sure there are some somewhere. My boys were fish in the water - literally. Dave and my dad believed in the old fashioned method of learning to swim and that is pick them up and throw them in and they will do SOMETHING (Who knows what?) to keep from drowning.
Yes, well. I never had any say in that one. But, sure enough, and maybe it was the genes from the son of a sailor and his father-in-law who was thrown in a creek at an early age, they hit the water swimming and have never stopped. No lessons needed. Name your stroke, they will accomodate you.
The girls were a little more reserved but never had any problem either.
So, I am not surprised at your polar bear but am amazed at that instinct to strip down. I have to admit I have never had one do that! Sara, do tell, just what secrets are hidden in the Campbell gene pool??? Ha, ha.
Seriously, Kathleen's summer in France found her avoiding the European bathers. Where she was in Normandy, there were sections of beach designated just for them. Europe, as you know and I am not telling you anything, is much less conservative than we are. Nudity is nothing there, but in spite of that and having to dodge the free thinkers, very conservative Kathleen still loves her beloved France. Go figure.
This is another one of those over-a-cup-of-coffee conversations so I'd better cut it short.
Love the pictures and hearing about the places you visit. Yeah, for God's provision don't you think?
Fondly,
Melanie
P. S. Another possible explanation for your little man's swimming abilities . . . He is a Fish, after all? (Sorry, Ross!)
Dave grudingly admits that the kids have half my genes - ha. But it is a fact, they are their moma's children also - even the boys! :)
M
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