April 23-29
Senior Couple Retreat
Monday-Sat, April 23- April 28, 2018
Our mission president, Pres. Davis feels that the senior couples should have a bi-annual retreat to get rejuvenated, so we pooled some money together and took a trip to Antalya, Turkey and visited some awesome sites where the Apostle Paul walked and taught.
This is our itinerary for our Senior Missionary retreat.
Gathering from four different countries, we are about to embark on four wonderful days that is bound to uplift, rejuvenate, inspire and never to be forgotten. Following is information for the senior retreat in Antalya, Turkey.
•Tuesday April 24 – everyone should have arrived by 10 pm. Sleep Well and Enjoy the view from your balcony.
•Wednesday April 25 – Buffet Breakfast (included). Meet in front lobby at 9 am to depart for tour. Wear comfortable walking shoes, temperature should be in 70’s. We will tour Perge (Acts 13:13), have lunch at the river (included), Side and tour Aspendos. These are ancient ruins from the days of Paul the Apostle. Dinner Buffet ($15) at the Akra.
Gather in the Infinity Suite for an evening of Get to Know You.
•Thursday April 26 – Buffet Breakfast (Included) Meet in Lobby at 10 for Termosses, an unexcavated ancient ruin hidden in the mountains, wear comfortable shoes. Free time in Old Town Kaleici, historic sights, fishermans wharf, shopping, Antalya museum etc… meet for dinner TBA. Gather in Infinity room for thoughts and scriptures.
•Friday April 27 – Breakfast Buffet (included) Meet in Lobby (time TBA) for Phaselis, Olympos and Eternal Flames and a surprise. Lunch included. Dinner Buffet at Akra ($15) Gather in Infinity room for inspiration and discussion.
•Saturday April 28 – Buffet Breakfast included. Free time, check out at noon, lunch (not included) depart for airport (individual times as per location) We hope you return to your missionary service with ideas, inspiration, new friends and motivated. God Bless!
Extra money needed: tips for driver/guide, three dinner meals, shopping, & taxi for free time. Turkish lire is available in ATM’s on every corner and larger establishments will take credit cards, dollars or euro but they do not accept cash from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, or Bulgaria.
Turkey is clean and beautiful! We had a great 7 1/2 hr trip! Turkish Airlines is fabulous. We got fed good meals on both flights (to Istanbul- Antalya). Good seat entertainment.
We got some Lira out of the ATM machine at the airport. We caught a taxi to the Akra Hotel.
Day 1 April 23rd
On the hotel patio overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.
We met up with the Gray's and took a walk along the coast sidewalk. It is sunny with a slight breeze. It is wonderful!
The Taylor's came later in the afternoon.
The Gray's had seen a local restaurant that we walked to for dinner. The food was great. Huge portions. It cost each person $5. We walked back to the hotel.
Day 2 April 24th
We ate breakfast in the hotel buffet. It was the best buffet I have ever been to; with olives(stuffed with orange slices, garlic, cheese), tomatoes,, cucumbers, yogurts, breads,cheese and sliced meat platters, to omelets made to order. Turkey is the biggest export of Tomatoes n the world. They are so yummy!
We all decided catch a taxi down to the marina and get on a cruise boat to cruise the Mediterranean. We paid for a 2 hour tour. The marina was full of cruise boats that looked like ships from Pirates of the Caribbean.
View from our boat
We had a very nice time. The crew took our pictures then framed them for us to buy.
We all decided to get a taxi and go to Termossos Ancient City Ruins- (an unexcavated ancient ruin hidden in the Torras mountains)
It was quite a rough hike. The ruins were fun to see. I had never been to ruins before. They were a great sight! Your imagination can run wild thinking about how the people used to live and how they did things. The Amphitheaters were the best. Wondering about the Gladiators, Lions and the people in the stands.
We stayed in the lobby afterwards with the Taylor's and played cards(Golf), waiting for the other couples to arrive. After a few games, we were tired so went up to our room before we saw anyone else.
Day 3 April 25th
A big bus was chartered and picked all 26 of us up.
We went to an ancient city of Perge. A perfect place to visit and discover the wonderful Roman ruins from the Roman Empire days
It was very interesting being in a city from the 2nd century! The antiquated architecture is astounding. Massive marble stones quarried and moved and placed to build a city.
The Amphitheater was huge! The Gladiators were prisoners or slaves fighting each other until death or thrown to the Lions.
Picture of the Hot Water Baths; they heated the water with many furnaces which are on the bottom of the picture
This is an original mosaics sidewalk
Day 4 April 26th
We went to an Archeological Museum where all the Statues and artifacts are kept that have been found in the ruins. Again 2nd Century
Hall of Statues.
This was so fascinating standing by these massive statues, that were from the 2nd Century
A sarcophagus.
Most of the destruction of the ancient cities was from earthquakes.
We left the suite and finished out our last day of the retreat. There were 12 of us that could go back on our regular flights we had scheduled.
We took a Gondola ride at Olympos. We rode it up 6,00o ft of rocky cliffs. Up on top was a wonderful view of the whole area. The gondola was a big one that held 50 people.
Our bus took us to the Mediterranean Sea so we could walk on the beach and get int the water.
Day 6 April 28th
The six of us became good friends through out this week. Taylor's, Gray's us for our last pic at a park. We walked to some stores close to the hotel to see if we could find some Shalvar's (harem pants). We found a little mall with Marks & Spencer. I bought some blouses for summer. We all had different flight times. It will be hard to get back to our countries and get busy again.
We did have a great week though. Im glad for the experiences we had.
We got some Lira out of the ATM machine at the airport. We caught a taxi to the Akra Hotel.
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| We all have balconies. The views are breathtaking |
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| Park next to hotel. Has underground tunnels for fun. |
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| Mediterranean Sea from our balcony |
Turkey is a peninsula surrounded by the Black Sea, Mediterranean, Miramar and Aegean Seas.
It is tropical.
On a clear day maybe you can see the Crete Island of Greece way, way off in the distance(barely)
The Torras mountains are at 9,000 ft elevation.
Snow run off runs underground some places and down to the Mediterranean.
Day 1 April 23rd
On the hotel patio overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.
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| What A "BABE" |
The Taylor's came later in the afternoon.
The Gray's had seen a local restaurant that we walked to for dinner. The food was great. Huge portions. It cost each person $5. We walked back to the hotel.
Day 2 April 24th
We ate breakfast in the hotel buffet. It was the best buffet I have ever been to; with olives(stuffed with orange slices, garlic, cheese), tomatoes,, cucumbers, yogurts, breads,cheese and sliced meat platters, to omelets made to order. Turkey is the biggest export of Tomatoes n the world. They are so yummy!
 |
| Great breakfast buffet |
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| Ray Gray, Bill, Me, Kim Gray, Sharla Taylor, Wilford Taylor. |
We all decided catch a taxi down to the marina and get on a cruise boat to cruise the Mediterranean. We paid for a 2 hour tour. The marina was full of cruise boats that looked like ships from Pirates of the Caribbean.
 |
| They had a lot of Pirates of The Caribbean boats |
 |
| Our boat |
 |
| Duden Waterfall |
We had a very nice time. The crew took our pictures then framed them for us to buy.
We all decided to get a taxi and go to Termossos Ancient City Ruins- (an unexcavated ancient ruin hidden in the Torras mountains)
It was quite a rough hike. The ruins were fun to see. I had never been to ruins before. They were a great sight! Your imagination can run wild thinking about how the people used to live and how they did things. The Amphitheaters were the best. Wondering about the Gladiators, Lions and the people in the stands.
We stayed in the lobby afterwards with the Taylor's and played cards(Golf), waiting for the other couples to arrive. After a few games, we were tired so went up to our room before we saw anyone else.
Day 3 April 25th
A big bus was chartered and picked all 26 of us up.
We went to an ancient city of Perge. A perfect place to visit and discover the wonderful Roman ruins from the Roman Empire days
It was very interesting being in a city from the 2nd century! The antiquated architecture is astounding. Massive marble stones quarried and moved and placed to build a city.
The Amphitheater was huge! The Gladiators were prisoners or slaves fighting each other until death or thrown to the Lions.
Picture of the Hot Water Baths; they heated the water with many furnaces which are on the bottom of the picture
This is an original mosaics sidewalk
Day 4 April 26th
We went to an Archeological Museum where all the Statues and artifacts are kept that have been found in the ruins. Again 2nd Century
Hall of Statues.
This was so fascinating standing by these massive statues, that were from the 2nd Century
A sarcophagus.
Most of the destruction of the ancient cities was from earthquakes.
We go to shop in “Old Town”, We saw the gate of Hedron, then had lunch with some of the couples.
It is an absolute delight to stroll through the narrow cobbled streets of Kaleici
A Doner-Shaved Chicken or Meat(Horse/Lamb) with veggies and a sauce in Lavish bread. they are very good.
Sister Davis helped some of us buy Zultanas necklaces. They are a natural color changing stone. I got two of them.
Sister Gray and I found some fun Harem pants. I love these. They are so comfy!
Day 5 April 27th
At breakfast, we all got a text to meet up in Pres. Davis suite. He told us that he is on an indictment in a law suit by the Turkish Govt.The Govt needs leverage for a Turkish man in the States that they want to bring back home and execute. They are also holding a US minister in jail in Turkey, whom is is on the indictment too. He and all the missionaries need to evacuate Turkey by tonight. He called all the Young Volunteers and let them know to pack suitcases, clean their apartments, throw away everything out the fridge, use their emergency money to catch a taxi to the airport and buy flights that had been set up for them from the Mission office staff to Spain. The MTC there is big enough to accommodate all of them. There are 5 senior couples in Turkey and quite a few Young Volunteers. They wold all be reassigned.
It is an absolute delight to stroll through the narrow cobbled streets of Kaleici
A Doner-Shaved Chicken or Meat(Horse/Lamb) with veggies and a sauce in Lavish bread. they are very good.
Sister Davis helped some of us buy Zultanas necklaces. They are a natural color changing stone. I got two of them.
Sister Gray and I found some fun Harem pants. I love these. They are so comfy!
Day 5 April 27th
At breakfast, we all got a text to meet up in Pres. Davis suite. He told us that he is on an indictment in a law suit by the Turkish Govt.The Govt needs leverage for a Turkish man in the States that they want to bring back home and execute. They are also holding a US minister in jail in Turkey, whom is is on the indictment too. He and all the missionaries need to evacuate Turkey by tonight. He called all the Young Volunteers and let them know to pack suitcases, clean their apartments, throw away everything out the fridge, use their emergency money to catch a taxi to the airport and buy flights that had been set up for them from the Mission office staff to Spain. The MTC there is big enough to accommodate all of them. There are 5 senior couples in Turkey and quite a few Young Volunteers. They wold all be reassigned.
We left the suite and finished out our last day of the retreat. There were 12 of us that could go back on our regular flights we had scheduled.
We took a Gondola ride at Olympos. We rode it up 6,00o ft of rocky cliffs. Up on top was a wonderful view of the whole area. The gondola was a big one that held 50 people.
Our bus took us to the Mediterranean Sea so we could walk on the beach and get int the water.
Day 6 April 28th
We did have a great week though. Im glad for the experiences we had.
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