mom and dad's visit been a whirlwind, and it's not over yet! tonight we will have the engagement ceremony with most of ben's relatives in attendance. for now i'll update on the past week, which started with the meeting of our parents and included ben's dad asking my dad for his permission for ben to marry me (it's turkish tradition... kind of hard to explain). dad eventually said yes, after telling him he'd 'think about it.' was definitely fun. here are some pics:
ben's mom, with the GIANT bouquet she brought for my mother (we all thought it was part of the hotel lobby decor until she presented it to them)
me & mom (blinking for the camera), accepting the silver vase filled with chocolates from ben's folks- another turkish tradition that takes place when asking for the father's permission
the families unite
the next day mom and dad joined me at sema's for a turkish lesson- they got a quick rundown of turkish phrases and got to meet sema, my turkish mom/tutor. mom and dad are still carrying around their vocab sheets- and making progress!
on friday we were alanya-bound. we spent a week on the mediterranean enjoying sunshine and relaxation, with the occasional sight-seeing adventure.
on friday we were alanya-bound. we spent a week on the mediterranean enjoying sunshine and relaxation, with the occasional sight-seeing adventure. 
alanya castle wall circling some restored ottoman homes
mom & dad, exploring the castle ruins
more castle ruins, down on the harbor
castle from below
inside the 'red tower' of alanya, built in the 12th century by a former sultan during his reign
we spent a good amount of time just trying to get up and down the giant steep stairs
one of the last original harbors of turkey- at one time used by sultans and the ottomans- our view during lunch in alanya
later we enjoyed some heavenly ice cream, one of alanya's best kept secrets (the sign reads 'okra guy,' perhaps this is why it's still a secret)
alanya harbor
mom and dad returned to the hotel to find the maid had decorated their bed with flowers
that night our good friend serhat hosted us for dinner in his home... he is an AMAZING cook and he went all out for mom and dad... lamb with smoked rice, cabbage rolls and spoon salad
despite the amazing historic sites that seem to exist everywhere along the coast, we spent most of our time here, on the beach!
mom and dad enjoying the sunset at the rubi hotel
guzleme lady at the rubi- she was there every day making this sinful stuff. we definitely ate well...
i never got up the courage to do this... para sailing? wind sailing? no idea what it's called, but i don't entirely trust the rope attaching them to that boat.
we even made some new friends (dad did) with this family who were fellow hotel guests
our last night in alanya we had dinner at a fantastic fish restaurant, overlooking the harbor
we had a wonderful time, and as always, i can't wait to go back!
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