It's was an amazing trip and we completely fell in love with this small, Mediterranean town. The town is right on the coast and just a 45 minute ferry ride to the Greek Island of Meis. It's population is only about 3,000 in the off season, but during the summer it's nearly triple with expats.
The people are so friendly and wonderful and we completely felt at home, which is what we needed! Things here get stressful, no matter how hard you try to stay positive, around 6-8 weeks in, frustrations can mount. It's good to get out of town, even to Jeddah, for a weekend every couple months, and every 3-4 months it's healthy to leave the country for a week to regain your senses.
I was talking to Chuck just last night that yes, you do adjust and you accept the culture, but, for me at least, the frustration builds as a woman you do lose some of your independence. If you need something as simple as milk, no jumping in the car to run to the store. Getting your hair cut is a two to three hour task and then communication becomes a factor. It's not the relaxing day at the salon, but for me, rather stressful. You can get manicures and pedicures, but again it's around 2-3 hours total, which is great (and honestly I've had the best manis and pedis ever here), but there's always something else that needs done (not to mention I have to work around Chuck's schedule so there's someone to watch Abby). Then there's the challenge of prayer time when everything shuts down. This is a small challenge, but after about 2 months, you can get frustrated, especially the closer it gets to Ramadan when prayers last longer and longer. Some days you feel as if you run in a store grab what you need and run out. There's always a rush of schedule here, which can take its toll. Getting a break is healthy and I have to say, this trip to Turkey was overdue!
We spent a week without having to rush. I took naps 2 afternoons that week. We stayed at a friend's apartment, which was amazing. We met a wonderful couple who showed us properties (since we loved it so much we're actually considering buying a play when we end this adventure), and took us all over. Just down from the flat we stayed at was a little restaurant (about 6 tables total) which is run by two sisters. It's called "Our Home" and the name truly says it all. The menu is whatever is cooked that day, and if you want it and they don't have it - off to the store they go. I can't even tell you how good the food was, from fresh bread to the breakfasts and the dinners. If you you ever visit the town, you have to stop in and see these two ladies. They make you feel so welcome and we ate all but 2 meals there all week! (Yes, be prepared to gain some weight!)
The town is so friendly that there are cats and dogs (all pets and taken care of by the local vet) roaming throughout the town. In the week we were there, Abby met Belles and Lola (a mother and daughter) golden lab duo who we visited every day, along with 3 dogs, who Abby renamed Rosie, Bustie and Crazy, who adopted us and came to visit each and every morning and afternoon. We also had about 4 cats that came to say hi now and again. All were very friendly and well behaved. For us it was wonderful since we had to leave behind our cat and dog in the states. Dogs are not widely accepted in Saudi and there are no vets in Yanbu, so it's rare that we see a cat or even a dog to play with. This was an added bonus for us on the trip!
I tried my first turkish bath, which was nice, but I'm a little modest, so I can say I've done it once and I'm good! :) The area goes from the coast and the sea right to the mountains. There's so much contrast in just a few minutes drive which makes for a beautiful and peaceful scene. The water comes from mountain springs and is just gorgeous! There is hiking in gorges and canyons to relaxing on the beach to ancient ruins. It's truly a unique experience and for anyone who has the opportunity I highly recommend stopping in this quiet village and relaxing even if it's only for a weekend.
We will be back, inshallah, whenever we need a break on the adventure, we now have a quick getaway where we can sit back, relax, enjoy amazing food and fantastic company!