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From before she could walk, my daughter has been a regular at most of the ancient sites in South West Turkey. The older she got, the more she complained and I completely failed to infect her with the enjoyment I feel when I'm left to my own devices wandering around Iassos or Priene after all the tour buses have gone home. The only odeon she feels happy in, is the one that over charges for popcorn and pick'n'mix. If I ever dared to take her to two sites in one day she'd wail, "Mummy, not more stones". I didn't feel too bad about this as I once went to Avebury with one of my lecturers and his young son. The eminent archaeologist was trying to enthuse his child by sweeping his arm over the view of massive standing stones saying; "Look at what ancient man achieved thousands of years ago with only rudimentary tools." To which Sebastian replied, "God, they must have been bored".
So it was quite a surprise when my now 19 year old girl said she would accompany us on a tour of Bodrum castle, the Mausoleum, The Myndos Gate and Myndos all in the same day. I almost fell over backwards when she told my friend, Jane that she was enjoying the visit and .....that she found it interesting! We were on our way to Gümüşlük and were discussing all the sites we'd visited over the years and I was just beginning to think that maybe all those childhood visits had in fact made an impression after all and Jane asked my daughter her favourite place in Turkey. She thought for a bit and then answered.......Ikea.
You realise that comment was probably for your benefit? It's not cool to have the same interests as your parents. I think she is interested but at her age won't admit to it. My daughter was the same. Now that she is almost 30 she owns up to having a lot of the same interests as I do.
ReplyDeleteThis is classic isn't it. I remember having to bribe my daughter with ice creams, to visit churches, museums, galleries etc. Now, at 21, she has adventures on her own, or with friends and revels in discoveries of antiquities, exhibitions and fabulous landscapes that used to require her to be dragged along. J.
ReplyDeleteThanks Ayak and Janice, you've lit a little light on the horizon.
ReplyDeletei don't have kids, but i remember being one and complaining about the things i now love. I think having had them in my childhood paid off even though it seemed boring at the time.
ReplyDeleteHi Cally, I enjoyed taking her to all the sites, so at least someone was having a good time.
ReplyDeleteIf we are lucky enough to have children while we were are here in Turkey, I can only imagine that's what they would say too! ;-) Priceless!
ReplyDeleteOr if I cook something fancy for dinner, they'll say they just want pizza! That will be punishment for being a chef.
Luckily my daughter appreciated the food. She was always very angry if someone tried to fob her off with pizza if the adults were eating seafood or something spicy.
DeleteAhhh, the ruins of Turkey. They're not for everyone are they? :) I could write blog post after blog post, going on and on about different sites but I know it would bore most people stupid. ;)
ReplyDeleteNot me!
DeleteI read your post with a smile on my face :) We took my then about 4,5 year old son Mark Can to Ephesus; he was amazed by the huge ancient theatre and tried the acoustics, with singing "twinkle little stars'(!)with his air guitar for the whole audience - and it does have a fabolous acoustic, as everyone clapped hands listening. He was a little shy at the end, though it was very cute. He was done after it and asked if Ephesus people had any ice creams : )
ReplyDeleteLovely to find your blog, will gave you a link at my sidebar, look forward to your more posts:)
Mark Can sounds like he had a much better time in Efes than my prensess
ReplyDeleteThe things kids blurt out! Super cute of them!
ReplyDelete