We had to get up early and since it was before breakfast time in our hotel lobby, we just grabbed a bite on the way. Athena did. I didn't want anything. I just needed to make sure I took plenty of water so as to not become dehydrated since I still have...er...very loose bowels. But still manageable.
We walked up to Taksim Square. It's about 5 to 7 blocks from our hotel. We waited around (after getting inside to use the bathroom, of course) outside until we could board one of SEVEN bus loads of people that were headed over to Sile, near the Black Sea, where we were to visit a bunch of Bee things.
First stop was a big plant and marketing place by Balparmar. They were one of the major sponsors of Apimondia. Their reception was big and loud and very Hollywood-ish. Video presentation, speeches, light snacks served by waiters (and a very orange-colored bathroom in that place). We listened to the speeches, took a walking tour past their laboratories where they test the honey. Very scientific and informative. Then we boarded buses again and received a nice parting gift from them. A hard-back book on flowers and a plastic bottle of their honey. Yum.
Our next stop was over the river and through the woods to an exhibit they'd set up of different hives and types of bees. Interesting. My interest was the port-a-potty on a truck. Very clean. Like a camper, but only with bathrooms instead of the rest of stuff you'd put in a camper (like beds and kitchen stuff). Boarded our buses and headed over to
The the town of Sile (pronounced Sheila) itself. Here we were taken to a farmer's market area where they had lunch prepared for us. It was not very tasty. The bathrooms there were pay ones, BUT no western toilet!! Yikes. I didn't eat much. A little soup. A few beans and a bite or two of rice. Some very good bread...I even took my big hunk of bread with me and nibbled on it the next morning. Long lines for the food. Not much time to shop at the market. Had a bit of a time finding our bus after the fact. But we found it and headed on to the next place:
The Black Sea! The sea port was pretty, complete with a castle, but since it was late, we merely drove by and took pictures from the bus windows.
We stopped at another place and had a little ceremony with speeches and presentations in a partially-completed building that was to become an education center for beekeepers and students. It was a tiny village (one more potty stop here for me...public bathroom outside the mosque)...Getting to be a challenge, these squatty-potties!!
Back on board the bus for our ride back to Taksim square area near the conference hotel. Which was blocks from ours. We had to make a stop at Starbucks where we bought hot chocolate (so I could use their bathroom, too). Then we meandered home to our hotel. Was I ever glad to be inside!!! Ugh. Challenging day, but I made it.
Looking at the many displays of bees. Different types of bees were introduced.
There was a lot of hiking around that I avoided. I just wasn't feeling up to hiking about more hills. So I stayed close to the port-a-potty.
Hives, tourists from all over the world, checking out the hives, etc.
Beekeepers, and tourists and VIP's.
These are skep, the original type hives.
And there is really bees and honey inside there!
More touring people. They did a lot of infrastructure improvements, accommodating the many people they expected to attend. I think there were over 200.
Hives, hives, and more hives. And lots of bees!
This was the typical forested area that we were driving through most of the day. Trees and shrubs.
This was the long line, and the cute videographer who photobombed my picture. He was documenting this grand field trip for Apimondia or for the sponsors. Not sure, but I saw him filming everywhere we went.
The Sile castle on the Black Sea. Sile is pronounce "Sheila"
See the happy (or surprised?) face on the castle?
There were fish markets on the pier that we drove out and around on.
The town of Sile, perched on the side of the hill.
The harbor full of fishing boats of all shapes and sizes. Nets and floats were piled everywhere. I thought it looked kind of messy, but Mike claims most fishing harbors look like this. I guess I just go to yaght harbors. ha.
Hills. Hills. More hills. I just about cried when I looked at the street we had to walk down for the presentation there in this little outlying town near Sile. "If I walk down that hill, that means I have to walk back up it..." ugh. But I did it.
We were quite the site to the locals, hundreds of people trooping up and down their little streets. Everyone came out to see us pass by.
Ladies standing on the porches and looking out the windows. I thought it was rather quaint.
Even more people on balconies, watching the parade of us go by.
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