This is a collection of photos from my sailing yoga retreat around the Datca peninsula of Turkey with a stop on the Greek Island of Symi. They are in no particular order but these are the photos that struck me as I scrolled through the combined archives of all who attended. Enjoy.
Beautiful coastline and some of the most beautiful water I've ever seen. We had nearly perfect weather and tons of sun. This was a rare moment of shirted-ness. I burned a few times the first few days and had to cover up. The big stupid smile on my face is from a variety of factors, not least of which is the fact that this photo was taken by a topless girl.
Hotel Kano. Dalyan Turkey. We stayed two nights in Dalyan to regroup before busing several hours out to Datca to board the boat. In the background is the Dalyan river.
Yoga on the boat on one of the final days. Not sure the name of the bay we are moored at because it wasn't part of the original plan. We woke up surrounded by a swarm of bees and had to move to a different bay for yoga.
We only practiced on the boat a few times but it was an awesome experience. We had to move much more deliberately to counter the gentle motion of the deck. I thoroughly enjoyed both the moving boat and the uneven ground of some of the other places we practiced. Each movement required careful attention when planting. I felt myself really focusing and sinking into each step. It was a very grounding experience and is a good metaphor for how we should focus on each step we take and move more purposefully through life.
We took a little boat tour of the Dalyan river from Hotel Kano the day after arrival in Turkey. I decided to hang off the back for a dip.
I love this shot from the desk of the boat. We pretty much lived up there (sleeping, lounging, yoga, etc.) What better way to enjoy your sailing experience is there than to have a stretch and a glass of wine with this cutie. I'm so happy that I had a chance to connect with Krystal on this trip. She's amazing and inspirational and I love this shot of us.
PS - Thanks for the floppy hat Linda.
Yoga in the bottom of the giant, marble amphitheater in Knidos. This is a port at the far Western tip of the Datca peninsula where ships could restock and wait out poor weather before crossing the Aegean.
Symi, Greece. Beautiful island and just about as stereotypical Greek island as I could imagine.
We didn't relax at all.
Two shots of our home for seven days: the Serdar 1. This style of ship is called a gulet.
One of our final nights on the boat, battened down for strong wind. All but one of our group is present with the special edition of Ahmet, the deckhand on the boat.
Spice booth in the open market in Dalyan. I love the colors.
This was a few days after we got off the boat but I thought it a fitting one to end with. My birthday dinner in Istanbul with a complementary shot (or double) of raki. Great crew to spend the day with. Thank you for a truly special birthday ladies!