water park

water spray!

 Today was the warmest day since my friend came and so we had scheduled today to be the waterpark day.  Originally my friends had wanted to go to this big park next to Hakan's hotel with a dolphin show - but upon learning the prices - we decided to go to the place right next to our house.  We can see (and hear) the people on the highest slides from our place because we are a block away but on the wrong corner so we have to walk around to get to the entrance.

The security guard wasn't sure if he could let us in because he thought the park wasn't open to outside visitors (it is free for those staying at the hotel).  He let us in and tickets were 50 lire a piece, 25 lire for kids over 4, and free for the rest.  

I had been to this place before - it opened last year. I hadn't really considered whether it had  good rides or not - as my only concern had been for the kids.  Which rides could they go one?  Can I bring food/ a picnic?  Where are the kids toilets, baby changing, shades, etc.  I can't really compare it to water parks in America - seeing as I mostly went on  those when I was young - so all the rides are huge in my memory.

Tortuga already had a few rides out-of-order.  The toilet bowl, for instance, wasn't working.  I don't know if the rides have names even - but this ride I've seen in other hotel water parks and its the general name given it because after going down the "pipe" it opens up to a big bowl where you swirl around the rim and then drain down the hole, dropping into a deep pool.

the perfect toddler water slides

 The toddler slides are almost perfect.  Both Teoman and Tomris can manage walking around in 40 cm water.  I just can't see them when they are climbing the stairs on the backside of the ship - where water sits as well.  (And it's hard to put any confidence in any of young lifeguards busy looking at their reflections and eyeing where their co-workers are...)

I was afraid the kids would be to wild and hard to keep track of - but they played quite calmly - often lost in theirselves driving "boats" around the shallow water.

There is a big obstacle course too.  Tolga and I wee never interested on going on the rides ourselves before - it was enough to sit with the kids around the poopy kiddy pools - but with friends here, we decided to try couple.

inflatable obstacle course

You can't bring anything into the park - nor picnic - so water, drinks, food all have to be bought on the premises for a hefty price.

Tolga and Andy (Paula's husband) did the obstacle course - it was like a version of Wipe Out and the kids squealed with laughter watching their father's race.  With an hour-and-a-half before closing - we took the kids to the medium height slides.  They both had arm bands on for the deeper water.  Our kids aren't really supposed to go on them - and true to Turkish form - the regulations were loosely followed - and near closing time, apparently not followed at all.  Teoman clutched me so tightly all the way down - his whole body shivering.   I could hardy pry his claws off of me to lift up when we splashed into the water.  He loved it.  Tomris went down as well - they both were pretty fearless. Paula and I didn't get away until the very end to try only one slide.  We were reminiscing going to Mountain Creek together - with its cold mountain water, zip line, big tube slides and our underwater shoot-and-wait-to-be-developed cameras.  We had to convince they boys to turn the water back on for us - as they had turned them off a half hour early.  Paula was much more charming then me - I said "We're moms - come on, this is our first and only chance!"  They turned quite easily to my surprise, and our husbands and kids all lined the bottom of the pool to watch us race down.  We stayed on the straight open slide so they could watch us come down.

It was pretty cute.  The water park is always a blast - but even more fun with good friends.