Blogs from Sultanahmet, Istanbul, Marmara, Turkey, Middle East

So much in the travel news lately has focused on passengers unwilling to change seats with another passenger. My personal experience is not good. Very few times have people been willing to change for me. Yet, I change almost always! Why is this? My last seat exchange was horrible. I was on Turkish Airlines, in business class, on a smaller plane from Istanbul to Munich. I had an aisle seat, and someone asked me to change to another aisle seat. No problem. But then another person wanted me to exchange my new aisle seat for a window seat in the last row of business class. Big mistake!! Why? They guy (Typhoid Terry) next to me coughed the entire trip, and despite my mask (optional, post covid), I came down with a horrible cough for my 3-week ... read more

Winter in Europe is something I have never really experienced. I am not big on the European Christmas markets throughout northern Europe. But I am not crazy about cold, wet, rainy, snowy, icy weather. So, even though I start and end this trip in Munich, I am already thinking of warmer climes. This does present a problem with what to pack, whether colder and warmer weather. But I can always ditch the cold weather clothes, meaning donating to either the homeless or to a charity. Or, as my brother often did in our youth, just bring a pair of scissors, and make some instant Bermuda shorts. Given a choice, I would always choose Greece. After all, I have my "adopted" Greek brothers there, Stavros, Giorgos, and Vasilis. And there are many parts of Greece I have ... read more

From Conde' Nast: Here are the global top 10 airports as voted by readers: RankingAirport/CodeStandout features1.... read more

07 Feb 2020 Istanbul As often happens, our easy, unplanned days often turn in to some of the busiest. After walking through the long, winding park at the back of the Topkapi Palace, we found ourselves by the banks of the Bosphorous Strait, overlooking the Asia side of Turkey. Those of you watching the new series, Ottoman, will know exactly where that is, and what it means to Turkey. We walked over the Galata bridge, which crosses the Golden Horn. Shane has had quite alot to say about the Golden Horn over the last few days. I have been ignoring him!Finally....I found someone selling Gozleme! Apparently it is only a summer food here so my dream of consuming most of my calories eating the stuff will die here also. Shane is making up for it eating ... read more

Hotel Hilton Garden Inn Umraniye - 6nopti =55euro pe noapte camera dubla, queen family room, imensa, spatioasa, curata si hotel apartinand unui lant si care se afla intr-un centru comercial-mall. Situat un pic mai departe de centru si de punctele turistice pe care le-am vazut intens cu ocazia altor vizite-palatul Topkapi, moscheile, muzeul de arheologie, bazarurile totusi nici de aceasta data nu ne-a tinut deoparte de alte descoperiri si aici in partea asiatica Umraniye. Clima a fost superba, practic am fost acolo in intampinarea verii impreuna cu pescarusii. Asa am descoperit cel mai mare acvariu din Europa- Acqua Florya, acvariu situat si el intr-un mall-Florya. Iar elementul de rezistenta l-a constituit jocul pinguinilor din bazinele imense. Am prins sezonul florilor in gradinile palatului Topkapi. A fost un concediu de Paste placut combinat cu plimbarile feribotului, colindatul ... read more