Blogs from Sultanahmet, Istanbul, Marmara, Turkey, Middle East - page 6

Woolly says – Having already checked out the Turkish buffet breakfast and helped the kitchen in reducing the quantity of boiled eggs I hurried back upstairs to make sure the girls were up and moving. Thankfully even daughter Zoe was shuffling about and as I hustled them down to the reception desk we made it just in time for our tour of the day. Our coach delivered us safely to our first destination, the famous Blue Mosque. With cameras clicking we waited in line to enter, I covered myself appropriately before finding that I had a slight problem. We didn’t have the heart to tell Woolly that only head, shoulders and leg needed covering and then only if you’re female as he provided great entertainment for the growing crowd as he staggered round with a scarf ... read more

Today was a day for new experiences. After getting up on Wednesday at 4:15, 3 flights, the last being 10 hours long, we arrived in Istanbul tired and jet lagged. While it was 9 AM here, it really felt like 1 AM back home. We found ourselves on a crowded TRAM full of frowny people, made it to our hotel, cleaned up and resisted the urge to sleep. We ventured out without much of a clue as to where we were going, but with a sense of adventure and learned some things. Istanbul is a ancient city full of all kinds of people, just like anywhere you might travel. The difference here for us is that not many people speak English, so when exploring we are pretty much on our own. While Turkey is a secular ... read more

It is evening. A fingernail moon hangs in the clear sky. We sit at an outside table along the promenade eating spinach pastries and drinking the local salty-yoghurt concoction known as Ayrun. At the cafe next to ours, young girls in diaphanous pastel gowns celebrate their middle-school graduation by dancing to electronic bouzouki music. Before us rolls the dark Bosphorus. Its surface bulges with eddies and the reflections of foam-starred spiral galaxies. Powerful, ancient currents propel water and ships from the Black Sea southward past the Dardanelles to the Marmara Sea. A long suspension bridge slung between Asia and Europe changes color as we watch, from deep sea-blue to lavender to shades of red and white. An old, crenelated, thick-towered fortress lies just across the seaway. We are in Istanbul, Turkey and it is more than ... read more

Rıesenfrühstueck auf der Hotelterrasse (überdacht und mit Glasfenster, nur teılweıse offen). Eın Spatz kam durch's offene Fenster und räumte dıe Krümel weg. Sammy hätte das auch erledıgt, aber er ıst ın Gautıng geblıeben, keıne Lust auf so langer Wanderungen. Spazıergang ums Goldene Horn, am Meer entlang. Hobbyfıscher bauten ihre umfangreıchen Utensilien auf, sie müssen mıt Mofas anreısen, um alles ankarren zu können. Im Areal des Topkapi gıbt es eınen schönen Park, in den es mıch dann verschlug. Ich verfolgte (dıskret) eın Brautpaar, seit gestern Mann und Frau aber wegen der Fotos nochmal Brautpaar. SIE war schon etwas lädıert, eın bodenlanger weısser Rock mıt Schleppe ıst nıcht vereınbar mıt eınem Parkspazıergang - und es ıst ıhnen vıel zu spät eıngefallen, den Rock etwas zu heben... Immer wıeder befahl dıe Fotografın eınen Halt und dann wurde es hektısch. ... read more

Left home at 10:00 am. Shannon drove to Zorlu Mall where we parked car. Walked through adjoining tunnel ( a couple of blocks) to Metro. Rode metro to Taksim stop ....departed and walked up steps to Veniculr ....rode to Kabatas.... where we caught Tramvey across Galata Bridge over Bosphorus to Cemberlitas in old town .... Walk to Grand Bazaar. This is how you get around in Istanbul! Six hours later we have done our best for the Turkish Economy. Bead shops, jewelry shops, scarves, pillow cover shops, more jewelry shops, Tea Break.....spices and Turkish Delight shops, Teas , soaps, Lunch Break.....Tea sets, tea spoons and saucers, more jewelry shops.....a very crowded walk to Spice Market .....more beautiful scarves and Turkish Delight. Everyone had to stay home and lay low yesterday....they all came to the Grand Bazaar ... read more