Istanbul 26-29

It's a wet weekend in this fabulous city, but easily filled. 

Saturday we visit the Grand Bazaar, a huge labyrinth of stalls selling everything you can think of and then more. We were expecting very pushy salespeople, but not so, although it's crowed with locals and tourists. 

This postcard shows it well

At 3pm we find our guide for an Urban Adventures street food tour (thanks Jess). 

There's freshly cooked mackerel roll from a very busy boat

Just-squeezed orange and pomegranate juice

BBQ lamb intestines with chilli (er no thanks, but I'll have chicken and rice instead. Ian's says v yum)

Fried and syrup-soaked doughnuts

Spices to sniff

And more...till we're full as googs. 

 

Sunday it rains again so Ian heads for a boat tour and sightseeing, while Kay goes SHOPPING - well we are staying on istanbul's most reknowned 1 1/2km shopping street :-) 

It's the little things to notice, such as the doorman handing out umbrella-shaped bage to stop the drips. The old renovated alleys in between modern stores (most of which are built inside whole block buildings)

Alleys with fish, fruit and spice stalls in the middle of everything. 

Look at those APPLES!!

And of course ships selling Turkish delight, helva and these little nut-filled morsels.

 

The streets are crowded with people, chestnut and corn roasters and trams clanging their way through the lot - usually with a couple of kids hanging off the back. 

Last time here we hightailed it back to the hotel when seeing the riot police, now we know they're a standard fixture. Demonstrations were banned for 30 years, but small ones now happen regularly, with an enormous one several years ago. The government can't keep up with social media, so seems wait ready, in this tradition rallying point - Taxsim Square. Scary. But safe. There are 10s of 1000s of refugees pouring in, and increasing unrest about the government. Sound familiar?

 

And to finish with a smile, some of my purchases :-)

Turkey Karasu Sept 21-26 R&R

This town is a huge holiday resort, though now season is over beach is deserted, except for beach bars still furnished, abandoned food trolleys and lots of rubbish. 3 weeks ago it was covered with lounges and umbrellas. 

 

Our hotel is equally empty, and no one seems to care that our apartment is missing a door handle or that next door one leaked in big storm. Unfortunately the water slides are closed too....

No bikes for hire, but lots of walks and steps to climb will hopefully maintain fitness for next week's bike tour. 

There's time to read lots of books, visit local market, try to have conversations with non English-speaking locals.  There's some confusion with Australia and Austria but kangaroo usually sorts it. 

Kay has a shoe shine

Ian has a hair cut and ear-hair burn off 

And we pay home prices for coffee and cake!

Gallipoli 19 September

Oh dear, it's just heartbreaking to see these now peaceful, well kept spaces. 

In 1934 Atatürk wrote a tribute to the Anzacs killed at Gallipoli:

Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives... You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side now here in this country of ours... you, the mothers, who sent their sons from faraway countries wipe away your tears; your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. After having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well.

Lone Pine

The Turkish soldier who picked up an injured Australian and carried him across to his mates. 

And of course, there are Turkish cemeteries and monuments too

Our 28 year old guide did a good job of sensitively explaining it all to us. 

Bosphorus Birthday Bash

With Gail having a birthday in a couple of days and Kay making her 60th last for several months, we book a night time river cruise. It's not what we expected - more nightclub than traditional dancing - but it's fun and a good way to almost end our two weeks together. 

There's unexpected talent displayed

And 2 cakes delivered

When the Turkish rock gets a bit too loud there's always the top deck to retreat to, with beautiful views.

Istanbul 18-21 September

It's another long drive but we finally pull into Istanbul, to a hotel close to bustling Istiklal Road, a great location. 

2 venture out in the pelting rain and quickly return, soaked. 4 opt for dinner at the hotel. And we grab brollies and return like drowned rats a couple of hours later. It's an amazingly vibrant road, lined with shops, cafés, buskers and lanes with more of all of the above - we love it!

Friday is our old Istanbul tour day, and there's lots to see. 

Hagia Sofya is an ex-Christian then Muslim church, and now a museum

Topkapi Palace used to house the sultan, and it's kitchens fed thousands, including those in the harem... It's also a museum, with objects from the era, up till now these treasures have been elsewhere, with many in London.

We were rushed through the Blue Mosque as it was nearly prayer time, our unclean shoes in plastic bags and heathen ladies' heads covered. 

All of course are gobsmackingly amazing, and photos do no justice at all. How did they design/build/maintain them all?

Cappadocia 16-18 September

What an amazing landscape. 

There are balloons at dawn, but we choose to look rather than fly. 

We visit an underground city, which was mainly used for hiding during a long-ago war, but had places for animals, storage for food and wine, and places to eat and sleep. Someone discovered that the earth was soft to dig, but set rock hard when exposed to air. Even now houses are built on the hillsides, with storage dug in behind. 

Lunch is our own clay pot of meat/veg, which we knock the top off to eat.

 

 

One intrepid member of our group climbs on a camel for a photo, but the command to stand takes us all by surprise, what a brave woman!

 The boys receive a fez, after some spirited bargaining at a bag shop 

Turkey Pamukkale - Cappadocia

Today begins with a visit to a leather factory. Kay and Trevor star in the fashion show, wearing the beautifully soft and light lamb jackets. It's a local production, and very slick too. Many of the group leave with big bags and bigger smiles. 

Lunch is a another tiny family restaurant, where the specialty is freshly made gösleme, apparently delicious. 

We eventually arrive at the truly magnificent white calcium terraces - Travertines - in Pamukkale.

Legend has it that Cleopatra once bathed here, and the many tourists wandering around in bathers obviously believe in the healing powers of the hot springs. There are huge bus loads of them- Asian/Russian/European tourists - and we share our mega-hotel and it's mega-buffet with hundreds of them. 

It's another long drive on Tuesday to Cappadocia via a museum in Konya, but there are 2 hourly coffee/cigarette/food/petrol breaks for guide Saman, driver Ali and us. 

The landscape is dry at this time of the year, with poor-looking villages and towns. Hills are all around, and fields now empty of potatoes, onions and beets.

We stop at a museum and an old caravansary, where traders along the Silk Road sheltered and were protected overnight, in these thick-walled fortresses. 

Turkey Kusadasi Sept 13-15

A shortish ferry ride takes us from Greece to Turkey.

 We meet our guide, who with a driver will accompany us on our week-long tour.

The beautiful hotel overlooks the marina and port. 

Some relax or wander the town, Kay and Ian opt for the super dooper deluxe version at the local Haman. We are soaped, scrubbed and painted with mud, then melt into an amazing oil massage. 

Sunday we visit the ancient site of Ephesus. It's a huge area, with lots of restored area to marvel at. How did they built it all? How was it discovered? It doesn't take much to imagion legions of Romans marching  the kilometer-long road to the harbour at Kusadasi. 

A yummy lunch of many bits and pieces is served at a small village - definitely not on the tourist trail - then we're treated to fruit wine tastings. 

Last stop is at a carpet factory, where we manage to resist purchasing. The silk on silk ones (2x1.5m) take around 3 years to make by the one artist, and cost up to $20,000. They are flung on the floor with the others, spun around so we can admire the change in colours, then we are invited to walk on them in shoes or bare feet ...