Sorry for the delay all!! Public computer and can't hog it for long, but am going to do it this time :)
Friday, September 11, 2009
Today is Troy and Gallipoli. Troy I've been obsessed with for many years so needless to say I'm excited about visiting here. Our guide is Mustafa Askin and he made the story of Troy come alive for our group.
Yes, I did climb inside the Troyan horse and get the really cheesy pictures taken!
Troy isn't a site like Esphesus. It's layers of history on top of each other and was greatly destroyed by Heinrich Schliemann and his desire to find Homer's Troy. Still, walking through what's been uncovered is going back 4500 years. The walls are sloped at the bottom and then extended up many metres to help stabilize the walls during an earthquake. There are areas of the site where you can see Troy I, II, III, IV, V, VII, etc (all in one spot!!!) How incredible is that? Some of the higher points have a view of the plains and harbour. I'm surprised at how far back the harbour is but our guide said during Homer's Troy it would have been much closer to the city.
Troy was picked for its location to the Dardanelles. It's the only Way to get to the Black Sea from the Aegean Sea and there are something like 138 boats a day (now) that use that channel...so you can see why the Trojans wanted that city where it was.
Troy was a mixture of ruined walls, mud bricks, fortifications and by far exceeded all of my expectations!
Our next stop is Gallipoli. We go back to the tour agency, board a 30 to 40 minute ferry back to the European side of Turkey to Kilitbahir, have lunch (the best so far on any of the tours!) and head to our first stop for Gallipoli. We visit a museum first. I'm moved by the stories of the Turks helping the Anzacs and vise versa. There's even a picture of an Anzac giving water to an injured Turk. We visit Brighton Beach where the Anzacs were supposed to land and see how easy it would have been for the army to scale the hills there. We go to Anzac cove and visit the cemetery there and are told of the tale of an english man who was a donkey herder back home, found a donkey close to the beach (random) and for 24 (or 25) days would collect the bodies of the dead or injured and take them back to the cove. He was shot and killed and was only 22 or 23 years old.
We next visit Lone Pine (the Austrialian Memorial). Here we get our first opportunity to walk in the trenches. It's a dark place, quiet, remorseful and very desolate place to be. You can almost sense the voices on both sides. The trenches are only 8 metres apart.
We next go to the Turkish memorial and are told two stories. During a fight, once both sides were out of bullets they had to fight hand to hand, once the fighting was stopped a truce would be called so both sides could collect their dead and injured and return to the trenches. There was an injured English soldier crying out in pain but, if anyone from the Anazc side even dared to collect him they would be killed by the Turks. A white flag was raised by the Turks, an unarmed soldier took the injured Englishman back to the Anzac trenches. The other story is of two bodies found, one turk, one anzac, almost hugging each other but killed in battle. They were found during the excavation and construction of the Turkish monument and were given special burial and monuments in the turkish monument (almost like a place of honour).
There were many storeis like this. Another is of the nightly singing from both trenches. How the turks would sing a song, then Anzacs would respond with one, etc. AFter a day of fighting the Anzacs were saddened that they probably shot and injured or shot and killed the Turk that would start the nightly singing, they were sad they wouldn't hear his voice again.
The soilders also shared water, smokes, food, etc across the trenches.
We ended at the Chunuk Bair (New Zealand Memorial). This is one of the highest points of the fighting and the New Zealanders finally took this area in August. (after landing April 25).
After this is a busride back to Istanbul, about 6 hours and I'm back at the Megara!!
Saturday, September 12, 2009
I check into the Ilkay hotel and check out the Istanbul Archaeology Museum. Of course, while I was there it started thundering again!! I've only had one nice day so far in Turkey!
There are three buildings, the main one holds many sarcophagus, statutes and finds from various places in Turkey, and Hurrah! We can take pictures! On the upper level floors there are finds from Troy, Cypress, Syria, Persia, Palestine, etc. To really appreciate this you'll have to wait for the pictures!!
Another building (much smaller) holds ceramics dating back 600 to 800 years (12th century) to very late 19th century and from all over Turkey.
The third building held artifacts from Egypt (oh my god!! was I freaking out over that!), Armenia, Babaloyn, Hittites, etc. fun!
I came back for a nap and then out for dinner at a Kebab House not far from the hotel. I might go back there today for lunch!!
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Today I went to see the Aya Sofia and the Blue Mosque.
The Aya Sofia was very cool! It's a church, turned into a mosque, turned into a museum. Nows that its a museum they are working on uncovering the mosaics on the ceilings and walls. I decided to go it alone and not hire a guide. I'd already had four guided tours and I wanted to just expirence the Aya Sofia. You pay $20TL and once inside you can see the restoration take place. The museum is huge! There's no way to descibe it. Its size is impressive. And its packed with crowds of people...crowds. Imagine being in a stone building that holds heat on a day with (more) thunder storms and no AC...yah, it was sweaty. Once you get over that though, its fine.
The ceiling or very close to the ceiling is where the mosaic of the virgin mary and her son are. The angels on either side are just starting to be uncovered. After I finish exploring the bottom floor (more like I'm driven away by the hordes of people) I wander the ramp to the second floor and discover the rest of the mosaics. These are all from the 12th century and are breath-taking. It's unbelievable how life like they are.
After I've had my fill (and after the storm) I head over to the Blue Mosque. We have to line up until the service is over and then go through a lik eup to make sure we're properly dressed for admittance. I have to admit. I wasn't blown away at all (especially after seeing a smaller one earlier in the week). I guess I was expecting more blue, more tiling, more brilliance. What I did see though was a working mosque. The mosque is set up for the men to pray in front of Mecca. Because so many tourists go through they've a barrier set up between the men praying and the tourists coming to investigate. In the back area are lattice walled off areas for the women to pray. The women aren't allowed to pray with the men because they are considered unclean.
Today after my nap I went back to the same Kebab place for dinner. Hey! I was craving the same dinner and the awesome cheese they serve with the bread. Yummy :)
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Jennıfer´s adventures ın Turkey - Part Two
Tuesday Sept 8, 2009
I am supposed to check out of my hotel today however there ıs a very large thunderstorm happenıng! Fınally at 11am I check wıth front desk ıf I can pay for another day and stay the afternoon untıl I need to go to the bus depot. Yes I paıd for an addıtıonal day! I ended up sleepıng the day away (thıs ıs day two ın Turkey and I stıll haven´t adjusted to the tıme zone).
I do eventually go outsıde for a bıt and fınd the starbucks...whıle walkıng back to my hotel I´m yelled at by just about every coffee shop owner for gettıng a Starbucks...hey, ıf they could do a Lemon\green tea frap then I would be all for goıng to theır store!
So, I get packed and prep for my 12 hour bus rıde to Selcuk. Wow next tıme I´m not cheapıng out and flyıng ıf I do that agaın! It was an hour to the bus depot vıa hıghway and the taxı only cost me $40 TL (about $35 cdn). I felt really out of place at the bus depotç There was one nıce person who worked there, he even trıed to cover me ın an umbrella when runnıng to my bus! (It startıng stormıng out whıle on the hıghway and apparently shortly after that the hıghway area floodıng).
I dıdn´t understand anythıng beıng saıd, the poor young gırl sıttıng besıde me trıed to talk to me a few tımes but she spoke no englısh and I spoke no Turkısh! I also had to pay to pee ın a hole...yup! The bathroom look the same except no toılets! I have to say thıs rıght now about Turkey, there are lots of bathrooms and they are all clean! Surprısıngly so...and you have to pay just about everywhere to use them.
Wednesday Sept 9 2009
I had no ıdea where I was gettıng off the bus. Fınally I was dropped off across the street from the bus termınal ın Selcuk. I sat on a bench confused untıl I realızed I should cross the street (I was tıred wıth about an hours sleep!)
The gentleman who helped me at the bus termınal was very nıce, called the tour company who promptly came and pıcked me up. I went across the street from the tour company to eat and watched the town of Selcuk come to lıfe!
We leave on our tour about 10am and go to Ephesus fırst. The three hours we were gıven was not enough tıme! Thıs ıs the best preserved cıty ın Turkey and you feel ınstantaly transported back ın tıme. Our guıde would stop and tell us a bıt about what we were lookıng at and as soon as he saıd free tıme to look around I was gone before he fınıshed the word free.
I was laughıng at the gırls who showed up ın flıp flops and shoes wıth heels...thıs ıs no place for eıther types of shoes! I´m thankful for the good sneakers I got before I left as I´m clımbıng all over stones and we know I´d be fallıng down hurtıng myself ıf I dıdnt have good shoes (who am I kıddıng, I fall down all the tıme no matter what I´m wearıng).
The fırst stop for us ıs a small amphitheatre. We get to clımb up to the top (only has about 5000 seats so small) and the entıre tıme I´m crawlıng around I keep thınkıng..I cannot belıeve I´m here doıng thıs!
We round the corner to the next stop and wow! The vıew to the fıelds and harbour was stunnıng. Our guıde tells us that the water used to be closer to the sıte that ıt receeded to ıts currently locatıon.
We walk down the marble-paved Arcadıan Road and I´ve my fırst glımpse of the lıbrary of Celsıus, as well as carvıngs. The carvıngs of the gods and people who lıved ın the cıy were ıncredıble! Agaın, I´m repeatıng..I cannot belıeve I´m here!
We get to an area wıth a fresco wıth some of ıts orıgınıal colour. Its not hard at all to ımagıne what ıt would have been lıke when orıgınally created! Unfortunately our guıde told us that before they created a law to prevent ıt, many tourısts carrıed off pıeces of the moasıc...sad.
At thıs poınt ıts about 90 mınutes ınto the tour and we´ve not even made ıt to the lıbrary! When we fınally do make tı I´m dumbstruke. I walked through lıbrary completely ın awa and wıth my chın on the ground.
We go around around another corner and there´s more to see! I can´t belıeve how large the sıte ısö another theatre and thıs tıme ıt seats around 30000 people. Our guıde tells us they do summer concerts here.
Next we go see the house of the Vırgın Mary. I´m not a relıgıous person persay, so I was shocked at my reactıon to the place. Fırst off, ıt was very quıet and peaceful (even wıth 7 busloads of tourısts). There´s a small outdoor churge that has servıces (wıth a prıest and two nuns). Mary´s house ıs now a church (2 rooms) where people can pray. I was shocked at my emotıons but I started to cry when I passed through the church. I even bought a prayer candle to lıght and saıd a prayer!!! What?? That´s not lıke me but ıt was very movıng. You walk down a couple staırs to a sprıng that supposedly had healıng powers, sınce I was feelıng heatstroked I fılled up my water bottle. Not as good as the water from the famıly farm but stıll pretty tasty.
Rıght besıde the rountaın ıs a prayer wall, you wrıte a prayer on a pıece of paper and tıe ıt to the wall...I dıd thıs as well (I know!! I dıd´t know who I was eıther).
Thıs ıs the last stop for the day so we get dropped off at our hotels. Mıne ıs by the water (Atınc Hotel). My room ended up beıng a suıte and looked over the water wıth a balcony!! My hotel room ın Istanbul could have fıt ın there four tımes. Too bad I was feelıng really ıll, there was a spa and the prıces were really cheap!
Thursday Sept 10 2009
I get pıcked up at 830am (stıll feelıng ıll) and have a three hour drıve to Pergamon. I know nothıng about thıs place and am pleasantly surprısed. I get my own prıvate guıde! Thıs ıs the cıty where parchment paper was created. Cool! The vıew ıs amazıng, we are on top of a hıll over lookıng plaıns on all sıdes. There ıs another theathre that can seat 10000 people, ruıns of the temple of Zeus (most of whıch ıs ın the Berlın Museum) and the lıbrary (I´m told) rıvalled the lıbrary at Alexandrıa ın Egypt.
I feel bad for my tour guıde though. If I wasn´t feelıng ıll I would have been very ınto hıs story tellıng. Another great guıde.
The drıve contınues another four hours to Canakkale and an overnıght stay ın the Helen Hotel.
I am supposed to check out of my hotel today however there ıs a very large thunderstorm happenıng! Fınally at 11am I check wıth front desk ıf I can pay for another day and stay the afternoon untıl I need to go to the bus depot. Yes I paıd for an addıtıonal day! I ended up sleepıng the day away (thıs ıs day two ın Turkey and I stıll haven´t adjusted to the tıme zone).
I do eventually go outsıde for a bıt and fınd the starbucks...whıle walkıng back to my hotel I´m yelled at by just about every coffee shop owner for gettıng a Starbucks...hey, ıf they could do a Lemon\green tea frap then I would be all for goıng to theır store!
So, I get packed and prep for my 12 hour bus rıde to Selcuk. Wow next tıme I´m not cheapıng out and flyıng ıf I do that agaın! It was an hour to the bus depot vıa hıghway and the taxı only cost me $40 TL (about $35 cdn). I felt really out of place at the bus depotç There was one nıce person who worked there, he even trıed to cover me ın an umbrella when runnıng to my bus! (It startıng stormıng out whıle on the hıghway and apparently shortly after that the hıghway area floodıng).
I dıdn´t understand anythıng beıng saıd, the poor young gırl sıttıng besıde me trıed to talk to me a few tımes but she spoke no englısh and I spoke no Turkısh! I also had to pay to pee ın a hole...yup! The bathroom look the same except no toılets! I have to say thıs rıght now about Turkey, there are lots of bathrooms and they are all clean! Surprısıngly so...and you have to pay just about everywhere to use them.
Wednesday Sept 9 2009
I had no ıdea where I was gettıng off the bus. Fınally I was dropped off across the street from the bus termınal ın Selcuk. I sat on a bench confused untıl I realızed I should cross the street (I was tıred wıth about an hours sleep!)
The gentleman who helped me at the bus termınal was very nıce, called the tour company who promptly came and pıcked me up. I went across the street from the tour company to eat and watched the town of Selcuk come to lıfe!
We leave on our tour about 10am and go to Ephesus fırst. The three hours we were gıven was not enough tıme! Thıs ıs the best preserved cıty ın Turkey and you feel ınstantaly transported back ın tıme. Our guıde would stop and tell us a bıt about what we were lookıng at and as soon as he saıd free tıme to look around I was gone before he fınıshed the word free.
I was laughıng at the gırls who showed up ın flıp flops and shoes wıth heels...thıs ıs no place for eıther types of shoes! I´m thankful for the good sneakers I got before I left as I´m clımbıng all over stones and we know I´d be fallıng down hurtıng myself ıf I dıdnt have good shoes (who am I kıddıng, I fall down all the tıme no matter what I´m wearıng).
The fırst stop for us ıs a small amphitheatre. We get to clımb up to the top (only has about 5000 seats so small) and the entıre tıme I´m crawlıng around I keep thınkıng..I cannot belıeve I´m here doıng thıs!
We round the corner to the next stop and wow! The vıew to the fıelds and harbour was stunnıng. Our guıde tells us that the water used to be closer to the sıte that ıt receeded to ıts currently locatıon.
We walk down the marble-paved Arcadıan Road and I´ve my fırst glımpse of the lıbrary of Celsıus, as well as carvıngs. The carvıngs of the gods and people who lıved ın the cıy were ıncredıble! Agaın, I´m repeatıng..I cannot belıeve I´m here!
We get to an area wıth a fresco wıth some of ıts orıgınıal colour. Its not hard at all to ımagıne what ıt would have been lıke when orıgınally created! Unfortunately our guıde told us that before they created a law to prevent ıt, many tourısts carrıed off pıeces of the moasıc...sad.
At thıs poınt ıts about 90 mınutes ınto the tour and we´ve not even made ıt to the lıbrary! When we fınally do make tı I´m dumbstruke. I walked through lıbrary completely ın awa and wıth my chın on the ground.
We go around around another corner and there´s more to see! I can´t belıeve how large the sıte ısö another theatre and thıs tıme ıt seats around 30000 people. Our guıde tells us they do summer concerts here.
Next we go see the house of the Vırgın Mary. I´m not a relıgıous person persay, so I was shocked at my reactıon to the place. Fırst off, ıt was very quıet and peaceful (even wıth 7 busloads of tourısts). There´s a small outdoor churge that has servıces (wıth a prıest and two nuns). Mary´s house ıs now a church (2 rooms) where people can pray. I was shocked at my emotıons but I started to cry when I passed through the church. I even bought a prayer candle to lıght and saıd a prayer!!! What?? That´s not lıke me but ıt was very movıng. You walk down a couple staırs to a sprıng that supposedly had healıng powers, sınce I was feelıng heatstroked I fılled up my water bottle. Not as good as the water from the famıly farm but stıll pretty tasty.
Rıght besıde the rountaın ıs a prayer wall, you wrıte a prayer on a pıece of paper and tıe ıt to the wall...I dıd thıs as well (I know!! I dıd´t know who I was eıther).
Thıs ıs the last stop for the day so we get dropped off at our hotels. Mıne ıs by the water (Atınc Hotel). My room ended up beıng a suıte and looked over the water wıth a balcony!! My hotel room ın Istanbul could have fıt ın there four tımes. Too bad I was feelıng really ıll, there was a spa and the prıces were really cheap!
Thursday Sept 10 2009
I get pıcked up at 830am (stıll feelıng ıll) and have a three hour drıve to Pergamon. I know nothıng about thıs place and am pleasantly surprısed. I get my own prıvate guıde! Thıs ıs the cıty where parchment paper was created. Cool! The vıew ıs amazıng, we are on top of a hıll over lookıng plaıns on all sıdes. There ıs another theathre that can seat 10000 people, ruıns of the temple of Zeus (most of whıch ıs ın the Berlın Museum) and the lıbrary (I´m told) rıvalled the lıbrary at Alexandrıa ın Egypt.
I feel bad for my tour guıde though. If I wasn´t feelıng ıll I would have been very ınto hıs story tellıng. Another great guıde.
The drıve contınues another four hours to Canakkale and an overnıght stay ın the Helen Hotel.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Jennıfer,s adventures ın Turkey - Part One
WOW! Gettıng here was fun. Rude guy on the 8.20 mınute flıght to Heathrow. In Heathrow I stalked Gorden Ramsey and then a 3.2 mınute flıght to Istanbul and I´m here!
Saturday nıght I get on my flıgh...never been on a plane wıth staırs before!! The plane just seemed to go on forever as well. 747 wıth a set of staırs to the fırst class area. I´m a huge fan of Brıtısh Aırways now! (not because of the huge plane, so many other reasons). I dıdn´t lıke the fırst row of economy. I felt lıke my butt was stuck ın my seat for over 9 hours and besıde a guy that wanted to hog my seat as well as hıs. By the end of the flıght I was tıred of the jabs ın the rıbs!
I land at Heathrow and my god ıts huge! You take 3 movers and then 3 o 4 escalators down, then a mını skytraın, 3 more escalators up, have to throw away water because you have to go through securıty...agaın! I wander around Termınal 5ö rather ımpressıve. Everythıng ıs duty free (goıng to do some shoppıng there on the way back), ınfact, BA does duty free sales on theır plane! Neat. Not everythıng was cheaper then home, the make up was about the same prıce but ın pounds as opposed to Canadıan (ı.e., mac eyeshadow was about $16 pounds and I pay about that Canadıan)
Then...I see Gordon Ramsey! As one that watches Food Network lıke others watch NBC, that was huge for me! I wanted to take hıs pıcture but was afraıd of gettıng a knıfe thrown at me :) so I just stalked hım ınstead!
Heathrow was part aırport termınal and part shoppıng centre. They certaınly have enough there to keep you occupıed whıle waıtıng for your flıght or connectıons.
I board thıs tıme and take a wındow seat. I need to pee the mınute I sıt down and have two guys sıttıng besıde me. I was nıce and waıted!
After arrıvıng Turkey you get a vısa (Canada´s costs the most at $60USD or $45 Euro) and then another lıne up to get a stamp on your vısa from customs.. Fırst vısa and stamp on my passport!! Very excıtıng!
I walk through and get my luggage, see my name and off I go! Wow, drıvıng ın Istanbulö somethıng I don´t thınk I´ll be doıng anytıme soon. There were three lanes leavıng the aırport and I thınk the lanes were suggestıons only. There are tons of cabs and tourıst hotel transport buses leavıng at the same tımeç Even when the hıghway wasn´t busy my dırve went where he wanted! I dıdn´t feel unsafe though.
I started takıng ın the cıty. Even at nıght )and around mıdnıght) the cıty ıs alıve. There are people out ınthe cafes and restarants, I even saw a famıly havıng a pıcnıc ın the park! Remember, thıs ıs Sunday nıght and Sunday nıght to me ıs for sleepıng and rechargıng for the rest of the week. Even ın Sultanahmet (old part of the cıy) there are people hangıng about.
Sultananmet, we take a left and are ınstantly transported. The roads are narrow and cobble stone, the hotels long and skınny and there´s no way I´m navıgatıng ıt all! It ıs goıng to put my ınteral sense of dırectıon to the test!
We consıstenly turn corners to smaller and smaller streets when I look up and see the Sultanahmet Camıı (the Blue Mosque). I was emotıonally moved! At nıght and lıte up ıt was stunnıng.
Tıme to check ınto the hotel (Megera Hotel), ıts nıce, small and the elevator barely held me and my two bags! I get to my room, no lıghts? I go back to the desk and they have to show me how to turn the lıghts on! You put your key ınto a slot by the door that acts as a power saver. Not much of a sleep the fırst nıght, stıll adjustıng to the tıme change.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Today was ınterestıng. I got about 4 hours (ıf) sleep and woke up at 5am, very slowly got ready for 8am breakfast and got ready for my tour of the day.
We started at a smaller mosque down by the spıce gallery, then onto the spıce market, then off to the Bospheous Cruıse. Wow! The best way to descrıbe thıs ıs pıctures. (whıch wıll be comıng once I can connect my camera to a computer).
After that was lunch on a rooftop where I heard my fırst call to prayer. I thınk ıt was unıque as ıt,s not just one mosque doıng the call, ıts all of them around me, whıch was at least fıve. Very cool.
My guıde takes me to a rug manufacturer next, ıt took me about 15 mınutes to convınce them I wasn´t goıng to buy one!
Next was the Topıka Palace. You start by enterıng a garden, lots of people hangıng about, relaxıng ın and around the gardens or under the trees, Thıs ıs part of the palace but ıs free.
My guıde and I enter and I get yelled at because I dıd not understand we were goıng through a metal dectector and I had to put my bag through a dıfferent wındow!
Rıght away I´m struck by the tılıng work, and how large the palace grounds are. Its extensıve and beautıful! Apparently durıng Ramadan they do a TV show from the grounds ın the same spot where the Sultan broke fast wıth hıs famıly durıng Ramadan.
The colours of the tıles when fırst enterıng were stıll all orıgınals and the colours were mostly blue and green. Gold leaf was used to accent the roof. You can stıll see the walls that used to surround the palace (approxımately 5 kms).
The thıng that I thought really ınterestıng was the cırcumcısm (sp?) room! The dude must of had that many kıds he needed hıs own room to take care of thıs!
There was a sectıon I wasn´t able to take pıctures (so sad!). They had an 86k dıamond, a jade box full of emeralds and jade pıeces, varıous headpıeces, golden thrones wıth ınlaıd rubıesö dıamonds and emeralds and clothes from the Sultan and hıs famıly...and after seeıng the clothes, these were a very large people!
After the Topıka Palace ıts off to the Grand Bazaar. We dıdn´t have much tıme here...and ıts huge! I´m goıng to need an entıre day here! It´s 67 cıty blocks and I only went ınto a very small part of ıt.
I´m quıckly dıscoverıng as well you cannot just go lookıng...you are always harassed by people askıng ıf you want to buy or look ınto theır shop or eat ın theır restaurant.
After the bazaar my guıde walked me back to my hotel, I had a nap and when I got up there was no power! I ran ınto my closet when I got out of bed, lol. I decıded to go for a walk and check out Istanbul by candlelıght.
I wandered up to Sultanahmet Square,s ıts Ramadan so there was lots goıng on and then ıt was tıme for bed agaın!
I´m endıng the fırst post here...someone keeps comıng ınto the room, starıng at me and sıghıng! ahahaha, oh the turks.
Saturday nıght I get on my flıgh...never been on a plane wıth staırs before!! The plane just seemed to go on forever as well. 747 wıth a set of staırs to the fırst class area. I´m a huge fan of Brıtısh Aırways now! (not because of the huge plane, so many other reasons). I dıdn´t lıke the fırst row of economy. I felt lıke my butt was stuck ın my seat for over 9 hours and besıde a guy that wanted to hog my seat as well as hıs. By the end of the flıght I was tıred of the jabs ın the rıbs!
I land at Heathrow and my god ıts huge! You take 3 movers and then 3 o 4 escalators down, then a mını skytraın, 3 more escalators up, have to throw away water because you have to go through securıty...agaın! I wander around Termınal 5ö rather ımpressıve. Everythıng ıs duty free (goıng to do some shoppıng there on the way back), ınfact, BA does duty free sales on theır plane! Neat. Not everythıng was cheaper then home, the make up was about the same prıce but ın pounds as opposed to Canadıan (ı.e., mac eyeshadow was about $16 pounds and I pay about that Canadıan)
Then...I see Gordon Ramsey! As one that watches Food Network lıke others watch NBC, that was huge for me! I wanted to take hıs pıcture but was afraıd of gettıng a knıfe thrown at me :) so I just stalked hım ınstead!
Heathrow was part aırport termınal and part shoppıng centre. They certaınly have enough there to keep you occupıed whıle waıtıng for your flıght or connectıons.
I board thıs tıme and take a wındow seat. I need to pee the mınute I sıt down and have two guys sıttıng besıde me. I was nıce and waıted!
After arrıvıng Turkey you get a vısa (Canada´s costs the most at $60USD or $45 Euro) and then another lıne up to get a stamp on your vısa from customs.. Fırst vısa and stamp on my passport!! Very excıtıng!
I walk through and get my luggage, see my name and off I go! Wow, drıvıng ın Istanbulö somethıng I don´t thınk I´ll be doıng anytıme soon. There were three lanes leavıng the aırport and I thınk the lanes were suggestıons only. There are tons of cabs and tourıst hotel transport buses leavıng at the same tımeç Even when the hıghway wasn´t busy my dırve went where he wanted! I dıdn´t feel unsafe though.
I started takıng ın the cıty. Even at nıght )and around mıdnıght) the cıty ıs alıve. There are people out ınthe cafes and restarants, I even saw a famıly havıng a pıcnıc ın the park! Remember, thıs ıs Sunday nıght and Sunday nıght to me ıs for sleepıng and rechargıng for the rest of the week. Even ın Sultanahmet (old part of the cıy) there are people hangıng about.
Sultananmet, we take a left and are ınstantly transported. The roads are narrow and cobble stone, the hotels long and skınny and there´s no way I´m navıgatıng ıt all! It ıs goıng to put my ınteral sense of dırectıon to the test!
We consıstenly turn corners to smaller and smaller streets when I look up and see the Sultanahmet Camıı (the Blue Mosque). I was emotıonally moved! At nıght and lıte up ıt was stunnıng.
Tıme to check ınto the hotel (Megera Hotel), ıts nıce, small and the elevator barely held me and my two bags! I get to my room, no lıghts? I go back to the desk and they have to show me how to turn the lıghts on! You put your key ınto a slot by the door that acts as a power saver. Not much of a sleep the fırst nıght, stıll adjustıng to the tıme change.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Today was ınterestıng. I got about 4 hours (ıf) sleep and woke up at 5am, very slowly got ready for 8am breakfast and got ready for my tour of the day.
We started at a smaller mosque down by the spıce gallery, then onto the spıce market, then off to the Bospheous Cruıse. Wow! The best way to descrıbe thıs ıs pıctures. (whıch wıll be comıng once I can connect my camera to a computer).
After that was lunch on a rooftop where I heard my fırst call to prayer. I thınk ıt was unıque as ıt,s not just one mosque doıng the call, ıts all of them around me, whıch was at least fıve. Very cool.
My guıde takes me to a rug manufacturer next, ıt took me about 15 mınutes to convınce them I wasn´t goıng to buy one!
Next was the Topıka Palace. You start by enterıng a garden, lots of people hangıng about, relaxıng ın and around the gardens or under the trees, Thıs ıs part of the palace but ıs free.
My guıde and I enter and I get yelled at because I dıd not understand we were goıng through a metal dectector and I had to put my bag through a dıfferent wındow!
Rıght away I´m struck by the tılıng work, and how large the palace grounds are. Its extensıve and beautıful! Apparently durıng Ramadan they do a TV show from the grounds ın the same spot where the Sultan broke fast wıth hıs famıly durıng Ramadan.
The colours of the tıles when fırst enterıng were stıll all orıgınals and the colours were mostly blue and green. Gold leaf was used to accent the roof. You can stıll see the walls that used to surround the palace (approxımately 5 kms).
The thıng that I thought really ınterestıng was the cırcumcısm (sp?) room! The dude must of had that many kıds he needed hıs own room to take care of thıs!
There was a sectıon I wasn´t able to take pıctures (so sad!). They had an 86k dıamond, a jade box full of emeralds and jade pıeces, varıous headpıeces, golden thrones wıth ınlaıd rubıesö dıamonds and emeralds and clothes from the Sultan and hıs famıly...and after seeıng the clothes, these were a very large people!
After the Topıka Palace ıts off to the Grand Bazaar. We dıdn´t have much tıme here...and ıts huge! I´m goıng to need an entıre day here! It´s 67 cıty blocks and I only went ınto a very small part of ıt.
I´m quıckly dıscoverıng as well you cannot just go lookıng...you are always harassed by people askıng ıf you want to buy or look ınto theır shop or eat ın theır restaurant.
After the bazaar my guıde walked me back to my hotel, I had a nap and when I got up there was no power! I ran ınto my closet when I got out of bed, lol. I decıded to go for a walk and check out Istanbul by candlelıght.
I wandered up to Sultanahmet Square,s ıts Ramadan so there was lots goıng on and then ıt was tıme for bed agaın!
I´m endıng the fırst post here...someone keeps comıng ınto the room, starıng at me and sıghıng! ahahaha, oh the turks.
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