Istanbul

We had decided to get a private pickup from the airport at Istanbul as the airport was not the main one and we had heard on trip adviser that the hotel was hard to find. As it turned out the driver knew the hotel and its owner and the trip took us over 2 hrs so the set price for the transfer was the best way to go. Our hotel is owned by a guy named Ali and he lives there with his family. He is very helpful and every morning when he delivered our breakfast he would ask us if we had any questions or needed any information. The street is very run down and some buildings have been demolished  but we felt very safe and the room had all that we needed for our stay. 

We are in the old part of the city in Sultanahmet which is located on the Euopean side very close to the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia Museum and the Topkapi Palace which are some of the attractions to visit here. The Mosque is free to enter but we decided to have a guide take us through and explain the history. He was a lovely old guy who looked as old as the Mosque but he got us through the crowds ahead of the line and explained about the Iman or Priest and his role. At the end of the tour it turned out he wanted us to go with him to a Turkish rug shop so we decided to go for the experience. We had read that we would be under no obligation to buy but if we made an offer and it was agreed we had to go through with the sale. We were sat down and were given apple tea which we love so happy to have and the rug man started telling us about each rug as he laid it on the floor in front of us. We explained that we weren't interested in buying a rug but the guy was happy to show us anyway. In the end he asked if we wanted to go through the shop and look at the the ceramic wear he had. I had wanted to buy a bowl to bring home anyway and found a lovely one at the right price. I also brought 4 small bowls which were all hand painted. I was happy to get what I wanted and enjoy the friendly talk with the rug salesman. 

We visited the Topkapi Palace built by Faith Sultan Mehmet in 1478 and used as the Sultans residence for 380 years. The Palace had a Harem which we walked through listening to our audio guide. They made out that the women were given important jobs and the Sultans mother had a lot of power but when we looked up info on Internet afterwards the picture was not so rosey as you can imagine. The Sultans were overthrown around 1919 when Atiturk come to power as Prime Minister. 

A trip to Istanbul would not be complete without a visit to the Grand Bazaar where you are asked by almost every shop salesman to come in and look at their goods. We were constantly surprised at the tatics used to lure you in to their shop but it was all done with a smile and friendly banter.

On our last day we took a bus and boat tour which was about 6 hours. The guide talked about the works that were starting on new bridges and transport links to airport and the business districts. The boat travelled along the Bosphorus stopping to tour the Kucuksu Palace on the Asian side. The bus tour took us to Pierre Loti hill where we caught a cable car down to the bottom. On our way back to our hotel we decided to get some extra cash from a ATM but when Cliff put his MasterCard in the machine a screen come up that we could not read. We tried to cancel and get the card back but nothing worked. The guy behind us couldn't speak much English so he called another guy over and he said the machine was telling us to contact the bank. It's was after business hours and we were leaving the next morning to England. The guy rang the number on the screen and we spoke to a women about our problem. After many attempts to give our details we were told that she could do nothing about getting our card back. The good news was that Cliff had not entered his code so at least no one could use it to get cash out however they could buys things on the Internet so we rushed back to our room to call the bank in Australia. Having cancelled the card we then had to see about getting a new one sent to us. Luckily we were staying in a cottage in Ludlow for 2 weeks and the card was to take 5 working days so we gave them that address. We really appreciated the help we received from the guy on the street. He was selling tours and gave up his time to help us when he could have been getting business. 

We found the people in Turkey very friendly and it was worrying to hear about the clashes with police in the last couple of days. We also had some great meals and meet some very nice people particularly a in a bohemian restaurant close to our hotel. It was run by some Kurbish people and we were treated like friends. They kept giving us free apple tea to say in the restaurant as we were the only ones there. We had our last meal their and it was fantastic traditional Kurdish dishes. 

Our plane to England was leaving at 8.50am so we had a very early start to the airport. Ali arranged for our pick up and even waited until the bus came and waved us off at 5.30am. What a guy. 

Bodrum Turkey

Meet an Australian couple on the ferry to Bodrum which was nice as we haven't meet many so far. Bodrum is very much a holiday destination with a beautiful harbour and lots of tourist shops and restaurants. Our hotel was off the main street and very quiet. It is owned and run by a family who live on the premise and are very friendly. The pool got lots of use by me as the temperature reached over 30C and we tried to spend some time each day relaxing after sight seeing. 

We took a tour to visit a traditional village and experience rural Turkish life. It was really nice to meet some of the woman who handmade carpets and the trip included going into a Mosque as well as meeting some of the animals e.g. Camels, goats, chickens and rabbits. It was explained by our guide (who came from the village) that the town has a commune which was built with government assistance and is the financial governing body in the town. All handmade items are sold in the commune building and 90% of the profit goes to the family and the remainder goes to the commune for the upkeep of the town. We had a beautiful lunch made by the locals which included rice, salad and a few different bean dishes, all yummy. 

We visited the Underwater Archaelogy Museum which is in the Bodrum Castle and contains many artefacts brought up from a ship wreck. It is well documented with facts about trade, finance, every day life and the afterlife. The castle was built by the Crusader Knights in honour of St Peter in the 15 th century AD. 

On a walk to a big shopping complex further up the hill we came across an example of an ancient water tank. Dome in shape the water flows down the sides and into the holes. A small door allows people to enter and collect water however they are no longer in use. We also visited the Myndus Gate which is one of two built by King Maussolos to protect the city. 

 Bodrum is a lively town with lots of night clubs, restaurants, shops and everything a tourist would enjoy. The people are very friendly and we spent many meals talking to the staff and learning about life in this Turkish area. We were woken every morning by the mosque's call to prayer and in total minimum of 5 per day. The large number of motorbikes and cars was astounding and how they don't take out tourists is amazing. 

 

On our last night we decided to go to a lovely beach restaurant we had visited earlier. We were blessed with a full moon coming over the hills and a beautiful fish meal. A good finish to our time in Bodrum.