Vancouver Island, BC - Aug 5

Heather and Bryan's house

Getting up at 5AM usually isn't anything I do without an alarm, but not today - wide awake before the sun was up after about 4 hours of sleep.  I feel fine until about mid afternoon when I am pooped!
 

We are spending the next 2 days with our friends Heather and Bryan at their new house on Vancouver Island - about 1 hr 15 min north of Victoria.  We spend a leisurely morning watching Olympics (our first real Olympics watching time),lounging on the deck admiring the fantastic view and eating breakfast.  By 11:15 we are on the water.
 

seal island

We cruise around the islands between Vancouver Island and the mainland.  One of our stops takes us to Seal Island(named for obvious reasons), to Tent Island (also for obvious reasons, although not pictured) for some swimming, to Montague Bay for lunch, Cowichan Bay for groceries and  boating  along with Heather’s son and his wife.  It was a wonderful afternoon in the sun.  I even took a bit of a nap in the boat’s sleeping area.  I know this part has a name, but for the life of me can’t remember. It’s basically the nose of the boat.

We spend the evening eating a wonderful dinner prepared by Heather’s son and his wife, drinking wine and playing pool (when was the last time I did that??)  It was a delightful day!!




post boat nap

Istanbul, Turkey - Aug 4

Canada bound!  Thankfully our flight is late enough in the day that we are able to sleep until about 9:00.  It’s a whole day of travelling ahead of us.  Hopefully there will be some sleep on one of the 3 planes we will be on.

We have only done the drive from the airport in the dark and the light confirms for us what a beautiful city Istanbul is.  The old city is cramped and congested, but that is the charm of it.  Once we are out of the old city the drive is calm and quick.  Ii is also incredibly green.  Both sides of the road are grass or parks and the boulevard is full of flowers. 

We agree that Turkey is a comfortable place.  People we encounter are mostly service industry people, but that is who we typically encounter wherever we go.  Here we get none of the European lack of interest.  People aren’t pushy, but are always around if you need them.  The shops are a bit different.  People always want to give you their ‘best price’, but aren’t at all in your face – nothing like Egypt or India.  In fact, yesterday we bought some Turkish delight and didn’t talk to a soul except for a sample and to pay.  Most of the service people shake your hand and some even introduced themselves by name.

To answer a few questions from comments…

-          Turkish cider was OK…quite sweet and served over ice.  Don’t think I’ll have one again.

-          Olive oil…not sure what combination we liked best.  There was a oil infused with chillies which was quite hot and tasty, one infused with rosemary that was a bit too bitter.

-          Gambling… 3 of a kind pays 30 to 1, straight flush pays 40 to 1.  Chris typically plays $10, I play $5.  In the end we were ahead by $400.

-          Chris staying humble…as humble as he ever is!

Istanbul, Turkey - Aug 3

By 8:45 we are off the ship and an hour later we are in our hotel room.  We take it easy today, wander the old town a bit where our hotel is, shop a bit, eat some Turkish food, try a Turkish cider.

Istanbul, Turkey - Aug 2

sailing into Istanbul

35 - not too humid at all

 IS - TAN - BUL!!!!!!!  I am THRILLED to be here.  It was fantastic to sail into the Bosphorus Straight this morning to see the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, Galata Tower and Bridge and all of the Istanbul skyline.  Typically we sail into port first thing in the morning, so it’s easily possible to miss the sail in.  Plus most ports aren’t exactly beautiful – usually the ship docks in an industrial container port.  Today we were in at noon.  That meant a leisurely morning (good thing after the 2AM casino night yesterday) watching the Istanbul skyline come into focus.

Medusa head

sistern









After a room service lunch of Spaghetti Bolognese and a glass of wine (also delightful as we sail) we are off on a tour of some of the lesser known Istanbul landmarks as we have been to Istanbul before.  We have also found that these ‘not-so-popular’ tours are filled with people who come back to the bus on time, don’t take a million photos and are generally a pleasure to tour with – today is no exception.





mosque

stormy skies

Chora Church

Chora Church - a church that is no longer a place of worship, but a museum is where we first stop.  It was built in the 5^th century and was converted to a mosque in the 16^th century by the Ottomans.  Although it was converted into a mosque the Christian frescos were not destroyed, but covered with plaster and wood.  This seems like a very civilized way to ‘get-rid’ of another religion.  It is lucky because these frescos are stunning.  The frescos here were painted by the same artists that painted ones we saw on a previous trip to Turkey in Trabzon – one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been.  These frescos are in much better shape.




spice market

Next we visit a mosque which isn’t all that impressive.  It is conveniently located next to our stop at the Spice Market, so that’s likely why we stopped.  The spice market is more than spices.  It’s basically a small souk – small stalls one next to the other selling spices here, but other things also.



Next is a visit to the cistern.  This is one thing Chris saw when he was here 20 years ago, but I’ve never seen.  It is deep underground with many columns.  Built in the 6th century this cistern was used as a water filtration system for the adjacent palace.

Unfortunately this is our last day of the ship.  It’s been a great 15 days.  As usual I’m happy to be heading home, but sad to be leaving a wonderful place where I’ve felt like a princess.  We have one day on our own in Istanbul tomorrow followed by 2 with our friends Heather and Bryan on Vancouver Island ahead of us.  I am terribly thankful that we have no early flights.  I heard someone say today that their wake-up call is at 2:30AM!  WOW.

Kuşadasi, Turkey - Aug 1

33, but not too humid

August – WOW…I won’t even say it.

It’s another early start for us as we begin day 1 of 4 in Turkey.  My first thought as I step onto the deck this morning is how much I love Turkey.  All it takes this morning is a little less humidity and I’m in love all over again.  Forget anything I’ll see, smell, do, taste or hear…I FEEL love through the mere fact that my skin isn’t glistening.

lion feet on theatre seats

As we’ve been to Kuşadasi before and saw the main attraction Ephesus we opt for a more obscure less popular tour to 2 ancient sites.

likely the only wildlife we'll see this trip

Miletus theatre

ruins at Didyma

The first of these 2 ancient sties is Miletus.  Miletus is an ancient Greek city on the west coast of Turkey.  The site we visit has been under excavation since the 1960s, but only 10% of it has been uncovered – that is truly the amazing part of the visit.  Sure the site is beautiful and interesting, but to think what we can see which seems vast is only a small fraction compared to what is still under the ground is a bit mind blowing.  I suppose when the guide describes this as a city where 100 thousand people used to live it makes a bit more sense.  Miletus was constructed in the third century BC by the Greeks and expanded by the Romans in the second century AD.  We (a group of 11) are pretty much the only ones here – lovely especially given the fact that there are 300 tour buses headed to Ephesus!

Medusa head

Roman baths

Didyma is our next ancient site.  The name Didyma means twins – it is the site of 2 temples and orcles of the twins Atremis (goddess of the hunt and Apollo god of music and the arts.)  This site is a lot different than Miletus.  This site is my definition of ancient ruins.  It’s very much Greek – as the guide described it…the area, Turkey and Greece were pretty much the same place except for geography – gods were worshiped, temples were built, cities were constructed.  Here we see the temple, wells where the oracles spent time and carvings of griffins, Medusa and other figures of mythology.  It’s been pretty great to hear as many stories as we have this trip about the Greeks and their god and goddesses – while these are often bizarre stories they are highly entertaining.

The afternoon is lunch, laundry, drinks at the pool, a nap, room service pre-dinner snacks and enjoying the deck.  At one point while out on the deck about 8 fighter jets fly overhead…not exactly the same feeling as when they fly over in Calgary during the Stampede.