Tag: Istanbul

Last day in Istanbul, sadly! There is always a bit of trepidation as I launch into a new country, wondering what it will bring. Wondering how I’ll manage it all. But today was nice. Istanbul is now so familiar and easy to get around. So I set out and made my way back to my favourite haunts…Up to Istikial Cadassi, through the fish markets just pottering. Then to a couple of Museums Id missed last time and wanted to see. One of them has a terrific exhibition of Street art that was rather wonderful. Then back to my favourite restaurant for lunch and had my yummy goats cheese salad with pomegranate dressing…delicious. Then i sauntered back down the massive hill to the tram and back to Sultanahmet. Then I decided to have one last wander through the Grand Bazaar. The first day I saw some earrings I really liked and have tried to find the place again each time I’ve walked through the Bazaar. Thought Id have one last try but once again couldn’t find the place for love or money. Every time I go to the Bazaar I get lost and have to walk around endlessly working out how to get where I’m going…but all enjoyable.

I came back to the hotel about 4 and spent the next couple of hours trying to figure out my photos and how to get a few up on Facebook. I think I finally achieved this but rather indiscriminately I fear.

Anyhow then I took off back to my favourite restaurant for tea and had stuffed mussels (the best thing in all the world), followed by fried anchovies…yummy.

Chris told me about this restaurant, it is fabulous but in a bit of a dodgy area for an after dark solo walk, not that Ive ever felt in the least bit threatened. Showered now and getting myself organised for fairly early departure tomorrow.

Sorry i didn’t post last night but to be honest was feeling a bit down at the end of a long day yesterday. Went out to forage for food and when I got it I couldn’t eat a bite, felt sick for some reason and a bit blue. No reason for this, just tired and getting back to Istanbul kind of let me just collapse for a brief moment. i also felt overwhelmed by the thought of reorganising myself to move on, catching up on all the things i needed to do, including making decisions about where to go next, sorting out a ticket etc etc….no blowouts for the last 3 weeks so basically I decided to have one!!

But…having said that yesterday wasn’t a bad day at all and i was really excited to get back to Istanbul, god I love this city!! One of the things I’ve done since getting back is to get my brand new macair out and it so much easier to type etc. I’m very glad I’ve got it though I haven’t fully worked things out yet!

9 hrs on the bus yesterday but surrounded by people looking after me all the way. The surprise of that trip is that I had no idea that the bus took the ferry across the Bay of Marmaris. That was a surprise and a treat that i loved.

The bus company have a servis bus that is supposed to take you into town. However this ’servos’ bus man wasn’t so customer focussed and dropped me and another guy way away and said get on the ‘bus’! The other guy was a gorgeous young man from Lebanon…a banker!!!!….so together we muddled through. Fortunately I knew about the tram and had my ‘Istanbulkart’ so I was able to work us out, get us on the tram and walk to my hotel (after I ditched the poor lovely young man from Lebanon).

I arrived back at Levni which was so nice, they are such lovely people and greater me like a long lost friend. That was so nice and Istanbul feels so comfortable.

As I said I was in a bit of a state as I had no idea what I was going to do next. But as I’ve put in things in place I’ve settled. My big dilemmas was where to next…stop in Plovdiv or go through to Sofia…had to sort ticket and accommodation so decisions needed to be made. As I lay awake last night it occurred to me that my dilemma was about a place I could leave my case etc. Bulgaria doesn’t lend itself to this so once I’d worked that out the rest fell in to place. I’m off to the furthest point first i.e. Sofia and then I’ll take all my luggage when I head off to Plovdiv etc, making my way up to Bucharest without going back to Sofia.

So…have a bus ticket…10 hours but get it over in one day I say and have now sorted accommodation. 3 nights in Sofia which will somehow have to include Rila Monastry and Boyana Church….hopefully it will become clear how I’m going to manage that when I’m there. Any insights gratefully received!!!

Having sorted all that out i was free to enjoy some more of Istanbul. Intermittent rain today so didn’t get too adventurous. I really wanted to go to Kariye Church/ Museum. The only way to get there was by taxi so a hugely expensive day but it really was amazing. You know my favourite thing in all the worls is mosaics and this was mosaic heaven…mosaic and fresco heaven actually. only about 150 photos!!! My next trick now that I’ve got the computer going is to download my photos!!

Then I went and had fun exploring the Grand Bazaar, hadn’t really given it much attention so I enjoyed that. Back hotel early to get my IT sorted as best I can. Have tried to Skype but can’t get it right time wise so have to rely on Hammy for my touch base family member being in the same hemisphere!!

The Meuzzin is in full flight as I type…I just love it, so reliable!!

This missive more than makes up for none last night.