Depending on what you read or who you listen to, there are either 300 or 400 beers available in Bruges. The place we ate a late lunch/early dinner! boasted of 300 with several local beers on tap with alcohol contents ranging from 4 to 12 percent.
With only 2 days in town I have so far sampled only 4 , all of which have been superior to the suds that the mega breweries in Canada pass off to unsuspecting consumers. Only 296 to go- its going to be tough!
The trip to Bruges from Amsterdam was rather eventful and a good introduction to the intricacies of european rail travel.A delayed conection out of Rotterdam caused a missed connection in Roosendaal which ultimately added two further connections to the trip, as a detour through Ghent cut a half hour off the trip. Regardless, we arrived 2 hours later than scheduled to a dreary damp city.
Hungry and tired, a quick meal of soup and pizza supplied some much needed energy as we tried to figure out the local transportation options. Luckily a helpful attendant at the bus station googled our B&B's address and lined us up with the right bus.
A half hour later we met Hugo, owner of the Lady Jane B& B, a building dating back to the mid 1700's ( but fortunately reno'ed.) The Africa room, home for 2 days is on the 3rd floor with 14 foot ceilings, a loft bed, accessed by a spiral staircase and a collection of African carving, spears, guns and tribal masks. I looked around for shrunken heads but didn't find any, but then, I wasn't looking too closely.
An evening walk in search of restaurants came up rather blank, as monday is a typically closed day fo many places. Take Out to the rescue! 13 Euro provided 2 pasta dishes, a veggie side and a dessert. Hugo supplied a bottle of Argentinian Malbec/Merlot on the house- a perfect meal.
We slept till 9:15!!! Breakfast was waiting on a tray ouside our door- cheese, coldcuts, yoghurt and bread rolls that would have been warm if we had woken sooner.
The centre of Bruges seems to be a mix of chocolate shops, restaurants and beer vendors. Canals meander through various parts of the city. Boats full of shivering damp tourists would occasionally wave as they listened to the commentaries of their guides. Like the Old Town of Antalya, it took a little bit of time to figure out the way from point A to point B. Luckily the tall spires of the many churches gave hints as to direction. It also helped that guided tour groups frequently crossed our paths, so it was often just a matter of tagging along and seeing where they were going.
The first significant stop of the day was the GroeningeMuseum a gallery of paintings dating back several centuries and including the works of Bosch, van Eyck, Poovost and others, all the way up to contemorary artists like Magritte.
From the Groehninge we wandered over to the Zot Brewery, where we were given an overview of the beer making process,an overview of the city as we ascended to the top floor of the brewery and finally a sample of the finished product.
A little typsy after the beer tour we had a late lunch at one of the many beer cafe's
( my term) that dotted the city.
Wednesday morning, an early walk to the city main square found us facing an amazing sight- market day for the locals- stalls set up around the centre of the square selling everything from radishes to ribs, cheese to roast chickens.
The trip back to Schiphol proved as complicated as the trip there. A 20 minute delay on our first leg of the journey ensured that me missed our planned connections so we pieced our way back via a multitude of stops including Roosendaal, Rotterdam, Delft, the Haig and countless other smaller towns.
A couple of hotel shuttles and a plane ride later, I am back in Ontario, having already worked a full shift. A quick check of my bank accounts shows that I am still solvent, that the bank uses rip-off rates to convert foreign currency and that my RRSP's are still telling me I might be able to retire at 75!!
All in all, another amazing trip over. Clearly a need to go back to Bruges at a later date, as well as visit other parts of Belgium. Next trip?? Who knows.? I am leaning towards maybe Panama and/or Columbia. We shall see.
Friday, October 18, 2013
Monday, October 14, 2013
Bye Bye Istanbul
Sunday night is being spent in Amsterdam, or to be exact Hoofddorp, a suburb adjacent to the airport.
A dreary night awaited us when we arrived from Istanbul, and from weather reports, that is also what we can expect for the next few days.
We wrapped up the last couple of days in Istanbul with a Saturday morning visit to Topkapi Palace where I finally managed to see the section dedicated to the Holy Relics of the Prophet Muhammad. Under renovations on my last visit and blocked by massive queues of Muslims due to Ramadan in 2006, this was a case of 3rd time lucky. Worth the wait? I think so- where else are you going to see the Staff of Moses and the Sword of King David and bits of Muhammad's beard ( OK, Other than Ripley's Museum at Niagara Falls!)
True to form, the kitchens were closed on this visit.I dont think the palace is ever FULLY open to the public. At least the Harem was open but sadly there weren't any taste tests being offered!
An afternoon visit to the Church of the Holy Saviour in Chora (known locally as the Kariye Camii or Kariye Museum) proved to be a bit of a letdown. Firstly it was a challenge to get to, in terms of public transport ( two lengthy tram rides from the city centre, and then, upon arrival, actually finding locals who could give accurate directions. ( I stopped 8 people before I got the right directions! Our efforts eventually brought us to a small Byzantine church, ( circa 450 AD) its interior decorated with various religious frescoes, many damaged. While written up as a must see in various guides and extremely hyped in TripAdvisor, it proved to be somewhat diappointing. Having seen other examples of frescoed churches in other parts of Turkey and also Greece this one paled in comparison.
The one part of the trip that was a big plus was a $3 lunch at a local "Bufe". A great tasting chicken wrap and a coke that would have cost at least 3 times the price down town.
Saturday's final museum stop was at the Mevlani Galata museum , just north of the Galata tower in the Beyoglu suburb. A small museum dedicated to the founding of the Suffi order known as Whirling Dervishes, (apparently founded by the Poet Rumi a.k.a.Mevlana) Essentially an order of devout Muslims living a life of extreme poverty. The Whirling Dance they are known for is part of a religious ceremony known as the Sema or Sama. The order was outlawed when Turkey became a republic in 1923 but secret lodges continued and the order is now recognized again, although primarily as a tourist attraction. As a religious order, the Mevlavi, as they are also known, are still more or less banned.
Sunday was more or less spent doing not too much. A quick visit to the Museum of Islamic Arts and Science-complete with 1000 year old surgical instruments, lunch of pide, (Turkish pizza) and a couple of stops for souvenirs marked the end of what might be my last visit to Turkey for a while.
Hopefully the war in Syria will end at some point soon, thus making travel to south east Turkey a little easier and safer. Maybe once that happens I can start to plan the Istanbul to Alexandria voyage that is pretty close to the top of my ( damn I hate that term!) Bucket List.
Tomorrow we finish off this trip with a train trip to and two days exploring in Bruges (or Brugg) Belgium.
A dreary night awaited us when we arrived from Istanbul, and from weather reports, that is also what we can expect for the next few days.
We wrapped up the last couple of days in Istanbul with a Saturday morning visit to Topkapi Palace where I finally managed to see the section dedicated to the Holy Relics of the Prophet Muhammad. Under renovations on my last visit and blocked by massive queues of Muslims due to Ramadan in 2006, this was a case of 3rd time lucky. Worth the wait? I think so- where else are you going to see the Staff of Moses and the Sword of King David and bits of Muhammad's beard ( OK, Other than Ripley's Museum at Niagara Falls!)
True to form, the kitchens were closed on this visit.I dont think the palace is ever FULLY open to the public. At least the Harem was open but sadly there weren't any taste tests being offered!
An afternoon visit to the Church of the Holy Saviour in Chora (known locally as the Kariye Camii or Kariye Museum) proved to be a bit of a letdown. Firstly it was a challenge to get to, in terms of public transport ( two lengthy tram rides from the city centre, and then, upon arrival, actually finding locals who could give accurate directions. ( I stopped 8 people before I got the right directions! Our efforts eventually brought us to a small Byzantine church, ( circa 450 AD) its interior decorated with various religious frescoes, many damaged. While written up as a must see in various guides and extremely hyped in TripAdvisor, it proved to be somewhat diappointing. Having seen other examples of frescoed churches in other parts of Turkey and also Greece this one paled in comparison.
The one part of the trip that was a big plus was a $3 lunch at a local "Bufe". A great tasting chicken wrap and a coke that would have cost at least 3 times the price down town.
Saturday's final museum stop was at the Mevlani Galata museum , just north of the Galata tower in the Beyoglu suburb. A small museum dedicated to the founding of the Suffi order known as Whirling Dervishes, (apparently founded by the Poet Rumi a.k.a.Mevlana) Essentially an order of devout Muslims living a life of extreme poverty. The Whirling Dance they are known for is part of a religious ceremony known as the Sema or Sama. The order was outlawed when Turkey became a republic in 1923 but secret lodges continued and the order is now recognized again, although primarily as a tourist attraction. As a religious order, the Mevlavi, as they are also known, are still more or less banned.
Sunday was more or less spent doing not too much. A quick visit to the Museum of Islamic Arts and Science-complete with 1000 year old surgical instruments, lunch of pide, (Turkish pizza) and a couple of stops for souvenirs marked the end of what might be my last visit to Turkey for a while.
Hopefully the war in Syria will end at some point soon, thus making travel to south east Turkey a little easier and safer. Maybe once that happens I can start to plan the Istanbul to Alexandria voyage that is pretty close to the top of my ( damn I hate that term!) Bucket List.
Tomorrow we finish off this trip with a train trip to and two days exploring in Bruges (or Brugg) Belgium.
Saturday, October 12, 2013
Friday night, Istanbul
10pm Friday,
Seems we covered a whole lot of ground over the last few days and have the blisters to prove it.
A morning walk through Gullhane ( umlaut above the u!) was an easy way to walk off a mundane Turkish breakfast [9 kinds of olives, 8 kinds of mystery meat, stewed eggplant and various breads] The Turkish have clearly mastered the art of hard boiling eggs to the point that they will probably bounce if dropped on a hard surface= fried eggs? well let's say it seems to be a work in progress!
The park takes a route north through the section known as Seraglio Point and borders the western side of Topkapi Palace, the fortifications of which loomed high above us.
After leaving the park the route south continued uphill to an area known as Sultan Ahmet Square, an open courtyard with central fountain. To its north, the Hagia Sophia and to its south the Blue Mosque. An early attempt to enter the latter was postponed on seeing the mob ( several hundred)_ tourists waiting to enter. Instead we made a trip to the Basilica Cistern an underground reservoir dating back to 550AD that supplied water to the people of the Great Palace and surrounding city. Supported by at least 300 columns, walkways allow people to pass through the area while staying above the level of the water.
A trip through the Bazzar District to the Suleymaniye Mosque was an uphill struggle through fairly dense crowds of locals. A stop for lunch in what appeared to be a garment district was tasty and much cheaper than similar fare in the tourist areas. Turkey is interesting in that many types of retail are regionalized i.e. similar materials all within the same 2 or 3 blocks. For example musical instruments all sold in one area, curtains and blinds- ditto, bolts of fabric for clothing, etc.
Built in the 1550's the Suleymaniye Mosque is a massive dome with a large courtyard, 4 minarets, a graveyard and a tomb to the sultan. Outside of the highwalled outer courtyard are several buildings which were formerly hospitals, libraries and a caravanserai ( travellers resting place- what we would now consider a motel!) Several of the buildings have now been converted to restaurants.
Like almost all mosques the building is illuminated during the day by light streaming in through windows placed high in the walls and also in the various domes comprising the roof of the building. Ornate tiles and caligraphy adorn the walls. The entire floor is carpeted .
Returning towards the waterside of the Golden Horn, we once again found ourselves virtually carried along by the crowd. Arriving at the Sprice Bazzar we struggled to break out of the crush as we headed west for several 100 meters before arriving at the Rustem Pasa Mosque. Much smaller than the Suleymaiye, but built by the same architect (Sinan) it's interior is almost totally covered in various styles of Iznik tiles. Of very fine quality and largely of blue colour these tiles serve to make this mosque one of the most elaborately decorated in the city.
We finished off the day with a visit to the Blue Mosque at around 5:30pm, While I did manage a few photos the light was starting to deteriorate, thus an additional visit will be neccessary before the trip home.
Friday morning started with a visit to Hagia Sophia, where, sadly, scafolding continues to block access to some areas. Luckily the front of the building was completely open, allowing for pictures that had not been possible the last visit.
A visit to the Archeology Museum later in the day pointed out to me that the building has been in a relatively continuous state of repair since the 1600's
The original church building was inaugurated in 537 AD. The Ottomans converted it into a mosque in the 15th century, adding minarets and fountains. The current buiding is actually the third constructed on the site- earthquakes and fires having destroyed the first two.
Sandwiched between the Hagia Sophia and a late afternoon visit to the Archeology museum was a visit to the Dolmabahce Palace. Located on the western bank of the Bospherus a couple of km from Taksim Square it was built in 1856 as a home for the Sultan. Consisting of hundreds of rooms and various reception halls as well as a harem, this was clearly a staggering piece of architecture, designed along the lines of French Renaissance palaces. With seemingly no expense spared, the palace is at once a display of magnificent art and architecture, but at the same time is shows, perhaps, the reason the people of the country were eager for political change.
Sadly the tour was by group only with no photography allowed. We were thrown into a rather large group making it difficult to hear the guides commentary. I eventually settled for just wandering through the various rooms with the plan to read up on the history on my own at some point.
With one full day left, Saturday, I dont imagine we will be sitting around. Nothing like trying to wear out 3 pairs of shoes and an aching body at the same time, And somehow I still tell myself this is a vacation. I'm seriously going to need a week to recover after it is over!!!!!!!!!!
Seems we covered a whole lot of ground over the last few days and have the blisters to prove it.
A morning walk through Gullhane ( umlaut above the u!) was an easy way to walk off a mundane Turkish breakfast [9 kinds of olives, 8 kinds of mystery meat, stewed eggplant and various breads] The Turkish have clearly mastered the art of hard boiling eggs to the point that they will probably bounce if dropped on a hard surface= fried eggs? well let's say it seems to be a work in progress!
The park takes a route north through the section known as Seraglio Point and borders the western side of Topkapi Palace, the fortifications of which loomed high above us.
After leaving the park the route south continued uphill to an area known as Sultan Ahmet Square, an open courtyard with central fountain. To its north, the Hagia Sophia and to its south the Blue Mosque. An early attempt to enter the latter was postponed on seeing the mob ( several hundred)_ tourists waiting to enter. Instead we made a trip to the Basilica Cistern an underground reservoir dating back to 550AD that supplied water to the people of the Great Palace and surrounding city. Supported by at least 300 columns, walkways allow people to pass through the area while staying above the level of the water.
A trip through the Bazzar District to the Suleymaniye Mosque was an uphill struggle through fairly dense crowds of locals. A stop for lunch in what appeared to be a garment district was tasty and much cheaper than similar fare in the tourist areas. Turkey is interesting in that many types of retail are regionalized i.e. similar materials all within the same 2 or 3 blocks. For example musical instruments all sold in one area, curtains and blinds- ditto, bolts of fabric for clothing, etc.
Built in the 1550's the Suleymaniye Mosque is a massive dome with a large courtyard, 4 minarets, a graveyard and a tomb to the sultan. Outside of the highwalled outer courtyard are several buildings which were formerly hospitals, libraries and a caravanserai ( travellers resting place- what we would now consider a motel!) Several of the buildings have now been converted to restaurants.
Like almost all mosques the building is illuminated during the day by light streaming in through windows placed high in the walls and also in the various domes comprising the roof of the building. Ornate tiles and caligraphy adorn the walls. The entire floor is carpeted .
Returning towards the waterside of the Golden Horn, we once again found ourselves virtually carried along by the crowd. Arriving at the Sprice Bazzar we struggled to break out of the crush as we headed west for several 100 meters before arriving at the Rustem Pasa Mosque. Much smaller than the Suleymaiye, but built by the same architect (Sinan) it's interior is almost totally covered in various styles of Iznik tiles. Of very fine quality and largely of blue colour these tiles serve to make this mosque one of the most elaborately decorated in the city.
We finished off the day with a visit to the Blue Mosque at around 5:30pm, While I did manage a few photos the light was starting to deteriorate, thus an additional visit will be neccessary before the trip home.
Friday morning started with a visit to Hagia Sophia, where, sadly, scafolding continues to block access to some areas. Luckily the front of the building was completely open, allowing for pictures that had not been possible the last visit.
A visit to the Archeology Museum later in the day pointed out to me that the building has been in a relatively continuous state of repair since the 1600's
The original church building was inaugurated in 537 AD. The Ottomans converted it into a mosque in the 15th century, adding minarets and fountains. The current buiding is actually the third constructed on the site- earthquakes and fires having destroyed the first two.
Sandwiched between the Hagia Sophia and a late afternoon visit to the Archeology museum was a visit to the Dolmabahce Palace. Located on the western bank of the Bospherus a couple of km from Taksim Square it was built in 1856 as a home for the Sultan. Consisting of hundreds of rooms and various reception halls as well as a harem, this was clearly a staggering piece of architecture, designed along the lines of French Renaissance palaces. With seemingly no expense spared, the palace is at once a display of magnificent art and architecture, but at the same time is shows, perhaps, the reason the people of the country were eager for political change.
Sadly the tour was by group only with no photography allowed. We were thrown into a rather large group making it difficult to hear the guides commentary. I eventually settled for just wandering through the various rooms with the plan to read up on the history on my own at some point.
With one full day left, Saturday, I dont imagine we will be sitting around. Nothing like trying to wear out 3 pairs of shoes and an aching body at the same time, And somehow I still tell myself this is a vacation. I'm seriously going to need a week to recover after it is over!!!!!!!!!!
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Today is Monday? Isn't it?
I guess it is reaching that point on the vacation where one starts to forget just what day it is. Today was spent largely doing nothing, That turned out to be rather strenuous. Starting with a hike from the hotel to the highest levels of the Old Town we walked through one of the downtown parks, admiring the view from the cliffs over the very blue waters of the Mediterranean. A visit to the Ataturk House, where the famous leader spent time during his first visit to the area in 1930, proved to be a short but interesting diversion.
Lunch at a place called Leman Culture turned out to be an interesting experience. With a rather eclectic menu, reminiscent of the Loonie Spoons cookbook series, the food was a pleasant change from the kebabs, kebabs and more kebabs of the local vendors. With its own Facebook Page and endorsements from various people including my nemesis- Dr Oz! it will definately be worth a second look, if not here then in the Istanbul location, if we can find it.
Following lunch, a visit to the main modern mall of the downtown, Mark Antalya proved to be a major culture shocker after the bazaars and street stalls of the Old Town. Stores ranging from H & M to Pierre Cardin were spread over 4 floors of a very modern looking building. The 5th floor offered a food court of perhaps 30 vendors with slections ranging from the basic western standards McD, Burger King, Sbarro, Arby's Subway to local foods like pide, wraps, kebabs etc. No Tim Hortons, but a Starbucks on the main level!
Wednesday 10pm
On Tuesday, our last full day in Antalya we finally located the local fruit and veg. market a rambling seies of hundreds of stalls scattered over 10 or 12 side streets. Offering , literally, soup to nuts, it had me wishing I had found it sooner. With tangerines at 75 cents a KG and grapes at $1.50 a Kg, pomegranates at 60 cents for one weighing well over a pound, it was quite an experience. Vendors were quick to offer samples and most were very honest in their dealings. Only one walnut vendor took advantage of our unfamiliarity with local pricing and ripped us off slightly, but otherwise, $7 bought us an armload of fruit, including a pound of soft dried figs.
Tonight we are back in Istanbul at a small hotel in the Sultanameht area. A stones throw from the Topkapi Palace and two blocks from the Blue Mosque, we are in area that seems to be 30% restaurants, 30 % hotels and 30% everything else- ceramcs, carpets, pashminas. Every restaurant seems to offer exactly the same menu, each promising the best food, the freshest fish, the best prices. With our own hotel offering a 10% discount we took a chance on their kitchen. Sadly the discount did live up to the promises of the hotel staff. An excessive amount of seasoning, mostly salt, rendered the otherwise decently cooked meal, virtually inedible.
Hopefully, breakfast, included in the room price, wont suffer the same fate!
No plans, as of yet for tomorrow. Having survived the Metro and tram rides from the airport, I now have a vague idea how to get around this fairly massive city for a reasonably low cost. With Topkapi and several mosques within walking distance or only a few tram stops away, it shouldn't be too hard to keep busy. I am hoping the Hagia Sophia is free from scaffolding and construction shrouds this time. On the last two visits sections of the main building's interior were obscured due to restoration work. Ditto for the Topkapi Palace which had several sections closed during a visit in 2007/8??
With three full days here, there may even be time to squeeze in a ferry trip to the Asian side of the Bosphorus, something we did not experience on our previous visits.
Lunch at a place called Leman Culture turned out to be an interesting experience. With a rather eclectic menu, reminiscent of the Loonie Spoons cookbook series, the food was a pleasant change from the kebabs, kebabs and more kebabs of the local vendors. With its own Facebook Page and endorsements from various people including my nemesis- Dr Oz! it will definately be worth a second look, if not here then in the Istanbul location, if we can find it.
Following lunch, a visit to the main modern mall of the downtown, Mark Antalya proved to be a major culture shocker after the bazaars and street stalls of the Old Town. Stores ranging from H & M to Pierre Cardin were spread over 4 floors of a very modern looking building. The 5th floor offered a food court of perhaps 30 vendors with slections ranging from the basic western standards McD, Burger King, Sbarro, Arby's Subway to local foods like pide, wraps, kebabs etc. No Tim Hortons, but a Starbucks on the main level!
Wednesday 10pm
On Tuesday, our last full day in Antalya we finally located the local fruit and veg. market a rambling seies of hundreds of stalls scattered over 10 or 12 side streets. Offering , literally, soup to nuts, it had me wishing I had found it sooner. With tangerines at 75 cents a KG and grapes at $1.50 a Kg, pomegranates at 60 cents for one weighing well over a pound, it was quite an experience. Vendors were quick to offer samples and most were very honest in their dealings. Only one walnut vendor took advantage of our unfamiliarity with local pricing and ripped us off slightly, but otherwise, $7 bought us an armload of fruit, including a pound of soft dried figs.
Tonight we are back in Istanbul at a small hotel in the Sultanameht area. A stones throw from the Topkapi Palace and two blocks from the Blue Mosque, we are in area that seems to be 30% restaurants, 30 % hotels and 30% everything else- ceramcs, carpets, pashminas. Every restaurant seems to offer exactly the same menu, each promising the best food, the freshest fish, the best prices. With our own hotel offering a 10% discount we took a chance on their kitchen. Sadly the discount did live up to the promises of the hotel staff. An excessive amount of seasoning, mostly salt, rendered the otherwise decently cooked meal, virtually inedible.
Hopefully, breakfast, included in the room price, wont suffer the same fate!
No plans, as of yet for tomorrow. Having survived the Metro and tram rides from the airport, I now have a vague idea how to get around this fairly massive city for a reasonably low cost. With Topkapi and several mosques within walking distance or only a few tram stops away, it shouldn't be too hard to keep busy. I am hoping the Hagia Sophia is free from scaffolding and construction shrouds this time. On the last two visits sections of the main building's interior were obscured due to restoration work. Ditto for the Topkapi Palace which had several sections closed during a visit in 2007/8??
With three full days here, there may even be time to squeeze in a ferry trip to the Asian side of the Bosphorus, something we did not experience on our previous visits.
Sunday, October 6, 2013
Sunday Oct 6th, The week so far
A week into the trip, Sunday marks the 5th day in Antalya.
Overall, the weather has been great, if a little unpredictable . Wednesday evening torrential rains left the streets awash in water for 2 hours before the storm passed on, A beautiful day followed with highs approaching 30C. We spent the better part of the day checking out the Old Town and the adjacent city areas.
Friday a guided tour took us to Perge, Aspendos and Side ( pronnounced See-Duh) all ancient city sites. Perge's history goes back to 3000 BC, but most of the current site is from the Roman Era ( around 100-200AD) The visible ruins consist of an ampitheatre, a stadium ( both off limits due to restoration efforts) and a central city area consisting of an Agora , a main street, several fountains and bath houses. The main street featured rows of marble columns which at one time supported a roof which covered shops and a sheltered walkway. In the centre of the street a water flowed through a central channel cooling the air during hot summer days. Much of the statuary from the theatre and the city are on display in the Antalya museum, which we visited on Saturday. Interestingly, while the statues looked very impressive, most were reproductions of originals on display at other major sites throughout the civilized world. ( Proving that the "knock-off" industry isn't really anything new!!)
Half an hour away from Perge, the city site of Aspendos featured a fully restored Greco-Roman Ampitheatre. With a seating capacity of 20,000 it is used to this day to stage a variety of productions. Sadly, much of the upper porticos and galleries were under restoration and were off limits to the public. Some distance away from the theatre a basilica and several sections of an aquaduct made up the visible remains of the ancient city.
Our final stop of the day, the ancient city of Side proved to be a massive site that was too large to cover in the time alloted. As a result we returned there Sunday via public transport- firstly a tram to the main bus terminal, the Otogar and from there a bus (locally known as a dolma ( motorcoach))n order to have a more in depth look at the area.
The trip took approx. 2 hours each way- quite a long time considering the distance- about 70km. That was largely due to the frequency of stops to pick up and drop off passengers. Considering the poor attitude and impatience of the driver, we were lucky to make it home in one piece after coming very close to collisions on several occasions. He even leaned on the horn when an ambulance with flashing lights got in his way! The ruins themselves are spread over a fairly large area which also incorporates the modern town of Side. Several streets of restaurants and shops geared to tourists stretch inland from the waterfront for about 3/4 of a km. The largest building , the theatre is somewhat unique in that it is not built into a hillside to support the seating area. Instead the seats are supported by the structure itself, just like modern stadiums . The rest of the acient city is largely untouched ruins ( with only a few structures like the Agora and a key fountain , partly restored. Entire marble columns could be seen semi submerged in the sand that made up the walkways that meandered between the various ruined buildings. Sadly, no attempt has been made to protect the site and many of the tourists were climbing on structures with no consideration for the damage they might be causing. Only a few sensitive areas were totally off limits to the public and only viewable from behind wire fences.
It reminded me of the way many of the ruins in Mexico and Central America were treated before the governments woke up to the fact that sites were slowly being destroyed by the tourists visiting them. It may take a few years before the Turkish authorities get the same wake up call.
Overall, the weather has been great, if a little unpredictable . Wednesday evening torrential rains left the streets awash in water for 2 hours before the storm passed on, A beautiful day followed with highs approaching 30C. We spent the better part of the day checking out the Old Town and the adjacent city areas.
Friday a guided tour took us to Perge, Aspendos and Side ( pronnounced See-Duh) all ancient city sites. Perge's history goes back to 3000 BC, but most of the current site is from the Roman Era ( around 100-200AD) The visible ruins consist of an ampitheatre, a stadium ( both off limits due to restoration efforts) and a central city area consisting of an Agora , a main street, several fountains and bath houses. The main street featured rows of marble columns which at one time supported a roof which covered shops and a sheltered walkway. In the centre of the street a water flowed through a central channel cooling the air during hot summer days. Much of the statuary from the theatre and the city are on display in the Antalya museum, which we visited on Saturday. Interestingly, while the statues looked very impressive, most were reproductions of originals on display at other major sites throughout the civilized world. ( Proving that the "knock-off" industry isn't really anything new!!)
Half an hour away from Perge, the city site of Aspendos featured a fully restored Greco-Roman Ampitheatre. With a seating capacity of 20,000 it is used to this day to stage a variety of productions. Sadly, much of the upper porticos and galleries were under restoration and were off limits to the public. Some distance away from the theatre a basilica and several sections of an aquaduct made up the visible remains of the ancient city.
Our final stop of the day, the ancient city of Side proved to be a massive site that was too large to cover in the time alloted. As a result we returned there Sunday via public transport- firstly a tram to the main bus terminal, the Otogar and from there a bus (locally known as a dolma ( motorcoach))n order to have a more in depth look at the area.
The trip took approx. 2 hours each way- quite a long time considering the distance- about 70km. That was largely due to the frequency of stops to pick up and drop off passengers. Considering the poor attitude and impatience of the driver, we were lucky to make it home in one piece after coming very close to collisions on several occasions. He even leaned on the horn when an ambulance with flashing lights got in his way! The ruins themselves are spread over a fairly large area which also incorporates the modern town of Side. Several streets of restaurants and shops geared to tourists stretch inland from the waterfront for about 3/4 of a km. The largest building , the theatre is somewhat unique in that it is not built into a hillside to support the seating area. Instead the seats are supported by the structure itself, just like modern stadiums . The rest of the acient city is largely untouched ruins ( with only a few structures like the Agora and a key fountain , partly restored. Entire marble columns could be seen semi submerged in the sand that made up the walkways that meandered between the various ruined buildings. Sadly, no attempt has been made to protect the site and many of the tourists were climbing on structures with no consideration for the damage they might be causing. Only a few sensitive areas were totally off limits to the public and only viewable from behind wire fences.
It reminded me of the way many of the ruins in Mexico and Central America were treated before the governments woke up to the fact that sites were slowly being destroyed by the tourists visiting them. It may take a few years before the Turkish authorities get the same wake up call.
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Wednesday Oct 2nd- Antalya
11pm
As expected , the last night at the New Pera Suites was spent listening to bad renditions of Turkish versions of songs that sounded somewhat familiar but ..... Sort of a bloopers reel from Turkey's Got Talent- assuming such a show exists.
It was raining when I finally fell asleep- I'm guessing around 4am and it was still raining when we set off for breakfast at McDonalds around 9am.
The trip to Antalya involved a taxi, a shuttle bus, 2 separate luggage searches at the airport then a 70 minute flight via AtlasJet, a regional airline.
The pre-arranged transport was not waiting upon arrival. He showed up 15 minutes late ( the first bad sign) then halfway between the airport and the town of Antalya he stopped to ask for directions as he drove down a narrow side road which was clearly not where we were supposed to be.
After making several calls ( to no avail) he began to rely on me for directions as I toggled between maps on my phone and street signs ( the purpose of which seemed lost to him) Maybe he was illiterate or perhaps a newly landed immigrant who kidnapped the real driver and hijacked the car. Who knows? Eventually we did enter the narrow confines of the Old Town where he drove around aimlessly for another 15 minutes, narrowly missing pedestrians as he asked directions from shopkeepers and waiters. He finally pulled to a stop, pointing to a narrow street and we exited the vehicle as he removed our luggage. With bags in hand we went in the indicated direction, my pre-arranged payment of 60 YTL still clutched in my hand. For all I know he may still be wandering the streets of Old Town, trying to figure out a route back home!!
The Tutav Adalya, home for the next 7 days is a comfortable hotel of somewhat indeterminate vintage. Located at the western edge of Kaleici ( Old Town) Antalya It overlooks a small harbour that is jammed with small craft- a mix of fishing boats and boats offering cruises along the adjacent coast.
Kaleici, at first glance (actually second) seems to be about a square kilometer in area and consists of dozens of narrow winding streets of hotels, bars, restaurants, shops and the odd private home.
Having made a brief visit here a few years back, it didn't take long for me to recognize major landmarks and figure out my way around ( at least during the day) Sadly, at night most stores are shuttered and street signs largely non-existent, street lighting is rather dim, so finding ones way, (especially after a trip to the bar) might be a bit of a challenge! Welcome to Old Town
As a bit of a postscript> Sorry no pictures. Seems like my Olympus SLR and the slowest internet server on the planet are making uploads a major challenge.
As expected , the last night at the New Pera Suites was spent listening to bad renditions of Turkish versions of songs that sounded somewhat familiar but ..... Sort of a bloopers reel from Turkey's Got Talent- assuming such a show exists.
It was raining when I finally fell asleep- I'm guessing around 4am and it was still raining when we set off for breakfast at McDonalds around 9am.
The trip to Antalya involved a taxi, a shuttle bus, 2 separate luggage searches at the airport then a 70 minute flight via AtlasJet, a regional airline.
The pre-arranged transport was not waiting upon arrival. He showed up 15 minutes late ( the first bad sign) then halfway between the airport and the town of Antalya he stopped to ask for directions as he drove down a narrow side road which was clearly not where we were supposed to be.
After making several calls ( to no avail) he began to rely on me for directions as I toggled between maps on my phone and street signs ( the purpose of which seemed lost to him) Maybe he was illiterate or perhaps a newly landed immigrant who kidnapped the real driver and hijacked the car. Who knows? Eventually we did enter the narrow confines of the Old Town where he drove around aimlessly for another 15 minutes, narrowly missing pedestrians as he asked directions from shopkeepers and waiters. He finally pulled to a stop, pointing to a narrow street and we exited the vehicle as he removed our luggage. With bags in hand we went in the indicated direction, my pre-arranged payment of 60 YTL still clutched in my hand. For all I know he may still be wandering the streets of Old Town, trying to figure out a route back home!!
The Tutav Adalya, home for the next 7 days is a comfortable hotel of somewhat indeterminate vintage. Located at the western edge of Kaleici ( Old Town) Antalya It overlooks a small harbour that is jammed with small craft- a mix of fishing boats and boats offering cruises along the adjacent coast.
Kaleici, at first glance (actually second) seems to be about a square kilometer in area and consists of dozens of narrow winding streets of hotels, bars, restaurants, shops and the odd private home.
Having made a brief visit here a few years back, it didn't take long for me to recognize major landmarks and figure out my way around ( at least during the day) Sadly, at night most stores are shuttered and street signs largely non-existent, street lighting is rather dim, so finding ones way, (especially after a trip to the bar) might be a bit of a challenge! Welcome to Old Town
As a bit of a postscript> Sorry no pictures. Seems like my Olympus SLR and the slowest internet server on the planet are making uploads a major challenge.
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Istanbul- Tuesday Oct 1st
10pm
The police once again made their rather unwelcome presence on Istiklal Caddesi this evening. Several dozen, in full riot gear, stood in the rain with batons and tear gas launchers at their sides, their plastic shields giving them some degree of shelter.
Thankfully, they were gone by the time we returned from supper.
Sleep came in brief cycles last night as the bar across the street finally closed up around 4am. Motor traffic and street sounds continued till close to dawn. I finally got out of bed at 8:30am with, at best, 3 hours of sleep under my belt.
A basic breakfast of bread, cheese, "mystery meat" butter and hazelnut spread , washed down with Nescafe, gave me enough energy for the day ahead.
The day began with a walk ( approx. 2km)from the hotel to the Golden Horn, the body of water that separates the Beyoglu District from the Bazaar Quarter to the south. Intermittent showers kept things rather damp for the first part of the day, The rains did then hold off until sunset, other than the odd sprinkle.
At the halfway point of the descent down the hill, the Galata tower overlooks the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus. Standing approx 200 ft tall, it has been, since its construction in the 6th Century, a shipping observatory, a prison,a naval depot and a fire watchtower.
Two bridges span the Golden Horn, the most accessible for pedestrians being the Galata due to its proximity to the major tourist sites. Below its main deck are several seafood restaurants. In front of each is a waiter armed with a multilingual sales pitch and a menu offering "the freshest fish for the best price in all of Istanbul" They do not understand the word "No" in any of the major languages and one has to simply keep walking in silence rather than attempting repeated "No ThankYou's"
After crossing the bridge we made our way to the nearest major structure, the New Mosque. Old by our standards, it was built between 1597 and 1663. Since sveral other mosques were built around the same time, the title New Mosque is a bit of a misnomer.
The interior is decorated with blue and white floral tiles from Iznik a city to the southeast of Istanbul which is famous for ceramics.
Leaving the Mosque we made a brief stop at the Spice Bazaar. As well as a dizzying array of spices, the stalls also sell dried fruit, various Turkish candies, fresh fruit and the usual tourist "bait" pashmina's, leather goods, jewelry and ceramics.
An uphill walk towards the centre of the Bazaar district brought us to the Grand Bazaar. Enclosed by external walls and domed roofs it is, essentially a small self contained town with several dozen streets lined with several thousand vendors, restaurants, cafes and food stalls. Vendors sell everything from traditional hand made jewelry, ceramics, carpets and leather goods. Here the lesson "buyer beware" takes on an ominous threat, as cheap knock-offs are an everyday risk. Carpets are promised to include delivery and they may occasionally arrive at your home having transformed on route from silk on cotton to a polyester copy. With care and some help from some of the more trustworthy tour guides, it is possible, however, to come away from the experience with an excellent carpet of quality construction.
A quick lunch of kebab, rice, shepherd salad and flatbread cost just over 10 YTL ( $5 US) and was tasty and filing.
Stops at two more lesser known mosques, the Nuru Osmaniye Mosque and the Atik Ali Mosque, brought us to the structure known as Constantine's Column. Originally much higher than its current 115 feet, it looks rather like a smoke stack due to the reinforcing rings along its length. It was built in 330AD and was originally capped with a statue of the Emperor Constantine dressed as Apollo. Various fires and storms over the years have reduced the once decorated exterior to a dull rust colour.
Slightly to the east of the column is a large mausoleum, the Tomb of the Sultan Mahmut II (1838) Enclosed within are the shrouded ( in carpets) caskets of the Sultan and various others of his family.
With the clock rolling on for 4pm and with the Blue Mosque and the Topkapi Palace just down the hill we decided to call it a day.
Crossing the same way we came, we ran the gauntlet of seafood restaurants under the Galata bridge, dodging at least a dozen pleas of let me show you a menu? No, then how about a beer.
Arriving back in Beyoglu a short tram ride saved us the long uphill slog to the hotel.
Deciding that one more night of Turkish disco is one too many I cancelled next weeks, 4 night stay at this hotel and picked one in a different district which hopefully has thicker walls.
It was raining when we headed out for supper. Dodging the areas with heavy police presence we found a bookstore/ restaurant offering pizza, pasta, chicken and steaks. A hearty offering of pasta with seafood for Susanna and chicken for me was later balanced with a nice cappuccino and a slice of caloric heaven!
At 12:30 am the music across the street is still slightly more tuneful than the sounds of car horns and I am praying that a pillow over my head and a half tablet of Imovane will serve me well.
The police once again made their rather unwelcome presence on Istiklal Caddesi this evening. Several dozen, in full riot gear, stood in the rain with batons and tear gas launchers at their sides, their plastic shields giving them some degree of shelter.
Thankfully, they were gone by the time we returned from supper.
Sleep came in brief cycles last night as the bar across the street finally closed up around 4am. Motor traffic and street sounds continued till close to dawn. I finally got out of bed at 8:30am with, at best, 3 hours of sleep under my belt.
A basic breakfast of bread, cheese, "mystery meat" butter and hazelnut spread , washed down with Nescafe, gave me enough energy for the day ahead.
The day began with a walk ( approx. 2km)from the hotel to the Golden Horn, the body of water that separates the Beyoglu District from the Bazaar Quarter to the south. Intermittent showers kept things rather damp for the first part of the day, The rains did then hold off until sunset, other than the odd sprinkle.
At the halfway point of the descent down the hill, the Galata tower overlooks the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus. Standing approx 200 ft tall, it has been, since its construction in the 6th Century, a shipping observatory, a prison,a naval depot and a fire watchtower.
Two bridges span the Golden Horn, the most accessible for pedestrians being the Galata due to its proximity to the major tourist sites. Below its main deck are several seafood restaurants. In front of each is a waiter armed with a multilingual sales pitch and a menu offering "the freshest fish for the best price in all of Istanbul" They do not understand the word "No" in any of the major languages and one has to simply keep walking in silence rather than attempting repeated "No ThankYou's"
After crossing the bridge we made our way to the nearest major structure, the New Mosque. Old by our standards, it was built between 1597 and 1663. Since sveral other mosques were built around the same time, the title New Mosque is a bit of a misnomer.
The interior is decorated with blue and white floral tiles from Iznik a city to the southeast of Istanbul which is famous for ceramics.
Leaving the Mosque we made a brief stop at the Spice Bazaar. As well as a dizzying array of spices, the stalls also sell dried fruit, various Turkish candies, fresh fruit and the usual tourist "bait" pashmina's, leather goods, jewelry and ceramics.
An uphill walk towards the centre of the Bazaar district brought us to the Grand Bazaar. Enclosed by external walls and domed roofs it is, essentially a small self contained town with several dozen streets lined with several thousand vendors, restaurants, cafes and food stalls. Vendors sell everything from traditional hand made jewelry, ceramics, carpets and leather goods. Here the lesson "buyer beware" takes on an ominous threat, as cheap knock-offs are an everyday risk. Carpets are promised to include delivery and they may occasionally arrive at your home having transformed on route from silk on cotton to a polyester copy. With care and some help from some of the more trustworthy tour guides, it is possible, however, to come away from the experience with an excellent carpet of quality construction.
A quick lunch of kebab, rice, shepherd salad and flatbread cost just over 10 YTL ( $5 US) and was tasty and filing.
Stops at two more lesser known mosques, the Nuru Osmaniye Mosque and the Atik Ali Mosque, brought us to the structure known as Constantine's Column. Originally much higher than its current 115 feet, it looks rather like a smoke stack due to the reinforcing rings along its length. It was built in 330AD and was originally capped with a statue of the Emperor Constantine dressed as Apollo. Various fires and storms over the years have reduced the once decorated exterior to a dull rust colour.
Slightly to the east of the column is a large mausoleum, the Tomb of the Sultan Mahmut II (1838) Enclosed within are the shrouded ( in carpets) caskets of the Sultan and various others of his family.
With the clock rolling on for 4pm and with the Blue Mosque and the Topkapi Palace just down the hill we decided to call it a day.
Crossing the same way we came, we ran the gauntlet of seafood restaurants under the Galata bridge, dodging at least a dozen pleas of let me show you a menu? No, then how about a beer.
Arriving back in Beyoglu a short tram ride saved us the long uphill slog to the hotel.
Deciding that one more night of Turkish disco is one too many I cancelled next weeks, 4 night stay at this hotel and picked one in a different district which hopefully has thicker walls.
It was raining when we headed out for supper. Dodging the areas with heavy police presence we found a bookstore/ restaurant offering pizza, pasta, chicken and steaks. A hearty offering of pasta with seafood for Susanna and chicken for me was later balanced with a nice cappuccino and a slice of caloric heaven!
At 12:30 am the music across the street is still slightly more tuneful than the sounds of car horns and I am praying that a pillow over my head and a half tablet of Imovane will serve me well.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)