End of Summer around Gullak (Part 2)

We rented a car in Gullak, the little town that we spent a relaxing week in, and did some touring.

 Ephesus was beyond incredible.  There are no words to describe how massive a restoration this is.  Despite  a scorching hot summer day, we walked for hours. 

And then we took a ferry and spent a day in Kos, Greece.

We had a blast riding around the island

Lay around on the beach

Just a little nervous!



Back in Istanbul... how the garbage is collected.... the little bin hides a huge underground compartment!



Milos, our last excursion and a wonderful colourful market:

 

End of Summer on the Aegean Sea... 2013

After a glorious week in Instanbul, Wendy, Kamil, Steve and I relocated to the Bodrum peninsula.  We ate.

I cooked.  It was a lovely 2 bedroom apartment with everything I needed.

And we ate fish.  And more fish.

And I cooked some more.

And ate out some more, with very funny waiters who were not camera shy!

Lots of white homes on rolling hills

A boat tour

Complete with sea swims!

Lots of Tuborg and Efes.

 

 

 



The Rest of Summer 2013 - Istanbul Part 2

 

Istanbul is best described in pictures.  It is a brilliant city full of contrasts; rich and poor, bright and subdued.  Muslim and Christian.  Wendy and Kamil joined us on the Turkey leg of the trip.

 

Lots of walking!



We stayed in an AIRBNB home so we were in the heart of the city.  People in the heart live in the streets.

There is lots of graffitti and peole sitting outside in the very poor neighbourhoods/

 

Soccer is a universal passtime and doesn't need our large soccer pitches!

Families are intergenerational and these girls just loved to pose for the camera.

 

There were lots of street beggars,
 

and lots of street vendors.

What shall I wear under the burka?

On the way to the bazaar...

 

Praying in the bazaar.  When the call to prayer happens, all work is suspended.

The bazaar... amazing.
 

Prayers take precedence over work.  The stores close when the call to prayer is heard.

There is a main street that is a promenade.  Due to the trials and the demonstrations, the government was showing its power.  Everyone obliviously walked around the tanks.



thertkewjrht

Incredibly beautiful mosques.

Oppulent harem's quarters in the the sultan's palace.

 

The Rest of Summer 2013 - London, Carcasonne, (Part 1)

It appears I didn't quite finish last summer's adventure writing. I will have to trust on my untrustworthy memory.... I feel a need to enter 2013 before I leave (tomorrow) on my next journey.

London
London was another reunion for me, having been there a few times before.  Paul and Lauren needed to leave France to renew their Visas, and so we shares a weekend in London.  Highlights included food; something I never thought I would say about British food.  Two extremely memorable meas were at Nopi, a restaurant owned by one of my favourite cookbook authors, Ottolenghi.  The cookbook is Jerusalem.  The food was superb, as was the casual chic dining experience, celebrating both Lauren and Paul's birthdays. 

The second incredible meal was at Wahaca, a mexican restraunt that was more upscale than more Mexican.  If you make it to London, these are on my list of spectacular experiences. 

We took a boat cruise down the Thames and meandered through Greenwich, stood on the Greenich Meanline, and drank Pim's in a pub.  A sweet time with awesome people.

The best:  The Book of Mormons!  Paul is not a known musical theatre affectionado but to honour his mother, he arranged tickets for us.  We laughed all the way through it; what a great play, so funny, and well worth the hefty ticket prices.

Pimm's in Greenwich village

House of Parliament

Paul and Lauren

Trafalgar Square

Bathroom at Nopi

Everywhere on the Underground

Don't remember the name of the resaurant for lunch but delish!

Nopi

Mediteranean Coast Drive
Bless Paul and Lauren who lent us their car and we took off for the coast.  (We means Steve and I; he had arrived in Grenoble just after our London Weekend).  I was able to dip my toes in the the sea, gaze at the Pont d'Avignon, and best, tour the town of Carcasonne which has been beautifully restored.  Gorgeous. 



Outside walls of Carcasonne