Amazing Istanbul

Finished a relaxing six days in Kusadasi.  Very enjoyable with lots of swimming and eating. 

 I do seem to have torn or sprained a muscle in my upper arm at the water park, (coupled with having a tumble last night makes me wonder if I am in my 80s rather than my fifties- mind you, I have always fallen over etc, just recovered quicker).

We are now in amazing Istanbul. We arrived last night. Taxi driver couldn't find hotel so dumped us in the general vicinity and wanted an extra 20 lira for his trouble.

  It is such a beautiful city.  Frantic, noisy, chaotic - but beautiful.

Today is rainy and stormy but it should be fine for the rest of our stay.  Planning to buy some crap for Christmas stockings while we are here.

Ephesus

Isn't that a grest word?  Ephesus!  Ephesus, Ephesus, Ephesus.

Went there yesterday.  Very interesting and special.  Went from here on a tour.  The guide was very skilled at turning one and a half hours of interest into five hours of "get me the f*# out of here".  He spoke to the monuments and structures instead of to the people so me and another age inflicted tourist had to constantly manouver to be between him and the monument in question.  As he spoke to several monuments from each standing position it became a dance as intricate as the samba but nowhere near as erotic.

The Greek/Roman/Byzantine ruins are very interesting and the guide to his credit was very knowledgable.

The library is the best known but not so "hot" in its day I guess.

Today we went to Adalan water park.  A different type of attraction but certainly fun.
Now very tired after all the exertions of the day and looking forward to a wee nap before dinner.

Turkey's Surfer's Paradise

Staying in Kusadasi just across the way from Samos.  This is Turkey's tourist beach destination so not much in the way of history or culture but a nice sandy beach.  Lots of glitz and crap just like the gold coast but much cheaper.

In another "Surfers" parallel there have been waves each of the three afternoons we have been here so far.  A combination of the strong onshore winds and the tides etc, I believe waves of any description are rare in the Agean.

The only thing that really says you are in Turkey is the call to prayer five times a day.  It really is a beautiful sound.  There are also mosques instead of churches and the odd bazaar and castle or two.

Another three and a half days here (can't help bad luck).  Off to Ephesus tomorrow for a bit of culcha, and going to a waterpark (Gold Coast anyone) the next day.

There is a down side.

We have a lovely view from our balcony and apartment

There is a beach about two minutes walk away, and if we get sick of that, there is an alternative about four minutes walk

The food is delicious and the apartment is poorly set up, so we have to eat out.

There are lots of cats and quite a few dogs.  All of them so calm which is quite a contrast to the people, who are also very friendly.

There are some great archaeological and other historical sights, like the oldest known harbour and the cave of Pythagorus (who was born and raised here)

On the other hand, there are 77 steps to our apartment (good excuse for an extra helping of moussaka I guess), and, you have to put used toilet paper in a bin.  Becuause Connor sleeps in this does not get emptied as often as desirable.

Mister museum man

YTook Connor to the National Archaeological Museum. It can be a bit intimidating for a 15yr old, first time in a Greek museum and such a distinguished one.

The skill in the sculpture amazes me, not to mention the Mycenean gold.

This wax after I had dummy run the journey to ferry port when I picked up the tickets. So valuable when you have an early ferry and are highly anal about such things.  

We are on the ferry now heading for six days in Samos. This will be hard to take. 

After his early rise, Connor had found a place to curl up and grab some more sleep. I get the joy of waking him twice. Or perhaps every time we pass a beautiful island,

Speaking of, he has found it hard to come to terms with putting used toilet paper in the bin instead of the toilet, as you must on Greece.  Someone has missed a chance to tell fortunes with this practice.

Sunset on Samos

Bonza pie, best fun, big storm

Last full day in London went to national gallery, Notting Hill, St James etc. 

Had the best pie in the Tottenham pub. Lamb shank pie, and I got them to give me mushy peas instead of mash.

Pretty hard to top that, but Louise did with Eton mess for dessert that night.

We are  Now in Athens. I went for a long walk to check out some familiar haunts this morning.  This afternoon we had the best fun on a Segway ride around the Acropolis (with Connor and John from Mudgee.)

A big storm came along to liven things up. Going out for a nice meal this evening.

The king of the north

Rest day for Connor today. I went to an 18th century restoration -fairfax house thus morning. Then castle Howard thus afternoon. Now waiting to do a ghost tour.

Fairfax house was built by a viscount for his daughter as a dowry. She was his only surviving child but never married. All the furniture is authentic to the period. It was all interesting especially when I went in to the ladies instead of the gents.

Castle Howard was something else again. Built to impress , set in 9,000 acres, with a couple of hundred if that parkland around the house.

It was used in a show called brideshead revisited and inside is much as it was in that.

There is a red dining room and a blue sitting room and lots of Italian antiques. 

Outside there is park and lakes and woods and follies to walk to.  All over the top.

The ghost tour was a bit if fun I guess, plenty of humour and horrible deaths. Pity they were nearly all children.