Every morning as soon as I get up I need coffee. At the hostel breakfast is included, so the good news - I could have coffee right away. But the bad news – coffee is very bad, it is always instant coffee, Yuk :) I t is bad but I still drink a cup, I just think that is my medicine for the day, coffee is my addiction….
After breakfast (always white bread, cheese, tomatoes, cucumbers, eggs, jam and bad coffee) I head down the street to Starbucks, yes there is a Starbucks, actually quite a few in Istanbul, I am happy! Coffee tastes almost as good as in Vancouver. Coffee is expensive around 4 dollars for a regular tall coffee. Talking about prices Istanbul is a fairly expensive place, but again I had good kebabs for 5 dollars, beer is also 5 dollars. Dark Turkish beer is very good, food is everywhere and it is good.
Saturday and Sunday I visited Istanbul as much as I could:
Grand Bazaar, amazing place, many wonderful things, it was very hard not to buy anything, I found it much nicer that Moroccan medians , even though I have to admit that it is different
Galata Bridge
Istiklal Caddesi – Commercial Street
Taskim square
Sunday night I met my tour leader and fellow travelers. Tour leader is Chloe a young Australian girl; my fellow travelers, a Canadian couple from Nelson BC, an Australian couple and a single Australian man. They all seem very nice.
The group will leave tomorrow morning; I will stay in Istanbul for an extra day to get the visa and join the group on Tuesday.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Friday, August 29, 2008
Turkey - Istanbul
My tour is 19 days Turkey and Syria. According to Lonely planet and some Internet reading Canadians can not get Syrian visa at the border.
There is a Syrian Consulate in Istanbul and Syrian visa can be obtained there. I get up in the morning and head to the Syrian consulate. Syrian consulate in the other part of town, so I have to take the tram, a funicular (it is very cool and fast) and the metro. Sure enough I get lost trying to get there, I had to ask about 10 people, my Turkish pronunciation of the street it doesn’t make it any easier, and finally I get there.
I am told by the visa clerk that in order to get the visa I have to get a letter from Canadian consulate that I am a Canadian citizen (what is the passport for???) and to pay 45 euros. It was already 10 am Syrian consulate works until from 9:30 am to 11 am, it is Friday, my tour leaves on Sunday no way I can make it to Canadian consulate and back and get the visa today! Anyway I took a taxi and went to Canadian consulate. Canadian consulate is on a pedestrian street, the take drops me off in front of the street; still takes me a while to find the consulate, there is a Canadian flag but it is up there very hard to see.
The lady at the Canadian Consulate is super nice, gives me the letter very fast (I had to pay 50 dollars for the letter) and whishes me good luck. Even with good luck I am not going to make it back on time, it was 11 am! Well I guess I am not leaving with the tour, I will have to spend an extra day in Istanbul to get the Syrian visa.
In the after noon I went on a couple of hours Bosphoros cruise. I really enjoyed the cruise; it was very interesting to watch on one side big, luxurious houses, villas, private beaches, boats, parks, restaurants.
The opposite side, old city, beautiful mosques, old buildings, parks and restaurants as well.
If I just looked at this bridge I could think for a moment that I am back home in Vancouver ( hmmm, yes I do miss home)
Istanbul is so different from any other cities I have seen so far, not wonder it is described in the travel book as the place where East meets West; it is fascinating, huge, beautiful, unexpected, clean, and mysterious. Bazars, markets, mosques, gorgeous architecture, parks, flowers, food, Turkish delights, and this city is truly captivating… This city has everything one can dream on.......
There is a Syrian Consulate in Istanbul and Syrian visa can be obtained there. I get up in the morning and head to the Syrian consulate. Syrian consulate in the other part of town, so I have to take the tram, a funicular (it is very cool and fast) and the metro. Sure enough I get lost trying to get there, I had to ask about 10 people, my Turkish pronunciation of the street it doesn’t make it any easier, and finally I get there.
I am told by the visa clerk that in order to get the visa I have to get a letter from Canadian consulate that I am a Canadian citizen (what is the passport for???) and to pay 45 euros. It was already 10 am Syrian consulate works until from 9:30 am to 11 am, it is Friday, my tour leaves on Sunday no way I can make it to Canadian consulate and back and get the visa today! Anyway I took a taxi and went to Canadian consulate. Canadian consulate is on a pedestrian street, the take drops me off in front of the street; still takes me a while to find the consulate, there is a Canadian flag but it is up there very hard to see.
The lady at the Canadian Consulate is super nice, gives me the letter very fast (I had to pay 50 dollars for the letter) and whishes me good luck. Even with good luck I am not going to make it back on time, it was 11 am! Well I guess I am not leaving with the tour, I will have to spend an extra day in Istanbul to get the Syrian visa.
In the after noon I went on a couple of hours Bosphoros cruise. I really enjoyed the cruise; it was very interesting to watch on one side big, luxurious houses, villas, private beaches, boats, parks, restaurants.
The opposite side, old city, beautiful mosques, old buildings, parks and restaurants as well.
If I just looked at this bridge I could think for a moment that I am back home in Vancouver ( hmmm, yes I do miss home)
Istanbul is so different from any other cities I have seen so far, not wonder it is described in the travel book as the place where East meets West; it is fascinating, huge, beautiful, unexpected, clean, and mysterious. Bazars, markets, mosques, gorgeous architecture, parks, flowers, food, Turkish delights, and this city is truly captivating… This city has everything one can dream on.......
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Turkey - Istanbul
I arrived in Istanbul after 24 hours train ride from Bucharest. I changed my travel plans so many times, not sure where to go next…. I was never interested to visit Turkey but being in Romania I figured that I am so close to Turkey maybe it would be a good idea to actually visit Turkey. Last minute decision I booked an adventure tour for 19 days Turkey and Syria.
I got the Turkey visa at 4 am in the morning when the train stopped at the border. I paid 45 Euros!!!; the most expensive Turkey visa is for Canadians, don't know why...for Americans is only 20 Euros and for Europeans is even cheaper only 12 Euros! So what is up with 45 Euros visa for us???
Istanbul was never on my "must see city", but by the time I took the tram and walked to the hostel I was so amazed by this city, I realized that it should have been on the list, Istanbul is definitely a must see city!
I checked in the Bahouse hostel by 2pm. Hostel is located in Hostel in Sultanahmet, in the European part of town. It is a very cool place if I ever come back to Istanbul I will stay in same area.
Hostel has a roof terrace overlooking Mediterranean Sea. I went up and had my first Turkish beer and kebab – yummy.
In the afternoon went browsing in the neighborhood; there are tons of coffee shops, restaurants, stores. I am very close to the Blue Mosque and Aya Sofya; between the two there is nice park with colorful flowers and water fountain.
It is wonderful to meander on the streets, see, smell and feel the vibe of the city.
My decision to come to Istanbul was good; welcome to the “city of world’s desire”.
I got the Turkey visa at 4 am in the morning when the train stopped at the border. I paid 45 Euros!!!; the most expensive Turkey visa is for Canadians, don't know why...for Americans is only 20 Euros and for Europeans is even cheaper only 12 Euros! So what is up with 45 Euros visa for us???
Istanbul was never on my "must see city", but by the time I took the tram and walked to the hostel I was so amazed by this city, I realized that it should have been on the list, Istanbul is definitely a must see city!
I checked in the Bahouse hostel by 2pm. Hostel is located in Hostel in Sultanahmet, in the European part of town. It is a very cool place if I ever come back to Istanbul I will stay in same area.
Hostel has a roof terrace overlooking Mediterranean Sea. I went up and had my first Turkish beer and kebab – yummy.
In the afternoon went browsing in the neighborhood; there are tons of coffee shops, restaurants, stores. I am very close to the Blue Mosque and Aya Sofya; between the two there is nice park with colorful flowers and water fountain.
It is wonderful to meander on the streets, see, smell and feel the vibe of the city.
My decision to come to Istanbul was good; welcome to the “city of world’s desire”.
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