still wild at heart: Dec 1, 2009

CuRRENTLY - Dec 2

I just uploaded all of the picts from my time in Turkey...I know its an odd sort of way to be blogging and all but I'm a luddite so its the best I can do....I am heading out this afternoon to Amsterdam...a good friend from SA is now living there so I'm planning on catching up with him and seeing the sites...cafes? What do they do in the cafe's???

Barcelona Highlights to come....Gaudi preview...

Turkey: HIGHLIGHTS (the end!!)

We headed back to Istanbul for my final 2 days. Took a boat to another Island (whose name I can't recall) on the Asian side...and went antique shopping...my absolute favorite thing!

perusing book markets

apparently the big thing on this island is to eat ridiculously stuffed potatoes...these are the toppings

I actually didn't finish a lot of mine...I don't think its natural for a potato to look like that (ha ha)

sun setting on my final day in Istanbul....what a time it was.

Turkey: HIGHLIGHTS

with chills and body aches Irmak came along with me and Urzak (sp) for a tour of Bursa city in the most torrential rain storm

we made our way to the Silk road where there were shops upon shops with beautiful textiles

The Queen Mother was just here and bought some silk scarves...we approved of her choices though we agreed that we would not necessarily go that route...

The Baazar which houses all manor of items

a store we stopped in for sweets during the tour had the best interior decor...yes that is a fox and 2 rifles on the wall

Turkey: HIGHLIGHTS

grabbed some kebap at the best spot in town!!

then we headed to Hamam...its the oldest in Bursa

yeah they kept it original...couldn't take picts of the facilities but the changing rooms were classic...madd rustico (PM)

BEFORE Hamam

AFTER Hamam...there is an old Turkish saying "You will sweat in Hamam" and we did...I think we look 10 pounds lighter...we had the steam & scrub of our lives...the feeling lasted for days...out of this world.

Turkey: HIGHLIGHTS

We headed off to Bursa via bus & boat to spend a couple of days and I was able to recover with Irmak's great care...then I got her sick...she forgave me eventually...

a couple of days later, I headed to Ikea to meet Irmak

she is an Interior Designer for the store in Bursa

her roommate Funda with a hard hat on in case of a Christmas disaster

she put me to work...X-mas is my favorite time of the year can't you tell

Turkey: HIGHLIGHTS

A night out with the ladies in Taxim...the happening place for the young folks

Hundae, Irmak & Shanli

I was in desperate need of something warm as I started getting sick (later I got a full blown cold that kept me in bed a couple days but it was not the swine flu as everyone said!)

but I was well enough to eat more lamb....

love this pict its super sweet...

Turkey: HIGHLIGHTS

Arrival by boat to Princess Island

The bike ride was great but it was uphill most of the way and after 30 things start to go...the arthritis sets in

Making my mark with a blue crayon ring...'79/30

after biking a ways there was a bit of a trek up to a small church...the inside was amazing

view from the top

Turkey: HIGHLIGHTS

Michael Jackson commemorative plate Turkey style

Shish Kebap is my life! Really ya'll...really

Spice Baazar was brimming with great smells and lovely colors

Roaming the streets beyond the Grand Baazar...to say it was packed is an understatement

after a long bike ride around Princess Island Irmak and I shared a waffle with nutella, dark chocolate, vanilla ice cream, strawberries and bananas...did I say share...oh yes it is authentic to Turkey in case there were any doubts