Plane trams and buses

For some reason, our tour dictated us to move from the Q Hotel in Instanbul to the Wyndham Hotel also in Instanbul. Turns out, they are about 500 metres apart on the same street! But we dutifully packed up and moved. When I say 'we moved' what I meant is we packed. The staff carried our bags out of our room and down the stairs. We took one look at the hill, the staff got us a taxi and loaded the bags. At the the Wyndham, the staff unloaded the bags and carried them upstairs. I did pay the five dollar cab fare!  Anyway, the Wyndham is beautiful. Very modern with all the bells and whistles. Including a Balanese masseuse! Yes!! Just what I needed was another massage...truly, it was magic.

As I write, we are presently on a mini coach trip south from Cappadocia. It is the same road that was once famously known as the 'Silk Road', effectively forged by Marco Polo from China (that area of China apparently is now Korea?). The history here is amazing. People like Ghengis Khan have been here, the Romans, the Greeks, the Holy Wars it just goes on and on. But, Back to Instanbul....

Although we have been to Instanbul before, the city is enormous and full of fascinating things. We walked from our hotel down into the old city, looking at the massive numbers of clothing shops, all oozing with product. How do they sell all of this? But everything you can think of is here. We again made our way to the Spice Market, which still astounds me. Imagine every colour you can think of, either flowing down from the ceiling or piled high from the floor, yet each divided neatly next to one another. There's barely room for the shopkeeper inside his four meter by four meter shop. But then multiply that one shop by a thousand! One after the other.  The aromas of spices, coffee, sweets, oils, pastries and flowers. Just amazing.  We want to take one of each shop home!! 

We then wandered some more and into the Grand Bizzare. Again, amazing even though we have been here before. The place has been here for a thousand years. They have tried to add some airconditioning in some of the tiny shops, but still the same structures. And let me tell you, Ali Baba and his Forty Thieves? ..well, we couldn't find Ali, but his mates appear to have multiplied. They will sell you anything for whatever prices comes into their heads. And if they haven't got it, one of their 'Cousins' have! All part of the fun. Time to find a drink! 

We made it to the Roof Top bar, just across from the Orient Express Hotel. There, as we sipped on a couple of ice cold EFFS (beer), we watched down on the unsuspecting tourists as they wandered the streets bewildered by the enormity of what was in front of them. We sat on the edge of the balcony railing, and every now and then, a tram would go by within inches of our elbows. We were also entertained by the waiter, who was actually from Kazakstan, and was studying Engineering at a University in Instanbul. He attempted to educate us with some Turkish terminology. Although I have been practicing, judging by the mirth of the locals, I obviously have not mastered any of my teachings. 

We did master catching a tram through the middle of Instanbul and have used the service quite a bit. For four Turkish lira (about two Australian dollars) you can go anywhere the tram goes. As soon as you get off, to get back on costs another four lira. But we have gone all over the city now.  We also did the Big Red bus tour, which is a favourite of ours whenever we go. There are two Big Red bus routes, and we did both proud. And both took us to parts of the city we would never have thought of going to. Definitely recommend the Big Red bus tour...again!

One morning we did catch the tram into town and then walked across the Gallata Bridge, firstly to watch the three hundred men fishing for sardines from it, but also with the intention of finding a bar in a sunny place for a well earned beer (I know, there is a bit of a theme isn't there?). But we walked for ages along the Asian side of the river, and not one place served beer. So, we had an icecream, and caught our four lira tram back to the old city and a cold beer.

Lunch was had on another roof top bar, this time overlooking the thingy palace and the whatsoever mosque. They said it was happy hour, so the beers were a little cheaper, but the meat platter we had was sixty bucks! It was a very nice meat platter, but a little surprising. (The thingy palace to which Greg refers is Topkapi Palace and the whatsoever mosque is Aya Sophia)

Our time was now up in Instanbul, and we were whisked away to the airport for a flight to Kayseri for the beginning of our next adventure. At the airport we were met by a very grumpy driver. Then we found out why. He had two big busses that seated about twenty passengers in each. But he had over fifty people to pick up. Somehow, as is the way in Turkey, he jammed everyone in, and their luggage. Two young Chinese girls were sitting on luggage near the side door, which opened whilst on the expressway!  Thankfully, nobody was lost and we were first out at our hotel in Cappadocia. Actually, there is no town named Cappadocia, it is a region. The town of Avanos was our host village.

Our hotel was sensational, and we wasted no time in hitting the pool in bright sunshine. Clearly, we have to teach the waiters about getting a beer to the poolside, as we could only get service for one during the afternoon.  It took two days, but they have now learnt, and dutifully return to us like clockwork, with drinks in hand!

Balloons over Cappadocia

We booked an early morning wake up call for 3.30am for a 4.00am pick up. We had seen photographs of the balloon flying over the rock formations of Cappadocia, and were quite excited for what was in store. The area is an amazing looking place with large rock formations left from millions of years erosion from volcanic eruptions. From around 400AD, people have chiselled out dwellings inside these formations, and even under them, to either live or hide.  Apparently mostly monks and religious orders who were trying to escape persecution. 

Once we were out at the cleared fields, dozens of the large balloons were strewn about being readied for flight. Each basket held twenty people, plus the pilot, and the massive gas cylinders.  The safety lecture took exactly forty seconds. "When landing, hold on tight and crouch. Maybe we don't crash". Sounded pretty easy, but crouching is something I was good at when I was seven. Anyway, he was right, we didn't crash.  So all was good.

The flight was absolutely amazing. We lifted just before sunrise and drifted quietly over a land that I imagine Mars might look like. Our pilot steered us down into the valleys of breathtaking stone formations, so close and so slowly that we could have hopped out of the basket and stepped onto them. He turned the basket around so several people had a great photo opportunity of each superb sight. Two young Chinese men, who were outrageously obliging, had brought their Chinese flag along and made sure nearly every photo they took included their flag.  They even took a photo of Cath and I...yes, holding the Chinese flag.  I think we are now Chinese citizens?? It was money well spent. Amazing!!

Back to the hotel for brekky, then picked up again and on our way with the tour proper. We are on the tour with only one other couple from Pensilvania USA, our driver Ali and our tour guide, Omer in a very comfy tour bus that could hold 14 people. So the tour is very personal. We toured all of the sights we had seen from the balloons, and got to see what these people had done some 1700 years ago. It really does look like something out of the Flintstones! But, of course, with a very religious feel to it all. Then back to our hotel, on what was quite a long and hot day, to a beautiful hotel pool and some now well trained staff....

That leads me to today, and our travels down the 'Silk Road'. In parts, the area can be very barren, flat and dry. But spots exist where the Sultan, at that time, had built huge, almost fortresses, to house the camel traders (and their camels) so that trading of spices, silks, gold, precious stones and livestock could take place in safety within his location. Such trading of course increased his wealth and influence. These places still exist today, and to think how busy they must have been back then is amazing.  Having said that, the places still smell of camels!