July 31 a quiet day in

 Today we had a quiet day catching up with washing etc. We only went out to a local restaurant for a yummy lunch and later for dinner.

Best chicken soup  I’ve tasted for a long time (served with lemon and flat bread). A delicious light lunch.

Our neighbourhood mosque

An amazing creeper grew beside the restaurant

An absolutely delicious meal of Manti - Turkish ‘ravioli’

The end of a gentle day

July 30 Back in Istanbul

 Wonderful being back in Istanbul again. Today we wandered. It was not without purpose as we were interested to get information about getting to the Black Sea, but we poked our noses into old and new places. As we have a number of times before, we ended up at the harbour and had a fish sandwich on the Galata Bridge.  I love the energy of the whole waterfront area plus the New Mosque and Spice Bazaar. 

The waiting line to get in to see the Basilica Cistern snaked around the corner.

Water fountains dot the streets but I'm not game to drink the water.

Eating fish sandwiches in Galata Bridge looking towards the current fish boat restaurants

This is how we bought fish sandwiches in 1984 - from the boat.

Huge shopping arcade in the passage under the road

Misir Carsisi, the spice bazaar which was opened in 1664

New Mosque finished in 1663. No wonder that step is so worn (red circle)

Sirkeci Terminal opened in 1890

This was the end of the line for the Orient Express which started from Paris in 1883 with forty passengers on board (before this station had been completed); the round trip lasted 7 days. The kids and I arrived at this station from Venice in 1984. Last time we were in Istanbul the station was closed for long distance trains so Lundsay and I had to be bussed out of Istanbul to catch the train to Bucharest.  

Today a bustling train station

The trams take up the entire road here. You've got to keep your ears open.

You never know what's behind high walls - we peered through a grill because I am curious

Wandering back to the hotel I found an opening in a high wall and looked through. Voila. It was the site of the Aydinglu Dervish Convent built in 1509. It was demolished in 1958 and today houses a shrine, fountain and sepulcher. A tranquil little spot on a busy road.

July 29 Athens to Istanbul

We’ve arrived in Istanbul and the temperature was a lovely 25C. Utter bliss after the scorching days in Greece. We’re staying at the same hotel we stayed at in 2018 at the end of traveling the Old Silk Road - good memories. Hagia Sophia is right outside our window. So beautiful.  We have 6 days here before boarding a ship bound for Venice.

Cool drinks after a long drive from the airport - it’s Saturday and summer!

The restaurant on the roof of our hote

A room with a view.

Sultan Ahmed Mosque at dusk

Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque) glorious in the twilight. The city comes alive with the haunting adhan which echoed across this city of over 3000 mosques.

July 27 – 28 Last days in Athens

 Our last two days in Athens we sheltered inside during the worst heat of the day then went out for a wander. Just down the road from our hotel is the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Annunciation; we ducked in for a look. It is stunning.  

Then we headed for the Plaka and idled all the narrow streets. Quite fascinating. From salons advertising skin-eating fish where you put your feet into a fish tank and have the fish nibble your dead-skin off to wee lux shops selling gorgeous glass doodads to ancient ruins. Athens has it all! 

Quite bizarre but popular

We stumbled upon these ruins of a basilica from the 1st century

Our last supper - Korean

After dinner on our last night, we caught a taxi and headed for Mount Lycabettus; name origin is unsure but popularly it’s ‘the one that is walked by wolves’.  Its summit is the highest point in Central Athens. I missed going there when I visited Athens in the 80s. People gather there to see the sunset. Like most popular tourist attractions, we waited in line for a long time to catch the funicular to the top.  It’s a thing to do! And the panorama is rather amazing.

Like all high places there were COMs towers on top

It was standing room only

July 26 Three islands in the Saronic gulf

 

An interesting little harbour where we met the boat

Athens in fact the whole region was extremely hot and definitely not wandering weather. So we decided to take a one day cruise to 3 of the islands in the Saronic Gulf - Hydra, Poros, Aegina. I think we regretted the decision when we saw the vessel and the crowds pouring onto it - I had images of media reports of a ferry sinking in Greece..  It was crowded and very noisy!  

First stop Hydra

Hydra and Poros were quite quaint tourist spots and we wandered a little in spite of the heat. Lunch was included and we were herded into an over crowded area. The food was OK and plentiful. By the time we got to Aegina, the largest of the islands we’d had it. Unfortunately, the stop there was a long one; we chose to stay onboard and read as the options all cost extra and didn’t interest us anyway.  Rather a wasted day in many respects but a good lesson. 

The harbour is steep sided

We discovered an art exhibition - quite interesting work

There are no motor vehicles on Hydra

Poros is a larger island and has vehicles - very touristy

The sign says "Stop Fish Farms"

It was so hot when we got back to Athens that a number of food outlets had closed. We were relieved to get back to our hotel.