Istanbul

Before we get in to our latest update, here are some more pics from our time in Cappadocia.

Quadbiking

Anne W

Nigel C

The "evil eye"

The crazy Capadoccia landscape

Simon learning to weave a carpet

Andrew P

Jacq & Norm

Paul S

Norm’s birthday was a great occasion and a good excuse for an almost-final get together and party before we all dispersed in Istanbul. Pre-dinner cheese and wine, with some reminiscing about the past few weeks was followed by a Cappadocian feast of mezze, salad, clay-pot dishes and rice-pudding for dessert, as well as a birthday cake. Lots of food, lots of fun, despite having to get up for an early start the next day.

Birthday meal

Happy birthday Norm!

Al

Andrew P and Ann H

Annie & Phil

Mignon & Paul O

Nigel C, Anne W and Mignon

Nigel H and Ann S

Norm, Simon, Teresa, Andrew E

Phil, Annie, Andrew P, Carmel

Teresa

Toby & Paul S

And so the time came as we approached Istanbul to cross the Bosphorous and officially leave Asia, entering Europe.

Approaching Istanbul

Crossing the Bosphorous - officially out of Asia now

Istanbul is buzzing. Supposedly low season, the Sultanhamet area where we are staying is full of tourists and locals alike. Traffic here is pretty hectic, but there is a very efficient tram-way as well as metro-bus. Sweet shops, restaurants, hotels, souvenir shops, cafes round every corner, along with the Blue Mosque, Aya Sofia, Basilica Cisterns, Topkapi Palace, Grand Bazaar, Spice Market, hammams  – enough to do and see to fill a few days easily. And unfortunately prices are more European than Asian!

Our final official day in Istanbul was pretty wet but didn’t stop people from seeing the sights and ducking into coffee shops, or bars, whenever necessary to escape the downpours. Andrew P even found himself listening to a sermon in the mosque, with a free cup of tea, a good way to sit down somewhere dry and chill for half an hour!

And so on the 1^st of December we toasted our journey from Kathmandu to Istanbul. Approximately 13,594 km over land, and some over sea too. 10 countries. 12 weeks. So many new sights, new faces,  experiences had, food tasted, different lives witnessed, things learnt.

Another Odyssey experienced.

Odyssey (n)        ‘a long wandering or voyage, usually marked by many changes of fortune;

                                ‘an intellectual or spiritual wandering or quest’  (Merriam Webster Dictionary)                                  

Happy travels.