Vibrant ıs a good way to describe Turkey's biggest city. A total of 16 Million call ıt home, but really the chaos is organized and quite civilized.
So far we've watched a very poorly played UEFA Cup game at a small bar off İstiklal Caddesi, fınally enjoyed our first Hammam experience (or I should say Turkısh Bath), seen the two most beautiful mosques Aya Sofiya and the Blue Mosque, as well as the Topkapı Palace and generally enjoyed thıs fabulous city.
Our plans for tomorrow include a boat trip down the Bosphorus and another trip into the Grand Baazar to fınally puchase a nargıla, something we have been talkıng about doıng since Morocco. We'll be finishing the trip off with dinner at the 360 restaurant, reputed not only for its Modern Turkish food, but all its view of the Old City.
Have to say we are pleased wıth the length of time we planned for this trip and are really having a great time, I will write more once we are back to the land of Engish keyboards!
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Back on the Road
I really must put up some of the pictures of the remainder of our time in Thailand. Note to self.
After 10 days in Belfast we are heading out again. It was very nice to cook meals, clean and really all of the stuff you get to do at home, but we said we would get to Turkey, so off we go. We'll be in Istanbul by this time tomorrow. Just a week this time, but on our way home the plan is to stop over in Edinburgh for a long weekend. We're just in time for sporting events galore. Not only does the UEFA Cup take place tomorrow in Istanbul, but the last of the Seven's Rugby season finishes up in Edinburgh on the last weekend in May.
We'll not be heading to the game tomorrow, but we've got tickets for the 30th. After watching the Hong Kong matches in KL, we're looking forward to some live rugby.
Plans for the week? Well, I think we are ready to hit the tourist track again. Smaller bags are packed and we're already looking forward to warmer weather and less rain. I will be sure to update over the next little while.
After 10 days in Belfast we are heading out again. It was very nice to cook meals, clean and really all of the stuff you get to do at home, but we said we would get to Turkey, so off we go. We'll be in Istanbul by this time tomorrow. Just a week this time, but on our way home the plan is to stop over in Edinburgh for a long weekend. We're just in time for sporting events galore. Not only does the UEFA Cup take place tomorrow in Istanbul, but the last of the Seven's Rugby season finishes up in Edinburgh on the last weekend in May.
We'll not be heading to the game tomorrow, but we've got tickets for the 30th. After watching the Hong Kong matches in KL, we're looking forward to some live rugby.
Plans for the week? Well, I think we are ready to hit the tourist track again. Smaller bags are packed and we're already looking forward to warmer weather and less rain. I will be sure to update over the next little while.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Flight of the Gibbon
Voted the number one attraction in Chiang Mai by visitors (or at least that is what they say on their poster) is the Flight of the Gibbon. Tom and I, yesterday, got to pretend that we were those gibbons, swinging freely through the trees.
An eleven o'clock pick-up had us up in the much cooler tropical forest 45 minutes outside of Chiang Mai. Harnessed up and helmeted, we headed for the treetops. With 15 stations including zip-lines, rope bridges and abseils, New Zealand designed course (originally set up for scientists) took us well into the afternoon to complete.
It was totally worth the approximately fifty Canadian dollars we spent on it. Zooming through the trees from platform to platform supervised by friendly and very safety aware Thai staff was amazing. The pictures will come as soon as well get back to Belfast (they will not include the shots that Tom took from below as I abseiled down).
After a lovely Thai lunch (included in the price), which we enjoyed with a hoard of wasps, we took a short journey up the road to a waterfall. Tom and I took off on the steep climb to the top. Half way up the torrential rains started. We did manage to get down after 30 minutes in a small covered rest spot. It was a great day that left us tired and in bed by nine.
An eleven o'clock pick-up had us up in the much cooler tropical forest 45 minutes outside of Chiang Mai. Harnessed up and helmeted, we headed for the treetops. With 15 stations including zip-lines, rope bridges and abseils, New Zealand designed course (originally set up for scientists) took us well into the afternoon to complete.
It was totally worth the approximately fifty Canadian dollars we spent on it. Zooming through the trees from platform to platform supervised by friendly and very safety aware Thai staff was amazing. The pictures will come as soon as well get back to Belfast (they will not include the shots that Tom took from below as I abseiled down).
After a lovely Thai lunch (included in the price), which we enjoyed with a hoard of wasps, we took a short journey up the road to a waterfall. Tom and I took off on the steep climb to the top. Half way up the torrential rains started. We did manage to get down after 30 minutes in a small covered rest spot. It was a great day that left us tired and in bed by nine.
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