The tram took us over the Golden Horn to Karaköy. My favourite way to cross is by boat, but the tram is faster. We began our day with a plan – to look for churches. Our reasoning was simple — wherever there was a church, there would once have been Greek houses. These were usually…
This post and our last day in Istanbul are dedicated to my amazing Aunt Janet, an incredible lady who inspired this very unique trip. Some time last year, Janet phoned me to say that a place that had been on her bucket list for many years was ‘Constantinople’ and she couldn’t think of anyone better…
The night before, I’d said to Peter, “Well, at last we’ve had a drama-free day.” Famous last words! Clearly, I should have touched wood, thrown salt over my shoulder, or kissed the little ‘mati’ I carry around with me, because this morning chaos came knocking at our door – quite literally. Just as we were…
This morning, there were more Hitchcockian shenanigans over on the roof terrace of the neighbouring Seven Hills Hotel. The hotel staff even provide the titbits for their visitors so they can get their Instagram shots. Today’s adventure took us out of the hustle and bustle of Istanbul and across the Marmara Sea to the Princes’…
Again fully charged with a nourishing breakfast, today we are going to head to Fener and Balat, two colourful neighbourhoods that sit side by side along the southern shore of the Golden Horn. This will give us a chance to put our Istanbulkarts into use and also begin our first real foray into discovering Greek…
Today started well with a lovely breakfast served on the roof terrace of the hotel. We had amazing views of the Blue Mosque on one side and Agia Sofia on the other. Over in the other direction was the magnificent Bosphorus. For a budget hotel, you couldn’t get a better location with views like this….
Our flight was early – you know, one of those that require an early alarm call that no self-respecting, soon-to-be pensioner deserves to experience. Oh yes, I didn’t mention that during this trip, I will reach pension age! That very thought still shocks me to the core. I specify pension ‘age’ because I won’t be…
Trying to explain what it is you love most about a place can be difficult—especially when that place is Greece. The superficial things come easily, such as the picture postcard images of blue-domed churches, whitewashed houses with brightly painted shutters and the beautiful beaches. Beyond that is the incredible ‘filoxenia’ of the locals, the culture…