Travel to Istanbul, Turkey

Easyjet offers some great rates from London , England. We also know that Turkish airlines and even BA are now offering competitive deals. Remember you need to have cash when you land for your entrance visa, they do not take credit cards. Check the consulate website for the country you live in.

Turkey is 85% Islamic but Istanbul is a very dynamic and European city. We only saw about 40% of the women wearing head scarves but do bring one so you can visit the Mosques, and you need to dress modestly. The Blue Mosque is closed for prayer times 5 times a day and you will hear the call to prayer over the rooftops.

The Turkish lira is very favourable from an exchange standpoint to Euros or dollars and you will find many hotels can be booked in advance on the Internet. We chose Sumengen
http://www.hotelsumengenistanbul.com/ as we could book online and the rates were reasonable. The rooms all have European bathrooms and the location was just perfect. There was a computer with Internet access and they could exchange your money if need be. The views from the breakfast room were just stunning of the Bosphorus.

The palace of Topkapi, the Blue Mosque and the Haghia Sofia built over 1400 years ago are a must see. The splendour of the Ottoman empire will impress most. The jewels and architecture are so memorable ,you be amazed at such beauty.

Food is delicious and do not be afraid to try what the locals are eating in the buffet style restaurants, You do not have to speak the language to explain you want your fish filleted.

We had some great wines but Dikmen stood out at 10 Lira a bottle and a Merlot blend it went well with Lamb and Beef dishes. Kebabs are plentiful but the Pideh...or their equivalent of a pizza was yummy and cheap. You will love how fresh the fruit and vegetables taste. Try the Raki but remember you dilute it with water...if you don't the bartender will do it for you.

The Turkish people are friendly but there are a few who just want your wallet. As in most big cities just be cautious. The tourists are all treated very well and we felt so welcomed in this land .

Being the eccentric travellers we ventured out to the countryside on a day trip on the local bus to Chile..a little seaside resort on the Black sea. The place was windswept and deserted in April but I imagine in the summer it is packed. You can see Bulgaria from there. Travelling within the country is cheap but bus , train or air.

Shopping in Turkey was an experience...you have to go to the grand bazaar. The place is a bit of a tourist trap but lovely architecturally speaking and we got some cheap gold jewelry there..you have to bargain ,which is a foreign concept to us, but they entertain you with glasses of apple tea while you do the transaction. It is charming. There is also a tool bazaar, fish bazaar and spice bazaar which are worth seeing.

The tram will take you to Taksim which is the European quarter of Istanbul and you can shop , eat a burger King if you feel compelled but we decided to stick with Turkish cuisine. The best dish we had was lamb cooked with spinach and garlic...divine.

The Turkish bath was something we felt would take ,even eccentric souls like us ,out of our comfort zone but we were wrong. This experience is not to be missed. Women and men are separated and you are scrubbed clean by those of your own fair sex...when I say scrubbed I mean it...they take an entire layer of your skin clean off....and massage you. There is apple tea afterwards but you feel rejuvenated.

Live music is played in most restaurants in the evenings and many have belly dancing. The Bond films "from Russia with Love" and "the World is not enough" were both filmed in Istanbul...check out the Basilica cistern which was featured in the films for the Head of Medusa.

There are ferry boats that will take you on a grand tour of the 3 shores of Istanbul and it is well worth the 2 dollars for 2 hours. They serve fresh coffee and orange juice on the boat.

Istanbul offers such history and culture. The tourguides are fluent in English, French and we even heard Spanish and German. The City is easy to navigate and if you stay downtown you can sightsee on foot very easily.

This birds in the mosque miniarettes fly up into the dusky sky, at the call to prayer and the lights illuminate the mosques to show its majesty. The sounds and sights are just beautiful and you will be amazed at how far your money goes ,and how far you are prepared to walk to keep seeing more.

http://www.easyjet.com/ will know that you have not had pork for a few days and so have toasted bacon butties on board for your trip back!

We cannot wait to go back for more!