Turquoise Turkey!

We did have an idea of how important a position Turkey holds in world history…however, what we had a good exposure to was the use of Istanbul as a backdrop for many spy novels and movies and I guess that is what prompted us to go there. It is not the best time of year to visit Istanbul but considering our limited choices due to the cold weather elsewhere in Europe, we still went ahead. We were very excited this time because this was our 15th country together :).

Longish flight via Zurich (you do have direct flights from London) took us to Istanbul in the afternoon and using the hotel cab, we arrived at Sultanahamat suites. Right in the midst of Old Istanbul, stones throw away from the city’s main attractions, we had a one bed apartment for ourselves (upgraded thanks to offseason).

As was expected it was raining when we arrived and this weather continued for the first 2 days of our stay. However, since it was just a drizzle, not very cold and the fact that we were well equipped, we managed our travel comfortably.

By the time we settled in on day 1 and had our lunch, it was already evening. We took a walk around the Sultanahamet area (within a km of the apartment) and figured out what’s where. There were quite a few appealing shops and looking at those, we were certain that adequate time had to be allotted to shopping.

We started day 2 with a visit to the Haji Sophya…originally built as a church and then converted to a mosque. This is probably the only mosque (now a museum) which has paintings depicting Christ. The structure, ornate walls inside, coloured mosaic are all very impressive and there is no doubt that even those who are well travelled will be in awe on seeing this. We then went to the Blue Mosque – which is just across from Haji Sophya. Fortunately the drizzle had stopped and we could take some pictures from the outside. There is a different entrance for those going into the mosque as tourists (those not intending to pray). True to its word, the blue mosaic in the museum leaves you spellbound. The painted domes are a marvel and give you plenty of opportunity for pictures. After some parathas for lunch at the apartment, we walked over to the Topkapi palace. The ‘must see’ things there include the 83-carat diamond, bejewelled thrones and other palatial wear and ceramics – a few ‘wows’ and ‘amazing’ later, we were in the market place appreciating the many artefacts.

We planned to do a tour on the Bosphorus the next day. For once, we went ahead without much of a plan expecting to be able to make it without a hassle. However, on reaching the port, we saw a boat leaving for the trip. The trip was for 2 hours and would have taken us on a ride through the Bosphorus and back where in we could have viewed a few key monuments along the cost and seen the Asia side of Turkey. It did not allow the passengers to get off anywhere. There were no other boats we could see and had to take a quick decision on whether or not to take this trip. We decided against it, as we were keen to see some of the places en-route. We took a cab to take us to the spot which marked the end of the boat trip. On the way we did the Dolmabache palace, Bosphorus bridge, Sultan Ahamet bridge and reached well in time to take the boat back to Istanbul port. It was interesting to see another continent just across the water…we all know that borders to countries and continents are imaginary lines…but when you physically see them, the realisation does sink in. We went to the spice bazaar on the way back and had our first glimpse of Turkish indoor markets. Colourful spices, ceramics, sweets and souvenirs were laid out to give a truly exotic feel.

The last day was dedicated for the Grand Bazaar…4000+ shops, 60 streets…all under one roof. You can haggle like in India, the shopkeepers are out in full force to pull you inside their shops, errand boys running around supplying Turkish coffee to shop owners, prayers in the nearby mosque…the setting is perfect to shop at leisure.


After a hot lunch, we were back at the airport to catch our flight to Zurich and onwards to London.

Turkey was all and more than what we expected. People say you can spend months here, still with a lot more left to see. There are numerous places outside Istanbul as well which are worth visiting, although we could not manage any in the limited time we had.
Istanbul is exclusive and awesome…although it is in Europe, there is little to compare it to the other European cities. A must-see for anyone interested in the EXOTIC!!!!

Pretty Prague!!

Just when we thought all European cities were the same, we came across Prague. We had heard it to be very pretty, and it well exceeded our expectations. The castle was distinctly beautiful, especially after dark when it was brightly lit, all the more accentuated by it’s sparkling reflection in the river Vltava. Then there was the Charles bridge…felt very Parisian, in the sense numerous artists drawing portraits and caricatures, a few musicians performing, handmade crafts – all along the bridge while you enjoy the sunset and see the city roof tops bathed in golden twilight.

We chose to stay a bit differently this time. We had heard that vegetarian food was difficult to find in Prague and so had decided to cook on our own. Ms. Sophie’s was a hostel but had self-catering apartments as well. The word ‘Hostel’ doesn’t do justice to the standards this place offers. The apartments were very spacious with a well-equipped kitchen. Chic fittings and stylish interiors…we were pleasantly surprised at the quality. The upma mix that I had prepared came in handy and so did the pasta sauce, maggi and some home made snacks…definitely recommended for anyone visiting Prague. The apartment was centrally located in the new town. A 3 day pass allowed us to use all public transport including the brightly coloured trams which are a must experience.

We indulged in getting our portrait made – over a year after we had first thought of getting one made…we had thought of it when visiting Paris in March 2008. On the first day, we had walked through Charles Bridge looking at the various artists drawing portraits. We had liked one in particular and came in early the next day to get one done for us. It was a bit awkward having people walking past look at you while you sat with a smile on the face…very supportive though; as was evident with the thumbs up sign from many of them. Our efforts (the artist also did put in lots of efforts J) showed well in the end output though.

We were there for 2 nights and 3 days and felt Prague was an ideal getaway for such a trip. It is said, ‘Good girls go to heaven and bad girls go to Prague…’ – still wanna go? :)

Gorgeous GREECE!!

I guess the biggest challenge Santorini faces is to live up to it's high expectations of being one of the prettiest places. Images of the white houses against the splendid blue of the Aegean Sea are pretty much etched in every one’s mind.

After an extensive debate on whether to do only Santorini or more of Greece, we settled down to do only Santorini in the interest of time. An evening flight took us from London to Athens and an early morning flight took us further onto Santorini. A small airport (reminded us of airport at Leh) - it was much what you would expect from an island.

Heliotopos – Our hotel was 15 minutes from the airport, on the top of the hill in Imerovigli village. A nice, split level studio apartment with the bed on the first floor, and the kitchenette and the sitting area on the ground floor. We had our own private balcony, overlooking the Caldera...a splendid view of the sea, with the island forming a crescent, with Fira, the capital of Santorini on one end and Oia, and another pretty village on the other end.

Imerovigli, the village where we were staying, was effectively at the centre of the crescent. Our short trip of three days comprised a walk of Fira (an hour) and a walk to Oia (3 hours). Both these walks are on established hiking trails, which run through the top of the mountains. So through the walk, you continue to savour the marvellous views of the sea. At one point on our walk to Oia, the trail was so narrow, that we could see the Aegean Sea on both sides. Both Oia and Fira are outstanding – don’t think there are other places like them – as in, the white washed houses, blue roofed churches, all laid beautifully along the hill top and slopes contrasting against the dark blue sea. So, if you ever want to enjoy this view in particular, the only place you can go to is Santorini. On the third day in the afternoon, we took a boat trip to the volcano and walked up to the crater.

The weather kept steady through most of our trip with some rain on the second day. A warm 25 degrees was very welcome from the steadily getting colder London. October is the end of season for Santorini with most of the island and services closing by November.

So, did Santorini live up to our expectations? Well, it almost did – A relaxed holiday, where you can lie back and enjoy how quiet and beautiful the world can be. The only exertion though is for your finger, which doesn’t stop clicking away on the camera.

Our shopping tips – flavoured olive oil, Sesame coated nuts, Linen clothing, Greek mythology dolls.

Scenic Scotland!!

Did you know?
It feels awesome to cook Maggi in a duplex cottage overlooking the sea. So, on our trip to Scotland, we took the Bridle cottage at Cockburnspath, 35 miles from Edinburgh. It was extraordinary as we headed off the motorway and drove through farmlands to reach the cottage.

Picture perfect views, rainbow rising from the sea, novels to read, games to play, music to listen to and a hot cup of tea to sip from…welcome to Scotland.
Edinburgh was all colour and activities as the festival was in full swing. There were numerous street performers, enthralling the audience with their brilliant acts. Edinburgh castle was impressive as the Scottish symbol of power, protection and majesty. It stands high on an extinct volcano with panoramic views of Edinburgh. We soaked in the festivals spirit as we walked through the Royal Mile and Princes Street. Following up on a recommendation, we climbed up Arthur’s seat in the afternoon, from where all of Edinburgh looked even more majestic. Standing tall at 800 feet, Arthur’s seat is a must do for anyone visiting Edinburgh.

We drove through Forth Road Bridge, until recently the longest cantilever bridge in the world. We crossed the Highland boundary fault line and the scenery changed from the rolling farmland of the Lowlands to the forested hills and mountains of the Scottish Highlands. We walked for 6 miles through a wooded area named the Hermitage. Here, surrounded by thick forest, the River Braan crashes over spectacular waterfalls. This is a migratory route for Salmon, and they can often be seen trying to leap the falls, although we were not fortunate enough. We then followed the wide valley of the River Tay, the longest river in Scotland with the greatest flow of water of any river in Britain. We reached Loch Tay and headed along it’s shores to reach Killin and saw the wonderful falls of Dochart in the heart of the town.

On the last day, we stopped at the Pease Bay beach before heading back to London. We were the sole wanderers on the picturesque beach. My mom-in-law and I had a good time picking up shells and playing in the water. The camera had a field day capturing some breathtaking pictures. The vast expanse of the beach contrasted well with the blue sky, mountains with green cover and the red rocks.

With it’s stunning lakes and lush green mountains, Scotland is on par with Switzerland in terms of scenic beauty.

Leh - Roof of the world!

While I find words to describe most of the places I have been to, Leh is one place, which left me absolutely speechless.

The ‘roof of the world’ as it is popularly known, makes you wonder if it is part of the ‘real’ world we live in.

The terrain is rugged, there is hardly any greenery, barren lands till your eyes can see…and yet…it is pretty in a strange sense.

I can assure you, irrespective of whichever place you have been to, Leh will not fail to amaze you…do travel to this incredible destination in Incredible India.