RAIN

ISTANBUL AGAIN

We arrived by overnight bus early this morning and have been "tootling" around the city since then.

It was still hot as a monkeys bum when we left he hotel room at 2 to grab a bit of lunch.Had a great meal at a place we've frequented since arriving here 3 weeks ago, and then took a walk via GULHANE PARK .It looked like it might just rain?

Arrived at our hotel after picking up a takeaway baklava and we've just had a couple of earth shattering thunderclaps followed by what resembles torrential rain💦😅

Quite nice when one hasn't seen a cloud for months!Took a couple of pics from the rooftop restaurant at the hotel.

R

HIERAPOLIS

Didn't get down to any text yesterday but now sitting at our hotel killing time till our overnight bus (to Istanbul) carries us to the end of our trip.

After that ,....one night in Istanbul then a late night flight back home ( leaving 2am) arriving home at midday.Just a 10 hour flight😀

So,........Hierapolis......we'd been here before and I remember being fascinated strolling through the amazing ruins of this ancient roman city.

Originally established around 200 BC it's located immediately adjacent to the (present) village of Pamukkale,a terraced fairyland of chrystalised calcium resembling a white wedding cake with pools of mineral water.

Most tourists come for the day and kinda skim over the city in an hour or so,then make straight for the wedding cake.So that leaves a pretty quiet site ranging over a distance of some 4 km ,to explore and "imagine" at will.

Our hotel gave us a free ride up to the top gate which leads 1st to the incredibly well restored amphitheatre overlooking the plains and farmland way below.This stadium still has awesome acoustics and was used by the 100 000 population to host public events,theatre and gladiator fights.

Then a slog up to St.Philip's (the apostle) church and elaborate tomb built after his martyrdom and bearing many signs of the reigning Christianity of the time ( the Greeks ruled this vicinity prior to the Romans)

Greek architecture blends here with Roman and Byzantine buildings indicating that these parts were not always a part of Turkey.

In fact the same applies all over the place here in Turkey where Ephesus,once a major Roman capital in the east and Greek prior to that,is surrounded by St.Johns basilica and the place where the Virgin Mary and John the apostle lived till their earthly demise.

Of course the Ottomans,who ruled most of the then "known world" conquered these places and have been here ever since.

We then walked down to the main "drag" containing baths,latrines,fountains and the like,where one really can get lost in the past.

Spent a good four hours immersing ourselves in antiquity😅Hot as hell by the time we had walked back to our hotel for a nice cold beer 😁

Well worth the effort !!!

HIERAPOLIS

NEW APP??

Well couldn't get it right previously and my old app appears to be faulty so I purchased an updated blogger blogspot.

Is this one going to work???

PAMUKKALE

Checking out my new blog app ( other one is snagging??)

My blogger site is playing up and , for some strange reason not allowing me to finish a post on my iPhone (or save??)

The only way I've been able to complete posts on this trip was by utilizing my iPad together with iPhone??

Anyway here goes,.......let me try a photo or two as well🤑

STILL SWIMMING

STILL ANTALYA

We moved this morning from our very nice (albeit small) boutique hotel in the centre of Khaleici,to a huge room (35m2) just up the road.

Must say ,I like a but of space when travelling when staying for more than a night or two.

We'll be here now for 3 nights then off ( by bus) to our next destination,Pamukkale.

Two nights there,then an overnight bus to Istanbul where we'll spend the last night before waiting the entire last day for our flight at 1am in the morning.

Probably spend the better part of that day at the excellent Istanbul museum,and pass out all the way back home😁

Around Antalya are a number of excellent Roman ruins ( Perge/Side/Aspendos) which we've been through in the past so I might spend some time at Antalya museum to consolidate what we'd already seen some time ago.Too hot for Cheryl to spend an entire day traipsing 15 km around those ruins again.

It's stinking hot here still so makes more sense to spend time at the place shown below ,at the sea,or at the pool at our present hotel.

Apparently going to close to be 40 degrees over the next few days!😅

SWIMMING

HIMALAYAS?

Strange subject to appear on this one documenting our journey around Turkey?

Whilst here I have had news of my American friend Hank who has arranged a fairly impromptu trip on a hired Royal Enfield to the Himalayas in September.

We had been discussing it before I got a little impatient and organized this trip.

I had,a while ago,put Hank in touch with our contact (Aslam Khan) in Jaipur to organize bike hire of 500cc Bullet motorcycles.

In the past couple of weeks he has booked himself a bike from around 17th September (about the latest time one can do this trip without being snowed out) and wanted to know whether I could still make it.

We also got hold of Damien,another adventure motorcyclist who has ridden much of the planet over the past 5 years,and he's now on board.

They're both arriving in Delhi on 16th September and will be heading to Aslam in Jaipur to pick up the bikes.

So I have just 2 weeks,after arrival back home,to attempt to arrange to meet them at a similar time (purchase ticket,obtain visa,get organised) in Jaipur and join them on this awesome adventure which takes in the highest navigable "road" on the planet.

I reckon I basically have no choice here,.........never going to have such an opportunity in the future for another such memorable motorcycle adventure??

So anyway,.......the pictures are of the accessories to be attached to the bikes to carry our gear,.......and the bag??,........I found it here in Antalya at a TSCHIBO (German) shop.

Looks pretty handy to fit on the side,...and water resistant ??

We'll see 😅

HIMALAYAS???

ANTALYA

Over the past 20 years we've visited Antalya 3 times and our arrival here yesterday confirmed my previous view that it's the nicest city to visit here in Turkey.

We're in a fantastic boutique hotel ,right in the centre of the old city of Kaleici which,apart from the amazing ,omnipresent "living ruins" in the form of the old city walls,Hadrian's gate way,and various Roman and Ottoman structures,the streets come alive after dark with restaurants and modern youngsters.

Last night we had the most amazing gourmet burgers at a reknowned,trendy establishment in the heart of the city,then walked a hundred metres to a place with the most amazing young Turkish duo where beers cost not much more than they do at the local supermarkets where I generally go through three pints or so whilst walking around here in Turkey.

By the way beer prices are relatively high here at around R30/500 ml from supermarkets and range between R40 and R60/ pint sitting down at a restaurant.

Tax on alcohol is very high here and push the prices somewhat, but restaurant food is very similar,if not cheaper than SA.

The public transport systems here are incredibly modern and efficient!

Yesterday,on arrival at the bus terminus located on the other side of the city,we simply purchased a ticket on the very efficient adjacent tram terminus,and it cost us just 7TL (R28) for both of us to be transported to a station right outside Hadrian's gate,the gateway to the old city Kaleici.

This morning we went down to the most spectacular cafe/bar located down in a bay allowing direct access via stairs into the deep ocean.

We were surprised to find that it costs just 12TL ( R48) to use this private "beach" with umbrellas,loungers,showers with a small premium to pay for food and drink whilst there.

That's where we'll be heading tomorrow after transferring to our other hotel after breakfast tomorrow morning.

Photos to follow for you guys back there in a wintry SA 😂

AROUND ANTALYA

Look halfway down

Poolside sign at our hotel