Nov 13, 2017 - Istanbul (In Transit)

@@@@@@@ KAPOORS ON THE ROAD On our way to Tbilisi our flight into Istanbul was delayed by one hour, but it meant that we missed our onward flight to Georgia. Turkish Airlines put us up in a five-star hotel with a stupendous view of the Sea of Marmara. As we flew across the Black Sea to Istanbul, we almost wished our flight was late, so we could have a lovely overnight stay once again. The three-month visas that we had been forced to purchase were still valid (although we had been more than compensated for their purchase), so we wouldn’t...

Oct 19, 2017 - Istanbul (In Transit)

@@@@@@@ KAPOORS ON THE ROAD Our flight from Zurich to Istanbul was delayed by one hour and in the end, we missed our connection on to Tbilisi, Georgia. There are only two flights a day, and ours was the later flight so we ended up having to spend the night and fly the next day. In some ways, it was a better itinerary, as the flight we were supposed to take left Istanbul in the wee hours of the morning and we were scheduled to arrive in Tbilisi at 4:30am. Fortunately, I had established a WhatsApp link with our AirBnB host and was able to let...

Feb 14, 2017 - Entebbe, Uganda

Turkish Air provides first-rate service and after our two uneventful flights, we arrived at Entebbe at 03:02 Feb14th. Efficient pick-up by Paul of the "YUL x 4" Party got us to Protea Hotel  and later in a.m. taken by Steve to Lake Victoria Serena Hotel outside Entebbe on Lake Victoria and is a very nice hotel, Beautiful rooms, friendly Staff but lacks in the food department. Picturesque overlooking the lake and situated on a golf course. After one-day vegging went to Chimpanzee Sanctuary on Ngamba Island one hour off shore and just across...

Feb 13, 2017 - Stop over in Istanbul

Might as well get some angst out of the way early on! First scare of trip was two-hour snow delay in Montreal due to snowstorm!  Sat at de-icing station for ages while the plows removed the snow from the taxi –lanes. With three-hour connection in Istanbul it seemed obvious that our just-in-case Turkey Visas were to come in handy.   Got to arrivals Gate 213 in Istanbul with ten minutes to spare before boarding at Gate 214 for takeoff of connecting flight to Entebbe.  Thanks to Claudio's App he was able to tell that flight departure was one...

Nov 1, 2016 - Kusadasi Turkey - Jewel of the Seas

Sunshine greeted us in Turkey - sunshine and a strong wind, which kept it from being a perfect weather day. We got off of the ship and walked a short distance to the shops. I was looking for a spoon for my collection. Turkey is one of those places (like the Caribbean islands) where you can’t pass a shop without someone trying to get you to buy something. I hate it. It always makes me feel like I’m being attacked. In Turkey, they start talking to you and if you don’t respond, they change to a different language. I found out that these...

Oct 29, 2016 - Turkey ... Selcuk & Ephesus Ruins

We are now along the coast near the town Selcuk and the Ephesus ruins. We lucked out big time ... found a great deal on a nice all-inclusive hotel. Not normally our thing, but heck, why not? As expected, we have eaten way more than we should have and definatley drank our share. Hotel is good ... but there are a MILLION kids here. It is a big family day weekend given the 29th is Turkey's national holiday and this is pretty much the last touristy weekend for the year. The weather is getting cooler and only the really really brave ones are...

Oct 27, 2016 - Turkey ... Datca

Datca ... we got here, no problem after a beautiful day drive down the peninsula. The road can be bad at times and with its distance from airports, the town has been kept off the tourist route. Those that come here to vacation are mostly Turkish and Germans ... but right now it is dead. Most hotels are shut down and beaches are almost empty. The good thing is ... that it feels like you are in Turkey!!! Finally!!! Very little english spoken ... lots of great smells and incredibly friendly and welcoming people. The hotel we found was named...

Oct 25, 2016 - Turkey ... on the road to the Datca Peninsula

The drive to Datca was beautiful. A 50 mile spindly road with rocky outcrops, glimpses of the aquamarine water and pine crested hills. You see endless olive groves, empty ravines, cornflower-blue coves, vast sweeping bays and deserted beaches. The road snakes through sleepy villages with lots of goats and old men drinking tea in vine covered cafes. The air is scented with thyme, rosemary and sage. Xoxo Babs n Bones

Oct 22, 2016 - Turkey ... Patara Beach & Xanthos Ruins

Patara Beach ... We heard a lot about this beach so wanted to come and check it out. It is a 18 km long sandy beach that stretches alongside the ancient ruins of Patara (we were ruined out for ruins, so didn't wander through them ... but from the road and beach view, they were quite impressive) It's a great beach for walking and swimming due to the soft sand (no pebbles!) and shallow waters. The winds in the afternoon get quite strong here ... with sand dunes shifting around you. The whole stretch of beach is protected as it is one of the...

Oct 20, 2016 - Turkey ... Oludeniz Beach and Cadianda Ruins

Ölüdeniz Beach (translation name Blue Lagoon) is a small village and beach resort about 14 km south of where we are in Fethiye. The Turquoise Coast of southwestern Turkey, at the conjunction point of the Aegean and Mediterranean seas. The water here is amazingly clear ... with shades of turquoise and aquamarine ... you can see why its been given the "Blue Flag" rating and one of the top 5 best beaches in the world. The beach is in a sandy secluded bay with a pebbly beach and since it is in a protected area, construction on the beach is...

Oct 19, 2016 - Turkey ... Saklikent Gorge

Todays adventure was more about the windy back road drive, the great "catch your own lunch" we had and the people we met ... vs the actual Saklikent Gorge. The gorge of course, was quite impressive, but honestly ... we had more fun getting there! The Saklikent Canyon is 18 km long, 300 meters deep and is steep and narrow ... also known as “Hidden Valley” or The Lost City. This gorge has various streams flowing from the Bey mountains ... and its cold ... REALLY cold ... like icy cold where your toes fall off cold. You can walk as far up the...

Oct 18, 2016 - Turkey ... Fethiye and around

Fethiye is a port city ... not too big but has a lot of personality. We are just down the coast a bit and did a few day trips into town (walking, driving and boating in ... each gave us a different experience). The city still clearly caters to the English tourists, but if you dig deeper, you can find some real turkish life going on. A short walk up hill, you can see numerous rock tombs that are remainders from the ancient Lycian city of Telmessos. The 4th-century B.C. Tomb of Amyntas is carved into a bluff overlooking the city. There are a...