Istanbul (Turkey) - Hook-ah-licious

ISTANBUL (TURKEY)

29 March – 31 March 2017

Istanbul had made quite the impression on us the previous September when we had transited through.  Also considering that many of the great cities of the world were in close proximity to where we were now living, making a short jump to a city like Istanbul for ‘someone’s birthday’ was more than feasible.

To set the background as to why we selected Istanbul I need to add that since returning from Central America we had commenced our pre-wedding diet in earnest. Part of maintaining a strict calorie regime was completely getting rid of alcohol. Just like in the commercial world, the rise of a substitute usually happens at the behest of another product when circumstances change. Our substitute was sheesha. A real pleasure actually and it provided the perfect foil to voiding the caloric intake that had undermined our progress in the past.

On our way to Istanbul with the assistance of Air Serbia

Oh dear, calorie intake through the ROOF  - visual osmosis - Istanbul - Turkey

Istanbul - Turkey

Istanbul - Turkey

Considering that background, Istanbul felt like the right choice for us. Not only from a purely touristic perspective but also for the fact that finding Hookah cafes would be more than easy, and, purchasing a new hookah for Inga as a birthday present would be something fun that we could both do and create a memory in the process.

With the ever present shadow of terrorism still hanging over the region and Turkey running itself into political turmoil, we still made the decision to go and adopted the Australian approach of ‘be aware but not alarmed’. Thank you Steve Liebmann, I believe you words will haunt me for the rest of my life.

Istanbul - Turkey

Istanbul - Turkey

Istanbul - Turkey

Delightful - Istanbul - Turkey

Man of delight - Istanbul - Turkey

Arriving mid-week we elected to stay at the wonderful Regie Ottoman Istanbul hotel. A glorious boutique hotel, its set an a 150 year old Ottoman building and located in the Historic Peninsula. With original mosaic artwork, stone walls and wooden floors, the hotel felt like it harked back to an Istanbul reminiscent of an earlier era. Moody and dignified, it set the feel for what the rest of the short stay in Istanbul would be.

The next day our discovery of Istanbul took us back into the Grand Bazaar, still the largest and oldest covered market in the world, with 61 covered streets and 4,000 shops, having originally opened to trade in 1461. This is a major tourist attraction of Istanbul and an absolute blast for those that love doing a bit of shopping, also, it was the perfect place to find the hookah we were looking for. It didn’t even take that long for Inga to zero in on exactly what she wanted, a beautiful light blue glass and gold motif base with a  gold, metal stem. Not only something that would suit us in a practical way but certainly would be a great addition as a centre piece of our apartment in Belgrade.

Grand Bazaar - Istanbul - Turkey

Grand Bazaar - Istanbul - Turkey

Grand Bazaar - Istanbul - Turkey

Grand Bazaar - Istanbul - Turkey - birthday present negotiation in progress

Birthday present secured - the wonderful light blue glass hookah on the left came home with us

Of course a hookah purchase of this nature also required its own carry bag

Grand Bazaar - Istanbul - Turkey

For the rest of the day we took to walking and made our way across the Golden Horn, via the Galata Koprusu bridge and then headed up to Taksim Square, around which there are restaurants, shops and cafes a plenty. Somehow I expected Istanbul to be different to this, more middle eastern in outlook, more leaning towards what I’d encountered in a place like Marrakech. Unremarkable from those in the known, the city really looked to be a mix of influences, not quite the European city and not quite Asian or Middle Eastern. As a city is sits beautifully in the middle and in the midst of those complimentary forces, a true spectacle of influences.

Blue mosque - Istanbul - Turkey

Istanbul - Turkey

Istanbul - Turkey

Istanbul - Turkey

Istanbul - Turkey

Istanbul - Turkey

Istanbul - Turkey

That evening we went to see a performance of mediation and ceremony when we took in a performance by Surfi Dervishes of whirling. From what I know the concept of whirling, or spinning the body in repetitive circles is meant to be symbolic, imitating the way that the planets of the solar system circle the sun. The aim of the action is to reach the source of all perfection, or kamal. Abandoning one’s ego, psyche, attachments to the superficial and utilising the music to simply focus on God. The performance is mesmerisingly beautiful. Their fluid movement encompassed in their physical being and the transition to a different mental state is beautifully engaging. The audience sat silently (snapping photos of course) and watched as these men showed us their version of what a discourse with God looks like in their terms. Intoxicating.

Looking out to the Golden Horn - Istanbul - Turkey

Looking out to the Golden Horn - Istanbul - Turkey

Istanbul - Turkey

Istanbul - Turkey

Istanbul - Turkey

Whirling Dervishes - Istanbul - Turkey

Whirling Dervishes - Istanbul - Turkey

Whirling Dervishes - Istanbul - Turkey

I have to admit, considering the nature of our strict diet, what I found the most difficult thing to defeat was partaking in the local cuisine or taking on a tipple or two. In fact that was the biggest nuisance of the whole three months. Somehow staying at home and following a routine allows you to establish a pattern that deflects temptation. When you’re travelling, to me, it seems counter-intuitive to simply neglect the restaurants and bars. Of course it’s not an absolute need  to bow to gluttony or feel the ire of alcohol consumption, but hey, travel should involve all that. Again, the luck for us, in Istanbul at least as the substitution of one vice for another. Sheesha became our saving grace and we were mighty thankful that of us at least, the was freely available and celebrated.

Istanbul is a stunning city, of that there can be no doubt. Spectacular, engaging & dynamic. A world highlight to be certain.

Central America - the 'Because it's there' tour - the FINAL

CENTRAL AMERICA
15 January – 12 March 2017

It’s a wrap

As has become standard for me when I've ended a trip I've taken to doing a last summary or a 'greatest hits' review whenever I managed to complete the final entry on the 'how, why, when and whatever else may have been alcohol related' blog series of my most recent escapades. Sticking with tradition and therefore adopting the same template that I've used in the past, see also;

1. [Morocco - Europe wrap - June/July 2008]
2. [Laos wrap - April 2009]
3. [Vietnam-Malaysia wrap - December/January 2009/10]
4. [Europe-Morocco-South America wrap - 2010]
5. [USA-Mexico wrap - February/March - 2011]
6. [Brazil-UAE wrap - December/January -2011/12]
7. [Argentina-Uruguay wrap - August 2012]
8. [South America wrap - 2015]

I therefore bring you the close out of our Central American experience which continues  within Life in a Year Full of Saturdays. The Central American tour, Because it’s there’, was just one of those things where we thought, hey, why shouldn’t we. Lets’ just got and see what’s there.

So here it is…Central America ‘The Final’

Our favourite places

1  1. Caye Caulker (Belize) - To think, this place wasn’t even on the itinerary, it was one of those places that we considered adding in ‘if’ time permitted, and hell, weren’t we thankful for making the correct decision. A Caribbean dream.

Caye Caulker - Belize

Caye Caulker - Belize

2    2. Havana (Cuba) - An old favourite, this place is timeless and will always hold a special place in our hearts and minds. Even as the wind of change makes its way across the island, what it is and what it stands for is pervasive and special to all.

Havana - Cuba

The Malecon - Havana - Cuba

3    3.  El Tunco (El Salvador) - A surprisingly wonderful destination. Sunsets, surf and cocktail dreams. Inspiration on the Pacific in a corner of the world that remains reasonably undiscovered

El Tunco - El Salvador

El Tunco - El Salvador

4    4. Antigua (Guatemala) - The ‘Melbourne’ of Central America, speakeasies at every turn. A town of stunning colonial architecture, fantastic food and bars that could find themselves in any Alpha City of the world.

Antigua - Guatemala

5    5. Cabo San Lucas (Mexico) - Where the desert meets the sea (or rather, the ocean), white beaches, nightlife, water sports. It’s a place that allows you to do a lot, have fun and sets the scene with gorgeous scenery and equally supportive climate.

Cabo San Lucas - Mexico

Most Surprising

Caye Caulker (Belize)

We really didn’t expect much from Caye Caulker, perhaps our Central America on a shoestring guide didn’t do it justice. With that said, Belize City is not at all spectacular and not worth occupying your time, but then, jump on a fast ferry, get out to the Caye’s and soon enough you’ll be swinging in a hammock, staring up at the wonderful palm trees and thinking that life can be as simple as this.

Best Drinks

1  1. Cadillac Margarita – Hooters – Cancun (Mexico) - Don’t knock it unless you’ve tried it. Both Inga and I enjoy the junk food hit and the satisfaction of not eating healthy, and then rolled in the big, stylish Cadillac Margarita which just swept us off our feet.

2  2. Pina Colada – Malecon – Havana (Cuba) – Hotel Terral – It’s all about the quality at this place. Equally as great as the first occasion I tried it here two years ago. Sweet, rich, cold and delicious on every occasion. It was 2015 all over again, consistency and deliciousness is triumphant here.

3  3. Daquiri – El Floridita – Havana (Cuba) – You could hardly believe that a drink that is as mass produced as the daiquiri in El Floridita could be any good, but of course, you would be wrong. Batch made, not bespoke, but the man behind the bar has some 25 years of experience and man, he obviously knows a thing or two about turning them over, getting them out and making them right!

Can you believe it moments

11. El Tunco (El Salvador) - Sitting on the back deck of the El Sunzal El Tunco, the waves of the Pacific crashing at our doorstep, staring up at the stars, sharing a drink and a cigar, it was hard to believe that a simple place like this could be so wonderful…but it was.

El Tunco - El Salvador

2  2. Leon (Nicaragua) - Waking up at 7am to what we thought was an evacuation alarm, and believing in that moment that we were in the midst of a volcanic eruption with our lives, potentially being on the line, was not cool perse, not until such time that we figured out that the alarm was the standard morning wake-up call for the school kids of Leon.

Leon - Nicaragua

3    3. Sunset on the Malecon – view from our hospederia – Havana (Cuba) - Two years earlier we had walked the Malecon and wondered what it would be like to watch a sunset from one of the buildings on the ocean front. Two years later we were fortunate enough to share that very experience together.

The Malecon - Havana - Cuba

The Malecon - Havana - Cuba

Un-cool moments

1  1. El Jardin de la Vida – Ometepe (Nicaragua) - Having dragged two mountain bikes, aka, gross hunks of chunk, around the base of Volcan Maderas, we managed to get back to our accommodation only to be accused by the owners of being ignorant, naïve and almost negligent for the complete break down of their bikes. Well, your treatment of us was pathetic, your moral compass off and your understanding of your own responsibilities in renting out this bikes were grossly underestimated. I said it once and I’ll say it again, to the owners of El Jardin de la Vida, you suck!!

El Jardin de la Vida - Ometepe - Nicaragua

Yes, you SUCKED!

2    2. Te’Kila, 6541 Hollywood Boulevard – Hollywood - Los Angeles  (USA)  - The audacity of these guys slipping a 20% fee onto our bill and hoping we wouldn’t call them on it was one thing, but then, trying to get it by us by claiming it was a tourist tax, well that was pathetic. We called them out and they backed down, but their manner was just so shonky and disrespectful.

Te'Kila - Hollywood Boulevard - Hollywood - Los Angeles - USA

Yes, you guys were DODGY!

Te'Kila - Hollywood Boulevard - Hollywood - Los Angeles - USA

Yes, you guys were DODGY!

3    3. The Nowhere Bar – Los Cabos San Lucas (Mexico) - It all came unstuck here when the waiter told me that the tip that I had given him was insufficient. It was close to 10% but not 10%. Hmmm, no I was of the opinion that tips were in fact discretionary and not an obligation. So with that said I simply pulled whatever tip it was and offered nothing instead. I think this set off the internal combustion of this guy and it got to the point where he asked ‘where are you staying’, in a thinly veiled threat. F*** you hombre!!

Best Accommodation

1 1. The Hard Rock Hotel – Hard Rock Megalopolis – Panama City (Panama) - The place is just cool and hell, it was a great place to stay, even though it was a fair amount more than our on a shoestring budget dictated

Hard Rock Hotel - Hard Rock Megalopolis - Panama City - Panama

Hard Rock Hotel - Hard Rock Megalopolis - Panama City - Panama

2  2. Random hospederia – Malecon – Havana (Cuba) - Looking out onto the Malecon, watching the sun dip down over Havana Bay whilst people made their way up and down the ocean front. How much more of a spectacular location could you ask for?

3  3 . El Sunzal El Tunco – El Tunco (El Salvador) - What an amazing location you get for the price. Fronting the Pacific, you are front and centre to the show that nature puts on every evening.

El Sunzal El Tunco - El Tunco - El Salvador

Random but still cool moments

Entrance to Tikal (Guatemala)

We had a difference of opinion with our tour operator when we reached Tikal. Effectively, without wanting to pay entry into the park twice, we had to stay at the entrance until such time that our day ticket, for the next day, would let us in. We spent 6hrs at the front gates, a space of time that we thought we brutalise us, but, with some imagination and ingenuity the time passed quickly and in fact, to me, it actually turned out to be a lot of fun.

The entrance to Tikal - Guatemala

6 hours, right here

The entrance to Tikal - Guatemala

Travel breakdown

Total number of flights

13

Total flying hours

49.15

Total distance flown

33,240kms

Total number of bus rides
19

Total distance covered by bus

4235kms

Average number of pupusas per day in El Salvador 
7.2

Total number of boats/ferries

6

And there we have it, the wrap of a tour that was quite surprising for what it offered. As a whole Central America was about what I expected, as a whole, but there were pockets that delivered so much more and that’s what made travelling through this part of the world so satisfying.

So where to now? Well our next escapade it going to be into the region where we’re scheduled to tie the knot on June 30^th (2017).

This trip is more about validating that our location wedding actually is the right location for us. Wish us luck!!