Gobble Up Turkey

Tuesday 26th September 2023

Eguisheim to Turckeim

We woke up to sunny skies and a 650 metre hill to climb to start our walking odyssey in the Alsace.

There was a slightly smaller mountain to climb before leaving it was the breakfast buffet and 40 ravenous Swiss tourists who lobbed before us.

The fare on offer was typical of France with more sweet than savoury to choose from, plus an added touch of champagne – who doesn’t want to drink at 730 in the morning, if your initials are JW.

As usual the bread is sensational and after 5 days I reckon I am close to a couple of metres or more.

Boots on and off we went wandering through the little village and out into the vines with the three castles an ever present beacon on the hill.

The vineyards were full of workers picking this year crop and trimming the vines. It was interesting that red and white grapes were grown in alternate rows in some fields. The slopes of vineyards made mechanical picking impossible.

It was a long steep climb up the hillside with the guide book and it’s copious instructions testing our navigation skills. Thankfully there was some divine help with several crucifixes on the trail and we only had a couple of backtracks in first hour.

There was a great view in every direction with the mist hanging over the Rhine Valley to our east and a sea of vineyards in every other direction.

Soon we were up into the beautiful forests on a mixture of stony and earthen paths, with plenty of intersecting paths making direction finding a little hazardous. The distances on the notes were a bit confusing and there were plenty of times we stood looking at each other quizzically , shrugging our shoulders and guessing a direction.

It eventually bought us undone at the bottom of the steep climb to the top, where we ended up taking a route that sounded more like a song from the 60’s – a long and winding road. It did eventually get us to a carpark near,but not at the top, which probably added a kilometer or so.

A short sharp sprint to the top and there it was – 3 dilapidated castles with views in all directions. A group of volunteers were working diligently to repair steps to enable you to scramble up to the castles.

The number of hazard signs indicate the level of amateur rebuilding and lack of safety.
Jane managed a drink from the well- not champagne obviously.

In the distance atop another hill was the next castle , the renovated one. Thankfully most of the route across was on beautiful forest paths , making walking in filtered sunlight and a slight breeze very pleasant.

We had read about the abundant fauna that had been reintroduced in recent years, with regular signs explaining about each of them. They included red squirrels, wild boar, lynx and wild deer. Other than a giant carved squirrel Jane cuddled up to, we saw none. Even human life was non existent.

After a good 90 minutes we reached the castle carpark and as usual castles are all perched on a hilltop , so we slogged our way 600 metres along a steep road.

It was worth it, not only were the 360 degree views spectacular , the castle looked great from the outside. Lots of people were outside and a peep at sign on the door explained why – CLOSED FOR LUNCH OPEN 100PM.

It didn’t faze us much, so we plonked ourselves against a tank in the shade and dined on the sumptuous luch our hotel provided.

We paid our dues and spent an hour exploring a well redeveloped building which blended the old with the new. The horde of schoolkids on an excursion ran rampant on the ramparts recreating history and ignoring every KEEP OUT sign – much to the disapproval of teachers and staff.

After our fill of history we were off on a long toe busting trip to the bottom, again having a running battle with instructions. Thankfully, we loaded a non-internet dependent mapping app which got us on the straight and narrow

After a whole lot of twists and turns we could see our destination , Turkheim , and we wandered through vineyards to reach a more austere town, before crossing the river and heading through the gates into another fairyland, albeit not as pretty as Eguisheim. Through another crowded town square we found our 15century hotel.

What a step back in history with huge dining rooms and sitting rooms adorned with artworks and artifacts. Our room was furnished similarly, with the usual navigation issues with low and sloping ceilings.

We did a wander around town taking in its charm before a bit of rehydration and a trip to dinner.

While the crowd was smaller than last night the place was full and you could not jump over the Chicken Cordon Bleu I had. It was definitely a one course dinner. Jane’s veal was not far behind.

We waddled off home only to find I has somehow stolen the table napkin. Will have to go back tomorrow with an apology, as I was too knackered to head back.

Have to say it was a slightly easier first day than last years in Turkey. Tomorrow is a short 4 hours loop walk.

Monday 25th September 2023

Strasbourg to Eguisheim in the Alsace

Today we started to get ready to move into walking mode. Headed off for the Laundromat duties early and then off to the Cathedral for one last effort.

Despite some 100 people beating us to the punch we finally got in to view the interior. Not quite as ornate as many others it was huge and beautifully decorated. The local priests would have kept fit just walking up the stairs to the altar.

The three notable features are the enormous stained glass window , organ and the astrological clock.

Whilst the first two are beautiful in their own right calling the other one a clock does it a total injustice. It is one of the times where the word unique is appropriate.

It is an invention that has to be seen to understand how many things other than the time it calculates. The clock part itself has an array of features that operate on the 15 30 45 and 60 minute marks, ranging from bell ringing figures to a full parade of 12 deciples on the hour. It also calculates , days , months, years, lunar and solar events , seasons and religious days such as Easter Sunday. To be honest there were so many features we had to buy a book to get the full gamut.

As fable has it they were so intent on preserving its uniqueness they poked out the eyes of the designer so he could not replicate it. That might a little fact checking.

Being a place of worship there is a consciousness about silence and several times when the crowd got a bit raucous they played an automated SHOOSH – which did the trick.

So all that waiting and trying was worth the effort and we happily set off to the hotel to collect the luggage and head for the train to Colmar and bade farewell to Strasbourg.

Arrived at station about 10 minutes before train departed and another swift ride in a very comfortable fast train had us there in about 25 minutes.

Into an immaculate Mercedes cab, whose driver was particularly helpful , and we soon arrived in Eguisheim. I had to pinch myself that it was not a dream and we were in some fairy tale – it was a town straight from a Grimm Brothers book.

Our hotel was able to house us immediately in a room 3 times the size of Strasbourg , but with lots of beams and a sloping ceilings. One in the bathroom was particularly challenging and required gymnastics to undertake ablutions.

The ceiling had a nice piece of artwork above the bed depicting birds and their nests. It was in stark contrast to the mural in our previous converted convent hotel depicting drunken , slobbering Monks leering at and touching up maidens. Obviously an owner with a quirky sense of humour.

We headed out into the streets to take in the wonderland in a town stuck in the middle of vineyards, with many cellars and wineries plonked in the middle of town. Again the architecture was amazing with houses dating back to the 13th century. The area is famous for storks and lots of nests were on chimneys- some so big houseowners had reinforced them in preparation for the storks annual pilgrimage to the same nest.

The town square’s bars and restaurants were filled with a mix of day trippers, bikers and walkers – all doing a great trade.

We slipped into a winery for a wine degustation sampling a few, but unable to get a glassful, as none are licenced and they rely on bottle sales.

After a bit more wandering around it was back home to prepare our walking kit for tomorrow to tackle the hills behind the town where we will visit 3 castles on route to our next village.

Ended up in a nearby bar for pre dinner drinks sampling beer, wine and cheeses before heading back to the hotel for our dinner which is part of the trip package.

Sat down to dinner with a few others in an intimate environment, until two things changed the ambiance of the room. Firstly, it seemed someone was having pre dinner coffee only to find someone had lent against the coffee machine and had coffee cascading all over the place. A bit non-plussed the offender skulked off to their table. Jane remarked ‘ I thought only you would do something like that’ .

Next it was a band of aging Swiss on a bus tour who marched in- all 40 of them.They occupied every spare seat in the place.

Dinner was an entree similar to a Caesar salad, followed by sauerkraut, portk, Frankfurt, with a couple of potatoes. The size of the serving would have fed several. Left a lot to save room for the lovely fruit pie. Hydrated with a small beer, served in a glass the size of a vase.

That ended a very eventful day in the Alsace.

Sunday 25th September 2023

In and around Strasbourg and Germany

It was an early start for the ‘proper ‘ tourists today, with no boot walking it was a chance to take in the charm and elegance of Strasbourg and its environs.

Sunday seemed to be a little quieter, well that was until we reached the Cathedral area where both churchgoers and tourists filled the square.

The beautifully attired Church Wardens we’re making sure it was only worshippers and not sightseers who got in, so armed with the map we did a circumlocution of the town in hope of returning to get a glimpse between masses.

By the end of walk there were not many red points of interest on the map we did not get to visit, in a city where identity still remains confused after years of annexation by the French and Germans.

Even street signs bear names in both languages.

The walk around the canal with its locks and barrages and plenty of boat trippers was a great experience.

There were lots of organised tours doing the rounds but we managed to dodge and weave our way around and get an understanding of how the city evolved. Whilst we walked the route many took the oppprtunity to see things by water – a delight we experienced later in the day.

The river had a lock system made for the boat and a separate run right along side, where fish made their way down rapids.

The four pillars around the barrages were the only ones left out of the original 50 or so, which used to fortify the city.

The prettiest area was undoubtedly Little France or a touch of Venice as the locals say. Once a flourishing industrial area with abattoirs and tanneries it’s been transformed into a picture postcard setting.

Story has it that the area was named Little France after the soldiers bought the Germans an unwelcomed ptesent in the form of Syphillis ( forgive spelling it’s one disease I have never contracted) which spread rapidly in the brothels that serviced the manual workers.

The little back streets were full of quaint houses and quirky bars and restaurants , along with a park where I got a photo with one Albert Schweitzer- the Nobel Prize winner in 1952.

We gradually wend our way back to the Cathedral , but with no luck as there was a midday mass. So it was off to the boat dock to tour the city by boat. With 140 crammed on one launch and 15 different languages it was an eclectic gathering.

From the water it gave a different perspective, but we also a lot of information from the audio about the evolution of Strasbourg. The trip took us to the other more modern end of town where the unique buildings housing the European Parliament and International Court of Human Rights were.

Also down there was social housing to die for – the NIMBY’s of Sydney had better beware if it’s used as a model for the Minns Govt.

The boat trip over, it was another failed attempt on the Cathedral, so we decided on a bit of border hopping by taking the tram over the Rhine into what could only be described as an austere precinct in Germany, when compared to Strasbourg. The place was deserted and trying to find a lunch spot proved difficult.

Luckily on our way back we came across a Greek influenced restaurant with a very broad menu. Jane opted for the scampi and I went for what I thought was steak. Can’t imagine the offering ever lived the life of a bovine. We both scratched our head and I dined out on the generous helping of vegetables – chips. Sorrows of the unknown food were drowned out by a very long and cold pilsner.

Back on the trail again and we crossed the Freedom Bridge, which is a two lane construction with separate lanes for walkers and bikes, though not many people observed the directions.

Both sides of the river had huge tracts of parklands with very few people. The Rhine was a little more active with a luxury river cruiser plying it’s way southward to destinations unknown.

Hopped back on the tram, back to Cathedral for another luckless visit. Decided on some souvenir shopping with a wide selection of Brothers Grimm characters in the form of magnets and Xmas decorations. Finished it off with a visit to the gingerbread store to stock up on a few trail treats for the upcoming week.

Brief late afternoon nap was followed by a walk into town for a light snack, which ended up down near the railway station where a French flat bread pizza and a couple of Aperol Spritz finished the day.

On the way home we walked past a pretty amazing sculpture of a girl climbing a flagpole- a little 5 year old tacker walking with us unsuccessfully tried to emulate the feat.

Back home had all intentions to watch Rugby World Cup. but thankfully fell asleep.

Saturday 23rd September 2023

Paris to Strasbourg

Twas the sleep of the dead, with the alarm waking us from glorious slumber at 700am to ready us for the 2.5 hour 400 kilometre train ride from Paris to Strasbourg.

Having remastered the train system it was several Metro rides to the main terminal Gare du Est.

We filled up with the usual Jenny Craig unendorsed breakfast of pastries and coffe then sat around in a crowded concourse before boarding a train that never seemed to end.

After a minor altercation about seating we were politely told we were in the wrong carriage and with our tail between our legs headed back to the correct seats.

At 200 Kms an hour it’s difficult to take in the beauty of the countryside, which was littered with small farming communities and equally as many windmills.

Well so much for the 2.5 hours, the 398 Kms disappeared in 1.45 hours and we arrived at a very grand Strasbourg train terminal. The grandness of the terminal was matched by the buildings and square that was in front of us..

The 20 minute walk towards the hotel has us treading along a cobblestone path abutting the canal, with an amazing mix of German and French architecture.

There was surprisingly few people around , other than cyclists who politely let you know if you dared to encroach their bike lane.

Distracted by the bell tinkling we missed our hotel and after retracing our steps found the converted convent down a side road.

No luck with an early entry this time, so we toddled off towards the best landmark in town – the 152 l metre high spire of the Cathedral. Based on its burnt out cousin in Paris, the Notre Dame, it was once the tallest structure in the world and now ranks the 6th highest church in the world.

It is a magnificent gothic structure with its own echoing bell system and an ornate sundial and clock. We could not get an inside visit due to mass being celebrated.

The square in which it sat was full of old houses, bars, restaurants and souvenir shops filled to the brim with every Brothets Grimm character you could name and in every form. I am sure Jane will wander back to buy the obligatory Christmas decoration.

It was interesting that there was an informal prayer session outside the Cathedral. I had my ear tweaked by a beautiful young lady saying it was in protest at the Pope becoming too involved in political issues.

I am thinking my offhanded comment that ‘ he had plenty to deal with inside the church’ might not have been the response she was seeking and she swiftly left and took a knee with the fellow worshippers.

Hunger was getting the best of us so a late lunch nearby was the order of the day. Rain unfortunately had us head inside but we both enjoyed the lunch , drinks and dessert.

Whilst kids are frowned on in restaurants, pets are not and our neighbour shared his lunch with Fido. Dog also acted as an impromptu vacuum cleaner under all tables.

After a Nanna Nap we revisited the city and the night time version was no disappointment. After wandering the streets and soaking up the view and atmosphere we headed home down the tree covered path along the canal listening to the crowd assembled at the Opera House, all dressed in their finery.

Thursday 21 September

Home to Saigon and onto Paris

The day has arrived and it’s off to the airport in an Uber with a clueless driver who managed to take the wrong tunnel exit and turn a 25 minute trip into 45.

A slight delay, which fortuitously reduced the layover time in Saigon -!so we thought- then it was plain sailing all the way to Saigon with an Aussie female pilot giving us a smooth ride.

As has been the experience in the past with Vietnam Air the food and service was fabulous. The 8.5 hour trip ticked away pretty quickly.

Spent next 6 hours wandering around airport and lolling in the Lounge . An old friend advised that a mate of his was on the same flight and likely in the lounge. After a few efforts to find him I sat down defeated or more appropriately fearful of being accused of stalking.

A 45 minute delay saw us head off at 11.45 and without any thought of eating it was into the sleepwear and head down for 7 of the next 12 hours.

After either cracking a few ribs or tearing rib cartleges on the Sunday before it was a painkiller assisted sleep.

The remainder of the trip was a couple of funny movies and reading trip notes for the walk- boy are we in for some glorious scenery, food and alcohol.

Friday 22nd September 2023

In and around Paris

Arrived in Paris to a cool and cloudy 11 degrees at 630am and were surprisingly through the welcoming exercise at airport in less than an hour.

Sorted out the train tickets and we were on the commuter train for the 35 minute ride to Paris. It seems Parisian trains and us have a troubled existence. We got halfway and then 10 minutes of French announcements led to an evacuation of the train and a mass exodus to another platform.

What could only be akin to a cattle draft in Aust saw a disorganised rabble, pass a woman being treated on floor of the train, then head for a narrow stairway where 600 into 4 did not quite work. Some there would have done a World Cup rugby play proud barging their way through. How nobody got trampled is amazing.

The downward journey was followed by an equally robust climb of the stairs to the other platform. We old people with beavy suitcases were not given any guest privileges.

Now on the new platform the 600 or so joined the original throng and space was at a premium. To improve the experience it started to bucket down with rain. But wait there is more – another announcement- ALL IS WELL GO BACK TO THE ORIGINAL TRAIN.

It was like hitting the replay button , only this time some lunatics added to the excitement by running across the tracks – much to the annoyance of the rail officials.

Round 2 was a little more pleasant as somebody gave us a hand up with luggage and we passed the ailing passenger sitting in a wheelchair who looked remarkably healthy.

Wet and bedraggled we got back on the train, navigated a couple of Metro changes and arrived at our hotel about 200 metres from the Arc d’Triomphe , hoping to leave our bags and return later to book in. As luck would have it the room was available and after 28 hours we were settled into our room.

We headed out for a walk and then got dolled up for our lunch with Anna and James, plus the boys. to celebrate her 40th borthday.

Lunch involved a punt ride to an island which housed an old hunting lodge now converted to restaurant in a setting to die for. That said at €100 a bottle for celebratory champagne dying may have been cheaper.

The French seem to frown upon youngsters in a restaurant, but Fred was beautifully behaved and Henry survived with some screen time and some relay walks around the gardens between courses.

Anna’s candle for her cake was more a firework imported from Canberra- there was definitely no blowing this one out. Suitably fed and watered it was a return boat trip and a 40 minute walk back to home.

A little Nanna Nap of an hour and we headed over to near the magnificently decorated Eiffel Tower to do a spot of childminding whilst Anna and James had their 3 hours of kid free birthday celebration.

The two flagging babysitters nodded their way through the 3 hours in the 31st floor hotel room with sweeping views over Paris before stumbling through the backlots to a train and home after a memorable day.

Whilst we were heading east on the train to Strasbourg the clan were headed to the south of France for a family holiday- all 5 bags and 2 kids plus stroller . We could only wish them good luck.

5th November to 10th November

Sat 5th

On a typical dreary day in London we set off from Earls Court for the City. The usual myriad of changes on the tube had us around the London Bridge and we explored the Burrough Markets which was a food lovers paradise with every conceivable fruit, cheese, meat and  alcohol product in from all over the world.

It was packed and finding somewhere to sit and eat was difficult, until we found a grandstand arrangement which changed patrons every 30 minutes or so as they polished off lunch.

Looked at several museums and the usual attractions, with most full of eager tourists, despite the weather.

Wandered down past Knightsbridge and Kensington where all of the top end stores,including Harrods, sell their wares,  at somewhat hefty prices.

Decided to explore the local district a bit more and walked the last 4 Kms home.

Evening was spent with a friend of Jane’s at the exclusive Hurlingham Club for a Guy Fawkes bonfire and spectacular fireworks display. 

Club is pretty toffy and a member of the family virtually has to die for others to get elevated to full membership.

We had a slight hiccup with ticket numbers and had to defer to the old drive-in trick of 60-70’s of one youngster in the boot.

It was a great night with around 4,000 people in attendance.

Caught a couple of late night underground trains home and went to bed excited about tomorrow’s visit to  watch Tottenham v Liverpool.

Sunday 6th

A miserable wet and rainy morning greeted us , but local streets were pretty busy early with the local derby between Arsenal and Chelsea due to kickoff around 12. 

We rang to book for a Sunday Roast at a local pub and were told it would be extremely busy, but managed a seat.

Dressed for the occasion, but found my pants had shrunk or I had put on more beef than expected- that was until Jane asked if I had see her pants in the wardrobe. That said two weeks of not trekking and eating everything and anything has certainly meant any loss had been recovered with interest.

Maybe everyone went to the game or stayed at home because of the rain as there was only 6 people in the pub. Amazingly they did not have tv on and the patrons didn’t seem too worried about the result. Because of the expected crowd we were stuck at n a corner nook.

Food was just ok , but going to the big match with catering suppled  it didn’t worry us.

Headed to the game about 230 in steady rain and the underground was packed with supporters. The 30 minute walk from station to stadium was a sea of white and blue, with the red of Liverpool popping up only occasionally.

Tottenham town has an interesting demographic with a swag of restaurants and food stores from most African countries. The other African centric stores were grooming centres – could only presume they did shaves or braiding.

The new stadium was magnificent and our level 3 seats gave a great view of the game. The majority of Liverpool fans were stationed just below us and be they small in numbers they were huge in voice, often drowning out the locals.

The skills of the Premier  League players players was incredible. The ground was like a bowling green and hardly a mark showed, even when players clattered into each other.

The pre match practice was pretty intense and flowed over into the game. A well worked goal

and a gift from Tottenham’s defence gave the Red’s a deserved half time lead. 

We deferred to the food area and offering was pretty ordinary – a small meat pie and a few potatoes, plus the smallest bottle of beer imaginable.

Back on the pitch Tottenham could have scored three goals in first five minutes, but erratic shooting and two hitting the post kept Liverpool in front. 

Harry Kane reduced the margin to one, but despite a concerted blitz on goal Liverpool held on.

It was a fabulous experience to see two such prestigious clubs play a great brand of football in an amazing stadium. It was definitely a Bucket List tick off.

Hung around whilst crowd disappeared and ‘feasted’ on the dessert – a bag of popcorn. 

Got the obligatory photo and then joined  the throng heading to the station, with roads absolutely packed with security guards. From my observation there was no altercations, just lots of disgruntled Spurs supporters picking next weeks team based on their player assessment.

Trains were again packed on the way home and the day ended as it started wet and windy. 

Laid back in bed reading the match programme and reflecting on just how skilled the players were and what a great day it was.

Monday 7th

Another wet and windy day greeted us and with lunch plans cancelled and visit to the filming of Call The Midwife called off over security concerns and secret squirrel stuff about the next few episodes, we decided on a day at Kempton Park Jumps racing.

Travel plans were slightly disrupted by a rail strike and the ineptitude of the ticket seller, but we managed to find a train and enjoy a 40 minute trip to the course.

A lovely park side course with the track disappearing behind a forest, it had grass and all weather tracks which were in great condition. The ran both hurdle and steeplechase events.

A crowd of about 700 devout punters with an average age of 60. Had plenty of punting opportunities with a band of about 10 SP bookies in the outside betting ring and inside was the Tote and several corporate betting companies.

We got in for the Senior’s price of £13 each and managed a table in public area which we shared with 2 ladies who were keen punters with a Bucket List to visit every track in UK.

The number of races was nearly matched by the number of pints  we all consumed, but after 7 races , with pretty small fields it was nice to finish in front.

In between drinks we had the traditional fish and chips with mushy peas.

Jumps racing here is very popular and the jockeys definitely look after horses welfare, often pulling them up if they had no chance.

At 430 it was all over and we headed for the station- a simple platform with no staff or amenities and a ticket machine and display board advising the next few trains were cancelled. Waiting 45 minutes in cold damp conditions after our beer consumption meant a few trips to the bushes.

Back on the train and back to n town in time to grab a quick bite to eat and head to the theatre precinct. We saw  Came From Away which is the play/ musical based on the little town in Newfoundland – Gander- where all the planes were diverted during the 911 incident. It  was a really entertaining show put on by a talented bunch of actors.

After an exhausting day it was back home to have our last sleep overseas.

Tuesday 8th

Up early on another cold and windy day with more rain predicted.

Checked out and headed to town for our last day of sightseeing. Ended up at Big Ben,   then over to the Look neon Eye for first ride of the day. Most of ride was in howling   wind and rain, but you still got a birds eye view of the City.

Down through the Xmas Markets and along waterfront near Whitehall and New Scotland Yard and Westminster Cathedral. Then it was up past Green Park and Pall Mall with a distant view of the palace. It’s a pit like a human game of Monopoly. Popped  our head into the Ritz Hotel and Fortnum and Mason the culinary suppliers to the late Queen.

Then we headed to Chelsea for lunch with Jane’s friend and her godson who is in Call The Midwife.

After a nice catch up it was back to the hotel to collect bags and head for tube to the airport.

Got halfway and train was stopped due a fire at the next station and then they announced it was terminating. We swapped trains about 3 times before finally getting back onto the right one and getting to the airport with about 2.5 hours to spare.

Through the customs and security with the usual holdups and then a little shopping before a visit to the Lounge.

Wednesday 9th and Thursday 10th 

Plane left about an hour late and I had a repeat of my Turkish Bath oil treatment when the poor hostie dropped a bottle of salad dressing down my back when serving an adjacent customer. 

Pretty ironic when the other hostess serving me asked if I wanted dressing on my salad. The little voice over my shoulder said “ he may have had enough’ and explained the position. She apologised every time she went past.

Afte 4 movies  and 6 hours sleep we arrived in Singapore with me showing signs that the duck I had for lunch might be playing havoc with the tummy, so had to be careful what I  ate on the leg to Sydney. it turned out to be dry bread and black tea, so no savoring the delights of Business Class.

No sleep, just a few movies on the way back, plus regular bathroom visits and we arrived back home at 700am.

Customs took exception to a couple of things we bought back from Turkey, which seemed contrary to things we had read about what was kosher.. At least the tooth brush cleaned boots and poles past muster.

So there emdeth some 50 odd days of an odyssey that won’t be forgotten.

It’s time to bade farewell to Turkey after an unforgettable 38  days, but not before a final treat.

We both went to the Turkish bath and other than the dangly bits I think I had three people give me a going over from head to toe and that omits the barber.

Most of it was clad in a towel with some little rag for which I could find no use.

First of all it was laying on the hot and cold marble in the sauna section with a skyward view through a myriad of portholes in the roof.- treatment was self administered. 

That was followed by a towel clad guy give me a stern luffering for 20 minutes after which I am sure I lost one complete layer of skin. He even showed me the dead bits.

He followed that up with a soapy lathering whilst I was still  laying on the marble and then sitting upright at something resembling a baptismal font where soapy massage was followed by cleansing with buckets of warm water.

That was the end of that attendant and for some reason he kept showing me his badge number (30) with a ‘ remember me’ – after being that close and personal how could I forget.

Into another room for the oil massage. If I still have a sore muscle in my body that they didn’t get to massage I will be surprised. 

It was 30 minutes of sometimes gentle and sometimes painful as he worked on knots. It was a complete head to toe and he worked extremely hard, working up a pretty heavy sweat and some uncomfortable heavy breathing. Like the previous bloke number 27 gave me the ‘remember me’ message.

 I must say I nearly dozed off at one stage.

Next it was some bloke who directed me to the marble area and gave a few instructions on what I should do. No number or parting comment.

After about 25 minutes of unassisted bathing a sweaty  and slippery me was directed to the showering area. Degreased and less slippery I was then escorted to the rest and dress area where another unnumbered guy toweled me down and sent me upstairs to my relaxation and dressing chamber. Another unnumbered guy was my usher.

That ended the process and I was as smooth and soft as a baby’s bum from head to toe. Went down stairs to pay and who was there to greet me, none  other than number 27 and 30- ‘remember me and my number’ was about a gratuity, even after paying $100 for the treatment. Slightly euphoric from the experience I tipped them both and sat waiting for Jane.

In those moments I realised I still had a days growth so it was into the strategically placed barber for a shave and eyebrow trim. During the process he mentioned he would remove the pony tail I had accumulated from a poor head shaving routine.

Ever keen to please he grabbed a cigarette lighter and burnt hair off my ears which must have been plenty because it smelt like a small forest fire. Just when I thought it was over he had one more treatment to administer – the removal of hairs on the top of my nose tip – discernible only to an eagle eyed barber.

Who could resist a nose tip wax which when administered made one resemble a green nosed reindeer – if only I could have snapped a picture. Getting it removed didn’t tickle and he administered some pain numbing gel to nose and ears before taking my $15.

Celebrated with coffee and cake and with time and money running out our  last visit was to the rooftop garden restaurant near our hotel for a lunch snack. it was not until we got up there that we realised we were almost in the backyard of the Blue Mosque and also had a filtered harbour view in several directions.

Headed back to hotel and got picked up for our 520 flight to London, with a bagful of memories.

Trip to airport was fast and furious and saw our first traffic accident in a city where near misses are the norm.

The airport is magnificent and still undergoing more extensions. That said,  airports drinks are ridiculously priced , like everywhere else in the world – a beer and small bottle of wine was $40 and a croissant $15. Our purchases made sure we used our spare change.

Security was very strict. One full baggage and personal X- on entry, another when going through to customs and at the departure gate it was a full body pat down and complete check of your hand luggage, including Swabs of shoes, bags, phones and IPads.

My observation about Istanbul being a beautification destination was borne out by advertisements constantly running in the airport and 4 blokes on the flight having hair transplants – my treatment at bathhouse paled into insignificance.

The BA experience did not improve. Got there 3 hours early as requested and we’re about number 6 on the queue. After 35 minutes the 5 booths opened and 4 were assigned to Business Class. As were were waiting staff ran the line explaining it was a full flight and people would have to put baggage under their seats, that is despite paying full freight and conditions stating one piece of cabin luggage was available. Renegade Jane ignored the request and I checked mine through with luggage after another plea at gate to minimise cabin luggage,

It was not until we were about to board that we realised we were not sitting together, we had been assigned window seats a row apart. So much for being a Qantas Club member and Jane being lifetime Silver FF- seems code shared flights dont respect the fact.

Leg room was disgraceful , even with seat in upright position your knees touched the seat in front – could not really keep banging it with my knee  with Jane occupying it.  The other thing was seats could not recline.

On board the plane they gave you a mini sized packet of chips and bottle of water for a flight of almost 4 hours. Would appear they are mirroring the el cheapo airlines. After the 5 hour delay with first flight, i will be tossing up whether to use them again.

Arrived on time and pretty quickly got through Customs and collected baggage and it was on the train to Earls z court in somewhat cooler temperatures than what we had been experiencing.

Booked into our hotel for our third visit here and then out for dinner at a local Italian restaurant before braving the chill and getting to bed at 11, which was 200 am Istanbul time – little wonder we were zonked

Up at 545 to be ready for pick up for our 4-5 hour drive to Gallipoli.

Picked up on time and collected the remaining crew before snaking through backstreets onto  a freeway  packed in both directions.

A couple of pit stops along the way as we tracked Sea of Mamara, with its ports at places like Botas , where huge gas and oil reservoirs serviced the ships. Many were anchored just a couple of 100 metres offshore.

Swung away from coast through some rolling rural territory mainly with crops and dotted with electricity pylons. Roads were absolutely fantastic.

Around 50km mark from Gallipoli the pine plantations started  as we started to go down other side of the peninsula.  We did not cross the huge suspension bridge over the Dardanelles. 

Back close to water and seaside dotted with shipyards, with huge vessels just off shore.

The closer we got the steeper and taller the mountains became and they were covered in dense pines. 

Close to shore were different versions of mussel farms, some lease stule and others stand up, similar to what farmers in Coffin Bay are using.

Arrived at  town just short of starting point  around 12, had a typical lunch m, then  o walk along seashore , where there was a representation of the trenches at TheNek, before getting onto bus for the Gallipoli Peninsula Anzac Tour.

We had an amazing guide whose wartime history knowledge was amazing and I am sure we both walked away more informed about the Gallipoli campaign than before we arrived.

Ironically today was the 108th anniversary of Turkey deciding to join the Germans after Churchill reneged on a ship building contract. Another irony was the first and only naval invasion by Allies  which resulted in the loss of a third of of that fleet and resultant defeat,  was on Matt Lee’s birthdate ie 18th March – thank God something came out of that date.

We got a complete rundown on each significant battle in which Anzac’s were involved and the successful and failed tactics of both sides. When you think that the landing at Anzac Cove North Beach resulted in gaining just 1 kilometreof territory  in 8 months before evacuation, it was a clear win to the Turks.

The better trained , led and acclimatized locals who were hardened sildiers  fighting troops who were basically 60% volunteers made a major differences.

The terrain also helped with Turks holding high positions and Allie’s faced with barren cliffs and gullies with no cover.

In such a beautiful beach setting it’s difficult to comprehend how the men felt jumping off and seeing what challenges lay ahead.

The loss of lives in 25th April is mind boggling , as was the 8000 odd soldiers who died from both sides on an area no bigger than a football field at Lone Pine. The Nek was nothing short off carnage and plain bad man management by both British and Aust commanders.

At several places trenches were less than 10 metres apart and many were tunnelled under as another form of attack. With trenches and tunnels main defence and attack mediums it’s little wonder our soldiers were named Diggers.

Wandering through the War Cemeteries was very sobering and emotional looking at how many young Aussies lost their lives in the line of duty. It was a very different situation in the Turkish memorials where many were in their 30’s.

Ataturk was a fabulous tactician and leader of men, but post war as President reflected beautifully on the futility of war.

Today was a day to remember, where lots of tears were shed and fittingly it finished at the top of the hill which was the pinnacle at the start of the campaign, but ended up the last battlefront, where NZ lost half of their total campaign casualties.

One ironic fact was that hardly a casualty was experienced during the evacuation because it was so well planned – oh had such thought gone into planning the assault.

Finished around 530 and endured the 4.5 hour trip home, for us to finish up packing and say farewell to Turkey and head for London.

Well at least today the feet got some respite for part of the day with a boat trip on the Bosphorus.

Up, fed and watered and out the door by 930 to get to wharf by 1015 for an appointment with what looked like a lovely cruiser.

Having now mastered the transport we were there on time and boarded a beautiful 20 metre cruiser and had the whole top floor to ourselves.

 Fully guided trip with commentary the entire way from the wharf in Europe and under two bridges to alight in Asia on the other side of Bosphorus , albeit only for 15 minutes- but enough time to get the famous red yoghurt.

Suffice to say we saw our fill of castles and palaces, some which mow operate as museums, government buildings ( like Egyptian embassy)  , schools or with one a $100m purchase by a Saudi Prince just to sit there under a bridge unattended, but with tag of the most expensive waterfront in Istanbul.

It’s an interesting way to see the place and recognise just how hilly Istanbul is and how so many waterfront houses of Ottoman design still exist. We were one of a flotilla of cruise boats. Often accompanied by tankers and the groups of small fishing boats trying their luck. We did see one bloke land a decent sized fish. An all men cruise with about 200 aboard floated past at one point and our guide must have noticed something because he mentioned ‘not peeing over the side’.

Real estate on waterfront ranges from $15m to $ 100m and it’s mainly big business owners, actors, movie stars or footballers who call them home. The President just happens to have three mansions. Off course there  are the hotels like Four  Seasons  and Kempinsky where a nights stay in Sultans room can cost $40k.

Naturally several of the 3200 mosques in Istanbul have absolute or near waterfront positions , including the biggest mosque in Asia with its six spires and one which provides separate prayer facilities for Muslim, Jewish 

and Christian faiths.

Waterfront living has its dangers with one house being severely damaged by an out of control freighter not long back and still under repair.

The only island on Bosphorus has a swimming pool, cafe and a partly demolished disco. The owners didn’t get permission to build so Govt arrived one day and demolished it. 

The Bosphorus is an interesting stretch of water 750 metres at its narrowest point and 3200 metres 

at its widest. It’s quite bumpy and because Black Sea is higher than Sea of Mamara there are different currents at different depths going in opposite directions. One of the two major bridges, supposedly a Golden Gate lookalike , crosses at the narrow point.

Plenty of money invested into rebuilding historical sites including a seaside  castle, which was supposedly built in 4 months in days gone by. None being invested in the Military school, from which young bucks  initiated the most recent coup. The old waterside police academy turned into a money spinner being sold and now housing the most expensive restaurant in Istanbul, which along with Sortie nightclub are the places to be seen. Interesting that a hospital, cemetery and university have prime waterside positions.

Universities charge no fees, but entry requirements are apparently quite stringent. From our experience a lot of women study architecture.

The main feature on Asian side is the new 550 metre telco tower in which you can take a lift to the top. There are decidedly less high rise buildings, with larger homes more prevalent. One palace was unique, being only one with a pool.

Not sure if it’s because  of 99th birthday but flags, including one 1400 sq metres, adorn most buildings along with pictures of Ataturk.

After 3 hours it was back to port, I visited local football stadium of Besitkas ,but no tours available.

Back on tram and down to wharves in search of the famous fish sandwich, so Jane could tick it off her list of things to do and taste. Found and enjoyed after a long search and then headed for the meat market.

On he way we passed the square next to our bath house  we will visit you n Friday and it was full of armed police, riot squad guys with shields and a huge water cannon. There was a group of protesters waving yellow flags, but their cause remained a mystery. 

We moved on quickly to the meat market, situated behind an enormous aqueduct in pristine condition, which was full of the traditional cuts of meat and every other edible, or what in some cases looked inedible, bits of cows and lamb bodies. Not sure about hygeine regulations, but most people covered noses when they went in. One goat owner was tempting fate tethering his animal in the meat market square

Finished the tour and headed downhill towards the tram station. Had an interesting incident with a guy avoiding the 1 lira WC entry fee who tried to squeeze through turnstile simultaneously with me – only one persons private parts were damaged in the process.

On way back to tram had the usual battle at traffic lights with signals meaning little to drivers or pedestrians – love to see the statistics on car/ people accidents.

On the tram and again noticed the number of men and women who had undergone cosmetic medical procedures. Women mainly had surgery on noses and top lips, whilst blokes looked like hair transplants. Interestingly the car we came from airport in was sponsored by some Clinic, so perhaps Istanbul is the home of beautification.

 Jumped off tram at earlier riot scene and it had disappeared.

A little afternoon gelato fix and walked back home to pack our bags as much as possible, given tomorrow was a 14 hour round trip to tour Gallipoli. Also needed to know if everything would fit into suitcases.

On the way back all of the hawkers had given up on us and just waved us by . Poor old Bananaman had a miserable day as council was digging up road right where he sat. Only happy hawker was restaurant man who we assured we were coming for dinner.

Everything did fit in bags and dinner was fabulous and I ticked off the drink called raiki , a bit like Ouzo. Only thing left is whether we try a Hookah – the type you smoke.