Green Park Resort Kartepe Izmit

... wet, bartered it down to 5 liras from 6, as he probably lost a pair of socks, like he was going to lose my best pair of shorts if I hadn't looked, and we hit the road to Eminonu ferry port to catch the ferry to Üzküdar – the bus stop on the Asian side of Istanbul. And just like that, on sweet crunchy corn on the cob, a pair of achy but strong shoulders and a lot of stares from the locals and tourists alike later, we found ourselves in Asia for the first time of our lives ...

... of fine ceramic tiles and pottery. There are several fine tile galleries where we could watch artisans working as you browse their wares. Some even took the time to explain the origins and significance of different designs. When we tired of pottery we could stroll past important 14th century mosques, scramble around Roman ruins, taste locally produced olives and olive oil, or chat with ...

... location was wasted, one could move on to richer, unspoiled venues. That might not be Turner's thesis; it's mine. In the U.S. much of that tendency (despite Republican resistance) is undergoing a self-conscious reversal in the last 10 to 20 years. Anyway, on to Iznik, a pleasant enough place. I located the presumptive location of the 325 convocation that produced The Nicene Creed, the Church (or is it to be a Mosque or museum, now?) of Hagia Sophia. It is undergoing ...

... station. The Express hasn't operated out of Istanbul for decades, and the station is now for commuter locals. With a lot of imagination we could picture what it must have been like in the way-back days of steam trains and hot intrigue. We saw no spies (and very few people, but we did get almost-fleeced by a pair of shoe-shine boys. We were bigger than them and justice prevailed). On Friday we had a 9PM flight to Athens, so we had most of the day. We decided ...

... to 15 adventure-filled days. We spent three days in Istanbul then caught our 13-day tour across the country, which will end in Istanbul for another two days. In Istanbul, our hotel is located in the center of the Old City, which is surrounded by an ancient fortified wall. This is truly a "walking city" with a gorgeous location on the Sea of Marmara. From here ships of all sizes head for the Bosporus to the Black Sea or the Aegean ...

... make that possible for the next few months so I'm going to have to satisfy my wunderlust by making plans for a trip in 2008. Options are a) Eastern Europe by bicyle, b) Overlanding through the Middle East (Iran, Syria, Jordan, Ect.) c) The Trans-Siberian and then on to South East Asia and Oz. Can't make up my mind - I'm just going to have to do it all. Saving up for it is going to be the hardest part. Anyone in the market for a kidney? I only really need one ...

... and Mio on Saturday - they're in Spain and Japan respectively and have promised to come back to Istanbul in the summer. Can't wait to see them again. Caught up with Flo who is working in Dahab at a beach bar for a few weeks (lucky girl - the weather is fantastic!) No word from Ben as yet - he's probably stuck on some deserted beach in Thailand with stash of beer and a joint. The man's in paradise! As I mentioned earlier, I managed to start a bit of a bar brawl - completely ...

... amazing pictures of the huge bridge that spans the Bosphorus strait. Unfortunately I'm tired of dealing with hostel computers, so I won't be posting anymore until I get home. Today I had the most awsome baked ...

Well today finds me STILL in Istanbul - yep ... I've decided to hang around here for the next few months. Maybe pick up some Turkish, a few more cooking skills and a load of new friends - if the past 3 weeks is anything to go by, it's one shortage I won't be experiencing! After my return from Mus I made a massive effort to find some work ASAP and applied to a few nanny agencies. Got a few offers, one of which was for the Saudi Royal family, but after a lot of ...

... taking paradise! Sadly I couldn't afford to buy anyhting, but walking around is still an awesome way to spend an afternoon. From one bazaar to another - we hit the Spice Bazaar and almost made ourselves sick sampling every imaginable flavour of Turkish Delight. Nothing you could ever buy in the shops could even closely compare to the real stuff. Pistachio flavour definitely rules!!