The last day for me in Bar was a quiet day with washing to do ,so instead of planning a tour I decided to have a closer look at the town and possibly get some more clothes. There was a shop that I had seen next to the supermarket that looked as if it would be worth looking at. So mid morning chores done, I wandered into the shop just browsing it was here that someone kept bumping into my…
Finally having had a decent nights’ sleep, I was up and eager to go look at the new destination of Bar in Montenegro! First there was the trip to the money machine to get the hotel paid. After achieving this Bator, the most accommodating owner offered to drive me to the old city where the Franciscan Monastery was found with the churches of St George and St Nicholas Dropping me off at the bus stop so I would know where to…
Quiet day today, that I plan on spending at the Registan in Samarkand. After the usual breakfast, which included being offered boiled or fried eggs both of which I couldn’t face! I wandered off down to the huge registan buildings. Past the fountains and the lion cum tigers. I gather somewhere in the religion in the past it did not allow statues of live animals thus the strange looking golden beasts. More like a lion than a tiger in my…
One of the family running the Istanbul hotel suggested a tour of the Princes Islands that I may like, as it turned out there were two, one on Monday the other on Tuesday. Still suffering from the nights’ events, I managed to get up in time to join the tour at eight in the morning. Being picked up from the hotel just so convenient, probably wouldn’t have gone if they didn’t. Once we had collected everyone for the tour it…
Having spent two days doing tours, I planned on having a quiet wander through the main tourist drawcards, the Hagia Sofia, the Blue Mosque, and of course the Topkapi palace and museum. Today it was to be the Hagia Sophia, there was the choice of going left or right as the mosques actually face each other across lovely pedestrian areas that include markets, parks and fountains. It is a stunning and picturesque scene, throw in the tourists and hawkers of…
Entry to the lovely Blue mosque is free to all, but a scarf is a must, for those that don’t have one a cover is available to use. Shoes are also removed and carried in a plastic bag that is supplied. Going early again meant the queues were quite small, but in any event it moved fairly well and waiting was minimal. I wouldn’t want to be waiting too long as the heat of the day regardless of time, is…
It is so much easier to walk around the city in the early part of the day. The Topkapi palace was a little further than the usual walk but not a great deal. The charge to enter this was the same as the Hagia Sophia, 25 lira, having the security checks as well. I am uneasy putting my small backpack on the belt through the xray because there are so many people there. After the pickpocket experience in Bar, it…
Another early start for the day, this time to do the Bosphorus tour, same routine with the company. Everyone was gathered from various hotels, given a number, then sent to the coaches. We started the day by stopping off at the Spice market. I was so hoping to go there. After the wonderful markets in Uzbekistan, I love the atmosphere, the smells, the people busy with their lives. It lived up to my expectations of the colours, the smells, displays…
Interesting journey to Istanbul! After a fascinating stay in the very, very old city of Plovdiv in Bulgaria I caught the train to Istanbul. Surprisingly, it left just after 10 pm close to the timetable. I actually fell asleep, as I had grabbed the disabled seats so had a complete row of three to myself. Everyone else draped themselves over seats and suitcases. Plenty of room for everyone to do so as well. Woken up by border patrol for passports…
I left Vilnius at 11.25 for Warsaw, by train with changes at Kaunas and Sestokai. Kaunas is Lithuania’s second largest city about an hour and a half away. One of the more modern trains, it sported an upper deck and was a very comfortable ride. Toilet at one end of the carriage for convenience. The change at Kaunas included a half hour wait, just across the platform for the next train, for which I was grateful. Towing heavy bags is…