Turkeys M Hideaways Day 18
Turkeys M Hideaways
Day 18 - 04/24/06 Early Wake-Up, Drive to Izmir, Fly to Istanbul
Our alarm went off at 4:15 - we were in and out of the shower and then had a light breakfast at the hotel. We then made our drive to Izmir and the airport. This is very lush farm land and as the sun came up we could see the level green fields and then the modern town of Izmir.
We arrived at the airport at 7 AM but it took almost 30 minutes to check in for the two couples that were connecting and then flying Turkish Air to JFK in New York. We said goodbye to Meltem and thanked her for all her help during our stay in Turkey. Our flight was a domestic one to Istanbul where we stay one more night to catch our Lufthansa flight to Frankfurt in the early morning.
This flight was only 45 minutes and upon landing we said goodbye to Doris and Chuck and Carol and Carl. We were able to get our luggage right away and then proceeded through the departure doors where rows of cabbies were already waiting for us. Not sure of our Turkish pronunciation of the name of the hotel, or the cab drivers proficiency in English, Gennie gave him the pen she had been using for the past two weeks and he recognized the hotel's name.
It was about 30 minutes back to the Sultanahmet Saravi Hotel and we recognized many of the local landmarks along the way. It was overcast and very cool compared with the summer weather we had for the past week on the shores of the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas.
When we checked in at our hotel we received a warm welcome from the desk clerk. I made arrangements for the hotel shuttle to take us back to the airport at 3:15 AM tomorrow morning. We followed the bellman to our room on the first floor and talked to Donny who is on the OAT post trip here in Istanbul for three more days. He asked us to join him for dinner but because of our early, early departure, we declined.
We had a little breakfast at the hotel's buffet and tried to get on the internet. I was able to communicate with the hotel's wireless system but was not able to get on the net. So we borrowed the hotel's laptop to upload yesterday's photos and the journal.
The battery was running low so we asked for the power cord. After 30 minutes of searching and trying various other cords - the desk clerk gave up looking. We were surprised that it could have disappeared but while I was helping them search their office for the right cord, Gennie found it in a drawer in the lobby - amazing!
We set off at 10 AM to explore more of this old city. Our hotel is within walking distance of all the main sights we had seen during our first days here, 15 days ago. Today we chose the back streets and narrow alleys where we saw the preparations for the day and the real people of Istanbul. We tried to avoid the tourists and the touristy areas. We were able to take lots of "people" pictures and had a great time meeting the local Turks.
We returned to the hotel at 12:30 and while I sorted photos, Gennie worked on the journal of our last day in Turkey. At 2:30 we walked out for a late lunch/early dinner. We had seen several restaurants that served pides and kebabs so we went looking for them.
The Buhara 93 Restaurant had a menu outside so we had a chance to see its offering. When we procrastinated, a boy of 8 encouraged us with "welcome", "come inside", and other English comments. We entered and were greeted by a waiter who offered us a table by the window.
Gennie ordered a Karsali pide and I Buhara Karisik Kebab with a small Coban Salastat and two beverages. We were given the mixed salad with a very puffy lavash (pita). The cheese pita pizza and my mixed plate of Turkish meatballs, chicken, meat, tomatoes, rice, and other goodies arrived soon after. Gennie and I shared both plates and it was a great meal for the day.
We walked back to our hotel going through the grounds of the Blue Mosque, seeing young children enjoying their lunch with their classmates and tourists taking pictures of this beautiful and distinctive building. When we returned to the hotel we walked the grounds taking pictures and seeing the Sea of Marmara below us.
We entered the lobby and asked the desk clerk if we could have a wake-up call at 3:00 AM and the shuttle take us to the airport at 3:30 to make our 6:05 flight to Frankfurt. He was very agreeable and arranged it. Once back in our room we decided to get our books and return to the lobby and do some reading to pass the time. At 5:30 we went back to our room, showered and began to organize and pack for the flight home.
At 7 PM we were ready for bed, both of us trying to finish our books before tomorrow's flight.
Hotel: Sultanahmet Saravi Hotel - - - Meals: B
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