From Turkey : day 1
And we have finally arrived at Istanbul! Subsequent to a harrowing 2 days of preparation, a rare closure of the Piccadilly, a last minute taxi call, a half an hour wait in queue for baggage drop - though we were already checked in, luggage claim delay of more than an hour and my daughter's cantankerous episodes in the plane - we are at last in the hotel - showered and ready for bed!
So far - the hotel - 4 star by paper has turned out to be a 4-star but a Boutique hotel, not the friendliest in terms of space and children. Mat and I are expected to cramp into a bed hardly 2 feet in width while my daughter sleeps in the other, encircled by pillows and cushions to prevent a painful fall in her nightly roamings within the bed. Not to mention my tummy width at present. Also we find, it was a better idea to book online instead Expedia, since the hotel include free pick up and drop from the airport - a straight savings of 70TL. Tsk! Tsk! The people however, till now, seem to be very warm and friendly and eager to help - making up for the amenities of a modern impersonal hotel I presume - though the vacation is yet to begin. Satin embroidered sheets, fancy imperial furniture, diffused light, turkish carpets adorn the room but the ever essential coffee-maker, shower gel and handwash missing.
The nightly ride from the airport I presume was by the side of the Bosphurus, though the dark sky forbid any sighting of the sea. Mesmerizing I am sure in the daylight! Strewn along the waterfront were families and groups of friends out for a supper and smoke. Surprisingly at 1145pm, there were plenty of prams and families sitting and chatting by the waterfront - unheard of in our civilized and time-constrained London. The smell - my husband would call it "fragrance' - of chargrilled meat wafted through the air as we passed through restaurant laden streets. Not the most pleasant and appetising - perhaps only a function of the lateness of the night.
My husband insists I must climb the terrace of our hotel. My guess - a fabulous view of either the mosque or the Sofya (or both!) in its nightly grandeur. Hence, for today, I sign off.
So far - the hotel - 4 star by paper has turned out to be a 4-star but a Boutique hotel, not the friendliest in terms of space and children. Mat and I are expected to cramp into a bed hardly 2 feet in width while my daughter sleeps in the other, encircled by pillows and cushions to prevent a painful fall in her nightly roamings within the bed. Not to mention my tummy width at present. Also we find, it was a better idea to book online instead Expedia, since the hotel include free pick up and drop from the airport - a straight savings of 70TL. Tsk! Tsk! The people however, till now, seem to be very warm and friendly and eager to help - making up for the amenities of a modern impersonal hotel I presume - though the vacation is yet to begin. Satin embroidered sheets, fancy imperial furniture, diffused light, turkish carpets adorn the room but the ever essential coffee-maker, shower gel and handwash missing.
The nightly ride from the airport I presume was by the side of the Bosphurus, though the dark sky forbid any sighting of the sea. Mesmerizing I am sure in the daylight! Strewn along the waterfront were families and groups of friends out for a supper and smoke. Surprisingly at 1145pm, there were plenty of prams and families sitting and chatting by the waterfront - unheard of in our civilized and time-constrained London. The smell - my husband would call it "fragrance' - of chargrilled meat wafted through the air as we passed through restaurant laden streets. Not the most pleasant and appetising - perhaps only a function of the lateness of the night.
My husband insists I must climb the terrace of our hotel. My guess - a fabulous view of either the mosque or the Sofya (or both!) in its nightly grandeur. Hence, for today, I sign off.