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Istanbul is great to walk around in at night except when you get lost
It's sometimes hard to find your way out of the maze a taxi would appear to solve the problem but he got lost too!
Today we visited the Topaki Palace and one of the best archeological museums in the world. Huge pieces of ancient columns and busts and crypts even litter the grounds, great chunks of history from mind blowing times such as 16c BC are everywhere. What is even more astounding is the sheer determination of some men to preserve and relocate pieces of marble and granite weighing several tons.
We met all the gods of love and travel and were inspired by the artisans brilliant skills. The sultans palace was as extensive as it was opulant. Stunningly beautiful tile work marble and golden minarets huge decadent day beds and ceilings that reach into the sky and let the sunshine light the colours of amazing lead light windows, so beautiful.
Our legs are gone and the rest of our bodies not far behind but do we dare try the hammam?
We negotiated all the trams underpasses and metro to go to town today. So fashionable in it's hey day, so Paris, so baraoque! The architecture turns your head towards the sky constantly. Buildings go up here and down below street level and stairways always go round in spirals. I could never be a whirling dervish. Up the Galata Tower 60m high with the path at the top sloping over the edge and I was nearly over the edge with fear. clinging to the windows of the restaurant I provided light entertainment for the diners
We love it here in Istanbul. The carpet sellers cause caos with their diversions to their shops to fill you full of apple tea. Today we were taught all the tricks to pick an authentic carpet and at the same time saw some incredible head dresses from Turkestan.
Last night and we saw the Whirling Dervishes perform again this time 4 of them with live traditional musicians and monk singing from the Koran. They truly are entranced as the spin their love of god dance!
Grotty train to Bulgaria. Woken up at 3am cold to cross railway tracks for passport inspection, woken again on Bulgarian side, woken again to check passport,woken again to check bags. Arrived in cosmopolitan Plovdiv looking a bit scruffy for this modern real little Paris of Eastern Europe and it's sidewalk cafe's.
It's a shoppers dream, everything a third of price of home, and beautiful shoes shoes and more shoes. Everyone seems to be young and trendy. Terry says "For the men here the girls would be like owning a Ferrari very expensive to keep"
It is like stepping back in time in the old part of town. Beautiful wooden Ottoman houses with amazing murals and carvings line the,yes cobblestone narrow lanes. They have been turned into living museums and the antique shops add to the atmosphere. We climbed one of the 7 hills which formed the fortress of the town. In Istanbul as well fortified walls encircle the cities. In a land which everyone invaded everyone else it was definately a necessity.
On the hill above Plovdiv we climbed over the ancient stones remaining from the Thracians 5c BC! In the centre of town the mall opens into the remains of a Roman Ampitheatre and if you look through the windows you see the ancient remains of Roman floor and wall mosiacs, this with 5 casinos in the same area. Modern Bulgarians live in their history. Groups of school children are seen being educated about their past wherever you go.
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