Wednesday 30th April 2025
I know today's title is bad but feeling uninspired today.
Today was a big travel day, starting with a taxi to the airport after leaving beautiful Cavtat. The manager of the hotel, the lovely Dubravka, was there to see us off at 6.45am in the morning. That is dedication!
And then a flight to Istanbul, about 3 hours or maybe 2 with the 1hour time difference, but that is not important. I had a row to myself at the back of the plane which was great except for the screaming baby who kept it up for the whole 2 or 3 hours. We were doing economy but still all got a box of food. Would you believe mine was not gluten free. Apparently, you have to tell them beforehand. I did have some nice meat and cheese minus the yummy bread roll and butter and jam etc etc
On arrival in Istanbul, no wheelchair! Well, there was one, but another lady had plonked herself in it insisting she had booked it.
After a bit of a 'discussion', I had had enough and thought we could just do it ourselves.
Big mistake.
It was quite a walk to passport control without the wheelchair and without the concierge whisking us through the disabled shortcuts. Lots of walking and standing and escalators. Finally, it was baggage pickup time but we(me) went the wrong way and had to do lots of extra walking to find it. And then it was not easy or quick to get out of the airport, especially with the taxi driver constantly ringing wanting to know where we were and to hurry up. He even said he was busy. No pressure......
We eventually found the exit and then more walking to the taxi and an almost 2 hour trip to our hotel, the Fes Hotel. It was meant to take an hour but the traffic was horrendous. No lanes or rules but lots of helpful honking!
We arrived finally and it was quite a nice hotel and in the centre of things but all very hilly. This may not be ideal.
Just up the hill. Note stairs.
front door
The room
The room looking straight into the bathroom. scary until we were shown a blind that could be drawn for privacy
bed with bathroom exposed
shower with pretty mosaic
The rooms are around a kind of central opening with water at the bottom. Quite pretty going up and down the glass lifts.
After a rest, we needed food. Again the need for foraging in a strange city with lots of hills. But the nice english speaking concierge was able to suggest a restaurant nearbyish so off we went. Hills, cobblestones, and uneven paving and cars and motorcycles seemingly able to go anywhere. A little scary for the disabled.
The restaurant had some understanding of gluten bloody free food and the food was great.
Nice bar
No gluten free beer for me.I had water.
My main of chicken skewers was very good
Paul had chicken curry, also very good.
At the end they brought out baklava for dessert and then nice fruit for me. Very thoughtful and really nice and fresh.
Back to the hotel for a rest and good news, there is a gym!
Eventually we decided to have a look around and head to the blue mosque, which we were told is 4 minutes' walk away. Given the hills and you know what, maybe a lot longer.
He looks famous
pretty square
minaret in the distance
look a cat.
a mosque
might come in handy
outside the blue mosque
nice whatever that is
quite a few of these vans selling roasted chestnuts and corn. The smell was amazing.
nice
The blue mosqueWe will return tomorrow to actually go in and have a good look.
And then food which was completely unnecessary.
Guess who had which bread
Guess who had which meal.
We finished with a lovely turkish teaAnd then on the way back to the hotel, we found another cat who was very happy to pose for a photo. Apparently, cats are big in Turkey as well. Yeah
Tomorrow more mosques and other sights and hopefully more cats.
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