Bulgaria to Turkey
Posted by admin | Posted on 01-07-2010 | 0 CommentsJune 22. Nesebar, Bulgaria to Turkey Border
We left Nesebar, Bulgaria and headed for the Turkish Border. It was smooth roads all the way. When we got to the Border, I think we all thought it would be a walk in the park however we had a scare there that we were going to be held up for a bit.
We had to go from one station to the next (four in total). First we went to show our passports. They sent up to the Visa station as we had to purchase Visas (Canada was the most money of the bunch). Then back to the passport dep’t where they stamped it and then back to the front gate, as we had to register the bikes through. Once we did that, we had to purchase insurance and then we went to the final stamp of approval and everyone got through except the support vehicle, Mick the tour leader, the second Mick from Tasmania and myself. They needed a document from Mick’s company stating that he was the owner and had permission to bring the vehicles through. He was going to send Murray with the group ahead as it appeared this might take a day. But, a few phone calls to Veronica at the Compass office and we were headed to Istanbul.
Our hotel in the old city, Istanbul
Turkey is such a colourful place with its carpet displays, lighting displays and even the food dishes are quite brilliant in their presentation. Everyone wants to sell you their wares when passing by their shops. Yet, the real bargains are to be had at the Grand Bazaar. The Hotel Manager in Istanbul ordered a cab for Lauren and Carmen to take to a specific dealer within the Grand Bazaar to view and perhaps purchase one of the many Magnificent Turkish Silk Rugs. The deal was sealed after much bargaining and was celebrated with Turkish Tea. This appears to be a gesture that all of the Turkish people offer whether you are shopping on a small scale, purchasing large items or getting gas. It is a “friendship gesture” throughout Turkey that they offer tourists.
Wednesday, June 23rd Istanbul, Turkey City Tour Day
Our no ride day in Istanbul, Turkey was spent taking an organised city tour. We set out to explore some of the highlights: the Blue Mosque which was built during the 17th Century by an Ottoman Ruler with stone domes and minarets on the outside and the famous blue tiling on the inside. We then saw the outside of the Aya Sofya with thousands of tiles that created dazzling Arabic patterns that has had a history from Christian to Islamic faith and then to today’s place as a museum. Our next tour was of the Palace, Topkapi Sarayi, the nerve centre of the Ottoman’s empire and a fabulous treasure house of its riches that encompass the jewels of the treasury and holy relics of the prophet Muhammad. From there some went on to see the underground waterway system called Yerebatan Sarnici which houses the cities fresh water supplies in case of a siege while others detoured to the Grand Bazaar to soak up the feel of a marketplace that has been run for thousands of years. Everyone seems to go for a variety of reasons; some for the architecture of the many lane ways and arches, others just to shop and try to find the ultimate bargain and others just to say they’ve been there. Istanbul is a stop that many hikers, travelers include in their journeys
Topkapi Palace, Istanbul
Posted by Jacquie