ISTANBUL, TURKEY PART 1.

ON THE LAST DAY IN THE CANARY ISLANDS WE WENT FOR AN EARLY MORNING SWIM. CHAY AND I DISCUSSED HOW FUN THIS TRIP WAS AND THAT WE DIDNT WANT THE FUN TO END THERE SO WE HASTLY BOOKED A TICKET FOR THE NEXT DAY TO GO TO ISTANBUL, TURKEY . . . IVE ALWAYS DREAMED OF EXPLORING TURKEY AND OF COURSE AS ALWAYS MY PRECONCEPTIONS WERE BLOWN OUT. VISITING ISTANBUL - CAPPADOCIA - OLYMPUS - FEITHYE - DALYAN - PAMUKKALE OUR MOUTHS DROPPED AT THE PICTURESQUE LANDSCAPES, BEACHES, FORRESTS, MOUNTAINS, THE AMAZING FOOD, RAKI AND THE GENEROSITY OF SOME PEOPLE. WE DIDNT HAVE ANY LUCK IN REGARDS TO WEATHER IN ISTANBUL. IT WAS REALLY REALLY COLD, RAINING AND QUITE MISERABLE. ISTANBUL IS A 'MEGACITY' (A POPULATION EXCEEDING 10 MILLION). IT IS SITUATED ON THE BOSPHORUS STRAIGHT AND IS THE ONLY METROPOLIS IN THE WORLD WHICH IS SEPARATED BY 2 CONTINENTS (EUROPE & ASIA). IT EVEN SERVED AS THE CAPITAL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE FROM 330-395. SO WITH THIS IN MIND U CAN IMAGINE IT IS AN EXTREMELY OLD CITY WITH A LOT OF THINGS TO EXPLORE!!! KEBABS ALSO ORIGINATED IN TURKEY, BUT TO TELL U THE TRUTH I HAVE EATEN MUCH BETTER ONES IN OTHER LANDS! LOOKING THROUGH THE PHOTOS ITS FUNNY TO SEE THE CONTRAST OF BOTH SIDES OF MY FAMILY. THE 2 POSTCARDS I BOUGHT WERE SENT TO MY GRANDFATHERS! ONE TO THE POLISH BORN CATHOLIC AND THE OTHER TO MY AUSTRALIAN BORN GRANDFATHER. ILL LEAVE IT FOR YOU TO DECIDE WHICH ONE WENT WERE . . . AFTER A TIRING 2 DAYS OF LONG WALKS, GREAT FOOD, LOADS OF TURKISH DELIGHT, WEIRD LOOKS BY STREET DOGS AND A SKETCHY NIGHT AT THE HUMMAM (TURKISH SAUNA/MASSAGE WERE U ARE WASHED, SCRUBBED AND MASSAGED IN A STEAMY ROOM) WHERE MARY JANE GOT SLAPPED IT THE FACE BY HER MASSEUSES OLD FAT 60 YEAR OLD HAIRY BREAST ! ! ! WE WERE ON A 14 HOUR NIGHT BUS TO CAPPADOCIA . . .