LIVE - An Epic Journey - Rhapsody - Singapore to Istanbul

[AussieVisi2r]

An update on our missile incident in Ashdod.

 

I have just read that there were actually four rockets fired at Ashdod that night.

 

Three were shot down by anti missile guns. one landed only 13ks from the ship.

 

On the bridge tour I asked the captain what was his thought process regard the quick exit from port.

 

"There was no thought process".

 

He was told GO and he did.

 

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/israel-tv-missiles-fired-gaza-land-israel-reports-1503041

 

[depplep]

Very moving pictures of the Stations of the Cross. It's more beautiful than I would have imagined. I do hope that you are taking us with you on your Asian journey in November???

[h20cruzer]

Raina your report is so fascinating, I can't get enough.

One question though, is how do you deal with the heat. Not sure I would

fair well. How do you do it?

Norma

[suekay]

.

I've only just found this thread and am so glad I did. Such memories of this cruise (we were on the Singapore-Dubai leg and were two of the sad people disembarking in Dubai☺) and other cruises we've done in the past. You have a really interesting style of blogging. Thank you

[icat2000]

so did they leave any passengers behind when they had to pull up stumps and get out of there.

[AussieVisi2r]

so did they leave any passengers behind when they had to pull up stumps and get out of there.

 

Yes they did. there were around 100 of us off for the night intentionally......but four people did get left behind.

 

I cannot imagine how scary that would have been. To be in a country with a bit of a scary record, to hear air raid sirens blasting, to get a text saying "City Alert - under attack, seek bomb shelter!" and to see your ship, your place of safety - heading out to sea without you!

 

I didn't get to talk with them, but I believe they were looked after by the Port Agent, and then reimbursed for all expenses - I guess hotel, meals, accommodation and a few items of clothing.

[NorbertsNiece]

Yes they did. there were around 100 of us off for the night intentionally......but four people did get left behind.

 

I cannot imagine how scary that would have been. To be in a country with a bit of a scary record, to hear air raid sirens blasting, to get a text saying "City Alert - under attack, seek bomb shelter!" and to see your ship, your place of safety - heading out to sea without you!

 

I didn't get to talk with them, but I believe they were looked after by the Port Agent, and then reimbursed for all expenses - I guess hotel, meals, accommodation and a few items of clothing.

 

Hey x

Ok if I share this on my blog? News to me.....

Home with waggy tail dog right now

 

Linda

[AussieVisi2r]

Turkey

 

Istanbul, 31st May

 

We sailed up the Dardanelles and past Gallipoli at around 6.30 am today. For those that don't know - Gallipoli is Australia and New Zealand's big war memorial day. It has become a symbol of Australia's national identity, achievement and existence. It was a massive defeat - but also a blooding of a young nation. And this year was the 100th anniversary.

 

So it was great to sail in through the Dardanelles - a place of such great importance in WWI.

We then arrived in Istanbul at around 2pm. Half sea days are great. You get to sleep in, do the packing - Boo, Hiss, and still have time to do something exciting.

 

And I must say that I think it is the best sail in EVER. And I've done some great sail ins/outs. I had to run form port to starboard then back, and again, and again as there was so much to see!

 

Europe on the left, Asia on the right. Amazing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

And then just as we were right into the harbour it was time for the "call to Prayer". Now, regardless what you think about various religion I don't think that you cannot help but be amazed by this. You can see in the photos how many mosques there are. And they all broadcast the chant, all at a fractionally different time, different tone , different voice and different level. I loved it.

(we shall see what I think after my nights in Istanbul - right near a mosque.)

 

[AussieVisi2r]

Istanbul continued.

 

For the afternoon I went for a walk. It is not an ideal port to head out from without a plan. It's on a big road - near the tram but the ticket card machine was not working. The taxi drivers are wanting airport and 3 hour hires - not a trip up the street.

 

I fairly quickly turned right and headed down to the water. The Bosphorus River.

Huge. So very busy - at any time you can see 12 or more ferries zipping around, shipping, cruise ships, pleasure craft and more.

 

It was a Sunday afternoon so the river and the foreshore were really busy, everyone was out enjoying life. I jumped on a multiple stop ferry - but it was too chaotic. So many people going home after a day out, huge groups etc. and I decided I didn't want to be there so jumped off - at the next stop. I'll do it again in a few days in the middle of a week day.

 

 

Then I had a cup of 'Orange Tea' at one of the many waterside tent cafes. It sure was orange. Tasted a lot like hot cordial but was really nice!

 

 

And a pretzel - which is really a great bread roll. But awesome.

 

 

This guy had a string of balloon in the water and you paid to use his slug gun(BB gun) (I hope) to shoot balloons.

 

 

All the food vendors sold really wholesome foods like hot chestnuts, corn on the cob, bags of various seeds like sunflower or pumpkin.

 

I watched a 3x3 basketball comp for a while.

 

There was some huge concert on at one end of town and tens of thousands of people were heading to the venue. I was walking in the opposite direction and it was like swimming up a swift river. The people who were not going were setting up by the river for an evening of relaxing. One lady was breaking up wood and starting her little brazier on the foot path. Its dark now and we can see a few fires - like old fashion bonfires burning in parks around the city.

 

Serious police car!

 

 

 

And everything was so cheap - the tea was 2 lyra (80c US) and the roll as 1 lyra (40cUS).

 

it was a fun way to spend a few hours.

[AussieVisi2r]

Hey x

Ok if I share this on my blog? News to me.....

Home with waggy tail dog right now

 

Linda

 

Absolutely!

 

Glad you had a god trip.

 

R

[AussieVisi2r]

Turkey continued

 

Gallipolli

 

We got up at stupid o'clock to meet in the lounge at 7. They were throwing us off the ship! Goodbyes then out to meet our guide for our private tour to Gallipoli.

We booked a private tour with RSL Tours and they were sensational. Theyturned up in a 14 seater bus - just for the three of us. A driver and a guide who was very knowledgable and passionate about the subject.

It's nearly a 5 hour drive to Galipolli.

 

We stopped after about 2 hours for Breakfast - Turkish style.I have discovered a new piece of awesomeness. Smooth Feta in honey. Wow. Yum

 

 

Today was doing a 5 hour trip each way. So I got my bed softener (cause yes I am a sook who takes her own softener/mattress toppper) out of my luggage - you know the suitcase you pack really carefully with things you will not touch again until you get home? - and made a nest in the back. And I's so glad I did. I only had one nap but I was in comfort reading on the way back!

 

 

Our first stop was at the cannon battery that guarded 'The Narrows'.

Now why a war here. (This is far to simple an explanation!!!) - Coming into Istanbul the Dardanelles becomes very narrow at one point. Whoever controlled this, had control of the Black Sea. Turkey was looking for an ally and German won that right. The Dardanelles were closed off with mines. A battle on the other sides of the peninsular would help Britain to take the Narrows and reopen the shipping lanes.

One of Turkey's great war hero's is this guy who, when all the others were killed or wounded, managed to carry 200kg shells up onto this gun and sink a crucial ship in an important battle.

 

 

 

It was then onto the ANZAC sites. Incredibly moving! It's hard to pick a comparison to show how important this place is to Australians and New Zealanders. Maybe Gettesberg or Omaha Beach.

 

 

 

[AussieVisi2r]

Turkey continued

 

The thing that made my eyes leak the most were the inscriptions on the stones. That and when you see the huge list of names on other walls.

 

 

 

 

Lone Pine

 

 

 

 

Thanks to all these brave guys!

 

 

[AussieVisi2r]

Turkey continued

 

Many of the trenches still exist.

 

 

 

 

The Turkish memorial and cemetery was equally moving.

 

 

The Lone Pine has its own story.

 

There was one Pine tree on this ridge. It was blown up. An Australian soldier collected some pine nuts from a cone and sent them home to his mother. She raised a tree from them. This tree was moved to the Australian War Memorial, where it still lives, and is really important to us. Some years ago seedlings were sent back to Turkey and the "Grand daughter" of the original tree grown there today - just the one. And the excellent thing about that is that the one in Canberra - now 100 years old is becoming old and is suffering. We will be able to get a seedling from the tree now on site on Lone Pine. How wonderful is that!

 

 

We then visited the Turkish War Memorial that was a really good set up.

A very moving day.

 

One of the thinks I could not help think about a lot was what a gracious country Turkey is to allow us to have such an amazing memorial. After all we were invading them in their country. The sites are so well preserved. Huge teams of gardeners work all year around tending grass and flowers.

 

Australian and Turkey and great friends now - but I still wonder how many countries would do such a good job!

 

I have visited some powerful site - Culloden Moor, Ground Zero and The Soweto Uprising. Fairly obviously this is now in that list.

 

[joand452]

Raina, I love your descriptions of the sites you've seen. So interesting and, while I'll probably never remember what you've told us, I'm enjoying learning this history. Are you a teacher in "real" life?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[tigger-ttfn]

Love your pictures and review. Lost track of you for awhile. Glad I found you again

[cruiserking]

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Forums mobile app

[emdia43]

There is a really good film called 'Gallipoli' with a young Mel Gibson. It's some years old but still available. One of my all time favorite films...

[AussieVisi2r]

Thanks for you comments.

 

R

[AussieVisi2r]

Istanbul (- not Constantinople).

 

2nd June

 

If only I could stop singing the swing song from the 1950's.

 

"Istanbul was Constantinople Now it's Istanbul, not Constantinople Been a long time gone, Constantinople Now it's Turkish delight on a moonlit night (Oh) every gal in Constantinople (Oh) lives in Istanbul, not Constantinople (Oh) so if you've a date in Constantinople (Oh) she'll be waiting in Istanbul

Even old New York Was once New Amsterdam Why they changed it I can't say People just liked it better that way

So take me back to Constantinople No, you can't go back to Constantinople Been a long time gone, Constantinople Why did Constantinople get the works? That's nobody's business but the Turks'"

 

I walked 10 minutes from my hotel and found the Highia Sophia. But since it is ginormous thats probably not all that clever!

 

 

Then I found a guide who wanted to take me on a four hour walking tour for about $40US - so off we went. Yay - I was not going to get lost!!!!! I did check his tour licence card. Off we went.

 

 

First stop was the Archeological Museum. It was great. Istanbul has such a rich heritage with Byzantine, Greek, Roman and more history. So much to see. Medusa was there as were Apollo and Zeus.

 

The Tiled Pavilion is the oldest Turkish secular building in Istanbul. Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror built a residence here in 1457, shortly after he took the city from the Byzantines (1453), but the present building dates from 1472.Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror built a residence here in 1457, shortly after he took the city from the Byzantines (1453), but the present building dates from 1472.

 

 

We then went to Not the Blue Mosque - but Yeni Cami or The New Mosque - another huge mosque, 'cause it was built in 1660. Very new! And it was amazing. So huge (hard to take in the size) and so lovely.

 

 

There were about eight of these booths selling bird seed. Well fed pidgins.

 

 

The Spice Markets were great - But really the "All Things Delicious Markets".

 

[AussieVisi2r]

Istanbul continued

Lunch was 'Cig Kofte'. Looked a lot like dog poo - but apparently it was potatoes and spice - with lots of spice. It is smeared out on the flat bread - again very like dog poo. Then sauces and vegetables added. Rolled up and delicious. Spicy but delicious.

 

 

We then went up the Funicular (the second oldest Metro system in the world) to Taksim Square whch is a major tourist and restaurant spot. The work taksim means division and it is the spot where the original water pipes divided off to the city. HAHAH It's always busy.

 

Taksim Square has a public space in a really nice old building where artists can rent space and put on exhibitions. I went and looked at some really "Modern art".

 

 

It was really sad to see that the Gypsies start their kids off so early. Never too early to get into the family business I guess. This kid wasn't an isolated case. being a tourist hot spot there were at least 5 'incidents' of these child beggars.

 

 

 

There is always heaps happening up here, so plenty to see.

 

It was then back down to Sultanahmet, - the Old area.

 

The Hippodrome of Constantinople! (There I got to use the name - now I'm singing the song again).

 

 

And the Obelisks.

 

The Obelisk of Theodosius (on the left) is the Ancient Egyptian obelisk of Pharo Thutmose III and was re-erected in the Hippodrome of Constantinople by the Roman emperor Theodosius I in the 4th century AD - after he stole it form the Egyptians.

 

The Walled Obelisk (also known as the Constantine Obelisk) is on the right. Its original construction date is unknown, but it is named after Constantine VII, who repaired it in the tenth century.

 

 

These item were not stunning to look at. The stunning part was to try to image the history that these places have been through. Imagine if they could talk.

[AussieVisi2r]

Istanbul continued

 

Now the Blue Mosque.

 

The Sultan Ahmed Mosque or the Blue Mosque was built between the years of 1609-1616. It’s know as the Blue Mosque because of the blue tiles inside.

The Blue Mosque complex is one of the largest building complex in Istanbul. Some of these structures have not survived.

 

Ahmed built it with money from the treasury rather than with the spoils of war – as he had had no great victories. The mosque was built on the site of the palace of the Byzantine emperors.

 

 

So huge and amazing. There are signs everywhere stating that this is actually a working place of worship - not a tourist attraction. That there are dress standards - shoulders and knees covered and head scarves for women. And that the gardens and the surrounding areas are all as important as the inside of the mosque.

 

I arrived in the area just as the call for prayed was being sounded. I was between too huge mosques and loved the sounds reverberating around all the buildings.

Now i am harping on again - but I did find it disappointing that so many people treated the area as a tourist attraction.

When I arrived the mosque was shut to the public as it was prayer time and large crowds were gathering for the 2.30 opening. I cannot believe I am saying this ...but I did find it totally inappropriate that one tourist was breast feeding her child in the court yard while waiting. Surely if you need to cover your head and shoulders this may have not been appropriate. It was only a 5 minute walk to go outside the area. But that is just me.

 

So in we went.

 

 

 

Then Haghia Sophia - supposedly one of the finest architectural works in the world. It was originally built as a church. Construction began during the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Constantine 1, but was only completed in AD 360 during the reign of Constantine II.

 

The original was burnt down in an uprising in 415. It was re built and re burnt down in 532. It was rebuilt as “an unparalleled place of worship”. Material was brought from all Mediterranean countries as well as from Pagan temples including the Temple of Atremis – which we have seen!

 

When Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror , took Istanbul in 1441 he changed it to a mosque. It became a place of enormous significance for Muslims of the Ottoman Empire. Various Sultans added minarets over time.

 

 

It was stunning and so worth seeing. it was the only place I had to pay to enter - about $15US.

 

 

 

[AussieVisi2r]

Istanbul continued

 

The Milion Stone

 

In Ancient Roman times, this used to be the starting point for all of the roads reaching Constantinople and the origin point used for the calculation of the distance to here.

 

 

I found that really interesting.

 

Today I went to a Hamam – A traditional Turkish bath. But it’s not a bath. It’s a traditional Turkish Massage.

 

 

FUN – You strip off to a tiny pair of undies then go in and lie on a hot marble slab. Huge - 10 m across under huge heat lamps/sunshine directed in. You lie there sweating – with a heap of other people – for about 15 minutes. I thought I was going to bust into flames. Then your ‘attendant’ throws buckets of water over you. She then scrubs you down with Gumption and a scourer. Well that's what if felt like!

 

Then she covers you in bubbles – heaps of silky slimy bubbles and scrubs you again with the scourer. All this time you are lying on the hot slab being tossed around. Lying on the slab sweating with maybe 10 other women.

Not a place for modestly. Just shut your eyes and remember that no one knows you and you will never see them again!

 

More buckets of water – then over near the tap for a hair wash.

 

Then into another room for the massage.

 

It was fun! So different and my skin is SO smooth.

 

The scrubbing process and a 30 minute massage was around $60US. So worth it!

 

And here is my favorite sign from Istanbul - Apparently you are not allowed to tie you horse to this bike rack.

 

 

I wandered back and started that horrid job called packing. My load has grown!

 

Tomorrow the journey begins!

[laurieal]

Your pictures are beautiful and I love your spirit of adventure and how funny you are. So I'll forgive you for getting that song stuck in my head.

[AussieVisi2r]

3rd June - leaving Istanbul

 

And now, the end is here

And so I face the final curtain

My friend, I'll say it clear

I'll state my case, of which I'm certain

I've lived a life that's full

I traveled each and ev'ry highway

And more, much more than this, I did it my way.

 

Sadly my Epic Journey ad reached the final phase - the hatful final phase. Travelling home.

 

Time to try to fit all of the gear into the two bags - and to protect the breakables etc.But I did get it done. My car transfer arrived right on time and off we went. 25 Euro in a nice car.

I got to see the other part of Istanbul - the not tourist side which I always love.

 

The thing that got me most was how big the ancient city wall was. And how much of it still remains. The wall was between the city and the water - so it was huge. Some of it in excellent repair and being looked after. Much of it deterioration.

And it was just everywhere. Carparks, playgrounds, under building!

 

 

 

See you Istanbul. I shall be back.

 

[AussieVisi2r]

My journey was to be massive. Timing "by the bum" not by the clock was around 40 hours. So my story continues.

 

I use a credit card that gets me flying points with Qantas. I use my credit card EXTENSIVELY - if it an be paid for on the card it is, even a $5 drink. I pay if off each month so don't pay interest.

 

So I bought my flights on points. This trip was a long and complicated one......but there is a reason.

 

Then on to the plane. It was painless - well as painless as a 5 hour economy flight can be! HAHAH Poor me!

 

Direction of Mecca - this came up every time we changed heading. Important for prayer time.

 

 

My first stop was in Doha, Qatar. 6pm and 36.5 degrees.

Doha is the capital of Qatar. 60% of the countries nearly 2 million people live here. The city was founded in 1825.

 

 

I had a long stop very here so I planned a tour. We got there an hour or so late so the sun had gone - but oh well.

I went up to the lounge and put my hand luggage in a locker. And had a drink. A COKE!!!! Qatar is a dry country!

 

I purchased a vias - $29US for one day, got a taxi and headed off. But these Qatarians sure love pretty lights. Some really pretty building.The harbour was really pretty and there is a huge full moon - so that will be fun out the window of the next flight.

 

 

 

 

The harbour was really pretty and there is a huge full moon - so that will be fun out the window of the next flight.

Hamad Airport (Doha) is the best in the middle east - because remember everything is a competition in the middle east. Like a shopping mall. A toy shop with the biggest soft toys I have seen. Harrods is even here - makes sense since Qatar owns it! Even Dinosaurs!

 

Then back to the lounge for a sparkling water and some really good middle eastern food.