England and Scotland

We touched down at Standstead airport at 4:30pm in London and were pleased to be greeted by Dad and Grandma in the waiting area. They looked worse for wear after 32 hours without quality sleep, but we were excited to set off and explore England. Our rental car was a cute black Mazda seven seater that with luggage was a bit snug. We set our GPS for Northern England and started driving. Hoping to find a hotel along the way, we were unlucky with a couple of them being shut down for repairs and a new festival on that week. We finally settled at the equivalent of the Motel 6 for some real sleep. The beds here are so small and you only get one per room in the Travelodge!

The next day we rose early, had breakfast and headed towards the home of Liz and Stu, et al in the Moors. Using our trusty GPS (which we have nicknamed Candy because of her annoying voice and the pink coloured roads she leads us on) to navigate us should have been a cinch, but actually was not so easy. With 30 million “round-a-bouts” that weren’t really round and unforgiving highway entrances and exits, not to mention the dilemma of driving on the other side of the road, our car ride became tense. We finally made it to the brink of their town and called them to rescue us from any more driving. Dad relinquished the car for awhile while we were chauffeured in style around the area. First stop to pick up Kayte (daughter), then off to the carvery to meet her boyfriend for some much needed lunch. A carvery is a restaurant (or sometimes held in a pub) that serves mainly three roasts, along with unlimited starches and vegetables and accoutrement. SOOO good, we all ate more than was necessary!

We stopped at their house for tea and some visiting, and then took a walk out to the moors, a beautiful area of England. So much countryside, vast empty fields of green with more than a handful of baby sheep (which I love) grazing around. When the time came to say goodbye it was hard to leave after such a short visit. Unfortunately it was nearly dark and we had more than an hour drive to find our destination for the night.

Candy took us to our destination of choice, a York farmhouse B&B. It was crazy trying to get there, driving down curving one-lane dirt farm roads. To top it off it began to snow in the pitch blackness of the starless England night. It was quite the adventure! We’d never been so happy to arrive into our cozy beds. In the morning we enjoyed fresh eggs, bacon, tomatoes and mushrooms from the farm. There were peacocks, dogs, cats, chickens, horses, roosters, etc roaming around the property. It was a delightful place to have stopped for the night. The house was so unusual with it’s high ceilings and ornate furniture. It was over 110 years old! Peacocks, chickens, dogs, cats and horses where all around the house.

15 minutes and we were into the city of York. Having been there before, I led the group around to York Minster, the shambles (a really old street famous for its shops and atmosphere). Everyone had a great time shopping, eating, and visiting the daunting York minster and for those who went: the train museum. A captivating city which happens to be one of the most popular tourist destinations in the UK. After a full day in York we headed north to the city of Newcastle. Getting stuck downtown at our hotel had its appeal since beer and snacks were in close proximity. We all enjoyed a good night’s sleep.

We took the long drive to Perth, Scotland to meet my dad's uncle/ Grandma's brother and his wife. I am amazed at the vast open spaces of farmland on either side of the highways, it is so rural. We enjoyed a lovely evening of games and food. The next morning we set out for the Loch Ness enjoying the beautiful views of the Scottish Countryside. So calm and green, the rolling hills have no end, and you're never far from a castle. Due to an unfortunate accident en route (not us) we were forced to turn around and go to St. Andrews instead. Known as the Golf Mecca, St. Andrews is a college town with cute shops and a huge golf course as well as church ruins. Adorable!

We departed the next morning for the city of Edinburgh. Nina, Joe, Dad and I toured the gigantic Edinburgh Castle. Rooms of historical information about past wars and outfits to match. The castle is still used for military men and is complete with a graveyard for military pets! We really enjoyed the jewels, complete with enormous emeralds, rubies and diamonds! You could spend days inside, exploring all the different rooms, but we unfortunately needed to hit the road on our busy road trip.

We drove the lengthy ride to Liverpool. We stayed at a decent hotel just outside the city centre. The next morning after a traditional English breakfast, we called upon The Beatles Taxi (thanks to a brochure Grandma found) to pick us up. We took a fabulous three hour taxi ride of the Beatles’ old haunts. The school where George and Paul met. The house's of Ringo, Paul, John and George. As well as Penny Lane, Sgt. Pepper's, the Cavern club (where they played over 300 times) and much more. We had a great chat with a man who runs the Church (where John and Paul first met) who discussed his personal account of the infamous night. Apparently all the young men weren't so keen on Paul coming onto their turf stealing their woman with his good looks. But Paul was more interested in John, whom he saw improvising his own lyrics on stage. Without that chance meeting, the Beatles would never have been. Such a great tour, we really enjoyed ourselves. We got dropped off at Matthew Street for some curry (England's national dish). Then we walked down to the harbour and some of us went to the Beatles museum and some of us went to the industrial museum. We reunited for a quick cab ride back to our hotel. Then we drove one hour to Chester to visit our relatives Barbara, Chris and his wife Sara.

We chatted, and got to know each other over a lovely dinner. This was the first time meeting them for Nina, Joe and I, and it had been some years since Grandma or Dad had seen them as well, so there was a lot to catch up on. We even convinced them to make a trip to Vancouver in September for mine and Joe's wedding! We rested in their lovely home for the night. After a few days of getting increasingly sick, Grandma decided to stay and rest at Chris and Sara's while the rest of us trooped on to Bath.

We finally made it to Bath, known in its day as the hot spot for the English to spa and socialize. Today you can still visit the spas and soak in the natural mineral water for a hefty fee. You can also buy the "special" H20 for 50 cents, but it apparently tastes pretty gross. There is lot's to see in this charming city that is lined with beautiful original Georgian housing. We started our day with a free walking tour run by local volunteers who refuse to take tips, and do it simply out of pure enjoyment and pride of their city. Very informative! We got to see where the English elite came to strut around the squares, flirting and gossiping. Of course we spent a little time shopping. . .and Dad visited the Bath Museum. As we have noticed on this trip, there is just not enough time in two weeks to see the UK!!

The following day we went to Glastonburry, the alleged city where Queen Guinevere and King Arthur were buried. There is no actual proof of this claim, and many believe that the church made this up in order to earn money from tourism after a tragic fire. But still the legend lives on. The church was beautiful and quiet and an enjoyable stop. With limited time we reluctantly forged on to see Stonehenge in the pouring rain and wind. Even through the thick rain and wind, it was not difficult to marvel at this mysterious masterpiece. Definitely worth the stop!

We zoomed back in to London, just in time to drop off our rental car for 4pm. After some time in transit, we finally arrived at our somewhat dingy, but incredibly cheap and well located hotel. We wasted no time, and set off for dinner at a local bar. Next we walked over to the Piccadilly Circus, where we bought tickets to see Spamalot (a Monty Python musical) the next night. The following day was spent touring Greenwich Village, where we saw the Greenwich mean line where time is never altered. We all really enjoyed the Royal Observatory museum that explained the history of the time zones, and how longitude and latitude came about.

No time to waste in this massive city, so Dad and Nin quickly headed over to the Tower of London while Joe and I visited the HMS Belfast. Nina and Dad thought the tower was great, with a free tour giving by beefeaters that are in the Queen’s service, giving details of all the beheadings that took place in this once sinister place. Just like the tower in Edinburgh, you could spend days here! The legends were fascinating as were the infamous crown jewels the queen uses on her coronation.

Joe and I enjoyed the massive HMS Belfast with the stories, movies and of course the engine room! We spent close to three hours roaming the ship, sitting in the Captain’s seat, checking out the weaponry, the kitchen, the canteen, etc. The ship is so full of history with all its dealings in WWII. Joe REALLY enjoyed it! Our evening was spent at a local joint enjoying pub fare and world famous beer!

The next morning we joined a free walking tour, after previous experiences with this tour company in other countries. The tours are run by enthusiastic young locals who work on a tips only basis. Our over eager tour leader took us all around the "official London" right up to Westminster, which is actually not considered part of London. Parliament buildings, the financial district, London bridge, Tower of London, Tower bridge and more. Our tour guide explained to us all about the many fires of London. This city doesn't have great luck! We also learned about the wobbly foot bridge that cost over 15 million dollars. Apparently after it was completed the first time it wobbled so much that people were ill. The architect had the audacity to say that the people were walking wrong! 5 million was needed to fix it! Sounds a little like the fast ferries...(B.C. joke)

We finished our tour and a quick lunch at a delicious fresh food chain before rushing over to pick Grandma up from the train station. She was refreshed and happy and we were happy to have her back with us! The underground maze of London's public transportation is as efficient as it is reasonably priced. Since it was a bit of a trek between stations, we opted for the slower but more scenic double decker bus. We all went back to the hotel for some R&R, then off for dinner and a show! Spamalot was really fun and full of good songs and lots of laughs. It starred a famous actor who played the Grandfather on the OC! Our seats left something to be desired, but the theater must have been close to 100 years old and was not ingeniously constructed. It was neat to be part of the whole environment.

The next day while Grandma toured Westminster Abbey, the three of us (Nina having returned to Turkey) went on a walking tour of Westminster. With the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace to 10 Downey street to Big Ben. Our guide was amazing and we were really happy. We met Grandma at the Piccadilly Circus known for its amazing shopping. We all trekked over to the British Museum for a serious history lesson. Having been there before, Joe and I didn't stay too long before heading off to the picadilly for some shopping!

We met for dinner on our last night in London at The Traveler pub. Good food and drinks, we celebrated in style before heading to bed early. Grandma and Dad left early in the AM while Joe and I enjoyed a more leisurely sleep in till 8am before the long trip home.

We are all now home safe and sound and back to work!!! Hope you enjoyed all our lengthy emails!

Maribor, Slovenia and Zagreb, Croatia

We left the singing city, and took several trains to land us in Maribor, Slovenia. We ended up going the wrong route (according to our ticket) due to the bad advice of a train conductor. Joe looks up and says, “The other part of our train is leaving”. Good thing no one was in the meal car at the time!! We were greeted by Joe's cousin Luchka, whom we stayed with for the week along with her husband Duchan and their two daughters. Right from the start we were made to feel like part of the family. There was always plenty of food to be had (and that you were expected to eat!) and plenty of alcohol. We had no idea that people could drink so much, seriously! The food consisted of cold cuts, untoasted bread, cheese, and pickles. Very fatty, but tasty!

As part of their motorcycle club, they take two trips per year, we were lucky to have arrived on this weekend. We joined the bus tour across the whole of Slovenia (all 350km of it!) to the coast where Italy is only kilometers away. I quite enjoyed the coast of the country that is still fighting for a part of the Adriatic Sea. So beautiful and quiet, plus everything is relatively cheap for our dollar! Although Slovenian’s don’t actually make that much money considering the prices. Many people complain of the negative impact the European Union has brought to their country along with the many positives. It is more of an advantage for a rich country than a poor country to join. Depending on how you look at it.

The day started off at 6:30, with our ticket to get onto the bus was a shot of brandy (no exceptions)! A few minutes later and it was a shot of jagermeister. I think you can imagine how the rest of the day went! In between the Slovenian trade museum, a magnificent cave and a space museum, we were constantly handed beers and made to do shots with the fellow bus goers. Some of us (Nina) were a bit happier about the drinking.

Finally, we stopped for dinner at a very nice wine tasting restaurant. Unfortunately some of the men were so drunk that they were shouting out during the presentation. Pretty funny, although embarrassing since we were sitting at their table!! As dinner progressed, the night got livelier. Two guys had come prepared with an accordion and trumpet, so we danced the polka. One of the guys actually fell asleep for about a half hour, laying his head down on the table! We stumbled aboard the bus, and the show got even better. Joe’s 45 year old cousin finished the evening by dancing and gyrating for all in nothing but his red underwear. That man can move! Needless to say, his wife was at the front of the bus ignoring him! We arrived home about 11:30, having not stopped drinking for the past 17 hours. Although they do not do this every day, we decided that the Slovenians know how to party! What a great way to see the country though, on a bus filled with locals. The landscape was stunning and everything we’d hoped for. Green landscapes filled with red roofed country style houses. So adorable!

The next few days were spent visiting various family members of Joe's. Everyone was so welcoming and generous. We enjoyed great home cooked grub like schnitzel and potatoes, and a superb lunch on top of a mountain at a ski resort. One memory that stands out is visiting with Joe's 80 year old uncle, who insisted on giving us his homemade blueberry schnapps. They also took us bowling, and to the casino! Some people’s English was better than others and we tended to drift towards those we could communicate with!

We made a day trip to Zagreb, Croatia with Joe's cousin Dushan. Because Croatia is not part of the EU, we had to give our passports for inspection, but there was no questioning or anything, they pretty much just let you right through (not like the US/Canada border). Zagreb was a lovely city, although quite big and intimidating compared to adorable Maribor. Being the capital of Croatia, there is a large population and tall buildings in the city. We walked through some lovely blossom trees, around the shops including an outdoor market, and stopped for pivo (beer) on a very young and trendy street lined with outdoor cafes. We learned throughout our trip that Croatians and Slovenians on a whole are not too fond of one another, so they rarely visit each other's countries even though they are so close!

The last day in Maribor we went shopping at the local mall, and walked around downtown (which doesn't take long considering the size!). We all loved how small and inviting the city makes you feel. Perhaps we have a biased opinion since we stayed with such nice hospitable people, but nevertheless I would certainly go back and visit if I had the chance. This was the third Eastern European country Nina and I had visited, and as far as the people go, our favorite. They are so much nicer and not in such a rush as other places. We really enjoyed our stay! Slovenia has renewed our faith in Eastern Europe!

Salzburg, Austria

After two long days later, Joe and I finally found Nina at the airport in Salzburg. We transited to our hostel in the centre of the city to unwind and get settled in. The next day we opted to rise bright and early for the Sound of Music tour. Non-Sound of Music fans need not read the following: Just as promised, we saw the trees the children climbed, the exterior to the house, the infamous gondola where Lizell got her first kiss. The hills they climbed and the church they were married in and the original abbey where Maria thought she would spend the rest of her life. Besides the miserable weather we had, we enjoyed the company of other S of M freaks. The church they were married in was really cool to see. I enjoyed remembering all the favourite parts of the movie in person. Our guide gave us tidbits about the real couple. Now, cover your ears if you're a huge fan, but the hills they climbed at the end of the movie would actually have taken them into Germany. What really happened was that they took a train into Italy, a boat to England and then went on to the USA where they still live! Our tour guide said that he frequently has people crying on the tours, one 19 year old girl said that she has watched the movie twice every day since she was five. Ummm ya....Really quite extensive though. The trivia he told us was very interesting. The story was not at all like the real Vontrapp family, but was fabricated by Hollywood. When Maria complained she was silenced with $900,000!!

We really enjoyed the beautiful mountains in Salzburg. The town was relatively small but so picturesque and enjoyable. We ate dinner in a beer hall dinning on sauerkraut and schnitzel. Although if you're not a Sound of Music fan, you may get a little annoyed with all the movie paraphernalia they have here. They are definitely living high off the hog! Most Austrians apparently have never even seen the hollywood movie, and don't particularly like it if they have. There is a German version that is the original and more accurate to the Vontrapp tale.

We also went to visit the home that Mozart and his family lived in for many years. They have done a great job of restoring the interior to the way it would have been if they had never left. Quite the interesting museum, if you love his music. We were all amazed to listen to his beautiful music and then to be told that he was only eight years old when he composed it!! He was quite a devious sort of fellow and chose to ignore many of his father’s warnings and married a woman who was considered beneath him. Quite the scandal!

We also walked all around the city shopping and discovering more cute buildings and sound of music picture opportunities with our new friend that we met on the tour. A must see if you're a fan! I had wanted to go to Salzburg on my last trip and was delighted to have finally made it!

Brussels, Amsterdam & Cologne

We left Madrid, and flew into Brussels. We arrived in the evening, so were just in time to sample a couple of Belgium’s 450 beers available. There were so many great ones to choose from green, brown, raspberry, chocolate, white, and limbic. We met a Brit at the hostel and took him along for beers. He informed us that Vancouver was his next destination and we eagerly filled him in!

We began our journey in Brussels with a walk to Manekin pis, the official mascot of Belgium. It is a tiny statue of a little boy peeing into a fountain. They are quite proud, it truly reflects this adorable, quirky city! The day was dreary and rainy, so we decided to check out the comic book museum first. What a good choice that was as we became quite acquainted again with the famous Belgian comics like Tintin and "Boule and Bill" and “Smurfs” that we used to read in school. It was really neat seeing how comic strips came to life with many original drafts that were lent to the museum. You can also go on a walking tour around Brussels where comic strips are painted on the side of buildings. Such a fun city! Still being in kid mode, we made our way to the Toy museum not far away. We had lots of fun looking at all the old toys, ships, tanks, tractors, etc before buying a few souvenirs that reminded us of our childhood. We decided that we could not pass through Belgium without trying one of their famous waffles. So, we each got one with whipped cream and raspberry/chocolate sauce. What a treat! We tried to enjoy our waffles, while many gypsy women came and asked for money. There are so many here. None of them seemed to be starving looking, which wasn't surprising since I saw them eating their own waffles!

We walked around one of the most beautiful town squares that I have seen yet. The gothic tower of the town hall is quite captivating. There is a bright charm to the whole area. Brussels if known as the administrative city for all of the EU countries. You can see official looking buildings around. Very impressive! Although we didn't have too much time in Brussels, we concluded that it was a really beautiful, clean city that would be worth coming back for. Our next destination was Amsterdam. We boarded the train, and arrived in the late evening. After checking into our hostel, we immediately ditched our things for a long walk through the red lights. As expected it is had lots of lights, and women of all shapes and sizes in the windows surveying their potential clientele. I felt kind of bad for them as everyone was walking around leering, but I guess they're used to that! All of them are free agents who rent their windows for around 800 euros per shift depending on location. I guess they make a pretty penny!

The next day we decided to join a free walking tour around the city, where the tour guides make a living solely on tips, and are therefore highly motivated. We really lucked out, because our tour guide was excellent. An American who fell in love with Amsterdam, his knowledge of the city was impressive and his manner of speaking was easy to follow. He showed us around the Old Church, the Red light district, the Royal Palace, the widest bridge and narrowest house, and the Jewish Quarter. It was so great going to all these places with an expert guide, who gave us little tidbits that we would not know otherwise. Such as Amsterdam being the only city during the Second World War to stand up against the Nazis. Also the reason the Jewish area is the only modern part of the city because that winter was so cold, that people looted the empty houses for anything to burn. It was so cold that up to 8 families were living together so as not to find anyone frozen to death in their apartment.

We also passed some famous “Coffee shops” in Amsterdam, one famous one in particular that was featured in Ocean’s twelve. He also told us about the pee guards set up in the corner of buildings so that tourists don’t pee in the corner. For those unfortunate enough to try it, they receive a golden shower! The city is rich with culture and color and is more than just a place to get high. Many locals get annoyed with their reputation. We also went through the Anne Frank House (again for me) and enjoyed the well laid out museum and what it represented. Very humbling and informative.

We left Amsterdam that night for the horrid city of Rotterdam that we never officially gave a chance to. It started with the 120 bed dorm and went downhill from there. We felt like we were in a homeless shelter! I am sure the city had some plusses, but we never took the time to find them.


We then took a train into Cologne for some much need R&R. We were so happy to be in a “home” like atmosphere at the apartment of our friend Elisa (who stayed with Nina and I through HC two years ago). We arrived to dinner and drinks late on Friday night. Then we headed out on the town to see what “Carnival week” in Cologne is all about. Similar to mardi-gras, this pre lent event is a huge hit with the whole city! Everyone, young and old, and dogs too are dressed in costume from cross-dressers to Pippi Longstocking. What a superb city! We enjoyed a few drinks at a night club, sans costume, except Joe who was wearing the communist big black hat that I bought for him in Prague. He was a hit. “Ruskie”? everyone kept asking him!

The next few days were spent shopping, walking, enjoying those delicious thick fries with lotsa mayo and ambiance overload. We did get a look of the outside of the infamous Cologne Cathedral. Unfortunately the major tourist attractions were closed, as were many stores due to the carnival. People here really take their partying seriously. One such day we spent three hours watching a parade of tractors and homemade parade vehicles, orchestras, children, all throwing out hordes of goodies. Nina, Joe and I decided to get serious and began aggressively trying to catch the candies. We got quite the stash. Mars bars, toffee, taffy, more chocolate, soap, a big box of chocolates, lollipops. Everyone was so drunk that they were all having a good time. One group of adults had three kegs that their kids and friends were mooching. The atmosphere of camaraderie and excitement filled the streets. We ended our afternoon with some delicious schwarma and clubbing at 3pm in the afternoon. I have never been to a night club when you can see slats of sun peeking through the windows!

All in all we loved the beauty, the booze and the company in Cologne. So much fun, I would definitely return for carnival. Party!!!

The next day Joe, Nina and I split ways with Nina heading back to Turkey to visit a friend and Joe and I heading home. As you read this Nina is enjoying vacationing on the coast of Turkey with Ahmet, while Joe and I are enjoying the ambiance of the fabulous city of Vancouver! We will all be meeting again in the city made famous by The Sound of Music, Salzburg on March 11 to finish our European travels!!

Granada, Mezquita & Madrid, Spain‏

We were sad to leave Marrakesh after an exciting few days, but happy to be back in Spain. Leaving Morocco went pretty smoothly, except the song "I will always love you" by Whitney Houston played repeatedly for about 45 minutes while we waited to check in. We landed in Madrid, and immediately took an overnight bus to Granada, in southern Spain. We found our hostel, and after struggling to speak in broken English and Spanish, we discovered that the hostel manager was fluent in French! So much easier to communicate!

The city, which looked more like a quaint village, was really beautiful. The people were so friendly and sweet, pointing and shouting in Spanish to help us find our way. We couldn´t understand them, but it was helpful. The mountains surrounded the town, and we climbed up to the top to see the Alhambra, a Moorish (Islamic) Palace built in 1338-1390, and which just happens to be another wonder on our list! The grounds were really beautiful. There were many ponds, orange trees, flowers and hedges surrounding the Palace. Inside we viewed room after room lavishly decorated in Islamic art. There were also several towers you could climb for a stunning view of the city. Almost all the houses looked the same, painted in a very bright white. A nice contrast from the lush green trees surrounding them. It was much better than we expected and we were continually overwhelmed with the ornate carvings and art of each room.

We spent the rest of the day walking around the city, enjoying lunch in the Plaza Espagne and watching the city go by. Very peaceful and quiet. We walked through the tourist areas and noticed a large quantity of Moroccan products being sold at a marked up price! We found the cathedral and walked up another mountain to our hostel stopping at a local hangout to watch the sunset.

The next day we took a day trip to Cordoba, to see the Mezquita de Cordoba which to this day still operates as a church AND a mosque. The architecture of the mosque is so unique. Great big arches and pillars of red and white stripes line the ceiling. It is so unique though with the center of the Mosque being run as a Cathedral, dating back to the early 16th century. You can definitely tell which part is which. Many elaborate statues and art adorn the interior. It is the biggest church\mosque that I have ever been in.We spent the rest of the afternoon visiting the tiny Synagogue, the beautiful orange gardens surrounding the Mezquita, the old bridge and the Arab baths. Really interesting descriptions and pictures still remain within the baths. You can almost imagine yourself as being part of the empire. It was really interesting to hear all about the rich and powerful who subsequently also were murdered in the baths for being just that!

We headed back to Granada via bus and roamed around the city eating delicious schwarma for dinner. We somehow ended up in the hippy district with dread locks and drunken looking youths. We spent a quiet evening and then walked 40 minutes, with all of our luggage (like crazy people, which people said we were!) to the train station to catch our overnight bus to Madrid. Nina met a girl from Morocco who she spoke French with into the early hours of the morning. She gave me some insight on how Moroccan's live, and some of the issues that need to be worked on in order to become more modern. She said that the people beg for money only because the tourists actually give it to them! That they figure it's and easy way to make some cash. Unfortunately, the children 10 years and up, have started using that money to get high on gas. She said it was a big problem, and that she would never give them any money.

Once in Madrid we found our beautiful hostel and got ourselves situated. We walked down into the Gothic quarter and enjoyed a lovely day of shopping. Great to be here for the winter sales!! We enjoyed the architecture and the Spanish flair that surrounded the city. Actually it reminded us very much of Vancouver with the long narrow streets and XXX stores. It looked just like Granville Street.

We relaxed in the Plaza de Mayo which had surprisingly beautiful buildings with color nice style. We relaxed in the sun while musicians played and people in costume waited to take your money. We also saw two female police officers on duty with the tightest spandex pants. I can imagine not too many men resisting arrest!! We have really enjoyed the beauty of Spain and will definitely return one day.

Marrakesh, Morocco

We left Rome Ciampino on our cheap flight to Madrid, hoping all would go well. We were not pleased to discover my sleeping bag had fallen off my pack and was MIA. The baggage people were rude and unhelpful, giving unwanted info instead of calling the other airport. I guess that´s what happens for paying $40 for your flight! Needless to say, it has not been returned :( Thankfully it had been used 25+ times on the journey already! We had a five hour layover in Madrid, before flying on so we took the metro into town and dined on paella, a cheeseburger and pizza. There was a sign in the restaurant warning that professional pick pockets worked there!! More than once, we've been told of the number of thieves in this city. Beautiful city though, which we hope to see more of in a few days!

Our flight to Marrakesh, Morocco was enjoyable as was our haggling with the local taxi driver in French. Nina and I are so pleased to be using the language we learned in school. Surprising how it comes in handy. For the life of us we couldn´t find our Riad (concrete house with no roof over the middle) in the dark. We finally allowed the group of young boys that were FOLLOWING us around for twenty minutes to take us there. We gave them a euro and a half for a five minute walk and they complained for more money. Nice introduction! The owner greeted us in true Muslim hospitality with mint tea and a briefing. He took us to our room which we immediately fell in love with. Lavishly decorated in Moroccan style with pictures and lights as well as a window looking inward to the center of the house. There are two rooftop terraces to relax on.

The next day we set out to discover the city after a lovely breakfast of bread and Moroccan pancakes, which aren´t really pancakes at all but pastry cooked with honey. We found the square with all the brightly adorned shops of lights, shoes, purses, scarves, pictures, mirrors, jewelry etc. The shop owners are crazy too, "I give you good price", shouting at you as you pass. "Lovely jublee" and "wow, you lucky, two wives!" One guy even called out to Joe, "Hey Tarzan whatcha looking for?!!!" They all loved his beard and called him Ali Baba. We had a good laugh.

Our wanderings took us to the famous Majorelle gardens just outside the walls of the city center. Beautiful flowers and plants from five continents of the world, mixed with unusual bird sightings and typical Moroccan style buildings in bright blue and yellow. Unbelievably stunning. The rest of the day was spent shopping and enjoying the ambiance of this small yet winding city full of surprises. We found this little square and all around us they were selling baby turtles and chameleons, smaller than your palm. I said we couldn´t take them home and the man insisted I could just take one in a cigarette box onto the plane. Very humane.

A rest landed us into the evening and we set out for dinner in the square. At night they put up lots of tents and lights, and have a sort of tourist smorgasbord of little restaurants. They are very aggressive and shove menus in your face, if you don´t look they call you "s**t tourist," so delightful! We chose number 12 and enjoyed scrumptious kebabs, couscous, salad of many veggies, bread and olives. Most of the restaurants are the same menu and are all enjoyable. Really it's the ambiance that makes it so special.

We rose early for our trip to the Atlas Mountains. It began with a stop to a typical Moroccan home in the "suburbs," where the affluent, house a cow under their home. If you don't you're considered poor. Fresh milk would be great, but oh the stench. We also saw their outdoor shower for washing up in the front yard. It looks like a little brick teepee, and they light a fire underneath for hot water. We have decided against putting one in our front yard! The woman showed us how to properly make mint tea and bread. Very enlightening and beautiful since the house overlooks a local village. We enjoyed fresh honey with our bread (yum), fresh strong olive oil and fresh homemade butter that was grainy. The next step of the way took us on a camel ride of a beautiful hillside. This was Joe´s first time on a camel, but Tarzan was brave!

We made our way further up the mountains until we reached a small village, and from there we hiked up to see the falls. Very beautiful and the hike up was exhilarating. We Canadians, as usual, were in the lead. We had one overweight girl slowing us down and I chose to accompany her back the same way we came so the rest of the group could climb higher and see the whole view of the valley. We dined at an outdoor restaurant with traditional Moroccan food overlooking the mountains. Did I mention it is 26 degrees here?! The day ended us back to the Riad for relaxing and another dinner in the square, compliments of Bonnie, before shopping and bed.

I must describe the atmosphere in the square at night. Very hectic with live shows and people trying to sell you things. Live bands playing Moroccan music. Men luring pythons from inside their jars. Some man threw a monkey on my shoulder and wanted money to take a picture. I wanted the dirty animal off me. They think we want pictures of everything and will PAY for them. Some drunk guy threw a baby kitten on me (that I was looking at) and asked if I wanted a picture. The kitten was crying profusely and the mother was not happy. Very sad the way they treat the animals. Dogs and cats littering the streets looking mangy and sick. I wanted to rescue all of them. Such an interesting culture. The next day we enjoyed sleeping in, sunbathing on the patio and enjoying this wonderful country. We also visited a palace which is no longer inhabited, but is still in very good condition.

We got two of the Riad maids to take us to the local Hammam, a bath where Moroccan´s go to scrub down with black soap, a scrub brush, henna for your hair and a body mud mask. Women and men are separate and most people wear only their underwear. You are placed in a hot steaming room during this procedure and generally women scrub themselves and their children. It is preferable to get a friend to scrub your back. We enjoyed the experience immensely, although it was a bit weird and not altogether clean the way we would have preferred. You can go to a tourist hammam, but they cost three times as much and are not very authentic, but at least you’re worried about catching a disease!

After exploring the city and buying way too many cool things in the souk, it was time to leave. Out of all the third world countries we've been to, this has been the best. The sanitary levels are much higher here, most likely due to the heavy French and Spanish influence. But that said, it is still a third world country and the differences do not go unnoticed. The men still leer and shout things out, and there were MANY people begging for money. Still the ambiance far outweighed any negatives and we would all gladly return.

Rome,Pisa, Sienna, Pompeii, Florence and Venice, Italy

We left Athens, and flew straight to Rome. After settling into the hostel, I went to pick Joe up from a different airport. I couldn’t have been happier to run into his outstretched arms after two months apart. He looked the same as usual, just ten+ pounds lighter. I cried with joy to be together again!

Our first day in Rome was spent on foot, exploring the city and seeing the sites. Firstly we visited the Coliseum, which was magnificent. So massive, and in rather good shape, considering. We began to understand the history behind the gladiators and their tragic ending. Suffice it to say, it was a pretty gruesome life. The barbaric nature of how people met their death and the spectators who watched it is just bizarro. Sometimes I wonder if society has really become more civilized. We saw the Unknown Soldier monument which is a very sacred place. If you tried to sit down on the steps the guards would whistle at you to get up. That was kind of funny to watch!

Next we went to the Trevi fountain, whereas most of you know by now, Joe got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. Quite the romantic spot! We celebrated the upcoming marriage with gigantic cones of gelato! Which we did that evening and many other evenings during the following week! It is hard to describe the full flavored fruit or chocolate richness melting in your mouth: Goodbye Dairy Queen! I have never had anything like it. Next we strolled down the Spanish steps, where the local men go to pick up the ladies!! Then we walked down one of the most expensive streets in the world with the usual Gucci, Prada & Louis Vuitton. The Italians do make some fine merchandise although it isn’t really in our price range!

The second day started with St. Peter's Basilica, yet another wonder on our list. We climbed the tower of the duomo, where we had a stunning view of the city. Inside the duomo, were beautiful mosaics and a bird's eye view of the church below. It wasn't difficult to find the Vatican, as there were many nuns milling about. Inside the museum, we came upon one incredible room after another. The final room, the Sistine Chapel, was absolutely breathtaking. There are no pictures permitted in the room (so as to preserve the art), and silence is requested. Of course a few people tried to get their snaps in, and were yelled at. We sat on the seats around the room for about 15 minutes just trying to take in the great masterpiece created by Michelangelo and a few others between 1508 and 1512. It was not nearly enough time, but we had to go and catch our train for Venice.

We arrived on the ‘Island’ of Venice pretty late without a hostel booked, so we set out to find a place for the night. We soon discovered that it was extremely expensive, so we opted to get a hotel room and split it three ways, rather than trudging out to a hostel for nearly the same price. We were pleased to get a decent breakfast though finally, after the last place we were in. To me, a breakfast should consist of something other than white bread! So the scrambled eggs in Venice were a real treat. They were made for us by the hotel night man and Steve’s (Ora’s fiance’s) lookalike. I swear not only was he tall, had a goatee, but also talked our ear off in the most charming way. We just loved him! The city, although it was raining off and on for the next couple of days, was gorgeous. Once we got a hang of the map, it was easy to navigate ourselves around the canals. Well not exactly easy, but an adventure. The whole city was just adorable and very picturesque. I would say Venice and Prague have been the most unique European cities that we've seen. We visited St. Mark's Basilica, which was very nice. The floors were particularly interesting, as they were full of patterns and designs. Very colorful exterior. Instead of paying 120 Euros for a 45 minute gondola ride, we took the 45 second ride for 50 cents! It was just enough time to get on, take our picture, and say that we had made the trip across. Since we refused to pay the 8-14 euro for an hour of internet and we were starting to get withdrawals, we decided it was time to move on to Florence.

Another train later, and we had arrived. We started talking with a couple of locals who were trying to help us find a hostel for that night. One of the guys lived only a block away, so he offered to show us the way. The hostel was closed for renovations, so we accepted the Florentine’s offer for tea, and regrouped at his shoebox apartment. He was very sweet and offered to let us stay there for the night, but it was so grubby that we decided to look online for another hostel. We felt kind of bad for him because we could tell he was lonely and wanted to hang out. He even came across the street where we were checking the internet, and then walked us to the hostel. Our next hostel was a breath of fresh air with a big open room, satellite ENGLISH television and a decent kitchen to cook our meals. The hostel was situated not even a minute from the famous Old Florence bridge, Ponte Vecchio. It is the oldest of the six bridges, the only one to have survived WW II (because of its likeability), and is completely lined with shops selling mostly gold jewelry. It was originally lined with fruit and vegetables stands, but a snobby ruler of some sort opted to change it to jewelry. On a whim, Joe romantically bought me a beautiful bracelet from one of the shops for my 24th birthday!

The bridge was a convenient location because it was so close to the Uffizi gallery, one of the oldest and most famous art museums in the world. We saw Botticelli's "Birth of Venice" and "Primavera" paintings, as well as works by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo and Raphael. A small museum that holds so much beauty and history. Next we visited the Academia gallery, where we marveled Michelangelo's 14 foot sculpture of David, sculpted from 1501-1504. One of his best works and it is not hard to see why. The details in the statue were incredible. Each muscle and vein was carved to perfection. We saw many other sculptures, but none even compared to the great masterpiece. The museum was actually built to house this beauty.

We made our way to Pisa, as a day trip to see the tower. After stepping off the train, we saw a sign stating that it was a criminal offence to purchase fake merchandise. We soon discovered why this sign was necessary, as there were rows and rows of what we presumed to be illegal immigrants from Africa selling knock-off Prada and Gucci purses. We even saw a few of them gather their loot in a haste to escape a fine from the police. As for the tower, basically we took our cheesy tourist photos, and went back to Florence. We passed on paying the ripoff 15 euros to climb to the top. Although it was a cute enough city, there really wasn't much else to see. Our last day in Florence, and my birthday, we took a day trip to Sienna. A really beautiful city and we lucked out with the weather as the sun was shining. The majority of our day was spent wandering around enjoying the shops with beautiful scarves, and of course checking out yet another church. To celebrate my special day, we bought the biggest gelato we've ever had! The presentation was really beautiful, with fresh pieces of fruits and nuts stuck into the heavenly ice cream. I wonder why my pants are getting tighter! The city was very beautiful and a lovely day trip from the hustle and bustle of the bigger city. After a great day, it was time to head back to the hostel and travel on to Rome, where we would finish our last days in Italy.

The hostel that we stayed at was not particularly special, but it was cheap and close to the sights so we could not complain too much. Nina roomed with an American fellow from Idaho, and we decided to invite him to my birthday dinner, as he was traveling alone. We ate at a cute Italian restaurant, where we had some not too great pasta and pizza. We are really surprised at the lack of good food that we've been finding. Perhaps it's because we're somewhat cheap, due to our shrinking budget. . . Still we are spending more than we usually would at home. It’s as though we have found the Ricky’s of Italian food.

Regardless of the food, we still had a nice time. Joe and Nin had bought some birthday candles earlier, which we arranged to have mounted on top of some chocolate cake. We sang happy birthday, and the large group of senior citizens beside us joined in the festivities. There were many cheers of salutations (all in Italian of course) and probably the cutest group of old ladies we have ever seen. Only moments after, a man playing an accordion came and sang to me! To top off the evening, we indulged in some more gelato. This seems to becoming a pattern! The following day, we took another day trip, this time to Pompeii. We got up so early to catch the train that we all took a 2 hour nap on the way there. We only awoke to some really loud Italians banging on our door to get up. The people here are so aggressive and loud. Always seem to be shouting about something. The men were definitely checking Nina out making comments, not shy I tell you!

Pompeii is the city that was covered in hot ash after the volcano behind it erupted in 79 AD. It is the only standing roman city, practically intact. We found a brothel with beds and pictures of sexual positions advertising each room, and a gigantic amphitheater for games of all kinds. They also had many bodies that were still frozen in horror, sandals intact and mouths open from fear; totally creepy. The city was so interesting with many beautiful mosaics and different houses and shops. It was so big; you can almost imagine it coming to life. We understood instantly why it was a wonder on our list.

After a lovely schwarma dinner we returned to the train station to catch our train home. Our newfound American friends (after they saw Joe’s Napa hat and knew we spoke English) informed us that the trains were on strike and it could take hours before they would run again. We passed the hour of confusion by getting to know Chip; Chandler and John from Mississippi. Chandler’s family are Bush supporters and we all had a laugh at his expense since he was the sweetest but also the most naïve of the bunch. They are all studying to be architects (on a school trip) and were very knowledgeable on the buildings as well as the art of Rome. They had done an overnight trip to Naples for the night and found the ongoing garbage strike there to be alarming. Apparently someone had lit a heap of garbage on fire!! Our long train ride back was spent getting to know them and our exchanging of traveler tips. We were surprised to hear that Chandler was coming to Vancouver soon for his honeymoon! Who would’ve thought?

Our last day in Rome would not have been complete without seeing the Pope before we left. Our American friends tipped us off to the political rally going on at the Vatican involving a local University snubbing the Pope. He was totally adorable addressing everyone in English, French and Italian. Everyone seemed to love and cheer for him. We were so pleased to be involved in the scene!

We spent the rest of the day perusing the Sunday flea market with more junk than anyone could want. We bought a few things, of course! Our last moments were spent enjoying gelato and culture at the Trevi fountain. I cooked us my own version of chicken risotto for our last night in Italy and we all slept till the early morning in anticipation of our early flight.

We left Rome Ciampino on our cheap flight to Madrid, hoping all would go well. We were not pleased to discover my sleeping bag had fallen off my pack and was MIA. The baggage people were rude and unhelpful, giving unwanted info instead of calling the other airport. I guess that´s what happens for paying $40 for your flight! Needless to say, it has not been returned :( Thankfully it had been used 25+ times on the journey already! We had a five hour layover in Madrid, before flying on so we took the metro into town and dined on paella, a cheeseburger and pizza. There was a sign in the restaurant warning that professional pick pockets worked there!! More than once, we've been told of the number of thieves in this city. Beautiful city though, which we hope to see more of in a few days!

Greece

We left the beautiful city of Istanbul for an overnight train to Thessonaliki, Greece (near the top). We paid second class fare and ended up with the cutest little cubby room with two beds in it. Hard to describe, but quite a step up from Egyptian first class! We arrived the next morning to snow and cold, so we decided to move on to a warmer part of Greece. While we waited in the only caffeteria-style place with seats, we were forced to inhale the cigarettes FROM EVERY SINGLE PERSON in the giant room for 2.5 hours. Either this or sit outside in the cold. Everyone here smokes, REALLY smokes. I have never seen anything like it, in any city that I have ever visited. Bizarre that a first world country would allow people to smoke indoors. Later on a six hour bus ride ended us in Delphi, a wonder on our list, and we found a perfect hotel for a reasonable price. We spent the evening relaxing and enjoying this little resort town that had the most beautiful mountains. It reminded us of home!

The next day we got up early and walked to the ruins. For four hours we hiked through the mountains to see an archaeological site on Mount Parnassus in the valley of Phocis. "Delphi was the site of the Delphic oracle, the most important oracle in the classical Greek world, and it was a major site for the worship of the god Apollo. His sacred precinct in Delphi was a Panhellenic sanctuary, where every four years athletes from all over the Greek world competed in the Pythian Games." Really neat ruins and the surrounding areas were such a pleasure to walk through. Mountains galore! The weather was also a blessing, we had to carry our coats. Throughout our whole trip I think we have only had two or three days of rain! We finished off the sights with a trip to the museum to see the rest of the well preserved ruins. Took lots of great photographs. While we were there we attempted to find chicken souvlaki, but were dismayed (and not totally surprised) to discover that this platter does not exist. Someone told us to go to China if we wanted rice. I thought to suggest places he should go. We enjoyed rabbit and rice (finally) and the best Greek salad we have ever tasted. Not stingy on the Feta, let us tell you!

The next day we took a three hour bus ride to Athens and found the apartment of the girl we where staying with. We met many of her friends, some of who spoke English and some who didn't. We enjoyed their company (when they spoke to us) amidst the chain smoking in the apartment. One guy was even born in Calgary and lived there till he was five! They shared a cake with us that had a coin in it for one lucky person. It is considered a tradition here in Greece. We were very lucky to be staying downtown for free, as we are soon discovering that Europe is MUCH more expensive than the Middle East (not surprisingly). We talked with some of our host's friends who said that it is quite expensive to live in Athens now since they changed over to the Euro. Apparently all the prices are marked the same as before, except now they are in Euro's which is a much higher price than their previous currency. Everything has gone up except for their salaries, which have stayed the same! So going out for coffee, dinner or drinks can add up very quickly. Unfortunately we came at the wrong time of the year to go to the islands, so we decided to head to Kalambaka for a night. Aboard the train we met a really nice guy who told us all about Island living. Aparently people pay $15 per drink at a night club and it can be quite the party place to be. Greeks also do things differently from anyone else. Most don't eat dinner until 10pm at night. I told him we ate at 5:30 and he thought I was talking about a late lunch. Too funny! He said that Greeks are very stubborn and that is why many still smoke inside despite the laws!

Once off the train, we were greeted by a little old man on a scooter. He asked if we were looking for a place to stay, and we said yes. He instructed us to follow him to his hotel as he scooted on up the street. He took us up to what appeared to be his apartment converted into a hostel. He was trying to charge us far too much, and kept boasting about the hot water and heat, as though these were selling points. We told him we were going to look around, and at that point he took us to a sister hotel that was much nicer, and we negotiated the price to much less than he was asking for! The reason for coming to this town, was to go and see Meteora, several monasteries built into the mountains. We took a taxi up to the top, and started climbing. When we reached the monastery, we were instructed to put on skirts overtop of our jeans. Apparently men aren't permitted in shorts, and women are not permitted in pants (or pantaloons as they called them!). Very old fashioned, but of course we complied. The monastery was really fantastic and it is still being used to this day. So unique to be built right into the mountain! Really breathtaking views and a unique way to live. In the musueum was one of the original works of Plato!!! We decided to trek down the mountain on foot, so we could take in the beauty. After being in so many cities, we really cherish being in nature as much as possible. It only took us about two hours to return to the hotel!

Back in Athens, we made our way to the Acropolis and the Parthenon which is world famous. We walked around and took in the ruins, reading about Nike and the temple built for her. They are under construction currently redoing the last construction job from the late 1890's. Sometimes I wonder if they just left things alone for awhile...We enjoyed hunting down the rest of the ruins that surround the great Acropolis. It was very beautiful, but has deteriorated more than a little bit. Unfortunately the museum is currently closed and is under construction, like everything we visit! If you just close your eyes for a moment it is not hard to imagine an ancient people living life and enjoying this city. It is wierd to think of how long ago these ruins were built.

While making our way around the surrounding ruins we bumped into an adorable Asian mother and daughter traveling from L.A. for just three days in Athens (the mom is a flight attendant). We instantly bonded, and decided to wonder together for the rest of the day. We skimmed through the tourist area and the fancy shops: Gucci, Prada, Dior, etc. passing along the way the countless African immigrants selling the knockoffs outside the stores. We also visited the spice bizaar, and got some souvlaki kababs. It was really the cherry on our sundae, as this city has been a bit devoid of color. The Greek people have been very nice and friendly, on the whole, although the girl we are staying with is not. Her roomate, however, cooked a local dish of beans and carrots and offered to share it with us. So sweet. We have really enjoyed this beautiful country and hope to be back soon to visit the rest.

Turkey

We boarded the plane in Cairo, Christmas day, for Turkey. We got one of our last tastes of Egypt by having a women greet us at the door and asking if we were taking Egyptair. We said yes, and she proceeded to usher us to the baggage check amongst the crowd. We were hesitant to follow as we had no idea who she was or if she even worked there, but she kept on insisting that we follow her. When we got to the check-in her motives became clear as she asked us for "tip/money". I literally did not have any money on me, so she left disappointed. What a way to make a living!

I also bought an Ice Cream flurry from McDonalds from a girl named Rehab (seriously, it was on her nametag) and we both had a good laugh!! Although we didn't get a Turkey dinner exactly, we did end up getting a tasty meal on our two hour flight to Istanbul. It was sad to be away for the holidays, but since people here don't celebrate it, it was just like any other day. It was lovely to avoid the holidays! The coldness of winter has caught up to us though, as we left the 25 degree weather in Egypt to 8 degrees here. Boooo!

Upon arrival in Istanbul, we followed the instructions of our host that we were going to stay with through the HC club. To our relief, the transit system was quite easy to navigate, and we were not getting nearly as many stares as we were in Egypt. Istanbul and Turkey in general is very divided between the western side (European) and the eastern side (Asian). This explains why Istanbul, which is very far west, is quite modernized. The European part makes up 3% of the Country, but is very influential which causes problems. Istanbul is a huge city, with a population of 15 million people.

We met our host, Murat, later that evening and went to his apartment to unload our bags. We were quite hungry, so he took us to a local Turkish restaurant where Elana dined on lamb (most common meat in Turkey) and I had a special beef dish. Like in Israel and Jordan, there were salads and pitas to share. We shared an interesting conversation with Murat and his roommate about Turkish culture. Their values are still very traditional, arranged marriages are fairly common (in the east), and men are expected to give "gifts" to their soon to be in-laws as a way of getting to marry their daughter. These are practised in the east of Turkey, where the west is becoming increasingly more European and modern. According to the Lonely Planet 37.5% of Turks believe that women who have extramarital affairs should be murdered. For some reason there was no mention of what should happen to the men if they were to cheat. Quel surprise!

Sultanahmet is the main area of the western side. We are staying on the asian side, so we take a short ferry ride over to the mainland. We walked through the grand bizarre which seems to go on forever! The outdoor market is lined with shops selling clothes, jewellery, food and souvenirs. It is packed with locals and tourists. We sort of got lost walking around, but managed to stumble upon the Blue Mosque, and from there Hagia Sofia and Topkapi Palace, more wonders from our list (hillmanwonders.com). We decided to leave going into them for a few days later as it was getting late. Before going back to the apartment, we booked a two day tour to Cappadocia, a site we were most excited to see in Turkey. Luckily we were able to leave that night by overnight bus, and get the trip started. We arrived in Cappadocia early morning and were greeted by minus 3 degree weather. Although people had pre-warned us, we still weren't prepared for the frosty wakeup! The bus driver took us to meet up with the rest of our tour group, made up of mostly Japanese, Spanish and three Canadians (who are from Ladner where I live)!

We began the day with a trip to the Goreme open-air museum. Here they have many well preserved Byzantine Orthodox churches. You can see all the homes of people who once lived there. A living room, a dinning table, a place to cook. We stopped at many picturesque sites on the way, taking in a quick hike here and there to see some more beautiful rock formations including the Fairy Chimneys. There were many people once living in these caves. They use to put carpet down on the floors and walls for decoration, and for warmth. Up until the 70's, many people were still living in here, when they were told to relocate to safer ground (after a major earthquake).

The second day of the tour started out at one of the 30 underground cities in Cappadocia. This one was the largest and the deepest one, having eight different floors, and could hold up to 4000 people for six months at a time! It was truly amazing how they were able to carve out all the different tunnels and rooms. I found it clever how the floor for pregnant women had easy access to the bathrooms! They also had a nursery school, a room for the deceased, and a little skylight to keep track of the days that passed. Apparently if someone committed a crime, they would be hung by their hands outside the church to humiliate them (not kill them). Everyone would walk by after the service and see who the bad people were. We climbed back to sunlight, and started walking towards the van, but were bombarded by a herd of Turkish women selling handmade dolls.

If you seemed slightly interested (or not even) they would wave the dolls right in front of your face. We found one senior women so adorable (she was maybe 5 feet tall, and had a face full of wrinkles) that we bought a doll for 2 Turkish Liras. They took us next to the Ihlara Valley, a half hour away from the main tourist areas, in the mountains. We dined here on fresh trout from the river and had the most delicious bread we've ever eaten! After lunch we hiked for an hour to see one of the churches built into the mountain. It was nice to get moving, as we were still freezing from the cold weather. It was interesting how the Canadians (us and the three others) were leading the pack. People don`t seem to have much sympathy for us when we tell them we live in Canada, but when you've been getting use to 20+ degrees in Israel/Jordan/Egypt, it's still a big adjustment to come back to the cold! We keep trying to tell them we're from Vancouver, not Toronto (“but my friend went to Ottawa in the winter.....”)

We returned to Istanbul via the nightbus, which was completely full, and we were stuck at the back with three noisy Turks. Thank goodness they settled down after a while and we were able to get some sleep! We picked up our bags from Murat's place, and switched HC homes to his friend Selo's place. We sat and had some turkish tea (something the locals seem to do several times a day) next to the sea. It is funny to see men walking around with trays of steaming tea to deliver to all of the local shops. We were also amazed at the gigantic stacks of pretzels atop their heads on their way to somebody important. Later we reunited with our friend Ahmet, who we had met back in Dahab a few weeks back. He lives a few hours from Istanbul, and decided to meet us for a few days while we were in Turkey. We checked out the nightclub, hospitality club party, one of the reasons we came to Istanbul for New Years time. It was fun to see people from all over the world partying and enjoying themselves.

We got up bright and early to take a tour around Topkapi Palace, the official residence of the Ottoman Sultans, built in 1459. There were many jewels and treasures to look at. Jade and rubies given as gifts from China and India, and the most impressive piece, the spoonmaker's 86 carat diamond (the 7th biggest in the world!). We REALLY enjoyed that! Then we headed over to Hagia Sophia for a tour. It was better than the Palace, just huge inside and very interestingly constructed. Well maintained with lots of paintings done inside. It was once a patrocarchal basilical, then later a mosque and now a museum. It was constructed between 532-537 A.D. Truly magnificent inside.

There was a specific area that said “do not enter” and as I pointed out to the guard I didn't think it was fair that the orange cat was allowed to be sleeping next to one of the illuminating lights getting warm. He was surprised, but assured me that this cat was related to Garfield and so it was ok! The cats are everywhere here and so cute. I think they prey on tourists because many are quite fat!!

We moved to a hostel to be more central to the sights. An interesting story that we heard from a local hosteler was how he and his girlfriend couldn't find a hotel room to give them a double bed because they weren't married. We all had a good laugh about this! Imagine, morals, or something. Actually Ahmet told us that there are many Russian prostitutes who try to rent rooms and so hotel managers are weary! We enjoyed dinner at a Turkish restaurant that had puffed up bread bigger than your head. We just love the bread here!

We spent New Years Eve at the Hospitality Club party in Taksim square having sneaked out of all but one other event. They had a live band and were playing greek folk music and we didn't stay too long. They didn't even have a count down and this was very disappointing. Happy New Year!!

Our last day was spent shopping (of course) through the Spice Bazaar and the Grand Bazaar and negotiated some pretty packages of Turkish saffron. Can't wait to come home and cook for Joe! It also helped to have a local with us speaking Turkish when necessary. Although people are more than happy to hear all about our travel adventures (and of course, where we're from).
It is so bright and colorful here. Everyone is super friendly and their English is quite good. Anytime you have questions or need directions, they really try to welcome you into their country. Such a difference from some Slavic countries we know! The only meanie was the guy who sold us our tickets to Greece and we were happy to be on that train! We really enjoyed the beauty of Cappadocia and the largeness of Istanbul. A very distinct culture with many interesting stories to tell, if you only have time to listen. Definitely a country not to be missed.