On Sunday 3rd February we returned to Hampden (Avis and Brian’s bach) for ten days by the sea. Before we left for Hampden we went to Bluff, the southern-most point of New Zealand’s South Island. (Of course, Stewart Island is even further south, but unfortunately we will not manage to go there this trip.) Strong winds must be a constant feature there as all the trees and bushes were lying down against the rocks, unable to grow upright against the force of the wind. This is not the furthest south we have been, however, as we visited Ushuaia when we were in Argentina and Suzi famously picked up her SFTEOTW (stick from the end of the world, which I believe she has stored somewhere still!) We also enjoyed a splendid dinner with dinner with Val and John, where I managed to knock a whole glass of wine all over Wayne and onto the floor! I was mortified, but everyone else seemed amazingly calm, (they knew something that I didn’t) and I learned a very useful household tip from this. If you manage to spill RED wine over a beautiful PALE PASTEL carpet, immediately douse the wine stain with plenty of cold water and then blot with towels (as demonstrated in the photograph) – DO NOT RUB! Repeat as necessary and the stain will completely disappear . As soon as this is done, throw the towels, tablecloth and any damaged clothing into the washing machine and wash on a cold cycle and – hey presto – everything back to normal! Now I knew why no one was too fussed. It really does work!

Bandsmen practicing for the Edinburgh Tattoo in Edinburgh Castle Established in the 12th century (c.1130) by King David 1, Edinburgh is one of Scotland's earliest royal burghs (or borough, as it is known in England). Still overlooked by its Medieval castle, the Edinburgh of today is a mix of the old and the new. As part of our visit to Scotland, Becca gave us a tour of the city she has come to love during her university days there. The firing of the one o'clock cannon from the castle a tradition dating back to 1861 Originally sounded to enable the ships in Leith Harbour to set their clocks accurately, the “one o'clock gun” is now a very popular tourist attraction. Although we only had this one day, we just had to visit the castle itself This is West Bow, Victoria Street, one of the most famous streets in Edinburgh If you continue on downhill from the Royal Mile, you come to West Bow, leading to Grassmarket, and many of the oldest buildings in the city can be seen there. The word “bow” is the old name for “arch”, as this was the original entrance into the city. Colourful houses in West Bow, Edinburgh This area is now the trendy part of the city, with shops, restaurants and bars, full of locals and tourists alike. This claims to be the smallest pub in Scotland This public house has only been here since 2013, but its décor fits in very well with the rest of the street. It is so tiny, that it only has room for 20 drinkers, at most, as long as they are all standing up. In fact, it doesn’t even have a bar. Customers have to be served from a small drinks cabinet. This café is very popular because of its tasty food, and literary connections The Elephant House was a popular haunt of the authors Ian Rankin and Alexander McCall Smith. It was also where JK Rowling wrote the early Harry Potter books, and is now a place for the boy wizard’s fans to hang out, and probably try their hand at writing their own blockbusters. St Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh Although St Giles Cathedral, properly called the High Kirk of Edinburgh, was built in the 15th century, its present appearance is as a result of the restoration carried out during the 19th century. This important archaeological landmark also contains over 200 memorials to distinguished Scots. Memorial to John Knox, leader of the Protestant Reformation in Scotland John Knox preached his first sermon on the Reformation at St. Giles in 1559. And was instrumental in spreading the Presbyterian form of Protestantism throughout Scotland. St Giles is also renowned for its beautiful stained glass windows Other memorials to famous Scots can be found all over the city. The image below shows the enormous Gothic tribute to Sir Walter Scott, the writer. It is the largest monument to a writer seen anywhere in the world. In fact, the author Bill Bryson likened it to a ‘gothic rocket ship’. …and you can see why. Memorial to Sir Walter Scott Edinburgh is a fascinating city, and its rich history, together with its vibrant lifestyle, makes it a city you can visit over and over again. It is definitely on my list for future visits. Good night, Edinburgh, and thanks for all the fun! Elizabeth Coughlan

Edirnekapı Kuş Pazarı (Edirnekapi Bird Market is held on Sundays I recently spent a very interesting and edifying week at Thatcher Cook's Istanbul Photography Workshop. The focus of the workshop was to "Communicate your unique experience of the world by telling stories through your images". Thatcher says that, "The telling of stories through images is an exciting and effective way for a photographer to communicate his or her unique experience of the world. The most profound picture stories are multi-layered. How a story is told is often more important than the narrative itself. Mood, color and composition are among the elements used to transform the narrative to the visually poetic." So, armed with this philosophy, we ventured out on our first day to photograph the bird market in Edirnekapı, by the old city walls of Constantinople. Here men barter for the fastest racing pigeon, or the rarest breed of budgie or some other, to me anyway, unidentifiable bird. Many of the birds are tethered with string so they can't fly away when their owners show off their birds Some of the men didn't want their photo take, but others didn't mind This man was undoubtedly proud of his his beautiful bird There was obviously lots of discussion before any sales were made Drinking tea seemed an important part of the process... ...and food was never far away I could see that this workshop was to present quite a challenge. This sort of street photography can be intimidating, especially for a woman among hundreds of men ...not to mention the pigeons! But, undaunted, I tried my best, and carried on to the next task!

Relaxing, and enjoying a barbecue in Wanaka We have just travelled up the west coast of New Zealand! Avis took us to Queensland where Wayne picked us up and took us on to Wanaka where we went straight to a barbecue at the campsite where Val and John (our hosts for the evening) were staying. We had a most enjoyable evening and reluctantly departed to find our B&B for the night. We spent a very comfortable night at Collinson's Cottage in Wanaka and were thoroughly spoilt by our hosts, Brian and Susanne. The next day, Wayne, Raewyn, David and I drove up over the Haast Pass to Fox Galcier (see photo of David and Wayne by a waterfall up high in the pass). On the way, we stopped at the Salmon Farm for lunch. We had a delicious bowl of Salmon Chowder, served with a home-made bread. This sustained us as we continued on to view the glacier. It is interesting to note that this glacier, together with the Frans Josef Glacier, has the distinction of being one of the few glaciers to end among lush, temperate rain forest, only 300 metres above sea level. We drove on from there to the town of Frans Josef where we were booked into the Glacier Gateway Motel. That evening we walked from the hotel into Frans Josef, across the Waiho River. This is a very small town – population 320 – although swelled to many times that by the tourists visiting the glacier! The Fox Glacier The Franz Josef Glacier David and Wayne were up early the next day as they had planned to run to the glacier and back before breakfast – an 8km round trip! Raewyn and I waited until after breakfast, when we all drove to the glacier car park for a much shorter walk to view the glacier. Everywhere we looked the vegetation was amazingly prolific and such wonderful shades of green – although maybe it is not so amazing when you know that the annual rainfall is 5 – 6 METRES per annum. We said goodbye to the glacier and drove down the coast to the pancake rocks at Punakaiki. The pancake rocks are a curious limestone formation in which the layers of rocks look like piles of pancakes. In the rocks are blowholes, through which water spurts high into the air when there is a heavy surf. No one knows why the rocks developed in that way and it is thought they are quite unique. That evening we stayed at The Great Beach House at Tauranga Bay, a B&B owned by Michael and Yvonne (see photo left). The setting is stunning. Their house is on a promontory between two beaches and the view from both sides is spectacular! Michael and Yvonne were excellent hosts and if it weren't for the fact we had to be in Blenheim by Friday, we would have been tempted to stay – although I am sure they have guests lined up for the rest of the year! We were delighted to have a sitting room for our own use, complete with baby grand piano, a library, beautiful paintings to browse and a balcony overlooking the sea. Only a few steps away from their house is the Bay House Restaurant which serves gourmet meals. After dining in style there, we walked to the seal colony and watched the mothers with their babies, while the 'Beach Master' stood sentinel nearby. Breakfast the next morning was a delight and Michael's home-baked bread was the crowning achievement. (We also loved Michael's t-shirt!). The view of Cape Foul Wind The view of Nine Mile Beach The stunning view from Michael and Yvonne's outdoor 'Cocktail Lounge'.

David, arriving at Chikwenya airstrip While I was at Mana Pools, David spent the week further downstream on the Zambezi River, catching tiger fish. Here is his account of the trip. "We flew into the airstrip at Chikwenya early on Monday morning, and within two hours of leaving Harare we were on our fishing boat on the Zambezi river. Our team for the week was Tim, Dan, me, and Terry. It was not long before I made my first catch. The aim is to catch and release. Tim's catch Daniel's Catch Terry weighing his catch, while Dan captures the moment, as there is just enough time to weigh the catch and take a photo before returning the fish to the river. Drifting silently downstream in the current makes it possible to approach game  on the many islands, at sometimes very close range. We surprised this elephant. ...and these… More surprisingly we got this close to a very large crocodile. Lunch time! We spent the whole day on the river from first until last light. We took brunch with us, and this was always a full fry up on some shady spot on an island, which we first checked for game. Sunsets on the river are magical. Here Terry and Ernest, our boat driver, enjoy a magical moment Farewell, until next year! We spent four nights at the Shamashanga fishing camp. It is a tented camp nestled on river bank. All too soon the week was over. On Friday we drifted down stream, fishing as we went, to Chiwore. And in the early afternoon noon, our plane arrived to fly us back to Harare." David Coughlan

Christmas-inspired lights on Bagdat Caddesi (our street),  ready to celebrate the New Year! This year we spent Christmas in Istanbul, and were delighted to have Clare and Reg to share it with us. Here, on Bagdat Caddesi, everything shouts Christmas, but in reality, the lights and decorations are all for the New Year Celebrations. It appears that Turkey has adopted all the commercial aspects of Christmas for New Year. Noel Babba (Father Noel) brings presents, Christmas trees and decorations are everywhere, and the locals even tuck in to a Turkey dinner! An enormous Noel Baba (Father Christmas), all lit up! Huge Christmas baubles on the side of the road... together with a huge Christmas/New Year's cake... ...a gingerbread man ...a star studded bauble ...and a Christmas tree in lights! Father Christmas was very good to us too! Reg opens the champagne. Reg thought he would try slicing the top off the champagne with a sword, as he did at Catherine and Michael's wedding (see post here), but all we had was a plastic shoehorn, which unfortunately didn't have the same result. So he had to resort to the more usual method. During Clare and Reg's week in Istanbul, we visited the Grand Bazaar... ...stopped by Sirkeci Station, famous for the Orient Express, ...visited Buyukada, one of the Princes Islands, ...and had a magnificent lunch in one of the restaurants by the quay. The time went by far too quickly, but I did enjoy Christmas, and I am now looking forward to a wonderful 2014. Mutlu Yillar (Happy New Year) everyone.

A great cheer went up when this vehicle arrived on the scene! There is absolute chaos in Bagdat Caddesi now. The people have taken over the street and blocked the traffic. They are marching up and down chanting, clapping their hands, banging pots and pans, whistling, and singing songs; added to which, the few cars that manage to get through, are sounding their horns, while motorbikes rev their engines as hard as they can. Occasionally a huge cheer goes up, and the noise is extraordinary! At the moment, there is no sign of police, so, although the noise is deafening, there is absolutely no violence. In fact, it is almost a carnival-like atmosphere! Unfortunately, they show no sign of going home, so it looks as though we are in for another long night!

The bandstand in Ely, England It appears that we have been waiting in vain for our baggage as, contrary to what we were led to believe, it hasn’t even left the depot of the shipping company in Istanbul! At least we know now that we are free to go visiting for the foreseeable future. Today we are off to New Waltham, Humberside, to see David’s mother and sister and family. I am sure New Waltham used to be in Lincolnshire, but it appears to have been rezoned for some reason. Clare playing the horn David relaxing in the shade Yesterday (Sunday) we went to Ely with Clare as her band was playing in The Maltings, on the banks of the Great River Ouse. The day was glorious and we found a spot in the shade to read the Sunday papers and listen to the band – bliss! We then attended sung evensong at the cathedral and stayed to listen to an organ recital by Matthew Carlton, a brilliant young organist from Durham University. The acoustics in the cathedral are magnificent and the voices of the visiting choir (Hatfield College, Durham) soared to the very roof of this magnificent building. For us, it was a very fulfilling and typically English Sunday.

Some of our group in the museum, listening intently to the narrative The Museum of Innocence in the Çukurcuma district of Istanbul, is the result of an extraordinary concept by the writer Orhan Pamuk. The museum contains items from upper-class Istanbul life from the 1970s to the early 2000s, which Pamuk began collecting, before he wrote his novel, "The Museum of Innocence", around them. The story is about Kemal Basmaci, and his 40-year obsession with his distant cousin, Fusun, beginning in 1975, even though he was already engaged to Sybel. The museum is fascinating, whether one has read the novel or not. Although, when visiting, it is wise to hire the audio, to give more meaning to the exhibits. The numbers on the cases, indicate the chapter number in the book that mentions the objects inside. This is a picture of the old Istanbul streets, that Kemal wandered, tormented by his love of Fusun.  And the room key, and reception bell from the hotel he stayed in, when running away from Sybel. (Chapter 44) Here is a tin spoon that Fusun had toyed with in her mouth... Fusun's half eaten cone, that Kemal pocketed when she dropped it on the ground... one of his dear departed father's shoes... a stuffed mussle, like the ones they ate together, next to some cinnamon that the chef told them was an essential ingredient... a salt shaker Fusun had picked up... and an invitation to a party (Chapter 51) Chapter 73, Fusun's Driving Licence Here Kemal remembers teaching Fusun to drive, and everything about her from that time  ...what she wore ...what she touched ...how she looked. Kemal's bedroom, where he supposedly ended his days, narrating his story to Orhan Pamuk Is this all pure fiction, or is there some semblance of truth? Who knows, except Pamuk himself? But there is one enigmatic notice on the bedroom wall. Although you need to visit Istanbul to see the Museum of Innocence, you can, at least, read the story of this obsessive, compulsive relationship, as conceived by Orhan Pamuk. by Elizabeth Coughlan

We are continuing to have a thoroughly enjoyable time, here in Chiang Mai. We have been to a different restaurant every evening – much cheaper than buying the ingredients and cooking at home! We have even eaten at the Night Bazaar. This has changed dramatically since we were here in 1997; they have developed an air-conditioned indoor section with a food court and entertainment of traditional Thai dancing. (See photo) We have also experienced dining Thai-style at a Khan Toke restaurant – sitting on the floor at low tables while dancers perform for our entertainment. We were very proud that we managed to sit on the floor for the whole evening, although getting up afterwards was an effort! On Thursday we visited the Op Khan National Park where we followed the nature trail along a natural gorge caused by erosion of the cliffs on either side of the Mae Kjan River. After hiking along the bank, David and Glynn swam in the river to cool off while Harry, Margaret and I found a cool spot to wait for them. Afterwards we went to the National Park Restaurant for lunch, there was no menu however, as the only dish on offer was – I’m sure you’ve guessed it - Cow pat Moo!! Yesterday, David, Glynn and I decided to do the touristy thing and venture out to the mountains for the Flight of the Gibbon experience. Their promise to allow us to “view jungle life from a perspective previously reserved for a select group of researchers” was too tempting! They have a two-kilometre stretch of tree houses, platforms, cables and sky bridges high up in the canopy of a 1500 year old rainforest which forms the dramatic backdrop to the village of Mae Kompang. When we arrived at the village we were given a lunch of green curry and introduced to the other five people in our group, a family of three from Malaysia and two young Irish girls, who looked at us rather doubtfully as the guide apologised to them for including us in their party. They were good sports, however, and soon warmed to us - especially when they discovered that David exhibited the best style whilst traversing the wires! Before we could set out, we were strapped into a harness (not good from the posterior angle!) and fitted with a hard hat, then presented with an angular piece of bamboo. Glynn thought we might be going to do a spot of water divining, but we were told it was the brake! We were all quite nervous at the first of the fifteen stations, but once we had zipped along the first wire we gained in confidence. The brake only has to be used on the steepest of the wires and we were instructed to pull down on the cable with the bamboo as we approached the platform. The first time we had to use the brake, I didn't pull down hard enough and so slammed into the guide as he waited to secure my landing. So the next time I pulled down much harder and didn't make it to the platform at all, and was left dangling in the air! Fortunately, the guide came down the wire and attached me to his harness and reeled us both in – to much merriment all round! Occasionally the land fell steeply away below us and we had to rappel down enormous trees, with the aid of a friction rope, in order to arrive level with the canopy again. We were in the hands of the guides, but we felt really safe as they were very professional and had all sorts of safety procedures in place (although I did wonder what ‘elf and safety would think of it). It was such fun and we all said we would do it again with no hesitation! Me, dangling from the wire, high up in the trees The intrepid Glynn enjoying 'The Flight of the Gibbon'!

The Galata Tower Public transport in Istanbul is one of the cheapest and best I have experienced anywhere in the world, only Buenos Aires comes anywhere near. Recently, I have been showing Sue how to get around the city on all the various types of transport. Our first venture was over to Beyoğlu, as she had read about the Galata Tower in the Lonely Planet Guide, and was keen to see the famous view over the city. The view of the Bosphorus from the Galata Tower We live on the Asian side of Istanbul, and as we needed to cross to the European side, we first caught a yellow dolmuş to the Kadiköy ferry docks. The word "dolmuş" means "stuffed" in Turkish, and is the name of the shared minibus taxis. They travel up and down set routes throughout the city and are a great way of getting about. They have no scheduled stops along the way, as they pick up and drop passengers on request. The drivers are always on the lookout for potential customers and often hoot as they drive along, to let people know they have room for more. The view down to the ground from the Galata Tower The dolmuş drivers are very adept at driving on Istanbul's busy roads, and weave in and out of the traffic at a hair-raising pace; all the while collecting fares passed to them from behind, distributing change, answering calls on their mobiles, and remembering passengers instructions as where to drop them off.   We saw this knife grinder sharpening a knife for the kebab shop. From Kadiköy we took the ferry to Karaköy, on the other side of the Bosphorus. Ferries criss-cross the Bosphorus every day, and mostly manage to avoid the international shipping passing through the straight. Amazingly, there are very seldom any accidents involving ferries on this very busy waterway. To access the ferry, I used my akbil (see left). The word "akbil" is a condensed form of the Turkish words "akıllı bilet", which means "intelligent ticket", and is so useful for travelling around Istanbul. It is a pre-paid electronic pass that can be used on ferries, buses, trams, the metro, Tünel, and the funicular. It consists of an electronic button, set on a plastic fob, that conveniently fits onto a key chain. An akbil means no waiting to buy tickets, and not only gives a 10% discount on the original fare, but for any subsequent transfers within 2 hours, the discount is 50%. There are machines to fill the akbil at all ferry ports and railway stations. It is very easy to do, and there is always someone nearby to offer assistance should you need it   The vintage tram that runs from Tünel to Taksim Square Once across the Bosphorus, we headed for Tünel. This is a short funicular railway connecting Karaköy, at sea level, with Beyoğlu, 60 metres higher up a very steep hill. Tünel was built by French engineers and has been used continuously since January 1875. It was built to transport people and goods up the steep incline from the waterside in Karaköy to the embassies and residences in Beyoğlu. From the station at the top of the funicular, we walked a little way back down the hill to Galata Tower; from the top of which we had a magnificent view of Istanbul. Istiklal is always crowded with people We saw these mouthwatering desserts in Istiklal After descending from the tower, we had lunch at The House restaurant, and then walked all the way up Istiklal to Taksim Square, where we caught our dolmuş home. Sue at the top of Istiklal, by the roasted chestnuts stall.

Spring has arrived in Istanbul. The trees are bursting into life, the people are shedding their winter coats and dining alfresco is becoming the norm once more. The smokers are out in force again, having been reduced to sitting at outside tables during the harshest of winter days, or made to pop outside for a quick one and hang about guiltily like naughty schoolboys. Now they can puff away with abandonment as they enjoy the fresh(?) air - cigarette in one hand and fork in the other. The cheerful crowd offering alternative venues to Midpoint. Midpoint, the restaurant next door, is very popular with the Ferrari-driving in-crowd and is never short of customers. This obviously rankles with some of the other restaurants, but they have tried to lure away Midpoint's customers in a fun way. Yesterday, a band came marching down the road with banner-waving waiters from several restaurants. The banners advertised offers and discounts that they wanted the Midpoint customers to know about. Television cameras were there, and the manager of Midpoint even came out and stood with the marchers and waved to the cameras. There's never a dull moment in Baghdad Street. In the evening, we met up with our friends, Gabriela and Mustafa as well as Annie and Fatih, who are over on holiday from Australia. We had such fun. We had dinner in the Adamar Hotel in Sultanahmet in their Panoramic Restaurant, overlooking the Hagia Sophia, the Topkapi Palace, the Blue Mosque, the Princes' Islands, the Bosphorus and the Sea of Marmara. What an amazing view! As you can imagine, this is a very popular location and it is necessary to book well in advance. The meal was delicious and we had such a good time catching up with each other's news. Mustafa, David and Gabriela, with the Hagia Sophia behind them. What an amazing view we had! Annie, Me and Fatih, with the Blue Mosque behind us. The Hagia Sophia looked quite beautiful as the sun was setting. On Wednesday, David and I are off to Perth for our niece Tammy's wedding. We are so looking forward to spending time with, at least some, of our family. The Wedding is on Saturday. The following Monday, David will return to Istanbul while I will go back to Ellerston with Suzi, Neil and Katelyn. Watch out for my next post - wedding photos.

Mutlu Yillar means Happy New Year in Turkish New Year celebrations here in Istanbul are over, and the decorations are coming down; although some shops, restaurants, and private houses are still festooned with typical decorations. To celebrate New Year, there are ornamental Christmas trees, street lights, and even Santa Claus, to be found all over the city. This is because Turkey uses all the trappings of Christmas to celebrate the New Year. ...even down to a turkey dinner, and presents from Noel Baba (Father Noel). Noel Baba waves to passers-by on Bagdat Caddesi where I live The presence of Santa Claus is not that surprising, considering he was born here, in Turkey. Saint Nicholas was born in Patara on Turkey's Mediterranean coast during the 3rd century, and became Bishop of Myra. He gained a reputation for secret gift-giving, and it was rumoured he had extra pockets sewn into his cloak that he filled with fruit and candy to give to children. This gave rise to the story of the kind Saint Nicholas (Santa Claus), who secretly leaves presents on Christmas Eve. Many shops were beautifully decorated like this one... ...and this one Christmas trees were everywhere... ...in different guises ...my local hairdresser had one in their salon. All along the street were installations reminiscent of Christmas - like presents... ...and baubles... ...although I wasn't sure about the bear... ...or the elephant! According to numerologists, 2015 is going to be a year of abundance and happiness, so here is wishing you everything you wish yourselves, and may this be the happiest of Happy New Years! by Elizabeth Coughlan

Far from taking things easy in my dotage, my life has become a whirl of activity lately, if this last week is anything to go by! On Monday, I was to have joined an IWI (International Women of Istanbul) group going to Büyükada, one of the Princes' Islands, especially to see their new museum. Unfortunately, this trip was cancelled due to lack of interest, so I was able to play tennis instead. I mentioned my aborted trip to Angela, who lives on the island, and she suggested that I visit anyway, and meet her for lunch, on Wednesday. On Tuesday we had our twice monthly IWI coffee morning, followed by lunch, where Judith and Siobhan expressed their interest in my planned trip, and Angela invited them along too. On the way home from lunch, I met my neighbour, Yasemin, who was about to walk along the sea front, so I quickly changed into sports mode and joined her. We walked for half an hour, then exercised in one of the exercise parks there, before walking the return half-hour home. These long steps lead up to the road in front of the Splendid Hotel, where our phaeton was waiting.  On Wednesday, Judith, Siobhan and I took the ferry to Büyükada and met Angela at the docks. It was interesting being with someone who had local knowledge. Angela led us to some steps of which I was unaware, despite several visits to this small island. At the top of the steps a phaeton was waiting, ready to take us to the museum. Extraordinarily, the museum is quite far from the ferry port, so a phaeton is essential. It is not surprising that they have very few visitors to the museum, out of the thousands that regularly visit the island. One of the very early phaetons outside the museum. The museum is quite small and still in the developmental stage, but was interesting nevertheless. It tells of the history of the islands and how they got their name, together with lists of the flora and fauna found on them, and some ancient artifacts that have been discovered. We only had half-an-hour to peruse the exhibits, as the phaeton driver wouldn't wait any longer. We had to agree to his terms as there was no other way back! I was really taken by this magnificent staircase in Angela's home. The paintings on the walls are by Angela herself. The phaeton dropped us off at Angela's beautiful house, where we sipped pre-lunch spritzers on her verandah, while watching her gardener, with some trepidation, as he pruned the top-most branches of a tree. We were rather concerned when we heard an almighty crash as he fell out of the tree, but were reassured when he extricated himself and waved to show he was all right. Angela then treated us to a wonderful lunch, before we set off for the ferry to return to the mainland. Angela's gardener in the top of the tree, before he fell out! Thursday was another tennis morning, followed by a trip to the street market in Erenköy with Yasemin. Tired after tennis, I insisted we took a taxi there, although we did walk back all the way home. As it is quite far, next time I am also taking a taxi back again! While we were at the market, I told Yasemin about my trip to Büyükada, and she also wanted to go, so we arranged to visit the island the next day, Friday. Yasemin phoned her cousin to wish him a happy birthday,  on our way to the island. That is how I found myself on the island again on Friday. I decided not to tell Angela as I decided that she had probably had enough of me by then, as she had seen me on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday already! Yasemin and I had a lovely day. After visiting the museum, we walked around the town, had lunch in one of the many restaurants, and shopped. We saw this man mending horses' bridles. I had a great week, but today is Saturday and I have taken the day off, especially as next week is beginning to look just as hectic! Oh well, we only live once, so we had better make the most of it. Although I am secretly hoping we get more than one shot at life, it's such fun once you get the hang of it!!! We saw this phaeton decorated for a wedding... ...and bicycles for hire.

The Bandstand at Hunstanton Our flight to Schiphol was uneventful, although we were glad we had the foresight to have lunch at Istanbul Ataturk Airport before we left. Lunch on the plane was in one of the dreaded boxes, now standard fare on short flights. The box contained an unappetising cold pasta salad and some cheese and biscuits; we couldn't face the pasta, but the cheese and biscuits were palatable. We had dinner at Schiphol, which was fine, except for the fact that the only place people are allowed to smoke is in the restaurants and bars. Not only that but the best seats are reserved for the smokers while the non-smokers are confined to a pokey corner (in which the smoke from the smokers is trapped) or directly above the bar wreathed in clouds of smoke that waft gently upwards, engulfing the abstainers! Why would anyone with a smattering of intelligence imagine that a suitable place for smokers is where people are trying to eat their food! Flew on into Norwich airport on Friday evening to be picked up by Clare and the lovely Jessica. We were so grateful to be flying into Norwich rather than Heathrow. Norwich is so much more civilised! David and Clare dismantled her old garden shed on Saturday and heaved everything into a skip while Jessica and I watched and played ball games in the garden. It’s great being a geriatric old granny; you’re not expected to do anything too strenuous! On Sunday, we all went to Hunstanton to hear the Breckland Brass Band, in which Clare plays EЬ horn. It was a great venue and the afternoon turned out fine, despite the threatening rain in the morning. The bandstand is on the green overlooking the sea and the setting was perfect for a relaxing afternoon. Unfortunately, I forgot to take my camera, so no pictures this time, except for one of the Bandstand! (Just in case you are wondering where John was all this time, he was in London on a pediatric first aid course.) Today, Monday, the new shed arrived and is being mantled ready for the arrival of all our kutundu. We downsized dramatically before we left Turkey, but still managed to end up with 42 boxes – goodness knows how!

Marilyn and Dick in the Surrey with the Fringe on the Top! Marilyn and Dick have returned home and the apartment seems empty without them. We had such fun while they were here. On Friday we took the ferry to Heybeli Island where we stayed in the, very grand, Halki Palace Hotel. The original building is thought to have been built between 1852 - 1862 and was a fine example of Ottoman architecture. Although the hotel burned down in 1991, it was completely reconstructed as an exact replica of its earlier grandeur. That evening we enjoyed a meal of mezzes and fish in one of the restaurants by the harbour before returning to our hotel to sleep enveloped in the silence of the island - such a change from the hustle and bustle of Bagdad Street! The Halki Palace Hotel The next day, we had planned to go to Büyükada - Big Island - but we discovered that the Prime Minister was visiting it that day and it would have been very crowded; also Marilyn wasn't feeling very well, so we opted for a tour of Heybeli instead. On Heybeli, private cars are not allowed so the only form of transport is by horse and buggy. This is a very relaxed way to travel and there isn't even noise from the horses' hooves as they are shod with rubber. That evening it was raining, so we ate in the hotel dining room - another sumptuous meal! On the way back to Istanbul on the ferry, a rather large lady decided that David should shove up and let her sit down - even though there wasn't any room. He would have stood up and offered her a seat if she hadn't actually sat on him! After all the eating we had done over the weekend, we decided to be more active on Monday. David went back to work and Marilyn, Dick and I took a dolmuş to Kadıköy and the ferry to Emınönü. There we disembarked and walked across the Galata Bridge, took the Tünel up the hill and then walked along the three kilometres of Istiklal Caddesi (Independence Avenue) to Taksim Square (often called the heart of modern Istanbul). (See photo of old Italian Church off Istiklal.) Our ultimate objective was the military museum to see the daily show. Unfortunately the museum is closed on Mondays, so we were foiled. Dick and Marilyn will have to come back again so we can do that another time! On our crossing we were fascinated to see the cruise ship, The Queen Victoria, in harbour. It is very impressive! Tuesday was Marilyn and Dick's last day, so we went to a must-see in Istanbul, the glorious Aya Sofya. Hilmi, our driver, snaked through the Istanbul traffic to deliver us right next to the museum. The Basilica of St. Sophia, was built by Constantine the Great and reconstructed by Justinian in the 6th century. It is an impressive building and we marvelled at how they could possibly construct it without modern tools. After admiring the mosaics and exploring the site, we left for the Grand Bazaar so Marilyn could buy some pashminas, only stopping briefly for a less than memorable lunch - the only one disappointing one in 12 days. Finally, Hilmi whisked us back to Bagdad Street in time for Marilyn and Dick to pack before going to the Mid-Point restaurant next door for a wonderful dinner - thank you Dick and Marilyn! Cheers, until next time! Spoons at the ready for the amazing desserts!

Amazing things happen in our street! Last Saturday, who should come walking down the road, with his band, but Elvis! He was a lot taller than I remember him, but he was still in good voice and appeared to be advertising a new shopping mall! So, despite all the rumours, Elvis lives!  That evening we were serenaded by two guitarists as we dined in a local restaurant; and on Sunday the operetta returned. How lovely to be surrounded by so much music! On Tuesday, we went to the Doğal Tatil Resort again. This time for the orientation meetings held for the English Departments and new foreign teachers of the various Istek Schools. The sumptuous welcome dinner was held by the swimming pool and there was dancing to a live band afterwards. Naturally some people finished up in the pool – it was far too tempting. Erol takes the prize for swimming a spectacular length, fully clothed, after his dunking. Although, perhaps his aquatic expertise is to be expected as he spent some time in the Submarine Corps.  The following day was taken up by meetings, although I am not sure that everyone appeared, as the last revellers staggered to their beds at 5.00am! David amid a happy group of colleagues. The beautiful Nil, the resort manager, and a great friend,  with Erol, the champion swimmer! David was kept busy with the two days of orientation meetings, but I was free to please myself. On Thursday, Hilmi drove Roger, Tuğba and me into Şile for the morning. It is a quaint old town which is fast growing into a major holiday resort, judging from the many villas being built. Of course, Tuğba and I managed to get some shopping in as well as admiring the sights! (In the photo: L to R Hilmi, Tuğba and Roger.) The view of Şile Harbour and the ancient castle.

The next day, we visited the villages of Tacir and Ömerli, also in the heights above Iznik. It was interesting to see that all the villages we visited had a unique flavour of their own, although we still passed goats on the way. The houses in Tacir were nestled close together, cascading down the hillside We photographed the village from every angle We saw more men here, than we did in the village of Sansarak This happy lady was busy sewing This village also had its family bread ovens Our next stop was the village of Ömerli. This village, although now faded, showed signs of a former glory. In the past, it was an important part of the silk trade, and the merchants operated from here, but many of their former mansions have now fallen into disrepair. We saw evidence of Roman ruins. Here is the top of a  Roman column by a doorway The village is obviously moving with the times.  Here is a solar panel on a village roof After exploring the villages we headed back into town for lunch at Lezzet Lokantası again. I had an Iskender Kebab. It was the best I had ever tasted in all my years in Istanbul. After lunch we toured the ancient walls surrounding Iznik. It is amazing that these 2000 year old walls are still standing This is the Istanbul Gate, still used as a main thoroughfare today The Lefke Gate is the most impressive gate, although it is no longer used for traffic. It is, however, used to carry coffins through to the cemetery beyond. A rather grand exit from the world. This was the end of our visit, but the memories and images remain. what a great trip. I do hope we have another one soon!

Will, on one of our many ferry crossings. Will came to Istanbul for such a short time, but we managed to cram in a lot of sight-seeing while he was here. On the first day, we took the ferry across to Eminönü, then the tramway to Sultanahmet and the Aya Sofia. There, Will hired audio guides for us, which was a first for me, despite having visited the place several times. I really recommend this, if you have plenty of time, as the commentary is fascinating and very informative. Thanks to the audio guide, I saw the mosaics that are located high up on the north wall of the basilica. They depict the patriarchs, John Chrysostom and Ignatius the Younger. John Chrysostom, and Ignatius the Younger After a well-deserved lunch, we descended into the depths of the Basilica Cistern to marvel at its beauty, and the feat of engineering that created it, followed by a brief look at the Topkapi Palace. This is so vast that we decided that Will really needs to return, so that we can spend a whole day exploring this magnificent Sultan's Palace. Colourful lights on sale in the Grand Bazaar Everything imaginable is on sale in the Grand Bazaar. Our next stop was the Grand Bazaar, where we wandered up and down the bewildering maze of stalls. We managed to resist the entreaties of the salesmen, and left the bazaar to wander down the back streets to the Spice Bazaar, where we couldn't resist buying some. By now, people were swarming everywhere, and we were reduced to a slow shuffle as we descended into the tunnel under the roadway to get to the Galata Bridge. We had intended to have a fish sandwich there, but the people were already queueing, so we gave up on that and crossed the bridge. Good son that he is, Will bought some saffron for his mother. Once across, we took the Tünel up to Istiklal and staggered across to one of the little restaurants opposite the station, grateful for a chance to rest. Once restored to health, we continued our journey up Istiklal to Taksim Square, on the little vintage tram that dates from the nineteenth century. From Taksim we travelled back to the Asian side across the Bosphorus Bridge, on a little yellow Dolmuş. The end of an exhausting, but fun day. On the second day we took things rather slower. David, Will and I opted for a gentle cruise up the Bosphorus from  Eminönü to Anodolu Kavaği, near the entrance to the Black Sea. There, we had a leisurely lunch and sailed back down the Bosphorus again. Magical.  Büyükada's Ferry Station On Will's last day, his friend Luke joined us and we caught the ferry to Büyükada, the biggest of the Princes Islands. At least, that's where we thought we were going. It turned out we were on the wrong ferry! Fortunately, after visiting Burgazada and landing on Kanılıada, we managed to link up with the ferry to Büyükada. Once there we had a well-deserved lunch, before taking a phaeton to the beginning of the long climb up to the Aya Yorgi, the Greek Orthodox Church of Saint George. We were glad we made the effort to complete the climb as the little church is a gem, and the view from the top is amazing. We rode in a phaeton through the streets of Büyükada.  Will sits in the driving seat. Will and Luke outside the Aya Yorgi  We saw this shoe seller, pushing his barrow on Büyükada That was all we had time for, as Will was flying out to South Africa the following day. Never mind, Will, it's all waiting here for your return. You'll just have to come back one day.

When Marilyn and Dick were here, we often sat on the balcony overlooking Bagdad Street and marvelled at the expensive boy's toys passing by. Ferraris, Corvettes, a Bentley, a Rolls, Porsches (rather common!!) and top-of-the-range Mercedes and BMWs, not to mention the jaw-dropping Harley Davidson motorbikes and other gleaming chrome machines. Yesterday there were two Ferraris parked just across the road (see photo of the nearest). Dick was a fund of knowledge and was able to give detailed specifications of most of the vehicles passing by, now we are just reduced to oohs and aahs! Many of the cars and bikes belong to clientèle of the restaurant next door - The Mid-Point Restaurant. It's there that the beautiful people go to see and be seen. The recession has definitely not come to our street. Especially as many of the toy-owning boys are accompanied by females dressed in designer gear and toting the latest accessories and bedecked with glittering jewellery. Ramadan or not, the restaurant has been full every day with merry patrons eating and drinking. The strange thing is, most of them eat, drink and smoke incessantly while talking endlessly on their mobile phones. Quite fascinating. I would have more photos but the battery in my camera will no longer hold the charge - oh well, time for a new camera! Surprising news soon - watch this space!