Well Katie and I are once again sitting in a lounge at the airport. This one is the Turkish Business Class lounge in Istanbul. Unbelievable! We showered in a room that was almost as big as our hotel room in Istanbul. I didn’t use the robe or slippers provided but the rain shower was much appreciated. We spent all day yesterday going to Bursa, the former capital of the Ottoman empire and apparently the happening skiing resort. We were picked up from our hotel and after picking other people up and transferring busses, we were finally on our way to Bursa. After 4 hours in traffic, we stopped in an industrial town at a crappy souvenir shop. Were they related somehow to the tour operators? I don’t know, but you could buy the same Turkish Delight, like every 20’ in Istanbul, coffee makers, refrigerator magnets etc just like every 20’ in Istanbul. What the hell! Another 2 hours and we stopped at a 600 year old tree. What? Then we stopped at the tour guides grandfathers coffee shop but nobody would get off the bus so on to lunch. It’s 3 pm now and we are having a cheesy tourist lunch at a place with no views except tourist buses that routinely come in. People are getting angry on the bus. Everyone can see this is a ripoff. Anyway made it back to our hotel at 11pm. I forgot to say we smuggled beers aboard the bus so all was not lost. Today we walked 7 miles exploring sights we hadn’t seen. Who knew the seat of the Eastern Orthodox Church was in Istanbul. A modest church though there strikingly more gold and chandeliers than in a Mosque. We hustled back to our hotel for our airport shuttle, but managed to stop at a bazaar and by some Kilim pillow covers. excellent buy at $10 a piece. Now on the airplane headed foe Entebbe.
Coffee at the Rabbithole led to a walk across the peninsula, through the streets near the Grand Bazaar, to the Spice Market. so much spice, so much Turkish Delight. We bought some Delight but I’m sure we paid double as we were in the Market. From there we walked across Galata Bridge and up to Galata Tower. Good city views but not much else. Up into Istiklal for some lunch then back to the hotel. Katie is not feeling that great. She has a sore throat and some laryngitis. We rested up as we had a Bosphorus Dinner Cruise scheduled. We were picked up at the hotel and taken to a large boat in the harbor amongst many other boats doing the same thing. We cruised for 3 hours while served a traditional Turkish dinner and entertained with various folk dances. Got home about midnight. Today we caught a boat to Prince Islands for some beach time. Beaches are more the European flavor where you pay for a lounge chair and umbrella. Sunny warm day and the beer is cold.
Despite an economy flight, heaven forbid, to Taipei, we ended our journey to Istanbul on Turkish Airways in business class and it was great. Seats not quite a cubicle but they lay flat and plenty of room to move around. The service was excellent and the food great though we have been constantly full most of this trip. We started with Tattinger champagne, mushroom raviolis with a Bordeaux Red, I tried a Burgundy Chablis and a vintage port with desert. We arrived early to Istanbul, 4:30 in the am, but our driver was still ready for us. Night and day difference getting into Japan vs Turkey. We basically just walked in! An hour drive to our hotel which was and is stunningly bad despite 4.5 stars. We would have changed hotels but we have a number of pickups from our hotel which would complicate things. We checked in, dropped our bags and set out in search of coffee. Met a bombastic Kurdish restauranteer who kindly provided coffee, 2 types of Baclava, because why not, wifi, and persistent conversation. While trying to read the home newspaper we learned all about the Kurds, the Turks, the Syrians, and the politics of the day.
Turkish Air Business
Mushroom Ravioli
We met our tour guide in the Hippodrome that morning. His name Salahattin. His English, excellent, His knowledge, extensive. The tour was Katie and I and a young man from New York. Ended up to be a 5 hour tour with a number of hidden gems most tourists don’t see. Sights included the Hippodrome, the Egyptian Obelisk, the Blue Mosque, the Hagia Sophia, the Grand Bazaar, and many other places.
Hagia Sophia
Blue Mosque
Lover
Entry to the Grand Bazaar
That evening we went back to one of our guides hidden gems, The Palatium, where we had a great mezes (tapas) plate, lamb dishes and a very good bottle of turkish syrah. Apparently, a Hookah after dinner is the thing and people would pass it around the table changing to their personal mouthpiece each turn. In the am we found ‘our’ coffee shop, the Rabbithole, a couple blocks away and that has been our newspaper reading spot ever since. We began our 30-60 min Segway tour that am after showing up, saying our name, not signing a thing, and practicing for 2 minutes. We were off touring the city stopping to hear our guide talk about the history and culture, note he is on his 12th year in the University there! Again a crazy wealth of information both historical and cultural. We were dodging crowds, cars, scooters, and trams. Turkey has some of the most aggressive car, scooter, motorcycles drivers we have ever seen. The rules seem very vague and mainly are just suggestions. The only imparted wisdom for riding was if you fall you will probably get hurt. After 3 1/2 hours riding we were way up on a hill at a Mosque (of course) looking over the city when I had to tell the guide we got to go. We have a food tour on the other side of the Golden Horn that is supposed to begin in an hour! We had an assistant lead the two of us past the Grand Bazaar, driving on the metro lines ahead of the tram and going backwards down one way streets. We jumped off and immediately a taxi driver came up and asked if we needed a ride. Why yes we do. Do you take cards. Yes I do. We drove taxi-style through the narrow streets, honking all the way. Narrow winding roads that we were convinced he couldn’t make it up. Cars passing with less than an inch between them. Needless to say, one of the best things to do in Istanbul. Getting out with minutes before our tour began, my credit card wouldn’t work and we had no cash. Katie went in search of an ATM.
segway practice
Trying to catch up
The afternoon food tour was ho hum for the food but ended up being a 5 hour city tour by all means of transportation from subways, trains, cable cars, and ferries. Our second day. was a day of transportation
The first part of the following am was our coffee shop fix. We went over to the Basilica Cisterna for a guided tour. Fortunately renovations were completed 3 weeks ago and it was now open to the public. Again a fantastic guide and the place is spectacular both in lighting and the installed art. The story of building this cistern to hold water for the new roman capital was boggling and apparently 20 years ago they had a 7.4 earthquake and all is still standing.
Basilica Cisterna
Basilica Cisterna
We also toured the Topaki palace later but really it was just too crowded and all in all not that interesting except the enuchs and harem stories. We rode the metro up to the Grand Bazaar which has over 3000 shops, but we didn’t buy anything. Later in the evening we did a food tour of the Pera or Istiklal area. We had walked this area before. It is jammed with people strolling and shopping. Crazy drivers intermittently cross the mall and it is always a close call with the walkers. The tour was great with many back street venues just off the bustling mall but quiet and only populated by locals. A yogurt covered tantuni was a favorite but to be honest all foods were good even the stuffed mussels! I had two. Katie and I bailed around 11:30 before the baklava as we were not only exhausted but stuffed.
We met Haru after breakfast and we visited Tokyo Tower, a replica of the Eiffel Tower but a little taller. a good viewing day as the rains have stopped and there is intermittent sun
Tokyo Tower
We travelled south the to the Sunshine Observatory which turned out to be in a mall that was extremely popular. Thousands of people in the streets. The mall escalators were jammed with people coming in. Turns out it is a mecca for Anime. There was a live show on one floor with people acting out the anime characters and hundreds of people, parents, and kids lining the railings of 4 or 5 floors to look down on them. One floor was dedicated to Pokemon and the kids were ecstatic, like seeing Disney characters. We had Sushi while waiting for the observatory to open and Katie again was full of ’yums’ and humming. The Observatory was very similar to Tokyo Tower but very kid oriented, so we didn’t spend a whole lot of time there. Good views though.
Theater from floors above
Where are they all going?
Sunrise Observatory
We then traveled to Shinjuku Goyeon Garden near our hotel to look at formal and landscaped gardens. Many locals out on the greens but no jogging or sports as it is a garden not a park. They have rules, many of them. Nice Koi ponds but only the Roses were in bloom.
Shinjuku Garden
Shinjuku Garden
We retired to our hotel briefly. Then across the street for an IPA and to catch up on our email and write the blog. Later we went to a rooftop bar close by for a mediocre G&T but a good Suntori 12 year old whiskey. We walked the streets filled with walkers, musicians and lights in order to find our ramen place ’Ichiran Ramen’. What a treat and experience Select from a pictorial electronic menu, Select some toppings, degree of spicyness, garliciness, and onioniness. Then wait in line until you reach the front, then assigned a 2 foot slot with a shade in front. When your ramen is ready, the shade goes up and your food is delivered. it was surprising how efficient this was though by the time we left there was a line up the stairs and out into the street. Great meal and crazy atmosphere. We walked through the busy and lively streets back to our hotel
Diners
Cooks
Ramen!
Today we were picked up after breakfast at 8am for a train trip to Sensoji Temple in the Asakura ward. 1200 year old Buddist temple with a Shinto Shrine on site as well. Learned about the gates for entry that were guarded by the gods of Wind and Thunder(reminding Katie of BI). The large lantern at the entry is a lantern that started in use at peoples homes to light the way home for loved that had passed. There were fortune telling spots for a few yen, wish spots to help with future events, smoke inhalation pots to cleanse the sole and hand washing sites to wash away evil. A large pagoda was on site with 5 stories representing water, earth, fire, wind, and sky. Many young Japanese youth visiting in Kimonos. Protection for the temples and shrines was provided by statue animals of dragons and dog/lion combos. We saw 4 young girls purchase a number pulled from a shaker which led to a drawer of fortune written on a paper(magic 8 ball!). 3 of the 4 got fortunes of ’bad luck’ which led to screams and laughs. Turns out you tie this paper fortune to a string that is setup which allows you to leave your bad luck behind. No sore losers here!
Thunder Gate
Pagoda
Sensoji Temple
Good Smoke
Buying Favors
Leaving Bad Luck Behind
Now we are on to Taipei then Istanbul. We just missed a Typhoon in Taipei which came thru yesterday resulting in many cancelled flights. 3-4 hours in Taipei airport then 10 hour flight to Istanbul. Goodnight
Tomorrow is our last day in Japan. A very short stay! Too short of a stay, but still rewarding. Our guide Haru introduced us to Japanese culture and train travel. it would have been boggling to get thru all the train stations and trains without her. We had a good breakfast at the hotel, many options. Many Japanese options like miso soup, pork dumplings, goyza, mackerel, plum sauce, bean curd… I had bacon, eggs, rolls. somehow Japanese options do not taste as good with coffee. It rained most of the day, supposedly the rainy season is June but I guess this is monsoon season. We made it to an open fish market which was fascinating. We saw the Japanese version of the Statue of Liberty and had a traditional Japanese lunch, Soba noodles, Miso soup, and Donburi bowls of shrimp and vegetable tempura. We saw a huge statue of a Transformer, Dumdum? that may not be right! Visited the Ota museum, filled with 1800’s master woodblock works of daily life in the Edo period. Visited Harajuku, a young peoples area of fashion trends/styles. we saw coffee shops where there was an entrance fee that entitled you to pet dogs, cats and in one, otters, while you were there! Very elaborate sweets our guide kept trying to get us to buy, ice cream cones with a large cloud of cotton candy around the cone, or elaborately decorated crepes with fruits and sauces. Walked to the Meiji Shrine, which was built in honor of a modernist emperor of the 19th century. There are many traditions that involve helping your fate in life… for a few yen. You can buy Ema’s which you write a wish on and hang up in public. They also had many small packages of various sizes that you can purchase for various enhancements, like finding the right partner, scoring well on the entrance exams, and making lots of money to name a few. We ended the night first on top of the Park Hyatt for some Gin & Tonics with panoramic views of the city. We then found a small Sushi restaurant where Katie kept saying yum and humming.
Katie and I flew out of SFO on United. This was our first time flying business class. We stayed in the Polaris lounge at SFO before our flight and found it to be excellent. Good food, comfortable lounging, and a taste of Champagne maybe a little early in the am. Boarded the plane first and found we each had our own little cuby with lay flat seats, large monitor, and a welcome kit with socks, eye shades, ear plugs, toothbrush, and slippers.
Polaris lounge at SFOUnited Business Class
Our guide Haru, met us on exiting customs which was a gaunlet of forms and QR codes that seemed to repeat the inormation over and over again. we took thesky express into Tokyo and to our hotel, the Sunroute Plaza Hotel in Shinjuku. we showered and changed then met her in the lobby to do a bit of a walkabout. we went to Golden Gai and ’Piss Alley’ an area with small alleys cramped with tiny restaurants and bars. We had Sashimi and Sake at a restaurant, or some of us had Sashimi all of us had Sake. we walked further along many Neon lit streets with an overwhelming number of advertisements. Reminds me of a number of science fiction books I’ve read and movies I’ve seen. Shibuya crossing was kind of like Times Square, people everywhere, neon lights, huge video displays and even Godzilla on one of the buildings. Katie and I were pretty tired so skipped the kareoke that was planned.
We have had very limited internet access in our first 2 1/2 weeks of camping, so I am posting the first blog of our trip very late! Well, we set off in early September. We headed North stopping in Bend Oregon to camp. On the advice of Steve we had dinner at Joolz. Turned out to be great Mediterranean tapas. We also found a great brewpub along the highway. we moved on to Walla Walla and after several wine tasting which were interesting? We moved on to Zillow Lakes. We had dinner at El Graso at J Bell wines and that was fantastic. We drove on to Coeur d’Alene which was beautiful but really nobody wears a mask indoors or outdoors despite no ICU beds left in northern Idaho. They don’t care. Give me freedom. We drove very carefully through Idaho on to Montana, probably not significantly different from Idaho. Here are some Big Horn Sheep we saw on the way to Glacier National Park.
Had a great 4 day 3 night camping trip to Salt Point on the California coast. Managed to escape some heat and some smoke. We enjoyed some days hiking, some days playing frisbee golf. All days eating and sharing stories around the the fire pit. We played poker at night along with guitars and singing as the night grew dark. Cornhole tournaments throughout the day.
Katie and I recently returned from the Big Island, Hawaii where we spent 8 days sunning, snorkeling, and just plain old relaxing. We shared our house and time with two good friends Doug and Lori. I have posted some pics and if you want to see a video with Dolphins and Manta Rays click on the video button on the pictures page. We stayed on Kealakekua Bay across from Captain Cooks monument. Our first day we saw a pod of some 30 dolphins across the bay from us jumping and frolicking. There was also a mom and calf Humpback Whale in the Bay breeching. Unfortunately that was our first day. We didn’t snorkel that day! We did see the Whales the next day but only briefly and never again. Apparently they had been there for 2 weeks. We later snorkeled with a smaller pod of dolphins so we didn’t totally miss out. Beaches were great and the weather perfect if not slightly chilly. We were checked 3 times for Covid, twice before we left because we wanted to make sure at least one result was back before we left, and then they check you again on arrival. The plane had some 30 passengers on a flight that held 140. Beaches and restaurants were still busy. It seems like either the locals are partaking in all the tours or other flights held more passengers. One of the highlights besides sitting on our outdoor deck was night snorkeling with Manta Rays in Keauhou Bay. I would not miss this if you get the chance and check out the videos for confirmation of how awesome it is.
Day 35 sheltering at home!! The weeds keep coming, Spanish still eludes me and being a rock star has not developed the way I envisioned.
At times life is very reminiscent of the movie Ground Hog Day. I get up. I drink coffee in the front room reading the days newspaper. I then read my email and delve deeper into news stories on my iPad. I usually go for an hour hike or bike ride after that, then settle in for a little yard work if it is not raining. Found a new radio station, at least for me, called Krush or krsh out of Napa which is on the internet and plays many rock, blues, acoustic tracks that are not so main stream. I am also listening to K-ZAP out of Sacrament via the internet which I grew up listening to. After some outdoor work I usually spend a couple hours on Rosetta Stone attempting to improve my Spanish. I can certainly read Spanish better but speaking and understanding spoken Spanish remains elusive. Following that, some lunch with maybe a TV show (Star Trek Discovery, Tiger King, Clone Wars, Marvel). I then move to the music room, maybe with a beer and play for a couple hours. Fender offered 3 months of free guitar lessons so I have been doing that. I chose the Blues track which has been exceedingly slow and hard to jump ahead. But, this has toughened up my fingers and I enjoy doodling for an hour or so after the lesson. I have my electric Les Paul and an acoustic/electric Ovation I play thru a Fender amp. Along with Tab from online and Spotify to play the songs I play along with Tom Petty and others for kicks. My goal is to get better with knowing the fretboard, scales, and a little bit of music theory. We’ll see, maybe more beer will help.
Hiking in the Open Space
Castle Rock
We have had some visitors. Jamie and Tim have brought Russell over a couple of Saturdays in a row. We sit outside spread out. We don’t hold Russell just watch and coo. We sit and talk for a few hours sharing a few glasses of wine and lunch. We have facetimed with Kelsi and David catching up with them and watching Ava showing off her walking prowess. We facetimed Zac and Maria but they have been working really hard (Doordash is doing exceptionally well during the Shelter) so we missed out on an online pinochle game with them recently. We will make it up in the coming week. The Alex’s are fed up with the City at this point. They have decided to move in early with us for the next number of months. Our original plan was June in preparation for Katie and I’s big trip around the world but that is most likely cancelled. So now, we will just be roommates 2020 getting to enjoy homemade pizza via Crow every Friday, maybe some cornhole contests, and more social interaction. Looking forward to that though I will need to get dressed a little earlier in the day!
Katie and I had an excursion to Napa last week as the skies were blue and the temp somewhere close to 80. We had wines to pick up at Robert Biale and we ordered take-out from our favorite restaurant up there, Rutherford Grill. We hiked in Moore Creek Park up along a creek finding a nice flat spot to eat our French Dip and Wild Rice Salad meal. A little Biale ‘Black Chicken’ wine and the day was set. We were planning a longer hike after that but we were too full and tipsy to enjoy the long walk so we drove back home. Beautiful day
French Dip, Red Wine
My family is in general well though my mother took a fall at the living facility she is in. She has had the unfortunate luck of being in quarantine prior to the shelter in place orders because of a GI bug going around her facility. Then of course they locked down because of the Corona Virus. Well she sat in her room for weeks. I suspect got fairly weak. Then while moving about her kitchen twisted awkwardly, fell and ended up with several pelvic fractures. She was evaluated that day but initially no fractures were found and they sent her home. She couldn’t put weight on her leg and subsequently fell 2 more times. This time they found the fractures with a CT scan. She ended up overnight in the hospital and now is in a nursing home getting physical therapy until she can get up on her own. The worst is no visitors have been allowed for weeks at her facility and now that includes the nursing home and hospital so she has just been on her own for all of this.
Oh my, look what time it is! Rosetta Stone is calling. Take care everyone. Hope all are well and look forward to seeing you all on the flipside.
