Last day - Dubai and the Burj Al Arab

Our holiday is just about over - we have had a great time in Greece, Turkey, Egypt and Dubai. There have been many highlights, but of course it is always good to go back home.
 
Today we ventured out on the Metro in Dubai and found the Dubai Marina, the Mall of the Emirates with Ski Dubai and the Dubai Mall including fountains. The shopping areas defy imagination - only in Dubai.....
 

 Also saw the worlds tallest building, the Burj Khal Ifa which was only completed this year. We didn't have time to go up to the observation deck as you have to make reservations in advance...

Highlight of the day was our visit to the Burj Al Arab, the only 7 Star hotel in the world. We had to make a reservation to enter the man made island as it is strictly off limits to tourists to just sight see. We booked the cocktails and canape package which allowed access to the building - absolutely spectacular. 

While we were enjoying our cocktails guess who walked past - Tom Cruise. Yep, he walked just past us on his was on his way to his private dining room at the Junsui Restaurant.......... we were in the cocktail bar just next to the restauarant entrance . He looks pretty good..... That was our thrill for the last night of our holiday..........

Stopover in Dubai

Here we are in Dubai for a 3 night stopover staying on an Emirates package. This morning we took an abra, an old style wooded boat, across Dubai Creek to visit the Gold and Spice Souks. Was very interesting and shows the contrast  of the futuristic and traditional side of Dubai.

We went on the Sundowner Dune Dinner Desert Safari late afternoon, enjoying an exciting drive over sand dunes before being taken to a Bedouin camp for an evening dinner under the stars.

We watched the sunset over the dunes , enjoyed a camel ride, had plenty of wine & beer and a really good belly dancing performance - the belly dancer was the best we have seen.

The Pyramids & the Sphinx

The highlight of our Egypt trip has been seeing the great Pyramids and the Sphinx. It was all very crowded and touristy but at least cooler. Most of our time in Egypt has been in heat wave conditions of 43 C.

Camel Ride in the Sahara Desert - next to the Pyramids at Giza

The Sphinx

A highlight - our balloon flight over the Valley of the Kings and the Nile

Egypt is interesting however we found Egyptians to not so friendly. Cairo is filthy and the air polluted. The Cairo Marriot was right in town and part of a palace - the grounds were beautiful. The Nile cruise was disappointing as most of the time you could smell fuel from the ships that go up and down - tourist central

Egypt: Cairo and Lake Nasser

The sunset over Lake Nasser was beautiful as we relaxed on the sun beds of the top deck. The lake waters are so calm so the ship sails smoothly and it really is so nice to be here.  Lake Nasser was formed with the completion of the High Dam and the water stretches south of the dam for nearly 500 km into Sudan. The lake is the world’s largest reservoir and is just stunning to cruise on.

 Cruising on Lake Nasser - our ship the Prince Abbas - we are on 2nd level

The temples and ancient ruins of this Nubian part of Egypt have all been relocated due to the building of the High Dam. UNESCO organized much of the work and it is truly amazing to see how these wonderful temples have been saved and restored.

 We were able to walk to the temples of Abu Simbel form our ship– it was over 43C, so hot. The temples were wonderful, got some good photos and all the history from our guide Mohamed. Abu Simbel was carved out of a mountainside in the 13^th century BC by Ramses II and was relocated in the early 70’s with the completion of Egypt’s High Dam.

Cairo 

 We visited the Cairo Tower - the funds for the tower were donated by the American CIA for communications, but now it is an observation tower with the best views of Cairo. A small lift took us up 185m (610ft) to a viewing platform where we caught our first glimpse of the pyramids – through the smog and heat haze…….

 

We stayed at the Cairo Marriott, a historic hotel & former palace built for Princess Eugenie in 1869 with beautiful gardens and public spaces. It is huge, with over 1,000 rooms in spread over the complex. We dined at the Egyptian Nights restaurant in the gardens of the hotel – a great choice as we enjoyed two great tagine meals.

Last day in Istanbul, Turkey

 First sight seeing venture today was to revisit the Grand Bazaar. We caught the tram up the hill (only 3 stops)  and went shopping for a 100% silk shawl. The young guy who sold them to us was very interesting & invited us into his tiny shop for a free apple tea & a chat so he could improve his English. 

  We visited the Basilica Cistern, a vast underground water cistern from the Byzantine period. We followed the walkways to the mixed sounds of classical music and dripping water.The cistern’s roof is held up by 336 columns, each over 8 meters (26ft) high. We saw the two columns that rest on Medusa head bases which are thought to mark a shrine to the water nymphs. The lighting and height of the columns, the fish swimming and the fact that you are underground with normal buildings & shops above you made it a real experience.

Whirling Dervishes

 The Whirling Dervishes Sufi Music Concert and Sema Ceremony was held at the Sirkeci Central Train Station, home of the famous Orient Express. Seats were moved into the grand room for the performance by the Contemporary Lovers of Melvana Society – woman also participate in this less traditional version. The musical accompaniment was excellent and highly symbolic with the reed flute representing the breath of God. The whirling is the climax of the sema ritual and it was certainly a unique experience.

Cappadocia – Ankara - Istanbul

We have had long days traveling and sight seeing from Cappadocia to Ankara (the capital of Turkey) then onto Istanbul. The Wonders of Turkey tour has now finished - 11 days goes so quickly - and we have two days to ourselves in Istanbul. We can't believe how many tourists are traveling - everything is booked out but we have have enjoyed ourselves and had an opportunity to taste most aspects of Turkey.

 We made our way from the Conrad Hotel across the Bosphorous to the Old City for our two nights in the Yasmak Sultan Hotel, right in the middle of everything. Visited the Spice Market this afternoon and a had a great dinner (not Buffet again) in a Turkish restaurant sitting on big pillows on the ground enjoying the 'real deal'.

Here is our group photo, taken after a 1.5 hour cruise on the Bosphorus. The coach tour was full with 40 travelers and a mixed group of ages. We shared good times with Quinn & Renee from New Zealand,  Donna & John from Canada, Maria from the Blue Mountains, Angelina & David from Queensland and Glen & Mary from the United States. 

Ankara - we visited Ataturk Mausoleum, Ankara’s most imposing site with views over the city. We walked around, took some photos and moved on as we had a 450 km drive back to Istanbul. Ankara is just a big capital city - modern, congested with traffic and  not particularly inspiring. The Museum of Anatolian Civilizations and Ataturk's Mausoleum are the only places really worth visiting.

Cappadocia to Ankara  -On our way to Ankara we stopped at Avanos to see a demonstration of beautiful decorative pottery that is produced in the area. We watched a potter make a wine decanter and then were shown how the paint and glaze are applied before being led into the showroom. It is a family run business and attracts a number of tourist buses.Cheap day today - only two tiles for 30 Turkish Lira

Turkish Carpet Demonstration - we saw ladies working on carpets and were explained how the value of a carpet is calculated – all in the number of knots per cm and the material (wool, silk etc). The viewing of the various types of carpets was amazing as they spread them out around us while we had lunch - there are so many types of Turkish carpets. The co-operative markets the carpets on behalf of the local makers and foreign purchasers are offered a discount and free shipping to your door (no customs duty as shipped to a broker in Australia first)

Of course, the whole idea of this is not so much to educate but to sell the tourists a carpet. And yes, we are now the proud owners of a genuine Turkish Carpet

Rock Formations of Cappadocia

It was a long drive to Cappadocia (620 kms) and sadly the weather was poor. Our early morning balloon flight was cancelled and it rained all day. The scenery was stunning even under cloud with caves and fairy chimneys.

Fairy Chimneys of Cappadocia - the result of volcanic eruptions 30 million years ago - amazing landscape.

Pamukkale, Turkey

We arrived at Pamukkale to visit the cotton castle, the spectacular white travertine terraces , one of Turkey's most popular sites. Very interesting and popular with Russian tourists who spend the day in the sun and thermal waters - over 30C

Leaving the Aegean Coast was a bit sad as it was really beautiful and we had a great time, however we are heading inland. We did stop at a leather shop for a fashion parade in the morning and like many other of our group we purchased. I am the proud owner of a genuine red Turkey lamb leather jacket in the 'silk' style - light weight weight and comfortable. Don't ask the price, it was a bargain..................

City of Troy, Ephesus and Kusadasi on the Aegean Sea

We arrived late afternoon at our fabulous hotel in Kusadasi that overlooks the Aegean Sea to be allocated a top floor suite with two balconies, a spa & sitting room - special treat for only for a select few. After a paddle in the Aegean we enjoyed drinks at sunset on the balcony with a few friends before dinner. A great day!!!!

The morning was spent visiting one of the greatest ruined cities in the western world, Ephesus. The Library of Celsus was amazing as was the Theatre, Temple of Hadrian  & Gate of Hercules. The crowds were unbelievable as some cruise ships were in so there were thousands of people visiting.

 The ancient ruins of Troy have been excavated to show nine different cities built on top of each other over thousands of years. The walls of the cities are evident but as it is very old they are not in as good as condition as other ancient sites in Turkey. It was interesting to hear the legend and story of Troy. The ruins were not excavated until 1873 by the German born Heinrich Schliemann, who spent three years excavating and then stole the treasures of Troy for the Berlin Museum and his wife Sophia. We climbed into the reconstructed wooden Trojan Horse and took the standard tourist photos

Turkey - Istanbul and Gallipoli

We arrived at the Gallipoli National Historic Park in the afternoon to visit the battlefields where, for nine months during WW1, Anzac troops fought unsuccessfully to gain control of the Dardanelle Straits. We stopped at Anzac Cove, and Lone Pine Cemetery, the final resting place of soldiers who gave their lives over the Gallipoli campaign. It was a very moving  experience.

A busy second day as we had a full day excursion visiting the iconic sites of Istanbul - Topkapi Palace, Blue Mosque, Haghia Sophia and the Grand Bazaar.

Istanbul - what a city....... on our first day we were able to explore the busy market and restaurant area near the hotel. Enjoyed real Turkish food and wandered around watching the locals and tourists enjoying themselves.

Touring Mainland Greece

On our way to Delphi we had a stop at a coffee shop in the seaside town of Nafpaktos.This port city is absolutely beautiful with ancient forts, small marina and the typical European narrow cobblestone streets. We sat by the water with our ‘Freddo’ iced chocolate and took in the view.  All the coffee shops and restaurants have outdoor settings but were not busy as it was Greek siesta time, so the tourist buses were the cliental. We all agreed that this really is the true Greek experience.

In Delphi, the ancient Greeks chose the site for their most sacred and famed oracle, Apollo.  The area comprises an ancient theatre, a Stadium and a Museum which houses numerous statues from the area. The weather was cloudy with a few drops of rain but still quite humid. We saw the Treasury of the Athenians and the Temple Of Apollo. We walked to the top to see the Stadium, which was well preserved and actually looked like a stadium. It is just amazing to think of the history involved in this site. 

There are 24 monasteries at Meteora on the summits but only 6 monasteries are inhabited - four monasteries are for monks and two monasteries for nuns. The views down to Kalambaka and the surrounding vertical rocks were real Kodak moments. The visit to Meteora left us with an unforgettable impression of natural beauty and history. The morning was definitely the highlight of the trip.

Touring the Greek Peninsula

Nafplion was stunning and a real picture postcard town. The population is about 30,000 but the old town area is a mix of outdoor restaurants, boutique shops in narrow streets which is obviously very popular with tourists and locals. We walked from the port area into the old town for a 45 minute stop and loved every minute. This is the sort of place you could stay a week enjoying the boating, shops and the beach on the other side.

Athens First Day

Finally arrived after 30+ hours flight & airport time. Our first day has been great, the Parthenon & the Acropolis site are iconic & the weather was just perfect. Spent the day sightseeing the ruins, the museum and dining in the Plaka. Our first Greek beer was a  real thirst quencher as it is hot here. Dinner in Pirisi tonight, should be fun. The tour is so well booked that they have added an extra coach so we have 80 people travelling all up. Bring it on.....

Tour 3 - Jewels of the Nile, Lake Nasser and Abu Simbel - we'll view the Pyramids Karnak, Egyptian Museum and the Temples of Abu Simbel

Tour 2 - We will see the Blue Mosque and Basilica of St. Sophia, Anzac Cove, The Trojan Horse of Troy - 11 days of The Wonders of Turkey.

Tour 1 - Glories of Greece - 7 Days on the mainland
Wow - We'll see the Acropolis, Parthenon and the Temples of Zeus and much much more.

2010 - Greece, Turkey, Egypt and Dubai

Countdown starts - picked up our travel documents from Maria, it's all 'go'. Trip of a lifetime (one of many!!!!!)  is just a few weeks away. Maintaining a travel blog will be interesting and hopefully entertaining to those who view. Will keep you posted.