First instalment of this holiday’s travel journal. I’m a bit behind on writing it. Istanbul, Samos, London, Scotland, Italy & France.

Quite a trip - 8 weeks.   Images:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/eVcuu658XNTcMwok6

https://photos.app.goo.gl/PQ5DocVB9UbREtww9

12/7/2025 20:00 Setting off on the first holiday after last year’s disaster, where I developed an acute gallbladder in the taxi to Melbourne Airport, and abandoned the trip after some weeks in Italy, as I needed surgery. Preferred to do it in Melbourne.

So far, so good - I’m in the lounge at Tulla, and no major organ failure.

Next stop - Istanbul, where I expect Mehmet to be waiting in a van to whisk me to somewhere near the hotel (it’s in an old part of Sultanahmet where cars cannot go, so I’ll have to walk a few minutes).   13/7/2025

Arrival in Istanbul - I note a missed WhatsApp call from my booked driver, Mehmet. I return the call:

Silence, then I said ‘Hello?’.

Silence, then finally “Mr Andrius? You have bag?”

“Yes, I have bag. I’ve followed the directions you sent, have gone through Door 14, crossed the concourse, and am in the carpark at elevator P2. Should I come to the next level?”

Silence again.

“Don’t move. I am finding you. I know you are where. You have bag. Wait me.” I felt I was listening to a Turkish Liam Neeson or Jason Statham on the line.

Soon a face emerged from the lift - looked more like Statham. He sounded like a cross between a guard in Midnight Express and Borat.

“Mr Andrius. You have bag. I am taking your bag.”

I wondered about the bag obsession - had somebody slipped something in to it for clandestine delivery?

“It’s no problem really, I can manage the bag - it’s not heavy.”

“I am taking bag. Welcome to Istanbul.”

I followed bag and new possessor to the vehicle. It was a huge black van, with very blacked out windows.

I wondered briefly if I had mistakenly booked a rendition to a Syrian prison instead of a cab downtown. 

The hotel was in an old town one way street that was banned to taxis in the day, and I expected to be dropped nearby & walk to it.

Of course, Mehmet turned the wrong way into the street, past a policeman he gestured to, and dropped me right out front.   Next interaction was with the hotel reception. I have rarely been welcomed with such extreme enthusiasm, like puppies to their human returning home, or for an oil sheikh in a Rolex store.

The reception desk was extremely wide, and my chair was low, so my head was only barely above the surface. The lady put a map on the table to point out sights to see.

I didn’t need to be Pythagoras to conclude I must stand for a functional visual angle.

She said “Please! Sit down!”, then pushed the map so far across to me, I expected her next to climb on to the table. She remained at a back breaking lean for the duration - her core must be strong.

Many circles, scribbles, lines and annotations later the map was unreadable, I had the next 7 days of my 2 day stay organised, and a complete description of local public transport.    It was late afternoon, so I only saw the Spice Bazaar, first built around 1660 - it was impressive, probably reasonably authentic as few tourists would buy kilos of unimportable raw spices.

Dinner at the hotel. Pretty expensive, but delicious with a lovely rooftop view.   14/7/2025 Daytime

Breakfast at the hotel was INSANE. It was included. I opted for Turkish rather than American. See photo for what arrived for ONE person. On delivery to the table I asked the waiter when the other 4 people were arriving.   Hagia Sophia - One of the world’s wonders. A Christian church in the 6th century by Byzantine emperor Justinian I. Over centuries it became a mosque, a museum, and a mosque again. Reflects the religious changes in the region over centuries, with the minarets and inscriptions of Islam &mosaics of Christianity.

‘Skip the line’ tickets on the internet were very confusing with hundreds of sites offering, so I took a punt on the queue. When I arrived at the queue, there were about 10 people ahead. I was still bombarded by touts spruiking ‘skip the line tickets’, right next to the ticket office, when they could clearly see I had no more than 3 minutes wait. 

The building was amazing inside - awe inspiring. The outside is not so impressive, as hard to see with trees and buildings hiding a lot of it.   Blue Mosque

Had to remove shoes inside. It was a very hot day, and lots of people inside whom I suspect were wearing synthetic socks on the basis of the pervasive aromas that weren’t incense. 

The Hagia was breathtaking in many senses, the Blue Mosque in many scents.

It was a nice building, but not a patch on the Hagia, which had the considerable advantages of superb art, and shoes on feet.

I left soon, and dosed my feet with anti-fungals on return to the hotel.   Grand Bazaar

Dating to 1455 after the Ottoman conquest, it was the worlds first shopping mall. Currently 4000 shops, 30,000 sq m, 250,000 - 400,000 visitors a day.

I have never seen so much cheap junk in my life. The Temu of Turkey. There were probably some good shops, but I didn’t explore all 61 streets. 

I advised the Rolex shop owners I would love to come into their shops, but I could not afford such quality, and that I was only interested in the cheapest

Chinese simulacra that I was certain they wouldn’t darken their premises with. I was happy to admire the $500,000 Richard Mille from afar, and declined the invitation to try it on.

There were guards and metal detectors at many of the entrances, and free access from others - puzzling. Were they sure bombs would only come through these particular gates?

Lead in the roof has been stolen over time, and replaced with concrete. The building represents a major earthquake hazard the next time a big one happens (expected soon!!).   More to come….