Chitwan Wildlife Santuary

After six hours, hairy roads and breathtaking views Laine and I arrived at the Maruni Sanctuary Lodge. Located just outside the Chitwan Park and neighbouring village boundaries, Maruni is all graciousness, efficiency and smiles. It is the exact opposite of its parent hotel the Kathmandu Guest House. Did I mention the leopards printed on the curtains and bedspread? Well, a “sanctuary lodge” can get away with that sort of thing!

Right away we are met a safari garbed man who lays down the schedual for us and whisks us off to lunch. No time wasted at this place. After a meal large enough for four, we head out with Safari Man to see the village and the surrounding area. The little village comprises of the “indigenous” people who originally come from the Thar Desert in Rajasthan in the 1300’s. They live in houses made from clay, cow dung and bamboo and decorated with colourful handprints. Relying almost entirely on agriculture, Tharus make use of anything and everything they can get their hands on and as such their village was very clean. We enjoyed playing with the farm animals and seeing their traditional farming methods. But the constant shouting of “hello” and “bye-bye” from the children was a real highlight.

Afterwards we enjoyed an idyllic sunset and nature walk. We saw peacocks fly (who knew?), mongooses replete after a feast (cheeky buggers) and birds galore!

On the morning of day two we got up bright and early to enjoy breakfast (huge!) and go for an elephant ride in the jungle. Sitting three upon a beautiful elephant we headed optimistically into the park. Silently the elephant does her job and loudly the driver shouts commands and periodically thwacks her on the head. I try not to be too sensitive about this, but inside I am screaming and getting the elephant’s revenge. Looking the other way, we manage to spot three types of deer, monkeys and… Tadaa! Rhinos! Just there, are two gorgeous rhinos enjoying a morning bath, mother and son. The babe was quite the poser.

As a reward for her labour, our elephant is given a bath in the river. I also got bathed. Not exactly what I had in mind when I volunteered for the job. Laine watched from the sidelines.

After lunch we delved into a different part of the jungle, this time on foot. Armed with a guide in front and in back, both carrying sticks, we went in search of more wildlife. We managed to duck and swerve to track deer and monkeys. We spotted a lazy crocodile basking in the sun. We had a near miss with a leopard. Ya, that’s right. We flushed out a leopard with all of our not-so silent tromping. We didn’t actually see it, but we heard it take off and our guide then found it tree by scent. Crocodile Dundee he wasn’t, but he sure had a great nose. We gave up the hunt after three and a half hours.

What’s next? Oh right, a dance group from the village followed by (drum roll, please) DINNER! The dancers were all boys who looked as though they’d rather be listening to hip hop, but they gave it their all and some were quite amazing to watch. My fave was the shimmy but the fire was a big hit.

Our last morning in Chitwan, we were up at dawn for a canoe ride/bird watching with Safari Man. The lovely Aussie ladies in the dugout with us wouldn’t shut up and so much of the wildlife was scared off. Despite this we managed to see quite a bit. The show stealer of course, was the pair of giant storks that are on the endangered species list. The sound of their wings in flight is AMAZING! Like slow helicopter blades.

High from that close up encounter, we head to the bus station to take us back to the big smoke, Kathmandu. Where the line between wildlife and humanity is blurred.

Kathmandu Part 1

We scrambled across the India/Nepal border in a mad game of “Hurry up & Wait”! Running slightly behind due to traffic we rushed to catch our short flight from Badrapur only to find that it would be delayed about 3 hours. So with that we sat around the smallest & shoddiest airport we’ve ever experienced! Security was certainly not a priority here… nor was any sense of organization.

By the time the sun was setting we were airborne aboard our small prop plane… ascending high into the clouds slightly above the Himalayas. If you want to hear about sweet luck, you gotta listen up!

Since we were so late getting off the ground, we had a picture perfect sunset view of Everest. While it was a little difficult to snap that perfect photo because of our seats, our eyes still got a great show. We were among a lucky few who got to sit on the right side of the plane for the amazing panorama of a number of the world’s highest peaks towering over the clouds below.

We arrived late into Kathmandu and made our way by a seriously hurtin’ taxi to our busy hotel. We weren’t confirmed for this night so we took our chances and showed up anyways. Needless to say they didn’t have a room. They did however get us into another place that was all good.

The next day dawned and we re-packed and shuttled our stuff back to our intended hotel where we had a confirmed booking for 2 nights. What a fantastic place… so great that they gave our reserved room away to somebody who wanted to stay an extra day. Talk about a shit-show opperation! In true form we fully layed into them and found ourselves with a room a couple hours later. We are convinced that it was a staff room that we got as we found a maid sleeping on our bed when we opened the door. Shogunai!

After all of the commotion with this hotel stuff we were in the need of beer and a bit of retail therapy! I know, sounds bad right.

We hit the wild streets of Kathmandu with our eyes set on custom made clothes. If you thought India was cheap, Nepal is a fraction of the cost. By late afternoon we each had a pair of jeans being crafted, a dress for Erin, & a couple ties and shirts for me. Buy the material, find a tailor, and wait a day or two… presto!!!… custom attire. Trust me when I say that things were cheap! We’ll see in a few days how it all turns out.

We threw a few good meals in the mix, and a killer cover band that played us out well into the night. Literally these guys could play any classic rock tune under the sun… and they were spot on note for note.

Before taking off on a wilderness excursion that we planned we had one last day in the busy city. We thought it would be great to visit the Tibetan refugee camp in Patan. It was a hell of a long walk, but we made it there by early afternoon. There we saw a number of ladies making carpets to support Tibetan refugee projects. The cool thing about this place unlike many of the craft places we’ve visited on this trip was that it wasn’t profit motivated. Fair labour and charity was the name if the game here and it was a welcome change!!! We did our best to support the place with a small donation and a little purchase.

Our lungs clogged with car exhaust and dry scratchy throats, we departed Kathmandu early the next day for 3 days in the fresh air of Chitwan Wildlife Sanctuary. Stay locked!

Funky Cold Darjeeling

Hey all!

Last we met, Laine and I were northward bound on an overnight train. We got cozy with a couple both from the state of Punjab but living at a tea garden bungalow. Obviously we picked their brains the entire ride. Well, when we were all conscious, that is! We arrived in Darjeeling 6 hours late on the same day that another train (faster) on the same route (going the opposite direction) was hijacked by Maoists. Yikes! Close shave! Hot tea anyone?

The road from NJP (end of the line) to Darjeeling takes 3 hours in a jeep and is all hairpin turns and steep drops. We white knuckled it all the way. Our driver hit a dog. We arrived to a chilly Darjeeling but a welcoming Shangri-la Regency Hotel. Phew, our home for the next 4 nights.

Our first day in the hilltop city was spent recovering from lack of sleep on the sleeper train and some curious wandering about town. The only notable detail was lunch (if there was any doubt as to who was writing this thing, mystery solved). We went to the Tibetan Kunga’s for steamed vegetable momos that take 15 minutes to prepare from scratch. These little delights were introduced to us by Brit and Roger back in the Tdot, but those dumplins ain’t got nuthin on these dreamy creations! For those who are wondering what on earth I’m talking about – drop what you are doing and find your local Tibetan restaurant. I know there is one out there ‘cause there are tons of Tibetans in Canada.

Mom, I apologize for the poor vocabulary. It is only for emphasis, I do know how to spell.

The next day we got up at 3:30am to hop in another jeep and catch the sunrise at Tiger Hill. It was a bit of a mad house. Screams go out once the sun pokes his head, people are pushing and children crying. The views are stunning. Laid out in full glory is the Himalayan range including the local hero, Khanchendzonga, the 3rd highest peak in the world. True to form, while Laine tried to capture the wind blowing my hair and the cold rosying my cheeks, in steps random couple to form an impromptu group portrait. Try again, sweetheart!

On the way back to town we stopped at the oldest Buddhist temple in Darjeeling, part of the yellow sect. I always feel awkward visiting active temples, but this one is the tourist temple, browse away…

In the afternoon we ventured to the Happy Valley Tea Estate for our requisite tour and purchase package. This hilltop estate produces teas for Harrod’s. Ooh-La-La! Aren’t we fancy?! They re still using machinery there from the 1850’s and teas are pretty good but the scenery just doesn’t compare to our beloved Munnar. We chose the Organic Green, delightful.

Day three in Darjeeling, (my, the time passes fast) and Laine and I boarded the Toy Train to enjoy the morning loop. In about two hours we traveled 10 km and back on the old steam/coal burning engine that is equal parts UNESCO Heritage site and Master Polluter. Every person we pass on the streets is covering their mouth and dusting off their hair.

After a lunch break, we walked out to the zoo. I have definitely seen worse zoos, and so we enjoyed strolling about quietly. The locals were not so inclined. They were shouting and taunting the animals, trying to get their attention. As if the leopard is concerned with having a head shot versus a profile. At one point Laine and I saw a man throwing something at the snow leopard for a photo op. Together, we let him have it. Another show stealer was the Golden Pheasant, thought it was just a Chinese restaurant name didn’t you?

Our final morning, we got going nice and early. We’re going to Nepal!

Varanasi

We cashed in our wheels and finally got on to the Indian railway which whisked us from Jansi to Varanasi. As expected, the train never made it to Varanasi on time and what was supposed to be a 12-hour ride was naturally 15 hours. That said, we didn’t really mind. On arrival we arranged a sunrise & sunset boat ride, as well as a city tour.

Varanasi is said to be one of the oldest continually occupied cities in the world. It’s also the spiritual mecca here in India. Its a place where life and death are literally happening all around… its also considered the most holy of places in India to die and be cremated. Here in Varanasi the gap between the rich and poor is VERY apparent and it’s very dirty! That said, there is a beauty here in Varanasi that transcends the squalor and grime.

One of the best things to do here is to take a boat ride along the Ganges. Sunrise and suset are both great times to do this, so we opted for both. A driver picked us up at 5am and drove us to the Ganges where we met our amazing boat guide. Little did we know that this was probably the very best day in the year that we could have done such a boat ride. Unknown to us, today was a large celebration known as Chaot Puja, and it only takes place once a year beginning at sunset and culminating at sunrise. While I can’t offer a lot of detail on Chaot Puja, I can tell you that it was quite a spectacle!

We arrived at the filthy Ganges river shortly after 5am to a celebration of fireworks and a sea of colourful fabrics. People herded towards the river for their chance to dip themselves in the holiest of rivers in India. The pictures will have to do the talking.

Of course this experience wouldn’t be complete without a family portrait!

Later in the day we arranged for a car to take us o a tour of the city, and to see a couple temples. As well, this included a tour of some of the silk production houses. As expected this would also be the point where our driver made countless attempts to push us into commission shops. We have grown use to this by now, and we are getting pretty good at letting people know that we aren’t interested in shopping. Apparently they are equally as good at not understanding us when we tell them. Inevitably it becomes a point of contention between us and our tour guides.

In the evening we arranged to have the same boatman to take us out on the Ganges once again for sunset, and to see one of the biggest cremation sites. We also had an opportunity to take in some of the nightly ceremonies that happen along the riverside. Our boatman also added a bonus short, but informative backstreet tour to the Golden temple before we hit the water. We were reminded of the tiny corridors that we had experienced in cities like Fes and Tangiers.

It’s crazy to see a burning body! It’s even crazier to see a dozen. And, it’s the craziest thing to know that hundreds of people are are on their death beds literally just a few steps away from the open cremations… they wait there for their chance at a direct line to heaven. In seeing this, it becomes clear that death is as much a part of this city as life is.

For obvious reasons we didn’t take any pictures of the burning bodies, but I will note that we did see the entire process from the initial submersion of the corpses in the holy Ganges water straight through to the final burn. I think for both of us it was a moving and interesting experience.

We capped off the boat ride with the evening ceremonies. Our boatman dropped anchor in a huddle of about a hundred other boats and literally thousands of people… we looked and listened on while kids hopped from boat to boat selling candles and chai tea to spectators.

On our last day we just wanted to take to the streets on our own. We grabbed a tuk tuk and ventured through maddening traffic to a great little cafe restaurant which also had an amazing fair trade shop attached. It had some wonderful silk products that weren’t ripped from the artists for meager sums of payment… naturally we picked up a couple of pieces. The great thing here was that not only were the artists paid fairly, but a chunk of the profits were put towards charity. For those interested, the name of the place is called Open Hand Cafe.

By the time things were said and done, it was time to head for the train station for another overnight train. Next stop… Darjeeling!

Road Trip – Agra, Khajuraho & Orchha

Hooked up with our driver, Sanjeev, we hit the road for Agra home of the Taj Mahal. I’m not going to give you the full spiel on the Taj, but I will tell you that it is well worth all the harassment by touts, shopkeepers and faux guides. Despite the crowds, despite waiting in line to take a photo of ourselves (that still had a piece of someone in it), the Taj Mahal is a masterpiece. There is no way our photos can do it justice – check it out for yourself one day!

Our guide then whisked us away to a commission shop for marble handicrafts even though we’d requested not to shopping. As if we could carry or afford the shipping on stone goods! Ha!

Finally we make our way to our home stay ( Garden Villa Homestay – wonderful!) but our driver keeps complaining that our hotel is SO far away and SO hard to find. Once I’d had enough of his bitching and moaning I let him have it. From that moment on it was tickety-boo! Our home stay was located, we were fed (delicious homemade meal! Chapatis, Malai Kofta, Paneer Mattar, veg Jalfrazy), washed and succumbed to slumber.

The next day we hit road again for the long trip to Khajuraho, home to the fames Kama Sutra temples. The only drawcard to the town is the temple art and you can tell that they are REALLY trying to stretch that thin. We enjoyed the Western Temples (the bulk of the most interesting ones) dedicated mostly to Vishnu but also to Durga, Surya, Shiva and Lakshmi. The figures are lithe and flowing and mostly in really great condition considering they were carved between the 9th and 15th centuries. The most famous ones are the girl picking a thorn from her foot, the woman carrying a jug of water and oops! managed to spill some on herself and of course there is the soldier enjoying the company of a horse (the horse appears unaffected).

In the evening we went to the Sound and Light show that was more entertaining than it was meant to be but very informative. The darkened temple grounds we lit up theatrically following the narrative of the “Master Sculptor” (evidence of the theme wearing thin) and then we headed to the local fold dance show that was done to live music from all over India. The set design was reminiscent of junior high school stage backgrounds, complete with glow in the dark paint (further evidence). Overall it was enjoyable if a bit desperate.

The next day we headed back the way that we came but planning to stop at Orchha on the way to the train station in Jansi. The roads were again brutal and the traffic heavy. Before reaching a posh hotel for lunch, we saw a wretched accident on the side of the road. A lorry carrying hay had rammed into a man on a motorcycle. Laine and I both gasp in shock at the sight of a man without a head and missing his leg but our driver is cool as a cucumber. He says to me, “You know ma’am, that is a part of our life here. It happens all the time”. He is more shocked by our reaction than the sight of the dead man. He tried to comfort us with more tales of things he has seen on the road, he is not helping. At that point, I was not sure that I could eat at all. In the end, I did.

We made it to Orchha in one piece and explored the little hamlet on the river. There we checked out the Orchha Palace, the Raja Mahal, from the 1500s. It is a maze of a palace that still holds much of its stonework in turquoise and lapis lazuli. From the ramparts you get awesome views of the valley town.

Before heading to Jansi we also checked out a very old temple that had fallen into disrepair and was now site to youths on a date. Evidence.

Once we reached Jansi we stocked up on goods for our overnight train to Varanasi and dined with Sanjeev. We were all three glad that the trip had turned out so well and parted friends. In the station, we parked ourselves between the VIP lounge and the station managers office. It wasn’t long before we were upgraded to VIP.

Varanasi, here we come!

Delhi

We have officially survived Delhi so now I can share a little bit about it…

Since we were way on the south of India and we only have a couple weeks here we needed to add to our carbon footprint just a little more and catch s quick flight to Delhi. The other option was 48 hours of train… and, quite frankly that wasn’t in the cards.

We arrived on the first night of Diwali to an overly hazy Delhi. This wad due in part to the excessive use of fire crackers and fireworks during this time. compounded with the existing pollution and you have one seriously dirty place!

We found ourselves at an amazing homestay for our time here. While the family wasn’t celebrating Diwali this year, they did have a fantastic room for us. We felt like we were back at home with all of the mid-century teak furniture.

On our first full day we set our sights straight for Connaught Place to get a great deal on some custom suits. This is something very affordable here in Delhi, and I’d recommend doing it for those who visit. An hour and a half of our time and 2 made to measure suits were in the works! Early birthday suits. The shop assured us that they would be ready in 3 days despite the holiday, and with that we took to the pavement of an unusually quiet Connaught Place.

Since things were quite in this massive commrce district (most shops closed for Diwali) we saw all the real filth and grime that gets lost in an ocean of vehicle and pedestrian chaos. In our short outing we saw enough desparity to do us for our entire trip to India, and this was just day 1 in Delhi. I don’t think anybody can be prepared for the sight of a 3-year old wandering alone and begging for food and money. From this point on we decided that while we weren’t going to be handing out cash we’d take whatever was left from dinner and pass it to a child or family in need.

We had been advised that it was probably best to wrap things up earlier in the night during Diwali and not wander the streets… lots of drunks and things can get out of hand. With that in mind we thought to try our hand at a bollywood movie before retiring to the hotel. We saw the latest release “Blue” with cameo appearance by Kylie Minogue. It sucked so bad that we left at intermission! We hailed a tuk tuk and booted it back to the hotel in a fury of fire crackers and things exploding. Dashing from the tuk tuk to the hotel, traffic dogging in the smoke-filled air the made us feel like we were escaping the apocolypse… it was crazy!!!

The next day was a day for sightseeing. We organized a driver for a very small fee ($12 for the full day) and were taken around the city to a number of monuments and sites. We saw the Red Fort, Gandhii’s Tomb, the parliament & India Gate, as well as the stunning Humayum’s Tomb. I’ll let the pictures do the talking.

I’ll quickly point out that everywhere we go people want to take pictures of us… sometimes with them sometimes without. That said, I’ve been accumulating a number of random Indian family portraits.

We finished the night off with a nearby rooftop restaurant where we wached fireworks, ate, had some beer, and basked in the relentless sound of things exploding.

Our final day was really up on the air. We ultimately decided to do a little shopping before my suits were finished. First we hit up the Khan market, and later we rolled back to Connaught Place where we entered the underground Palika bazaar. We followed the waves of densly packed vendors until we found ouselves sitting in a very nice scarf & pashmina shop drinking tea. Two great salesmen showed us some if the most beautiful stitching work we’ve ever seen… some as old ad 400 years old. Apparently this shop is famous… Hillary Clinton kind of famous. Needless to say we couldn’t afford the stuff that really blew us away, but we did manage to get a little something for each of us from this fantastic shop. We finished things off with picking up my suits, both of which turned out perfectly.

To end our Delhi experience, we decided to make one last sight see, the lotus temple. We hired a tuk tuk at night and ventured 45 minutes along the roaring highway to the far south side of the city to see this wild piece of arcitecture fully illuminated. Little did we know that the lights go off at 8pm. So it was a total bust, but I still managed to get a pretty good shot of it with a long exposure while our driver tried unsuccessufully to get the security guard to turn the lights back on. Exhaused from our day and time in Delhi we retired!

Next we leave with another driver for 5 nights as we journey from Delhi to Agra(Taj Mahal) & Khajuraho!

Kerala, Munnar to Periyar

Our first stop (130km in 4 hours) was Munnar a gorgeous hilltop town surrounded by tea plantations. Our homestay had an amazing view of a waterfall and was shrouded in mist every night by 5 or 6pm.

The next day we checked out the views from Top Station, but the mist foiled this plan. This didn’t stop us from taking plenty of misty photos and commiserating with other unlucky visitors. Down we went to the tea museum where we took in a self-promotional “documentary” about tea production in Munnar, saw the processes needed from sorting to chopping, tearing, crushing and finally drying. Again, no photos, bummer. The true highlight though, was the free cup of Masala chai with frothed milk and honey at the end. Laine went for seconds! Later, we went for a walk and met a family on vacation from North York visiting family. It’s a small world after all.

Day six, Jamshid took us to Thekkady, home to the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary. We stayed at Tranquilou homestay (recommended by the Canadians) where the rooms were large, clean and adorned with large carved wooden furniture. The owner arranged a jungle safari for us and Jamshid whisked us away to visit a spice garden. It was the first time that I ever saw a cocoa tree, coffee tree, pepper vine (the spice), vanilla plant, cardamom plant, cinnamon tree and the list goes on. Wow! the things that we take for granted at home. How strange to have been eating chocolate for as long as I can remember, but to have never seen a cocoa pod on the tree and not in a photo.

After this learning experience we treated ourselves with Ayurvedic massages. It was the most intimate of massages for us both, or should I say personally invasive? Relaxed but covered in herbal oil we returned to our homestay to wait the requisite hour until we could bathe. Another learning experience, check.

Day seven is Safari day! 5:30am we are picked up by a jeep and driven into the jungle/forest. We enjoy a Kerala breakfast (Masala coffee, curry and hot rice cakes: sambar, dosa, iddly) and go for a 3 hour trek. We saw a family of five wild elephants, black langor monkeys, macaques, wild dogs and wild spotted dear. We also managed to scare a family of elephants who proceeded to trumpet at us and off we went! We failed to spot a tiger or jaguar, but that doesn’t mean they didn’t see us. We saw tracks and scat… gulp!

We met back up with Jamshid and slept most of the way back to Fort Kochi for our last night in Kerala. It was good to be back at Sajhome again. It is clean and bright and mosquito free! Saj and Sumesh are very helpful and Saj’s wife cooks a mean curry!

Next stop, New Delhi for Diwali!

Kerala, God’s Own Country

After delays in both Istanbul and Dubai, we arrived slightly bedraggled and bewildered in Kochi, India. We are picked up by the affable Babu and whisked away into the madness that is traffic in India. Cars, trucks and motorcycles vy for road space, taking up any side of the road necessary and using a complex sequence of honking and hand gestures to indicate intention. Since we were dead on our feet we could only widen our eyes and enjoy the ride. We arrived at Sajhome our homestay and were greeted by the owner who goes by simply Saj and his worker bee, Sumesh. It is clean and bright and mosquito free! Saj and Sumesh are very helpful and Saj’s wife cooks a mean curry! After a quick bite we conk out until dinner time. For dinner we head to Casa Linda where owner and cook, Dipu, introduces us to Kerala food. Oh yes, finally the REAL thing.

Day two dawns bright and HOT. We decide to walk around Fort Kochi starting with the Dutch Palace in Jew Town. The highlight to the palace was the fan in each room and Jew Town lacked actual jews, although there is a synagogue. Droopy like flowers in their last days, we shuffle along the waterside road, elated by shade and momentary breezes. The Chinese fishing nets are a welcome diversion and lunch at a local art/food joint brings big smiles.

We bargained for fish for dinner and had it cooked to perfection by Dipu, coconut curry prawns anyone? We also took in a traditional Kerala dance show that included some amazing makeup, costume and music. All in all it was a wonderful first day in India.

Day three we went on a backwater houseboat in Allepey. The boat was a huge letdown but the food and the overall experience was wonderful. Palm trees, rice fields and people doing laundry and bathing in the river were the colourful scenery. We drank copious amounts of Kingfisher beer, watched a firefly display and hunkered down in our sleeping bags within a mosquito net cocoon.

Back at the port for day four, we were picked up by Babu’s friend Jamshid. He would be our driver and informant to all things India for the next 3 days.

Istanbul, The 2nd Time

I just love this city. It is so very easy to get around. The streets might not be marked but transportation for the tourist is a breeze. Arriving at the airport from Kayseri, Cappadocia, Laine and I were rarin’ to go. 1.50 TRY for the Metro, 1.50 TRY for the Tram, 45 minutes of our time and we are back at the Sultan Hill Hotel. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

Armed with a list of “THINGS TO BUY”, we head to the Grand Bazaar to get our shop on. Right away I pick out my beloved felt hat from Cocoon and we are on a roll. Er, or so I thought. Nothing really seemed to appeal afterwards. All the fun things we thought we’d get as gifties seemed cheap and overdone.

Alas, we could only bring ourselves to buy a few more things and we were spent. Only one thing to cure the shopping blues. The Fish Market!!!

This area is crazy. Fish restaurant upon fish restaurant, all with a floor guy on the pull. Ding, ding, ding! Let the games begin. Like a pair of warriors faced with a gauntlet, Laine and I put our disinterested faces on and plough through. The opponent is wily and is onto our game. Still, many fall by the wayside and pitying glances are spared for those who fell. Eventually we are snared (it was inevitable) but are cheered by raki and live music. We congratulate ourselves, we have made a good choice (they are all the same).

We spent the evening chatting with a couple from Poland and enjoying the good eats. A belly dancer appears. Hand meets mouth in gasp. Now, here is a party!

The next day we journeyed to the asian half of Istanbul in search of the Toy Museum. We made it by way of a tram, ferry, dolmus (mini-bus) and a little leg work. To greet us were 3 life sized metallic giraffes, of course. Inside, there were over 5000 toys mostly dating from the early 1900’s. It was great! Alas, there was no photography allowed and so we have no proof of it’s existence. You’ll just have to believe us.

We made our way back in time for lunch and enjoyed some chicken doner wraps, yum! Feeling pretty proud of ourselves we continued on to the Spice Bazaar where the senses are not assaulted but cajoled and the turkish delights beckoned. 250g of sweets in varying size, colour, texture and flavour in hand and we head back to our hotel to savour our purchases and plan our next leg – India.

Kapadokya, Goreme In The Air

After a neck cramping 12 1/2 hour bus ride from Fethiye to Goreme reeking of the driver’s cigarette smoke and the lemon cologne they insist on offering you, Laine and I arrived in our shorts and tans in another planet. And it was cold. The almost full moon was high in the sky illuminating it all like a Tatooine village (think Star Wars) minus the robed desert people. We were loathe to wake anyone up at our hotel, but we were cold damnit! So we waited until 6am and then we rapped softly on the reception door and called “Hello?” into the slumbering room. Eventually Seyit, one of the owners, shuffled out of the darkness and graciously let us sleep in the common room with him until morning as our room was booked until 10. Ah, what bliss!

The rest of the day was a bit of a write off. In a daze we walked the small village and ate pide (Turkish pizza) for lunch.

The next morning (rise and shine, campers!) we were picked up around 6am for our hot-air balloon ride. Goreme is a hotspot for ballooners and we quickly learned why. Littering the small farmer’s fields in the valley were dozens of balloons being prepped for flight.

Ours was a non-sexy grey and black, but as we can’t see our own ride, that hardly matters. It is the other balloons that count. Loaded up into the basket were 12 intrepid travellers with 1 strong and silent type pilot. They sky is still pale and unsure and our brains are a bit mushy, but we soldier on and wait for the magic.

It arrives without fail. The sun peaks our amongst the fairy chimneys and illuminates the valley and the balloons. Aaaaahhhh, sigh the little angels in my head (the heavens are opening chorus). Don’t judge until you’ve been there people!

We fly for about an hour and I think that I took more pictures than Laine. I can only account for that swap by guessing it was the heights thing. Afterwards, we enjoyed a champagne toast and received a certificate of flight (because no one would believe us?) and were dropped off at our hotel giddy like children on Christmas Day.

For the rest of the day, we trekked to the Goreme Open Air Museum about 1 km outside of town. There is a crazy concentration of fairy chimneys in this area and more churches than you can imagine visiting in one day. All of these cave dwellings and houses of worship were chiseled out of stone in the 10th to the 12th century. Some are gifted with beautifully painted frescoes and others are more rudimentary, but they are all astonishing. We maxed out on our medieval church-cave quota and shimmied on back to town for the worst lunch we’ve had to date. How dare you sully our day Local Restaurant?! Harumph!

To cleanse the day of that wretched meal Hasan, the other owner of our hotel, took us out of town to enjoy a soak in a hotspring. What a treat! Renewed again, we headed off for dins at Dibek Restaurant for a meal to surpass many others. Testi Kebab, a sealed clay pot is filled with vegetables, spices, tomato sauce and sometimes meat and left in the fire for about 3 hours before being broken (cleanly) at the table, is served with rice and salad. What comes out of the pot is hot and smokey in flavour and oh so savoury. The only complaint is that I had no room for dessert!