Hello all. I returned to Ottawa at ten in the evening of October 12. I was off line for the duration of my travel to Turkiye because of a technicality. Upon my arrival in Istanbul, I attempted to sign in to my email account. A security confirmation was sent by the system to my home in Ottawa, on landline. It of course was no help. Upon my return, I saw the call information.
My eldest daughter, Marina travelled with me, and on October 7, our friend from Warsaw came over for a visit. She departed on October 12, earlier in the day than our flight. Both flights were on time, and very smooth. The weather in Istanbul was in the high teens to mid twenties most of the time. We had several days with a few rain showers, but nothing that cancelled travel plans.
Major tourist areas always have the shops where one can spend lots of time, and money if they wish to do so. Here, it is The Grand Bazaar, Egyptian Market and the Spice Market. Hundreds of shops and stands where thousands of items are available....NOT ONE item has a price tag...its haggle time here, which I refuse to do. Of course, the ladies had a different view. I only purchased one item....Mango tea. It is made from dried Mangos which are turned into a pink powder.
The Bosporus waterway separates Europe from Asia here. It is the waterway from the Black sea on the north side of Turkiye, into the Sea of Marmara, then into the Mediterranean. Those who enjoy watching ocean going vessels can enjoy a coffee or tea and watch everything from oil tankers, freighters and pleasure craft up to battle ships and aircraft carriers. The ladies took a ferry over to the Asian side and enjoyed two days of exploring there and on the Bosporus. It was their first time in Asia. I have travelled the area several times, so I did not go to Asia this trip. I visited with my friend and her son, both of whom are Canadian Citizens, living in Istanbul with permanent Turkish Residence documents.
On our outward travel, we took the VIA train from Ottawa to Dorval, where there is a shuttle that meets all trains. The shuttle is free for anyone wishing to go to the Dorval Airport, ten minutes away....depending on traffic . On return to Montreal, the Turkish airline flights are too late for the last VIA train to Ottawa. My son-in-law, Greg, met us at the airport and drove back to Ottawa with a lunch break near the Ontario -Quebec border.
This is a summary of the Turkish adventure. Sometime in the next week, I hope to have the information for my next adventure....to Bangkok Thailand. I am working on-line with a doctor there, where I expect to go for Hernia Surgery. I have been waiting here in Ottawa since March for such surgery, and have been informed that it could be two years before that is possible. Once I have confirmation of dates, wait times before flying, (after surgery), etc, I will book flights and update this site. It is just one stop to fly from Ottawa to Bangkok...via Vancouver with Air Canada. Take care/Don
