Ottawa, Canada  Tuesday, October 13, 2026

Hello all. I arrived home one week ago, last Tuesday at eleven P.M. Thus ended another great trip to Europe. The flight from Istanbul to Montreal was one of the smoothest plane trips that I have had. We climbed to 40 thousand feet on departure and as we arrived at our assigned elevation, the crew turned the Seat Belt sign off. It was not necessary to turn that sign back on until we started the descent into Montreal, just over nine hours. However, and there is often a However; just 4 seats ahead of me , was a lady with three children under five years of age..  The youngest, was about one and a half....in my estimation. About every 20 minutes or so, the child screamed hard...the loudest I have ever heard....and I have good hearing....(when I want it.)  Many times, the crew came over and asked the mother to do something to quiet the child. She could not do so, but then took the child to the washroom at the back of the plane and stayed there for long periods of time. I was five rows from the back.

My time back in Istanbul was spent with my friends there, where we would go to malls and chat, etc.

My friend and her son live in a Condo that is supposed to belong to the son when he becomes of age...as part of his Inheritance under Muslim rules. My friend and her Ex have been divorced for five years, and he now lives in the United States with one of his other wives. Although I have been invited to visit them in the Condo, I have refused to do so. It has been my view that it could cause problems if the Ex ever knew his former wife was having male visitors.

In Turkiye, the landowner is entitled to keep a key to the property.....and can enter that property any time. My friend borrowed a ladder a few days before I arrived in Turkiye and cleaned a shelf unit that was high and which she could not reach, so never used it. When she was on the ladder cleaning....she found two  Blink Cameras....(Trade Name). These cameras were about two inches square and contained two AA batteries for power. Those batteries usually last for two to three years. The cameras are coded, and can be used with a similar coded cell phone from anyplace in the world....both for viewing and listening. The batteries were removed before I arrived, and after looking at them, they were thrown in the garbage.

 It is so sad when modern technology like these cameras is used for such activity.

At this time, I do not have any trips planned until the New Year, when I expect to go back to Thailand. I will be working from 12 November until December 24 with the Salvation Army Christmas Bells fund raiser as required. Last year, they were short of Volunteers, so I worked all but one day of the Campaign.

Take Care, and I will do an update mid December

                                              Istanbul Turkiye, October  4, 2026

I will be starting my return to Canada in just over 48 hours. The airport is many miles from the city, and a taxi ride is around one hundred Canadian dollars. I will therefore be taking the subway out there. 

In Warsaw, as I awaited in line for exit Passport control, I noticed the traveller two ahead of me was taking an unusual amount of time at the Passport counter. Most travellers just step up and hand the officer their Passport. It was stamped and the line moved on. After about 10 minutes, two police officers came quietly up to the front of the line, and one on each side, took that persons arm, and put on the cuffs, and  they all went back into the building interior. The Gentleman ahead of me said that he was told...."You are wanted in three Countries".

We arrived in Istanbul mid afternoon, a very busy time. It took me over two hours and a half, to do Passport control, claim luggage and get to my hotel on the metro.....longer than the two hour flat flying time from Warsaw. 

We are spending the days very quietly, just meeting at a small mall , having a coffee, and chatting. Tomorrow is Monday, and I will go into the Egyptian market area and purchase the items that I want to take home....Mango tea, etc....items not available in Canada.

I will do an update when home...including an event I do not wish to mention from here....you will understand why.,,,,,when you read it.

 

                                                            Warsaw, Poland September 30, 2026

Hello all. My short time here is coming to a close. In two hours, I am off to the airport for my return to Istanbul. This is one of my favourite cities in Europe. It is old, but very modern. Nice wide streets, and very friendly people, There are a lot of English signs and advertising, more than any city outside the British Isles.

I have friends here that I met 14 years ago on my first  trip around the world. They have come over to Canada a number of times and travelled all over Canada with me...they are like family.

If you are looking for a new adventure, or just wanting a destination for a grand holiday, come to Poland.

I stay at the Gromada Hotel...moderate prices and one of the best I have stayed at anywhere.

                                                      Istanbul  Turkiye  September 26, 2026

Hello all. Later today, I will take the Metro which is the Istanbul subway to the airport, for the early morning flight tomorrow to Warsaw.     I must be there for 04;00, and the Metro stops around midnight. The option is a taxi, which is one hundred Canadian.

We have had  great weather here, and the forecast for Warsaw is sunny all  next week.....rain here. The area of my hotel here is in one of the oldest parts of the city...streets are   very narrow, poor sidewalks and a lot of potholes.  Yesterday, I saw a man in a wheelchair,,the first one I have ever seen here....thats how bad the traffic and streets are. 

I will do an update from Poland,  then after I return here for 6 days. At that time, I will do the shopping for those orders for sweets and such that I have to take home.

Take care                                           

                                        Hello from Istanbul, Turkiye

Hello all. I arrived here on Wednesday afternoon after a flight of nine hours and 23 Minutes. We were in an A-350-900 series aircraft that had 300 seats. There were several times that we had severe turbulence, however, all in all, it was an excellent flight. As I have stated before, Turkish Airlines is the longest, continuous  serving airline in the world, having started in 1933. Arrival procedures are very quick and simple. There are two sections for arriving passengers-  one for Turkish citizens and one for all others.

Passports were stamped with no questions asked.  Arriving passengers then proceed to the terminal exit, if you have something to declare, you go through Customs. If nothing to report...keep going.

My friends living here are three transit stops from the hotel. I met them for lunch Thursday, and will spend more  time there for the duration of my stay here. On the morning of September 27, I will fly over to Warsaw, Poland for 4 days. I then return here until October 6, when I depart for Montreal, again on Turkish Airlines.

I plan to do an update before heading to Warsaw.

 

                                                     Ottawa, September 14, 2026

Hello all. This will be short and will give an update. I have had a change in my schedule, and will be departing  Canada tomorrow,  at 8 P.M. from Montreal on Turkish Airlines.

Another major change is that my friends who moved to Turkiye five years ago as Residents have been informed that their Residency cards will Not be renewed. They were so upset that they could not tell me when or where they will move to. They are Canadian citizens, the mother originally from that area.

They have parents living as refugees in Denmark, and sisters in Briton.

My next update will be from Istanbul

Thank you

                                                  Ottawa, August 17, 2026

Hello Everyone. This update is much later than I expected, however we now have travel dates confirmed.

because of the situation in the middle east, it was not safe to book flights before knowing the political situation over there. Departure will be September 16. Will travel to Montreal Dorval by bus, the fly with Turkish Airlines to Istanbul and return 6 October. While it would be nice to make a short trip over to Lebanon, that will await until after arriving in Turkiye. It is one place I have wanted to see, and now that I have friends there, it becomes more inviting.  There is no Visa requirement for visitors from Canada to enter either Turkiye or Lebanon for stays of less that one month. With respect to Lebanon, one must not have a stamp from Israel in their Passport.

I will be making a quick trip to Warsaw on 27 September for 4 days. Since Poland is a member of the 27 Nation Block known as the Schengen Zone, I will need a Visa to go there. It is available online.

A friend will be making the flight to and from Istanbul with me, and undergoing major dental work for most of the time there. That is where their Dentist is located. (My dentist is located in Bangkok Thailand....Bangkok Smile).

On the subject of Dentists. When I go to Thailand, I get a dentist and their assistant, for what ever work I require for a full hour. The cost is 60 dollars Canadian. Several years ago, the Dentists in Canada and the Insurance companies agreed that only emergency dental out of Canada would be covered. When I heard that, I immediately cancelled my Canadian dental insurance.....so have many others.

I expect to do an update before departing on 16 September