Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Last day in Paris
Monday was our last day in Paris and involved a serious ground pound as we hiked from our hotel in the 6th to the 9th and back! All told we walked for about four and a half hours! It was a lovely day in Paris, not a spot of rain which was something the other days all included. As it was Monday, the city was returning to normal so we did some shopping. Purchases included a new bag for Lisa (which we are calling the "doggie bag"), new Carcasonne expansion sets and lavender sachets for our bags. We bought the lavender from an old guy on the street who claimed to have been born in 1934 and remembered seeing the city liberated during WWII as a young boy! He was drunk but full of good cheer and after our purchase he presented Lisa with a huge bouquet of freshly cut lavender. Never one to let a good deed go by without paying it forward, Lisa became the "lavender bandit" and started handing out lavender flowers to random people on the street. Reactions ranged from smiles and "mercis" to shocked looks and avoidance. An hour and a half later we were having dinner at Comptoir near our hotel (yummy but be prepared to wait up to an hour) when one of the families Lisa had thrust lavender upon went by with the mom still holding the lavender to her nose! Nothing like random acts of kindness! After dinner it was time for one more stroll along the Seine before bedtime and an early start for Christos the next day as he had to catch a 6:30 flight to Spain. Lisa could rest a bit longer as the return flight to Toronto was not until 11am.
PARIS NOUS AIMONS!
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Paris post Bastille Day
It is Sunday afternoon and we have just returned from a visit to the Musee D'Orsay and a stroll through the Left Bank. So far our escape to Paris has been wonderful! Dinner on Friday night was amazing; truffled egg, baked cod, beef with truffle, a plate of cheeses, dessert of strawberries with pastry and chocolates to end it off! Of course, wine was paired with each course resulting in a state of inebriation for both of us by the time we left after three and a half hours! We stumbled back to our hotel through the rain, laughing and hugging the whole way.
Saturday started with a late rising (noonish) as we adjusted to Paris time (and hangovers) and then a full day of ground pounding. We visited beautiful Sainte Chapelle for the first time and enjoyed a stroll through the Luxembourg gardens. Dinner was a bit more low key than Friday night. We ate at a place called Le Grenouille which of course had frogs legs as a speciality. Lisa has the frog legs while Christos had the magret. Yummy! Then it was off to the Place Des Invalides to watch the fireworks at Tour Eiffel over a bottle of wine. After the firework show we walked back to the hotel, got lost, had a bottle of wine and finally arrived in bed at 2am.
Today we viewed the lovely paintings at Musee D'Orsay. The Van Goghs were tops and we enjoyed the Monets etc as well. A new name for us as an artist is Maximilien Luce whose work we both enjoyed. There were also some other realist pieces based on North Africa that we both thought were stunning. After the Musee D'Orsay we emerged into rain but that didn't last too long. The weather has been weird, beautiful sun and perfect temperature interspersed with the occasional rain shower.
On our way back to the hotel we stumbled upon an oyster bar we had visited years ago and proceeded to eat our way through two dozen of the bivalves. We chatted with the owner, the waitress and a patron about the gastronomy of oysters and discovered that today was the last day of the season ... And that there is a street party tonight outside the oyster restaurants to celebrate! That is certainly on the agenda for ce soir!
Back at the hotel we discovered that our package from Sylvie arrived! We are now back in the room and once this entry is done we are going to go through all the goodies she has made for us.
Today we viewed the lovely paintings at Musee D'Orsay. The Van Goghs were tops and we enjoyed the Monets etc as well. A new name for us as an artist is Maximilien Luce whose work we both enjoyed. There were also some other realist pieces based on North Africa that we both thought were stunning. After the Musee D'Orsay we emerged into rain but that didn't last too long. The weather has been weird, beautiful sun and perfect temperature interspersed with the occasional rain shower.
On our way back to the hotel we stumbled upon an oyster bar we had visited years ago and proceeded to eat our way through two dozen of the bivalves. We chatted with the owner, the waitress and a patron about the gastronomy of oysters and discovered that today was the last day of the season ... And that there is a street party tonight outside the oyster restaurants to celebrate! That is certainly on the agenda for ce soir! 
Friday, July 13, 2012
Paris Bastille Day 2012!
We arrived this morning at 11am after an uneventful flight (well we did watch 21 Jump Street) and a long trip from the airport into the city. We are staying at the Odeon, the same hotel we stayed at last year. After Christos called in to his AM call at the firm it was nap time for us both until around 5pm. After our refreshing sleep we went out for a short walk near our hotel and stopped in at the Moose; a Canadian themed waterhole that we spent far too much time at last year! A cold Guiness later it was time to head back to the hotel as Lisa had a conference call to attend; ah the modern age of inescapable labour! On the way we popped in to a shop and bought ourselves a couple of plastic glasses ... For tomorrow's walking and wining! Now it is off to La Truffiere, a restaurant that has just received its first star!
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Istanbul Part II
After our busy Wednesday we had managed to cover most of the bases in terms of what we wanted to see so we were able to slow things down a bit for our last two days in Istanbul. First we visited the mausoleums of the Sultans and saw firsthand the results of the fratricide practiced by the Sultans when ascending the throne. Lisa was not impressed and was particularly disappointed with Mehmet III who had nineteen of his brothers and half brothers strangled upon becoming Sultan! Witness all the turbans on little sarcophagi. 
We then visited the Topkapi museum which although wonderful was cheek to jowl crowded with visitors and a bit like an assembly line as people shuffled by each exhibit. Still it was not to be missed, particularly for the Topkapi dagger and other wonderful jewels of the Ottoman days. After Topkapi we lunched once more at our favourite meatballs place and then spent the afternoon relaxing and playing Carcasonne back at our hotel. In the evening, we embarked on a little walk to the Sulimanye Mosque and spent a wonderful hour and a half at the 550 year old Sulimanye Hamam enjoying the full Turkish bath experience. An absolute must for anyone who visits Istanbul!
The next day we paid another visit to the Grand Bazaar and found the antique section. Christos managed to restrain himself and did not buy a thing other than tea for two!
We lingered over a lovely lunch of arugula salad, manti (a wonderful Turkish pasta) and chicken while watching the tourists and denizens of Istanbul go by. Of particula note was the mussel seller, very popular with the locals but not something for our squeamish stomachs!
After lunch it was time to say goodbye to Evil Ctos ("Etos") using the time honoured tradition of the straight razor shave; what an experience! 
From sudsing up, the close shave of the razor, burning cotton (for ear hairs?), a full face wash in alcohol and the face massage it was well worth the 10 Lira (6 bucks), including tip, that was paid!
For our final dinner it was off to a local fish restaurant for more Manti, lamb (for Christos) and swordfish (for Lisa). How yummy it was!
One thing we have really noticed about Istanbul is that it is a cat city. The streets are filled with them and while we doubt many live in houses, the locals seem to love them. Food and water is often put out for these street beasts and unlike North American cats, the local cats have real "cattitude", not moving for humans and simply fixing them with a stare that seems to say "this is my house".
After dinner, we went for one final walk between Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. Lisa was a bit overcome with the beauty of it all ...
We then visited the Topkapi museum which although wonderful was cheek to jowl crowded with visitors and a bit like an assembly line as people shuffled by each exhibit. Still it was not to be missed, particularly for the Topkapi dagger and other wonderful jewels of the Ottoman days. After Topkapi we lunched once more at our favourite meatballs place and then spent the afternoon relaxing and playing Carcasonne back at our hotel. In the evening, we embarked on a little walk to the Sulimanye Mosque and spent a wonderful hour and a half at the 550 year old Sulimanye Hamam enjoying the full Turkish bath experience. An absolute must for anyone who visits Istanbul!
The next day we paid another visit to the Grand Bazaar and found the antique section. Christos managed to restrain himself and did not buy a thing other than tea for two!
We lingered over a lovely lunch of arugula salad, manti (a wonderful Turkish pasta) and chicken while watching the tourists and denizens of Istanbul go by. Of particula note was the mussel seller, very popular with the locals but not something for our squeamish stomachs!
After lunch it was time to say goodbye to Evil Ctos ("Etos") using the time honoured tradition of the straight razor shave; what an experience! 
From sudsing up, the close shave of the razor, burning cotton (for ear hairs?), a full face wash in alcohol and the face massage it was well worth the 10 Lira (6 bucks), including tip, that was paid!
For our final dinner it was off to a local fish restaurant for more Manti, lamb (for Christos) and swordfish (for Lisa). How yummy it was!
One thing we have really noticed about Istanbul is that it is a cat city. The streets are filled with them and while we doubt many live in houses, the locals seem to love them. Food and water is often put out for these street beasts and unlike North American cats, the local cats have real "cattitude", not moving for humans and simply fixing them with a stare that seems to say "this is my house".
After dinner, we went for one final walk between Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. Lisa was a bit overcome with the beauty of it all ...
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Istanbul Part I
Sadly, our first day in Istanbul was dominated by Lisa having to work all day but such is the price to be paid in order to afford such holidays! At least Christos got to wander about a bit and enjoy the sights of Istanbul. With work for Lisa finally done in the evening it was off to the Rumeli cafe where we enjoyed a nice meal of traditional cold starters and lamb stew. Lisa wanted to unwind a bit after her long day so we proceeded to drink through a bottle of wine with dinner ... followed by more wine and wandering. We found a place with live music (and expensive wine!) and Lisa danced away her worries!
Of course, the only problem with drinking until the wee hours (in this case after 1am) is the next morning ... we finally managed to haul our butts out of bed around 11am the next day and wandered to the Grand Bazaar which, although interesting, is not as exciting as one might hope due to the profusion of shops offering the same thing. One thing we did notice was the large amount of vendors of precious metals; the view of precious metals as a store of wealth in countries like Turkey is much more prevalent than it is in N. America; I guess we need a lesson in the real ultimate value of all fiat currencies! Dinner was at a rooftop restaurant and although the views were amazing the food was only mediocre. Ah well, you can't win them all!
With work and hangovers behind us, we really got things off on the right foot on our third day. 
We were at Hagia Sophia before it opened at 9am and one of the first groups through the door (highly recommended as by the time we left the place was packed). Hagia Sophia was the largest Christian Church in the world for around 1000 years after its completion in 537AD. It was a mosque from 1453 until 1931 and has since been a museum; but oh what a museum it is!
After Hagia Sophia we visited the ancient Basilica cistern nearby which was constructed under Justinian I and utilized many columns plundered from old pagan temples. Two medusa heads were the coolest pediments of the bunch.
The Basilica cistern is a welcome break from the heat and hustle of the surface and we highly recommend it!
After the Basilica cistern we visited the amazing and beautiful Blue Mosque and even managed to fit in a coffee at Gulhane Park (overlooking the sea) and a trip to the Spice Bazaar. Today was also market day near our hotel and we just couldn't help ourselves; we had to buy some olives!
Of course, the only problem with drinking until the wee hours (in this case after 1am) is the next morning ... we finally managed to haul our butts out of bed around 11am the next day and wandered to the Grand Bazaar which, although interesting, is not as exciting as one might hope due to the profusion of shops offering the same thing. One thing we did notice was the large amount of vendors of precious metals; the view of precious metals as a store of wealth in countries like Turkey is much more prevalent than it is in N. America; I guess we need a lesson in the real ultimate value of all fiat currencies! Dinner was at a rooftop restaurant and although the views were amazing the food was only mediocre. Ah well, you can't win them all!
With work and hangovers behind us, we really got things off on the right foot on our third day. 
We were at Hagia Sophia before it opened at 9am and one of the first groups through the door (highly recommended as by the time we left the place was packed). Hagia Sophia was the largest Christian Church in the world for around 1000 years after its completion in 537AD. It was a mosque from 1453 until 1931 and has since been a museum; but oh what a museum it is!
After Hagia Sophia we visited the ancient Basilica cistern nearby which was constructed under Justinian I and utilized many columns plundered from old pagan temples. Two medusa heads were the coolest pediments of the bunch.
The Basilica cistern is a welcome break from the heat and hustle of the surface and we highly recommend it!
After the Basilica cistern we visited the amazing and beautiful Blue Mosque and even managed to fit in a coffee at Gulhane Park (overlooking the sea) and a trip to the Spice Bazaar. Today was also market day near our hotel and we just couldn't help ourselves; we had to buy some olives!
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Turkey Day 9
Today we toured Bursa, visiting several of its fine mosques and of course an obligatory trip to the silk market! The mosques were lovely and their beauty was enhanced by Lisa's presence, complete with head scarf and long dress. 
The silk market is situated in a large building with an enclosed courtyard and has dozens of vendors. Each has their own product as patterns vary between shop while the items (head scarves, shawls, ties) are fairly similar. We purchased a few items, mostly as gifts and then it was time to bid farewell to Asia (allahasmaldiq) and hello to Europe and the mother of all cities, ISTANBUL! We took the ferry across the sea of Marmara and arrived in Istanbul around 6pm. It was a bit sad as we also had to say goodbye to our guide Kemal and we really enjoyed our time with him. However, the excitement of being in Istanbul overwhelmed all other considerations.
We checked in to the lovely Amira hotel and relaxed a bit before dinner at an upscale restaurant (Matbah) that serves dishes based on old Ottoman palace recipes. We both had the leg of lamb and it was delicious. Unfortunately, Lisa had to get on a call with Yamana's BOD at 9pm (Turkey time) so we had to hustle back after dinner; we did a quick hustle through the courtyard of the magnificent Blue Mosque and then Lisa settled in to a solid 24 hours of work (with nap breaks) as Yamana was announcing a significant acquisition in the morning. Work to Live or Live to Work? What a question.
The silk market is situated in a large building with an enclosed courtyard and has dozens of vendors. Each has their own product as patterns vary between shop while the items (head scarves, shawls, ties) are fairly similar. We purchased a few items, mostly as gifts and then it was time to bid farewell to Asia (allahasmaldiq) and hello to Europe and the mother of all cities, ISTANBUL! We took the ferry across the sea of Marmara and arrived in Istanbul around 6pm. It was a bit sad as we also had to say goodbye to our guide Kemal and we really enjoyed our time with him. However, the excitement of being in Istanbul overwhelmed all other considerations.
We checked in to the lovely Amira hotel and relaxed a bit before dinner at an upscale restaurant (Matbah) that serves dishes based on old Ottoman palace recipes. We both had the leg of lamb and it was delicious. Unfortunately, Lisa had to get on a call with Yamana's BOD at 9pm (Turkey time) so we had to hustle back after dinner; we did a quick hustle through the courtyard of the magnificent Blue Mosque and then Lisa settled in to a solid 24 hours of work (with nap breaks) as Yamana was announcing a significant acquisition in the morning. Work to Live or Live to Work? What a question.
Monday, June 18, 2012
Turkey Day 8
Day eight started with a tour of ancient Pergamon which is but a stone's throw from the modern town of Bergama. Although we have just about had our fill of ruins, the tour today was well worth it. First we visited the old acropolis of the city which was accessed by a cable car; the wind was fierce and our cable car swung back and forth on the way up; Lisa was a bit nervous but Christos relaxed and put himself in Allah's hands. The views from the acropolis were stunning!
While Ephesus was more impressive overall, the setting made the ruins at Pergamon well worth the visit and the ruins were pretty interesting to boot. 
After the acropolis, we descended back to the low ground and toured the old Asclepion, an ancient hospital.
Christos bought some pine nuts from a vendor who was harvesting them on-site and they served as an excellent snack for the next couple of days. We both drank from a spring with reputed healing powers and then it was off for the drive to Bursa, the terminus of the ancient Silk Road!
While Ephesus was more impressive overall, the setting made the ruins at Pergamon well worth the visit and the ruins were pretty interesting to boot. 
After the acropolis, we descended back to the low ground and toured the old Asclepion, an ancient hospital.
Christos bought some pine nuts from a vendor who was harvesting them on-site and they served as an excellent snack for the next couple of days. We both drank from a spring with reputed healing powers and then it was off for the drive to Bursa, the terminus of the ancient Silk Road!
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