Travel Pig

I have to get this out of the way…. This is my third trip to India. My first trip was in October 2009. I was so excited to take a solo trip to see my friend Shirley, whom I will see on this trip. I also planned to go to my Mother’ first cousin’s husbands medical clinic to see how I could help dentally. It would have been two weeks in Southern India but upon my arrival, two men outside the airport held up a sign with my name on it. The first one said, “I am so sorry to tell you that your Father has expired.” Immediately I thought it was a scam and I said, “Good one.” And kept walking. Then he said, “We need to call your brother Peter.” Worst day of my life. My Dad died in Budapest. He and my Mom were on a river cruise with friends. It was a nightmare. We all went to Wisconsin for his funeral.

It was another incredible first class trip trip to India and then sprawled in the back of the plane with the chickens and goats on Ambien on the way back. I went back to India the next year and had an amazing trip including a quick scamper to Tokyo on a dear friends Global Bombardier 5500 for the night and a couple days in a fantastic suite in Dubai over looking Dubai Fountain and Burj Khalifa and the next day eating dinner over an open flame seated on the dirt, back in India. Wow!

So this will be my third trip to India! I have learned not to have plans set in stone because you never know. I have met interesting people that have invited me places and it’s good to keep your options open.

Now I will sit back and relax and enjoy this flight if it ever takes off!

My brother might take this quote as exploring every possible door, room, or opening in the Meleto Castle in the Chianti region of Tuscany and my children might recall the other night sneaking around the not yet opene areas of the Lafayette Hotel but to me it it broader than that. It is the fascinating cultures of this world. It is sharing a moment with someone I don’t know, someone I can’t understand their language but yet we communicate through laughter, disgust or sadness. It truly magical.

I am off to India!!

Packed and ready. Spent time all week with friends and family. I am so blessed. First leg at 7:15am

I went to bed really early. I was so tired. Decided to do a morning tour on The Bosporus. It is the water between the two continents, Europe and Asia. So cool that a city spans both. It was a breakfast cruise for three hours. Pick up and drop off at my hotel. Not quite accurate. I was met at my hotel at 9. Then we walked to the next hotel and picked up three ladies. The guy just kept walking fast until I pointed out that one of the ladies was elderly. And don’t forget the sidewalks are not smooth, there are many broken pieces of concrete, cobblestone etc. he finally stopped at a corner and we waited 10 minutes. Next we boarded a small bus drove about 20 min then a short walk to the boat. We waited and waited for everyone to arrive. And finally departed. There were two tour guides one spoke in broken English and the other in Russian. It was pretty amusing watching people take so many photos on kind of an ugly day. The fresh air was nice. Less smoke than in the city.

First tomato that tasted like a tomato. These trays were on tables but it was kind of gross that they stacked them on top of each other before they were placed on the tables. Oh well

My waiter was about 16, really bad teeth and no English. But we figured out the wine, then he wanted to try some English on me but then resorted to his phone translator. He wanted to know where I was from, if I had a husband, if I had children etc. I used his voice command to answer, then as I was leaving he wanted to spend more time with me alone! Men and boys are so bold here!!

So after we pulled into the dock, I wondered how they would get people back to hotels. I heard my hotel and knew that there was only one person going to my hotel. They rest of the people on my bus were going to a different hotel. I showed the driver the name of my hotel before I got on the bus! Yes I did. Next time I will show him the hotel business card, which I always grab but he seemed confident that he knew where my hotel was. He seemed to go the long way out of the way, maybe lost but, yes so much traffic. He dropped everyone off but me. I actually knew where I was and could have walked home. But no I let him go. At another spot, I came up to the front of the bus, I still knew where I was but he didn’t even look at me. My maps were on so when he was actually going across the bridge to the other side of Istanbul, I went up to him as he was driving and showed him the hotel address. He was very confused. He had me stay in the shot gun seat so he could see my map. My phone now had 6% power. He got me close but not quite but I knew where I was. He just waved me in the right direction. So I got off the bus. Plugged my phone in to my extra battery and started walked in the other direction. A very dapper Turkish man stopped me and told me no you need to go the other direction. I said, “yes I know! that stupid driver has been driving around for an hour and I saw a shop down the hill.” He laughed and said, “Yes crazy drivers here.” So I walked in the opposite direction to see this shop. I looked at a few things and headed back. I took this picture

Look at the man in the middle. He called out that I needed a rug. I pointed to my back pack that I didn’t have room. He could ship to US. As usual he asked where I was from. I said US he asked where I said California, San Diego . He said that he used to live there. He asked where specifically did I live and rattled off a few places. I said Coronado. He used to have a sunglass shop at the Del!! What a small world. He asked if I wanted tea. I said no I am looking for wine. So I sat down with my new friends and had some wine and fruit and chatted! Crazy. I said no when they wanted me to check out the roof top! And yes the wine was from an unopened bottle. When I left, the original man asked if I found my hotel yet, I explained what happed and he knew my new friend Nery. My Mom always says, talk to strangers!

Showered and tried to rest. Not happening. Time to go shopping at the Grand Bazaar and eat balloon bread again. I bought some stuff but again the Grand Bazaar is huge. 4000 stores in a building that is so old. When I was here with my Mom she was in Heaven. I would wander around and then have to find her. Usually that would be drinking tea with some merchant before she bought her next bauble.

The waiters here were very nice. It is entertaining watching them try to get people into their restaurants. And serve the customers and shoo all the cats away. Back to the hotel. Changing hotels tomorrow because I came back here early. And I am glad that I did. I liked Cyprus but I like Istanbul much more.

In Istanbul, when it’s time for call to prayer, music in the restaurants stops and I think many of the servers stop. It’s interesting that some people condemn the Muslims when, if you think about it, why not take a few moments every day, to pray.

Just having a quick one and done here. I am in a pretty touristy area and I am still awed by the diversity of cultures here. From three piece suits on men to shorts and all the male cultural outfits in between. Same with the women, burkas with just eyes showing to short and halter tops. It is the BEST people watching!

After the hour long taxi ride I arrived at my hotel. It must have been 10 am. I left my big back pack and decided to go to the Topkapi Palace. No ticket pre purchased. The lines weren’t as bad as at the airport. I went first to the harem. I love that stuff. It was beautiful!

I was just walking around. And tried a little food here and there. One and done. Not tired but I will be soon. The Grand Bazaar is so massive and so overwhelming. WhenI was here in 2015 with my Mother, she couldn’t get enough of this place. I wandered but couldn’t even stop and look at things. Too crazy.

I packed up and had a quick breakfast then started on my way to the airport to drop off the car. I noticed a few scratches and dents on the passenger side so I was hoping they were already there. The drive was fairly easy. I got a little lost when I stopped for gas.

Yesterday after going for a swim in the cold but beautiful Med, I went the the old town where there were restaurants and shops. Found a pretty place called sage. Had a delicious jalapeño mojito and some interesting dishes.

Also Foie gras bruschetta. It did not work together.

The hotel would be fine for a few hours. My flight was at 5 AM the next day. It was 91 degrees so I tried to stay in the shade.

Stopped at a wine bar per the recommendation of a shop owner. He was very proud to tell me that it was owned by the first gay couple in Larnaca. I doubt that but I went and sat at the wrong table. 4 person minimum. There were two other people in this garden, not a chance that it was going to get busy but I moved. I begrudgingly ordered a glass of wine and what do ya know the next people, two ladies sit at the same table. I am a little miffed, but then a third lady joins them. I give some dagger eyes to one of the owners. No tip for them. Beautiful gardens though.

I went back to the hotel to cool off and shower and take a nap, then I realized that I had not made it to an Irish Pub! Looked up a few. There was one about a mile and a half away so off I went. When I finally arrived to a pub that was empty sans one smoker, I was disappointed. The bartender finally showed up, I asked for wine and asked if this was an Irish Pub? He said no. British I asked? No Australian? I saw a kangaroo crossing sign, they had Guinness, they had Boodles. Still no. American? No. Then what I asked? Cyprus Bar!

Back to my hood.

On this trip my Facebook was hacked. I had many calls and texts from people asking if I invited them to a Lunch Bunch. Nope. I changed all my passwords which is a royal pain and still cannot use FB not that I do very much but someone hacked it. And there are some inappropriate things on it. Hopefully I can fix it soon. But, I was trying to get directions back towards my hotel and my location came up as in the tarmac in Lebanon. It stayed that way for a couple hours. I have no idea what happened.

Stopped off at a touristy spot. Had the best calamari and they turned AC on for me!!

The night time is so differ than the day, I love how everything comes to life!

Just a few more blocks to the hotel and I find the most enchanting wine bar. It is owed by a delightful woman. I ordered Ouzo. And that made her very happy! It was about 9pm. Just two other people were there. Heavenly 40’s music!

So I called an early night but about10:30pm some pounded on my door, the lights in the hallway kept going on and off and there was other pounding, then on my windows. Super scary. I called the front desk. They were supposed to be there until midnight. She came right up and checked my balconies. All was quiet for the rest of the night. Surprisingly, I fell back to sleep.

Wake up was 2:30 for a 3 am cab. I was ready and waiting, no cab. I had downloaded a taxi ap and used it at 3:05. No taxis available. What to do? I went behind the desk of the check in, looking for a taxi number, nothing. Then I looked on the Internet on my phone for taxi. Got a number and called form my phone, nothing so I used theirs! Someone answered and said taxi 294 would be there in a few min. And he was!

A crazy ride to the airport ensued. But he didn’t know I was in a hurry, just a man on a mission. Didn’t matter because the line was so long. About an hour. Another thing I have learned, don’t prepay for bags. Same with Volaris in Mexico. They checked my big backpack and all was good. Layover in Athens and now in Istanbul!!

Another buffet breakfast, seems like every hotel has them. Then off to Green Bay and Lombardi Bay. Hard to believe but there must be some Packer fans that named these bays. Stopped along the way. Cats and churches

So far behind…. I am now in the Southeastern part of Cyprus. Agia Napa. Staying at the Grecian Sands Hotel.

They are still adhering to Covid procedures. One person at a time for sauna and steam and you have to have an appointment and it’s 8 euro per 30 min. Massages. No combos in one day. They want you to do a treatment a day. They cater to people that stay for weeks not two dayers like me. Sat by the pool for a while. It closes pretty early like 6 pm. Then decided to walk down the street to get some dinner. There were many people out doing the same. So many hotels and restaurants. It’s the party area but must be more in the summer.

Just as I sat down a large group sat down next to me so I knew it was one and done for me. Walked back home and went up to the roof top bar and had a burger another G and T and a shot of ouzo! it was a beautiful balmy night.

Just sitting in my deck, enjoying some instant coffee and thousands of birds. They were very noisy last night and then nothing, they were silent until this morning. On my walk last night, I saw at least 50 cats. It seems like they feed them at night.

So yesterday, I left the Cleopatra hotel, basically understanding which way I was supposed to be going, but again got very lost. It took a few turns but finally I was on the right path but was a short and easy driving. I was listening to Elon Musks biography, so fascinating, not as interesting as my classic rock playlist but this is a recharge reboot trip after all. I swear my kids snuck my most hated song on my playlist, “You can’t always get” by The Rolling Stones. I love the Stones but this song is all wrong, you can get what you want!!

Now I am getting a free cigarette from the balcony next to me! Ugg.

Rest of the drive was uneventful, drove down the strip since I was feeling brave. Wandered through the streets. Kinda lost, found the highway and circled back, drive into the hotel, they couldn’t find me, wrong hotel. There are several with similar name Grecian Sands, Grecian Bay and three others. No big deal just hopped back in the car and drove four properties to the right.

Another interesting thing here was that I saw signs for Pelican crossing several times so I looked it up.

Never knew this and I don’t know where it comes from.

No, just cautious. Even walking at night. The media blows things up. I have asked people where and if there are refugees from Israel. They have no idea what I am talking about. They know there is conflict but that’s all. Everyone has a cell phone. Maybe they are censored?! I did not take my car into Turkish Cyprus, that would have been a little tricky. In the North it’s the Turkish Muslims and in South Greek Christians. Many darker complexioned people on both side due to the proximity of Middle East, India and Africa, so scarf or no scarf, I stick out!!