I had initially planned to go to another country during the holidays and had booked and even paid for it. Unfortunately, the travel agent cancelled the trip due to public unrest in the last week of November causing me to alter my travel plans. I frantically tried to find another destination that would depart after 22 December (as I had an event) and finally, after scouring the dailies, I managed to find an agent offering a trip to Turkey on the condition that there must be at least two travellers. So I asked my dad to ask Akak if my nephew, el niño, could come along. While waiting, I contacted Yan, an old mate from varsity, and asked her if she wanted to join the trip. Both came back with favourable response so I called up the agent to book the trip.
Even then, it took a while for the trip to be confirmed. Firstly, we were on the waiting list for the flight out of KL (the agent has an arrangement with Gulf Air) – well, not altogether surprising, considering it was about four weeks before departure. In a busy festive season. The agent tried her best and finally, we managed to secure seats. Secondly, there was a problem getting a room at Manama, Bahrain (we had to transit there for a night). The whole trip was finally confirmed very near to our travelling date but everything was finally settled and we were good to go.
Saturday, 24 December 2011
I met up Akak and family at KLIA at 5 pm. Yan arrived after 5.30 and we joined the queue to check in our bags. The agent had earlier explained to Yan that our bags would be directly checked to Istanbul and that we should bring our change of clothes in our hand luggage. It was a full flight. Yan let us have the two seats by the window and aisle but our in-flight entertainment system didn’t work (nor did the reading lights) so I didn’t manage to watch my Chris Evans in Captain America. Yes, he’s mine, you know. I had some tummy pain (this happens whenever I fly. Blame it on gravity or wind) and was suffering throughout.
We landed at Bahrain International Airport at 2210 pm (Bahrain is GMT+3) and took the shuttle bus to the terminal. There, we headed for the transit desk where we met up the family made up of the mother and her two teenage sons (the eldest son would only join us in Istanbul the next day) before joining the immigration queue (no, I don’t understand the process either). Then we waited and waited while another group from Penang (14 of them) and for the hotel driver to finally decide to get moving. Le sigh. Welcome to the Middle East.
Our hotel is in Manama, some six km away from the airport in Muharraq. We checked in and quickly settled in for the night.
Sunday, 25 December 2011
We got up after 5 am and after performing morning prayers, went for a walk around. Sheraton Hotel is opposite our hotel and it is flanked by the impressive Bahrain World Trade Centre. MODA Mall, the ultra-exclusive shopping complex is located on the ground floor of the BWTC. We crossed the busy King Faisal Highway (only belatedly realising it was indeed a highway) to take more pictures before re-crossing and heading back to the hotel for breakfast. Barely 7 am on a Sunday morning and already so many fast cars with hurried drivers wishing to be somewhere else.
We left the hotel after 8 am for our 10 am flight to Istanbul. It was a smaller aircraft and surprisingly not full (considering it was Christmas Day) so we managed to hog three seats each and then stretch out.
After a four-hour-plus flight, we landed at Istanbul Ataturk Airport. There were about five flights arriving at more or less our arrival time so you can imagine the queue to clear the immigration. We then collected our bags, met up with our waiting tour guide, Mr. Erkan Kayiran, and went to check out the bureaux de change. Erkan said we could convert money elsewhere and that we didn’t really need money for that day. We then went out to wait for our vehicle and I quickly did my ‘transforming project’ – layering myself with my fleece jacket and donning muffler.
We left the airport and went for a ride along the Sea of Marmara to Sehir Restaurant overlooking the sea for lunch. The airport is in the European side of Istanbul by the way. I was surprised to find myself hungry especially as we were served food in the flight. We had kebab and as I’m not a big fan of meat, I didn’t manage to finish my meal. After our late lunch, we drove to the nearby Sultanahmet (Hippodrome) or Old City district. Our first stop was the Aya Sofya (aka Hagia Sophia), a former church before it was converted into a mosque and now a museum. There were excellent mosaics in the gallery, reached by a stone ramp to the left of the entrance (we descended from another ramp). Islamic features – such as the mihrab, minbar and four minarets – were added while in the possession of the Ottomans. For almost 500 years, Aya Sofya was the principal mosque of Istanbul and served as a model for many other Ottoman mosques, such as the Sultan Ahmet Mosque (Blue Mosque of Istanbul).
The guards rather rudely hinted for us to leave by gradually switching off the interior lights. The museum closes early in winter but it was way before closing time when this happened (fie on you!). We left and walked to Hippodrome, adjacent to Aya Sofia and the Blue Mosque. This was the centre of Roman and Byzantine Constantinople; sadly, the building no longer exists. The sporting and social centre of Constantinople, Hippodrome is now known as Sultanahmet Meydanı (Sultan Ahmet Square). You can find the Obelisk of Thutmose II, the Serpent Column and the Walled Obelisk still standing there.
We hung out at Sultanahmet Meydanı while waiting for the fourth member of the family travelling with us arrive. After that, we walked to the Sultanahmet Mosque (aka Blue Mosque for the blue tiles adorning its interior). We spent about fifteen minutes here before leaving.
Next stop was dinner. We stopped across the street from the fish market and went to Patara Seafood Restaurant where we had some nice grilled fish. After dinner, we had a quick look at the fish market before boarding the vehicle. We then drove to our hotel (near the airport). It had been a long day so sleep came easy.
Even then, it took a while for the trip to be confirmed. Firstly, we were on the waiting list for the flight out of KL (the agent has an arrangement with Gulf Air) – well, not altogether surprising, considering it was about four weeks before departure. In a busy festive season. The agent tried her best and finally, we managed to secure seats. Secondly, there was a problem getting a room at Manama, Bahrain (we had to transit there for a night). The whole trip was finally confirmed very near to our travelling date but everything was finally settled and we were good to go.
Saturday, 24 December 2011
I met up Akak and family at KLIA at 5 pm. Yan arrived after 5.30 and we joined the queue to check in our bags. The agent had earlier explained to Yan that our bags would be directly checked to Istanbul and that we should bring our change of clothes in our hand luggage. It was a full flight. Yan let us have the two seats by the window and aisle but our in-flight entertainment system didn’t work (nor did the reading lights) so I didn’t manage to watch my Chris Evans in Captain America. Yes, he’s mine, you know. I had some tummy pain (this happens whenever I fly. Blame it on gravity or wind) and was suffering throughout.
We landed at Bahrain International Airport at 2210 pm (Bahrain is GMT+3) and took the shuttle bus to the terminal. There, we headed for the transit desk where we met up the family made up of the mother and her two teenage sons (the eldest son would only join us in Istanbul the next day) before joining the immigration queue (no, I don’t understand the process either). Then we waited and waited while another group from Penang (14 of them) and for the hotel driver to finally decide to get moving. Le sigh. Welcome to the Middle East.
Our hotel is in Manama, some six km away from the airport in Muharraq. We checked in and quickly settled in for the night.
Sunday, 25 December 2011
We got up after 5 am and after performing morning prayers, went for a walk around. Sheraton Hotel is opposite our hotel and it is flanked by the impressive Bahrain World Trade Centre. MODA Mall, the ultra-exclusive shopping complex is located on the ground floor of the BWTC. We crossed the busy King Faisal Highway (only belatedly realising it was indeed a highway) to take more pictures before re-crossing and heading back to the hotel for breakfast. Barely 7 am on a Sunday morning and already so many fast cars with hurried drivers wishing to be somewhere else.
We left the hotel after 8 am for our 10 am flight to Istanbul. It was a smaller aircraft and surprisingly not full (considering it was Christmas Day) so we managed to hog three seats each and then stretch out.
After a four-hour-plus flight, we landed at Istanbul Ataturk Airport. There were about five flights arriving at more or less our arrival time so you can imagine the queue to clear the immigration. We then collected our bags, met up with our waiting tour guide, Mr. Erkan Kayiran, and went to check out the bureaux de change. Erkan said we could convert money elsewhere and that we didn’t really need money for that day. We then went out to wait for our vehicle and I quickly did my ‘transforming project’ – layering myself with my fleece jacket and donning muffler.
We left the airport and went for a ride along the Sea of Marmara to Sehir Restaurant overlooking the sea for lunch. The airport is in the European side of Istanbul by the way. I was surprised to find myself hungry especially as we were served food in the flight. We had kebab and as I’m not a big fan of meat, I didn’t manage to finish my meal. After our late lunch, we drove to the nearby Sultanahmet (Hippodrome) or Old City district. Our first stop was the Aya Sofya (aka Hagia Sophia), a former church before it was converted into a mosque and now a museum. There were excellent mosaics in the gallery, reached by a stone ramp to the left of the entrance (we descended from another ramp). Islamic features – such as the mihrab, minbar and four minarets – were added while in the possession of the Ottomans. For almost 500 years, Aya Sofya was the principal mosque of Istanbul and served as a model for many other Ottoman mosques, such as the Sultan Ahmet Mosque (Blue Mosque of Istanbul).
The guards rather rudely hinted for us to leave by gradually switching off the interior lights. The museum closes early in winter but it was way before closing time when this happened (fie on you!). We left and walked to Hippodrome, adjacent to Aya Sofia and the Blue Mosque. This was the centre of Roman and Byzantine Constantinople; sadly, the building no longer exists. The sporting and social centre of Constantinople, Hippodrome is now known as Sultanahmet Meydanı (Sultan Ahmet Square). You can find the Obelisk of Thutmose II, the Serpent Column and the Walled Obelisk still standing there.
We hung out at Sultanahmet Meydanı while waiting for the fourth member of the family travelling with us arrive. After that, we walked to the Sultanahmet Mosque (aka Blue Mosque for the blue tiles adorning its interior). We spent about fifteen minutes here before leaving.
Next stop was dinner. We stopped across the street from the fish market and went to Patara Seafood Restaurant where we had some nice grilled fish. After dinner, we had a quick look at the fish market before boarding the vehicle. We then drove to our hotel (near the airport). It had been a long day so sleep came easy.
I meant a different kind of Turkey, of courseTo be continued
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