Istanbul.......

So....Piraeus and Izmir.....well not much to tell..but....they def do deserve a mention....i mean i musnt become bored of them now that i have seen them a couple of times....Piraeus however i decided to just go to the terminal...didnt have that much time off...so why rush around.....terminal has some good wifi and of course Kim and i r in need to buy chocolate...so where better than duty free....large slab of black lindt choc with almonds and a large toblerone...its a new one...blue packaging...Crunchy almonds...nice...but...the black toblerone is def better.....in the terminal i had a long face time chat to my mom....nice to catch up a little......and no stress about bad connection

Izmir.....i had a date with Dina to chat on face time at 9:30.... So off i went to find some internet and good tea....was gonna have coffee but had a good morning coffee....so tea was what i actually felt like....i found a little coffee shop near the nut shop....how convenient....here is a pic.....of my tea a biscuit.....interesting looking biscuit....coffee biscuit with dark choc balls....

afterwards i would just be able to pop into nut shop....perfecto......yes...and after chat i made sure i had some time to go to the famous nut shop....buy a kilogram of various nuts.....the best are still the peanuts which have skin on them and coarse salt.....then time...not to forget.....to go to supermarket and buy the famous Bergama cheese....so good...with salti crax....man....wow.....amazing stuff....

Now to the new port....Istanbul.....where to even start....there is so much to tell....well lets start at the beginning...hahaha....there is a new "thing" that was implemented at our department...so cool....2 days off per month....well off meaning only work 4hrs...and its amazing cause we get to choose the ports....and if there is too many choosing the same port...then its on a fifo basis.....yes......that means first in, first out......so people leaving first get to have a chance first....and of course everyone wants Istanbul.....even though we have an overnight there...Everyone still wants....hmmmm...and yes...im also one of those wanting...im also one leaving sooner....so guess the good news...i got the second day Istanbul off until 19:30....amazing....im so excited...and u know it actually does wonders for morale....you are just so much more willing to give when you get something also....

so....first day i was off at 16:30 only starting again at 21:30.... So i decided to just go out a little and wonder the streets before having a dinner at one of the speciality restaurants on the ship with Kim.....so off i went....it wasnt dark when i left and it was nice to see a little....i walked quite far..of course found a chocolate shop...actually i didnt just find one...i found two....but i only purchased truffels at one....6 truffels....2 black truffels....2 cacao covered black truffels and 2 which looked like pistaccio...i was wrong...they were roasted chestnuts covered in choc with pistaccio sprinkles...all very good....favourite though....def the cacao covered truffel.....here is a pic of the shop....

Then it was getting dark...but i ventured a little further...saw the funicular which takes you up to Taksim square.....which is the famous area for shopping, from there you walk along the main area which only has a tram running on it...no cars and there are all the big brand shops...mango...diesel....body shop etc.....however...let me not get ahead of myself...i didnt go up the funicular....that was part of the plan for my day off tomorrow.....so walked along the promenade until i reached the Dolmapache palace wherei decided that the men are getting a little dodgy now....im all alone....its dark...let me turn back....here is a pic of the palace at night.....quite a site....

Dinner was Kims choice...he mumbled something about either moderno or jasmine.....unfortunately moderno was closed...and somehow we ended up in bistro....but u know i cannot complain...le bistro always good.....scallops and escargot to start with....love the garlic butter the snails swim in.....little greasy....but still good.....would order again....mains....Kimm went for lamb and i think you know what i went for....was gonna go for bouillabaise....but last minute went back to original thought...salmon with creamy mushroom sauce....so good...dessert...shared the large cheese platter but asked for just blue cheese and camembert....and yes...crackers and butter...of course.....i just love food there....but let me make a promise...next time im going there....im gonna have either starter or mains not my usual.....just once....hmmmm....sound like a plan? Here is a pic of me and the scallops....yummy...and yes....as u can see i did have a glas of bubbly....and damn...third bottle we were lucky...they must have gotten in a box or two which is off...cause even the fresh bottles were flat...and you know flat proseco...yes...i dont think i need to say more....anyway....here is a pic....

So....instead of telling you about my day off and how Kim and i spent it....im gonna leave you in suspense a little longer and i will tell you about Istanbul day off in the next blog.....hmmmm....might not be fair....but you know...there is so much to share that i think Istanbul deserves its own blog....have a good day...night....whatever....

 

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