Blog Archive: June 2017
What to do and see in Istanbul in less than 24 hours
| Travel guides | 8 seen
So you have just 24 hours for Istanbul? In this short indie travel guide, I will list places you could easily manage to visit and see in less than 24 hours.
My story short - at the end of May we booked connecting flight from Riga to Tbilisi, via Istanbul, we had an option to have a shorter waiting time, but we decided to spend one night in Istanbul's Sultanahmet area, which offers great access to the most of the tourist sights in Istanbul.
If you are traveling from Istanbul Ataturk airport, there is a metro system connecting to the City Centre, though you will need to make a transit to the line leading to Kabatas. Once you are in Sultanahmet your discoveries can start. We had a lovely hotel Dosso Dossi located just a few hundred meters from the Blue Mosque and The Grand Bazaar.
Although we missed more cool sites to visit this time, like Galata tower or buying mussels from local fisherman, in just 24 hours to sites like the Blue Mosque and the Grand Bazaar are really cool to have on your to-do list.
Postcards from Istanbul
| | 4 seen
Istanbul has been on my travel radar since 2009, when I first visited it during a layover flight to Telaviv, Israel. Since then I've traveled countless times to and back from Istanbul.
So did happened during our latest trip Riga - Istanbul - Tbilisi, we booked a lovely hotel Dosso Dossi in Sultanahmet district and spend one night in Istanbul, trying out local street food and visiting most iconic sites in Istanbul.
Street food in Istanbul
Filled potatoes. Yummy
Minarets of the Blue Mosque in Istanbul
Read more here: Sultan Ahmed Mosque
Blue Mosque
Istanbul Atatürk Airport
| Airports | 33 seen
Istanbul Atatürk Airport is the main international airport serving Istanbul, and the biggest airport in Turkey by total number of passengers, destinations served and aircraft movements. Opened in 1924 in Yeşilköy, on the European side of the city, it is located 24 km (15 mi) west of the city centre and serves as the main hub for Turkish Airlines.
The city's other, smaller, international airport is Sabiha Gökçen International Airport. As of 2017, 273 destinations are served from Istanbul-Atatürk, making it the airport with the second-most destinations worldwide after Frankfurt Airport.
I've visited Istanbul Ataturk airport several times, mostly for layover flights, with Tbilisi being the most conected flight.
Waiting area at Ataturk Istanbul airport
Istanbul Atatürk Airport features two main passenger terminals which are interconnected to each other:
Domestic Terminal is the older and smaller of the two terminals and exclusively handles domestic flights within Turkey. Until the opening of the International Terminal, it used to be the airport's international terminal. Domestic Terminal features its own check-in and airside facilities on the upper floor that lead to twelve departure gates (101-112) which are equipped with jet bridges.On the ground level there are five baggage reclaim belts as well as a curbside independent from the International Terminal.
The International Terminal was inaugurated in 2000 and is used for all international flights. It features a large main hall containing eight check-in isles and a wide range of airside facilities such as shops and restaurants. The departures area consists of 27 gates (201-226) which are all equipped with jetbridges as well as several bus-boarding stands. The arrivals floor below is equipped with 11 baggage reclaim belts. The International Terminal is able to handle widebody aircraft such as Turkish Airlines' Boeing 777-300ERs.
There is also an additional terminal for general aviation to the northwest of the main areas as well as a dedicated cargo terminal including sections for radioactive and refrigerated freight.
Dosso Dossi Istanbul Old City Hotel
| Hotel reviews | 14 seen
We booked this 4-star hotel in Sultanahmet district, Istanbul for a one night stay during a layover flight Riga - Istanbul - Tbilisi at the end of May 2017.
We paid about EUR 50 for one night stay at this hotel
Located in Sultanahmet district, Dosso Dossi Hotels Old City is within a walking distance from historical sites such as Hagia Sophia Museum, Basilica Cistern and the Blue Mosque. Sultanahmet Tram Station is just a 4-minute walk from Dosso Dossi. The property offers facilities including a Turkish bath, a sauna, and a fitness centre. The rooms of the hotel are equipped with soundproofing. 24-hour front desk, concierge service and free WiFi is also available throughout.
Dosso Dossi hotels in Istanbul
Featuring a stylish décor, all rooms at Dosso Dossi Hotels Old City are equipped with air conditioning, an LCD TV with satellite channels, minibar, a safe box, electric kettle and a private bathroom with shower. Some rooms also have a desk, sofa and a coffee machine. All rooms are soundproofed.
Our room at Dosso Dossi hotel
Dosso Dossi Hotels Old City is a unique child-friendly city hotel. The hotel welcomes children with toys. Special kid's menus and buffet are also served. Daily milk, fruit yoghurt and fresh fruits are also provided for your children. A feeding chair, stroller, baby bathrobes, baby bathtub are also offered for your convenience. Special DVDs and TV channels are available for children as well.
Breakfast at Dosso Dossi Hotels
You can enjoy rich buffet breakfast in the mornings. Guests can try various Turkish dishes and vegetarian dishes in Tulip Restaurant or have refreshments and beverages at Iobby bar. The property also serves complimentary afternoon tea and night soup.
Guests can relax at the hotel's traditional Turkish bath, sauna and steam room after a busy day. A fully-equipped modern fitness centre is also available. Traditional and modern massage sessions are offered upon request.
The hotel is 4.3 km from Taksim Square and 46 km from Sabiha Gokcen Airport The nearest airport is Ataturk Airport, 20 km away. Airport shuttle can be arranged at a surcharge.
Grand Bazaar, Istanbul
| Shopping Venues | 14 seen
The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, with 61 covered streets and over 4,000 shops which attract between 250,000 and 400,000 visitors daily.
In 2014, it was listed No.1 among world's most-visited tourist attractions with 91,250,000 annual visitors. The Grand Bazar at Istanbul is often regarded as one of the first shopping malls of the world.
During my latest trip to Istanbul, which was actually a layover flight connecting to Tbilisi, I stayed for a one noght in Sultan Ahmet district and decided to photograph some cool sites in Istanbul, unfortunately during my trip to the Grand Bazaar in early morning hour it was still closed, so all I could get - just closed gates. On the other hand I've been to this market several times already, and trust me, if you haven't been here, it' s a must have while in Istanbul.
Rooftops of the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul
The Grand Bazaar is located inside the Walled city of Istanbul, in the district of Fatih and in the neighbourhood (mahalle) bearing the same name (Kapalıçarşı). It stretches roughly from west to east between the mosques of Beyazit and of Nuruosmaniye. The Bazaar can easily be reached from Sultanahmet and Sirkeci by trams (Beyazıt-Kapalıçarşı stop).
Gates at Grand Bazaar
Today the Grand Bazaar is a thriving complex, employing 26,000 people visited by between 250,000 and 400,000 visitors daily, and one of the major landmarks of Istanbul. It must compete with modern shopping malls common in Istanbul, but its beauty and fascination represent a formidable advantage for it. The head of the Grand Bazaar Artisans Association claimed that the complex was in 2011 – the year of its 550th birthday – the most visited monument in the world.
A restoration project starting in 2012 should renew its infrastructure, heating and lighting systems. Moreover, the hans inside the Market will be renovated and later additions will be demolished. This project should finally solve the big problems of the market: for example, in the whole Bazaar there is no proper toilet facility. Moreover, the lacks of controls in the past years allowed many dealers to remove columns and skive walls in their shops to gain space: This, together with the substitution of lead (stolen in the last years) with concrete on the market's roof, has created a great hazard when the earthquake expected in Istanbul in the next years will occur.
The Grand Bazaar is opened each day except Sundays and bank holidays from 9:00 until 19:00.
As stated above, we tried to visit it in an early morning hour, when it was still closed.
Nearby streets at Grand Bazaar Istanbul
The construction of the future Grand Bazaar's core started during the winter of 1455/56, shortly after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople and was part of a broader initiative to stimulate economic prosperity in Istanbul. Sultan Mehmet II had an edifice erected devoted to the trading of textiles. It was named Cevâhir Bedestan (‘Bedesten of Gems’) and was also known as Bezzâzistan-ı Cedîd (‘New Bedesten’) in Ottoman Turkish. The word bedesten is adapted from the Persian word bezestan, derived from bez ("cloth"), and means "bazaar of the cloth sellers" The building – named alternately in Turkish İç (‘Internal’), Atik (‘Ancient’), or Eski (‘Old’) Bedesten – lies on the slope of the third hill of Istanbul, between the ancient Fora of Constantine and of Theodosius. It was also near the first sultan's palace, the Old Palace (Eski Sarayi), which was also in construction in those same years, and not far from the Artopoleia (in Greek) (Άρτοπωλεία), the city's bakers' quarter in Byzantine times.
Sultan Ahmed Mosque
| Churches and Monasteries | 12 seen
The Sultan Ahmed Mosque is a historic mosque located in Istanbul, Turkey. A popular tourist site, the Sultan Ahmed Mosque continues to function as a mosque today; men still kneel in prayer on the mosque's lush red carpet after the call to prayer.
The Blue Mosque, as it is popularly known, was constructed between 1609 and 1616 during the rule of Ahmed I. Its Külliye contains Ahmed's tomb, a madrasah and a hospice. Hand-painted blue tiles adorn the mosque’s interior walls, and at night the mosque is bathed in blue as lights frame the mosque’s five main domes, six minarets and eight secondary domes. It sits next to the Hagia Sophia, another popular tourist site.
I visited Sultan Ahmed Mosque at the end of May 2017, during a layover flight staying in Istanbul for one night, though I've visited Blue Mosque several times already in the past.
Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Istanbul
The Sultan Ahmed Mosque has five main domes, six minarets, and eight secondary domes. The design is the culmination of two centuries of Ottoman mosque development. It incorporates some Byzantine Christian elements of the neighboring Hagia Sophia with traditional Islamic architecture and is considered to be the last great mosque of the classical period. The architect, Sedefkâr Mehmed Ağa, synthesized the ideas of his master Sinan, aiming for overwhelming size, majesty and splendour.
Sultan Ahmed Mosque
The Mosque complex is so huge that it doesn't fit's normally in a photo frame, I had to apply panoramic photography technique to make this above average picture.
The façade of the spacious forecourt was built in the same manner as the façade of the Süleymaniye Mosque, except for the addition of the turrets on the corner domes. The court is about as large as the mosque itself and is surrounded by a continuous vaulted arcade (revak). It has ablution facilities on both sides. The central hexagonal fountain is small relative to the courtyard. The monumental but narrow gateway to the courtyard stands out architecturally from the arcade. Its semi-dome has a fine stalactite structure, crowned by a small ribbed dome on a tall tholobate. Its historical elementary school (Sıbyan Mektebi) is used as "Mosque Information Center" which is adjacent to its outer wall on the side of Hagia Sophia. This is where they provide visitors with a free orientational presentation on the Blue Mosque and Islam in general.
A heavy iron chain hangs in the upper part of the court entrance on the western side. Only the sultan was allowed to enter the court of the mosque on horseback. The chain was put there, so that the sultan had to lower his head every single time he entered the court to avoid being hit. This was a symbolic gesture, to ensure the humility of the ruler in the face of the divine.
Summer Solstice 2017
| Home Remodeling | 5 seen
This is already fourth Summer Solstice featured on this blog. see how three years ago we made a barbeque on our Tbilisi's balcony and how we celebrated our first Summer Solstice in our newly inherited house two years ago. Also compare how did it go last year. This year we celebrated Summer Solstice already for the third time at our rural country house, see home remodeling.
This year it was just us two and cats. Nothing fancy.
Improvised DJ Remote control and some snacks
Fireplace
Golden hour sunrise during Summer Solstice 2017
Abava Rumba Waterfall
| Tourism objects | 14 seen
Abava Rumba is the second widest waterfall in Latvia (after Venta Rumba) ,up to 1 m high and 35 m wide.
I had a chance to visit it and spend some hour in lovely photography session at the end of May 2017, just after our Germany trip in the Mossel Valley. There is a camping area located just next to the rapid.
Abava Rumba in Latvia
I find such places tranquil and quite inspiring for my photography.
Hiking trek near Abava Rumba
As an active outdoors fan I could resist to go deep in the "jungle"
Camping area near Abava Rumba
3 day leisure trip to Germany (The Mossel Valley)
| Travel guides | 13 seen
This is a round up post about our latest travel to Germany, at the end of May 2017. Our trip started at Dortmund airport, were we got a nice Nissan X-trail rental car from Hertz (about EUR 250 for 4 days).
Although I've traveled to Germany countless times in the past, this is just third recap featured on blog, in fact about 2 years ago we made a similar trip to Germany but extended it it by visiting the Netherlands, see: My Germany and The Netherlands Travel Guide, also I briefly visited Berlin last Summer between layovers to 7 day trip to Spain
This trip was interesting because of this time instead of choosing hotel rooms we opted for apartments, though it costs about twice to have a lovely apartment as a hotel room, I now have pretty ambivalent feelings regarding apartments. We got two really amazing apartments, but there was one that almost ruined our trip.
Anyhow - this time more castles and lovely views from the Mossel Valley in Germany.
Postcards from Germany
| | 26 seen
Welcome to another Piece of Life postcards from series. In today's article - Germany. We traveled to Germany for about 3 days at the end of May 2017.
I was not at all in photography this time, but still managed to capture some cool sceneries.
Sunset in Gudenberg, Germany
One of rare HDR's I made during this trip. Folks interested in such an interesting architecture, make sure you plan your travels to the region of Hesse in Germany,
Porta Nigra in Trier
My first trip to this place happened back in 2005 and it was nice to rediscover this place again in 2017. See more: Porta Nigra in Trier
Burg Eltz in Germany
Cochem Castle
The Mossel Valley near Cochem in Germany
Hotel Monopol in Gelsenkirchen, Germany
| Hotel reviews | 16 seen
This 3-star hotel offers comfortable accommodation in Gelsenkirchen's northern Buer district. It is 3 km from the Veltins Arena and 1 km from Gelsenkirchen-Buer Nord train station.
Hotel Monopol was our last accommodations while in Germany for a short few day trip, unfortunately I was not in the photography mood and didn't made much photos in the past days and almost forgot to photograph this hotel. In fact I captured just the entrance doors for this place.
Hotel Monopol
The tastefully furnished rooms at the Hotel Monopol are all equipped with cable TV and a safe. Wi-Fi is also available.
A full breakfast buffet is served each morning at Hotel Monopol. There are several restaurants and cafes within 15 minutes' of the hotel.
The hotel provides an ideal base for exploring the old mining town of Gelsenkirchen and the Ruhr Area. Many exhibition centres are a short drive away.
The Löchterheide heath is just a 10 minute walk away. Gelsenkirchen city centre is 8 km from the Monopol.
Haus Daniela Superior Apartment in Cochem, Germany
| Hotel reviews | 13 seen
I now have pretty ambivalent feelings regarding booking apartments instead of hotel rooms. Despite my feelings, Haus Daniela was a really nice stay in Cochem. For this spacious apartment we paid about EUR 200 for a one night stay, but it featured 3 bedrooms, a huge outdoor terrace with an electrical grill and very well equipped kitchen.
Offering free WiFi and a sun terrace, Haus Daniela Superior is set in Cochem. Cochem Castle is 400 m away. Free private parking is available on site.
Haus Daniela apartment in Cochem
You can play table tennis at the property, and the area is popular for cycling and fishing. The nearest airport is Frankfurt-Hahn Airport, 23 km from Haus Daniela Superior.
Flat screen TV
Kitchen at Haus Daniela apartment
Rose Cottage in Udler, Germany
| Hotel reviews | 8 seen
Featuring free WiFi and garden views, Rose Cottage is a holiday home, situated in Udler. It provides free private parking.
We booked this place on booking.com for a one night stay during our few day leisure trip in Germany, sadly there are few good words I can use to describe our stay here. As this place is one of the few that actually kind of ruined our holidays. Anyhow let's start with positive - the rental property is decent, a lot of plastic roses, but hey it's decent. I haven't been to the UK, but I got feeling that indoor style at house is something British. So far, so good.
About negative: First, rental owners (they seemed like a married couple to me) didn't see too happy seeing us arriving at 9PM - the owner even complained that it doesn't makes him happy, I kindly replied, hey guests uses booking.com just for one reason - to book and arrive anytime right?!
Next what followed was rather joke than reality, despite the price we paid (EUR 148) included cleaning fee already (about EUR 70), the landlord lady asked us to clean up after ourselves and sort our garbage - by putting one kind in green bin, second in blue bin e.t.c. I told her, look lady we have already paid cleaning up fee, which IMHO is still a lot, and I don't find it reasonable to sort our garbage. The lady started to get very nervous, told me some bulsh*t how things works in Germany. I started to find it funny and asked should I clean the shower, maybe I should clean WC? What about laundry?
Next what followed was even worst - grill - luckily we were allowed to use outdoor grill, but kind owner asked me to clean up the barbecue grill without provided any tools for that. Want more? I was asked to deposit 100 EUR deposit money. I started to laugh about these people and asked what's their problem, don't they like Eastern Europeans or something? That was in a bulls eye - after such question they disappeared quickly.
Well of course I felt sad, and this evening was totally ruined. As said, house is decent, but people running it shouldn't work in hospitality. Never.
The famous grill
Rose bedroom
Kitchen
What followed next morning was a comedy. Owners arrived in the morning. My partner started to ask some questions to the landlord lady, but landlord lady refused to speak with her, instead she told me, that she feels sick and wont answer on my wife's question. I replied her, well you should stay home then, if you are sick. She get nervous again, almost screamed that she must clean up the house. Sure, sure - lady for extra EUR 70 I would probably go to work as well.
Next I took the landlord guy to the grill, shoed how nicely clean it is, then we went trough all rooms, seems he counted sheets or something, then said ok, seems it's fine, here you go, here is your EUR 100 deposit back. I told him that I will leave pretty negative review of his place, despite that in fact I like the house, but not the attitude. He started to apologize by saying that there have been people from Dresden who have stolen their sheets and...
People from Dresden and Eastern Europe, this places doesn't wants you to come here!
Well of course, please forgive me my sarcastic tone, but this was one of the strangest places I have stayed so far.
Cochem Imperial castle
| Tourism objects | 17 seen
The contours of the neo-gothic building rise more than about 330 ft above the river Moselle on an outstanding hill. The silhouette of the towering hill seems to continue in the building which is topped by the slate roof of the massive keep. As for its structure, Cochem Castle belongs to the category of castles protected by height that had to be protected all around. Romanesque fragments found in the well indicate a reinforcement of the castle around 1056.
For the sake of this article, I must admit - I didn't visited castle itself, because I found more interesting to photograph such huge objects from distance. So did I do - photographed from different angles.
Cochem Castle in Germany
Around this time or a bit earlier the core of the Romanesque square keep (17ft by 17ft) was built, its walls being up to 12ft thick. At the same time, the keep was also made higher. In the first half of the 14th century, archbishop Balduin of Trier connected the castle and the town by massive walls. Furthermore a chain was installed below the castle to form a removable toll barrier across the river.
Cochem Castle
t is generally assumed that Cochem Castle was built around the year 1000 by the palatinate count Ezzo, son and successor to palatinate count Hermann Pusilius. The castle was first mentioned in a document in 1051 when Richeza, Ezzo's oldest daughter and former Queen of Poland, gave the castle to her nephew palatine count Henry I. Even when Ezzo's family ceased to be palatinate counts, Cochem remained connected to the title of the palatinate counts. Years later, in 1151, king Konrad III put an end to a dispute concerning the succession by occupying the castle with troupes. Like this, he finally took control of the castle, which became an imperial fiefdom. Thus, Cochem became an imperial castle in the time when the Staufer dynasty reigned in Germany. From this time on, imperial ministers - with the title of "Lord of the castle" - were installed to administer the castle and the surrounding properties.
Panoramic view of Cochem
Today the castle is still well-equipped with Renaissance and Baroque furniture, which was carefully collected by the Ravené family. Since 1978 the castle has been owned by the town of Cochem and is run by "Reichsburg Cochem Ltd." Cochem Castle, situated on an outstanding hill more than 100 metres above the river Moselle, is a popular tourist attraction
Eltz Castle
| Tourism objects | 19 seen
Eltz Castle (German: Burg Eltz) is a medieval castle nestled in the hills above the Moselle River between Koblenz and Trier, Germany. It is still owned by a branch of the same family (the Eltz family) that lived there in the 12th century, 33 generations ago. Bürresheim Castle (Schloss Bürresheim), Eltz Castle and Lissingen Castle are the only castles on the left bank of the Rhine in Rhineland-Palatinate which have never been destroyed.
I paid here a brief visit in May 2017, during a few day trip around Germany.
The castle is surrounded on three sides by the Elzbach River, a tributary on the north side of the Moselle. It is on a 70-metre (230 ft) rock spur, on an important Roman trade route between rich farmlands and their markets. The Eltz Forest has been declared a nature reserve by Flora-Fauna-Habitat and Natura 2000
Burg Eltz in Germany
The Rübenach and Rodendorf families' homes in the castle are open to the public, while the Kempenich branch of the family uses the other third of the castle. The public is admitted seasonally, from April to October. Visitors can view the treasury, with gold, silver and porcelain artifacts and the armory of weapons and suits of armor.