Istanbul – Chasing Sunsets

Twenty Years Ago Today, Saturday, December 19, 1998: DS-Antalya, Turkey; Panes – Istanbul

2107 December 1998 Istanbul snow Blue Mosque Carole & Ryan

LOG: Snow, then flight to Los Angeles

CHASING SUNSETS: p234, “There was no way we could be blasé on our last morning when we woke to see the first snowfall of the winter, with the Blue Mosque, snow covered and magnificent, rising above a white landscape.”

And that afternoon we flew home for Christmas. I will remain with my mother for a couple of weeks in January, while Laurie and Ryan visit his family in Australia. From now until we return to Turkey on February 10th, posts will be sporadic and will only drop in with interesting events like when Ryan plays with tigers.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all from the captain and crew of DOLPHIN SPIRIT.

Twenty Years Ago Today, Monday, December 14, 1998: DS-Antalya, Turkey; Panes – Istanbul

2107 December 1998 Black Sea xxx270

LOG: Bosphorous at sunset

CHASING SUNSETS: p233-4,”We made all the tourist stops…….. the sunset ferry ride over the Bosphorus…”

Twenty Years Ago Today ,Friday, December 11, 1998: DS-Antalya, Turkey; Panes – Istanbul

LOG: Yesil Ev

CHASING SUNSETS: p231, “Our hotel, Yesil Ev, or Green House, was a converted house, painted green, right in the middle of everything we wanted to see in Istanbul. The big three (Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Topkapi, together with the Yerebatan Saray, were all within 300 yards of the front door.

Who needed a TV (there wasn’t one anyway), when the misty blue, flood lit, Blue Mosque filled the window. Who needed alarm clocks (you guessed it, none in the room), when the call to prayer boomed at us, from at least six mosques, at first light. They seem to practice call- and-respond, or we-can-be-louder-than-you, or both, randomly. Although these were more strident than most, we have been woken by similar calls for almost two years, since Indonesia, so our response was to sleepily note that it must be six o’clock, and roll over for more snooze.”