Berlin Day 03 and Back To Tr.

This was seen above the entrance door of a building. It was first built in 1899. Was bombed during WWII in 1943 and was then rebuilt in 1954.









More photos here.

Berlin Day 02

Today, thanks to Timur I had some time to visit around a bit. I had 3 hours, so I walked and walked and walked. It's a very interesting city. I could only see the historical part of it, but they say that the night life of Berlin is incredible.

In front of the Brandenburg Gate.










More photos here.

To Berlin, Germany

Big race today. This morning we're at the Istanbul airport in order to get on the plane to Munich and then to Berlin. First of all I don't get why it's not a direct flight since we're flying with the German company Lufthansa. Anyway because of a mistake made by the tour operator (they sent Timur's passport along with someone else's luggage to the plane), ze cannot get on the plane to Munich because the flight is overbooked.
Anyway, they give us each 200 € to apologize and have us fly in business in the next flight.
This time we're flying via Frankfurt, but we have to run to catch the plane. t was just like in the movies. I have my backpack, the bag with the tripod, another bag with the camera, my boarding pass in one hand, my passport in the other and I'm running like hell.
We made the plane.

Two and a half hours later, we land in Frankfurt. We ask where our gate is and they told us to run because we couldn't make it otherwise... So I ran... Iran to gate 24 where they told me that it was changed to gate 22. So I ran back only to hear that it has been changed again to gate 21... Anyway, we were actually on time and had to wait there for 40 minutes.

The plane from Frankfurt to Berlin was huge, really huge. To give you an idea, the Business class ends on row 31, with 8 huge seats by row. It was very comfortable. The plane from Turkey to Germany was a small normal one. so why a huge plane for such a short distance (45 minutes).
Well Frankfurt is like NYC and Berlin is like Washington D.C. so every day VIP people fly on this line, ergo the big plane.

Why Am I in Berlin ? There is the IFA Fair, the Consumer Electronics Trade Show.

In front of the IFA Fair.








More Photos here.

Istanbul - Around Balat

This is a boat used to clean the Golden Horn. Very simple : A driver drives the boat around and a man in the front picks up all the litter. It's better than nothing I guess but mostly ineffective.









Karaköy


















Near Balat












Balat






























Bulgarian Church in Balat




































An Orthodox School for girls. It used to be a church. The only church that wasn't changed into a mosque when the ottomans came and conquered Constantinople (former name of Istanbul) in 1453.









Balat

Istanbul - Around the golden Horn

The Hagia Sofia Museum.









Ahmet III Fountain built in 1728 near the entrance of the Topkapi Palace.









Rest stop and drink tea.
Carole, Sahar, Robin, Abdul, Georg,
Özlem, Eva.









Crossing the Golden Horn.








































































In front of the New Mosque and the Spice Bazaar.

Restaurant

Tonight we went to the restaurant with some friends from Europe and the U.S.

You can spot from left to right :
Ekin, Eva, Tim, Abdul, Sahar, ?, Iraz, Merih, Özlem, Magdi, Georg, Robin and Carole.

Bodrum Day 07 - Last Day

Last morning in Gümüslük. We had breakfast near the sea.









Somewhere on the freeway between Bodrum and Izmir.









Izmir. This is the first time I really go to Izmir. I've already passed through many time with the car but it's the first time I really stop but then again I won't count this time since we only stayed an hour or so.












Somewhere on the road between Izmir and Istanbul.









Oreo is doing really fine.










More photos here and here if you're interested.

Bodrum Day 06

My sister Celia and my nephew Lucas in Gumusluk.











More photos here and here if you're interested.

Bodrum Day 05

Rabbit Island in Gumusluk.










More photos here and here if you're interested.

Bodrum Day 04

Today we went on a boat trip. It was really fun. The boat went around the Bodrum peninsula, between Bodrum and Turgutreis.










More photos here and here if you're interested.

Bodrum Day 03

Carole & Özlem enjoying life.









More photos here and here if you're interested.

Bodrum Day 01

Here is the result. The table and 4 chairs in the front and the cushions in the back.









The other cushions in the living room :












Oreo









And Lucas and Juliette. They've already been here for a week.












More photos here and here if you're interested.

On the way to Bodrum

This morning we left for Bodrum for a week long holiday. The car was really packed because we brought a lot of new stuff to decorate our house there. We also had some cushions made for the sofas (you'll see later) and it took a lot of space in the car.
We also brought Oreo along for his first trip. He wasn't really thrilled about it but everything went fine.

On the ferry near Istanbul









We stopped at Ikea in Izmir and bought a table a 4 chairs for the terrace. And it fit. Incredible. If it hadn't, we were going to give it back and get a refund...

Scary Ad.

Lady Coiffeur
Salih & Yaşar at your service.

Man, take a closer look. The guys look like killers...

Happy Birthday Ekin !

Reyhan, Kerem & the birthday girl









Ceylan, Engin & Aydan









Sibel & Aylin