Our first morning in Athens we took the Metro to the train station and then the train to the Olympic Stadium (from Summer 2004, not the original olympics) then got on a very smooth, noiseless, bumpless, train to Thessaloniki. During the ride we met Nikos (who introduced us life-saving hard bread) and Violette, who spoke English with a funny accent because she lived in London for a few years.
In Thessaloniki we had sandwiches and baklava at a place with orange chairs and then just barely made it onto the bumpy, noisy, jerking-back-and-forth overnight train to Istanbul. The sleeper was fun, with Cheryl bunking on top of me in one car, Toby next door, some cute Italians on one side of us and a really cute Greek guy next to Toby. The toilets (which really do empty out onto the tracks!) were next to the Greek guy. It wasn't difficult to sleep, except when the Greek authorities woke us about 2:00 a.m. to take our passports and then again about 3:00 a.m. to return our passports and then when the Turkish authorities woke us about 4:00 a.m. to take our passports and take us off the train to purchase our visas, and then again about 4:30 a.m. when the Turkish authorities returned our passports and visas. (I did have a visa from my list trip to Turkey, but it had expired just ten days before this entry.)
We arrived at the train station in Istanbul rested and refreshed* where my very sweet friend Kamel picked us up and deposited us directly at Erguvan Hotel^^ so we could relax and shower. The hotel staff is still gracious and friendly, the breakfast was as good as I remember and I continue to recommend Erguvan for anyone staying in Istanbul.
A couple of hours later we headed into town for a little shopping. Toby bought a beautiful anklet and bracelet, but not the necklace; I got one earring. Next we walked through and successfuly fended off most of the shopkeepers at the Grand Bazaar. On the way back to the hotel we certainly, in no way, at no time, absolutely, positively did not get lost for over an hour.
Dinner was at a fabulous local restaurant where we had some great food, marvelous Turkish wine, a little raki and our names painted by one of the other diners. Later than evening I went to hang out with Kamel and Toby and Cheryl went for coffee. On the way back to the hotel they certainly, in no way, at no time, absolutely, positively did not get lost for over an hour.
*That's a lie; we were tired, smelled like we had slept in our clothes (we had) and looked like crud.
^^See posts from my previous trip to Istanbul.
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