Five days in March

Good Morning.

Though this may seem a little pre-emptive, I want to say that March is going to kick some serious ass. I will be attending Peter Gabriel's concert in Paris, after a weekend in Voisins, and just before heading to Turkey for a 6-day vacation.

Because I know you'll hate me for this, here's my itinerary (as writted by the tour company):


Outbound : Tuesday 23 March 2010
Departure: 10:00 Paris Charles De Gaulle (CDG) Terminal 2F
Arrival: 14:20 Istanbul Ataturk (IST) Terminal I

23 rd March 2010
Istanbul
Arrival in Istanbul and transfer to your hotel. Overnight in Istanbul.

Hotel in Istanbul: www.rasthotel.com

24 th March 2010
Istanbul - Sultanahmet

Visit the St. (Haghia) Sophia, which was built by the Emperor Justinian. It was the largest building in the world for over 1000 years. See its intricate mosaics and huge central dome. Continue to the Topkapi palace, which was used by the Ottoman Sultans from the 15th to 19th centuries. We will also see the impressive collection of priceless jewels, crystal, silver and porcelain, robes worn by the sultans and relics of the prophet Mohammed. (Entrance to the Harem is extra). After lunch we will see the Blue Mosque, built for Sultan Ahmet I, which is a unique piece of architecture with its six minarets and features 20,000 beautiful Iznik tiles. Visit the ancient Hippodrome with Obelisk of Theodosius, Snake Pillar and German Fountain of Wilhelm II. Walk through the back streets of Old Istanbul and visit the elegant little Sokullu Pasa mosque and the hidden underground Theodosian Cistern. See the Grand Covered Bazaar. This tour may be done all or partially as a walking tour.
Overnight in Istanbul.

25 th March 2010
Bophorus Cruise with Dolmabahce

The tour starts with a visit to the exotic and aromatic Egyptian Spice Market. You may buy spices, caviar, and almost anything imaginable. Continue over the Galata Bridge and the Golden horn. We will visit the “Selamlik” chambers of the incredible 19th c. Dolmabahce Palace. We continue up the Bosphorus and cross over to Asia to Camlica Hill for a view of Istanbul. After lunch visit the Sadberk Hanim Museum, with its well-organized archaeological and ethnographical sections. The Bosphorus cruise begins in the afternoon. We pass by the Rumeli Fortress and you will enjoy crossing from continent to continent traveling down the Bosphorus, which is lined with old Ottoman seaside mansions, marble palaces and small fishing villages. Overnight in Istanbul.

26 th March 2010
Istanbul-Gallipoli-Canakkale

Very early in morning we will depart from Istanbul, drive along the northern shores of the Marmara Sea, and as soon as we arrive we will have a break for lunch.
Gallipoli and The Dardanelles after our lunch we will stop to visit Gallipoli, a place of fierce WWI fighting between Allied forces and the Turks. At ANZAC Cove thousands lost their lives in one fateful dawn morning. We will also see other famous battle sites of World War 1 in this area, such as Lone Pine and Chunuk Bair. From here we go to a ferry and cross the Dardanelles. For World War 1 buffs, you will know the Dardanelle Straits were a strategic crossing point for the allied armies to cross from Europe to Asia Minor. Over a nine month campaign, more than half a million soldiers lost their lives in the fight to control this strait of water and nearby Gallipoli peninsula. Canakkale will be our final destination for today and where we will spend the evening. After dinner, you might want to stroll the harbor walk and experience the local culture. The locals buy sunflower seeds and stroll with their families, gossiping and looking at the sunset. When they reach the harbor's end, they turn around, buy their ice cream and walk the other direction. Breakfast/Lunch & Dinner provided. Overnight stay in Canakkale.

Hotel in Canakkale: www.helenhotel.com

27 th March 2010
Canakkale Troy- Istanbul

We continue our scenic drive along the Aegean, stopping for photo opportunities and perhaps to indulge the taste buds at one of the many farmer road side stands that sell olives, figs, seasonal fruit and pistachios. We then will head east towards our first site of the day. Troy is the ancient site written about by Homer in the Iliad. It dates back as far as 3000 BC and has been the site of nine different cities through the thousands of years it has existed. As you enter the site a large wooden Trojan horse dominates your view. You will definitely want to climb up and get your picture taken! After the tour we will provide lunch and after that we will depart from Canakkale, drive back to Istanbul, After arrival we will transfer you back to your hotel, Overnight stay in Istanbul.

28 th March 2010
Istanbul to Home

Gule, Gule! It is time to go home. We will transfer you to the airport and wish you well, asking that you keep Turkey in your hearts and prayers, and hoping that our paths cross again in this life! If you have extended your time with an additional add-on trip, we will be confirming this day with you your additional schedule. Contact us for additional tour options.

Return : Sunday 28 March 2010
Departure: 15:10 Istanbul Ataturk (IST) Terminal I
Arrival: 17:50 Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) Terminal 2F


Hope that doesn't make you guys too envious. Oh, who am I kidding? Of course I hope it does :P

I wrote my exam this morning. It went OK, though I hope I never ever have to take accounting again. Note: I am going to have to take accounting again, but if there's one thing Obama has tought me, it's that even in situations of absolute certainty, there's hope the result might not be what is certain. Or something like that.

I think I'll try to go skating tonight. Better than watching my 18th movie in 2 weeks. (Note: Couples Retreat was awful)

Oh well, I've got one French class left, then a one-week vacation in February, then it's smooth sailing, with 4 English classes and two weeks of vacation over the following 14 weeks. Then June vacation!

I'll make sure to keep you posted on my travels. No photos yet, but there will be.

Enjoy your weekends, and try not to think about the cold!