Armenia 2015

19-24 Feb 2015 Armenia

Tbilisi-Yerevan, mini shuttle stop Armenia 19feb2015

Charles Aznavour Square Yerevan Armenia 20feb2015

Sitting by Lynn Chadwick,Alexander Tamanyan Park Yerevan Armenia 21feb2015

Wrought Iron , Jamine Plants, Joana Vascncelos, ,Alexander Tamanyan Park Yerevan Armenia 21feb2015

Woman Smoking, Fernanado Botero, ,Alexander Tamanyan Park Yerevan Armenia 21feb2015

Cafesjian ,Alexander Tamanyan Park Yerevan Armenia 21feb2015

Oolig ,Alexander Tamanyan Park Yerevan Armenia 21feb2015

History Museum, Republic Square, ,Alexander Tamanyan Park Yerevan Armenia 22feb2015

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

19feb 2015 Thursday_8 am taxied to Tbilisi Orcharta station, Snowing freezing cold and waited 1.5 hrs to fill the shuttle. At noon arrived and taxied to Nalbandyan St, on Sakhavo square.  Ruben brought us to his corner apartment. Dropping our bags, we went to Dilma Supermarket to get dinner.

20feb2015 Friday_ A 5 min walk brought us to Republic Square. A bunch of locals assembled in front of the government building with reporters and security in force. We had coffee and mint tea for about usd6 at a classy coffeehouse  along the way. Continued on to Blue mosque and circled back to Apartment.  Looking for Aeon an anti-cafe joint, paid by time spent and food is free but unsuccessful. Under the drizzling skies, R had rabbit stew at Kavas while I chose grilled  drummets, chicken cheese panned fried and tan/yogurt drink. About usd13. M in Budapest with Read for the weekend

21Feb2015 Saturday cold and dreary. Tons of art and Russian memobilia at the Vernissage market, climbed the steps at Alexander Tamanyan Park with a lots of sculptures and visited the Cafesjian Art Center built by Mr. Cafesjian from Minnesota. Ate at bright and cheery Oolig, hummus and falafel.

22Feb2015 Sunny Sunday_We went to Kond. the oldest part of Yerevan and saw a packed church. Shopping here, I neededd more hand signals and sign language. Randomly, we chose this cakes and pastry nameless shop with a fair price.

23feb2015  Bright and Sunny Monday_ Chillax, and prep for 24feb, 3 am Abu Dhabi’s flight

Batumi & Tbilisi Georgia 2015

9 – 17 Feb 2015 Batumi,Georgia

Shemoikhede Genacvale Batumi, Georgia 9Feb2015 9feb2015 Monday_Chatted with a couple of Thai guys traveling through this region while having breakfast at Elif Otel. Hotel ordered bus took us to station and transfer to Ulusoy bus for Batumi bus, stopped in small towns. Arrived at 2pm and went through checkpoint and the bus was not seen after. Into Georgian land, city shuttle dropped us in town and the taxi driver brought us to warm guest house with R’ directing him. Sheepishly, he asked for more money. The house/hotel entrance is shabby but the interior is surprisingly grand and lovely came with a bottle of  wine and chacha. Dinnered at Shemoixede Genacvale, dumplings (khinkali), trout, spindle shape cheese pie (Ajarian Khachapuri) with raw egg on top and a piece of butter, soups, beer, coffee and salad for 40 lari. Cold and drizzling here! Rocky beach, Batumi pier, Georgia 10Feb2015 Batumi Georgia 10 Feb 2015 10Feb2015 Tuesday_ Our hotel right opposite Alphabet tower on the Black sea, theme park, most places are closed for winter, a mosque, Radisson hotel. Lots of building are being constructed.  Back to Shemoikhxede for eggplant with walnut sauce, beef tongue, chicken in sour cream sauce, rice, coffee and beer cost 45lari =usd21 11feb2015 Wednesday_Grey and cold day, Vakho drove us over to 26 May St. Apt. At Sok, bought some household items. Fish place, North of batumi georgian coast. 12feb2015 Theme park by Black sea batumi georgia 12feb2015 One of the more recent sculptures_First Love  by Irakkli Isuladze_  Batumi Georgia 12feb2015 Ali & Nino, movable sculpture Batumi Georgia 12feb2015 12Feb2015 Thursday_Settling Tbilisi train tickets and bicycles’ cards. We rested with drinks at Batumi tower, look around at Goodwill supermarket. Without the language, we were served fish lunch at the restuarant for 40lari.  We cycled along the coast, met a Turkish couple who took pictures of us. Drizzling as we walked back to the apartment. Steeping Ahmed tea RioArabica Batumi Georgia 14feb2015 Batumi Georgia 13feb2015 13 Feb 2015 Friday_More cycling along the Black sea coast to the end and back. Homemade fish pasta. 14Feb2015 Saturday_At 26 May St, RioArabica cafe, jazzy and smoky joint. Crepe so-so. Batumi lighted up and fireworks for VDay. Forgot to say there are a ton of casinos here. Batumi city, never stop building. Big Shoes Batumi Georgia 15feb2015 Cafe Gardens Batumi Georgia 15Feb2015 15 Feb 2015 Sunday_R made oat breakfast. Cycling along the coast, bike path disappeared abruptly and had to turn back Turkish breakfast not good here. (Note to self: no more Turkish brekkie outside of Turkey) black tea and coffee at Cafe Gardens, the 1920s’ retro looks came with plenty of sunshine. Have frozen boiled  kahkili/dumplings for lunch and dinner, pretty good. 16Feb2015 Monday_Sunny, clear sky at 6 Celcius. R waded in the Black Sea. 17-19 Feb 2015 Tbilisi, Georgia Home is Silver Hotel Tbilisi Georgia 17feb2015 9 april Park Tbilisi Georgia 17feb2015 Old Wall City in the heart of the city Tbilisi Georgia 17feb2015 Freedom Square Tbilisi Georgia 17feb2015 17Feb2015 Tuesday_ Sky opened up, 7am taxi, 8km trip to the leaky dark Makhinjauri station for 8am train to Tblisi. Train stopped at small places. Arriving Tbilisi at 1:30pm to electricity shutdown. Jumped into a cab to a hidden Silver Hotel in the old city. Circled the city, freedom square, old city wall, 9 April Park, around the old city hood, churches and gave up on Dry Bridge/Flea market, running out of time. Got produce from the neighborhood store. Tbilisi Georgia 18feb2015 Tbilisi Georgia 18feb2015 Raining snow at Narikala fortress Tbilisi Georgia 18feb2015 Snowy day Tbilisi Georgia 18feb2015 Tbilisi Theatre Georgia 18feb2015 Peace Bridge Tbilisi Georgia 18feb2015 Shot from Peace Bridge Tbilisi Georgia 18feb2015 18Feb2015 Wednesday_ The neighborhood Kachapuri restuarant is still closed when we dopped by on this snowy wet day. Traisped over to Selze for tea, coffee and pizza-styled kachapouri. Admired Tbilisi theatre, and city skyline from Peace Bridge. Misty, foggy and snowy, wet trammed through the park beside theatre and decided to cable up to Narikala fortress. Exchanged stories with the van owner Punjab near Mother Tbilisi. Down the fortress steps. Next to Metekhi Church with impressive view of the city and montains. 19Feb2015 Thursday_ early shuttle to Yerevan, Armenia

Trabzon Turkey 2015

5-8 Feb 2015 Trabzon Turkey

Erzurum-Trabzon Turkey 5feb2015

Guloglu Restuarant Trabzon Turkey 5feb2015

Big plate at Guloglu Restuarant overlooking the Artutuk Medanyi Trabzon Turkey 5feb2015

Made it to Black Sea, taken from Trabzon castle top, Turkey 5feb2015

Old fortress Trabzon Turkey 6feb2015

Ayasofia Trabzon Turkey 6feb2015

Murat Balik Trabzon Turkey for fish 6feb2015

Halfway up Boztepe hill Trabzon turkey 6feb2015

 

 

 

 

 

 

1600 year old Sumela Monastery Trabzon Turkey 7feb2015

Frescoes ,1600 year old Sumela Monastery Trabzon Turkey 7feb2015

Boztepe hill overlooking Trabzon city turkey 7feb2015

Open front kitchen with fish laid out. Baliklama Trabzon Turkey 7feb2015

More anchovies/hamsi at Trabzon fish market Turkey 8feb2015

Warmed up grey, cold day at Erguvan, Trabzon with chicken breast pudding cay and turkish coffee 8feb2015 Turkey

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5Feb2015 Thursday_7 am taxi to Esadas/Ulusoy bus ticket office to take shuttle to otogar for Trabzon bus at 8:30 am.  An hour for the shuttle, kind local put my luggage on the shuttle. there was wet slippery snow everywhere. Got 2 simits to take along.  At Gunushane, police came on the bus to check. Pull one guy down and was released. Less snow, more brown mountain as we came closer to Trabzon.. Took Ulusoy shuttle to City centre and walked through Artutuk Medanyi to Elif hotel. Checked in and got tickets to Batumi Georgia ₺60 for two. Dinnered at Kebap Guloglu restuarant at the main square ₺40

6Feb2015 Frıday _Sunny, walked to the old city and took dolmus to Ayasofia, in time for Friday prayers, got some dried persimmons, returned to see frescoes at Ayasofia museum. At the bazaar, bought two scarves ₺20. Artutuk Medanyi was teeming with people, we had  hamsi/anchovy and horse mackerel, salad and water cost ₺25 at Murat Balik.

7Feb2015 Saturday_ Sunny and windy. Sener of Elif Otel fed the fish in the tank while we were having breakfast. We are going to climb the rock hewn Sumela monastery. It took 45 mins for Ulusoy to shuttle us to the base. Halfway, the shuttle stopped for free çay with a wood burn samovar. Exchanged to a smaller van because of slippery ice on the road. At the base, we walked up the steps to the monastery. Met Thijs and his Mom and chatted over lentil soup lunches and çay. We got off too soon and took dolmus to the center, changed to another one to go up Boztepe hill overlooking the city. Strong and coldwind whipping through and ducked into Dorucafe, customers were playing backgammon,  We had fresh and tasty anchovy and sea bream cooked in front of us at Baliklama lokantasi, near hotel for ₺38.50

8Feb2015 Sunday_Grey and rainy daay, walked to the Bazaar and settled for hamsi/anchovies and fish near Denizer fish market for ₺36. We ordered one more plate of fish after finishing two and a plate of salad. Dessert tavuk gogsu/chicken breast pudding. R had coffee.

9Feb2015 Monday_ 10am bus to Batumi, Georgia.

Erzurum Turkey 2015

3 – 5 Feb 2015 Sivas to Erzurum

This bus took us from Sivas to Erzurum Turkey 3Feb2015

Woke up at Ipek Hotel Sivas, Turkey with a layer of snow the next morning_ 4Feb2015

Erzurum breakfast with mutton jerky, cabbage roll, cigarette burek and ash greyish bluish string cheese at Dayi Erzurum Turkey 4Feb2015

Breakfast at Dayi restuarant, snow coming down and locals waiting for bus. Erzurum Turkey 4Feb2015

Yakutiye Medresesi Erzurum Turkey_4Feb2015

3 -5 Feb 2015 Sivas-Erzurum

3 Feb 2015 Tuesday_ After a hearty breakfast in Buruciye hotel, we took Esadas bus to Erzurum. Rest stop at Refahiye, eastward bound towards  the direction of Iran. Big snow capped mountains. Stopped at Erzincan surrounded by snow capped mountains. Chatted with traffic controller lady who translated between Amran and us and made sure we get tickets to Trabzon and Ipek hotel. Dinnered at Canufa, an elegant and grand place with small price. Very tasty good lahmachun, Kebap sis / lamb, kunefe/noodle baklavas, breads, salad and çay. All in ₺31 + tip.  Walking distance to Ipek Otel.

4 Feb 2015 Wednesday_Snowing heavily and slippery. Night temp is -12 C and daytime is 2 degree C. Some grown up men  tossing snow at each other. Locals shoveled the pavement and windshields with brooms. Whole of Erzurum city dressed in a layer of snow. Popped over to Dayi restuarant  for some Erzurum breakfast with meat and rolled cabbage, a few minutes’ walk from Ipek hotel. We walked carefully on the snowy road to Yakutiye Medresesi, Lala Pasa Cami and Pallerium shopping center.

5Feb2015 Thursday_7 am taxi to Esadas/Ulusoy bus ticket office to take shuttle to otogar for Trabzon bus at 8:30 am.

Sivas Turkey 2015

Sivas Turkey 1-3 Feb 2015

On this confy bus with good wifi Goreme-Sivas Turkey 1Feb2015

Buruciye Medresesi Sivas Turkey_2Feb2015

Around Buruciye hotel, Buruciye Medresesi Sivas Turkey_2Feb2015

Cifte Minareli Madrese Sivas Turkey 2Feb2015

1 Feb 2015 Sunday_ shuttled from Goreme to bus from Kayseri-Sivas at 10:30 am. Arrived 1:30pm at Buruciye hotel by taxi, honest driver, big room and 4 stars.  Arrived at 1:30pm. right in the heart of Sivas behind the mosque. Ate at can kebab and was served a plate of very spicy green small chillies simllar to cili padi.

2 February 2015 Monday_After a big Turkish hotel breakfast, we went over to the Buruciye Medresesi and Cifte minareli Madrese.  Walked around the city, a working city. Sunny outside but still cold.

3 Feb 2015 Tuesday_ After a hearty breakfast at the hotel, The taxi took us to Ortogar to board the Esadas bus to Erzurum.

Goreme Cappadocia 2015

 

Goreme/Cappadocia 29 Jan- 1 Feb 2015

Goreme magicalland when the night falls, high up the hll, cold winter blaustery wind 31Jan2015

Up the hill for sunset_Goreme Turkey 31Jan2015

Testi Kebap/pottery kebap at Usta Avanos Turkey 31Jan2015

Selime Monastery Goreme Turkey 30Jan2015

Ihlara Valley 4 km walk_30Jan2015

Goreme Panorama View Turkey 30Jan2015

Oriental Cave Museum breakfast Goreme Turkey_30Jan2015

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the walk back to Oriental Cave Hotel Goreme Cappadocia_29Jan2015

Goreme Open-Air Museum Turkey 29Jan2015 

Urgup Turkey 31Jan2015

 

Avanos Turkey 31Jan 2015

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

29 Jan 2015 Thursday_ On the road to Goreme (touristic town) in the volcanic moonscaped Cappadocia region. Konya taxi(₺30) mini shutle costs 4 liras to Otogar. Three and half hours bus ride we arrived in Goreme. Chetin picked us but we did not realise we were only 5 mins’ walk to Oriental Cave hotel.Dumping our bags we walked to Goreme open air museum( ₺40 tickets). We have only one and half hours to visit the open air museum and the chapels. The rock formation is unique and saw a few church frescoes. Dinner at Old Cappadocia restaurant  for chicken kebab and slow cooked Testi lamb Kebap.

30 Jan 2015 Friday_Breakfast at the Oriental Cave hotel & restaurant joined the 9:45 pick up Green tour. Our group comprised of Chileans, Malaysians, Koreans and Brazlians. First stop was at the Goreme village for some panorama shots. The Van took us to the Derinkuyu underground city. The city is  8 storey down and was intresting as the guide told us how and what each area is about. Next to 4 km Ihlara valley, the reward is lunch at Belisirma village. R  and I opted for fish, lentil soup and salad. Saw some goats and stopped for fresh orange juice on by the river. Lots of rocky landscape.  We climbed the slippery Selime cathedral. Ended at Pigeon valley, onyx demostration at the jewelery shop. Dropped off at Goreme at 6pm.

31 Jan 2015 Saturday_We took local bus to Urgup, walked the bustling market. Continued to Avanos, climbed up the hill and saw locals feeding ducks by the river. Lots of pottery craft for sale, at Usta restuarant we settled for Testi kebab/pottery kebab which came with 7 different kind of salads and pide. Returned to watched sunset behind the hotel hill. The winter winds were unrelenting and some narrow paths without railings.

1 Feb 2015 Sunday_The shuttle bus took us from Goreme-Kayseri. Changed to the big bus to Sivas.

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Konya Turkey 2015

Konya Turkey 26-28 Jan 2015

Room view at Hich hotel Konya Turkey 27Jan2015

On Kamil Koc bus, sweets and drinks were served between Izmir-Konya Turkey_26Jan2015

Snow covered mountain and  green valley from Izmir-Konya_26Jan2015

Between Izmir_Konya, R bought lokum (Turkish sweets) here, Afyonkarahisar Turkey_26Jan2015

Lighted Melvana Museum Hich Hotel Konya Turkey room with a  view_26Jan2015

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our spread for two Turkish breakfast at Hich Hotel Konya Turkey_27Jan2015

Down the filled with books and nicely done basement library ,  for Turkish breakfast at Hich Hotel Konya Turkey_27Jan2015

Konya Turkey 27Jan2015

Back garden, facing Melvana Museum of Hich Hotel Konya Turkey_28Jan2015

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Konya Devish statue Turkey_28Jan2015

Typical Konya kebap cooked with yogurt at the packed Mithat Tirit Salonu Konya Turkey_28Jan2015

R getting his much needed cut, this barber did a nice job and even heat water to give R a wash and shave. Cay were served Konya Turkey_28Jan2015

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

26 Jan 2015 Monday_At 10:30, under the grey skies, we took Kamil Koc bus from Izmir-Konya. The shuttle ride to the Otogar was smooth sailing. We had simit and Çay ₺4 at the Otogar. Passed through snowy mountains with a 30 mins rest stop at Afyonkarahisar. R got lokum (sweet flour cakes) ₺6.90. We arrived Konya in the evening and was directed to the mini shuttle by a kind lady. The shuttle wandered the city and took an hour to dropped us at Hich Hotel Konya not before calling the hotel. Hich hotel do not accept tip and they deliver your luaguages, passports and tidbits to your room. Room facing Melvana Museum and is lighted with color lights at night.

27 Jan 2015 Tuesday_We are now in the Anatolian region and was served Anatolian breakfast in bento box at the hotel. We walked around Melvana museum, saw all the mosques in the city. Up to Alaadin mosque, circled back to St. Paul church. Dinner at Alibaba, Selcuk (before the ottoman) ficin kebab.

28 Jan 2015 Wednesday_ another great breakfast. Walked to Zafer Konya, saw dervish statue and horse monument. Lunch at Mithat Tirit Salonu highly recommended  clsoe to hotel. Good lamb with yogurt sauce in a packed restuarant for ₺40. While wandering around the busy bazaar, a barber called R for a cut.

29 Jan 2015 Thursday_On the road to Goreme Cappadocia.