May 18 Monday Ankara/Cappadocia

Drove to Ankara and stayed one nıght. Vısıted the museum and Attaturk mauseleum. Sunday drive to Cappadicıa - stayıng here two nıghts to visıt the Columns and cave cities where the christians were hiding.

In Cappadocia visited the Open Air Museum in the Goreme Valley to view early Christian churches decorated with beautiful frescoes depicting various scenes from the Bible. Also visited the Kaymakli Underground City, which was hollowed out of volcanic rock and extends seven to nine floors deep into the earth.

Slow connectıon no pıctures

Istanbul May - 14 Pıctures

A NICE Beer after 5 miles of walkıng - Taste GREAT!
Here is one to Helmut!

Meinhard takes Seija to nice places to eat.

We like crowds.

More Spices on the market.

Spıce Market.

Seıja wıth Tram.

Istanbul May 14

Our second day alone before the tour starts. We spent the full day on the side where our hotel is, I think ıt ıs called the European Istanbul. Visited the Sultan Palace and Harem ın addition to many other places, two Tram rides and a lot of walking.

The city ıs very clean, no dırt on the streets, people are reserved but somewhat friendly. Service in restaurants and our Hotel again no one is smiling but friendly and reserved. Many street vendors, ın official looking carts, Lottery vendors and shoe shiners, some beggars.

Today we are going to the other side to a markets and small streets with vendors and vısıt two Mosques.

Tonight we meet the Tour group at a dinner and tomorrow the tour starts ın Istanbul.

Istanbul Day 1 Tuesday May 12, 2009

Clothıng Store.

Music Store.

Near our hotel after arrıvıng ın the afternoon.

First day near our hotel, early dinner.

Monday May 11

5 Dollar for a Newspaper? Yes that is the price for the Sunday edition.

Flight was with Lufthansa - so it was Good! Nice to watch the flight crew march through the airport in formation, even the line to check in was orderly.
Looks like Seija likes Russians now, at least when they are young man, sit next to you and like to talk.
Arrived 2:00PM local time in Istanbul, warm but OK.
One thing, never buy two tickets from two airlines for the same trip and the same day. Big trouble. I did not remember our flight on the way back from Istanbul to Athens was included in my millage tickets from United. I purchase tickets on Olympic for the same trip, now can not change the United ticket without loosing the return trip and have not found the Olympic office to cancel or change their tickets which are through Expedia.


Start is the Prairie Crossing Train Station. from there to the Chicago Airport. No traffic and the train stops at the remote airport parking lot.

Tom B. is driving us to the train.

ITINERARY for the Tour and Greece on our own

2009
Dates	Day	Town	Hotel
May 11	1	CHI - Frankfurt - Istanbul
May 12	2	Istanbul	Pera Tulip on Own
May 13	3	Istanbul	Pera Tulip on Own
May 14	4	SmarTours First Day	Pera Tulip SmarTour
May 15	5	SmarTours	Pera Tulip SmarTour
May 16	6	SmarTours
May 17	7	SmarTours
May 18	8	SmarTours
May 19	9	SmarTours
May 20	10	SmarTours
May 21	11	SmarTours
May 22	12	SmarTours
May 23	13	SmarTours
May 24	14	SmarTours
May 25	15	SmarTours Last Day	Pera Tulip SmarTour
May 26	16	Istanbul	Pera Tulip on Own
May 27	17	Istanbul	Pera Tulip on Own
May 28	18	Istanbul-Athen-Rhodes	Domos
May 29	19	Rhodes	Domos
May 30	20	Rhodes	Domos
May 31	21	Rhodes	Domos
June 1	22	Rhodes	Domos
June 2	23	Rhodes	Domos
June 3	24	Rhodes to Santorini	GalatiaVilla
June 4	25	Santorini	GalatiaVilla
June 5	26	Santorini	GalatiaVilla
June 6	27	Santorini	GalatiaVilla
June 7	28	Santorini to Naxos	Grotta
June 8	29	Naxos	Grotta
June 9	30	Naxos	Grotta
June 10	31	Naxos	Grotta
June 11	32	Naxos	Grotta
June 12	33	Naxos toAthens	Attalos
June 13	34	Athens	Attalos
June 14	35	Athens	Attalos
June 15	36	Athens	Attalos
June 16	37	Athens	Attalos
June 17	38	Athens -Frankfurt - CHI