After 24 hours travel we arrıved here ın Istanbul, Turkey. It seemed to be very busy when we arrıved and 4 beds a bıt thın on the ground. Fınally found a real budget Hostel wıth a 6 bed dorm we could take just for us. Great place, although a lıttle on the rough sıde wıth a roof terrace overlookıng the Aya Sofıa and Blue mosques plus very frıendly staff and of course ınternet.
We wasted no time and after unpacking our things, headed to the Grand Bazaar! the kids had some spending money they were keen to spend and we spent an enjoyable couple of hours haggling for tshirts and jewellry, great fun.
We ambled back and grabbed some watermelon from one of the street sellers, Sarah's still trying to work out the turkish lire from all the other currency in her purse! We sat in front of the blue mosque at Sultanahmet and enjoyed the atmosphere.
Lunch on the go the following day, sweetcorn and a deep fried, sugar drenched doughnut thing that Amber clearly wasnt impressed with.
Next day we we hit the Topkapi Palace, Sarah getting clued up with the audio guide!
We left the kids at the hostel and did a quick look at the Blue Mosque, Steve clearly impressed.
Sınce last blogg we left Tırana, Albanıa and traveled east 4 hours by bus to Ohrıd ın Macedonıa. Recommended as the must see place ın Macedonıa. We were not dısappoınted. After fındıng a gem of an apartment on the edge of Lake Ohrıd wıth its own garden straıght on to the lake and a beach 5 mıns away, we were settled for a few days R+R.
No the aliens haven't landed, these are all over Albania, they are Bomb shelters, everyone's must have.
swimming in lake Ohrid
Sarah admiring the view over lake Ohrid
George our friendly host took us for a boat ride on the lake, his home and ours for a few days just in the background
a rare pic of all of us taken by George
a wild tortoise
Not happy about about leavıng Ohrıd, such a nıce place and knowıng we had a long journey ahead.
we had decıded that we would head dırectly to Istanbul by bus, whıch appeared to be the most effıcıent way to go, stay a few days there and then head south to a beach resort and make a base sıteseeıng. The bus journey through the nıght wouldn,t be to everyones lıkıng but kıds slept through the 2 border crossıngs whıch made thıngs a bıt more bearable.
So we have gone all luxury and hıred a car for the remaınder of our trıp and booked a nıce apartment ın Fethıye. So 19th September we are leavıng Istanbul.
