Bozcaada to Istanbul - Saturday June 11, 2011

Woke up to sunshine streaming in the bedroom window. It has been to short a time on Bozcaada, as I leave today to head back to Istanbul. Christine and Penny have very kindly offered me a ride with their driver back to their hotel in Istanbul, rather than making my way back via public transportation. Having proven to myself that it is very doable, I was more than willing to accept their very kind offer. 

I love this bedroom, with is simple yellow decor, comfortable bed, white linens with crocheted lace, marble shower and huge windows letting in the sea sounds and sea breezes . . . It is hard to leave . . .

After another scrumptious breakfast, we headed to town . . . This delicately branched bush was growing outside the hotel. It was sort of like broom, with soft pink blossoms . . .

Christine and Penny taking photos . . .

of our hotel . . . Otel Kaikias (http://www.kaikias.com/) . . . highly recommended if you wish to travel to a relaxing beautiful island in the Aegean!

My room was the room on the 2nd floor top right, with an open window at the far right of this picture. Apparently the hotel was built in 2001, but built to look old. The amenities are very modern and clean and comfortable . . .

We headed to town on the back roads, looking for the Greek Orthodox Church, where our tour guide had donated the bronze bell. We could hear it upon occasion, and it was a short walk, past many more beautiful lace covered windows . . . with orchids blooming in the open windows . . .

I just love their sense of colors . . . look at this soft blue, and terra cota red next to the purple . . . every doorway was a photo!

Pottery chards lining the entry steps to this home . . .

And then my camera ran out of batteries . . . Now it was time to take mental photographs, and just meander around the streets.

We found the Greek church, but we were not allowed in as there was someone inside partaking is some private matter . . . We continued on more streets, watching people watering their plants, eating breakfast in the many outdoor cafes, and working in their shops.

We came down to the center square, and I found the booth with the dolls. And there were my pants hanging on the display line! She had brought two pairs of pants - I guess thinking that this was a good item to sell since I had asked to buy them. Unfortunately the lady was not there, but a young couple was manning her booth. I purchased the pants, and was so pleased that I would be wearing Bozcaada in Vermont! We shopped along the markets stalls, looking for presents to take home . . .

Handan gave me a bit hug and I felt as though I had met a friend from some past life . . . we just connected. I checked out . . . and said that I would be back! I headed to meet the girls at the noon ferry. Apparently there is no charge for leaving the island! You only pay a ferry fare when you arrive!

We got to the mainland, and had to wait a bit for the driver and his assistant to arrive in a 12 person van, for the 2 (now 3) of us! We headed out of Geyikli along the coats up to Lapseki, where we took a ferry across to the European side to Gelibolu. We had lunch at a local restaurant right in the harbor. It was now around 4:00 p.m. and we headed up to Kesan, and then through Malkara and Tekirdag back to Istanbul. It was exciting to look over and see Greece - at one point we were less than 30 km from the Greek border. We arrived in Istanbul around 8:00 p.m. having driven through beautiful rich agricultural land than reminded me of upper New York state or Pennsylvania. It was very different than the Asian side than I had travelled through on my way down to Bozcaada, but it was full of wheat, and oats, and larger fields, with shepherd herding their goats along the roadside. It was a beautiful drive.

I said goodbye to Christine and Penny when they walked me to the tram stop. Penny came running back with some delicious lemon gelato for the journey back to Sisle to the Divan City Hotel, and dinner with the gang. 

I arrived at the hotel, and Robert, Kathy, Luc, Juliana and Johnny were sitting down for dinner. It was great to catch up with everyone, to hear of their adventures, to "home" in the hotel for our last night in Istanbul, and have our waiter doting on us! What a day! What an adventure!