17th - 20th April 2006 - Ayvalik and Istanbul (Turkey)
Posted at 8:46 AM, Thursday, April 20, 2006
Hi All,
Nearly stuffed up on Lesbos. We'd moored right inside inner harbourt and right alongside Harbour Masters Office - But I had not bothers to check in or pay harbour fees. MISTAKE. A nice offical came across and invited us to do it properly, but when we did thew guys in the office prospe rwere a tad upset. Seems they'd been sitting all morning wating for us to go in - no excuses they say - immediately you enter the harbour, you go into their office. Anyway about 4 euros lighter (yes very low charges) we'd had it all stamped, the wine, beer and camping gaz on board, and were off.
Motored over the 20 miles to Ayvalik in Turkey on dead flat seas last Monday. Very very hot. Bimini up for first time. Nice in the shade. Top job by C & J Marine way back in UK.
Here are the guys formally swopping courtesy flags as we crossed the dividing line twix Greece / Turkey. The Turkish coast is only 8 miles away, but our distance up to Ayvalik is more like 20 miles as head NE.
As we entered between two small Turkish islands we fortunately found a Turkish octopus diver who was happy to dive and clear away a rope we thought we'd got tangled in our prop. He could hardly wait help us out, and actually removed a large bunch of rope. But what a lovely way to be greeted on arrival in a new land.
Ayvalik looks more sophisticed than the Greek marinas visited so far - even if the town itself is still wearing its winter shabby look. I'm sure it will all smarten up as summer approaches.
Once we cleared customs which took an hour or so, we all elected to get off the boat and get up to Istanbul by whatever transport was available.
So using a Turkish pal to swiftly advise on travel / hotel etc we set off first by taxi for a bumpy 200 km journey on well pot holed side roads up to Bandikar, where we found a cafe to gulp down a kebab whilsy we waited for the 2100 ferry for the last 80 km across the Sea of Marmaris to Istanbul ferry port.
The hotel had a driver waiting for us and we arrived at our small boutique type hotel only a stones throw from the 'famed' Blue Mosque - right in the downtown centre of the city - and inside 5 minutes were all supping icy cold beer on their small roof terrace as the city pumped away around us.
The Blue Mosque was right next door and floodlit. Fabulous.
What a place Istanbul is. It was a first time visit for us all. Spicy, busy, dusty, noisy, lively - yet pretty also. Oh - plus more carpet salesmen than you'd ever believe possibe.
We had a great two days shopping for some clothes, plus exploring back alleys, bazarrs, palaces and Mosques. Here are the guys in the Grand Bazaar right in the town centre.
Assisted again by our Turkish lady friend Savak, we dropped the guys at the airport for their 1700 flight home. Sue and I then took an overnight bus all the way back to Ayvalik. No one on it spoke one word of English - and of course no one understood one word of my Turkish either. Smiles and hand gestures do go a long way!!
Long distance bus travel in Turkey is OK. Tea / cake / water etc all served under way by one of four attentive waiters - and it cost only £12 each to cover the 300 km in the 8 hours!
So now am back on board Swagman and will be doing chores whilst we wait for the rally to come to us next week. The first seven rally yachts should arrive here from Istanbul next Tuesday - and next Saturday we along with another three will join them to sail to our next port of Cesme down the coast where we'll pick up more entrants.
I want to give a big thanks to Gerry and Marcus for helping us get over here so quickly and with such fun. Most other yachts take two months to do what we did in two weeks. It was great. They were great. Super guys who get along so well with each other and us.....
Further thanks also to Savak for making our Istanbul adventure a fabulously high way to wrap up the delivery trip.........so from here, its on, on.
Cheers.
JOHN