I got home at around 3 am ... and was up again at 6 am to start the edit on another Food & Wine Special ... so I am rather frazzled.
Strange to think that I was in the City of Minarets this time yesterday and now I am in the City of Traffic Wardens & Angry People ... yay!
AHHHH! It was so much fun in Istanbul! I love Istanbul – one of the most fascinating, vibrant, scenic, historic and dare I say it, romantic cities I have ever visited.
The hotels (Four Seasons at Sultanahmet and The Ritz Carlton) I stayed in are superb … the attractions spellbinding and the people – just gorgeous.
My last day in Istanbul:
First up - a visit to the Four Seasons on the banks of the Bosphorus! I was here to interview the Director of Istanbul 2010 - as Istanbul is the European Capital of Culture ... note that Turkey is not part of the European Union ... yet ...Above by the way is the adorable Sibel Benli - PR director for both FS hotels in Istanbul ... one of which I stayed/filmed in!
The lovely Director - Ozgul Yavuz - who described everything that's going on in Istanbul. One of the highlights (hmmmm) is that U2 is playing here in September. Thankfully I am on the other side of the world for that one!
Ah! Some photos from the helicopter! Please note, I was using my "point & click" Sony ... am getting my new Leica next week! Whoo-hoo! (http://travel.leica-camera.com/) ...This is the Ritz-Carlton Hotel!
and again ...
Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Mosque)
Topkapi Palace
again ...
Four Seasons at Sultanahmet
again ...
The Grand Bazaar
Four Seasons at the Bosphorus
European Istanbul from Asian Istanbul
I am in Asia now!
The last feature we filmed was with Turkey's most famous calligrapher. Savas Cevik writes/draws in Arabic & Latin ... he has won many international awards for his work and he took the time show me how he works and above is my name in Arabic (phonetically) ... it was a great little feature! It took him 10 minutes to create this work of art ... it will be framed and will sit on my office wall!
Finally checked out of The Ritz-Carlton and indeed Istanbul. There to say farewell from the hotel was General Manager Martin Kleinmann and (above) his lovely assistant/hotel PR - Serah Resid both whom I will miss very much ...This week I am editing - more Melbourne, Tasmania ... a Food & Wine special (now been rebranded "Varun Sharma's Culinary Travels") ... and next week I am off to New York for a couple of nights AND then to South Africa!!! PHEW!!!
Song of the Day: Billie Jean - Michael Jackson
Weather: Bright & Clear & Chilly ...
