Merhaba, Përshëndetje or just plain Hello!
Welcome to my latest week of adventure in Turkey and a day in Albania. And what an adventure it has been. I've been spoiled beyond belief by the Crowne Plaza hotel staff in two different cities and explored areas in Istanbul I would have surely missed without local insights. I'm very grateful for the universe's continuing benevolence!
How about you? What are you grateful for in the last week? We have so many blessings in a week that we sometimes overlook and/or take for granted. The time you take to acknowledge the goodness you have benefited from creates a positive energy wave that ripples through the universe. I challenge you to see how many ripples you can initiate in the week ahead!
Did you realize that watermelons and oranges have seeds? Funny question, right? Well, watermelons are in season through Central/Western Asia right how. These watermelons are loaded with seeds to keep you busy picking if you are so inclined.
I already have a serious irritant after just one day in Tirana. Drivers in this city will park their cars anywhere, turn on the four way flashers, and disappear causing mayhem with the flow of traffic. What a nightmare scenario, especially where the streets are particularly narrow. Inconsiderate and selfish - yes, this behavior is forcing me to be judgemental! First world problem, right?!
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| Hadrian's Gate - Antalya |
I surprised myself at how much I enjoyed visiting Istanbul. I somewhat reluctantly made the stop based on my friend John's recommendation. While Day 1 was ok as I walked down memory lane with the various tourist destinations, Day 2 was exceptional. I loved the experience I had meandering between the different parts of the city with the added bonus of crossing the Bosphorus Strait on a ferry. I am blessed once again!
My thanks to the universe for uneventful flights, luggage arriving on time and in one piece, effortless security screening and immigration clearance. So many moments of truth where traveling can take an unexpected and unwelcome turn!
May the universe bring endless blessings and moments of magic 🦄 to you and your loved ones in the week ahead. 🙏
Travel Administration
Be prepared for two rounds of security screening (allocate the extra time) in Turkish airports. You must clear a security screening in order to enter the airport and go through a second security screening to enter the area where the gates are located.
ATM withdrawals in Albania must have the world's highest fees. You're best to budget about 800 leks/$14 Cdn ($10 USD/8.68 Euro)/withdrawal. The 2.5% that Visa charges on top of the currency exchange charged for your atm withdrawal leaves you in a world of financial hurt. It's a sharp contrast from Central Asia where atm withdrawals are free. You will need to have cash on hand while traveling in Albania so plan your ATM withdrawals carefully.
Travel Update
'Steady as she goes' is the best way to describe my future travel plans. We shall see what the universe has in store for me in the weeks ahead.
Travel Maps
I started the week in Antalya, then I took a flight to Istanbul for the next three nights. I finished the week in Tirana, Albania.
Turkey: August 18 to August 28, 2026
Intercountry Travel: Istanbul, Turkey to Tirana, Albania - August 28
Albania: August 28, 2026 to September 5, 2026
I only had a small hint of what this city and the surrounding area has to offer. I'm guessing one should plan to spend at least one week in the Antalya area if you want to enjoy the hiking, less touristy beaches, and historical sites that are found in this area. You could easily spend a entire month exploring the Turquoise Coast. Best times to avoid would be July and August when the whole of Europe is on vacation here!
Historic Kaleiçi district
The historic district was an easy Sunday morning bus ride from my accommodation. The weather continued to be toasty warm so an earlier start was in order.
Oh, the things I learn once I arrived in the city. My standard modus operandi when I arrive in a new destination is to scouring the web for the city highlights. That's how I learned about this district. I had a vague recollection of the old town area from what I read in accommodation reviews when I was booking my hotel. I was looking to be close to the sandy beach and away from the frenetic pace commonly found around these types of historic sights.
I was unsuccessful in taking a photo of the gate without people milling about. Just when I thought I had a clean shot, another tourist would suddenly appear. It's also frustrating when these tourists insist on taking multiple photos so they can get their 'poses' just right!
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| Road worn away with cart traffic! |
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| City wall remnants |
Old Town
There are a few walkways in the Old Town that you can explore after passing through the gate. The main walkway I took led to the sea where a beautiful breeze brought welcome relief to an increasingly hot day.
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Local attempt to adorn the
manhole cover
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Trust the Irish to start Happy Hour
at 10 am. |
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More creative expression on this
manhole cover! |
'The tower is one of the oldest surviving monuments in the city. It is built of yellow-brown, stone blocks. Its lower story was erected on the square plan at the turn of the 2nd century AD as a part of the city fortifications. Soon, in the 2nd century, the second story was added, this time on the circular plan. The upper part of the building underwent extensive renovations during the Seljuk and Ottoman periods.
The function of this structure still remains a mystery. The popular belief is that the tower was actually the tomb of an important person. This hypothesis is confirmed by the fragments of frescoes preserved inside the building. Moreover, on both sides of the entrance gate there are stylized carvings of axes that could indicate the importance of the person buried in it.'
Ruins
Excavations of the city historical ruins had this glass walking above them that gave us visitors a 'bird's eye' view of the ruins. That would be me walking on the steel beams that support the sheets of glass instead of walking directly on the glass surface. Entertaining to watch, no doubt!
The best part of this area were the magnificent sea views!
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| Looking north |
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| Looking north |
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| Sitting in the shade - enjoying the view and space! |
Konyaaltı Beach
What a busy beach area! I saw sun worshippers on the beach around 6 am claiming their ideal spot for the day. You could also rent sun loungers and umbrellas in different sections of the beach. Lots of space to set up your own beach umbrella, albeit, the beach did get crowded by later in the morning.
A paved cycling path, running track and pedestrian walkway run parallel to the beach which offered an easy way to get exercise and enjoy the seaside experience.
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| Looking south |
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| Looking north |
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| Fellow sun worshipper |
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| A couple's day at the beach! |
Surroundings
Antalya is particularly picturesque in the Konyaaltı Beach area with the mountains in the background which add their own magic to the experience. You can easily forget you are in a large city, at least for a few minutes.
Sunrise - Antalya
My hotel room faced the east so I could enjoy the sunrise from my balcony. I even was motivated one morning to walk along the beach to witness the sun break over the horizon. Well, technically, I guess it's just the earth continuing to rotate - thank goodness!
August 23
August 24 - Beach view
August 25
Friends
I met Omar when I sat down to share a bench so I could enjoy the sea view, the shade and the fabulous sea breeze. He was fairly quick to strike up a conversation. Classic opener - asking where I was from. He had a friend who lived in the Toronto area. He shared that he was a lawyer. leaving me with his business card should I want to get in touch with him. Thank goodness the need for legal advice in Turkey was unnecessary!
Antalya to Istanbul
More aerial photos of Turkey to increase your awareness of the country's topography and, of course, for viewing pleasure!
Istanbul
I had two full days to explore Istanbul. My hotel, Crowne Plaza - Asia, was located near Sabiha Gökçen International Airport on the Asian side of Istanbul. I was about 75 minutes, by subway, from the key sights which are located on the city's European side. While the hotel location was inconvenient for the tourist destinations, it was ideal for Saturday's early morning flight to Tirana. Life is all about choices...
I was immediately discouraged by what I thought was the exorbitant cost (about $200 - $300 Cdn in total) to access the three key tourist sites (Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque,Topkapi Palace Museum and Basilica Cistern). These three sites became nice to do's. The important blessing is all these sites are within easy walking distance.
I decided to make my way to the area to experience the vibe and take a few photos of the buildings' exterior. I was looking forward to revisiting the Grand Bazaar which I had explored when I was in Istanbul in the early 1980's.
Blue Mosque
Good news! The mosque is free to visit! You are also provided with the appropriate clothing to ensure you are respectfully dressed inside the mosque. I had an interesting conversation with a couple from London, England. He was in the early stages of experimenting with retirement. While his spreadsheet analysis suggested he had the finances to retire, he was reticient to believe that the calculations were 'true'!
The photo below is about the closest I got to this famous Istanbul mosque. I met a young couple from Adelaide who expressed disappointment with their experience visiting the mosque. They thought the Blue Mosque was better choice. Lucky was a police officer and his partner Ann was a nurse. Lucky - what a great name to be blessed with! I wonder what his parents were thinking when they chose his name??
Sorry, I was relunctant to wait in the queue and pay so much money to visit the museum. I figure I could be satisfied with a second hand experience by looking at photos taken by others who had visited palace's interior. Appreciating opulence has an upper limit...
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| Initial entrance to walled compound |
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| Interior wall and gardens |
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| Inner gate to palace museum |
Now, for the experience I was really looking forward to - visiting the Grand Bazaar. I entered the bazaar with my ancient memories of being invited into shops and offered a cup of tea. It was a fun and exciting shopping environment for a young man in his early 20's.
What a disappointment! My failing memory had imagined a warren of alleys that you could easily get lost in while exploring the bazaar's nooks and crannies. Not so. The bazaar was an antiseptic shopping mall with all the modern shopping mall amenities including the large glass doors to enter the shops. I stayed long enough to take the photos below.
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| Grand Bazaar entrance |
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| All nice, clean and shiny |
David's Guided Tour
My second day of exploring Istanbul took an unexpected series of twists which made the day much more interesting and aligned with what I was looking for. My thanks to Haava, the hotel's guest relations manager, for transforming an ordinary day into an exceptional visit.
When Haava learned I planned to visit the Modern Art Museum, she had a number of suggestions of places to see. She was familiar with the area around the Museum as the university she had attended for her PhD was nearby.
My initial objective was visiting the Modern Art Museum and a small cafe that Haava recommended. Unfortunately the Art Museum's permanent collection was closed, so I decided to visit the cafe to rethink what I was going to do.
This is the point in my day when Haava's additional recommendations kick in. All the destinations I have identified in this section are courtesy of Haava. Her series of recommendations gave me the opportunity to appreciate Istanbul by wandering about different neighborhoods and getting a first-hand local experience which I love. I also had the gift of crossing the Bosphorus Strait on a ferry. What an extraordinary experience!
Haava shared the following comment with me that rings so true throughout my travels: 'You are a Traveller and you never know what happens next!'
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| Monument near Art Museum |
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| Mosque across from Art Museum |
Istanbul Museum of Modern Art
Sadly, like I mentioned, the permanent collection was closed, so I decided to skip the visit.
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| Art Museum entrance |
Cafe Discovery Walk
Le Petit Pera was a cute little cafe located about a 15 minute stroll from the Art Museum. I had the thrill of navigating a series of small alleys that seemed to meander in my pursuit of this cafe. Yes, the thrill of discovering what is around the next curve in the alley way! Lucky me! The cafe offered apple pie! Served heated (without asking!) Sooo good! Ranks up there with the apple pie my mom used to make!
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Alley way on my way to apple
pie heaven! |
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| Sidewalk cafe |
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Pie - Turkish coffee is free with your
dessert |
Enroute to Ataturk Cultural Center
The Ataturk Cultural Center was my next destination in my slowly evolving guided tour. This part of my tour was more about what I discovered on the way as opposed to the destination. Interesting streets with interesting shops and people. I love this type of exploration. I even benefited from extra exercise as I was walking uphill for about 30 minutes to reach the Center. The Cultural Center, which was closed on the day I visited, is located in Taksim Square. The Square was a lively place with locals and tourists alike. High energy place to be!
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I had to peek in and just keep walking.
What a tough choice! |
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| Love these types of streets |
Crossing the Bosphorus Strait
My next destination was located directly across the Bosphorus Strait from Taksim Square. Fortunately, the city provides regular ferry service across the strait. There was an intriguing walkway that led down to the waterfront from Taksim Square. I was about to cross the Strait by boat - going from Europe to Asia.
How dramatic and exciting! I loved the idea I had fallen into the chance to cross the strait by boat. We arrived safely in less than 15 minutes!
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| Sidewalk leading to waterfront |
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| Happy I was now going downhill! |
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| My ferry |
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| Asian side of Istanbul |
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| Ferry departure point - European side |
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| Looking over the Strait |
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| Looking north in the direction of the Black Sea |
'The Kuzguncuk neighborhood sits on the Asian side, tucked between Uskudar and Beylerbeyi. It’s known for colorful houses, Icadiye Street, small cafes, and a rare mix of mosque, church, and synagogue sharing the same streets. But listing that misses the point. Kuzguncuk works because it’s scaled for humans, not itineraries.'
What a delightful and interesting neighborhood to explore. An oasis in the midst of a crazy, busy city! So chill with all the trees, colorful houses, narrow streets and cafes everywhere. I sat in a park for about 30 minutes just absorbing the energy and, of course, people watching!
Thanks to Haava for sharing this gem!
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Great area to walk slowly and
smell the Turkish coffee! |
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| Temptation abounds in Istanbul |
One Last Photo
Seeing this tower reinforced the important work required to keep the water traffic moving safely on the busy Strait which connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara (then onto the Agean Sea and into the Mediterranean Sea). That's your geography lesson for this blog post!!!
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| Keeping the Strait safe |
Meals
A perk I enjoyed at this Crowne Plaza was having a Club Lounge floor room. The lounge was open from 7:30 am to 11 pm with snacks and drinks available throughout the day. The lounge also served breakfast and dinner. The hotel's restaurant manager decided to close the lounge in two of the three evenings that I was at the hotel because of a lack of club lounge floor guests. The closure was an unexpected blessing as I was invited to enjoy dinner in the hotel restaurant - without extra charge. In fact, I learned from the reception staff that they had had a meeting about how they should address my needs since the club lounge was closed. I LOVED their solution!!
The restaurant manager ensured I had whatever I wanted for the two evenings I ate in the restaurant. Hilal, my waitress, was attentive and gracious. I was truly spoiled - even more spoiled than I was in Nevsehir! I'm so grateful for this amazing blessing in my travels!
I also enjoyed the buffet breakfast on my second morning. While I missed out on breakfast on my last night due to my early flight, I did receive the best box breakfast ever to take with me!
Evening 2
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| Traditional Turkish appetizers |
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| Lamb |
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Warm chocolate souffle with ice cream
Highly recommended! |
Evening 3
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Beetroot & Goat Cheese salad
top view |
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| Beetroot & Goat Cheese salad - side view |
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| Lamb |
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| Baklava with ice cream |
Sunrise - August 27
I had another guest room with windows facing the east. Hello Sunrise!
Friends
Crowne Plaza - Asia
My Istanbul friends were found in the Crowne Plaza Hotel - Asia where I enjoyed being spoiled for three consecutive nights. I managed to mess up my original reservation by only booking two nights instead of three nights. The hotel staff were fabulous in smoothing over my mistake so I could stay in the same room; I just needed to have my key card updated for the third night. My new friends include:
Reception
Fatih, Nisa, Sude, Gonca (the exceptional trainee without a name badge), Nuran, Raja (with a smile that lights up the darkest night) and Haava, the guest relations manager, who generously shared her travel insights.
Food and Beverage
Kadir and Hakan in the Club Lounge. Kadir created the most awesome omelet for breakfast on my first morning. He injected pure love in the meal - his smile when he gave me the omelet told the whole story.
Hilal - my kind and thoughtful restaurant waitress
Korkmaz - restaurant manager who made me feel special whenever we spoke. He also had a plate of nuts sent to my room after my first meal.
Lucky & Ann
How lucky I was to have a conversation with this delightful couple from Adelaide, Australia. We were sitting near each other on a bench enjoying the shade. I think I asked them where they were from with an engaging conversation ensuing thereafter! Lucky, the police officer and his partner, Ann, the nurse. The classic shift based couple you may find where there are police and nurses working together. They were so kind to offer me watermelon they were eating while talking with me.
Istanbul to Tirana
My 8 am flight landed in Tirana around 9:30 am. Albania has interesting topography with its share of mountainous regions, canyons, and beaches. Enjoy the aerial view approaching and around Albania's capital.
Albania
My game plan for exploring Albania was to take day trips from Tirana. I also wanted to visit several Balkan countries, like Bosnia and Kosovo, given their unfortunate turmoil in the 90's. The other countries included Montenegro and North Macedonia. In Albania, I wanted to visit the Albanina Alps, Holta Canyon and the historic city (UNESCO site) of Berat.
Tirana
I think Tirana is seriously underwhelming as a tourist destination. The few places they have were of limited interest. I skipped out on the Soviet era Bunker that has been transformed into an art show place. The remnants of the city's historic castle have been turned over to restaurants and bars. I'd recommend you do your research on the city if you decide to travel here.
Skanderberg was the 15th century nobleman, and hero of the nation for resisting the Ottomans who is revered throughout Albania and many places in Europe including England. The Ottomans kidnapped him as a child to keep his noble family in check. While in Ottoman custody he was trained to be a warrior, eventually returning to Albania where he successfully turned against the Ottomans for about 25 years.
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| My first macchiato - deformed heart! |
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| Albanian flag in Skanderberg Square |
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Classic 'I Love' street sign - ambiguous about your
destination though! |
'The Pyramid of Tirana stands as one of the city’s most iconic landmarks, symbolizing Albania’s complex history and evolving cultural landscape. Originally built as a museum dedicated to the country’s long-time communist leader, Enver Hoxha, this remarkable structure has since transformed into a hub of innovation, education, and tourism.'
The thrill here is climbing to the pyramid's peak to enjoy a broader view of Tirana and the surrounding mountains. That's all, folks!
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| Pyramid - warm up for my trip to Egypt! |
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| Steps to peak |
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| View from pyramid |
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| View from pyramid |
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| View from pyramid |
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| View from pyramid |
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| View from pyramid |
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| View from pyramid |
Kosovo - North Macedonia Day Trip
'Located at the foot of the Sharr Mountains, (declared "National Park"), on both banks of the Lumbardhi and at the crossroads of important trade routes between east and west, Prizren has historically been known as an important cultural, economic and diplomatic center.'
Kosovo's 2nd largest city is a picturesque destination where you can enjoy good food and drink in a pastoral setting. You may want to consider a broader itinerary in the region as your city visit may only take a few hours!
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| My kind of message! |
'Skopje is the political, economic and cultural heart of North Macedonia. Spread along the banks of the Vardar River and surrounded by mountains, the capital brings together ancient ruins, Ottoman heritage, Orthodox churches, mosques, socialist-era modernism and contemporary urban life.
Skopje is not a city that belongs to only one historical period. Its identity has been shaped by Roman settlements, medieval rulers, centuries of Ottoman influence, Balkan trade, Yugoslav urban development, a devastating earthquake and a major international reconstruction effort.'
Welcome to Mother Teresa's birthplace! Mother Teresa was born in Skopje in 1910 as Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu. An important lesson learned in visiting Albania is finding out that Mother Teresa was Albanian!
It's a pretty (picturesque in sections) and walkable city as I hope my photos below illustrate.
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| Archaeological Museum of Macedonia |
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| Stone Bridge |
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| Alexander the Great |
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| Alexander the Great |
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| Mother Teresa Memorial House |
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| Archaeological Museum of Macedonia |
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| Archaeological Museum of Macedonia |
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| Obligatory cross on the hill |
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| Central Square |
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| Central Square |
Sunrise - August 29
I captured this sunrise from the tour van as we were on our way to Kosovo.
Next Week
I plan to explore Albania and surrounding countries through day trips using Tirana, the capital, as my base. I fly to Cairo early Saturday morning on Austrian Airlines which means I have a short layover in Vienna. Coincidentally, I had a short layover in Vienna when I flew to Maldives in January. Small world...
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