After a long day of flying from the UK, with a very early start, Aude finally arrived in Istanbul early Friday evening. We headed down to Baghdad Street, on the Asian side, for a quick dinner of kebabs. Our cab driver was the worst that I’ve encountered in Istanbul – and that’s saying a lot. In the end, we got out and walked, fearing for both our lives and our stomachs if we continued on in the taxi.

I don’t know where this myth started about the Turks having great food. Sure, you can get your choice of lamb or chicken grilled to perfection at most places. But that’s about it for variety. Maybe a salad or some fish, grilled without any sauce. For the record, if I never eat Turkish food again, it will be too soon. The diet is one part of this country I certainly won’t miss. The Turkish have one of the highest smoking rates in Europe – nearly 90% of adults here smoke. And they have a correspondingly low life expectancy. But I suspect that their early death has nothing to do with their smoking – they smoke so they don’t have to eat their rubbish food, and eventually they face their millionth kebab and just give up the will to live.

Never mind. Aude had brought some champagne with her, so we had a few glasses and called it an early night back at the hotel.

Saturday morning, I hired a car and driver to spend the day with us. I did the same thing when I was in Sydney and Bangkok, and I remain convinced that this is the best way to see any city if you’re short on time. Our chauffeur whisked us off to the European side of Istanbul (via ferry, which was a nice way to get our first views of the old city) and then from one place to another, no waiting, no confusion, no language difficulties, and most importantly, no hassle. He even recommended a great fish restaurant for us at lunch. We had the terrace to ourselves, and had a great time watching the world go by.

Aude did a great job setting out our itinerary (I’m usually useless at things like this, and happily handed over the guide book and delegated all responsibility for planning our day, my role having ended at booking the car.) We took in all the big sights in the old city – the Topkapi Palace, the Aya Sofya, the Grand Bazaar, and the Egyptian Spice market. It was a great day out, and the weather stayed absolutely perfect for us.

I took loads of photos, but I’ve chosen a small handful for this website. I’ll stick the rest up later when I finally have some time.

Matt and Aude on the ferry from the Asian side of Istanbul to the European side

A group of Muslim women visiting the Topkapi Palace

There are cats everywhere in Istanbul. Here’s one of the little guys peering out of a fountain at the Palace.

Matthew standing outside the entrace to the kitchen at the Topkapi Palace.

The entrance to the inner courtyard at the Topkapi Palace.

Aude in the gardens of the Topkapi Palace, enjoying the perfect weather on a November morning.

Aude on the stairs in the gardens at the Topkapi Palace.

A view of the Asian side of Istanbul

One of the mosaic doorways at the Topkapi Palace

Lunch in an Istanbul restaurant

Fresh fish!

Aude outside the Aya Sofya

Aya Sofya

Aya Sofya. Clearly the signs didn’t apply to the cats.

Inside Aya Sofya

Inside Aya Sofya

The Blue Mosque

The Blue Mosque

Aya Sofya, looking fantastic in the setting sun

A balloon seller

The Grand Bazaar

Gold sellers at the Grand Bazaar

The Egyptian spice market

Uh oh! Aude needs to be on the lookout for counterfeit products — they’re everywhere!

Just arrived in Istanbul after a really nice weekend in Paris (although it was over too quickly). We managed to beat the worst of the strikes with a combination of taxis or walking, although we did have to wait ages for a taxi to take Aude to the train station – it was looking a little touch-or-go as to whether she’d make her train in time, but in the end she made it with time to spare.

I spent most of the weekend craving steak at inappropriate times – my body clock is still set to Singapore time, so I’m starving at breakfast and lunchtime but not hungry at all for dinner. What time I didn’t spend starving, I mostly spent freezing. It was hovering around freezing for most of the weekend, and despite having purchased a new coat, I wasn’t wearing nearly enough to keep me warm.

Aude and Gratiane at lunch on Saturday afternoon

Matthew and François at lunch on Saturday afternoon

Caught her mid-gulp!

We had a really nice lunch with François and Gratiane on Saturday at a restaurant around the corner from our hotel, hampered only slightly my the fact that I managed to step into a pile of dog poo on the way – I suppose that’s one of the pleasures of Parisian life I must learn to get used to.

Aude and Matthew at the Cafe Bibliotheque for her birthday

Matt sits at the kids’ table on his own…

After a late night partying, we managed to drag ourselves out of bed around mid-day on Sunday, and spent most of the afternoon exploring the city and trying to figure out where we’re going to live.

Matt on the streets of Paris (with obligatory tourist trap of €3 popcorn)

Matthew’s impression of a rabbit doesn’t impress the locals. Parisians, it appears, aren’t an easy bunch to impress!

Aude seems happy to be back in Paris, and looks right at home…

Aude at the old harbour in Antalya

Matthew at the old harbour in Antalya

Aude by the light of a lantern’s glow…

Our waiter, hard at work filleting the fish we’d ordered…

Matt relaxes over his dinner…

Matt isn’t the only one who thinks the fish looks good…

Another beautiful day, most of which we spent at the beach. The beaches here are pebble, the waves are strong, and the water gets deep very quickly, so not great for swimming. It was probably our first and last visit to the beach until we get to Cesme, where the beaches are sand and the water is more shallow.

My animal magnetism seems to be working overtime. I’d barely sat down for lunch before one of the ‘hotel’ cats was sitting in my lap. We’ve dubbed him ‘President Cataturk’. And the cats here have obviously worked out that I’m a soft touch as they’re constantly begging at my table (and seemingly not others!)

We had another good dinner overlooking the harbour, Aude managing to charm the waiter so much that we left with flowers. I’m considering buying her a burka.

Matthew at the old harbour in Antalya

Aude at the old harbour in Antalya

The view from our hotel room at the Sheraton Voyager Antalya

Aude ponders the world from atop a bridge at the hotel

Turkish coffee!

Turkish tea!

It’s a beautiful, bright morning in Antalya, Turkey, where we’ve spent the first few days of our honeymoon. After a few hair-raising moments in the rental car, I managed to find the hotel and dodge the worst of the Turkish drivers. The hotel, pool, beaches, and weather (30 degrees and sunny) are all perfect. We were met with champagne, flowers and the general honeymoon treatment.

The only thing raining on the parade is that I’ve managed to pick up a throat infection and have spent the morning at the doctor’s (for those of you who have never visited a doctor’s surgery in Turkey, it’s best to imagine something circa 1950s out of M*A*S*H – lot’s of hand-labelled glass bottles of disinfectant – it’s all a little scary, to be honest).

Aude has developed a pathological fear of the bees out here, which are the size of small birds, and has quickly abandoned her perfume.

Our biggest excitement seems to be the fact that no one believes that either of us live in England. Most assume we’re Turkish (helped, no doubt, by having spent a few weeks in the Mediterranean sun before we arrived), and those who don’t assume we’re Turkish guess Italian, Spanish, or German.

We had a nice meal last night overlooking the old harbour in Antalya – and had our first raki overlooking the port. No doubt we’ll be tired of kebabs by the end of two weeks here. The food has been universally excellent, but there’s a sameness to the cuisine here… We’ll see how we fare now that Ramadan has started – our dining choices may become more limited still.

We’ll be here for the next few days, then we’re off to the Aegean coast for five days there.

One of the things I love about New Orleans, especially during Jazzfest, is all of the street music that you come across. Buskers on nearly every street corner in the Quarter, playing and singing for tips.

A warm welcome to Jazzfest from one of the locals

A little jazz on the corner of rue Royal

Without a car, this bassist suddenly wishes he’d taken up the flute instead…

A little more music down by Jackson Square

And a competing group on the opposite corner of the Square!

More vacation updates: When we got back from the Chesapeake Bay, having stuffed ourselves with crabs, it was soon time for more food. My mother made a chicken and lentil tagine. We sat out in the garden until quite late, enjoying the unseasonably warm weather.

“Momcat” in the kitchen

The next morning was a bit of government-sponsored sightseeing. In order to get married in France, I need to attach an Apostille to my birth certificate, effectively certifying that my certified copy is genuinely a certified copy (a certification of a certification, if you will.) Initially I thought that I could get the Apostille done at the Department of State, but it turns out that they only issue them for federal documents. State documents, like my birth certificate, need to go back to the state where they were issued.

Since I was born in Washington, I thought I would find out if the Apostille could be issued in person. Luckily, it could – all it took was a quick trip down to the Mayor’s office and for $10, they prepare the certificate while they wait.

It all seemed so simple. And it was, until I read in the fine print that they only accepted cheques, money orders, or bankers’ drafts. No cash, no credit cards.

This wouldn’t normally be a problem, but I don’t carry my US chequebook as a matter of course. So I figured I would buy a money order at the post office. Only I assumed that there would be a post office on every downtown corner, the way there are in the UK. I was wrong – it was 17 blocks to the nearest post office!

Once I finally had the money order sorted out (which took all morning), the actual bureaucracy in the government office only took a few minutes. One more thing off my list of things to do before the wedding.

In the afternoon we went to Alexandria for lunch and to tour the Torpedo Factory (where the one gallery we really wanted to see was unfortunately closed!) We spent the rest of the afternoon down on the Potomac River, watching the planes take-off and land from Washington Reagan National Airport, which took me back to doing the same thing as a child. I am amazed, post 9/11, that they still allow you to get so close to the runway.

Planes landing at Reagan National Airport

Planes landing at Reagan National Airport

Planes landing at Reagan National Airport

Reagan National Airport

From there, we went out to Hains Point to see what was left of the cherry blossoms, then back home for an engagement party that my parents had arranged…

An old couple looking out onto the Potomac

Aude at Hains Point, overlooking the Potomac River

Matthew & Aude pose for a photo at The Awakening at Hains Point

Matthew poses in front of the cherry blossoms

Washington cherry blossoms