Argentina & Chile

This is my second travel Blog, which is on a more recent trip I took with my entire family. We visited Latin America in the month of December 2018. We visited two countries in Latin American, namely Argentina and Chile, and I am sharing my experiences here…

Day 1 : We started off our trip by visiting Argentina’s capital of Buenos Aires. Our stay was at AQ Tailored Suites (www.aqsuites.com), a modern little boutique hotel located in the heart of town. We reached by evening after almost 36 hours of travel, so we retired early for the day.

Day 2 : To begin with, we started exploring Buenos Aires. We first went to Florida Street which is a popular shopping street in downtown, after which we went to Plaza de Mayo, which is a famous square. Over there, we spotted the Pink house. For teatime, we chose Pertutti café, a small quaint café with delicious food. In the evening, we roamed around town seeing the popular opera and the national congress. Finally for dinner, we went to Sarkis that turned out to be an average Mediterranean restaurant.

Day 3 : This was going to be a long day as planned. Early in the morning, we took a flight from Buenos Aires domestic airport to Iguazu. Declared as a UNESCO world heritage site, Iguazu falls is a cluster of cascades and cataracts as far as the eye can see. At Iguazu airport, we headed straight for the falls. At the tour starting point, we took a train to Cataracts station which was the start of the devils throat trails, the most popular trail in Argentina. The trail is beautiful and we could see the water splash up to about 250 feet. We had lunch and signed up for the boat ride. We were given life jackets to wear, and our 30-minute boat ride took us into the meandering waters of the Iguazu falls. Occasionally, we went very close to the gallons of downpour of the smaller falls, which got us drenched. Make sure to carry an extra pair of clothing as you are surely going to get totally wet! They literally take you under many small waterfalls from various angles. The experience was unforgettable!

Day 4 : We planned to visit La Boca and its surroundings that day. La Boca is famous for its colorful houses, street tango dancers and its soccer team. It makes its way on to every traveller’s list. We also visited the famous stadium of La Bombonera, which is the largest in Argentina. We choose to have lunch in La Pecora Nera Grill, which is a nice little casual fine dining place. It serves classic grilled dishes with a nice modern twist. We also visited the flea market in the afternoon to see a fantastic display of local handicrafts and products. Later, we wandered around Puerto Madero, which is a cosmopolitan neighborhood. Don’t miss the chance to visit the Obelisco which is a monument built to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the city of Buenos Aires.

Day 5 : We were to head for our Chilean fjord cruise now. This was a 4 day sail showing us the most exotic sights which one could only see though this cruise, and I was really excited for it! Our flight at 8:25 am took us to Ushuaia, the southernmost inhabitation in the world. As we landed, we took a taxi to the cruise center where we filled up a few forms and dropped our luggage. We had time in hand for lunch and to explore the city, so we strolled around the streets and went to the small shops around there; it is one of the best place to buy camping and trekking gear. We also went to a coffee shop where they gave us a taste of fresh Argentinian coffee. The highlight of Ushuaia is the point that marks the southernmost tip of the habited world, and being there was a truly amazing feeling. We eventually headed towards the harbor as it was time to board our cruise ship named “Ventus Australis.” It had a total capacity of 210 passengers. The cruise had 2 small lounges and 1 main lounge as well as a restaurant. Our rooms were spacious (as compared to all other cruise liners we have been in) and offered beautiful views of the Chilean fjords. At the very onset, we were briefed about the cruise and all the safety measures as well. We were told that breakfast and lunch would be buffets, while the dinner would be a 3 course set menu. Since we were vegetarians, the gourmet chef had planned to customize the menu for us to suit our palette. We were also told that we would have no connection to the outer world, which meant no Internet and no mobile phones. At first, I felt a bit restless, but as time passed by in days to come, I realized it was a blessing in disguise. Nothing would distract us from this amazing experience of a lifetime!

Day 6 : Early morning, we were woken up by the announcement made by the crew and we were briefed on our excursion to Cape horn. Cape Horn is the southernmost point in the world, and we were told that this site can be visited only if weather permits as the water is very choppy around there. We were extremely lucky as the weather was nice and we had an absolutely clear day. Upon reaching, we climbed the hill to visit the iconic monument, and on route we visited the lighthouse and the church. The views were spectacular from the top. Every excursion ended with hot chocolate for the kids, and the same with an added shot of whiskey for the adults! I loved drinking hot chocolate in the cold climate as it gave me the warmth I needed. The same evening, we had another excursion to Wulaia Bay. We were given three choices – easy, intermediate, challenging. Seeing our fitness :), we chose the intermediate one. It was a short trek with stunning views, which ended with a visit to the museum of artifacts of the Darwin people. The day ended with the usual dinner.

Day 7 : We woke up in a hurry as we had our excursion to our first glacier experience, the Pia Glacier. We went to the glacier on zodiac boats (small lifesaving boats). It was the first time ever that I saw such a HUGE glacier and it totally stunned me! We also saw an entire block of ice melting and breaking off the big glacier, falling down making a thundering noise and creating ripples in the water. The scene was spectacular! My dad managed to capture it in his video camera, and it was a wow moment for all of us. Any number of words I use to describe the amazing scene is less. Once back in our cruiseliner, we had lunch and then went on a short visit to the engine room of the cruise. Make sure to wear your ear buds, properly as it is pretty loud in there. In the evening, we had another excursion, this time navigating toward Garibaldi glacier. It is the second largest glacier of South America (I suppose you know the biggest one!) and as tall as the New York skyscrapers. These glaciers in the Chilean fjords are probably the best piece of untouched nature I have ever seen.

Falling glacier

Day 8 : Early morning, we sailed through the Cockburn channel and entered Agostini sound, where the glaciers descend. We disembarked and went for an easy walk around the lagoon, which was formed by the melting of Águlia glacier. The walk was peaceful and this experience was a nice touch to the cruise. The evening excursion was a zodiac excursion to the Condor glacier. Since weather permitted, we were lucky to get as close to the glacier as in about 3 years, as told by our guide. The glacier also had a small waterfall towards its right corner, which made it more unique. The cruise had interesting things going on board too. To pass time, the cruise staff hosts several video screenings and games. The lounges have interesting drinks and snacks being served all day long. This night, the captain gave a toast and the cruise sail flag was put for lottery. Guess what? We won!! The cruise sail map was also put up for auction, which got sold for $900!

Day 9 : At break of dawn, we went ashore Magdalena Island inhabited with an immense colony of Magdalenic penguins. Before each excursion, you are briefed about the history and the do’s and don’t of that place. During the excursion, we also hike up a path that leads us through thousands of penguins to a small museum lodged in a vintage 1902 lighthouse. The experience is surreal. After a last and final short cruise along the strait, we were scheduled for disembarkation at Punta Arenas at 11:30 am. I can’t end the cruise section without giving my acknowledgements to Chris (our fantastic guide for most of our excursions), and to Ian and Julian who I made good friends with. We disembarked at Punta Arenas and we’re now on Chilean land where the celebration for Christmas had already started. After snacking on caramel roasted nuts, we decided to shop for a little bit. After that, we went to the most famous pizza chain over there called La Mesita Grande where the pizzas were outstanding. After lunch we drove to Puerto Natales, a small town in the south of Chile and checked in our hotel “Australis”. The rooms were small and average according to me, but on the positive the view was brilliant. It is a small town with a church and just a couple of restaurants and shops. We chose to dine at el living, which is a vegetarian restaurant with nice and simple food.

Day 10 : Exploring Torres del Paine was the plan for that day. We set off in two cars to the national park, listening to Bollywood songs and taking in the nature. We visited various places inside the park but the main attraction was Lake Grey. We watched the glacier and walked along the beach, but it was the windiest place I had ever been to. It was so windy that my Uncle and papa’s hat blew off. Such was the wind intensity that my sister and I had to run half a mile back to retrieve the cap! At one point, it almost became impossible to walk any further as the wind was blowing us all away. So we decided to turn back. Just to add here, we also had to cross an interesting hanging bridge to reach the beach of Lake Grey.

Day 11 : We went to the famous bear monument of Puerto Natales where we captured a few group pictures. We also went to the famous Fingers monument where we snapped a few shots as well. We were hungry, so had lunch at La Mesita Grande again (remember the pizzas)! We then boarded our bus and crossed the border over to El Calafate, an Argentenian town which has a nice vibe to it. Our hotel Lagos del Calafate was great with spacious rooms. For dinner we went to La Lecuza, which served brick fired oven pizza, probably the best one in a while I have had.

Day 12 : Early morning, we were up and ready for a full day tour of the famous Perito Moreno glacier. It was an hour and a half away from El Calafate. On route, we stopped at a lovely viewpoint to get the first view of this majestic glacier. Upon reaching the final point, we took several catwalks to view the glacier from different perspectives and through different panoramic balconies. Post lunch, we boarded a boat taking us in close proximity to the glacier for more stunning views. The boat ride was fun and a nice touch to enhance the overall experience. We also spotted a small piece of ice block breaking from the massive ice wall. While exiting the place, we had to buy a few souvenirs from here to remind us of this beautiful experience, and fulfil my hobby of collecting a souvenir of every country I have visited. Arriving at our hotel, we all dived into the pool to rejuvenate. Almost everyday, we walked approximately 15,000 steps which was tiring, so this was the most relaxing end to a hectic day of sight-seeing!

Day 13 : Next morning, we packed and headed towards our final destination Bariloche, the heartland of Argentina. The flight was in the afternoon, so we arrived by evening. We chose to stay at Cacique Inacayal, which is an awesome sea facing hotel. It has a pool, a spa and a games room as well as a disco. The choice of hotel was fantastic, and we all lauded my Uncle for booking this one! After unpacking, we headed out for the main city square which is the hotspot of Barioche, a short walk from our hotel. The square leads you to the famous pedestrian street with all the shops and restaurants. Also to mention, it is famous for its unique and mouth watering chocolate stores. Few of the most legendary chocolate shops are Mammushka, Rapanui, Frantom and Del Turista. These stores present you chocolates in every way you could imagine – Chocolate bars, chocolate truffles, chocolate ice-cream, chocolate éclairs, chocolate cookies, chocolates with different cocoa percentages, and the list is just unending! My favorite was RAPANUI because of its fantastic ice-creams, which were the best ice-creams I have tried in my entire life (tiramisu). That night, we had dinner in a Swiss restaurant which was also very authentic.

Day 14 : Next day was our first full day tour. First, we went to Villa la Angostura which a small town on route 40 which is the most famous highway of Argentina. From there, we headed to Vila Traful, a tiny village in the middle of nowhere. We had lunch and a delicious lemon meringue pie and strawberry shortcake. That night, we were craving Mexican food, so we decided upon el Mexicano , which is an underground restaurant with mouth-watering food and drinks. We had our fill and then over-indulged in churros, a classic Mexican desert.

Day 15 : This was our free day, so we woke up lazily and had a nice swim. After that, we went to the main street and to do some shopping. We bought souvenirs, clothes, food and of course a lot of chocolates. After having lunch at a nearby café, we headed in true brioche fashion to Rapanui to have some ice-cream. It is impossible to stay in Bariloche and not over-indulge in chocolate. It is a chocolate haven! After a short afternoon nap and as planned, we changed into our dress code for a photo shoot near the seashore of our hotel. This photo shoot captured the memories of our trip in a more memorable way. After the shoot I was craving sushi, so we went in search of a Japanese restaurant. We finally found one, and closed the evening with a nice and sumptuous dinner.

Day 16 : I was very excited the next morning as it was my father’s birthday. We decided to do the half day tour to discover Bariloche and its surroundings, heading towards Cerro Campanario (1050m) crossing Nahuel Hampi and Bonita beach. On reaching Cerro Campanario, we took a chairlift to the top. The views of the lakes and the mountains were spectacular; one of the best views I have ever had. From there, we headed towards the Llao Llao peninsula, where we had lunch at the famous and grand Llao Llao hotel. This is a luxury 5 star hotel with all the facilities you could imagine. We chose to have the salad buffet which was a gourmet spread of fine salads and a few mains and deserts, enough to fill us to the brim. The food and the service here was exemplary! We were also given a complimentary chocolate tart, to celebrate my father’s birthday. After roaming around Llao Llao for a while, we retracted to our hotel. At night, we went for a final round of the city square for a last walk in Bariloche, to experience our last few hours in Argentina, before finally heading back for home the next morning.

THIS WAS MY FIRST TRIP TO LATIN AMERICA, AND THERE ARE MANY MORE INTERESTING COUNTRIES HERE FOR WHICH I WILL BE COMING BACK SOON!

Turkey

Hi! Let me begin by introducing myself. I’m Mridul Bihani staying in India (Kolkata) and traveling has been my passion since childhood. By the way, I’m 13 years old and wanted to share some of my travel experiences though this blog portal. This is my first attempt in putting up a travel blog. So here it goes….

It took this trip with my parents in May 2018, and we chose upon Turkey as it was a new destination for all of us. The best way to start off a trip in Turkey is to visit Cappadocia. Cappadocia, also known as the hot air ballooning capital of the world is bursting with stunning rock formations resulting in beautiful valleys. If visiting Cappadocia, stay in one of the signature cave hotels. We chose to stay in Chelebi Cave Hotel, which was a quaint yet very cozy and comfortable hotel in the heart of town. This hotel also offers a fantastic spread of Turkish breakfast, which includes marinated olives, fruits, and a selection of Turkish cheeses. Walking around on streets of Cappadocia is a great welcoming into Turkish culture. Boutique shops, little cafes enlighten up the streets. You can also take an ATV tour which shows you valleys like the Love valley and the Bird valley.

At sunrise, the exceptional hot air balloon ride is a MUST. It starts off with a basic breakfast proceeding towards the base of the tour. The team involves all the visitors in helping them to inflate the balloon, which is an amazing experience in itself followed by the spectacular sight once we are air bourn. Once the experience is over, the guide sabered a glass of champagne as it is their tradition. The experience is outstanding.

Cappadocia also offers 3 other interesting day tours (red tour, blue tour and green tour). The green tour is a must costing approximately 100 euros per person, including tickets, lunch and transportation. It starts off with a visit to Selime monastery, which is a monastery in the rocks making it a strange and unique monastery. Next on the green tour is the famous UNESCO Derinkyu underground city and the authentic Turkish jewelry factory and museum. If you have more time, you can enjoy the blue and red tour as well. We did the red tour, which takes you to the famous Goreme open air museum and several other valleys, namely the which we had already seen in the ATV tour. Vegetarian meals are provided in all tours and the tour guides are extremely professional and friendly.

We enjoyed our evenings taking the traditional hammam spa in the truly ancient royal setting. Hammam includes, lying on a flat warm stone followed by scrub and a bubble massage. These are found everywhere and are reasonably priced. I would highly recommend going to one of the local hammams for an unforgettable authentic experience.

From Cappadocia, we took a flight to Izmir. This city is located in west Turkey. Staying at the izmir harbor is recommended as there are amazing cafes with a spectacular view of the Harbour. We stayed at Renaissance hotel. Swissotel is also a good option which is closer to the water front with better views. We walked along the waterfront exploring the city that day. Cafes were lined all along the waterfront; we chose MADO, which is a popular Turkish desert chain, which had amazing food.

The next day, we hired a car as a major chunk of the trip was to be completed on road, and which is why we made Izmir the base. We hopped in our car and drove towards Ephesus. On the way, we stopped to have a look at the house of mother Mary. Finally, we reached Ephesus by noon, the famous ancient roman city. It is a stunning display of the ruins of roman architecture with an amphitheater, a city hall and many houses. It is fabulous and one of the highlights Turkey has to offer. After the tour, we purchased a small souvenir at the gift shop. Then we drove off to Kusadassi for lunch. Kussadasi is a beautiful small waterfront town. Colorful buildings and narrow streets glorify it. Kusadassi has a European feel to it with small shops and amazing bistros for delicious meals and a delightful experience. After lunch, we wandered around town and got back to IZMIR by evening. (Instead of IZMIR, KUSSADASSI can also be you location of stay).

Our next destination was Bodrum. But we wanted to visit Pamukkale on route. We left Izmir early the next morning and reached Pamukkale (a UNESCO world heritage site) by noon, which is a collection of stepped sulphur pools. Do not forget to carry your costumes to enjoy the sulphur pools. Pamukkale is divided into two sections, the Cleopatra pool and the public area. To enter the Cleopatra pool, a small fee is required but it is definitely worth it. The Cleopatra pool is clean and warm, and is indeed an experience not to be missed. A food stall serves salads and slushes and some snacks as well. The public pools on the other hand are a little dirty and have mixed temperatures.

From Pamukkale we went to Bodrum, famous for its castle and beautiful harbor. In Bodrum, we choose to stay at El Vino hotel, its uniqueness being that it is animal friendly and centrally located. There are cats and dogs roaming around the whole property. The hotel offers a swimming pool and a small jacuzzi. I found the hotel to have an average breakfast with good rooms. I recommend visiting the bodrum castle, although we could not visit because it was under renovation. Walking around the streets gives the feeling of a beautiful small town. The shops are unique and the food is exotic. The best way to enjoy meals in Bodrum is to dine out in one of the harbor restaurants. They offer a wide selection of seafood and a spectacular view. You can also shop in the many of the stores on the main street of Bodrum. At night, we decided to explore the party district of Bodrum. There are plenty of places to eat and shop. Rip off stores offer duplicates of luxury clothing brands for a throw away price. I recommend buying the lemon cologne from Turkey, which was one of the best purchases I made in Turkey.

We then head on to Oludeniż the next day with a stop in Dalyan. Dalyan is a province in Turkey known for its famous mud baths. Instead of taking a public boat to travel through the calm waters of Dalyan, we decided to rent a boat for 3 hours. It is a bit costly but definitely worth the experience, steering through narrow water lanes surround by tall grass on both sides, exclusively in your private boat! We took our first stop at the beach. It had a small shack where we munched on some French fries and Turkish coffee. We also spotted a group of turtles swimming near the deck of our boat. We hopped onto our boat and proceeded towards our final destination, the famous mud baths. We were first cleaned with fresh spring water by water hoses and sent for a shower. Then we proceed with the mud bath experience. The mud is filled with minerals and salts necessary for the body. We massaged ourselves for about 10 minutes in the mud bath and went to the sulphur pools to clean up. I recommend keeping some bottles of water and a few nick-nacks to munch upon in the boat ride.

On our way to Oludeniż by car, we again stopped in the town of Fethiye where we took a lunch break. I stumbled upon drinking a Starbucks coffee again while my parents had a lunch in a nearby café in a big mall in Fethiye. Oludeniz is a small beach town only 20 minutes away from Fethiye. You could also spend a night in Fethiye than in Oludeniz as it is a bit more modern and sophisticated than Oludeniz. At Oludeniz we stayed at a lodge, which was not too good. The pool was small and the rooms were very basic. The positive thing was that it was right on the beach. I recommend Beyaz Yunus hotel for a stay in Oludeniż. We found the hotel at an extremely cheap price, which surely did the trick as we barely stayed inside and spent most of our time outside. Immediately after checking in, we left for a stroll and got a nice massage. We were quite hungry by then and wandered around town for a nice dinner place. The town is so small, you can explore it entirely by foot. On our quest for a delicious dinner place, we stumbled upon a paragliding company. Since Oludeniz is known as the paragliding capital of the world, we had to take a shot. We registered for next day at 5:00 am. I was nervous and scared, since this was going to be my first experience. We ate our dinner at a nice Italian place and slept off early that night.

At 5:00 am, sharp we proceeded towards the paragliding center where we were briefed and then drove up on a mountain. It was a half an hour ascend. As we reached the top, our gears were strapped safely on us with our co-rider cum guide. We then ran off a 70-degree slope, with my heart in my mouth! We got stunning views of Oludeniz from mid-air, and we also performed a few stunts like rapid rotation. Within 15 minutes, we landed on the beach, precisely on the spot where this paragliding company had their desk. We then took our pics and video from them on a pen drive, a memory that can never be forgotten. After an enjoyable morning, we departed for Antalya by car.

On route to Antalya, we visited the ancient ruins of Perge and Aspendos. Perge is a small Roman town located just in the outskirts of Antalya, whereas Aspendos hosts a large amphitheatre. Aspendos is amazing and no less than the Colosseum in Rome. It is huge and kept in perfect condition.

We choose to stay in Kaya Palazzo Golf Resorts in Antalya for 3 days straight. The resort was huge and magnificent. A welcome drink and a refreshing towel greeted us, which was of utmost necessity after a long journey. We were also given a band and a map of the whole property, as it was humongous. The band gave us access to free drinks, unlimited food and all services the hotel had to provide. We could enjoy unlimited drinks, food, ice-creams, spas, access the beach area and a mini water park! As we checked in, I decided to explore the property first. The property was huge with over 6 swimming pools, 6 restaurants, a golf course, a water park, a spa and everything I could think of in a good resort. I immediately changed into my costume and jumped right into the main pool. The pool was huge and the water temperature was just perfect. My parents and me ordered for refreshing mocktails as well as some poolside snacks. They tasted unbelievable! We kept ordering food until we were completely full and the biggest fun was that there was no right hand side column on the menu. As I hop-skipped and jumped from one pool to the other, the swim though greatly refreshing was a bit tiring also, so I sat on the pool chairs and sunbathed for a good amount of time. At 4 o’clock, my alarm went off I rushed towards the waterpark. The waterpark consisted of 5 slides, all-unique in their own way; a nice touch to great resorts. I loved the waterpark so much that I did all the rides at least 5 times daily. As the clock struck 6pm, my family changed and sat down facing the beach listening to the soothing voices of the waves with a drink in our hand, reflecting about the beautiful experiences we had in Turkey. At night, we went for our buffet dinner. The spread was so huge that I could not see the entire thing after half an hour also. Whenever I visited a section, a new section came to my eyes. Amazing seafood, beautiful vegetarian food and mind boggling deserts. It was truly an amazing end to a long day. The hotel also offers a midnight buffet for late sleepers which I had a chance to have a look at.

We had decided to take a day tour to a waterfall nearby, but laziness caught the better of us. We decided to spend our time in the hotel itself. We spent 2 days lazing around, and it was finally time to set off for Istanbul, the capital of Turkey.

We took Turkish airlines from Antalya to Istanbul. As we landed in Istanbul, we taxied it to Pera Palace. Pera Palace is a luxury travel hotel in Istanbul based after the famous writer Agatha Christie. The hotel is very regal with large rooms and vintage lifts. Pera Palace is also home to the world’s second oldest lift, after the Eiffel tower. We unpacked and left for the streets of Istanbul. The streets are charming and the alleys are filled with stalls selling local handicrafts. It was our first day in Istanbul and we crossed over Galata Bridge and went to the Egyptian (spice) bazaar. Originally selling medicines and spices, it still continues to function the same way. Wandering around the covered spice bazaar is a sensation to our senses. Sight, smell, taste, touch and sound. Smelling the aromas is absolute bliss. We tasted at least about fifty nuts, sweets and spices. It was one of the best markets I have ever visited in my life. Sunset was about to happen and the beautiful prayers illuminated the city signifying the end of fasting for Ramadan. That day, we choose to have a nice Indian meal and finally located a small recommended place. It gave me a taste of home!

As we woke up the next day, we were greeted by a warm cup of tea with some cookies fresh out of the oven. The breakfast was also delicious. After a hearty meal, we set off for a lengthy day of sight-seeing. Istanbul is a perfect city. It has shopping malls, historic sights, old town, new town and you may also choose to stay in Asia or Europe as Istanbul city is spread across both these continents! We first stopped at Hippodrome, which is one of the hotspots of Istanbul. From there, we went to Basilica cistern built by Justinian the first. It is a series of pathways and waterways. There is also a wish well where you may throw a coin and wish. We then went to the place Istanbul is best known for. The Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. The Hagia Sophia is a remarkable structure with an immense dome. Christian and Islamic art can be viewed at the same time in this beautiful monument. Right across the Hagia Sophia on the opposite side, the Blue Mosque can be seen. It is famous for the beautiful blue tile work ornamenting on its walls and magnificent example of Turkish architecture. The blue mosque has a dress code, you are recommended to know of it before deciding to visit. Right besides the Blue Mosque, you can see vendors selling hot chestnuts; just the perfect snack to energize yourself for the rest of the day.

We then went to Topkapi Palace, which is an Ottoman palace. It is collection of small museum in one entire palace. We were a little tired from sight-seeing by now, so we decided to take a break and shop in the magnificent Grand Bazaar, which is the largest covered bazaar in the world. It has over 3000 shops, each selling different things from carpets to clothing to lamps to food produce. Everything you imagine you can buy is available in the Grand Bazaar, but make sure you bargain, and bargain heavily! After visiting the Grand Bazaar, we headed towards our hotel, where on the way we glanced upon Galata tower. It is one of the city’s most striking landmarks, with a huge cone shaped cylinder that dominates the Galata side of the Golden Horn (the bridge that divides Istanbul).

At the hotel, we freshened up and left for Istiklal Street. Istiklal Street is one of the most vibrant areas in the city with restaurants, bars and shops in the historic part of Beyouglu. We stopped at a small place selling delicious Kumpir, which is a classic street food dish in Turkey after the famous doner kebab. Kumpir is a large baked potato, filled with all sort of toppings. It was one of the best street foods I had ever had. We then wandered around some shops and bought a few pairs of shoes, jeans and leather goods which are famous in Istanbul. We also stopped at Taksim Square which is the heart of modern Istanbul. For dinner, we went to ZUMA, my favourite restaurant which is a Japanese fine dining chain located in many famous cities all throughout the world. The food is outstanding and the ambiance is calm and soothing.

Next morning, we checked out of Pera Palace and checked into Swissotel Bosphorous which is in the Bosphorous side of Istanbul. It was a modern hotel; the room we got was amazing with huge glass windows, giving an awesome 180 degree view of boshphourous bridge and the Dolmabaçhe Palace, which was just below our hotel. The Turkish sultans used the Dolmabaçhe Palace, and it is kept in mint condition. The quick yet precise tour of this palace is a must on a visit to Istanbul. Right next to it is the harbor, where (for approximately 10 liras) you could hop on a boat and go to the Asian side of Istanbul. We completed our boat ride and walked in front of the harbor, taking in the sights and sounds of Turkey. We stopped at Ciragan Palace Kempinski and the Four Seasons hotels; both these hotels are exceptionally good, but demand that kind of price too. We decided to dine on the open deck restaurant of Four Seasons with stunning sunset views. The next morning, we had our last dip into the authentic Turkish breakfast with their usual huge spreads of local and international delicacies. We then packed, checked out and headed out for the airport, to get back to home finally!

THE TRIP OF TURKEY WAS DELIGHTFUL AND FUN AND AN EXPERIENCE I WILL NEVER FORGET IN MY ENITRE LIFE.