My mediterranean summer: The Croatian end

Well, after Turkey I thougt to accept my parents' invitation to celebrate my birthday in the Croatian island of Hvar. In order to do that I took a flight from Istanbul to Zagreb and then another one from Zagreb to Split. I had to wake up at 5 in the morning get to Ataturk airport in Istanbul, which took me over an hour and then go over all the check in and clearance procedures which took me also a long time. While I was in line I noticed at least four or five quarrels between passengers or between passengers and airlines personnel or policemen at passport control. Of course I didn't understand a word but I thought of it as a good thing since al least Turks speak up and don't take rubbish from others. I notice in Italy now people tend to take everything without complaining. When I arrived to Zagreb i had a three hours and a half layover and believe me: there is nothing in that airport. When I say nothing I mean nothing. I basically fell asleeep on one of those chaise long like chairs for a while and waited for my flight to Split which took less than 45 minutes. I had been to Split many years ago but I didn't really visit it properly. The center is lovely and Diocletian palace is absolutely a must see. Outside there are a lot of women selling little packs of lavender which you find everywhere in that area. The center of Split is fantastic: all white marbles and beautiful architecture. From there you can walk to the port and take the fast boat or the ferry to Hvar where I spent a few days. Hvar is well known for its nightlife but when I got there most of the people had gone plus the weather after a couple of days turned bad and rainy. The worst was on my birthday: rain all the time and coldish wind(!). Anyway I had a nice and quiet time there. We had the sea just in front of the house. Want to see what I'm talking about? Yes the first picture is me by the sea looking very seaside. As far as things to do in Hvar I cannot suggest a lot of because I didn't party nor explore so much as I was saying. However on the dining side I would suggest to go to konobas which are like tavernas where the food is genuine and much better than restaurants I would say. The one I liked better was Konoba Nono in Jelsa an hour away from Hvar town. In town I tried Lesina which I thought was good homemade food and Alviz very popular amongst the locals. The cuisine is very good: mostly seafood cooked with wine and vegetables like Gregada, a fish stew with potatoes or Buzara, shellfish in a wine and parsley sauce. Very tasty. My long summer ended taking the ship to Ancora from Split on a melancholic tuesday night. I had tasted, lived , breathed the Mediterranean which is and always will be the natural habitat for my species: after all I was born and raised by the beautiful Mediterranean sea and I'll always bring with me. Can't wait until next summer...

My mediterranean summer: The Turkish segment. Subtitle: Italiani turchi una faccia una razza

Well in a way it's true that Italians and Turks are one face one race maybe more that with the Greeks at least in my personal experience. My dear friend Idil is Turkish and we managed for many years to meet somewhere in the world to spend some time together. This year it was Kalymnos and Datca on the Eagean coast of Turkey. Then it extended to one of my favourite cities in the world : the magnificent Istanbul. When we left Kalymnos to go to Kos in order to take the catamaran to Bodrum the temperature was of almost 40 degrees. Two of us had already a ticket and the other two (including me of course ) didn't. Basically they let us wait in a line which lasted forever to tell us there were no more tickets for Turgutreis, so we had to split from the other two. The heat and the long wait caused a Greek-Turkish incident on the pier but finally we all went on board even if on two different catamarans to two different places in the Bodrum peninsula. Thank God I had a real gentleman with me who helped carry my heavy luggage around at Kos and around Bodrum city in the heat and the confusion that there is in that place . I was there last year and it was already a no-no. I can certainly confirm . I found a very nice pansyion there where to spend the night and the next day I was off to Datca with my friend by boat. If you have been on the Eagean coast of Turkey you have probably seen a lot of wonderful places yet not so touristic . Well Datca is one of them. The temperature was of 40 degrees or something but one could jump into the sea which is also into town and the colour of the water is fantastic believeme. See? Now when in Turkey do what the Turks do right? In those lazy afternoons even if it was hot one would go in and out of the water, sun bathe and then have some beer and mussel dolma by the sea. What's mussel dolma? Exactly this. Datca is famous for the almond trees which give hundreds of tasty almonds and the food there is delicious. There is a place called Fevzinin Yeri which is a lovely fish place although a bit expensive. The fish soup and the mezes were really really good. We stayed in a very nice boutique hotel up on a little hill overlooking the bay called Villa Tokur It's owned by a turkish -german couple. Breakfast is very good and is served in the dining room close to the garden where cats come to ask for food. In Turkey there are a lot of stray cats and dogs. Believe me: A LOT but as I said in my former post about Turkey, people take care of them and feed them most of the time. My friend left for Istanbul and I decided to meet her there the next day, so in order to get closer to Dalaman airport I decided to spend a night in Marmaris. Well I don't think I'll ever go back there unless I want to feel like an understudy on the set of Eastenders and eat Yorkshire pudding or Indian Chinese English buffets for 5 euros all you can eat. I thought it was horrible so I will not even indulge in describing it. Just take my word for it : if you can avoid it. You ahve been warned. Finally I came to the splendid, wonderful,gorgeous,one of my favourite cities in the whole world: Her majesty Istanbul. Well if you haven't been there yet I strongly suggest you reconsider your travel plans and go becasue you are really missing on something- believe me . Now, since i have been there a few times and I have seen all the most touristic places, this time i went to visit what I'll call alternative Istanbul with my friend who is the perfect guide. First, I went to see Kilic Ali Pasa Mosque which is one of the mosques made by famous architect Sinan . It has a cemetery nearby with sails since it is known as the sailors cemetery. Very close to it you can find Istanbul modern, the museum of modern art which I didn't visit thouroughly but went just inside to have a look. It is supposed to have a bautiful view on the sea but unfortunately there was a cruise ship which blocked it all. If you feel like going for a coffee you can try a few meters away where there are lovely places where to sit and relax in perfect Turkish style. A turkish stylish cafe Kilic Ali Pasa Mosque Istanbul modern and cruise ship Turkish tea Then with my friend we decided to meet nearby Taksim square and go to the museum Orhan Pamuk has opened which recreates the contents of his book The museum of innocence I thought it was a wonderful experience. First we went to buy the book for me, which contains a ticket for the museum, and then we went to visit it. I hadn't read the book but I thought it was brilliant and now that I am reading it it's even more interesting. Then we took a taxi and went to visit Suleymaniye Mosque also by architect Sinan which is incredibly beautiful and from which you have a wonderful view of the city. We went to walk nearby and my fried took me to Tarihi Vefa Bozacisi, a very old and fascinating place where they serve ice cream and ottoman drinks like Boza, made from fermented wheat.Then we went to Mihrimah mosque also by Sinan the story of which is beautifully described on my friend's travel blog http://www.travelmind-idilka.blogspot.com. The museum of innocence Mihrimah View from Sulemaniye Mosque Tarihi Vefa Bozacisi Boza - We then ended this pefect day with a beautiful dinner in a very good Ottoman restaurant Asitane with lovely ambiance and delicious food. it is located in Edirnekapi one of the most important areas of old Istanbul. Take a walk around before or after dinner an you'll be mesmerized by the fascination of the streets and the view of the Golden Horn. It is close to Chora Church where apparently there are very interesting byzantinian mosaics. It was closed when I got there so I couldn't see them. While we were walking in the streets before going home since I had to take a plane to Zagreb at dawn I was thinking that this is one of the few places where I could live happily. Maybe then I should marry a Turk and i actually wouldn't mind.. Ladies you know what I am talking about.. Or else keep coming here until I feel like it which is a very long time I bet. It was time to leave unfortunately but my heart stayed there. I must have been Turkish in another life. Until next time beautiful Constantinopolis it was time to reach the coast of Croatia... (to be continued)

My Mediterranean summer. First part: the Greek bliss Chapter II: Across the Aegean

On the day I left Antiparos I was very sad but I was also worried since the winds were so strong that the sea was really rocky. I hade to reach the Dodecanesus islands in order to meet a very good friend of mine who was travelling around there. There actually was a ferry which reached the island of Kalymnos from Paros but it was cancelled so I had to take a catamaran to Santorini, spend the night there and then leave the next day by night ferry to Kos and then another catamaran to Kalymnos. On the way to Santorini I thought my stomach had reached my ears but once we started approaching the island it became better. I had been in Santorini about twenty years before and I remember the Kaldera at sunset while approaching the port with all the pink and red lights of the sun . Now, Santorini is unbelievably beautiful but I HATE IT. I hated it at the time and if possible I hated it even more now. I am sorry but I think that as far as landscape is concerned it is stunning. But the rest: traffic like being in Milan at the rush hour, trash shops and people, noises, lights etc. No that's not for me. The beaches are black because of the volcanic origin and to be honest not that nice. Plus the wind is so strong that until the afternoon you can't possibily stay in the sun or in the sea. Fira the capital is a mixture of trash,noise,lights,bars, discos , cheap restaurants, and loads of people. Oia which is the most beautiful place on the island is famous for the sunset so all the tourists (literally)of the island go there every day to watch it. Same thing: marvellous but in order to see it you have to push your way through backpackes, baby strollers, cameras of all types, and of course a lot of people... Fira by night Oia I was staying close to the black beach of Perivalos in a small not so nice hotel of which I don't remember the name. Most of the time I was cursing and the rest I was travelling around the island by bus. There are a lot of buses connecting all the places all the locations on the island which are crowded to the limit and most of the time you end up standing up for the whole duration of the journey. In one of this journeys I was basically molested by one of the ticket controllers who was stading behind me until a young Turkish woman came to my rescue. Well, what I forgot to say in addition to all the things I have said so far, is that like in most of the touristic islands locals tend to be rude and unfriendly. No I definitively won't go back to Santorini ever again . While I was waiting for the bus to take me to the ferry I had one of this fish pedicures that are very popular on the island. Another experience I probably won't try again . Not unpleasant but not one of those things you absolutely have to do once in your life. I took one of those luxury ferries to Rhodes where I spent the night on an air seat like the ones you find on the plane. I was there with 50 chinese people who were sound asleep nothwitstanding the light, the noises and two Greek couples talking from one side of the room to the other.Needless to say I didn't sleep at all and when I got to Kos I had to wait five hours before the other catamaran to Kalymnos. I didn't see much of Kos but I didn't like it either. I got there at 6 a.m. and people where just coming out of the disco, totally wasted and drunk. I waited until the bars opened to have some breakfast and then walked around for three hours in order to avoid to fall asleep on a bench. Dodecanesus islands are very different from the Cyclades and because of their Venetian origin they have lovely buildings and architecture in that style.However Kos is not my cup of tea as the English who populate the island would say. So finally after another 45 dreadful minutes of catamaran on the rockiest sea ever I finally got to Kalymnos. Not bad right? It's a lovely place famous for the natural sponges industry. Two things though. First of all as I said Greek islands are not as they used to be before, in terms of crowds and traffic. Yes traffic. Even in Kalymnos there were so many cars... I stayed in a little studio by the sea close to Massouri, the most frequented part of the island and I went every day to meet my friends in the village at night, risking to get run over by cars and motorcycles all the time. Secondo problem is that there is a not so pleasant smell in the area because of the sewage system and also sometimes you get some suprises in your bathroom i.e. giant cockroaches coming from the sewer into the shower.. One evening I found two and I ran yelling outside in my underwear.Then I realized it was not proper and got hold of my jeans to ask for help to Alexis the owner of the restaurant next door. He came into my room and basically stomped on them and threw them in the toilet. I admit I wouldn't have been able. Bugs terrify me but maybe I would have just kicked them out... Apart from this Kalimnos is a beautiful and calm island for relaxing holidays. Amongst the places I tried for dinner I found this lovely place called Aegean Tavern, which in a few words can be summed up as : great food , great atmosphere, beautiful ambiance, excellent service and good prices. What else would you want ? After these three relaxing days in Kalymnos with my Turkish friends it was time to cross the border and go to beautiful Turkey for a few days so we got ready to set sail again ... (to be continued)

My mediterranean summer. First part: The Greek bliss. Chapter 1 The discrete beauty of Antiparos

http://youtu.be/Q3WJvaEjAlU I chose Mediterraneo's trailer because it's a wonderful movie and gives you exactly the feeling of what a greek island is. Plus it's Italian and that is always a plus. If you have never seen it I say go rent it because you're missing something,no matter where you're from. Sorry for the lack of subtitles but that's the only trailer I found. Anyway I started my summer in a very bad way but as it turned out to be, it went very well. One of my closest friends rescued me from a very unpleasant situation which had lead to the destruction of my holiday plans and invited me to join her and her friends in the beautiful island of Antiparos in the Cyclades. What can I say ? I would define it as the perfect antidote to stress and negativity. A small island with gorgeous bays and wonderful sea, not too touristic yet quite populated. My days there passed slowly and relaxingly. In August the sun is very strong so the best time to go to the sea is after 3 p.m. My friend found this very peaceful and nice place 10 minutes away from the center of the village and close to the sea called Paradise Village. Although the website says it's a hotel it is more of a residence complex. Ours had two rooms a kitchen, a bathroom and a very nice patio. The owner and his wife are lovely and are cat lovers which is a plus for me. Every day I was playing with Boika a nice female cat with her four newborn kitties. Me and my friends Antiparos beaches My little furry friends Mustafa and Bagheera What can I say ? I explored almost all the little bays and beaches of the island with my friends in the picture and I really enjoyed being there. The picture was taken at Lucio so far the best place where we ate even if on my last night there. The other restaurants are good but not exceptional. There is one in particular called Zorba's which is always very crowded and it's quite good although the owner really got on my nerves when I saw he was hitting his (or his friend's)dog. Actually I stood up and shouted at him. He said nothing back but my friend took me away in order to avoid turnmoil. I saw the dog with another guy the next day and he was ok, but I simply can't stand when people hit animals. I could really hurt them I guess. Another place where to eat close to the port is Nikos : traditional homemade Greek cuisine, speaking of which one of the best food I have ever tasted there is not exactly in the island, in the little port of Parikia on Paros island where the barge like ship from Antiparos gets to in five minutes. That was homemade and delicious believe me . Unfortunately I can't remember the name but you can't go wrong. As soon as you get off the boat there it is: just in front of you. Monastiraki beach and view of the island The view from our patio . One piece of advice : if you can renta a car or a jeep and drive to discover the beauty of the island it would ve better. In most places you can go by motorbike but there are quite a few bays that require a car and better a four wheel drive. In other places you can easily get by bus like Agios Georgios where you can also stop for some seafood at well known restaurantCaptain Pipino's. As far as nightlife in the island I am not the best person to ask because I would always go to bed at around 2 a.m when the nightlife was basically starting. The most I have done is have a drink at sunset at the Sunset deseo a hip bar on the cliffs run by some fellow countrymen and drink a couple of Mythos beers in a bar called Remember where they had a very good music selection. My friends used to like Yanni's place for a drink before or after dinner like rakomelo a drink made with raki or Tsipouro brandy combined with honey, cardamom and cinnamom and served hot. Not only would it make you digest but also get very tipsy...After drinking that my friends and I went to see the stars but not on the beach like amateurs, oh no, we went to the Telescope experience: an former army soldier now astronomist shows you the magic of planets and stars on his terrace with a super huge telescope and explains to you all you need to know about galaxies and nebulosas. Believe me : when you see Saturn with his ring or the stars even if the dimension is very small is quite something,with or without rakomelo. Another night we went to the open air movie theatre which is in a garden with a bar and is lovely. Livadi beach Sunset from Agios Georgios Then the time came to leave this beautiful place, after ten days of bliss and to depart from a little bit of heaven which remains quite incontaminated. The only negative thing about this beautiful island is the quantity of cars and motorbikes which tend to spoil the atmosphere and that is really disappointing. Anyway I spent a wonderful time there. The night before I left the Meltemi wind started blowing and it was really strong...Thensea was really agitated and I really didn't want to leave but it was time to move across the Eagean...(to be continued) Rakomelo

In the land of Erasmus

I went to Rotterdam in February for a couple of days for work. I had been to Amsterdam a few times but never in this part of the country. I have to say that when I just got there I didn't really have the greatest impression: it was grey, wet and dull and the city looked very sad. The hotel where I was staying Hotel Rotterdam was not too far from the railway station and was undergoing some refurbishment therefore I was not too happy about it. However both the hotel and the city turned out to be a nice surprise in the end. The first day I basically ran from one place to the other seeing people from work and in the end completely exhausted I went out with a friend of mine who came to see me there from Amsterdam to a Thai restaurant and then collapsed. It was actually the next day on a sunny Saturday that I realized that Rotterdam had a lot to offer. It's a very different approach from Amsterdam and it's very different from other cities even because it's completely reconstructed. I took a long stroll throughout the whole city and I have to say I enjoyed it very much. Locals really seemed to really taste the saturday morning laziness and relaxation and so did I, sitting in the sun outside a beautiful cafè in the center, which is very nice and very lively : completely the opposite of what I thought the city was when I first arrived the day before. Down from the center I went to see the cubic houses in Blaak neighbourhood "designed by architect Piet Blom and based on the concept of "living as an urban roof": high density housing with sufficient space on the ground level" (from Wikipedia). They look very interesting but all the architecture in the city is very impressive. I walked from my hotel in the north of the city up until the commercial harbour where I took a boat trip with Spido and went on Delfshaven a lovely little harbour with galleries , restaurants and nice houses. I was taken to a lovely and very elegant fish restaurant Zeezout in the area by a collegue the day before and when by myself I had lunch in Loos a very nice intellectual, bohemian chic cafe, which I strongly recommend. In the evening instead I had dinner in Dunya Lokanta an Anatolian -Mesopotamiam restaurant not far from my hotel. A lot of food by the way ... However since I was walking all day and all night I think I kind of balanced the whole thing. Another thing : remember what I wrote in my post about Beirut? Well in a different way but Dutch men are also very dangerous... and you ladies know what I mean. Delfshaven The next day I went to lovely Delft home to Paul Vermeer who portraited it in a few paintings in 1660 or so. Well , when you see it now it has stayed exactly the same and looks just like the paintings. I spent the whole day wandering around the canals and the bridges and had a very relaxing and lovely time. At the railway station when one gets off the train there is a bycicle parking which contains thousands of them even on different double level rows. Very difficult to explain in words but amazing. I would never be able to find my bike in that mess and actually I saw a guy who took twenty minutes to find his. When I got back to Rotterdam I went to have dinner at very famous Asian restaurant Izakaya where you can order through a touch screen system on the table which also projects the image of the dish in your plate so you can see exactly what it looks like. Quoting my trip advisor review: "It's quite something to have the chance to see what your dish looks like in your plate before you order or to look in the kitchen with a webcam to see the chef preparing your food. The fact that you order with a touch screen system on your table is a lot of fun and so is changing the pattern of your table cloth. As far as the food is concerned it is Asian inspired . Good but not exceptional. A little pricy." So I know Amsterdam is what it is but if one has the chance to extend their staying and want to see something different I would go and pay Mr.Erasmus a visit. Images of Delft