A Swim to Finish

On November 29, 2025 By paulmackeyIn TravelLeave a comment

Sep 16 2025

Somewhere in reading up on things to see and do in Istanbul I found a google pin of a meeting point in the sea wall where a group would meet every morning for a swim in the Bosphorus. So we figured we’d give it a look. We hopped on a tram then walked around the horn. As we approached we started to find across a group already in their bathers walking towards us on the path, obviously having left their clothes at the exit point. And it was all men. In the end, as there seemed to be to be no obvious entry or exit pints other than the large rocks of the sea wall, there appeared to be a strong current and I didn’t have any water shoes, I thought it prudent not to risk an injury.

So we wandered further around the horn then cut back up through what appeared to be the old town tourist and hotel area until we found an open cafe. That also wanted to sell us carpet. We continued I climb up to the Sultanahmet. Was nice to be up there before the crowds. Then back on the tram to the hotel.

I had wanted to climb the Galata tower. Lori didn’t.

Was a bit exi! €30 for non locals. And they threw in a set of headphones that I didn’t want nor need! Was nice to be up there, again before the crowds. Didn’t know that it was mostly built by the Genoese to intimidate the Ottomans.

On my way back down Lori had been researching and wanted to visit the Princes Island. We realized if we dashed we could make the ferry. This meant we didn’t have time to get any more cash. Something which would become relevant later. We bought our 150 TLY each (cash only) tickets, thinking they were return tickets (again would be relevant later) and quickly after boarded the ferry to Kinaliada.

After squeezing under the Galata bridge we crossed the Bosphorus for a stop on the Asian side then continued on to the island.

We randomly decided to turn right and walk along the beach road, eventually coming to a very swanky yet very empty private club with a very nice 50m pool. Not to be. We were entertained by one of the members failing to turn her scooter, bashing it into the other scooters there.

We continued up and over the bluff with views of the shoreline and the garbage, eventually coming to Noya Beach on the other side of the island. There appeared to be an option of a public beach but we decided to lay the $25 Can each to use the private beach as it also had a restaurant. Best $25 spent. We got access to the protected beach, lounge chairs, umbrella, showers and the swimming pool. But most importantly the pontoon access to the water, meaning we didn’t have to dance on the rocky beach. Thus we did get to swim in the Sea of Marmaris.

Refreshed it was time to head back. We originally thought we would just circumnavigate the island. However a map just outside the beach entrance indicated there was a monastery at the top of what turned out to be a very steep hill. However the route turned out to be the better as we were afforded more views, including if the garbage avoided by not going the shoreline route.

The monastery was closed.

We descended the even more steep streets back to the main area dock side. Never saw we’d made the right beach choice as the ones this side were narrow and crowded. We decided to find a spot on the shade in a park before heading back to catch the first return ferry (at 4).

It was here we discovered that our ticket was only one way and that we didn’t have enough cash to buy the return. Fortunately I’d scoped out the nearby only ATM on the island and fortunately it didn’t eat my card.

Back in Galata it was another attempt to find Iskender kebap, this time in the Galata area. I have since discovered that, when walking up, we likely walked where Vlad Tepes head was likely buried.

We squeezed our way through the crowds and chose to sit down indoors away from the noise and the smoke. Very glad I did the tower in the morning before the crowds and the queues.

The kebap was meh. And the ice cream in the way down was not the fancy style.

In all though was a great way to spend our last day.

Squeaking under the Galata Bridge

Borders

On November 16, 2025 By paulmackeyIn TravelLeave a comment

Sep 12 2025

A scheduled 1015 departure meant we could do a morning wander through the empty streets and eventually find a coffee and stock up on something for the bus trip to Istanbul.

As warned, the border crossing took time. First off the bus to exit Bulgaria, then back on the bus for the short trip to Turkish customs. Then off with luggage to go through customs. Seemed the usual chaotic as some guy who had appeared to have already gone through was brought back for some reason.

Meanwhile our border officer (dressed in civvies) nonchalantly takes his pistol out of his pocket and pops it in the closet behind him. We thought we’d got through pretty easily in the end until one of our group accidentally dropped his glasses in the xray machine. Somehow they got wedged in a spot that required partial dismantling of the machine to retrieve them.

We eventually arrived in Istanbul (no tire changed required) and then went by van to the hotel for a quick turn around out to the farewell dinner with a great view of the Golden Horn.

Coming full circle: just across the road from our hotel, somewhere on Bankalar St, is (allegedly) where Vlad Tepeş head was displayed on a pike, and then later buried after his defeat and capture by the Ottomans.

Not looking forward to the 3am wake up tomorrow.

All Trails said there was a trail

On November 10, 2025 By paulmackeyIn Travel1 Comment

Sep 20 2025

The official itinerary called for a (very) short hike up to Okoto Lake, leaving the hotel at 0930. We felt this gave us the window to head out earlier and do a longer hike. So Georgi arranged for our driver to pick us up at 7am so we could attempt it. It took us a few false starts to find the actual trail head. Once we spotted the bridge that we knew had to be there to cross the river we were on our way. Most of the trail was ankle turning rocky and uneven. Certainly not an easy hike. It became even more is a scramble at times as we progressed beyond Okoto Lake. The morning light on the mountains was stunning. At Frog Lake we decided we still had enough time to push up to the ridge. Well worth it as it gave incredible views of the surrounding mountains and lakes. There was an option to go a little further up to a col with two more lakes but we had reached our turn around time. Back down at Frog Lake we made the unwise decision to take the “alternate” path back down that went around two more lakes: Long Banderista and Ribno. The paint trail markings quickly disappeared to replaced by the occasional cairn as we scrambled town what was essentially a rock wall next to a waterfall. Beautiful but treacherous. How I didn’t do an ankle..?

This obviously chewed up a lot of time such that we made it back with 2 minutes to spare (for our noon deadline) just as everyone was ordering lunch.

In the end the giant sausage kept us waiting.

Not yet done the group walked down the narrow road to the 1000 year old tree that looked very much like Treebeard.

And the day was still not done. It was back down to Bansko to fetch our bags (and a quick espresso) to head to the train station to board Bulgaria’s only remaining narrow gauge train en route to the outskirts of Plovdiv where we switched to a commuter train.

I mean how much fun can we have in one day‽

Grubby and tired (but happy:) it was out for a quick sub par donair then back for shower and bed.

Rila Monastery

On November 6, 2025 By paulmackeyIn TravelLeave a comment

Sep 9 2025

We had entertained the idea of getting driven up the mountain to hike to the Black Mountain summit (one of Cvetozar’s recommendations) but we simply did not have enough time.

I did wake early enough to watch Dad’s being awarded his OAM back in Melbourne

Lori went for a morning run and I endeavoured to go for a swim at the nearby Ramada. Well a single visit that included pool, sauna and spa was 40 Lev. No option to just use the pool. And I would have had to buy a 10 Lev swim cap.

And it was only 20m!

We first wandered through the Women’s Market but we were even a bit early for them and eventually settled on what appeared to be a quite popular with the locals bakery for coffee as the hotel offering was very disappointing.

We continued to the Catholic Cathedral which was quite compact and simple on the inside. Actually looked larger on the outside. We liked it better than the many of the other over ornate churches we’d seen.

We managed to find our way to the Opera/Ballet. Almost walked past as it was sort of on a side street. We tried to find the National Theatre also but Google led us to a non descript part of the city with no theatre evident.

So we tracked back to the National Art Museum via the Sofia trigonometric point marked by a tower. Unfortunately was closed. The gallery was just right for us. Not too many rooms. And placed in the former Royal Palace so we got to see some of the room interiors.

Grabbing a salad for the bus it was off to Rila Monastery. The story goes that St John (St Ivan Rilski) set himself up as a hermit in a cave nearby. Well the monks that faithfully that followed kind of deviated from that ethos in their subsequent construction. The interior of the church was an orgy of gold (no photos). The attached museum was quite fascinating, helped by the “pre-tour” we received from the kind local fellow who was chatting with us while we waited for the ticket lady to come back from her smoko. Most amazing was the intricately carved Rafail’s wooden cross. 36 scenes and 650 figures. Though it could be argued that a lot of them were just carved parts of helmets in the crowd scenes.

After a very tasty local pastry and jam (the pastry seeming very much like bannock) we continued on to Bansko. Bansko was a very different feel. Very much a ski town at the base of the Pirin Mountains. Had one of the better local meals: a skillet of pork and (finally) vegetables. Just the right size portion as well.

It was nice to be a little cooler.

Exceeds Expectations

On November 6, 2025November 6, 2025 By paulmackeyIn TravelLeave a comment

Sep 8 2025

Both Mihail and Georgi had set us up for disappointment in Sofia. We liked it. Certainly more than Bucharest.

It was back down to the bus station for our ride on the public bus to Sofia. After decanting into the Budapest Hotel (yes confusing) it was out to tour the city. First a huge lunch at Izzy’s Cafe.

Still a lot of well preserved Hapsburg era buildings on top of the early medieval ruins. Was clever the way the underpass incorporated the “buried” parts of the city.

The streets were paved gold. Well yellow paving stones. When Sofia was selected as the capital (taking it away from VT and Plovdiv) it was only a small provincial town with dusty streets. The (possibly apocryphal) story was that Emperor Franz Joseph was so put off by the dirt that he gifted the paving stones from what is today Slovakia.

Problem is they are virtually impossible to replicate and therefore replace.

Our walk took us to the main plaza and the very impressive Alexander Nevsky cathedral. Apparently he was Russian. So too the statue of the fellow honoured for liberating Sofia and Bulgaria from the Ottomans, General Gurko.

But there was a statue of Tsar Samuil, ruler of the first Bulgarian Empire. Krum looked rather fierce, but that may have just been a result of the pigeon on his head.

We chose to visit the archeological museum which was to serve us well later on as it straightened out the Thracian-Roman-Byzantine-Medieval-Ottoman-Independence timeline some.

We chanced to exit just in time for the changing of the guard. A chance detour led us to the 4th century church of St George ensconced in a courtyard.

Also by chance we ended up on the main pedestrian street and in the thick of a massive book fair. Tired and foot sore we still ended up walking the entire length down to the very communist looking Palace of Culture.

Ended it in a cafe advertising bar & ice cream. Perfect combination.

Even more to like: the transit system used NFC tap on for fares.

Changing of the guard.

OK if you have nothing else to do

On November 2, 2025 By paulmackeyIn TravelLeave a comment

Sep 7 2025

Started out early looking for the recommended cafe that Google said opened at 7. Sign said 8 on Sundays. So we wandered back up into the “old town” to one that was open. Samurai cafe. The barista lovingly crafted our drinks. So lovingly in fact that mine was quite cold by the time it reached me.. and the queue lengthened. But the view was lovely.

Fortunately the first item on the agenda was Turkish coffee. Which was hot and thick. Apparently the reading of my grounds indicated a tree. 🤷‍♂️

Suitably caffeinated we were deposited at the Citadel gate to go for a wander. And to spend $100 dressing up as the King and Queen of Bulgaria for photos.

For the Xmas letter.

The citadel non-church was striking for its interior art work. It was never consecrated because the Queen who commissioned it also directed that it should be her visage used as that of the Madonna!

After several false lunch starts we ended up at a very authentic Italian panini place. Bath tub sized iced coffees provided a welcome tonic to the heat. Poor guy was doing it hard all on his lonesome though.

That afternoon we were determined to hike. Georgi had sent us the location link to Kartala peak. The Google review of the part beyond to the waterfall said “OK if you have nothing else to do”.

Well the whole hike was kinda that. After hotly ascending through the city we started on a dusty scrubby trail. Google wanted us to walk straight through a fence. A very obscured arrow pointed us around the McMansion to the “view point”. Except not much of the citadel could be seen as most of the view point was in the out of bounds firing range.

As it was indicated the waterfall was only a km away we thought we’d press on.

OK about described it. Quite pretty but nothing spectacular.

Fortunately the climb back up was not as bad as we anticipated. And, back on the other side of the McMansion and on our way down we discovered the best views.

Dinner was back in the pedestrian area with a nice bottle of the Gamza we’d tasted earlier. While the waiting staff dodged the cars that frequently penetrated the pedestrian zone.

Unification Day

On October 29, 2025 By paulmackeyIn TravelLeave a comment

Sep 6 2025

Apparently the train between Bucharest and Veliko Tarnovo only runs once per day. Very slowly. So today was to be in the minibus across the Danube on the friendship bridge into Bulgaria.

We first passed through/around Georgi’s home town, Rousse. Looked very much a working town on the river. We continued across the Danubian plain and up into the foothills of the Balkan Mountains that divide(d) Bulgaria into its two historical parts, the northern principality of Bulgaria and the southern Roumelia of which Plovdiv was the capital.

They were unified on this day in 1885.

Veliko Tyrnovo was the capital until it was moved to Sofia after 1879.

Thus VT had that hill town, old capital feel to it. Checked into our hotel (situated on a steep hill) complete with towels arranged as elephants. Then it was time for a city tour with Georgi starting out with lunch (perched on a hill) then walking in the nominal pedestrian zone (as there appeared to be regular car intrusions).

After the tour it was wine tasting and the local grapes did not disappoint. Especially the red.

And the truffles were full of taste.

Having earlier been introduced to the statue of the four brothers across the river we thought we should be able to wind our way down the streets and cross the bridge. Except the bridge was a “bypass” of the road emerging from the tunnel. So we had to make our way back around past the tired yet impressive Hotel Veliko Tyrnovo and the wedding reception therein.

We eventually made our way onto the peninsula to get a closer look at the very dynamic monument of the Assen Dynasty whose uprising against the Ottomans ushered in the second Bulgarian Empire.

That evening, because of the aforementioned unification there was a light show projected onto the citadel. So we, and it appears every person in Bulgaria, made our way down to the forecourt to watch. Unfortunately I placed us right under the speaker. Still it was fantastic to experience.

On the way back we decided to stop for a drink and a pizza and watch the multitudes stream past. And multitudes there were.

Fortress Lights.

There are children here.

On October 27, 2025 By paulmackeyIn Travel1 Comment

Sep 5 2025

If you want to swim in Bucharest we’d suggest elsewhere.

The morning was the tour through the Palace of the Parliament. The GYG booking was a rip off. Essentially he just handed us off to the official guide. And we had to wait to enter as two people had been passed through the security point without paying. I mean they could have checked our wrist bands.

The fingerprint of communism.

The Palace was nuts. Versailles built in the 1980s. Incredible craftsmanship and design and with emphasis on Romanian craftsmanship. But mostly empty and unused. The amount of everything else that could have been done with the money instead…

At the end of the day there’s lots of room to…

After the tour we went on our quest for a swim. There appeared to be a public outdoor and indoor pool. Google was trying to send us a long way round. It appeared we could get in from the main road. No. This was a very broken and run down entrance to a stadium in a similar condition. And very blocked. So we went around the corner to what appeared to be entrance to the the workout gym and the basketball gym. But not the pools. Fortunately a pictographic sign indicated there might be an entrance a bit further up the road. So we did find a driveway and a lifeguard having a smoke waved us in. We sought out the person under the tent who couldn’t sell us a ticket but told us we could buy a ticket.. at the parking machine. Problem was the machine wouldn’t accept any of our cards, and only 10 RON notes. Well it might have accepted larger but that was scratched out.

So we thought we’d try inside the indoor pool. The attendant, literally hiding behind the desk, eventually told us she couldn’t sell us tickets to the outdoor pool. Only the indoor! She unhelpfully suggested we try another machine. Except there was none.

By then I was determined so I paid the 80 RON to swim indoor. Too expensive for Lori.

Then I had to figure out the maze of the change rooms with minimal to no signage. And my Romanian is not that flash.

Then another swimmer gives me the gears for being barefoot. Even though I was showering. When I walked out on to the swim deck he demanded I rewash my feet at the side of the pool saying “There are signs” (there was one that looked like it was stuck on a corner wall nowhere near the change rooms) and “There are children here” (Dude it’s the kids that bring the tinea in!).

And then I made the mistake of choosing his lane.

I think I got away with the error of not having a swim cap.

And the water was too warm.

We also learned that the trams and metro are on different ticket systems which meant a long walk back.

We walked because we had intended to stop at the nearby Cartureşti Carusel but, disappointingly, this one didn’t have a cafe like the one in the old town. Our main reason for going.

That afternoon we met our new guide Georgi, and group. Larger: 13. So will be a little more complicated to manage we think.

And we had dinner at the same restaurant.

Bucharest was not our bestie

Vlad didn’t sleep here. Or even come here.

On October 19, 2025October 20, 2025 By paulmackeyIn TravelLeave a comment

Sep 2 2025

Apparently he wasn’t even imprisoned here.

Much of the interest in Bran Castle supposedly comes from Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Putting aside the fiction of vampires, apparently Stoker never visited here, (neither did Vlad) and Stoker’s descriptions of the Count’s castle don’t even appear close to anything that could confuse it with Bran.

Yet the town’s tourist industry appears unperturbed by these inconsistencies.

Every “Dracula” trinket imaginable was available. Including the plastic teeth.

The castle is an a lovely, and strategic, setting, overlooking the mountain road from the south. The fortifications here, built again by the invited Saxons, were important as defense against the Ottoman Empire. It now mainly houses a museum about the Romanian royal family, as it was used by them as a residence from 1920.

The views of the exterior were probably far more interesting than than the interior. Thus after a somewhat disappointing visit to the previously espied gingerbread shop we walked on a little further to a field to look back and admire.

It was here we stumbled across the Via Transylvanica, which stretches 1428 km across Romania. Every km is marked by a stone pillar and, as each one is individual, it is claimed this trail is also the world’s longest art gallery!

It was then on to Braşov, to another Casa Wagner in the main square. After lunch Mihail took us on a walking tour through the civic square, out through the city walls, up to the black tower, back down past Katharina gate, through Schei gate which used to be the main entry point into Brasov, through the narrowest street then back to the black church and the square.

Lori did not seem to enthused when I suggest we complete the 158 steps up to the white tower. However we did. However it had just closed at 5.

Hot and grimey we returned to the hotel. As lunch was large and late we didn’t need supper. However I did go out later in the cool of the evening to sit in the square and enjoy the experience. Not so much the disappointing ice cream which was no longer salted pistachio.

Evening activity in the square.

Kopiec Kościuszki

On October 3, 2025November 6, 2025 By paulmackeyIn TravelLeave a comment

Aug 26 2025

A Kosciuszko day. Started out before 7 walking around the old town before the crowds to get some photos and video. Was rather novel to also FaceTime with my Dad in Melbourne as I wandered.

Decided we’d head out first to Kosciuszko’s mound via tram then a pleasant hike up a wooded lane. The pre-mound museum was quite educational. Kosciuszko was quite an enlightened individual with a storied history. Honoured as a hero in two countries (Poland and the USA) And memorialized on a third (Australia)

Back to the AirBNB for a toilet and water refresh then it was off to try and do the underground museum. Booked out. Next the St Mary’s church and altar but mass was still going. So instead lunch at a quirky “toast” cafe called Butter. Lori had the mushroom toast, I the bulgogi. The toppings were stuffed into an exceptionally thick piece of toast!

This time we struck ok with the Pharmacy Museum. Apparently Pliny recommended the fat of the crocodile as a remedy for fever, fried body for the cure of sciatica, lumbago and chronic coughs, the gall for the treatment of cataract, the intestines for diseases of the eyes and as a cosmetic that restores the natural tints of the skin.

Then back to St Mary’s this time to wander the church and view the impressive altar which was dismantled and hidden during the war.

After another recharge it was back up to the Castle (via the Griffin Head pharmacy in hour of Paul’s mum) to tour the Cathedral and Cathedral museum. Visited the tomb of the aforementioned teenage female King St Jadweiga, whose dying wish was to fund the university. Also the tombs of Kosciuszko and Chopin.

Back to the AirBnB for another rest and recharge before back to the Market Hall for the free entry into the Polish art museum. Well renovated space. The story of the restoration of “Four in Hand” was fascinating.

Then a delightful drink on the terrace overlooking the square before back for another rest and recharge.

Dinner was at a Georgian restaurant which a very meek and petite street spruiker enticed us into. Sat next to a young couple visiting from Ukraine. Caught us both by surprise as we were under the (obvious erroneous) assumption that the war would have restricted movement.