MomLes

The problem with this place – like most of Istanbul, really – is the touts who hound you and won’t let you browse in peace. You can try getting rid of them the Turkish way: click your tongue and give your head a slight upward motion. That means “No – get lost!” Whatever you do don’t answer their question “Where do you come from?” They’ll latch onto you and never let go. Maybe you can answer “Iceland” or “Tonga” or something else exotic as long as you can do it convincingly.

There’s lots of stuff here, but most of it is pretty shoddy and touristy.

Great if you like crowd scenes. Many shops, most of them modern. Most of what you need you can find here.

It’s vast, and just 1/4 uncovered. We were fortunate to have an excellent guide, the wife of a friend. I think that was important. If possible, get yourself on a tour organized by a local company – try the ones in Izmir. Don’t get attached to a tour aimed at Americans – too superficial.

We took a couple of days at the beginning of November to get a glimpse of Norfolk, the home of some of my ancestors. Loved it! The weather was beautiful, which helped a lot. The Saxon round-tower churches and the small villages are most photogenic. We’d like to spend more time here when we can.

I lived in Creston for 5 years. It’s a quiet, unassuming place full of kind and gentle people. The scenery around is spectacular – gentle mountains surrounding a wide, flat valley. Kootenay Lake to the north is great for fishing and boating. Don’t miss it; take some time for yourself and really enjoy it.

Have a look at the photo show at http://crestonbc.com/creston_info.html.

We own a condo in Canmore that we rent to vacationers while we’re wandering aroung the world (through Bow Valley Bedfinders, if you’re interested). It’s a lovely place, quiet and peaceful if that’s what you like but also with a bit of a night life and pleasant bars and eateries. There’s something to do any time of the year. You can ski in the winter, of course, but the rest of the year you can hike or bike or just stand there and gawk at the scenery. And if you decide you need a bit of city life Calgary is an hour away. Don’t miss it!