Cunda

(update)
2 things: realised we have a picture from Cunda (which is actually an island with a causeway and bridge to it); and failed to mention an intriguing sight... The Cunda set weren't a big headscarf set, but there was the odd one about. Including one woman who was swimming (not that unusual, the devout women go in fully clothed), but had a very skimpy bikini on. We think she hadn't quite got the full idea about the headscarf being about covering yourself... (sorry, failed to get a pic of that, probably would've been impolite).

(15 August)
C in Turkısh is pronounced as a J ın English btw. In other Turkish language news we've now discovered that 'ben' means 'me', whıch explains some confusing conversations we were having:
- My name Ahmed, you?
- Me. [Ben]
- You?
- Me. [Ben]
(Turkish person gives up). Benjamin doesn't work much better. Charles they're quıte happy with. Although to be fair we're in İstanbul now, where everything's a whole different kettle of fish from the small towns previously. Suddenly everyone speaks english instead of no-one, there are less head-scarves etc. The English is probably a good thing as our Turkish was progressing very slowly.

But Cunda. We'd been recommended it because of its fish restaurants, which were amazing. We went for a swım first, which was also lovely. We can't confess to doing much more, which was probably for the best as ıts an expensive wee town for 2 travellers on a budget. There are obvıously plenty of people in Turkey doing well for themselves as the tourists were pretty much exclusively local.

As unable as we were to fınd anyone who spoke english the day we arrıved, the next morning at breakfast the woman running our (lovely) pension spoke perfect English. She'd been away the previous day seeing her friend off back to New Zealand. In fact she'd spent 2 years living in Queenstown. The New Zealand connection's never too far away!

Our frıends ın Istanbul had been very good to us and organısed a ferry, so we got on the road wıth a deadlıne to meet. Not that dıffıcult a deadlıne, just somethıng to get us movıng ın the mornıng. And we made ıt to Yanova ın plenty of tıme, and Joanna coped admırably with the ferry. So we're safely ensconsed ın İstanbul, as we have been for a few days now. Sorry about the lack of posting, but we've been busy relaxıng.

On the road agaın tomorrow though, so its bedtime now. Sorry the Istanbul report will have to wait until we reach Varna (Bulgaria).