Days 26-27, 20th& 21 April. Amsterdam & Istanbul

Day 26-

Today was an early start as we were off to the Aalsmeer bright and early. Holland has a 15 billion dollar flower industry and provides 62% of the global flowers, yet they are something like 0.02% of the population! Quite a feat.

The flower auction is so massive its almost incomprehensible. Its starts at 6am and is all finished later in the morning by about 9am. They are very clever also to market this to tourists as you walk along above all the action and can see it all happening, while being out of the way. There were hundreds of staff on carts zooming around in apparent bedlam with scanners, getting the flowers that had been bid on and won. The auction is now all electronic, but used to be like the manual stock exchange with lots of noise. Surprisingly the buyers were all men apart from 2 women!

We spent an hour or so there, then back to the Okura hotel for a much needed cuppa and breakfast, before going out again to Ruks ('Rikes') museum. We had our group photo taken next to the "I AM AMSTERDAM" statue, then were taken for a guided tour by the local history guy through the museum to see famous paintings. They have the massive "Nightwatch" painted by Rembrandt and the guide told us some really interesting things about what certain things in paintings represented - as in; in the 1700's, if a women had her neck showing, she was a prostitute and paintings with salt and pepper shakers in them, portrayed wealth as they were very expensive to buy.

Then we went outside into the sun and had a baguette with an Australian couple Guy and Carmella. Caught a taxi together back to the hotel as the bus was still a couple of hours away. Did a total repack for tomorrows departure to Turkey.

Out at 5pm for a canal cruise and then the farewell dinner in the heart of the city- this has been a great tour, with a great driver and tour director. Being a small group of 32- with 10 of them being chinese friends who did their own thing, our group were all friendly and nice.

Dinner was with much hilarity and then Nathalie took us for a walk through the red light district- very different at night compared to when we came during the day a few weeks ago. She said the girls rent a window for a shift and the girls at night were very sexy, full of silicone and wearing florescent clothes (or lack of them) which made them glow in the light! They seem to have a thing for wearing reading glasses to make them look more intelligent- even though they obviously dont need them for reading lol!

Back to the hotel in the bus and a late night, before departing tomorrow! Really loved the last 3 or so weeks with the river cruise and coach tour. Now off to do our own thing.

Day 27-
Were able to sleep in till 7.30am today and bags out by 8.30. Had our breakfast (its $60 pp here can you believe, if you come here on your own?!) The coach took us to Schipol Airport. Check in easy as we were early and its a 3 1/2 hr flight. We had to go through a body scanner at the gate and after exiting with everything intact still! we boarded. I asked for exit row and they are great seats in the front. The plane wasnt very full so we were really lucky. The flight only took 3 hours in the end and they served a full meal and drinks which was nice. Impressed with Turkish Airlines.

We got our transfer in- the roads arent that great with lots of works going on and along the Mirimar sea side, there are now century towers with guards (with machine guns) in some of them. Surprisingly the airport here was very low key, although saw armed police with mean looking machine guns - didnt dare take photos!

Checked in at the Celal Sultan where we stayed in 2007 and are in room 315 with a view of Hagia Sophia mosque, we are just down the hallway from the room we had when we visited with Danni. Went out for a wander in the old town which is lively and full of foreigners, all very relaxed. I remember it was surprisingly laid back when we last came to what you think a Muslim country would be like. Had a delicious meal at a kebab place with drinks for $35, the lamb here is delicious and the flavours bring back memories, nothing processed and very flavoursome.

We went into the hotel bar for a beer before bed and ran into about a dozen aussies all enjoying a few 'pots'! They are all going to Gallipoli too. Never seen so many in one place over here!!! They were funny and we all had a few laughs.