Turkey - Istanbul - Stop Press

This is a stop the press statement that I have had the best Turkish bath from a grotty place for women only called but the massage, scrub, shampoo, sauna and wash again were fantastic - I feel like a new woman..

This is the Cagalogue Hamami - featured in 1000 places to go before you die - I didn't go there...read a few reports and people were disappointed so I went to an all womens one - looked grotty on the outside but did the best baths....called Nisanci for a 1/4 of the price...

 Now Istanbul - a fascinating place -Far bigger than I ever imagined - stayed before the tour at a Hostel found on Hostelbookers called Sultan Hostel - in the Sultanahmet area - so close to everything...for 40 Euros a night for a private room and 12 Euros for a 6 bunk dorm...  Visited beautiful mosques, the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sofia, Topkapi Palace which amazed me as it houses relics of:  Now get this.....The Rod of Moses (really), Turban of Abraham and Abraham's saucepan (I kid you not), the footprint in clay of the Prophet Mohammed from 7th Century and parts of the beard of Mohamed (how they authenticate these I will never know!!)

Took a On the Go Tour  Turkey Unplugged for 10days from Istanbul to Gallipoli, (so sad), Troy interesting and model of the Trojan horse recreated, Pergamum, Ruins of Ephasus, Pamukkale with CaCo3 thermal pools - looks like snow, then Cappadocia a fascinating place where the 2nd Star Wars movie was filmed, with phallic like fairy chimneys and I was fortunate to have a hot air balloon ride - so peaceful and AMAZING......returned via the capital Ankara to Istanbul....Such a great trip - I would love to come back - their crafts are just beautiful and I could have just gone crazy if I was returning to Australia soon...but I'm not, shame - have to return....another day....