Mundus Casus Pars Duo

Saturday 15 – Wednesday 19 November 2025 Saturday - wide awake at 4.30 am. Flying east needs careful management. We were almost first at breakfast at 7.30 am. A restrained effort, with Maldivian vegetables and noodles with chilli and a small Maldivian omelet. We did however have a mimosa because it was there in a nice silver bowl on ice. Sunday morning was spent swimming in the sea off our deck and lying about in the sun. Monday was eat, drink, nap, swim - repeat. Tuesday is looking to be the same, except it's blowing 40 knots. There's always the bar. Now for a little observation. Since leaving Istanbul, we have been adjusting to the dreaded flying east jetlag, a bit. Wanting to sleep in the middle of the day – more than one usually does and the internal combustion being a little sluggish. Flashy has had curry and chilli for breakfast most days and a curry for lunch too. Fairly mild really. Lots of black coffee and the occasional piece of fruit. We awoke on Tuesday morning ...

Thursday 13 – Friday 14 November 2025 Last day in Istanbul and a chance to explore our immediate neighbourhood. At 10.30 am the market area was almost deserted. We did get a pistachio cake and a tea/coffee at a typical Turkish café (coffee, cakes and soft drinks only available) and then we were accosted by a toothless older guy, who it became apparent later, was a beggar of sorts. He did have good English and of course claimed his cousin lived in Melbourne. He then offered Flashy 5,000 camels for Lady P, with whom he was clearly taken. Not sure how he’d get the camels home, Flashy declined. The old guy then hit us up for some cash. Luckily, we had no lira left. On the hunt for some trinkets, we did manage 12,000 steps and walked along the foreshore for a different view of the split city. With the shopping successful, we joined the locals at a self serve café for roasted eggplant with ground meat and a lamb donner with rice and cold chips. Cheap and cheerful. A mid afternoon bar stop fo...

Wednesday 12 November 2025 Time to do the tourists stuff today, so off to the European side, across the Bosporus by ferry. But first, breakfast at the café next to our hotel was a massive plate of salad, pickles and fresh tomatoes on walnut bread for Flashy and Lady P’s plate included a fried egg and a grilled sausage. Now, here's an interesting observation. In France and England there are more barbers than pubs. Even small towns have two or three "Turkish" barbers in the High Street. So, given that Turkish chaps are a tad hirsute, you'd think there'd be barbers everywhere. Not that he needs one, but Flashy was contemplating a good, old fashioned Turkish barber cut in, well, Turkiye. There's not many about. Perhaps they shave their own backs? Istanbul is a bit like Sydney, without the high rise. Both are split by a harbour; everyone wears black and I mean from head to foot. They probably even wear black undies. And there’s mussies everywhere. Well, you’d e...

Monday 10 November 2025 A long travel day starting at 7.00 am with an on time train to Paris Est. The taxi to Orly was also without delay and the 4 hour flight on Transavia to Istanbul was seamless. Unfortunately, the 45 minute delay in waiting for the free taxi and the hour drive into Kadikoy to our little boutique hotel put us in the room at 9.30 pm. Tuesday 11 November 2025 A very comfortable bed and a good sleep was nice. Well, at least until 5.00 am, when five cats started singing loudly and discordantly just outside our window. Then at 6.00 am an even worse sound woke us. It sounded like someone was being tortured just outside our window. It was the call   to prayer. Ah yes, we’re in a mussy country. Interestingly, the sign on our bathroom door says not to put the toilet paper down the toilet. You’re supposed to use the little bin beside the pan. Really? That’s going to be a bit smelly and unhygienic, surely? Not too good after a gozleme and a few raki. After wakin...

Saturday 8 November 2025 It's D-day minus two today (Sat) and we discovered that there is la Salon de Gastronomie on at the Cube convention centre this afternoon, just around the corner. Before that though, we headed into the Marche des Halles to have a seafood lunch and a wine or two at one of the stalls – la Cabane du Petit Charlot. Our last market visit. This little retail outlet also has half a dozen tables and a stand up bar, where a selection of oysters, prawns, welts, smoked salmon and the like can be purchased along with Champagne and white wine by the glass. So, we did. Best seafood we’ve had on this trip. Half a dozen (should have had 12!) very fresh and cold oysters with a coupe of Champagne; beautiful smoked salmon and a pot of taramasalata and a chilled Chablis. Luckily Lady P had booked last week, as the place was full.  Contemplating a palate cleanser on the way home, we were caught again by the 1.00 pm to 2.00 pm closure of many of the shops. We did manage to bu...

Monday 3 to Friday 7 November 2025 This is the last week in Troyes before we head to Turkey on the last leg home. The weather here is a little cooler and overcast, with scattered showers but not yet winter. So nice to walk around Troyes without tourists. Tuesday was sunny and cool, so we decided on a walk into Chez Come Bistro for lunch. This was another local’s restaurant and it filled up a bit after 1pm but was empty by 2 pm. They have to close of course. The staff must eat! OK, so we have no English spoken here. The menu is all French, which means it   does not cater for tourists. Luckily, Flashy has railroad and restaurant French and does not detect any gizzards on the menu. Lady P wanted the escargot but they were off (the menu today). We settle for the two course, menu du moment prix fixe and have a cocktail and wine while we decode the menu. We chose salade de lentilles vertes magret fumé et noisettes (green lentils, hazelnuts and sliced cold smoked duck breast - Lady ...

Thursday 30 October to Sunday 2 November 2025 Lady P returns to Troyes on efficient France railways and we debrief and settle into a G n T and fresh Nicoise salad. Friday not much doing. Saturday, into the marche again and to avoid the rain shower we took refuge in a bar and drank two very large glasses of Champagne. Flashy can get a bit carried away when he sees a menu with  wine by the  small and large glass. Plus, the waiter was a bit heavy handed. We cruised back for home made pizza for dinner. We head off in the rain on Sunday into town as it’s the first Sunday of the month and most of the museums are free. First stop is The Cité du Vitrail (Stained Glass Museum) which is located in the west wing of the Hôtel-Dieu-le-Comte, a listed historical monument of the 12 th century. Within the walls of the Hôtel is one of the most remarkable apothecaries in France, dating from 1725, it has been preserved as it was then. There were some dodgy potions administered in those days...