Departures1 - Adventures of a Global Wanderer

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Departures1 - Adventures of a Global Wanderer

Travel and Exploring

A collection of my blogs and entries from my travels across Korea, Asia, Europe, and around the World, also including entries published on the Daegu Blogsite

15/01/2025

Metro Blog : VIA Rail Business Class to Montreal on new Siemens train

[Gare Centrale, Canada] Each year our company will send us on an annual event to their offices in Montreal in January. Every year I have flown from the Toronto Island Airport which has good views of the city on take off an landing but is problematic with flight delays in winter. ...

09/01/2025

Istanbul Vlog : Return on Turkish Airlines while the "Duty Free Police" do a third ridiculous bag search at the gate. More Turkish Dramas and Music

[Istanbul Airport, Turkey] On arrival at Istanbul Airport I first needed my boarding card as they do not allow self print due to entry requirements they have to check you have a visa or Canadian passport. Istanbul Airport Check In Desks Next I needed to exchange the ...

08/01/2025

Istanbul Vlog : Visit to Grand Bazaar which I didnt have time to vist before and Metro to Airport

[Grand Bazaar, Turkey] Today on my final day I was leaving Istanbul after my two day layover and heading to the airport. On this trip I hadnt been to a Hammam (turkish bath) or even visited the Grand Bazaar with all the running around for the scheduled tour times of the Istanbul ...

07/01/2025

Istanbul Vlog : Bosphorus Dinner Cruise and Folk Dances, Dervish, and Belly Dancer

[Ciragan Palace Kempinski, Turkey] Dance Trio Today for my last night in Istanbul I had booked the Bosphorus Dinner Show included in the Istanbul E-Pass. I had done a day cruise on my first visit in 2005. Given that food is expensive now in Turkiye and dinner was inclu...

06/01/2025

Istanbul Blog : Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum, included in Istanbul E-pass. Ceramics, Books, Rugs, Book Illustrations, Gowns

[Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum, Turkey] I was resting in my hotel trying to do my online check in for my Turkish Airlines flight tomorrow but it kept timing out mid way and would not complete. I had already paid for my seat selection but still wanted to complete the check in. ...

03/01/2025

Istanbul Blog : Yildiz Palace, the secret palace not promoted to tourists. I only learnt of it watching Turkish period dramas Payitaht Abdulhamid. Rooms are much smaller than in the tv show and had issues getting them to recognize my Istanbul E-Pass which was fraught with issues

[Yıldız Palace, Turkey] Exterior Grounds During my last three visits to Istanbul I knew of and visited the famous Topkapi, Dolmabahce, and Baylerbei Palaces all visible from the Bosphorus. However I did know of Yildiz another palace close to Dolmabahce. When ...

23/12/2024

Istanbul Blog : Dolmabahce is the European style Palace built on the Bosphorus I last visited in 2007. The tram line from Sultanhamet now extends all the way to the Palace. There is also a paintings collection and an overflow storage museum but this Istanbul E-Pass continued to be problematic to use

[Dolmabahçe Palace, Turkey] Today on my second full day in Istanbul I was venturing to the Galata side of the Golden horn to see the Dolmabahce and Yildiz Palaces. Dolmabahce I had visited in 2007 but Yildiz I had no idea about until I started watching Turkish dramas about...

20/12/2024

Istanbul Blog : Included in the Istanbul E-pass was an evening whirling dervish show. I had seen one before in 2005 and this seemed more touristy put on by the local restaurants

[Kızlarağa Medresesi, Turkey] Large Skirt When I had first come to Istanbul in 2005 I watched a whirling dervish show in the old Serkeci Station which was the eastern terminus of the Orient Express train. At that time I paid $20 and the show was quite well do...

19/12/2024

Istanbul Vlog : The 2 day Istanbul E-Pass included entry to the Basilica Cistern and Archaeological Museum which I had already visited both in 2007. However this pass is very problematic and difficult to use with only location activated QR codes or hidden meeting spots

[Basilica Cistern, Turkey] Even though I had been to Istanbul in 2005, 2007, 2013, I had purchased the Istanbul E-Pass to get entry to the Palaces and the regular tourist sites to visit again after many years. This morning I had problems finding the group tour included in the pas...

18/12/2024

Istanbul Vlog : Return visit to Topkapi Palace after 2005 inspired by Turkish dramas. Harem and Sultans throne extra ticket and much more crowded with cruise ship passengers then when I last came. Also the Haga Irena, Armoury, and Costume Museums

[Topkapi Palace Museum, Turkey] Throne Room Span This was my fourth time in Istanbul (2005, 2007, 2013, 2024). On my first visit in 2005 I had visited the Topkapi Palace in the Sultanhamet District. Since then there has been a tourism boom in Turkiye and the Palaces ha...

17/12/2024

Istanbul Vlog : Istanbul is home to several Royal Palaces from the Ottoman era. Popularized in Turkish dramas I revisited the Topkapi, Dolmabahce, and Yildiz Palaces. Baylerbei on the Asian side was too much leg work so I gave up. Also included in the Istanbul E-Pass was a Whirling Dervish Show and Bosphorus cruise with folk dances

Istanbul Turkiye is home to several Royal Palaces from the Ottoman era. The oldest located in the Sultanhamet district is the Topkapi Palace. Featured in pop...

16/12/2024

Istanbul Blog : A recent pastime has been watching Turkish historical dramas of various Ottoman Sultans. Although I did visit the Topkapi & Dolmabahce Palaces on prior trips the dramas have renewed interest to see them again and introduced me to Yildiz Palace which I had no idea about and is not well promoted to tourists

[Topkapi Palace Museum, Turkey] One of my new hobbies recently and a spin off from travelling is watching Turkish historical dramas. I knew of them but did not know where to watch them with English subtitles. When I travelled on Turkish Airlines in 2019 they were showing the dram...

13/12/2024

MetroBlog : The new Istanbul Airport metro finally connects the airport to the centre after the newer airport opened 5 years ago

[Istanbul Airport, Turkey] Having arrived at Istanbul I could now take the metro line downtown to get to my hotel. The new airport has been open from about 2019 but on my prior layovers the airport line had not been built so I never left the airport. Station Walkway Reg...

12/12/2024

Istanbul Vlog : While Istanbul (IST) opened a new airport hub in 2019 they only recently added the Metro extension. This short video shows how to take the airport line both ways to connect to other lines to get to Sultanhamet, Fatih, or Taksim districts

The new Istanbul Airport (IST) located north of the city now has a metro line to connect to the city centre. The Airport line will run to Gayrettepe from whe...

11/12/2024

Iran Blog : Rebooked my flight out after Turkish Airlines cancelled my original flight due to missile attacks but no guarantee the new flight will not be cancelled either!

[(IKIA) Imam Khomeini International Airport, Iran] Today I would be leaving Iran, hopefully. After all the hassle and pains of getting a visa after so many years when I finally do come my flight is cancelled due to missile attacks closing airspace. Turkish Airlines had first dela...

09/12/2024

Iran Blog : Last two stops before the Airport to the Jamkaran religious complex and Imam Khomeni Shrine complex. Still do not know if I will have an outbound flight after Turkish Airlines cancelled my flight had to book or Iranian airline

[Jamkarān, Iran] Today was my last day in Iran and we had two more stops before my afternoon flight. I was still nervous if I even had an outbound flight as Turkish Airlines had cancelled my departure flight tomorrow due to Iran firing missiles this week. We had rebooked a f...

06/12/2024

Iran Blog : Qom is a Shia religious pilgrim site. The main plaza has the Imam Hassan Askari Mosque and Hazrat Fatima Masumeh Shrines either end. The guard tried to grab my camera out my hand. Also on returning to hotel found out Turkish Airlines had CANCELLED my outbound flight!

[Hazrat Fatima Masumeh Holy Shrine, Iran] After our arrival in the Shia pilgrim city of Qom just outside Tehran we had rested in our hotel till 5pm due to the heat. The hotel was a bit run down but had a prime location. We had to extend our stay an extra night as Turkish Airlines...

05/12/2024

Iran Blog : Arrival Shia Pilgrimage town of Qom with a new monorail under construction

[Karimeh Hotel, Iran] Highway Exits We ended our morning exploring Kashan and continued our northward drive slowly heading back to Tehran for my outbound flight in a couple of nights. That was still yet to prove eventful trying to get our with all the recent military a...

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