Breakfast is provided, but there are no group activities today. You can hop a ferry to the Greek island of Samos (where you’ll find easy plane/boat connections to other islands and Athens), or take the tour bus to nearby Izmir for quick flights to Athens or Istanbul and home. Güle güle!
New Istanbul Cuisine
Dear Reader,
After the tour ended some of our friends flew to Istanbul. This gave us a chance to gather for the last time in a small restaurant across from the Pera Palace Hotel.
Turkish cuisine is a fun one. It is the mix of all cuisines of the three continents Ottoman Empire spread over once. Trend setting palace chefs entertained the sultan with dishes made with ingredients coming from different corners of the empire, creating unique recipes. Today, this is the heritage we are proud of we call the Turkish cuisine.
Lately, there is a new trend in Istanbul, we call it the new Istanbul style. It has been created by young and innovative chefs who have studied different cuisines of the world. It is a mix of traditional Turkish cuisine and chefs’ experiences of other cuisines.
For the final dinner we went to such a restaurant, Mezze by Lemon Tree , Chef and owner Gençay is an ex-tour guide. He is sociable and connects with the client easily.