On the road again, or in the air, but traveling!

Tuesday we arrived for an overnight in Istanbul, in route to Tbilisi.  We had actually left Monday on an overnight flight from Boston.  It was damp in Istanbul with the temperature around 50.  We had been clever and checked our bags all the way through to Tbilisi, so we would not have to deal with them coming into the city and packed what we needed in a backpack.  This made it easier for us to use the light rail and metro system for a fraction of the cost for a taxi.

We stayed in a new hotel for us, the Nena, which just happens to be about four doors away from the old faithful Hali, where we had been unable to get a room, or as I recall the price of rooms had gone up substantially.  So we are in a nicer hotel at a lower rate...go figure.

We got out in the rain for dinner quite nearby.  Prices are going up in this city..guess that is how it works when you get more tourists.  We did have nice food in a quiet and cozy environment.  David even got half an extra beer as, while we were enjoying the fire, a little fly decided to go for a swim in the beer.  They promptly replaced the beer!  

When it was time to pay we pulled out our credit card to find that their card reader was not working. The manager or owner said we could come back tomorrow to pay, but since we're leaving before they would open we paid in a combination of turkish lira and US dollars and headed back to the hotel.

Sleep was difficult for both of us but more so for Marty, who had photos on her mind that needed to be uploaded to her site, so at 03:00 she started working on them until after breakfast.

The buffet at the Nena was certainly one or more steps above any others we have had in Istanbul.  Just look at the spread in the photos.

Oh yes, funniest little shower ever; a small enclosed tub that had two levels.

Here are some shots of the hotel:

Soon after breakfast Wednesday we gathered our things and headed for the airport: the Ataturk, which is on the European side.  There is a second major airport on the Asian side, and rumors that a third will be built up by the Black Sea.  Istanbul has become a huge hub for travelers!

Two hours in the air brought us to Tbilisi, where we reconnected with Dato and came to our cozy apartment.  A small market on Vorontzov Square had the essentials we needed for dinner (some smoked meat and eggplant salad) and some eggs and bread for breakfast.  Tomorrow, Thanksgiving, we'll reconnect with Dato, do some major shopping and get our phones working.