Blake kindly set us up with a BLOG but this is the 5th time I have tried to get something down and it deletes it halfway through my entry, i am exasperated but I will keep trying.

friday in singapore:  was very busy day, we met nani and her family including her niece and nephew  and also some friends from melbournje who will be living in singapore from july with his work, in arab street for a malay breaklfast, lots of yumny curries and rice and and MORE cows lungs, it was nanis mums favourite restaurant.  After that we went off to do some serious shopping for john (all of us it was like a harem) which was successful in that he got his duel sim iphone and also some computer things he needed.  S0 after all that we left nani and family and headed back to our hotel to freshen up and meet Liv (Keeley and Ranis godmother) for dinner, after a couple of drinks at a local establishment at robertson quay hwere we were staying and then onto clarke quay for a yummy indian meal and after much talking etc we left there at about 1130p.m.  

saturday:  Gloria had already booked the Tippling Club from melbourne, liv had heard about it but hadn't been so she joined us for a fabulous lunch, one of the partners used to work for vue de monde and the food did reflect this style, yummy  bits and pieces in between courses (it could be a bit prohibitive for dinner $150 plus a head) but the lunch option was just great 2 courses for 29, 3 for 49 with a glass of wine.  We then walked back into orchard road which was a few km and left liv at the station and headed back to our hotel to get organised for our 1130p.m. flight to Istanbul.

sunday arrived Istanbul at 7.45a.m. negotiated their train and tram network to get to our hotel and were there by 9.00a.m. which waspretty good, we managed OK with the language ect though the ticket guy at the halfway mark was a little exasperated with us but we managed.  then we had a poke around where we were staying and had a some breakfast as our room wasnt ready until about 11.00 and then went exploring.  Istanbul is a very likeable city and quite pretty,the history is amazing, loads of mosques.  

monday we were up early after having had an early night the sunday night.  caught the ferry to the bosphorus which  is about 25kms out of istanbul in between the europe side and asian side of turkey.  A very pretty journey along the water taking in all the sites along the way until we came to a little fishing village sariyer and thats where we got off and had lunch and then walked a few km along the shore back to an amazing little museum which is a private collection of ceramics, dress and loads of other things, was worth going to and then we caught the bus back to istanbul.  the weather has been great around 26 day .  

tuesday we have done all the touristy things today, blue mosque, hippodrome, grand bazaar etc etc, bought a lovely three tone gold bangle at the bazaar, am very happy with that.  Also did the spice bazaar which is an amazing place as well with all the yummy nuts and spices, john managed to buy some levi pants and we had a tailor take them up all for $20.  We leave this hotel tomorrow ( we are in the old town of Sultanamet) and book into the Ritz carlton to join our tour tomorrow night.  then we have another two nights here before heading down to gallipoli on friday.  Prices here are very good, much the same as home, somethings being cheaper.