The view from here

This I took just as the plane was about to take off for home, although the mosques are all prevalent, the call to prayer echoing throughout the day Istanbul had the feel of a European city rather than the exotica of Asia that I expected. In fact It seriously felt more like Paris than anywhere else. Emin thought I was mad, but whether it was the combination of tall Napoleonic buildings,or Utrilloesque narrow steeply cobbled streets mixed with a predominantly Muslim population I could not say. After the tumbled weed of out Parisian New Year we found that most Parisians were in Istanbul, they were everywhere.

The view from our hotel which was in a beautiful old building traditionally furnished but eyewateringly expensive as it was priced in Euros

Looking at Asia

Neither hot nor exotic

I came home to this email from my sister.

Hello from sunny Sydney. I am off to the Golden Coast tomorrow to join the boat for my trip to the Great Barrier Reef. Sydney has been great so far. We have done lots of driving - The Blue Mountains which involved a cable car down the mountain (the highest in Australia) and a small train back up (the steepest in the world) - kittens were born by both mum and me on both. We went on a boat ride up to Sydney Harbour. We have driven to Hunter Valley for wine tasting. We have been to a beach for the day. Finally we went on a boat trip to see the dolphins yesterday - which was absolutely brilliant. Having a great time - the weather is on and off - not too hot with some very overcast days (although today looks like it will be a scorcher). I have managed to avoid killing mum - so far ...

I replied

"Glad you are both having a good time, my marrow is frozen so I am struggling to type. We have not been above zero since before the holiday.
The holiday was good, although we got progressively colder as time went on. Istanbul was effing freezing, it even snowed! New year was an interesting experience, which is a euphemism for WTF. All adds to life's rich tapestry...Leyla was vile most of the time, violent and irritating, despite this I managed to lots take lots of piccys and despite the cold we managed to have mostly blue skies
The girls are fine both enjoyed their break, although I had a distraught Kitty phoning me up on Christmas day in tears because she only had 2 Yorkshire puddings, the dinner was rubbish and this was her 'worst Christmas ever' I told her to go upstairs and make a bacon butty. I think Martin calmed her down but she has complained of being half starved throughout her stay! She continues to be very thorny/irritating/confrontational/rude.
Daisy had a cold but appears to have partied plenty. She is now revising with all the good grace that can be expected of someone who's nose has dripped with snot for two weeks. She is currently hard at work on a scraper board as I write.
So as you can see life is all hunky dory here, back to work tomorrow..have fun, no seriously, don't let me spoil it I am just fine! XXX"

I left snow and I now sit surrounded by snow, yes I know it is winter but seriously it is really cold, as we sat trying to thaw back in the hotel in Istanbul Emin decided that Dubai might be a better option next year!

So I am back, I have spent today editing approx 350 photographs just from Istanbul, I will do Germany tomorrow. Brace yourself, although I have culled drastically, I will be posting a few over the rest of the week.

To ease the pain of return I went to see Twelfth Night with daisy at Wyndham's Theatre, without doubt one of the best plays I have ever seen.