Cumhuriyet Bayrami.
Or Happy Turkish National Day.
OK, I’m a day late with Turkey turning 95 yesterday but what’s a day between friends?
I’m sure they’ll forgive me for my belated birthday wishes.
I first fell in love with Turkey 16 years ago when our air hostess on our flight out to Bodrum mistook me for a Turk.
They took the Son and Heir for one of their own too on account of him being called Ally.
Istanbul in my heart
And every time we passed by the market the traders would call out his name with one even swinging him around.
I finally fulfilled a Travel dream this year when I got to Istanbul 26 years after I was supposed to.
So a day’s late birthday wish is but a passing moment.
The big romantic gesture of a romantic proposal was meant to take place on the Bosphorus.
But we ended up in Malta instead… I told you I was hopeless with directions.
I guess the then Miss F must have been expecting something because when I bent down to tie my shoelace…
She screamed ‘Yes’.
Malta has remained in my affections ever since, as has Miss F.
And I had the good fortune to get back out there a few years ago Malta easer where I learned ‘our’ restaurant is still there http://www.visitmalta.com.
And enough time has probably passed that I can pull that trick again to get a free bottle of Champagne.
My next attempt at getting to Istanbul was in 1997 when we visited Bulgaria.
But the distance (there was an option) and the small matter of the Son and Heir who was in his Terrible Twos put the kibosh on that.
Now that I’ve finally got a taste for Istanbul Wham bam, thank you Hamam, one of the world’s great cities http://www.howtoistanbul.com I’ll not leave it so long in future.
And when I do go I’ll travel with Turkish Airlines www.turkishairlines.com.
And I’ll dally in their award-winning Business Lounge and maybe pay a visit to their headquarters.
To catch up with old friends, play on the flight simulator, and this time ask if I can slide down the aeroplane chute.
