We woke up at 7 am, got ready and went to see Vondel Park, right behind our hotel. We checked-out at 8:15 am and reached the airport at around 10 am after the train from Centraal to Schiphol was late. Our 3.5 hour flight from Amsterdam to Istanbul got delayed by half an hour. That resulted in us landing at Istanbul airport just 1 hour and 20 minutes before our check-in cutoff time for the next flight from Istanbul to Izmir. We had to first buy the on-arrival visa and then go through passport control. The whole thing took over an hour and we had less than twenty minutes left before collecting our bags from the international terminal and dropping them off at the domestic terminal! We ran the whole 20 minutes and barely made it to the check-in counter. We were sweating and short of breath and really fatigued. Then we realized that the airline staff was very laid back and the boarding hadn't even started! We were easily able to get on the flight.
It was a short 50 minute flight on a domestic Turkish airlines called AtlasJet but the whole experience was truly impressive - new Air Bus aircraft, professional staff and great service. In just those 50 minutes, they were able to give us a sandwich, coffee and a snack, in 3 different rounds! Thanks to the busy schedule since last night, this was the only food we had during the day time till we reached Izmir.
After reaching Izmir, we took the free shuttle bus to Kusadasi offered by AtlasJet. The shuttle ride was more than 80 kilometers so it was amazing that the airlines offered it for free. After getting dropped off in Kusadasi at the bus terminal, we took a cab to our hotel. Then we had dinner at a fabulous restaurant next to our hotel.
Turkey is totally exceeding our expectations so far. It reminds us a lot of Pakistan but with a lot better infrastructure such as roads, airports, buses and service quality. It's like implementing the good things of North America in a Pakistani setting. Our hotel is quite modern and Kusadasi is not even a big city of Turkey. Our windows look out over the Kusadasi Marina and what a mesmerizing view it is! The restaurants next to our hotel remind me of Ocean Drive in Miami.
The restaurant had traditional Turkish food - BBQed kababs of different types, lentil soup with salad and a special bread. Comfort food to compensate for not having had a proper meal for over 36 hours. The server was extremely polite and friendly, just like all other people we have interacted with in Turkey so far. After dinner, we walked along the Marina and took pictures. Oh and the weather is just perfect with a gentle breeze and a not-too-high-not-too-low temperature. We are going to sleep now since we have another long day tomorrow. Till tomorrow, good night.
It was a short 50 minute flight on a domestic Turkish airlines called AtlasJet but the whole experience was truly impressive - new Air Bus aircraft, professional staff and great service. In just those 50 minutes, they were able to give us a sandwich, coffee and a snack, in 3 different rounds! Thanks to the busy schedule since last night, this was the only food we had during the day time till we reached Izmir.
After reaching Izmir, we took the free shuttle bus to Kusadasi offered by AtlasJet. The shuttle ride was more than 80 kilometers so it was amazing that the airlines offered it for free. After getting dropped off in Kusadasi at the bus terminal, we took a cab to our hotel. Then we had dinner at a fabulous restaurant next to our hotel.
Turkey is totally exceeding our expectations so far. It reminds us a lot of Pakistan but with a lot better infrastructure such as roads, airports, buses and service quality. It's like implementing the good things of North America in a Pakistani setting. Our hotel is quite modern and Kusadasi is not even a big city of Turkey. Our windows look out over the Kusadasi Marina and what a mesmerizing view it is! The restaurants next to our hotel remind me of Ocean Drive in Miami.
The restaurant had traditional Turkish food - BBQed kababs of different types, lentil soup with salad and a special bread. Comfort food to compensate for not having had a proper meal for over 36 hours. The server was extremely polite and friendly, just like all other people we have interacted with in Turkey so far. After dinner, we walked along the Marina and took pictures. Oh and the weather is just perfect with a gentle breeze and a not-too-high-not-too-low temperature. We are going to sleep now since we have another long day tomorrow. Till tomorrow, good night.
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