August 18, 1970: Up early. Mom heard a vendor below selling fruit so she rushed down and bought monster peaches and some grapes. You must grab the fruit quick before the vendor replaced it with second quality fruit. Man, you must be sharp in Istanbul. It is becoming more of an enjoyable game in IstanbulContinue reading ““Travels to a Different Time ” : August 18-21, 1970 : Last Days in Istanbul: War, Chickens at the Airport and Cholera: Beware of Hashish: Off to a Turkish Bath”
Author Archives: Robert K Stephen (CSW)
“Travels to a Different Time” : August 1970: On the Midnight Express to Istanbul: Custom’s Officers Get Fresh with Mom: Mom’s Rump Pinched by the Turks! The Bill on the Ground Scam
After seeing Oliver Stone’s film “Midnight Express” is heading to Istanbul wise? We had first class tickets but did not exactly know where to get to first class so I think we ended up in second class beside some barfy old lady. We were told by a conductor first class was ahead so off weContinue reading ““Travels to a Different Time” : August 1970: On the Midnight Express to Istanbul: Custom’s Officers Get Fresh with Mom: Mom’s Rump Pinched by the Turks! The Bill on the Ground Scam”
RKS Film: “I May be Dead by Tomorrow”: The Never-Ending Battle of Street People
If you live in a major urban centre and are working in or commuting in the downtown core you have seen it time and time again. Homeless people. Homeless people begging. Homeless people drinking. Homeless people fighting. Erratic homeless people shouting to themselves. Homeless people living in encampments. It could be like stoplights they areContinue reading “RKS Film: “I May be Dead by Tomorrow”: The Never-Ending Battle of Street People”
RKS Wine: Carmenére Confusion
For 145 years Carmenère in Chile was thought to be Merlot! It was only in the mid 1990’s that what was thought to be Merlot was actually identified as Carmenère. Although more Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot is planted some say it is Chile’s signature grape. Originally a Bordeaux grape it was wiped out by diseaseContinue reading “RKS Wine: Carmenére Confusion”
“Travels to a Different Time” :August 11, 1970: (Volos/ Thessaloniki) :No Not Another Tantrum! A Crappy Birthday
From Volos we made a connecting stop at Larissa and boarded the train to Thessaloniki and arrived at 4 p.m. While at the train station we bought a ticket to Istanbul. We found a B class hotel called the Rotunda and just loved the hot water. On the way to dinner I bought a pairContinue reading ““Travels to a Different Time” :August 11, 1970: (Volos/ Thessaloniki) :No Not Another Tantrum! A Crappy Birthday”
“Travels to a Different Time” : August 8-10, 1970, Skopelos, Greece: Big Game Hunter Spears a Prize! Why Are These People Staring at Us?
August 8, 1970: I woke up at seven to get some fresh bread and we had strawberry jam, bread and hardboiled eggs for breakfast. We took the 9 am bus to the beach with Theodore, Rick and Dee. We preordered our lunch of calamari before walking down to the beach. Theodore borrowed my speargun butContinue reading ““Travels to a Different Time” : August 8-10, 1970, Skopelos, Greece: Big Game Hunter Spears a Prize! Why Are These People Staring at Us?”
RKS Film: “City of Vultures”
I recently saw “City of Vultures II” which will be released on February 1st and you will see my review on January 31. But the original “City of Vultures” is now available for free on Tubi at https://tubitv.com/movies/417685/city-of-vultures?start=true You need not see the original before you watch the sequel but if you do you willContinue reading “RKS Film: “City of Vultures””
“Travels to a Different Time”: August 7, 1970: The Great Jellyfish and Fly Massacre
Up at 6:30 this morning. Read a few chapters of my book “The Family” then rolled over and slept until noon and killed 23 flies before eating a meager breakfast of grapes. We went into town to buy supplies for lunch at the beach but missed the bus to Stafilos Beach so we took aContinue reading ““Travels to a Different Time”: August 7, 1970: The Great Jellyfish and Fly Massacre”
“Travels to a Different Time” :August 5, 1970: Living in a Grape Arbour Now in a Partially Completed Hotel! Trapped in the Bathroom!
As soon as we landed onshore on Skopelos I waited in a café while Mom hunted for a room and only managed to find a room in a partially constructed hotel! As we unpacked the entire family of the hotel manager was watching us! There is no door for our room and instead there isContinue reading ““Travels to a Different Time” :August 5, 1970: Living in a Grape Arbour Now in a Partially Completed Hotel! Trapped in the Bathroom!”
“Travels to a Different Time” : August 1970 More Skiros: No More Mackerel Sandwiches Please!
August 1, 1970: Up at 8 a.m. to take the bus to a new beach. On the way to the bus stop we bought some canned mackerel and sardines and bread. We were on the bus at 9 and at the beach at 10 and we had to walk through a forested area of pineContinue reading ““Travels to a Different Time” : August 1970 More Skiros: No More Mackerel Sandwiches Please!”
A Bird's Eye View of Fashion, Food, Travel, Culture, Beverage and Curiosity 