photoblog

Angel's landing - aka adventures of a middle aged man

The previous post in this series is here..

On our second day at Zion National park, we left our cabin at 6:30 when it was still dark, drove 10 minutes to the visitor center and boarded the Zion shuttle to the Grotto. The entire bus was going there or past that to narrows, so it was a 20 min ride. We were on the third bus. So a large crowd had already started up ahead of us.

Our permit to go from Scouts landing to Angels landing was 8:30-9:00 AM. So we walked as fast as we could to get to that point. Then it was pretty steep and a risky climb holding on to the chains.

We did make it to Angel’s landing and enjoyed the view. More than that it was a sense of accomplishment.

This is the best photo of me going to the highest point on the landing site. The top is around 2 feet by 2 feet. Wanted to stand on top. A few people did. I wasn’t afraid but there was a lot of screaming from the ladies and had to be happy with one foot on top.

Then we made our way back to Scout’s landing. By the time we almost made it back there was a huge crowd of folks going up. We were all down within 10 minutes of each other.

Ate a packed lunch.. tamarind rice tastes really good after a long hike like that as do idli’s with milagai podi. Our return from Scout’s landing to the shuttle stop was fast.

We decided to go get something to eat at Zion lodge after the hike, and get something to drink, use the restrooms and decide what to do next.. We had made it back to Zion lodge by Noon!

Angel’s landing has been a dream come true after so many years for me. Most of the photos are of me and Sangeetha. She does not like me to post more than two pics of her in any post but this one has to be an exception. Also I took the COVID and Flu shots yesterday and my hands and shoulders are sore.. so compressing all photos to two galleries.

A landscape one ..

and a portait one

A video highlight reel of our hiking (and at places climbing)..

This place is amazing. Needs some planning to do the hike. You are better off if in good shape and can hike steep rocks. Also not having a fear of heights helps. Definitely having hiking shoes, (poles for whose who need it till Scout’s landing) etc. help.

A totally amazing experience that will stay with us for a long time. We have been asked over and over again if this is harder than Half Dome. Nope. Half Dome last part on the chain is way harder than this.. but this one is riskier especially with a relatively undisciplined crowd. Still, a fantastic experience.

Angel’s landing - Check!

Wrapping up Istanbul- The Hammam experience

The previous post in this series is here..

We woke up on day 3 in Istanbul relaxed. Ate breakfast and the two of us left the kids in the hotel and ran to the grand bazaar in search of a fridge magnet that I wanted but did not buy on our first visit. Turns out I had imagined that magnet. No shop had one like that.. and this was a magnet for the Grand Bazaar. It is a missed marketing opportunity for those guys. Someone should make a magnet that says Grand Bazaar and sell it there!

Got to take more photos in Sultanahmet area in the morning

We literally watched it open. After a 15 minute search, gave up, came back to the hotel, picked up the kids and walked to the Victory hotel. It was a good 30 minute walk but we enjoyed it, did some shopping on the way and were ready for the Hammam experience here. We got to take turns sitting in the sauna as there were only two masseuses and four of us. Turns out the ladies doing the authentic Turkish Hammam experience are trained Nepalese. The massage was excellent. Then there was the soap foam bath. After the shower we all felt like there was relaxation but our energy was sapped. So we trudged off to find lunch.

Found a very nice busy place with some vegetarian options, ate fast and went back to the hotel to pack. There was the issue of wet clothes on our next flight but we could always deal with it at the next location..

Jr. and me ran off last minute for me to get some Turkish ice cream and we did find some good magnets for our collection.

A very short video..

Then we were off to the airport. We had an extra two hours before the flight and we walked up and down the shops at the airport and were finally off to Nevshehir for more magic!

A night cruise on the Bosphorus strait - Istanbul

The previous post in this series is here..

After visiting the Topkapi place on our second afternoon in Istanbul, we got back to the hotel to catch up with the little one who was busy studying. Did a quick shower, change into nicer clothes and off we went on an Uber to the docks. We had booked a Viator cruise on the Bosphorus strait which included a vegetarian dinner and live entertainment.

We were flanked on either side by a group of desi boys who had all started working recently after graduating and a family from Germany with two little kids. We were chit chatting and before we knew it, there was some really good entertainment. We even got a visual of the swirling dervishes. Not posting pictures as it is all in the video.

Between the food and entertainment, we went out to the deck to get pictures. The iconic golden gate looking bridge that shows up in every Turkish serial that San watches was there in front of us! It is really as beautiful to see the coastline as it is in the serials!

There was a photographer who took shots of all of us and obviously sold the nice pictures to us at the end of the cruise. It was more of a memorabilia for me. My girls are always pretty in my eyes, but to see them from another persons lens made me smile.

The gallery of lights as seen from the cruise..

A few other pictures from this cruise and on our way back to the hotel.. where the mosques light up the place.

A video highlights reel of the cruise and the entertainment..

Strongly recommend this cruise if you visit Istanbul. Given my allergies and food restrictions, they gave me enough to eat to keep me going for the two plus hours on the cruise. We found a nice driver called Mustafa who took us from the hotel to the place and he told us “god willing, I will get to take you back when you return as my house is close to your hotel”.. and sure enough, god willed for him. We hailed for an Uber in the crowd and Mustafa shows up!

We had a really great time as a family on this cruise. It was chilly when we got out. We were going to wake up and go for one last interesting experience the following morning before leaving the city.. god willing, will write that post tonight.