Istanbul highlights

• Emptying two bottles of white "Narince" wine with Tonia and Sinem in the "Anjelique" bar in the Ortakoy area, marveling at the sight of the Bosphorus and the spectacularly lit Bosphorus Bridge.


• Doing a full tour of the Buyukada (the biggest of the Princes Islands in the Marmara archipelago) in a two-horse carriage, surrounded by pine trees and amazing houses.


• Watching and listening Tonia and Sinem reminiscing about their college years in Skidmore College: the sweet nostalgia of carefree youth.


• Looking outside my room's wall-sized window in the 19th floor of the Sheraton Atakoy Hotel to see the Marmara archipelago; looking down from the same window to see tiny figures of people swimming at the hotel's inviting pool.


• The Agia Sophia: a towering achievement of humankind, a symbol of glory for past empires, an engineering and architectural marvel, a landmark of religious faith throughout the centuries.


• Patiently walking along with other tourists around the observation deck of the Galata Kulesi ("Galata Tower") at 51 meters, to enjoy a 360-degrees daylight view of the enormous city spreading in front of me.


• Lying on the grass under a tree and looking at the clear blue sky in the wonderful gardens of the magnificent Topkapi Sarayι, whilst Tonia and Sinem were calmly chatting and sipping their coffees in the cafe.


• The restaurants where Sinem took us for dinner. All of them. Let me count: "Leb-i Deya", at the Istiklal Avenue at the Beyoglu area; "Faros", at the Sultanahmet area; the traditional, only-a-local-could-know-this kebap restaurant nearby Sinem's house; and the "360", which is absolutely worth of a separate mention.


• All of us being amazed every single time when stumbling upon a common word in the Greek and the Turkish language.
  


• The towering Sultanahmet Camii ("Blue Mosque") and the exquisite Dolmabahce Sarayι, two spectacular showcases of Ottoman art and its influence from Byzantine and Western architecture respectively.
  


• The swirling dervishes and the accompanying Sufi live music group.
  


• The "360" bar-restaurants: the one at the penthouse of an old building at Istiklal Avenue at the Beyoglu area, with its breathtaking view and its colourful menu, an art object in itself; and the one at the artificial Galatasaray Island in the middle of Bosphorus, with its golden blue pool and the direct close view of the Bosphorus Bridge.
  


• Boating the Bosphorus, sailing in between two continents.


• Seeing the signs "Welcome to Asia" and "Welcome to Europe" whilst crossing with a taxi back and forth the Bosphorus Bridge, and realising there and then the cross and exchange of different civilisations and cultures that has taken place in this wondrous city with the passing of aeons due to its geopolitical place in history.


• Taking photos with Tonia, Sinem and Onur at the penthouse restaurant of the Marmara Hotel in Taksim Square, with the city lights in the background. A perfect ending.
  

Urbino highlights

• Jamming at Stathis's house to PJ Harvey's "The Devil": Nea at piano, Stathis at percussion, me at cello - and doing it pretty decent actually;
• The uphill walk and the rewarding spectacular view from the Fortezza di San Leo;
• The busker playing Dire Straits' "Romeo and Juliet" at the main square in Assisi;
• Imagining Raffaelo creating inside the Casa Natale di Raffaelo and marveling at the sheer size and luxury of Pallazzo Ducale
• Tchaikovsky and Chopin on the record player filling Stathis's house every morning while we are sipping his freshly-made espresso;
• Emptying bottles of Lacrima wine late at night;
• The late afternoon hot chocolate at the Titano hotel in San Marino;
• Dancing motionless and silent with Nea to David Sylvian's "Darkest Dreaming"