Friday. cold sunny day, checked out of the hotel and wondered into work.
Went over to the Cafe Royal for lunch with Neil and Simon. Ed and Mary turned up later for lunch as well. Had some lovely pickled Herring, and a couple of pints of Dark Island.
Back to work to finish off, and then on home. Easyjet coming up trumps with with an on-time flight.
Today the weather was poor. Drizzle some of the days. Had to provide the bank with some estimates for the work I am doing. I believe they thought the work would take several weeks, but I will easily have it written and tested by the end of next week. By the end of the day I feel well on target.
Back to the hotel, hoped to log on to the free Internet access from the Thai Restaurant. Could see the router, but got no where beyond that. So over to the bar with laptop. Apparently they had unplugged the wireless LAN because they needed the link downstairs, and the wireless LAN does not reach through the concrete floor.
Had a couple of pints while surfing, and then a Thai meal. Went for non spicy hot vegetarian in the hope there would be no dire results. Writing this the next day I can say so far so good.
When requesting a hotel, I will look favorably on the Holyrood hotel, but only if I can get a room on the West side, preferably room numbers near the Thai Restaurant (209, 211, 213, 215, 217), and similar rooms on the third floor.
Today decided on a Thai. While I was in the hotel I discovered an open Wireless LAN I could use. The LAN identified itself as Thai is good. So looked around the hotel, there must be a Thai restaurant. Yes there was. Its near Holyrood in the TUN, and is called th Erawan Restaurant. It was actually a restaurant and bar. Serving Thai food and has a nice modern bar.
I decided on a hot spicy Thai salad. Very nice, but in hind sight I should have gone for a mild non spicy vegetarian meal.
Spent the evening using their free wireless LAN from the hotel. Think I will be staying in this hotel in the future, though have to request rooms on the West side.
Not feeling so well after that steak, so decided on a quite day, no drink, little food. Decided to eat in the hotel, (Holyrood something). So expensive, and so heavy. Went vegetarian, with a pasta and mushrooms. Quite nice though.
Weather great, and the bank have some actual work for me to do. Seems they want me through October.
The happiness of the holiday was at an end, all those Chillies, and the water in Istanbul came to their revenge, but still had to be up early for the flight to Scotland and the bank.
Took it easy on the Monday, a few pints at lunch time in Tiles to watch the Oval match. Should have arrived earlier, our fortunes took a real rise, over 40 runs in under the hour. In the evening, the security guard was unhappy, he was not looking forward to all the crowing from the English.
Supper off the the Mussel and Steak Bar. Started off with a kebab, tuna I think, then had a huge steak. Bit of a stupid thing to do with the dickey tummy. No alcohol though, very restrained.