Julius Meinl Capsules...

There is an App I have on my phone simply called been. Now as a name it should have a capital B but the creators decided to use lower case and a logo that is pure and simple. I like it. The point of the App is to keep me abreast of the countries I have visited. So far I am at 141. Now this is mostly guess work, I can’t remember I’ve been over the last 54 years but I doubt this number is far from my actual total.

From that total I would suggest that Turkey is high within my favourites list, top 100 for sure. I’d go as far as to put it in my top 20. In fact I went as far as to read back to an older blog, I have saved you the trouble of searching for it.

To my shock and dismay, Turkey didn’t make the top ten and, even more surprisingly, Istanbul didn’t appear in the list either. Wow.

Istanbul is a stunner! A place that when I see it mentioned on an itinerary makes me smile. For me it has everything. It’s full of character and tradition. The people are lovely but they’re always in a rush. The locals play backgammon at the normal pace, the food, the coffee, the sites. And it’s not part of Schengen which is a complete joy and an awful long and confusing tale.

I was there recently to join Regent Seven Seas Voyager and, not unusually, the cruise line had me fly out the day before. Decidedly Unusual was the fact that I couldn’t have cared less about one day lost in UK because, well, IT’S ISTANBUL.

I was picked up at 10.30am and after a quick drive to the port I was told check in wouldn’t start for another couple of hours.

‘You can sit and wait in comfort here.’ I was told by my a local representative who pointed to a bench that was filling with other guests.

All I heard was, ‘a couple of hours.’

I dumped my luggage and wandered, immediately. I was hungry and I knew just the spot. Finding good food is something I have always struggled with. Finding the good coffee I’d say with confidence is something I do 90% of the time. When it comes to food my success rate is closer to 10%. So knowing where to head was reassuring.

It was Sunday. My spot was shut.

Damn it. I did however know exactly how to raise my spirits and just a short wander through some lanes I was standing outside Karabatak Coffee shop. A firm favourite of mine. It’s always full of locals and serves Julius Meinl. Now, when it comes to coffee, a couple of signs will grab my attention and encourage me to walk into that establishment. If the Julius Meinl logo is outside I promise I am skipping into that place.

Skip I did, and when the giggles dissipated I ordered a double macchiato. Getting ready to pay, my gaze was attracted to a display behind the till. Julius Meinl, in every form.

I don’t speak anything more than ‘thank you’ and ‘another please’ in Turkish but after paying for my coffee and being promised someone will be over shortly I found my table and pulled out my book.

‘You were asking after some pods?’ A voice behind me asked. And minutes later I had a pack of my own Julius Meinl pods to enjoy. Now that was a great morning. One that couldn’t possibly be improved you’d think. You’d be wrong.

Packing up my purchase the barista asked where I was from.

‘London.’ I’m not but it’s always easier to say London. Everyone has heard of London!

‘Oh, we have just opened up our second coffee shop in London!’

Excited now, I ask where and here is exactly when my day came close to being the best day ever...

‘Twickenham. Do you know it?’

Do I? Harlequins are my team, rugby is my sport and Twickenham is home to both.

I had just bought tickets for the England-Australia game on November 8th.

‘I’ll be there in November!’ I tell him and skipped out of the shop.