30th June 2006

1. At KLIA saying goodbye to our families early in the morning at 7.00 a.m.

2. In the plane - boarding at 9.00 a.m.

3. Arrived in Istanbul at 2.30 p.m. & greeted by Hakan Ebas and met up with Isabelle Heroux who arrived at the same time; Waiting for our flight to Trabzon at 7.30 p.m. in the domestic transit lounge.

4. Approximately 2 hours later saw us at Trabzon's baggage claim - in the flight were the other participants of the festival.

1st July 2006

5 & 6. Unfortunate incidents would always seem to happen unexpectedly; 2 mini buses were supposed to pick us up for the approximately two-hour journey to Ordu but only one  was there. Here you see us beside the van/mini bus with the other participants waiting on the highway in the middle of the night. How did we get to the highway? Well, it was suggested that we should put all our luggage and guitars into the bus and the women will go with the driver while the men walked out to the highway. The two very-pleasant-and-always-willing-to-please guys, whom we found out later to be our translators and guides, tried their best to find transport for us. Alas, it was fruitless... how long did we wait?... it was quite some time and we were simply exhausted. Finally, we decided to 'pack' all 15 of us and our luggage... and guitars! into the van like sardines and we were on our way. We reached the hotel around 3.30 a.m. whew! Somehow or other we managed to get  up by 9 or 10 a.m..

7 & 8. Here's a view from the 5th floor restaurant where we were to be having our breakfast, lunch(?) and dinner...and midnight concerts! The front view shows a large banner of the festival and here's a picture of the back view.

9. Here are pictures of us at the television station (ORT). Left to Right - KLGE II with newscaster and interpreter. 

10. Simon with Oznur Kahveci our English translator.

11. Simon with Fatma Turkmen our interviewer.

12. Ernest with Fatma &.Oznur.   Left to Right (Bottom)

13. Sew Hong with Fatma & Oznur;

14. May Ling with Fatma & Oznur;

15. the TV station crew.

This is the Tasbasi Kultur Merkezi, an ancient church turned cultural centre which is used as a second hall for our performances. It has a beautiful scenic view of the Black Sea and you see us here at a cocktail party and meeting Oner Yavuz for the first time. 

2nd July 2006

20. After the cocktail, we were treated to the opening performance of the festival presented by Turkey's most prominent guitarist Hasan Cihat Orter.

21 & 22. Here is a view of Ordu from a hilltop restaurant where we had a sumptuous lunch.

23. Inside of the church where we gave our first performance.

Our programme consists of solos, duets, trios and quartets - above are representative photos of our performance.

After our performance - a KLGE II group photo, with our emcee Elcin and also with Suat, our guide & interpreter, outside the church.

3rd July 2006 

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32. Hazelnuts are the speciality here in Ordu and the shop we visited sold the nuts prepared in all sorts of  ways.

33. The main street that's equivalent to our Bintang Walk.

34. A shop that sells a myriad of things like fishing stuff, hardware etc.

35. At the bazaar, some walking distance away, you will find vegetables for sale.

36. This same bazaar is very much like our Petaling Street where cheap imitation handbags are sold.

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37. As we walk along, we see locals having lunch. 

38. Across the street is a square with some souvenir shops selling trinkets. At this trinket shop, the owner who had watched our interview on TV is seen asking Simon for his autograph. The owner was so happy to see us that she wanted us to choose something from her shop as a present for our better half !

39. May Ling is seen picking something pretty for remembrance.

40 & 41. Lunch at a restaurant situated on the sea front. Splash! and Peter of the Duo Lisme was drenched - blessings from the Black Sea!

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42 & 43. Here we are in the Ataturk Kultur Merkezi - the third row was reserved for us the festival guests.

44 & 45. We attended the Lot Lorien (a Bulgarian group) performance.

46. After the performance was chow time - we then realized that dinner was going to be after every performance, which was around 11.00 p.m.! After dinner, we were treated to a performance of traditional music. Goksel was so inspired.that he broke into an impromptu dance.