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Turkey Travel Blogs

On the edge of the Islamic world and on the edge of entering the European Union with Atatürk in the middle, Turkey is a culture cocktail of east and west.

Splattered with mosques, trendy shops and restaurants and a handful of modern beach resorts, you can dance the night away in a fashionable club and then smoke a traditional waterpipe and visit a mosque or many and lounge on a sun soaked beach and visit a sprawling bazar throughout the day.

Turkey is fun, fashion. prayer and struggle with balance between democracy and old fashioned ideals.

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By loxim
November 26th 2009

Day 1: Istanbul Middle East » Turkey » Marmara » Istanbul

Sea of Marmaris

Finally in Turkey, the flight was fine. Turkish Airlines with the compulsory delay and the blunt staff. My seat wouldn't stay upright so I had to hold onto the chair infront and sort of lean in the crash position when we were taking off. This time the flight was delayed for only 20 minutes so I can't complain, yipee!!!. I don't know if it was the faulty chair but by the time I got to Istanbul by back was aching and I was starving (they forgot my vegetarian meal). My first impressions of Istanbul, just another Barcelona or Lisbon with a [View Full Entry]

By davidt
November 19th 2009

Istanbul and the Cruise Start Middle East » Turkey » Marmara » Istanbul

Wet arrival in Istanbul

Onward to Istanbul and the Cruise. Our overnight bus journey to Istanbul was relatively uneventful with several stops at roadside service centres catering to the Bus trade, The highways in Turkey are modern and there are of toll roads as we approached Ankara and later Istanbul. From Goreme there were 9 Buses leaving within a 1 hour time frame and much to my surprise most were full. This is the very end of the tourist season. Ticket prices varied from 30 TLY to 45 TLY. We chose one that promised hot and cold drinks on the journey, a new coach and [View Full Entry]

By turkishraf
November 15th 2009

TK 020. A journey to Peking, Via Istanbul of course. Middle East » Turkey » Marmara » Istanbul

The journey began from this house in Milton

A journey in the making. Milton Massachusetts to the People's Republic of china. Via Istanbul. I really don’t know where to start on this. It all started in Wales. My wife Cisca was in Hospital having her appendix out. I was at a bit of a loose end, and so wandered down to a friend’s house to watch some TV. BBC2 were doing a program on the origins of the Chinaman. They went down to Guilin and up to Peking and proved that the Chinese, are, like everyone else, descended from Africans. What caught my attention, was not the genealogy of [View Full Entry]

The Aya Sophia Museum, as snapped while walking down the road.

By Lindsay and Harvey
November 12th 2009

An Instant in Istanbul Middle East » Turkey » Marmara » Istanbul

Istanbul at dawn over the Black Sea

Merhaba (good morning) from Turkey ! We are in Istanbul, the gateway between Europe and Asia…the only CITY in the world spanning 2 continents…no wonder it’s a place of such extreme contrasts---- the ancient and the modern; the secular and the religious; the mystery of the dark and the splendour of the light......As you can tell, on our second visit to this fascinating place, I am still captivated. We arrived on a beautiful Sunday morning to perfect glorious weather ….crisp, sunny and clear for our easy landing. No airport issues and arrived at the W Hotel [View Full Entry]

By Hero and Keira
November 10th 2009

Istanbul, 06-10 November Middle East » Turkey » Marmara » Istanbul

Basilica Cistern

We had a fab time exploring this incredible city, managing to pack in quite a bit without feeling at all rushed. Checked out: Aya Sofya, Blue Mosque, Hippodrome, Basilica Cistern, Topkapi Palace, Great Palace Mosaic Museum, Beyoglu district, Bazaars, and just generally soaked up the atmosphere of life in Istanbul. Especially enjoyed the stories of time spoken by the layers, types and states of architecture, as well as the general buzz of life that can be felt on the streets. The mosques by night were just so beautiful. Turkish breakfasts and apple tea were also faves, as was the basil [View Full Entry]

By SayLittle
November 8th 2009

Wow what a country! Middle East » Turkey » Marmara » Istanbul

CIMG5096

Turkey has been a country that I will truly never forget and I might want to live in someday. I love the food, the landscape, the people and the culture. I have been blown away by everything. My first stop was in a same town called Goreme, which located in the heart of the Cappadocia Range. This is very small town based on tourism. To start with this is one of the coolest hostels that I have stayed in; our room was actually built into a cave as many business and homes are in this area. The highlights of Goreme was [View Full Entry]

By pn76
November 7th 2009

If I see one more cucumber or tomato for breakfast I will scream! Middle East » Turkey

The final entry from a North Shore library ona gorgeous sunny Auckland day. I has been a long haul through from Bratislava to Cappadoccia for 9 weeks where I terminate my celebration of post graduate study. The lira, lev and euro are spent, the email addresses are collected, the exchanges I have had with many locals resonate in my memory, and the food will too........please no more tomatoes or cucumbbers for breakfast, I want Asian food! Photos from the final days arr prohibited so use your imagination....heavy snow capped trees and mountains, cold damp cave hotel and wily lcoal faces e [View Full Entry]

By Lauren Shoestring Levy
November 6th 2009

Urfa back to the West Middle East » Turkey

Bus Service
On the bus they hook you up wıth tea and juıce and cookıes!

I really liked Eastern Turkey...but was fındıng ıt hard to meet other travelers sınce ıt was off season. I have decıded to come back and explore that part of Turkey wıth a frıend at a later date....but for thıs trıp I decıded ıt was tıme to head West (back to where wearıng a t-shırt wasnt makıng a scene and beıng relatıvely blond wouldnt cause people to turn all the way around and stare everywhere you walked). I took a 16 hour bus rıde from east to west and ended up on the Meddıteranıan c [View Full Entry]

By chavofraser
November 4th 2009

Turkey + Bulgaria Middle East » Turkey

Greetings from Transylvania! That's right, I made it to Romania. Or if you really want to look hip and in the know, you might want to refer to it as "Ro-land". But I'm not gonna touch "Ro-land" right now - I'd like to tell you about Turkey and Bulgaria. Since the last post, I visited Istanbul, Cappadocia, Veliko Tarnovo (Bulgaria), and in Romania - Bucharest, Sinaia, and now Brasov. I was in Istanbul for approximately 2 weeks, Cappadocia for 5 days, and Veliko Tornovo for about 3. Here are some pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/8 [View Full Entry]

By pn76
November 2nd 2009

Early Cappaddoccıan Chrıstmas! Middle East » Turkey » Central Anatolia » Cappadocia » Göreme

Mornıng snow or raın???

I woke today today to lıght raın and then got snowed on very heavıly durıng my mornıng walk! The day proceeded to dump the fırst season of snow for Cappadoccıa and now the owners at the Hotel Nomad are gearıng up for wınter by buyıng heaters.........a bıt late perhaps but then there ıs always the bat cave to return to... Merry Chrıstmas 53 days early!! [View Full Entry]

Travel Blog » Middle East » Turkey