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Inside the Blue Mosque
Our hostel was nearby so we walked by the mosque a dozen times a day and have just as many photos.Leaving our house at 3:30AM on a Saturday to catch our flight to Istanbul, the early start was worthwhile as it is such a fascinating city. Its diversity makes it hard to believe that it's only four hours away from London. It straddles the Asian and European continents, with an extensive waterfront on both sides of the Bosphorus.
Istanbul's Grand Bazaar is Turkey's largest covered market offering excellent shopping including beautiful Turkish carpets, meerschaum pipes, and all sorts of other things. The locals shop here as well, lending a welcome dose of authenticity. However, I plunged into the markets without honing my bargaining skills so I didn't walk away with many items.
Because David and I stayed in the Sultanahmet district, the heart of historic Old Istanbul, where the Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace are, my first impressions of Istanbul were that is was quite conservative. However, on our last night, we had dinner in Beyoglu, across the Bosphorus. Even though it was a Monday night, it was like experiencing a cultural revival. The pedestrian shops filled with strollers were indistinguishable from London’s Oxford Street. The night life was more alive in this part of Istanbul.
After a
Wait up Fred Flintstone!
Ever dream of staying in a cave-hotel with running water and electricity? crappy 11hr overnight bus, we arrived in Cappadocia, Central Turkey. Despite having seen countless photos during our travel planning, the 'moonscape' landscape before me simply took my breath away. Unfortunately, the lack of sleep got the best of me and after breakfast I crawled into our cave for a snooze. It was comfortably modern yet traditional enough to be interesting. A comment that applies not just to the cave but to Turkey in general. Later that afternoon, David and I climbed in and out of the church caves built a thousand or more years ago. The next morning we went up in a hot air balloon to enjoy the view from above. It was so much fun and a great way to explore this visually striking region.
I hesitantly got on our overnight bus ride to Selcuk, Western Turkey. It was thankfully to be the last and I managed to sleep that time around. We made a stop in the morning at Pamukkale, Turkey's mineral-bath spa where calcium-laden waters spring from the earth and cascade over a cliff. As they cool they form travertines of hard, white calcium. Although we had read that it is not what it once
Open Air Museum
Cappadocia was a refuge and a shelter for early christians during the Roman and Byzantine period. Locals carved out cave churches and underground cities. was, as most of the pools have dried out, many reasons to visit Pamukkale are still valid, one of which is that it makes great sense as a stop on the route to Selcuk from Cappadocia.
Selcuk is a great base to explore the archeological sites in the area. Ephesus is the best-preserved Roman city in the Mediterranean region, and another top sight. We also caught a ferry from the Aegean resort of Kusadasi to Samos Island, Greece to spend a relaxing and hot day on the beach. Back in Selcuk we hired out a scooter to visit the Virgin Mary's rebuilt house where she is believed to have spent her last days on earth. We also got in some beach time at Pamucak Beach after stopping along the way to see the scant ruins of the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
After hearing the hilarity of other travelers' stories, we decided to experience our own Turkish bath at the local Hamman. Traditionally, men and women are separated but luckily the one we went to was not as to witness David get scrubbed by a tall, bald Turkish man with a
Hot Air Ballooning
Flight of a lifetime over Cappadocia moustache was priceless!
I was concerned we wouldn't have enough time in Turkey but in the end our itinerary was full of diverse sights and plenty of R&R time. I now appreciate that it's not possible to make one visit, and I hope to return one day. Turkey is beautiful, culturally rich and good value for money.
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