After the crazy night of dancing at the henna party, we took a little longer than usual to get ready before taking the ferry to the other side of bay that Izmir is built around. I can't remember if I already mentioned that Izmir is the third largest city in Turkey, with over 3.3 million people. What is interesting about this city, and many others that we've seen, is that the city is built out and not up. Most of the buildings are not more than 5 or 6 stories and only a few go over 20. We wandered around the fancy shopping area on our way to the jewelers to get Francesca's ring re-sized. While we were there, we all looked at the jewelry and Mom and I both found something we loved. Mine is a bracelet with a nazar and Mom's is a ring with a nazar charm. A nazar is what some people call the evil eye, it's blue, white and black, and it actually protects the wearer from evil, rather than give people an evil eye. They are quite bling-tastic, and we both have to wait for Xmas to officially wear them as they are presents we are giving to each other. We did a little window shopping before hopping back on the ferry and heading to another scrumptious meal at Nilufer's. After recovering from the enormous amount of food we had just consumed, the family went over to Erkut's aunt and uncle's house for dinner. I couldn't handle any more food, so I stayed at the hotel and watched the soccer game between Turkey and the Czech Republic in the playoffs for qualifying for the European Cup (they lost).
Saturday was wedding day (Dugun in Turkish), and we slept in, had breakfast and walked over to the hair salon with our Turkish interpreter Mine, and set up appointments for later that afternoon (all hair salons are walk-ins and are MUCH cheaper than in the US). Mom and I then walked along the bay until we reached the pedestrian shopping street. Now when I say pedestrian, that just means no cars - apparently scooters and other motorized devices small enough to get past the barriers sneak by, and trust me, you gotta keep an eye on those electric ones that are so quiet they just creep up on you. We did a little shopping, I bought shoes (what else?) and Mom bought pomegranate juice (what else?) and simit. After a little rest at the hotel, we walked back to the salon to have our hair done. The stylist Omer was a magician - he transformed us all into more glamorous versions of ourselves. Then it was back to the hotel to help the bride get ready before getting ready ourselves. Mom and I brought black dresses as they are classic, don't show dirt and travel well. When we went downstairs (the party was being held in the same hotel where we've been staying, convenient, no?), I'd say over 90% of the women were wearing black dresses - whew! Francesca and Erkut made an entrance with fireworks (literally, but they were small, but still!), and went straight into their first (well, second really) dance. Everything was beautiful, and the food was yummy, the best being the borek - so good! Basically, it was a big party with lots of dancing (mostly Turkish, but when they played some American oldies by request, we proceeded to provide entertainment for everyone by dancing to the twist and California Dreamin' by the Mamas and the Papas). Now here come the Turkish traditions - you don't give the bride and groom gifts from a registry, you give them gold. That's right, bling. People pin coins on the couple, or just hand it to them, or give the bride bracelets or rings. Omg, what a great tradition! Next, during a special dance men throw cash at the bride and groom - not much, but still! When the cake was wheeled in (delish btw) the bride and groom cut it with a sword. Next it was out to the lobby to check out the photos that had been taken during the festivities and then printed. They were available for 5 lira, so mom and I bought a few cute ones (they had the same thing at the henna nite, but I forgot to mention it in my exhaustion and typos). We were SO glad to be able to simply walk up the stairs and put on our jammies.
Today we had a little bit of a lie in before walking down the street to a restaurant owned by a friend of Ragip. We had our Sunday brunch, hot chocolate was so yummy - european style, before heading out on a little walk around the neighborhood to help us digest. Next it was onto a friend of Nilufer's who read our fortunes in turkish coffee grounds. It was entertaining, but I never take any of that stuff too seriously. Then it was back to the hotel to start to pack as we fly home tomorrow. While I've definitely enjoyed my trip, I am starting to get tired of wearing the same clothes and I miss my own bed! For our last dinner here we walked over to Nilufer and Ragip's apartment, and Nilufer did not disappoint! She made this amazing soup, which I loved, and I don't rereally like soup. This was followed by beef cooked by Mine, again, yum, and all sorts of other goodies. It was a sad goodbye, but for some reason I think we will see them in the morning when Ragip comes to take us (me, Kristina, Mom and Francesca) to the airport. Vicki, Mike and Barbara are all staying another week. I'm mostly packed and definitely ready to go, but I must say Turkey has been an amazing place and I hope to come back and absolutely recommend it to anyone (even someone with particular eating quirks like mine - just be willing to try anything once!). I'll keep you posted on our safe arrival back to the states.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Ruins, relaxation and a party!
Ok, so it's been a bit of a whirlwind since we arrived in Izmir so I've been remiss about posting.(Quick cast of characters - Francesca is my friend the bride. Her parents are Vicki and Mike and her sister is Kristina - she also has a brother Paul but he couldn't make it. Her aunt Barbara is also in attendance. Erkut is the hubby, and his dad is Ragip and his mom is Nilufer and his sister is Mine).
Early Tuesday morning it was off for a two day trip to Ephesus and Aphrodisias. Mom and I didn't know they were planning to take us, but we were happy to go back. We stayed at a fabulous hotel right on the harbor in Kusadasi. Ephesus is one of the more famous ruins in Turkey, and I enjoyed it, but there were quite a few tourists as the cruise ships bus them in. However, our guide more than made up for it. Her name was Daryia and she was great! She didn't give us a ton of facts that we whouldn't remember anyway, and told us mostly about the daily life. Which leads me to the best part of the site, the terrace houses. The dwellings were built into the side of the hill and are still being excavated. During ancient times, they were lived in continuously for more than 800 years, so there were a lot of renovations. For example, in one home there may be two layers of frescos, covered by a thin marble slab. As the tastes of the times change, so did the wall coverings. Oh yes, we also made a quick stop at the home of the Virgin Mary, as this is place where they believe she spent the last years of her life. After another fab dinner, it was off to bed after a quick bath as our suite had a bathroom with a tub that had a window with a view overlooking the harbor. The next day was a long drive to Aphrodisias with a quick stop for pide, the Turkish pizza - yum! Everything was still impressive, and we were greeted by the director of the museum of the site as Ragip had been the contractor for the new addition to the museum. Back on the bus to the hotel for another delish meal and off to bed.
The next morning we got to sleep in a bit before heading back on the road to Izmir with a quick stop in Sirince, an old Greek town that was abandoned when the Turks kicked the Greeks out after the end of the first world war. It has since turned into a tourist attraction, and it was packed with Turks on vacation for the holiday. We did a little shopping and then picked up Erkut at the airport before having another yummy home cooked meal. The food here is so amazing, but there is aways so much of it!
Today was pretty relaxed. The ladies got manicures in anticipation for this evening's henna night. While we were waiting for Francesca to get all done up, Mine, Vicki and I all went wandering about. We did a little shopping and stopped at a little patisserie for hot beverages, cookies and a chocolate confection. After a little rest, we got all dressed up for our night on the town. A bus picked us up, along with about 50 other ladies, and drove us to the restaurant. It was quite a party! There was lots of dancing, eating and more dancing. There was a live band, a photographer and a videographer. Francesca also got dressed in a traditional outfit that somewhat resembles an I Dream of Jeanie costume and what Jasmine wore in Aladdin. The henna was put on the palm of her hand (and later our own) and the tradition says that as long as the dye remains on her hand she is not supposed to do any work around the house. After a few more traditional things (procession of Francesca through path of lit candles held by all the single ladies, handing out of gifts, a circle dance that seemed almost Greek, and few other things that I'm too tired to remember) we danced some more and then it was time to head back on the the bus, but not before we stopped at Nilufer's house for tea and coffee. By the time we got back to the hotel it was 1am and I knew if I didn't write tonight, I would never be able to catch up. Sorry it was a little longer than planned, but I hope you made it to the end!
Early Tuesday morning it was off for a two day trip to Ephesus and Aphrodisias. Mom and I didn't know they were planning to take us, but we were happy to go back. We stayed at a fabulous hotel right on the harbor in Kusadasi. Ephesus is one of the more famous ruins in Turkey, and I enjoyed it, but there were quite a few tourists as the cruise ships bus them in. However, our guide more than made up for it. Her name was Daryia and she was great! She didn't give us a ton of facts that we whouldn't remember anyway, and told us mostly about the daily life. Which leads me to the best part of the site, the terrace houses. The dwellings were built into the side of the hill and are still being excavated. During ancient times, they were lived in continuously for more than 800 years, so there were a lot of renovations. For example, in one home there may be two layers of frescos, covered by a thin marble slab. As the tastes of the times change, so did the wall coverings. Oh yes, we also made a quick stop at the home of the Virgin Mary, as this is place where they believe she spent the last years of her life. After another fab dinner, it was off to bed after a quick bath as our suite had a bathroom with a tub that had a window with a view overlooking the harbor. The next day was a long drive to Aphrodisias with a quick stop for pide, the Turkish pizza - yum! Everything was still impressive, and we were greeted by the director of the museum of the site as Ragip had been the contractor for the new addition to the museum. Back on the bus to the hotel for another delish meal and off to bed.
The next morning we got to sleep in a bit before heading back on the road to Izmir with a quick stop in Sirince, an old Greek town that was abandoned when the Turks kicked the Greeks out after the end of the first world war. It has since turned into a tourist attraction, and it was packed with Turks on vacation for the holiday. We did a little shopping and then picked up Erkut at the airport before having another yummy home cooked meal. The food here is so amazing, but there is aways so much of it!
Today was pretty relaxed. The ladies got manicures in anticipation for this evening's henna night. While we were waiting for Francesca to get all done up, Mine, Vicki and I all went wandering about. We did a little shopping and stopped at a little patisserie for hot beverages, cookies and a chocolate confection. After a little rest, we got all dressed up for our night on the town. A bus picked us up, along with about 50 other ladies, and drove us to the restaurant. It was quite a party! There was lots of dancing, eating and more dancing. There was a live band, a photographer and a videographer. Francesca also got dressed in a traditional outfit that somewhat resembles an I Dream of Jeanie costume and what Jasmine wore in Aladdin. The henna was put on the palm of her hand (and later our own) and the tradition says that as long as the dye remains on her hand she is not supposed to do any work around the house. After a few more traditional things (procession of Francesca through path of lit candles held by all the single ladies, handing out of gifts, a circle dance that seemed almost Greek, and few other things that I'm too tired to remember) we danced some more and then it was time to head back on the the bus, but not before we stopped at Nilufer's house for tea and coffee. By the time we got back to the hotel it was 1am and I knew if I didn't write tonight, I would never be able to catch up. Sorry it was a little longer than planned, but I hope you made it to the end!
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Rocks, ruins and rugs
Yesterday morning we headed up the hill to Pamukkale, but this time we learned our lesson and drove to the top! We began our exploration of Heiroplois, the ruins situated on top of the cliff that were built near the geological formations. The city is immense, and the Turkish government is in the process of working with the Italian government to restore them. Everything was quite lovely, but after seeing the ruins in Aphrodisias it was not quite as interesting. We had fun exploring, but then we headed to the main attraction - the white rocks and aqua pools of healing waters. The mountain side appears to be covered in snow, but it is simply the elements in the water that built up over time. The healing properties of these waters is still touted, and you can pay an additional fee to swim in the pools with the ruins. Unfortunately we did not have time, but we did take 20 minutes to soak our feet, with Dr. Fish. I've heard of these fish before, but never seen them. Basically, you put your feet (and hands if you want) in an aquarium of small black fish and they eat away the dead skin cells. It also has other health benefits like increase circulation, but I just thought it would be fun to try. It does tickle for about the first 3 minutes, but then you get used to it. Next we hopped in the car for the final leg of the driving portion of our trip. We arrived in Izmir in the evening, dropped of the rental car at the airport and caught a taxi to our hotel. This is where we met up with the wedding folks. After a quick change, we walked over to Erkut's (the hubby) parents house for a sumptuous Turkish feast. Everything was delicious and we all ate way too much. Dinner was a three hour affair, and we were all pretty tired when we got back to the hotel.
This morning was a Turkish holiday kurban bayrami, so we walked back to Ragip and Nilofer's house for a special Turkish breakfast that was chock full of yummy dishes, my favorite being a special type of sausage - sojuk. We even learned a new phrase "iyi bayramlar" (pronounced ee buyrum lar) which means happy holiday, which we used to many Turks surprise for the next four days as that is how long the holiday lasts. We hung out at their apartment for a while, and then they drove us all to Cesme, a seaside town about an hour away where they have a vacation home they use during the summer. We relaxed in the sun and chatted and then took a drive around to see the town. Then it was onto a carpet shop whose owner is friends with Erkut's father. Well, what can I say, the price was right, so I bought a rug! It was so unusual that I couldn't resist. It is relatively small, and is a patchwork of old kilims that are 30-40 years old. In Turkey, there are to kinds of carpets - rug carpets and kilim carpets. Rug carpets are what you think of when you think of a rug, it is made by tying knots and has a pile (ie it is thicker and softer but when you put heavy furniture on it, it leaves an impression). A kilim on the other hand, is woven and is generally a little more coarse, but can be packed up very easily and can be washed in a washing machine. Generally, I like the older kilims because they were woven by women back in the day to be used towards their dowry and are all unique. Whereas many of the new carpets you can find in any carpet shop in Turkey. All in all, I'm very happy with my purchase. Next it was onto a huge meal at a seafood restaurant which could have been disastrous as I do not like seafood, but there were so many dishes that there was no way I could go hungry. I was even convinced to try the main dish, a huge grouper that was freshly caught and baked in a solid shell of rock salt, and to be honest it wasn't that bad. I told Vicki (mama of the bride) that if I didn't know it was fish, I might have even liked it more, most because it didn't really taste of fish! After this three hour meal, it was back to the parent's apartment for dessert for another two hours of visiting and meeting some more family. At this point I am so full aNd tired it is hard to stay awake!
This morning was a Turkish holiday kurban bayrami, so we walked back to Ragip and Nilofer's house for a special Turkish breakfast that was chock full of yummy dishes, my favorite being a special type of sausage - sojuk. We even learned a new phrase "iyi bayramlar" (pronounced ee buyrum lar) which means happy holiday, which we used to many Turks surprise for the next four days as that is how long the holiday lasts. We hung out at their apartment for a while, and then they drove us all to Cesme, a seaside town about an hour away where they have a vacation home they use during the summer. We relaxed in the sun and chatted and then took a drive around to see the town. Then it was onto a carpet shop whose owner is friends with Erkut's father. Well, what can I say, the price was right, so I bought a rug! It was so unusual that I couldn't resist. It is relatively small, and is a patchwork of old kilims that are 30-40 years old. In Turkey, there are to kinds of carpets - rug carpets and kilim carpets. Rug carpets are what you think of when you think of a rug, it is made by tying knots and has a pile (ie it is thicker and softer but when you put heavy furniture on it, it leaves an impression). A kilim on the other hand, is woven and is generally a little more coarse, but can be packed up very easily and can be washed in a washing machine. Generally, I like the older kilims because they were woven by women back in the day to be used towards their dowry and are all unique. Whereas many of the new carpets you can find in any carpet shop in Turkey. All in all, I'm very happy with my purchase. Next it was onto a huge meal at a seafood restaurant which could have been disastrous as I do not like seafood, but there were so many dishes that there was no way I could go hungry. I was even convinced to try the main dish, a huge grouper that was freshly caught and baked in a solid shell of rock salt, and to be honest it wasn't that bad. I told Vicki (mama of the bride) that if I didn't know it was fish, I might have even liked it more, most because it didn't really taste of fish! After this three hour meal, it was back to the parent's apartment for dessert for another two hours of visiting and meeting some more family. At this point I am so full aNd tired it is hard to stay awake!
Friday, November 4, 2011
Boat rides, daring drives and a nighttime adventure
Yesterday we got up super early and were out of Kas by 7:30. Our first stop was actually backtracking a little on a side road that took us to Kekova, an island right off the coast that had once been home to a Greek settlement in the BCs, but after an earthquake in the early ADs (you can tell I was really taking notes) caused it to fall into the sea. When we arrived a local fisherman offered to take us over in his boat, and after negotiating a price, we set out. It was an absolutely perfect morning for it, and I was almost glad I'd gotten up so early. The water was crystal clear and was like glass. The ruins underwater were cool, but none of the photos came out. Next it was back in the car for a brief stop in Demre to visit St. Nick - yep, Father Christmas, the real deal. This was where he was once buried and a church was built. It's not in the best shape but it was fun to see. From there we drove to Xanthos, the ruins of Greek, Roman and Byzantine settlements. It was interesting, but the ruins of Tlos which we visited later in the afternoon were much more impressive. Before we got to Tlos we made a slight detour to see the canyon gorge Saklikent. We were all set to explore, but apparently you have to take off your shoes and wade up to your thighs. Normally, wouldn't be a problem but the guidebook didn't mention it and we were unprepared (plus, it's November and not exactly 80 degrees, although since leaving Cappadocia it has been quite nice). So we jumped back in the car and headed to Tlos. This particular ruin sits atop a large plateau and has an amazing view of the valley but is accessible only by a narrow winding road. It seems you must prove your mettle to reach most of the ruins in Turkey. As we raced the setting sun, we drove to Fethiye to spend the night. Nothing remarkable about the town except for the abundance of 'yachtis' - ie folks with yachts.
Today was a bit of a detour (understatement)from our plan to follow the Turkish coast. Instead, we decided to head inland to see some of the more remote, but important ruins (the rest of the coast seems to cater to the yachtis and beach going crew, which isn't really my mom's thing). We left Fethiye and drove to Aphrodisias. Now, the drive itself was an adventure as we drove up an down 3 separate passes of at least 2,000 feet. There were twists and turns galore, with very few guard rails which had my mom holding on for dear life, but since the majority of the time we were on 'country' roads, it was quite picturesque. Aphrodisias itself was AMAZING! The site is huge and out in the middle of nowhere(hence all the driving) but it was well worth it. There were columns and ruins galore, but the most incredible thing was the stadium. It is larger than two football fields in length, was designed for 30,000 people and is basically complete. It was one of the most impressive ruins that I've ever seen, and I've seen quite a few! Leaving Aphrodisias (obviously named for the goddess Aphrodite) we jumped back on the twisty turny roads to get to Pamukkale. After a minor stroke on mom's part on the way down another giant hill, only this time in the dark, we arrived and found a hotel. Lucky, the one recommended in the book happened to be across the street from where I pulled over. After finding out the park where the geological formations that made Pamukkale famous (Google it, it's too hard to explain) was open 24 hours, mom and I decided to check it out (yes, we know we are crazy, especially since it was already 7:30 and totally dark). After paying our entrance fees, we were told we would need to remove our shoes to walk on the travertines. Which was unexpected as you would think something like that would we mentioned in the guidebook. We decided to go ahead, but it was quite chilly, especially with the cold water at the beginning. But the water got warmer and the chance to see the formations at night with no one else around (and I mean no one, it was completely desterted) was pretty cool. Of course, this was great until we got to the top and discovered that if we wanted to walk down a separate way, it would be a 5k walk. No thanks, so we dutifully went back down the hill. Now I say hill loosely as it is at least a 500 ft climb, and let me remind you we were doing this in the dark (several of the lights were either turned off or burnt out, and without the use of a flashlight we'd brought along we never would have made it). Needless to say it was a much faster trip on the way down.
Today was a bit of a detour (understatement)from our plan to follow the Turkish coast. Instead, we decided to head inland to see some of the more remote, but important ruins (the rest of the coast seems to cater to the yachtis and beach going crew, which isn't really my mom's thing). We left Fethiye and drove to Aphrodisias. Now, the drive itself was an adventure as we drove up an down 3 separate passes of at least 2,000 feet. There were twists and turns galore, with very few guard rails which had my mom holding on for dear life, but since the majority of the time we were on 'country' roads, it was quite picturesque. Aphrodisias itself was AMAZING! The site is huge and out in the middle of nowhere(hence all the driving) but it was well worth it. There were columns and ruins galore, but the most incredible thing was the stadium. It is larger than two football fields in length, was designed for 30,000 people and is basically complete. It was one of the most impressive ruins that I've ever seen, and I've seen quite a few! Leaving Aphrodisias (obviously named for the goddess Aphrodite) we jumped back on the twisty turny roads to get to Pamukkale. After a minor stroke on mom's part on the way down another giant hill, only this time in the dark, we arrived and found a hotel. Lucky, the one recommended in the book happened to be across the street from where I pulled over. After finding out the park where the geological formations that made Pamukkale famous (Google it, it's too hard to explain) was open 24 hours, mom and I decided to check it out (yes, we know we are crazy, especially since it was already 7:30 and totally dark). After paying our entrance fees, we were told we would need to remove our shoes to walk on the travertines. Which was unexpected as you would think something like that would we mentioned in the guidebook. We decided to go ahead, but it was quite chilly, especially with the cold water at the beginning. But the water got warmer and the chance to see the formations at night with no one else around (and I mean no one, it was completely desterted) was pretty cool. Of course, this was great until we got to the top and discovered that if we wanted to walk down a separate way, it would be a 5k walk. No thanks, so we dutifully went back down the hill. Now I say hill loosely as it is at least a 500 ft climb, and let me remind you we were doing this in the dark (several of the lights were either turned off or burnt out, and without the use of a flashlight we'd brought along we never would have made it). Needless to say it was a much faster trip on the way down.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
From caves to the coast
Still alive, sorry about the wait for a new post but we've been running all over the country in the past few days, literally! To recap, Sunday the 30th we got up at 4 am to go on an hour long sunrise balloon ride, which was spectacular, but if I'm seeing a sunrise it's usually because I haven't gone to bed. We got some amazing photos of truly unusual rock formations, which was followed by a champagne toast. Next it was back to the awesome cave hotel to be picked up by our driver Mahmet who lives in the town of 1,000 where we were staying. Like most people in the area, he has two jobs - one as a farmer, the other as a driver for tourists. A majority of the touristy places (hotels, restaurants, shops) close up for the winter as it is too cold, but we found this to be true on the coast as well. We started off at the underground city of Kaymakli, one of several in the area. They served the same purpose as the rock castles, safety, but in the plains areas they had to carve them out underground instead of in cliffs. The one we saw had 8 levels, but only 5 have been excavated so far. The cave system was immense, and designed to hold up to 5,000 people. Next we headed to a Greek restaurant where they served us a delish lunch, and next it was back in our van to see more rocks. We ended the day at a carpet workshop where we saw how they made the carpets and I even got to help. Mom ended up buying a beautiful carpet, so this means I don't need to anymore since I can just 'borrow' hers! By that time we were exhausted After the long day, and headed back to the hotel for a quick dinner before we packed and went to bed.
Another early morning (Happy Halloween!), this time back to the airport to fly to Istanbul and then to Antalya. Since there are no direct flights, we had to fly up to Istanbul to fly down to Antalya. The three hour layover in istanbul was actually longer than the two flights put together! After our arrival in Antalya we picked up our rental car. It's amazing how many weird looks we get when we tell people we're driving, but after a rough start in Antalya, we're doing great. One thing you have to know about Turkish drivers is that they think of traffic regulations more along the lines of suggestions. People do not stay in one lane, usually run the red light and pedestrians cross everywhere, even across the freeways! It's a good thing I am the one driving, as apparently I fit right in! Mom is a great driver, but she was white knuckling it there for a while on the way from the airport to downtown Antalya. To be fair, traffic was insane, we had no idea where we were going and we definitely didn't expect the city to be that big (over 1 million people and the fastest growing in Turkey)! We found a hotel and walked around, but kept it relaxed and went to bed early after not getting much sleep the past few nights.
The next morning we slept in a bit (9am!) and headed down to to the Antalya museum. I wasn't expecting much, but I was pretty impressed. Their collection was immense, and covered finds back to early man. Most impressive was a collection of statuary that came from a nearby theater. Two hours later, we were on the road to Kas, a seaside town along the Turquoise coast. The drive was stunning, and is basically like CA's Highway 1 with amazing views and lots of twists and turns. We took one of the many side roads that branch off to some ruins along the coast. Turkey has more greek and roman ruins that either Greece or Italy! We (Mom) picked Olympos, which was down a very steep hill with quite a few hairpin turns, which was fun for me but nerve racking for mom. The ruins themselves were pretty standard and not really excavated to any real extent. It almost felt as though you were wandering through and just happend upon them. We also had lunch on the beach, which was rocky, but the water is amazingly clear. Back on the road, we started looking for a place to stay, but we couldn't find any the guidebook recommended until Kas. Along the way, we saw the most gorgeous sunset, all pinks and oranges. As soon as I get home I'll post the pictures (we still can't get the photos to post from mom's iPad). Once in Kas we found this little pension run by the nicest family. I think they had closed for the season (the first hotel we tried was closed), but they let us stay for two nights for the same price we stayed for one night in Antalya! They also hooked me up with a dive group for the next day. We walked to the downtown and had a delicious Turkish pizza and relaxed in our room.
Today we had a lovely breakfast on our bougainvillea covered balcony overlooking the Mediterranean, and then headed down to the harbor to catch the boat. Mom came along for the trip and actually relaxed! The sun and beautiful day helped a bit. I ended up going on two dives, the first was pretty shallow and the reef was not in great shape, but the water was amazing clear and I saw a huge school of baracudda. The next dive was short, but super cool - to WW I plane wreck. We got to go inside the plane, where someone had placed an old school laptop in the galley. After heading back to the harbor, we walked around and had a yummy Turkish ravioli lunch and then checked out the local ruins. The amphitheater is especially impressive, dating back to the 1st century BC, and still in such good condition that the locals still use it for films and performances. We headed back to the hotel to watch the sunset from our balcony and to catch up on our posts! Tomorrow will be a busy day full of driving and ruins, followed by another day of driving and ruins, but I'm looking forward to exploring the Turquoise Coast!
Another early morning (Happy Halloween!), this time back to the airport to fly to Istanbul and then to Antalya. Since there are no direct flights, we had to fly up to Istanbul to fly down to Antalya. The three hour layover in istanbul was actually longer than the two flights put together! After our arrival in Antalya we picked up our rental car. It's amazing how many weird looks we get when we tell people we're driving, but after a rough start in Antalya, we're doing great. One thing you have to know about Turkish drivers is that they think of traffic regulations more along the lines of suggestions. People do not stay in one lane, usually run the red light and pedestrians cross everywhere, even across the freeways! It's a good thing I am the one driving, as apparently I fit right in! Mom is a great driver, but she was white knuckling it there for a while on the way from the airport to downtown Antalya. To be fair, traffic was insane, we had no idea where we were going and we definitely didn't expect the city to be that big (over 1 million people and the fastest growing in Turkey)! We found a hotel and walked around, but kept it relaxed and went to bed early after not getting much sleep the past few nights.
The next morning we slept in a bit (9am!) and headed down to to the Antalya museum. I wasn't expecting much, but I was pretty impressed. Their collection was immense, and covered finds back to early man. Most impressive was a collection of statuary that came from a nearby theater. Two hours later, we were on the road to Kas, a seaside town along the Turquoise coast. The drive was stunning, and is basically like CA's Highway 1 with amazing views and lots of twists and turns. We took one of the many side roads that branch off to some ruins along the coast. Turkey has more greek and roman ruins that either Greece or Italy! We (Mom) picked Olympos, which was down a very steep hill with quite a few hairpin turns, which was fun for me but nerve racking for mom. The ruins themselves were pretty standard and not really excavated to any real extent. It almost felt as though you were wandering through and just happend upon them. We also had lunch on the beach, which was rocky, but the water is amazingly clear. Back on the road, we started looking for a place to stay, but we couldn't find any the guidebook recommended until Kas. Along the way, we saw the most gorgeous sunset, all pinks and oranges. As soon as I get home I'll post the pictures (we still can't get the photos to post from mom's iPad). Once in Kas we found this little pension run by the nicest family. I think they had closed for the season (the first hotel we tried was closed), but they let us stay for two nights for the same price we stayed for one night in Antalya! They also hooked me up with a dive group for the next day. We walked to the downtown and had a delicious Turkish pizza and relaxed in our room.
Today we had a lovely breakfast on our bougainvillea covered balcony overlooking the Mediterranean, and then headed down to the harbor to catch the boat. Mom came along for the trip and actually relaxed! The sun and beautiful day helped a bit. I ended up going on two dives, the first was pretty shallow and the reef was not in great shape, but the water was amazing clear and I saw a huge school of baracudda. The next dive was short, but super cool - to WW I plane wreck. We got to go inside the plane, where someone had placed an old school laptop in the galley. After heading back to the harbor, we walked around and had a yummy Turkish ravioli lunch and then checked out the local ruins. The amphitheater is especially impressive, dating back to the 1st century BC, and still in such good condition that the locals still use it for films and performances. We headed back to the hotel to watch the sunset from our balcony and to catch up on our posts! Tomorrow will be a busy day full of driving and ruins, followed by another day of driving and ruins, but I'm looking forward to exploring the Turquoise Coast!
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Balloons, rocks and underground cities
Got up 4am for balloon ride. Spectacular but cold. Underground city of Kaymakli for 5,000. More rocks. Mom bought a carpet. Fun day, very long, very cold. Tired now, must sleep. More later.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Palaces, rock castles and fairy chimneys
Yesterday was our last day in Istanbul, and we tried to take it easy by only going to two places - the Topkapi Palace and the Archeological Museum. Of course we still ended up spending all day roaming around both and we were extremely exhausted by the end of the day. Topkapi Palace was immense and there were hoards of tourists and school children roaming around. We started at the harem, which was well worth the extra ticket price. The tiles inside were amazing and weren't found as abundantly in the rest of the palace due to "upgrades" made over the years (rococo was especially visible). The palace was officially turned into a museum in 1924 and while impressive, it certainly needs the touch of a museum studies person! The treasure room held beautiful things, but it was too hard to see them because the crowds just went amuck. The weapons display, however, was stunning. Next stop, more museum stuff! The Archeological Museum had an amazing collection which was brilliantly put together on the first floor - the quality and condition of all of the pieces were amazing. However, the second floor was obviously the remnants of the old, poorly lit display cases as they only had enough funding to finish the first floor. At this point we were to tired to appreciate anything else, so we were headed back to our hotel when mom got the brilliant idea to stop into a leather shop and pick out a new jacket. Her reasoning was that if it was this chilly in Istanbul, it would only be colder in Cappadocia, our next stop. Somehow we both got black leather jackets, and I must say they look good! We stopped for a quick bite (I tried Turkish pizza, not as good as italian style) and headed back to the hotel to paCk for our early flight out.
Cappadocia (kap-ah-doe-key-ah) is located in central Turkey and is renowned for its unique geological features. It is definitely chilly, so the new jackets came in handy. We are part of a tour group with two sisters traveling from India, and a very funny tour guide named Ramzi. We were shuttled around several places in the valley, starting with the open air museum in Goreme. It was founded as a monestary and was carved into the rock. The caves served as living quarters, food storage areas, dining halls and kitchens. There are over 1,000 churches located in the complex, which dates back to the 8th century. Next we went to view the fairy chimneys, or rock columns, that pepper the lunar looking landscape. They're all over the valley and have been incorporated into the modern cities. Many of the caves were inhabited up until the 1950s, and now people are trying to restore them as there is a booming tourist industry in the area. We encountered many other large tours, but were surprised that many of them were Turkish-the students were especially keen to practice their English! We also saw a rock castle-each town carved dwellings out of the rock to be used in times of danger. Turkey has a long history of conflicts and as a central point along the silk road, the people were plagued with bandits. So, they would live in their regular homes, and retreat to the caves when necessary. Our next stop was the hotel, which is out in the middle of nowhere, but is absolutely fantastic! It's a cave hotel, and our room, the Sultan Suite, is über delux! We have our own sitting area with two divans, a huge bathroom with jet tub (yea!) and a separate bedroom with two beds. I am so excited to test them out I'm going to end here, plus we have an early day tomorrow with a sunrise (ick) balloon tour (hooray).
Cappadocia (kap-ah-doe-key-ah) is located in central Turkey and is renowned for its unique geological features. It is definitely chilly, so the new jackets came in handy. We are part of a tour group with two sisters traveling from India, and a very funny tour guide named Ramzi. We were shuttled around several places in the valley, starting with the open air museum in Goreme. It was founded as a monestary and was carved into the rock. The caves served as living quarters, food storage areas, dining halls and kitchens. There are over 1,000 churches located in the complex, which dates back to the 8th century. Next we went to view the fairy chimneys, or rock columns, that pepper the lunar looking landscape. They're all over the valley and have been incorporated into the modern cities. Many of the caves were inhabited up until the 1950s, and now people are trying to restore them as there is a booming tourist industry in the area. We encountered many other large tours, but were surprised that many of them were Turkish-the students were especially keen to practice their English! We also saw a rock castle-each town carved dwellings out of the rock to be used in times of danger. Turkey has a long history of conflicts and as a central point along the silk road, the people were plagued with bandits. So, they would live in their regular homes, and retreat to the caves when necessary. Our next stop was the hotel, which is out in the middle of nowhere, but is absolutely fantastic! It's a cave hotel, and our room, the Sultan Suite, is über delux! We have our own sitting area with two divans, a huge bathroom with jet tub (yea!) and a separate bedroom with two beds. I am so excited to test them out I'm going to end here, plus we have an early day tomorrow with a sunrise (ick) balloon tour (hooray).
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Mosques, museums and a little bit of shopping
I confess, I fell asleep last night instead of writing my blog, so today you get two for the price of one! Yesterday we began at the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art - a small but interesting museum that contains beautiful examples of ancient illuminated manuscripts and of course, carpets and kilims. Next we hopped on the bus and took a ride around 'the golden horn' side of Istanbul, which was interesting because we got to see a different side of the city, but it was difficult to actally see things from the bus. Next we hopped off the bus and headed to the New Mosque, which was lovely, and then we headed across the Galata Bridge. With a quick stop at the Kamondo stairs, we headed up to the Galata Tower. Wow, talk about some amazing views! It's worth it just to check out the 360 of the city. Next we headed down the Istiklal Caddesi - the main shopping drag. We went into a few shops, mainly to look at books, and had a brief detour at the Pera Palace Hotel for tea. This hotel is most well know for the fact that this is where Agatha Christie used to stay, and this is supposedly where she wrote 'Murder on the Orient Express'. We continued up to Taksim Square and caught the bus back to our hotel district. After a yummy meal we stopped into our first carpet shop, and after two glasses of wine Mom was almost ready to take home a carpet. They were lovely, and maybe we'll even go back. At this point we headed back to the hotel where, and, like a smart person, I went to bed.
This morning I felt well rested and ready for another day of adventure. Since Friday is the holy day for Muslims, we decided to do the mosques and bazaar today (Thursday). We caught a taxi to the Fatih Mosque so we could start at the furthest one and see the rest on the walk back. Unfortunately it was closed for renovations, as was the next one, Molla Zerek Mosque. Along the way to the Sehzade Mehmet Mosque, we also saw the Aqueduct of Valens, dating back to Byzantine times. Next up is one of the most famous mosques in Istanbul, the Suleymaniye Mosque. Designed by Sinan the architect, it was built in the 16th century and continues to be one of the most visited in the city. Next up was the Grand Bazaar. We had a great time wandering and checking out all the stuff for sale (if you ever want to get a quick compliment, visit a bazaar!). Most of the stuff was touristy, and quite a lot of is knock offs of American brands (Abercrombie, Snoopy, Levi, Converse, etc.) or knock off designer handbags. We bought a few things, but nothing to write home about (or on a blog). We were headed back to our hotel when we were invited to tea by the Turkish John Travolta. He invited us to tea at his local spot, which turned out to be in an old medrassi (school) that was converted into a tea and waterpipe cafe. The tea was very good, a combo of lemon, mint and apple, but we skipped the water pipe offer (apparently Mr. Travolta is such a regular he keeps is own pipe there!) since we had to be back in time for our whirling dervish show. It was held in the former home of Dede Effendi, a famous Sufi composer. The performance was very interesting, but not exactly what I expected. Since the whirling is actually a form of prayer, it is a very serious experience, and really shouldn't be considered "entertainment". I enjoyed it over all, but it almost felt voyeuristic, as though I was intruding on a private moment. Next we headed to the Cemberlitas Hamami, a Turkish bath house that has been around since 1584. They scrubbed and rubbed us clean and then we relaxed a bit in the hot water before heading back to the hotel to go through all the photos (still having issues, sorry!) and post to our blogs. Sorry it's so long, I'll try to be more succinct tomorrow!
This morning I felt well rested and ready for another day of adventure. Since Friday is the holy day for Muslims, we decided to do the mosques and bazaar today (Thursday). We caught a taxi to the Fatih Mosque so we could start at the furthest one and see the rest on the walk back. Unfortunately it was closed for renovations, as was the next one, Molla Zerek Mosque. Along the way to the Sehzade Mehmet Mosque, we also saw the Aqueduct of Valens, dating back to Byzantine times. Next up is one of the most famous mosques in Istanbul, the Suleymaniye Mosque. Designed by Sinan the architect, it was built in the 16th century and continues to be one of the most visited in the city. Next up was the Grand Bazaar. We had a great time wandering and checking out all the stuff for sale (if you ever want to get a quick compliment, visit a bazaar!). Most of the stuff was touristy, and quite a lot of is knock offs of American brands (Abercrombie, Snoopy, Levi, Converse, etc.) or knock off designer handbags. We bought a few things, but nothing to write home about (or on a blog). We were headed back to our hotel when we were invited to tea by the Turkish John Travolta. He invited us to tea at his local spot, which turned out to be in an old medrassi (school) that was converted into a tea and waterpipe cafe. The tea was very good, a combo of lemon, mint and apple, but we skipped the water pipe offer (apparently Mr. Travolta is such a regular he keeps is own pipe there!) since we had to be back in time for our whirling dervish show. It was held in the former home of Dede Effendi, a famous Sufi composer. The performance was very interesting, but not exactly what I expected. Since the whirling is actually a form of prayer, it is a very serious experience, and really shouldn't be considered "entertainment". I enjoyed it over all, but it almost felt voyeuristic, as though I was intruding on a private moment. Next we headed to the Cemberlitas Hamami, a Turkish bath house that has been around since 1584. They scrubbed and rubbed us clean and then we relaxed a bit in the hot water before heading back to the hotel to go through all the photos (still having issues, sorry!) and post to our blogs. Sorry it's so long, I'll try to be more succinct tomorrow!
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Sultanahmet district
Today came too early, but at least I wasn't woken up by the "Mecca music" (the prayer call as dubbed by my Aunt Melinda. If you've never been to a muslim country, muezzin call the city to prayer 5 times a day, starting at sunrise - ick). After a quick breakfast on the hotel terrace (it was quite a spread!) Mom & I took off for the Blue Mosque. After a minor detour when we got turned around (the streets are twisty-turny and it's hard to get your bearings when you are used to SF), we arrived at the Hippodrome. This is where the chariot arena was located back in the day, and is currently the home of a column, a fountain and the obligatory obelisk. It's amazing how those things show up wherever I go! The Blue Mosque is also along the same plaza, and the outside is absolutely beautiful! We had to take off our shoes and wait in a long line before entering, but it was definitely worth it.
Next it was on to the mosaic museum, a small building behind a small bazaar that was so chock full of amazing things we had to force ourselves to keep walking. Over 250 sq m of mosaics were found while the Blue Mosque was being renovated, and they date back to Byzantine times. Next it was on to the Hagia Sophia, with a quick stop along the way for fresh squeezed pomegranate juice and two lovely scarves to keep us warm. While the weather here is not wet (at the moment), it is definitely much cooler than anticipated.
At the Hagia Sophia we hired an official guide who took us to the front of the long line and gave us a personal tour for 45 minutes. It was very interesting, and while not impressive AT ALL on the outside, the inside was amazing! Originally built as a greek orthodox church between 527-64 AD, the mosaics inside are made of pure gold. After 1,000 years as a Christian place of worship, it was converted into a mosque after the Ottoman war in 1453. The transition to mosque included the covering of Christian mosiscs, which actually ended up protecting them as everyone forgot they were there. It wasn't until Ataturk declared it a museum in 1934 that restoration began. We were fortunate in that there weren't any scaffoldings on the inside of the building, which is apparently extremely rare.
At this point it was getting to be time to eat, so we snagged a spot at a little sidewalk cafe. Now for all of you who were wondering how I would survive with such picky eating habits, let me tell you it was delicious! We had pan fried cheddar cheese appetizer, chicken kebabs with rice, potatoes and vegetables, and the best was penne pasta with vegetables and a pomegranate sauce. OMG, it was so amazing I made my mom take a photo (which BTW we are have trouble uploading from the iPad onto the blog, but we're working on it).
Next we walked to the basilica cistern (place to store water brought in by aqueducts, basically plumbing from back in the day). It has a completely unassuming exterior, but after you walk down a large flight of stairs, you are greeted by a huge underground complex with 336 columns and was built at the same time as the Hagia Sophia. It was basically put together with leftovers from other projects, so nothing really matches. There are also two monster Medusa heads, and no one seems to know where they came from.
Next we decided to hop on a night tour bus, and with a little help from a magic device called the iPhone, we hurried back to our hotel to bundle up before hopping on the bus. While it definetly was not the best nite tour ever (traffic was awful so it took forever, they made us stop for 45 minutes at a cafe, and I didn't get many usable photos) but it definetly gave us a scope of how big the city really is. Istanbul is the largest city in Europe with over 20 million people, and spans two continents(Europe and Asia). Since our bus tickets are good for 24 hours we're heading out tomorrow on another route, which will hopefully turn out better than tonite's, but you'll have to wait until tomorrow to find out!
Next it was on to the mosaic museum, a small building behind a small bazaar that was so chock full of amazing things we had to force ourselves to keep walking. Over 250 sq m of mosaics were found while the Blue Mosque was being renovated, and they date back to Byzantine times. Next it was on to the Hagia Sophia, with a quick stop along the way for fresh squeezed pomegranate juice and two lovely scarves to keep us warm. While the weather here is not wet (at the moment), it is definitely much cooler than anticipated.
At the Hagia Sophia we hired an official guide who took us to the front of the long line and gave us a personal tour for 45 minutes. It was very interesting, and while not impressive AT ALL on the outside, the inside was amazing! Originally built as a greek orthodox church between 527-64 AD, the mosaics inside are made of pure gold. After 1,000 years as a Christian place of worship, it was converted into a mosque after the Ottoman war in 1453. The transition to mosque included the covering of Christian mosiscs, which actually ended up protecting them as everyone forgot they were there. It wasn't until Ataturk declared it a museum in 1934 that restoration began. We were fortunate in that there weren't any scaffoldings on the inside of the building, which is apparently extremely rare.
At this point it was getting to be time to eat, so we snagged a spot at a little sidewalk cafe. Now for all of you who were wondering how I would survive with such picky eating habits, let me tell you it was delicious! We had pan fried cheddar cheese appetizer, chicken kebabs with rice, potatoes and vegetables, and the best was penne pasta with vegetables and a pomegranate sauce. OMG, it was so amazing I made my mom take a photo (which BTW we are have trouble uploading from the iPad onto the blog, but we're working on it).
Next we walked to the basilica cistern (place to store water brought in by aqueducts, basically plumbing from back in the day). It has a completely unassuming exterior, but after you walk down a large flight of stairs, you are greeted by a huge underground complex with 336 columns and was built at the same time as the Hagia Sophia. It was basically put together with leftovers from other projects, so nothing really matches. There are also two monster Medusa heads, and no one seems to know where they came from.
Next we decided to hop on a night tour bus, and with a little help from a magic device called the iPhone, we hurried back to our hotel to bundle up before hopping on the bus. While it definetly was not the best nite tour ever (traffic was awful so it took forever, they made us stop for 45 minutes at a cafe, and I didn't get many usable photos) but it definetly gave us a scope of how big the city really is. Istanbul is the largest city in Europe with over 20 million people, and spans two continents(Europe and Asia). Since our bus tickets are good for 24 hours we're heading out tomorrow on another route, which will hopefully turn out better than tonite's, but you'll have to wait until tomorrow to find out!
Monday, October 24, 2011
Istanbul Arrival
After spending Sunday frantically getting everything together that I needed to pack for 3 weeks, I was struck by an urge to do something a little outrageous. So, I bought a new camera - a Canon Rebel T2i. I'm pretty excited to take some amazing photos while I'm here, so much so that I even read the manual on the plane! I'll try to post a photo after I finish this, but it's pretty late here, so it might go up tomorrow.
The travel portion of the trip wasn't bad at all we left SFO at 9 pm and arrived in Munich at 6 pm Monday (local time). After a quick 2 hour layover, we arrived in Istanbul at 11 pm local time. I must say it was the easiest customs check I've ever been thru - there wasn't even any paperwork to fill out! We just had to pay $20 for a visa and have our passports stamped. After picking up our bags, a driver from our hotel was waiting for us with my name on a little white board. This was pretty exciting for me as I've never had anyone "collect" me from the airport like that before. After a 20-25 minute ride, we arrived at the Tulip Hotel. Along the way, we passed the Bosphorus River, a few mosques and arrived in the old part of the city where our hotel is located. The hotel is pretty basic, but it's close to everything , reasonably priced and the staff has been very friendly - plus free wi-fi!
Well tomorrow is going to be a busy day, so stay tuned!
The travel portion of the trip wasn't bad at all we left SFO at 9 pm and arrived in Munich at 6 pm Monday (local time). After a quick 2 hour layover, we arrived in Istanbul at 11 pm local time. I must say it was the easiest customs check I've ever been thru - there wasn't even any paperwork to fill out! We just had to pay $20 for a visa and have our passports stamped. After picking up our bags, a driver from our hotel was waiting for us with my name on a little white board. This was pretty exciting for me as I've never had anyone "collect" me from the airport like that before. After a 20-25 minute ride, we arrived at the Tulip Hotel. Along the way, we passed the Bosphorus River, a few mosques and arrived in the old part of the city where our hotel is located. The hotel is pretty basic, but it's close to everything , reasonably priced and the staff has been very friendly - plus free wi-fi!
Well tomorrow is going to be a busy day, so stay tuned!
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Off to Turkey!
This weekend I’m heading off to scratch my annual get-out-of-the-country itch in exotic Turkey! It’s been on my list for quite a while now, and I was already planning a trip when one of my best friends decided to get married there in November. Francesca (the BF) and Erkut (the new hubby) are getting hitched again (state-side wedding was in August) in his hometown of Izmir and I couldn’t be more excited. All the wedding hoopla will be during the last week of my three week trip. I’m starting out in Istanbul, then to Cappadocia, flying to Antalya where I’ll rent a car and drive up the coast to Izmir. Now I won’t be doing all this alone - my mom is coming along for the ride. ‘Your mom?’ you might ask, but for those of you who know her, she’s a lot more adventurous than most moms. I already know we travel well together as we spent 2.5 months driving around the US together (we didn’t speak for almost a week after we got back, but this trip is much shorter by comparison so I think we’ll be fine). Plus, she can chip in for a dinner or two! We fly out on Sunday from SFO and after a quick layover in Munich, we arrive late Monday nite in Istanbul. The hotel has Wi-Fi so I’ll try to keep you all updated on the amazing sights and even better shopping!
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