In the Grand Bazaar Istanbul could keep you busy for weeks or months but, alas, we only had a few days in this incredible city. Our first expedition after Hagia Sofia was a 15 minute tram ride from Sultanahmet at the foot of the Hippodrome to Eminönü on the Golden Horn. We took the T1 … Continue reading More Istanbul: bridge, fish, people, bazaar
Category: Turkey
Hagia Sophia
Hagia Sophia dominates Sultanahmet Square. Istanbul has many wondrous sights but it's hard to conceive anything more magnificent, more grand, or more fabled than Hagia Sophia, the Church of Divine Wisdom. A Christian basilica, the heart of the Eastern Roman Empire aka Byzantium, and once the centre of Christianity itself, the first Hagia Sophia was built … Continue reading Hagia Sophia
Off to Istanbul
According to a Turkish city planner sitting with us on the plane from Cappadocia (Turkish Airlines, US$34pp), Istanbul has about 30 million people though the official tally is half that and he said no one actually knows. Whatever the exact number, it is a very large city spread across Europe and Asia and divided by … Continue reading Off to Istanbul
Cappadocia, Day Two
Strong winds again scrubbed our balloon flight so we booked a car & driver and headed out to Ortahisar Castle, an enormous honeycombed rock, the highest point in the region, carved out by Romans as a fortress. An impressive sight, great view of the valley, and a nice walk to the top. Admission US$1. Ortahisar … Continue reading Cappadocia, Day Two
Cappadocia, Day One
After a snowy Christmas in Ankara, our first destination was Goreme, a silk road village in the Cappadocia region of central Anatolia. We hired a car for the 3-1/2 hour drive and booked rooms at the US$70/night Erenby Cave Hotel, one of many hotels in the region that are carved into cliffs and 'fairy chimneys.' … Continue reading Cappadocia, Day One
Inching to Izmir
Our first Turkish adventure was a bus trip to Izmir starting at the otogar in Ankara. Located on the Aegean Sea very close to Lesbos, Izmir is Turkey's third largest city with a population over 4.5 million. Let me digress for a moment with a few words about transport inside Turkey. If you want to … Continue reading Inching to Izmir
Starting out in Ankara
Turkey is vast -- 84 million proud and nationalistic people in an area twice the size of California -- with an incredible depth of history and natural wonders galore. It borders the Mediterranean to the south, the Aegean to the west and the Black Sea to the north. Head northeast and you'll be in Georgia … Continue reading Starting out in Ankara
Ankara’s Museums
Our first Turkish museum visit was to the Musezi Gordion, 75km southwest of Ankara, the country's capital. Gordion was the capital of the Phrygian Kingdom that flourished until about 700 BC. The area has several large funeral mounds or 'tumuli,' the most famous of which housed the remains of King Midas, he of the golden … Continue reading Ankara’s Museums
Travel.Photo.Repeat 