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
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
We've learned that most destinations have unlimited numbers of tours and guides eager for your business so there is no need to pre-book. And that's how it was in Hue. We decided on two tours, first to Paradise Cave located north of Hue in PhongNha Ke Bang National Park and then down the Perfume River … Continue reading A really big cave, DMZ, dessert
We departed Chivay for the Colca Canyon which descends more than 10,000 feet and is the deepest canyon in the world. Despite low agricultural prices which make farming unprofitable, people still cultivate some of the canyon's many terraced fields. Cactus at Condor Cross The Colca Canyon is also home to Condor Cross (Cruz Del Condor) where Andean condors make daily … Continue reading Pressing on to Puno
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