Category: Uncategorised

Another early morning rise to catch a flight back to Istanbul. Then heading to the Asia side of Istanbul with the ferry.

Early morning rise for a sunrise balloon ride over the moonscape Göreme Valley. For the rest of the day, first a visit to the underground city. Then walking around the fairy chimneys. Spending the rest of the afternoon walking around Göreme Valley Open Air Museum. And early evening in Ürgüp village.

Travel along the ancient Silk Road to Cappadocia, first stopping in Konya to visit the Mevlana museum in honour of Rumi. Then driving on, making a pitstop at Sultanhani Caravansary before the final destination for the day at the lovely Elevres Stone House Hotel.

After visiting a leather shop, heading to Pamukkale to explore the white calcium terraces, known as Travertines. Unfortunately this was a bit of a let down. Comparing to brochure photos I've seen of this area, it has changed and become dead. This is due to the government allowing the mineral rich water going to the hotels close by. There is one pool for visitors and the rest is all dried up and gone grey.

Starting the day, by visting a rug retailer. Followed by a guided tour through Ephesus. It was an ancient Greek city on the coast of Ionia, three kilometres southwest of present-day Selçuk, Turkey. It was built in the 10th century BC. During the Classical Greek era it was one of the twelve cities of the Ionian League. The city flourished after it came under the control of the Roman Republic in 129 BC.

In the morning, step back in time to visit Troy, home of the famed Trojan Horse. After lunch, tour the magnificent acropolis of Perganum. The impressive temples and library made Perganum a renowed cultural and political centre in its time.

Visiting various memorial places around the area of Gallipoli. Fot eight long months, New Zealand troops, alongside those from Australia, Great Britain and Ireland, France, India, and Newfoundland battled harsh conditions and Ottoman forces desperately fighting to protect their homeland. In the afternoon taking the ferry over to Çanakkale.

First visit was to the Hippodrome of Constantinople, which was a circus that was the sporting and social centre of Constantinople, capital of the Byzantine Empire. The Hippodrome today, with the Walled Obelisk in the foreground and the Obelisk of Thutmose III on the right.

Bosphorus is a natural strait connecting the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara. Bosphorus is a very busy waterway with many ships and oil tankers going through it, as well as local fishing and ferries. There are three suspension bridges on the Bosphorus connecting the continents of Europe on the one side to Asia on the other (or vice versa).