Thursday 15 July 2010

Item 71: Cappadocia

Location: Cappadocia, Turkey Pigeon Valley, Goreme

Cappadoica did not make it on to our Turkish itinerary until two weeks before our departure when the guidebook arrived in the post. But pictures of the amazing landscapes and reviews from friends encouraged me to find the flights on Turkey's budget airline - Pegasus - and booked two days in Goreme. We arrived at Keysari airport hopped in the pre-booked shuttle for our one hour drive to town.

The town is very early frontier, having maintained the traditions of when the valley was first inhabited. We even booked ourselves into a lovely cave hotel overlooking the fairy chimneys for the night. Day one we visited Goreme Open Air museum for its collection of painted cave-churches.. and the excitement of crawling amongst the carved rock-faces.

On day two we woke up at 4.30am ready for our pick-up for our early morning balloon flight. But with ominous clouds, as we cuddled our cups of tea, at 6am the balloon pilots called it a no-flight day.

But, getting up early only means there's more to make of the day ahead. We joined the 'Green-tour' which is a similar journey offered by most travel agents in town. We were taken to the underground city of Kaymakli, descending 8 levels where the Christians hid during invasions of the town. Ducking and crawling in some areas, we saw stone doors that were used to block off passages in cases of attack, ventilation and wells used for survival and it was amazing to imagine people would live underground for up to months at a time.

Another highlight was the Selime Monastery. Climbing up the hills to the largest rock-cut monastery in the region, it was a little scary walking through the large cave cathedrals trying to bypass major craters but it was well worth it for breathtaking views over the area.

I've been unable to compare the landscapes and valleys of Cappadocia to anywhere else I've travelled thus far, and will definitely be using my missed balloon flight as an excuse to return back to the region to explore further.

Item 71: Cappadocia? CHECK!

Sunday 11 July 2010

Item 70: Istanbul

Blue MosqueLocation: Istanbul, Turkey

Istanbul was at the top of my travel list for 2010. Having spent a lot of my travels in the European Union I wanted a little more adventure, something to stimulate the senses. The call to daily prayer echoing from the minarets through the city on our first morning was the sign that I was definitely in the right place.

We stayed around the Sultanahemt area, within walking distance of numerous sites to check off this list:
1. Blue Mosque. One of the most famous sites of the city. With free entry we visited this first, taking our shoes off and donning the pashmina I'd packed to cover the shoulders so I wouldn't have to 'borrow' one of the spares on offer in the 30 degree heat.

2. Hagia Sofia. This was the next stop to uncover further history of the city in the former cathedral turned mosque. Now a museum, the tour groups crowd the corners where the preserved Christian mosaics still remain.

3. Topkapi Palace. Ottoman opulence was contained within the grounds and buildings of the palace. Entry to the Harem was an extra 15 TKL but well worth it if you eves dropped on the tours around

4. Grand Bazaar, this is where my travel instincts from visiting the markets of Bangkok kicked in. "Let me help me you spend your money" was the pickup line of choice from the shop keepers. It was slightly tiresome to walk around the same tat at each store, but an interesting antiques section and some people watching from a cafe within calmed us down allowed us to plan the rest of the itinerary for the city.

With the headline attractions off the list, we spent another day at Eminonu around the Spice Market, and located the fish sandwiches served off the boats along the port. We were almost duped as the restaurants under the Galata Bridge also sold the sandwiches, but crossing to the other side of the bridge we found a hawker-style setup with temporary chairs offering freshly cooked fish encased in giant bread rolls. Finishing these off for lunch, we hoped on a Cruise down the Bosphorus for a bit of serenity, landscapes of mansions along the river and views of Istanbul away from the hustle of a city that has so much to offer.

Item 70: Istanbul? CHECK!