Turkish Delight (part III) – Away With the Ferries!! (in the valleys)

(August 22-27) After getting out of the water to give our wrinkled fingers some reprieve it was time to head inland to see some amazing sights!

Olimpos to Cappadocia via VW Jetta: August 22

Our new lawyer pal Kate from NZ piled into the back of a VW Jetta (same year as mine – ah familiarity) with Becky and I for the long 10 hour ride to Cappadocia. It sure beat the bus in terms of speed but not space (can you say sardines?). We traveled through amazing winding roads with rocky mountains and pretty pines to our left and the Mediterranean Sea to our right. Eventually, we headed north inland to see the sunset over countryside homes nestled into the mountains. We finally arrived after 11 hours of car time in Goreme (population of 2,500) and saw the fairy chimneys lit up at night. We stayed at the Star Cave Pension in an actual cave room which was awesome (aside from the excessive moth ball smell).

Cappadocia: August 23-25

Cappadocia is a fascinating little town where the locals live in fairy chimneys and tourists flock to see the amazing geological formations. Becky and I headed to the Goreme Open Air museum to see the fairy chimneys firsthand. From 1800 to 1200BC Hittites first settled there then Persians and eventually Romans. From the 4th to 11th century it was a refuge for Christians and the churches and monasteries were underground. It was intriguing to wander through the fairy chimneys and visit the living quarters and churches with Biblical paintings on the wall.

Becky and I then scrambled up a neighboring hill to see the views and take some pictures. We continued to be lured further and further away due to the awesome sights. Before we knew it we had hiked for four and a half hours through the Red and Rose Valleys. The unique rock structures varied a ton in color and shape – the formations were smooth, jagged, curved, pointed, and layered with colors. Some of the rock faces glowed in red and yellow while others were a more mild tan or white color. Around each turn and up each new hill the views shockingly improved.










Finally, we ended in a small town called Cavusin. We got lucky and got a ride back into town since our feet hurt and it had gotten hotter. After a 4PM lunch we headed up a small hill to see the sunset. A full moon shone and the sky around the rock formations was a purple hue. We ended the day at the Safak Café with Kate for a fun dinner complete with local favorites like lentil soup, apple tea and a chocolate banana crepe.

The next day we took a formal tour of the broader area. We stopped at Honey Valley for pictures and views and then headed to the underground city in Derinkuyu. This crazy city has seven stories below the ground and is 55 meters deep (182 feet)! We saw the kitchen, church, stables for animals (true story), wells etc. There are 137 similar cities where Christians hid from the Persian and Arabic armies in the 6th and 7th centuries. After seeing the dark city it was time to head above ground to hike through a gorge in the Ihlara Valley. It was a pretty hike through the huge walls of the gorge, and we saw the small Kokar Church built into the gorge with its unique frescoes and wall paintings of Jesus. Later we visited the rather large Selime Monastery which was cut into rocks like the fairy chimneys. Finally we ended the tour with a stop at Pigeon Valley where the birds used to act as messengers during dangerous times.

The next morning we dragged ourselves up at 5AM to see the sunrise over Cappadocia. It was initially pitch black and cold as we slowly meandered up the hill. It quickly became one of the most peaceful and exciting sights I have ever seen. Thirty-six hot air balloons broke the morning silence as they slowly inflated from the ground all over the area and eventually lifted themselves off of the ground as the sun peaked above the fairy chimneys. The balloons were a wide variety of colors especially while illuminated by the sun and they dotted the sky at various heights among the fairy chimneys. We looked on from the hill above and a few balloons passed closely right over head. We even talked to and felt the heat from one basket load of people.










Sadly, after two hours of gazing and picture taking it was time to pack up and leave Cappadocia. We had an eleven hour bus ride back to Istanbul through primarily dry scenery, but we powered through with limited stops.

Istanbul: August 26-27

Becky and I were back in Istanbul seeing the newer Beyoglu side of the city. This side of Istanbul was much more modern and western feeling. We walked across the Galata Bridge and headed to the historical sightseeing tower. The 61 meter (201 foot) high 9 meter (30 foot) diameter tower was built by Justinianus in 528AD. There were amazing views of old and new Istanbul, including numerous mosques, several bridges, and colorful homes. After visiting the tower we went to Taksim Square and strolled down Istiklal Caddesi Street. This street was extremely western and had Michigan Avenue style stores (Adidas, Nike, Starbucks, and even Pizza Hut) combined with a San Francisco-esque trolley on the hilly cobblestone roadway running through it. We completed our last night in Istanbul on our favorite street catching up with our New Zealand pal Kate. That night I finally got my flights back to LA and Minneapolis, so I will be returning to the US officially on October 29th!




I got up early and roamed the quiet streets of Istanbul on my own. It was very peaceful since people have Fridays off, so I shared the road with some cats and a few people. Soon after Becky and I were on the move again with a mid-morning flight to the Kingdom of Bahrain where we connected to Dubai. The airports were fancy as expected and the flights went smoothly. Turkey was an amazing trip and we were very sad to leave. Until next time…Sarah.

Turkish Delight (part II) – Getting Amongst It!! (on the water)

(August 17-22) Becky and I were back in action in Turkey as we finally set aside our museli snacks with apricot pips and our Form Light treats to start our highly anticipated water times in Turkey.

Koycegiz to Fethiye: August 17-18

On our way to get on the water we stopped in Tlos to see Ancient Lycia and the 3rd century AD tombs built right into the side of the mountains. Nearby was a theater and hippodrome from the 2nd and 3rd BC centuries. Turkey was filled with so many historical sites it was tough to avoid complacency.

Finally, we reached the 18 km (10.8 mi) Saklikent Gorge formed between the Akdaglar Mountains. It was mammoth and impressive. We hiked for 40 minutes with John and Juliet our bus pals from New Zealand while random local kids cliff jumped off of crazy high rocks and bridges (50 feet) into the water. There were also people floating on tubes down the freezing cold river, and we dined at a delightful table literally on the river water.

Later we arrived in Fethiye which was a quaint little beach town on the Mediterranean Sea with a European feel. We had two amazing dinners with our NZ pals. The first dinner allowed us to choose our own fresh fish or steaks from a huge selection right before our eyes. We then brought it to one of the nearby restaurants where they cooked it to perfection and provided sides. The next night we had eastern Turkish food – humus with hot peppers and a BBQ chicken wrap with huge veggies and a red sauce. Becky quickly learned and then dominated euchre, so we played a good deal of cards the next couple of days.

Fethiye to Olimpos via sailboat: August 19-22

It was time to board the 75 foot wooden Alaturka sailboat (complete with its own Turkish flag) for our highly anticipated journey from Fethiye to Olimpos on the Mediterranean. Twelve others around our age joined us from Australia, New Zealand, US, Turkey, and Germany. We had a little room with a porthole which held our stuff, but the majority of us chose to sleep sprawled out across the top of the boat.


The water was a gorgeous blue color as we sailed around Butterfly Valley stopping to hike up to what ended up being a mini waterfall, a trickle if you will. We parked in St. Nicolas Bay that evening where I jet skied for the first time tearing around the islands and dodging a sea turtle in the process.

A variety of fun music consistently blasted and backgammon was the game of choice as we baked in the sun and swam frequently to keep cool. I even walked the plank off the front of the boat, pirate style, before the captain (aka entertaining partier that occasionally steered the boat) caught me. We basically read our books, napped, ate, drank, and repeated for three and a half days. Never have I been so relaxed.


On the second day we sailed to Aquarium Bay, complete with rocky islands, to swim and then on to Kas for lunch in the beautiful European style town. That night we had a fantastic charcoal grilled chicken feast and a watermelon carved head complete with glowing sparklers and a Turkish fez hat.


The next morning afforded more swimming time and an eventual stop at my favorite little island. Kalekoy was extremely small with a few restaurants and small homes dotting the shoreline and hills. We hiked up to the Simena Ruins and castle at the top of it and a local 10 year old guided me around showing me the hidden ancient tombs; we communicated the best we could through broken English and pointing. I eventually swam back to the boat, and we sailed along the opposite shore to see a sunken city with walls and steps right into the water, caused by an earthquake.


Later it was anchors away in Pirate’s Bay – ARRRRGGHH maytey! The secluded little bays surrounded by rocky tree covered islands were spectacular, and I loved every minute of it! Eight of us could not resist as we jumped on a large inflatable banana and flew behind a speed boat often getting ripped off of it and laughing the whole way.



Since it was the last night it was critical that we have a dance boat party complete with the theme song “Ride the White Horse.” We had a blast and then headed to Smugglers bar on the island where all of the boats congregated for one final party. I naturally bartended for a bit and danced with our boat peeps – Becky, Kristen (US), and I put on a bit of a clinic for a bit and Thomas (Germany) kept things rolling with his shirt flying through the air. Our whole group got after it and celebrated a great boat trip.


Sadly we only had a half day left as we swam in Pirate’s cave and headed to Olimpos. It was tough to say goodbye to our new best boat friends after one last “Ride the White Horse” song, at least we have facebook. Luckily we got to continue on with Kate from New Zealand. Until next time…Sarah.

Turkish Delight (part I) – Give it Heaps (of historical concentration)

(August 12-16) Alright, I am back in action and writing about Turkey! Becky (my current travel pal from Kellogg) had the brilliant idea of mixing up my writing style and format for this one, so I hope you enjoy the new and hopefully shorter version. A huge thanks to our Turkish friend, Ozlem, who provided itinerary and culinary guidance that enhanced our journey.

The setting: Although elements of Turkey reminded me of numerous places I have been before never have I visited a place quite like it. Turkey has a population of 70 million people, 12 million of which live in Istanbul. Istanbul is on the Bosphorus Strait between the Black and Marmara Seas. Istanbul is technically on both the European and Asian continents, but we spent our time on the European side. Based on landmass, Turkey is about 97% Asia and 3% Europe.

The cast: The people are 98% Muslim and speak Turkish, which is an extremely challenging language. After two weeks Becky and I could not even say the full word for thank you! People were extremely welcoming and kind. They constantly helped us find our way, often even walking us to the location. They also have a great deal of pride and Turkish flags can be seen throughout the country.

In addition to the numerous Turks we interacted with along the way, we also met heaps of New Zealanders and Aussies. I will tell a few related stories along the way and throw out some new vocabulary we learned (some will be mixed in for you to pick up on but the extra fun phrases will be explained). They were all great, and we hope to stay in touch with many of them.

The transportation: We took a hop on hop off Fez bus to get around Turkey. It was a great way to get around Turkey, because it allowed for flexible stops, lodging advice, tour guides, and meeting new people. The route was set, and we were able to decide how long we wanted to stay in each place.

The experiences: Here is a map that shows our route for the two weeks. We completed the large red loop with a 3 day sailing trip between Fethiye and Olympos. The rest of this write-up will be pictures with captions and random stories.


Istanbul: August 12, 13

We stayed in the quaint area of Sultanahmet, and it was very hot (one of the hottest summers in the past 100 years in fact). The cobblestone streets, various restaurants, colorful buildings, and views of the sea reminded me of both Boston and San Francisco.

We visited Hagia (Aya) Sophia the 537AD church built by Justinian during the Byzantine Empire. It later became a mosque in 1453, so it was interesting to see the two cultures merge in the form of wooden doors, mosaics, and marble. We also took pictures outside of the famous Blue Mosque, just across the way from Hagia Sophia.


Later we braved the enormous Grand Bazaar and wandered the complicated halls of shops. There were sections of the bazaar that housed all of the same product types: gold area, ceramics, lanterns etc. We loved the bright colored lantern and ceramics. Becky and I got amongst it and bargained with the shop owners; it was definitely my favorite bazaar.


We also learned that people in Turkey believe that evil eyes can deflect and ward off evil. The Evil Eyes were everywhere (in cars, homes, stores, featured in jewelry, and even built into walkways and roads) and came in all sizes (from smaller than a dime to the giant peepers I am sporting in this ridiculous picture).


Turkey is famous for its Turkish delights or flavorful gelatin treats among other delectable desserts like baklava, pistachio ice cream, and rice puddings. I tried them all despite my dentist’s likely dismay.

Eceabat and Gallipoli to Canakkale: August 14

We got on the Fez bus in Istanbul at 7AM and traveled through farmlands many of which were of giant sunflowers which was amazing to see.

For 9 months key WWI battles were fought between the Turks and the British, Aussie, and New Zealand Allies at Eceabat and Gallipoli. The Turks managed to win this battle extending the war and solidifying Mustafa Kemal’s (Ataturk) future leadership position in Turkey. Gallipoli is now the site for memorials for both sides of the war and the Aussies and New Zealanders celebrate ANZAC Day here annually (similar to our Memorial Day). We visited the war museum, various grave sites, trenches, and memorials. We then took a ferry to the nearby town of Canakkale where we ate at a rooftop restaurant with our new bus friends. We got to know a great Italian family from Milan (Anita Di Malta, her parents, and Nepule their traveling penguin).


Our bus driver was quite the character indeed. He was often grumpy, scolding us in Turkish (honestly I am still not sure why) and always a crazy driver. Despite it being well over a 100 degrees he would not keep the a/c on regularly and he insisted on honking more than his fair share. At one point he swerved nearly hitting an old women who shook her fist at him in a fury; we all secretly cheered on the woman. The real highlight was watching him back into a parked car causing physical damage, which he was not going to report.

Troy to Pergamum to Kusadasi: August 15

We stopped in Troy (on the Aegean Sea) to see the site where nine cities have been built on top of each other from 3000BC to 500AD (fires and earthquakes destroyed them – you would think relocation would have been an option) and the famous Trojan War occurred. There were portions of original walls from the various cities like the ones I am running by. Later, Helen of Troy would be used in a game and I pathetically failed at guessing it. It was pretty funny indeed.


After some more bus time we toured Pergamum (323BC to 129BC – Alexander the Great’s time) with our delightful tour guide that called us his dear friends. We weaved through the current town (58,000 population) of red roofed homes and original Greek homes untouchable by law. Eventually we made it up the large hill to Akropolis where the former Greeks then Romans had kingdoms there. Ancient pillars, walls, and the theater were scattered around the area.

Finally, we arrived in Kusadasi for the evening where we ate amazing doner kebabs with our Aussie bus friends Alex and Dan. We shopped the Faux Collections - Kusadasi and beyond 2010 - where Becky got a Fouie Vitton wallet and Alex scored herself some Fay Bans. We skipped the Genuine Fake Watch section though.

Kusadasi to Koycegiz: August 16

We lost 7 of our bus pals as they chose to “hop off” and spend extra time in the Kusadasi area. We did gain 8 new people including out card playing friends John and Juliet from New Zealand.

This day will provide us with laughs for years to come as we made random shopping stops. First, we filed into a leather store where we sat unexpectedly along both sides of a runway. Suddenly intense music filled the air, the lights went dim, and a very serious leather fashion show exploded before our very eyes. There were about eight models sporting various leather jackets, and then they pulled three of our bus pals from the audience to participate. John held his own as he strutted his stuff to a US pop song (Sexy B*tch). It took everything I had in my bag of tricks to fight back laughter as the show progressed. Later Becky and I tried on numerous insane leather jackets as the owner tried to sell me on Los Angeles / Hollywood style gear. The onyx factory, rug shop, and ceramic stores did not stand a chance competing with that. We did however enjoy a fruit wine tasting later that day.




Koycegiz was a delightful little town on a lake and Becky and I had one of our favorite meals at a hole in the wall. My kofte meatballs bathing in a red sauce over rice was followed up by some fresh baklava. Becky had an additional dessert of a lemon cracker soaked in my Nivea lotion which had somehow escaped by bag earlier in the luggage compartment of the bus. After lots of laughs and me learning about my lost lotion we finally slept. More Turkey to come as we hit the water. Until next time…Sarah.