Adventure Travel Photography Blog
I actually signed up for this G-Adventures tour, a budget National Geographic company, specifically because the itinerary included Pamukkale. Pamukkale is a UNESCO World Heritage Site which features natural travertine terraces of thermal pools. I saw a picture of the famous site in a National Geographic magazine at least 10 years ago and have wanted to visit ever since.
Take a Soak!
A long time ago, I read an article about SCUBA diving in underwater, ancient ruins near Istanbul. I thought that would be cool to do, so it has stayed with me for years. Having said that, during my six week trip to the Middle East which included Oman, Israel, and Turkey, SCUBA Diving didn’t make the list.
Instead, I signed up for a two-week tour through the western half of Turkey with G-Adventures, a budget-minded National Geographic Company. Having completed little research and being rather dependent on the tour company, I was surprised to learn that there were underwater ruins in Kekova, one of the destinations on our travels.
SAIL AWAY!
Antalya was originally founded by King Attalus II of Pergamon around 150 BC and was called Attalia for the King. It soon became part of the Roman Empire and prospered until the fall of Constantinople. The Seljuk Turks captured the city in 1207 which fell to the Ottomans in the mid 1300’s.
It remained under Ottoman control until World War I when the city was briefly given to Italy before the Turkish Republic recaptured Antalya during the War of Independence.
RELAX!
Cappadocia is a region in central Turkey with unique geological structures and lots of history. There are lots of things to do while visiting the region which includes several small towns such as Ürgüp, Göreme, Uçhisar, and Avanos to name a few. Hiking, taking a hot air balloon ride, and exploring an underground city are a must while in Cappadocia.
LET’S GO!
Wow! I had never really taken the time to realize the size of Turkey. It is huge. I signed up for a two-week driving tour, and we hardly scratched the surface of Western Turkey. After touring Istanbul on my own for five days, I joined G Adventures for an itinerary which included stays in Bolu, Cappadocia, Konya, Antalya, Kekova, Selcuk and Canakkale with additional stops in Ankara, Kas, Pamukkale, Ayvalik, and Gallipoli.
DRIVE THE COUNTRYSIDE!
Istanbul is an enormous city of 14 million people and is separated into three sections by water. The Golden Horn divides the European side into two while the Bosphorus Strait intersects the European and Asian side. Istanbul is the only city in the world to span two continents.
In previous posts I wrote about the Sultanahmet (the Old City) and Beyoĝlu (the European Quarter). This post will focus on things to do on the Asian Side of the city.
TAKE A STROLL!
As I mentioned in my previous post about Istanbul, the city of 14 million people is split into three by the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus Strait. The old city or the Sultanahmet district is to the south, the Asian side is to the east and the New Town called Beyoĝlu or the European Quarter is to the north.
The old city definitely features the most the sites, but Beyoĝlu also has many. Below is a list of sites to see in Beyoĝlu. Begin just north of the Beyoĝlu region on the Bosphorus Coast at the Dolmabahçe Palace.
TAKE A TOUR!
Istanbul, formerly known as Constantinople, is the only city in the world that straddles two continents, Europe and Asia. The city of 14 million people is the largest city in Europe and one of the most visited in the world.
Istanbul is split into three areas by bodies of water. The Bosphorus Strait separates the European side and the Asian side. The European side is further split into two by the Golden Horn. North of the inlet is Beyoĝlu (New Town) while south is the historic area, Sultanahmet.
EXPLORE!
My first visit to Paris was extremely impromptu. One day I was talking to my friend Theresa about her upcoming trip to Paris, and the next week I was flying there with her. Needless to say, she did all the planning including where to stay and what to see.
Naturally, for our first time in the city, we stuck to the main attractions like (but not limited to) the Eiffel Tour, Notre Dame, the Louvre and miraculously, we hardly ever waited in a line, despite not having purchased advanced tickets. I still don’t know how that worked out except maybe it was due to visiting in October.
KEEP TRAVELING …
Roland-Garros has successfully eliminated scalping tickets at the French Open. While it is possible to get tickets on third party sites or through a tour group beware that they are legitimate as names are assigned to the ticket during the 15-minute purchasing time slot.
PLAY TENNIS …