2 January 2009

Finally, pictures from Turkey

Ok, I don't usually take this long to post pictures from a trip. But, I took over 1800 pictures in Turkey and it took a while to sift through them and select just the very best to upload to Flickr. Plus there's the "enhance photo" step that need to be taken for some. Anyway, no more excuses... It's done! Please visit our Flickr site to see them.

Turkey was a fascinating place. I felt like I was on a 2-week history class and it was great. I learned so much about Anatolian history and the empires that ruled over it through the centuries.

The main reason I chose Turkey as our destination was the Blue Mosque. I wanted to walk into the mosque and admire its beauty with my own eyes. And when I did, it was a wonderful moment.



I found Cappadocia to be the most interesting place. The landscape and cave dwellings were unlike anything I've seen before. And going on the hot air balloon ride (our first time ever) to enjoy the fascinating scenery was definitely a highlight.



The most impressive Roman theatre we visited was Aspendos in Perge. It is so well-preserved and the acoustics were amazing. And I bravely (and proudly) sang O Canada there. I couldn't believe I was singing in a theatre built almost 2000 years ago.



The ancient cities we visited were Perge, Phaselis, Hierapolis, Aphrodisias, Ephesus, Pergamom, Asclepion, and Troy. I really enjoyed Hierapolis in Pamukkale, with its many tombs and impressive theatre. Although the walk down the travertines barefoot was a little too painful for my liking.



I can't say enough about how good the food is in Turkey. The kebab, kofte, fish, Turkish pizza, Turkish ravioli, salad, and bread were always sooo delicious. I loved eating the food there. The Turkish delight and rice pudding were great, too. And I loved the apple tea they have there. It was always a good way to end the meal, with some tea or apple tea. And the Mediterranean diet is so healthy.

It was a great visit. Our tour guide, Ergun, and driver, Ekram, really helped make the trip very, very enjoyable. And our tour group was a fun bunch that just added a whole lot of positive energy to the trip.



So, if you have a chance to go to Turkey, go! Definitely a great travel destination.

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