TRAVELLIVE 04-2016
Istanbul, the first days of spring… I’m warming myself in the sun on a café’s balcony in the Old Town. The sunbeams are as stunning as the fine strands of newly reeled silk. Meanwhile the old oak trees give their morning greeting to the glossy stone road as their red-brown leaves gently fall. The Old Town is still half-asleep, like a lazy girl who’s turned off her alarm after ringing the first time. Sunlight visits each street, dancing happily on passers-by’s shoulders, making the atmosphere more intimate to me – the traveler’s first time here. I feel more amorous in Istanbul. I’m enchanted by everything, from sweet lokum to the light sour ice-cream with ground ice on top, or from the gorgeous domes of hundreds of mosques and palaces to their uniquely designed windows, and from the discreet eyes of Muslim girls to the multitude of boards and posters with the images of Besiktas – the city’s legendary football team. I have fallen in love with Bosphorus Bay since the first time seeing the seagulls hovering in the open sky, creating invisible strings that connect the two continents – Asia and Europe. The clear blue sky is reflected on the deep blue sea, giving me tranquility. I drop my last Lira into the water of the Bosphorus, not to make a wish, but in hopes that they will preserve my memories here. And somehow, the water currents might bring them somewhere else to be found by me again, or might accidentally be stumbled upon by a boy who is playing with sand on a sunny beach. Tomorrow, I will go to Grand Bazzar, buy some postcards, and write something to leave beneath the sun near a mosque before sending them to some friends of mine. I do hope that these postcards, together with the coins, will inspire and attract more visitors to this land. Uhm… will you come there?
Istanbul, the first days of spring…
I’m warming myself in the sun on a café’s balcony in the Old Town. The sunbeams are as stunning as the fine strands of newly reeled silk. Meanwhile the old oak trees give their morning greeting to the glossy stone road as their red-brown leaves gently fall. The Old Town is still half-asleep, like a lazy girl who’s turned off her alarm after ringing the first time. Sunlight visits each street, dancing happily on passers-by’s shoulders, making the atmosphere more intimate to me – the traveler’s first time here.
I feel more amorous in Istanbul. I’m enchanted by everything, from sweet lokum to the light sour ice-cream with ground ice on top, or from the gorgeous domes of hundreds of mosques and palaces to their uniquely designed windows, and from the discreet eyes of Muslim girls to the multitude of boards and posters with the images of Besiktas – the city’s legendary football team.
I have fallen in love with Bosphorus Bay since the first time seeing the seagulls hovering in the open sky, creating invisible strings that connect the two continents – Asia and Europe. The clear blue sky is reflected on the deep blue sea, giving me tranquility. I drop my last Lira into the water of the Bosphorus, not to make a wish, but in hopes that they will preserve my memories here. And somehow, the water currents might bring them somewhere else to be found by me again, or might accidentally be stumbled upon by a boy who is playing with sand on a sunny beach.
Tomorrow, I will go to Grand Bazzar, buy some postcards, and write something to leave beneath the sun near a mosque before sending them to some friends of mine. I do hope that these postcards, together with the coins, will inspire and attract more visitors to this land. Uhm… will you come there?
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THE MYTHICAL LAND<br />
While Istanbul is well known for magnificent man-made works,<br />
Cappadocia is a majestic work of Mother Nature.<br />
Recognized by UNESCO as a world heritage site in<br />
1985, Cappadocia attracts millions of visitors each year.<br />
There are two airports here, one in the Northeast and<br />
one in Northwest of Goreme, Cappadocia’s regional<br />
capital. It takes only a little over an hour to fly from<br />
Istanbul to Cappadocia. However, I decided to fly from<br />
Istanbul to Ankara then took a bus from Ankara to<br />
Cappadocia as I wanted to visit the tombs and museum<br />
of Ataturk, the revolutionary leader credited as the<br />
founder of modern Turkey.<br />
Before arriving in Cappadocia, I stopped at Lake Tuz<br />
(Salt Lake) - a unique natural destination in Turkey.<br />
Lake Tuz is not only a famous destination but also<br />
produces many of the ingredients for making cosmetics<br />
and around 65% of the salt consumed in Turkey.<br />
Lying in the central Anatolian plateau, Cappadocia is<br />
famous for its unusual rock formations, the result of<br />
volcanic eruptions millions of years ago. As the rock<br />
below the top layer of basalt is extremely soft, it can be<br />
easily carved. Earthquakes and continuing erosion have<br />
contributed to form the today’s landscape. The land<br />
has become a famous destination thanks to not only its<br />
special geographical features but also its cultural and<br />
historic heritage which has remained completely intact.<br />
Cappadocia is like a forgotten fairyland separated from<br />
the modern world. The pristine beauty of the arid<br />
plateau and peaceful way of life here are the greatest<br />
draw to this area. The locals’ lives are rustic and simple.<br />
Their primary occupations are farming, producing and<br />
selling handicrafts, and providing tourism services.<br />
Being somewhat timid, they rarely go out of their<br />
residences, but they are very friendly and hospitable.<br />
To protect themselves from the extreme<br />
weather (high temperatures and
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