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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KAYMAKLI UNDERGROUND CITY, CHURCHES<br />
AND MONASTERIES<br />
Up to now, archaeologists have discovered 40 underground<br />
cities of various sizes in Cappadocia. The largest one is<br />
Kaymakli. Strange as it is, they divided separate living<br />
areas for each family within the community. Besides<br />
living rooms and bedrooms, kitchens, storage places,<br />
wine or oil presses, fitness areas, and public restrooms are also<br />
found here. They also had means of communication allowing them<br />
to transfer sounds between households and floors. The Kaymakli<br />
underground city features 8 floors with a simple but magical air<br />
system that ensured circulation. Currently, excavations are still<br />
being carried out. Experts estimate that there are more than 100<br />
underground cities in Cappadocia.<br />
While you can find hundreds of gorgeous mosques in Istanbul,<br />
Cappadocia is a Mecca of Christianity. Of all the relics and<br />
monuments here, the Goreme open-air museum is the first sight to<br />
be visited by any traveler in Cappadocia. The museum resembles a<br />
vast complex composed of monasteries, churches and chapels built<br />
in the early Middle Ages. All the works here were carved directly into<br />
the rock. From the monuments, visitors can imagine the asceticism<br />
and simplicity of the monks’ lives. In the complex of 30 churches and<br />
chapels, there are also many beautiful frescoes, relics, and remains of<br />
the monks who decided to dedicate themselves to God for eternity.<br />
Beautiful<br />
frescoes on<br />
the celling<br />
TRANSPORTATION<br />
Plane:<br />
ü Turkish Airlines<br />
operates at least 2<br />
flights per day from<br />
different big cities in<br />
Turkey to Cappadocia.<br />
Luggage: 20kg. There<br />
are 8 flights/day<br />
departing from<br />
Istanbul; the flight time<br />
is about 1 hour.<br />
Bus:<br />
ü You can take a<br />
night bus from big<br />
cities to Cappadocia.<br />
The buses are high<br />
quality and equipped<br />
with wi-fi. Roads are<br />
good and safe.<br />
Motorbike:<br />
ü You can hire a<br />
motorbike to explore<br />
different places.<br />
Hotel:<br />
ü A room at a 4-star<br />
hotel costs about<br />
70-100USD/night and<br />
up to 150USD/night<br />
during the peak<br />
season.<br />
Recommended hotels<br />
in the center of<br />
Cappadocia include:<br />
in Goreme:<br />
ü Goreme Kaya<br />
Hotel<br />
ü 48 rooms, including<br />
3 suites, 2 connecting<br />
rooms, 1 honeymoon<br />
suite, Turkish<br />
bathroom, and indoor<br />
swimming pool.<br />
ü Website: www.<br />
goremekayaotel.com<br />
ü Anatolian Houses<br />
ü 9 standard rooms,<br />
13 deluxe rooms, 5<br />
king and 6 presidential<br />
suite, Turkish bath,<br />
indoor swimming pool<br />
ü Website: www.<br />
anatolianhouses.com.tr<br />
In Ugrup:<br />
ü Sacred House Hotel<br />
ü Special architecture<br />
blends ancient and<br />
modern features as<br />
well as a luxurious<br />
interior design.<br />
Originally, the hotel<br />
was a 250 year old<br />
Greek mansion.<br />
ü Website: www.<br />
sacredhouse.com.tr<br />
Travellive GUIDE<br />
In UchisaR:<br />
ü Uchisar Kaya Hotel<br />
ü Website: www.<br />
uchisarkayaotel.com<br />
Tours:<br />
ü Green tour, Red<br />
tour, Blue tour and<br />
Orange tour. You can<br />
book a tour at your<br />
hotel/ local agencies or<br />
hire a motorbike and<br />
freelance tour guides<br />
Adventurous<br />
activities:<br />
ü Sightseeing in a hot<br />
air balloon<br />
ü Discovering Red<br />
River by Jet Boat,<br />
Gondola<br />
ü Exploring Fairy<br />
Chimneys Valley by<br />
jeep<br />
Restaurants and<br />
cuisine:<br />
ü The area provides<br />
the best fruits and<br />
fresh vegetables in<br />
Turkey, especially<br />
apples, cherries, and<br />
olives.<br />
ü You should try<br />
kebab served in clay<br />
pot. It tastes best in<br />
winter.<br />
ü Enjoy dinner and<br />
the “Turkish Night”<br />
show at Evranos<br />
Restaurant, Avanos<br />
Town. “Turkish<br />
Night” is a traditional<br />
show with traditional<br />
music, dance, belly<br />
dancing and other<br />
performances. The<br />
restaurant can serve<br />
up to 400 guests in<br />
an intimate traditional<br />
space.<br />
Shopping:<br />
ü In Cappadocia,<br />
the most favored<br />
goods are handicrafts<br />
such as jewelry with<br />
natural stones, marble<br />
sculptures, ceramics,<br />
and hand-woven<br />
carpets.
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