13.04.2016 Views

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 most interesting<br />

part was seeing the<br />

cave cities where<br />

Cappadocia’s<br />

inhabitants used<br />

to live. Altogether, these<br />

cities formed an enormous<br />

architectural network<br />

with strong community<br />

connections. The expedition<br />

came to end after one hour. A<br />

champagne party was ready<br />

for the guests and the crew<br />

to celebrate and take photos.<br />

Before saying goodbye, the<br />

KAPADOKYA BALLOONS<br />

Company gave us a surprise<br />

by presenting each guest a<br />

certificate of having FLOWN<br />

IN A HOT AIR BALLOON.<br />

How funny it was hearing<br />

the company’s representative<br />

reading our Vietnamese<br />

names. Of course, we made<br />

all efforts to listen and realize<br />

that he was calling us. Our<br />

fancinasting trip - a wonderful<br />

experience, ended with smiles<br />

and big hugs.<br />

Travellive GUIDE<br />

Kapadokya Balloons<br />

ü 50180 Goreme, Nevsehir,<br />

Turkey<br />

ü<br />

ü<br />

Tel: +90 3842712442<br />

Fax: +90 3842712586<br />

ü Website: kapadokyaballons.<br />

com<br />

Notes:<br />

ü Balloon services only<br />

operate in good weather<br />

conditions. There are 2<br />

tours/ day, each tour lasts 45<br />

minutes. The first starts at<br />

5:30 - 6:00am, the second at<br />

7:00 - 7:30am<br />

ü Price: 200 - 250USD/ guest<br />

(including breakfast with cakes,<br />

tea, coffee and milk)<br />

ü Dress warm even in the<br />

summer as the temperature<br />

in the mountains in early<br />

morning is still quite low.<br />

ü Comply with all the<br />

provisions of the organizers to<br />

keep safe.<br />

ü Take care of personal<br />

items such as cameras, phones<br />

in case of losing them while<br />

travelling on balloons.<br />

<strong>TRAVELLIVE</strong><br />

91

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