DAY 1 - Istanbul
Our first day in Turkey was a 4.30 wake up call to catch a private boat for a sunrise cruise along the Bosphorus. The boat tour was a great introduction to this modern, cosmopolitan city, where the landscape is filled with majestic mosques, European–style palaces, traditional Ottoman houses, historic towers and the occasional modern high-rise.
The Bosphorus is a busy waterway with all types of vessels - large commercial tankers, commuting ferries, tiny fishing boats. To our delight our own boat was momentarily accompanied by a pod of dolphins.
Tourism is rife in Istanbul and people come in the coach-loads to see the major attractions – Topkapi Palace, St. Sophia Church, the Blue Mosque, the Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar.
Taking snaps of people around residential back streets proved interesting and gave us a taster of the general attitude to being photographed. Men are usually very friendly and happy to oblige. While the women were also lovely and cheerful, many often preferred not to be photographed. A note worth taking is that a backward head nod means ‘no’. DAY 2 - Assos
A few hours’ drive through the Dardanelles, we arrived at Assos - a small, picturesque village built on a hill, surrounded by an abundance of olive trees. The old stone houses of Assos make this place seem untouched by time. The central café serves as a meeting point for the local men, all of whom were extremely friendly and happy for our group to snap away. On the summit of Assos lie ancient ruins of a temple to Athena, which also serves as a platform for a superb sunset view - a magical experience where the temple ruins exude a breath-taking red glow. DAY 3 - Pamukkale
Snow white cliffs and travertine pools are the main feature of Pamukkale, literally translated as ‘cotton castle’. Years of calcium deposits from the small mineral waterfalls collect on the rock faces to form billowy white cliffs. A gentle incline allows you to walk up and wade through the travertine pools. Also at the top are the ancient ruins of Hieropolis, whose cemetery is home to hundreds of sarcophogi. DAYS 4 to 6 - Kas
Kas is a charming fishing village with a natural harbour overlooking the Greek island of Kastellorizo. Kas is quite popular with independent travellers because of its laid-back atmosphere. People here are very friendly and happy to make your acquaintance. There are small, quaint back streets where the old Greek houses still stand with white-washed walls and bright coloured doors and window frames. I had a memorable trip to the barber’s to have my beard trimmed and subsequently, with great uneasiness, my ear hair waxed. Leaving Kas we went on a boat excursion to the island of Kekova and the idyllic fishing village of Simena at the foot of Lycian ruins. We rode a glass bottom boat to view the Sunken City, the remains of a Byzantine city that submerged underwater after a huge earthquake two thousand years ago. Swimming in the clear blue water bays of surrounding islands was a fantastic highlight. Day 7 - Antalya
Antalya is one of the largest and most beautiful cities in Turkey’s western Mediterranean coast. We came across an internationally renowned tattoo artist who was very patient while we photographed him in his studio. The old part of Antalya, Kaleici, still has many of the old Ottoman houses, some restored, but many abandoned and neglected, which adds to its appeal. Walking through Kaleici, I caught a glimpse of a man sitting by his windowsill with a wine bottle and a single glass, watching television in his one-room house. I tried to take advantage of his amicable mood and asked him if he would mind being photographed. In two minutes I was invited into his house to take photos of both him and his wife. Day 8 - Konya
The drive from Antalya to Konya was a colourful site– the roadside strewn with various types of wildflowers including pink hollyhocks, blue forget-me-nots, woolly mullen and wild mustard. Opium fields are also cultivated in parts, their flowers bloomed white and purple. Red poppies also grow in abundance. We drove through breath-taking landscapes in the Taurus mountain range - thick pine forests, high peaks and deep valleys, small villages scattered throughout. Mountain goats can still be spotted running wild. Konya is the home of the whirling dervishes, the burial place of the renowned Sufi poet Rumi. After a quick visit to the Mevlana museum we dashed to the residential areas at the perimeter of the city where the locals where very friendly and only too happy to have their pictures taken. We were chased by the neighbourhood children, some on their bikes, who wanted our group to take pictures of them and their friends. Some even took us into their homes to meet their families and see how they live. Days 9-11 Goreme, Cappadocia
The drive from Konya to Goreme is mostly through grassy flatlands with occasional herds of sheep and their herders, including the large and ferocious kangal dogs. If you watch carefully you may catch a glimpse of ground squirrels scurrying across the road or standing on their hind legs to see above the wheat fields. We stopped at the Sultahnhani Keravansaray, one of the best preserved 11th century inns which used to serve the merchants travelling along the Silk Route – a fortified but elaborately designed structure where they could safely keep their animals and goods. Our first stop in the Cappadocian valley was in Selime whose old monastery is a remarkable example of the rock dwellings that the region is renowned for. At the village our group was invited into the house of a 90-year-old widow for a cup of tea. Many other women and children in the village looked at us with curiosity and lead us into their homes for tea and pictures. A few kilometres from Selime we hiked through Ihlara valley, a lush, green gorge with a fresh water stream. At the end of our 45-minute walk we were well rewarded by a fresh trout lunch. In Cappadocia we stayed in a village called Goreme, where many houses still use caves. There are several interesting sites to visit in the Cappadocian valley, and the unique rock formations give this region a somewhat lunar quality. Abandoned cave dwellings provide a fantastic backdrop to photographing locals. Amongst the cave dwellings are numerous old cave churches, some of which still have preserved paintings. One fantastic and unforgettable way to see this area is by hot air balloon. If you are not one for heights, it is still a beautiful sight from the ground to see a dozen hot air balloons in flight every morning. Day 12-14 Safranbolu
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Safranbolu has preserved their 18th century-style Ottoman houses. The name Safranbolu means ‘plenty of saffron’ as the crocus flower with its saffron stamen grows abundantly in this region. Winding cobble-stone streets run throughout this charming and picturesque town. The Arasta bazaar in the town centre is sheltered under grape vines and the little shop stalls proudly exhibit local products - Turkish delights, rose jam, textiles, wooden crafts and other various souvenirs. In the back streets of Safranbolu are remnants of the old guilds and craftsmen working with iron, bronze and copper carefully shaping doorknockers, lanterns, tabletops, pots, pans, candlesticks and other house wares. We even visited the last remaining saddle maker in Safranbolu. When we arrived at the 80-year old man’s workshop, he was sitting hunched over on the floor, manually stuffing a saddle with hay. I took the opportunity to stop at a leather shop to have a new belt custom made for me, having outgrown the old belt with all the great Turkish food that we ate. Bob Moore. |
