Packed Rental

We took off at exactly 9:50PM and landed before 2:00PM (7:00AM our time). We managed a fitful sleep on the plane but as soon as we got off the plane, Mary got a pick-up line. A handsome young Porter asked her if she wanted a ride – – in a wheelchair!

Narragansett Dawn

The airport is one of the ten largest airports in world. \240The terminal was ultra modern, beautiful, and absolutely massive. \240We breezed through immigration and customs, exchanged some US dollars for Turkish Lira and were outside in no time. We had booked private transport from the airport to the center of Istanbul, it’s about the same as a taxi, but much more comfortable. We met a transportation “ambassador” at the designated pick up point, who then escorted a group of us to the pick-up destination. Although nondescript from the outside our van’s interior was as gaudy and ostentatious as you could imagine. Despite the fact the ride from the airport to the city center is less than an hour, the van was equipped with Netflix, Amazon Prime and YouTube.

Pumped out Van

Hotel

We opted to stay at the Decamondo Galata, closer to the old city. We are a few San Franciscoesque hilly streets away from the Galata Tower and can see the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque from the hotel’s rooftop bar. The city is as vibrant and multitudinous as we remember. We had dinner at a small sidewalk café and our waiter was a young attractive Kurdish man. He was fluent in at least four languages, although we heard him engage Eastern European, French and even Korean clients in their native tongue.

Galata Streets

Dinner Spot

There is a scant number of US tourists, \240but people come here from just about every corner of the world. We could hear a symphony of languages spoken as we walked the narrow cobblestone streets.

Rooftop View of the Old City

Our bodies feel as though we went ten rounds with an angry kangaroo, so after a nightcap at our rooftop bar we were off to bed. We were lulled to sleep by the tranquil sounds of a jazz saxophone playing at a café just down the street.

Fisherman on \240Bridge

The Ottoman Turks captured Constantinople in 1453 and, as you may remember from our first entry, the Republic of Turkey gained control of Constantinople in 1922. They officially renamed it Istanbul in 1930. Istanbul is a very unique city as it is the only city in the world to sit on two continents. The west end sits in Europe and the east sits in Asia.

\240 \240 \240 \240 \240 \240 \240Spice Market Gate

We were in Istanbul about six years ago. It was a brief stop-over on our way home after visiting Madagascar and South Africa. Being huge fans of Dan Brown, we had recently read Inferno, which starts off in Florence and culminates in Istanbul. Inspired by the book, we made sure to visit the Blue Mosque, the underground Basilica Cistern and Hagia Sophia. Hagia Sophia is a beautiful Byzantine church converted to a Mosque during the Ottoman Empire, a museum under Turkish rule and now, to the dismay of Christians, back to a Mosque. The belief is President Erdoğa reconverted Hagia Sofia to a Mosque in order to appease the Sunni Muslim world and assert influence over them.

Old Spice Market

Having been here before, during this trip we mostly explored parts of the city we had missed during our prior visit. With our internal clocks in shambles, we were up early on Wednesday and out exploring the city.

Our first couple of stops were the Spice Market and the Grand Bazaar, both in the old city. The Grand Bazaar is often referred to as one of the world’s first shopping malls. The spice market dates back to 1664. However, the Grand \240Bazaar opened in 1461. What’s mind blowing, this mammoth marketplace opened thirty-one years before Columbus discovered the new world. Columbus was only ten years old when the Bazaar first opened.

Grand Bazaar

The Grand Bazaar is one of the world’s largest and oldest covered markets. Within the walls of the Bazaar there are 61 streets and over 4,000 shops. When we arrived at the Grand Bazaar it was relatively quiet; however, within an hour or so, it was packed with shoppers. With all the bargains to be had, the Bazaar attracts about 400,000 visitors daily.

Grand Bazaar Gate

Grand Bazaar Est 1461

The Bazaar has twenty-one entrance gates manned by an armed security officer and equipped with metal detectors. Sounds impressive doesn’t it? Well, I come apportioned and outfitted with two chunks of titanium for knees. My advance through the metal detector lit it up like a Vegas slot machine announcing a jackpot. I stopped in anticipation of a frisk or, God forbid, a full on body-cavity search. Nevertheless, the security officer barely looked up from his phone. Merheba (hello) I say, he nods and I continue walking. Not sure if he thinks I’m trustworthy or figures my little white escort will keep me in line. Just so you don’t think this was a fluke, this scenario was reenacted at least two more times as we entered and exited the Spice Market and the Grand Bazaar a couple of times. Oh well, so much for high security.

Street leading to Grand Bazaar

The population in Istanbul hovers around 16 million compared to about 8 million in NYC. You can just imagine what a nightmare the snarled traffic can be. As a result, they have dedicated traffic police throughout the city.

Although their mass transit system is user-friendly and very efficient, we opted to walk to the spice market from our hotel. As we crossed the Galata Bridge (Köprüsü) towards the old city, a crowd of Jim Meacham looking men, weathered and sun-kissed, cigarettes dangling from their lips, were fishing off the bridge. To the right of us, behind the fishermen, a tangle of cars ambled across the bridge towards the most acutely congested area of town. \240At the precise moment that traffic was reaching a crescendo, two eagle-eyed traffic police offices diligently observed the fishermen pulling up fish from the waters below. Yeah well, traffic is traffic, but traffic didn’t seem as captivating as a good fish story.

Checking Fish Traffic

After what seemed like hours of darting in and out of little curio shops, getting lost, and dodging overly aggressive rug merchants, we emerged somewhere south of the Grand Bazaar. Our next stop, Istiklal Caddesi (or Istiklal Street/Avenue); but how to get there?

Iskitlal Caddesi Tram

Istiklal crowd

Istiklal means independence, hence, the street name translates to ‘Independence Avenue’. During the Ottoman rule, Istiklal Caddesi was known as Grand Avenue. \240The very wide street is less than a mile long (1.4 kilometer), but it’s a great place to stroll, window shop or grab a bite to eat. In addition to shops and restaurants, Istiklal is home to various embassies and a few Christian churches. To add to the quaintness, a small trolly traverses from one end of the street to the other. \240The only downside is the heavy pedestrian traffic. Because of the street’s popularity, approximately three million people pass through it daily.

Trying to buy a Metro Card

Getting from the south end of the Bazaar to Istiklal Caddesi should have been relatively easy. Google maps informs you which bus to take, what stop to get off on and the buses are clearly marked. However, in order to get on the metro or a bus we would need a MetroCard. The first set of kiosks we came upon topped off cards, but did not offer a buy option. \240The second set of kiosks had one machine dedicated to sell city cards and Metro cards, however it was the only kiosk not working.

We walked a bit and ducked into a hotel knowing we would find someone who would speak English. The clerk was friendly enough, asked us where we were from and claimed he was from eastern Türkiye. He mentioned the name of a city we didn’t recognize, then, matter of factly said it was in old Mesopotamia. When we said oh! He asked, you know Mesopotamia? Just from history books, I said and left it at that.

Not sure if he was trying to be funny or was just testing us because Mesopotamia is current day Iran. We explain our dilemma with the MetroCard and he pointed us to a little news/magazine stand across the street, telling us he believed they sold MetroCards.

Working with my Translator

We made our way across the eight lane road and headed towards the newsstand. Inside the small booth sat a wrinkled woman wearing a babushka. \240I asked “MetroCard”? She \240nodded yes and rattled something off in Turkish. She then wrote down the number 80. I knew a blank MetroCard cost 80 lira so I handed over a 100 lira note. She then rattled something else I couldn’t understand. She scribbled a question-mark with an arrow pointing up. I \240understood this to mean how much I wanted loaded on the card. I tried every way possible to say one day’s worth, but this was getting me nowhere. Luckily an older man who spoke less English than she did, stepped in to translate. He took another hundred lira note from me, handed it to the woman and started talking. By the time he was finished, Mrs. babushka handed me a metro card and a fistful of five lira notes. He pointed at the MetroCard, put up four fingers, pointed forwards and backwards, \240I assume that meant the MetroCard was good for four round-trip metro rides. We made our way back across the eight lane road and boarded bus number 73 towards Istiklal Caddesi.

Twisted Jesus at a church on Istiklal Caddesi

After strolling Istiklal and having a late lunch - early dinner there, we headed back to a sidewalk café near Galata Tower for tea and sweets before calling it an early night. Tomorrow we fly to Cappadocia, hopefully for a hot air balloon ride.

Istanbul streets

Poliz give chase

The DeComodo Hotel, where we were staying, has two buildings. We were in the old bank building, a ski-slope distance behind the main building. A quiet and shy young porter grabbed our bags and lugged them down the hill to the main lobby. The driver was early, and as luck would have it, the trip in the pimped-out van back to the airport was effortless and unremarkable.

Must have Lost the Criminal

There is an interesting thing about the Istanbul Airport. The last time we flew home from the old Istanbul Airport, every bag was screened and passports were checked even before you could get into the main airport building. In total, we had seven passport checks and our carry-on bags were screened at the security checkpoint and again before being allowed into the gate area.

Fairy chimneys

Although this time our bags and passports were checked prior to entering the new Istanbul Airport, since we were flying domestically, we breezed through the process. As I approached the metal detector, I pointed to my knees, knowing that my bionic hunks of metal would activate it. \240The airport security woman (Türkiye’s version of TSA, but much more professional) on the other side of the metal detector asked “operation?” Pointing at my knees, I nodded yes, operation. She turns and yells “operation!” From behind her, in what sounded like a celebratory tone, \240I hear “operation! operation!” several more times. With that, a male airport security person shows up, signals for me to raise my arms, briefly taps my shoulders, gently touches either side of my waist and barely touched my knees, before exclaiming - OK, OK. It was like doing an assisted Macarena, without the annoying music.

Hera Cave Suites Hotel

We checked in, surrendered our bags and were sitting in an airport lounge two hours prior to takeoff. We entertained ourselves people watching, to include observing a keystone cop-esque faux poliz chase in the parking lot — on what looked like a big-wheel electric trike.

Our Facy Rental, Never hard to find

Based on a Türkiye travel blog we were following, we decided to rent a car from Nissa, a small local rental company with a decent reputation. It’s a franchise, that’s individually owned. We were picked up at the airport by the rental agent, a young Turkish man, in a white jalopy with missing rear hubcaps. When we pulled up to a car dealership, that doubled as a car rental office, I went to grab our bags. The young rental agent said no - no, this is your car! We \240took a second look at the car, looked at each other, shrugged and walked into the office.

Göreme lanscape

While in the office, the young rental agent and an older gentleman chatted back and forth. The older man had thinning white hair, a girthy waistline and affable smile. Throughout their conversation the older man stared at us with fascination. When we heard the rental agent say America, we knew the old man was asking about us. Through the agent, we eventually learned the old man owned the dealership as well as four other dealerships, a few rental car companies and several other local businesses.

Uchisar Castle

Apparently, what perplexed the old man was our ages. The young rental agent told us the old man was 58 years old and I joked he looked much younger than that. In reality, the poor guy looked closer to eighty than he did sixty. It’s no wonder he was obsessed with our ages.

We were still a bit concerned about the appearance of the car, but the agent convinced us it was in good condition and the perfect car for where we were going. The agent and the owner proved to be totally entertaining and despite the appearance of the car, it ran fine. The hour long ride to Göreme was smooth, but once we entered the sandy and perpetually dusty town, we knew we had been given the right car.

Homes and Hotels out of stone

Driving into Göreme, with strange fairy-chimney-rock formations and houses carved out of stones, is akin to stepping onto a different planet. Cappadocia is otherworldly. Cappadocia was formed about 60 million years ago with the erosion of lava and hardened ash, and described as being decorated by the winds. It’s considered by many to be a magical land.

Historically, Cappadocia was prominent in biblical times and was first mentioned in the Bible by Luke in the Book of Acts. In his account of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, he notes there were people there from “every nation under heaven” including “residents of Cappadocia.”

Round stone served as a door of an underground dwelling.

Cappadocia is also mentioned in Peter’s first letter, when he writes to the exiled believers scattered throughout the provinces. During that time, believers were being brutally persecuted and found refuge in places like Cappadocia. Similar to the Roman Catacombs, Cappadocia had intricate underground cities housing thousands of Christians.

Living area in underground city

These underground cities were an intricate maze of tunnels, rooms, storage areas and kitchens with sophisticated ventilation systems. We visited the underground city in Kaymakli, which descended five stories underground. The belief is that those five stories are a mere five percent of what existed there at one time.

Underground City passageway

Currently, Göreme is a coveted photo-op spot for instagrammers looking to have their photos taken wearing flowy gowns, sitting in antique convertibles while hot air balloons fly in the background. Our reason for being in Cappadocia was the hot air balloons and the cave hotels.

Instagramer posing for photo-op

Before we go on, know that I’m distressed by tight enclosed spaces and I have an antagonistic relationship with heights — or as Mary would say, I’m irrationally claustrophobic and a chicken when it comes to heights. Well, both fears were tested on this trip. Some of the tunnels we traversed in the underground city were so tight that a Crisco covered Tattoo from Fantasy Island would have trouble squeezing through (for you younger folks, look up Harvé Villechaize or you can substitute Game of Throne’s Peter Dinklage \240for Tattoo; you may have to look up Crisco too).

We stayed in the Hera Cave Suites Hotel near the center of town in Göreme. With a few minor exceptions, the entire hotel is carved from stone on the side of a cliff. Through the hotel we had made reservations for a hot air balloon ride the following day. Unfortunately, \240we were informed at check-in that, due to high winds, all balloon flights had been cancelled for the following day. However, we had been rescheduled for the following day, the same day we were scheduled to leave. In anticipation of something like this happening, we had booked later flights to Antalya.

That evening we walked into the town and, based on the hotel’s recommendation, headed to an Indian restaurant named Namaste. \240The menu was colorful and extensive and, to my surprise, I noticed they had Manhattans on their cocktail menu. I ordered one, but the cute young waitress looked at me with utter confusion; Manhattan? She said, is that a food? I knew this was not a good sign. I pointed to it in the drink menu and she scurried off. She returned moments later informing me the bartender did not have any of the ingredients for a Manhattan. Apparently no one had ever ordered one before; I settled for the tiniest Bombay Martini I’d ever seen.

Bartender looking for Manhattan

The next day we were up before dawn and headed to the rooftop terrace to watch the sunrise. Much like the red rocks in Arizona, when the sun peaked over the mountains, the entire valley was bathed in an amber glow. In the distance we could see a giant rock formation, we later learned was Uchisar Castle. \240So, after breakfast we headed to Uchisar Castle in neighboring Nevşehir. Uchisar Castle is a very tall volcanic-rock outcrop. \240It’s a prominent landmark, visible for miles. The huge rock is riddled with tunnels, and for centuries, was used as a place of refuge when enemy armies attacked. The climb to the top was difficult and it challenged my already fragile fear of heights.

Our next stop was the underground city in Kaymakli, which we’ve already mentioned, and after a late lunch, we headed to Göreme’s Open Air Museum.

Open Air Museum

Cappadocia played a significant role in the history of Christianity. By the 1st century AD, the region of Cappadocia served as the epicenter for Christian Monasticism. The Göreme Open Air Museum is a huge part of that history. The numerous caves in the museum contain churches with colorful frescoes. Because Türkiye has been a Muslim country for centuries, unfortunately many of the frescoes have been defaced. Preservation efforts started when the Göreme Open Air Museum became part of the UNESCO World Heritage in 1984.

Monastic Church built into a rock

After a very long day of sightseeing, we had dinner in town at a restaurant that offered us a “sea view”. We’re in the middle of the desert mind you, so we were curious about a sea view. The host, who kept trying to talk to Mary in Spanish, sat us by the front picture window. He pointed outside and said see, view!

When we got back to the hotel, the evening manager confirmed that the hot air balloons were scheduled to fly the next day. Weather forecast said 3-mile-an-hour winds with a possible 5-mile-an-hour gust. According to the hotel manager, the conditions were ideal for launching balloons. We were told to be at the hotel lobby at 5:20AM for a 5:25 AM departure.

Our Hotel Bathroom with Turkish style baths on either side

Luckily we are up very early the next morning. At 5:15AM, the front desk called informing us our 5:25AM hot air balloon shuttle was already there to pick us up. When we boarded the van, three Asian looking men were already on board, two younger men and one a bit older with a neatly trimmed beard and long hair up in a man-bun. Their hushed conversation included snippets of English, Spanish and a dialect I did not recognize.

One hundred sixty Balloons in flight

We were dropped off at a large complex where we were checked in, assigned a bus number, and offered a breakfast of cheese, olives, bread, and a really strong tea. Within 20 minutes, we boarded our assigned buses heading to the balloon launch site. There were only eight of us on the bus; the same three Asian looking men, and an Indian couple with their teenage son. The couple with the teenage son sat across from us. The husband was affable and very good looking. He took charge of making introductions and said they were from India but worked in Saudi Arabia. The Asian looking gentlemen said he was from the Philippines, but was working here in Türkiye. The two younger men were his sons but they lived in Australia. The Indian man looked at us and asked where we were from. When we said the US, he said “I should have known by the smiles, Americans are always smiling”. Apparently he’s never seen Mitch McConnell.

Breathtaking Views

We were assigned to a 16 person basket, eight of us from our van, on one side and another eight individuals from another van on the other. Of course, the trip was magical, especially over Cappadocia. The landscape is breathtaking and we couldn’t imagine doing this in any better place. We later discovered that the three men from the Philippines were staying in our hotel. As we chatted, we learned he was a diplomat working for the United Nations. His previous duty station had been Australia, hence, why his sons, who appeared to be college age, were still living there. Türkiye was to be his last duty station as he was retiring by the end of the summer. He had a lot of questions about retirement and was hoping he would enjoy his retirement as much as we were enjoying ours.

Sixteen Person Basket post flight celebration

We finished our last day in Göreme with a climb to Sunset Hill. After a fresh squeezed orange and pomegranate juice, we started our trek back to Kayseri for our flight to Antalya. Kayseri is by no means a tourist destination. It’s simply home to a new austere airport, that services the Cappadocia Region. Before returning the rental car, we pulled into a small restaurant near the airport. No one in the restaurant spoke English. We ordered by pointing, and were entertained by the waiter who, we think he said, was from Germany. He rambled something, pointed at his chest and said “I German” rambled some more, laughed and walked away. His pants and his shirt were perfectly creased and his thin tie was held down with a 60’s era tie-clip. Rather than a cell phone, he carried a 1990’s Panasonic cordless telephone clipped to his belt. The young man who brought us our bill managed to say, “where from”? We said US, he smiled and said the only other English phrase he knew, “nice to meet you”. Our meal, including the entertainment, set us back about $13.00. The difference not being in a tourist area. As we said our goodbyes the young man once again said, “nice to meet you.”

Our Fancy Menu in Kayseri

Antalya Steetcar

We flew out of Kayseri at 4:00PM and landed in Antalya around 5:30PM. It took a bit to get our bags, so by the time we got them and picked up our car, it was pitch dark. The ride to the hotel was supposed to take about 30 minutes. The highway looked fairly new, and many of the \240ramps Google maps had us get on and off did not exist. After getting turned around a few times, we were delayed about 20 minutes or so.

Gate to old city Antalya

The following morning we were still jet lagged and totally exhausted, so after breakfast we went for what we thought would be a quick walk. \240Our hotel was adjacent to the old walled city, with narrow cobblestone streets and quaint shops. By midmorning, we found an open air coffee shop overlooking the turquoise waters of the Mediterranean, with views of a marina down below. We sat for about an hour sipping coffee and reading. After some more wandering around the old city, we ended up at the Mermerli restaurant. The restaurant sits on a cliff overlooking the Mediterranean and has a series of stairs leading to its own private beach below.

Private Beach for the Restaurant

The young restaurant host seemed cordial enough, but not outwardly friendly; he seemed to have a steely, no-nonsense personality. Yet, when Mary asked a question about a menu item, he happily escorted her back to the display case so she could see what she was ordering.

Antalya Old City Street

It’s not lost on me that I’m sixty-eight years old and not in the shape I once was. At one point, the young host and two young waiters approached our table and before we realized it, the young host was squeezing my bicep and saying “you strong”. He then mimed an arm wrestling motion and sat across from me. Younger than the shoes I wore and strong for a skinny guy, \240after a bit of a struggle, he won. His dour persona dissipated, now we were his US besties. Stories of his siblings in the US were followed by offerings of free tea and dessert. I guess one never knows what’ll break down barriers.

My Armwrestling Friend

Marking the end of Ramadan, a night festival was held in a park near the hotel, that served as a gateway to the old city. Numerous booths lined the park’s promenade with vendors of all sorts. We sampled food from a few of the vendors and checked out a few of the wares. Near the end of the promenade we came upon a game of chance. Ping-pong balls were being thrown into a variety of different sized clear glass receptacles. Each one of the glass receptacles held some sort of prize. A 50 lira note netted you seven ping-pong balls and 100 lira got you 15. \240There were as many pre-throw rituals as there were throwing styles. A very stout Turkish man kissed his first ball, flung it in the air, and it landed in one of the receptacles. He collected his prize to the cheers and applause of everyone standing around. From then on, he kissed every ball before flinging it in the air. Although they all missed their intended target, the ritual continued. Mary tried her luck, handing over a 50 lira note. Her sixth ball bounced a few times before landing in a cup. Although the languages were different, the sentiment was universal; everyone cheered and clapped as she was handed the 50 lira note (about $1.50) inside the cup. All said, it was a fun game with zero expense.

Kas:

The following morning, we checked out of our hotel and headed west along the coast towards the town of Kas (pronounced Kaash). The southern coast of Türkiye is referred to as the Turquoise Coast or the Turkish Riviera. The water is relatively warm year-round and the colors range from deep blue to bright turquoise near the shore.

Kas Street

On the way out of Antalya, we stopped for a mountain gondola ride, unfortunately, the gondolas were not running that day; so we continued on towards Kas. After about an hour-and-a-half of driving, we stopped in the little town of Myra to visit the Saint Nicholas Church. Yes, Santa Claus was from Türkiye and his origins can be traced to the stories of St Nicholas. He was a 4th-century Greek bishop from Myra. St Nicholas was credited with a wide variety of miracles, including the resurrection of three young men, after they had been murdered. Although the centuries old church has fallen into disrepair, efforts to preserve it are ongoing. We recognize how overly commercialized present day Santa Clause is however, the real St Nicholas’ story is much more interesting.

Saint Nicolas

Saint Nicolas Church

Liar, liar pants on fire! We read that driving \240and parking in Türkiye was relatively easy. They also claimed coastal towns have ample parking. Apparently, that person never visited Kas, or any other busy coastal town for that matter. From the time we left Antalya, we traveled mostly on D400, a wide thruway with numerous lanes. However, accessing coastal towns off the D400, requires navigating narrow cobblestone roads. Kas was a perfect example of this. It’s a very small town and the roads leading to the waterfront and the two main marinas, are steep and extremely narrow. The wider main thoroughfare had cars double parked on both sides of the road. After circling the town a few times looking for parking, Mary spotted a small “Oto-park”. A well-dressed man handed us a small timestamped ticket and pointed to where to park.

View from Kas Hotel

As we mentioned, the town is small, and a little bit claustrophobic so during lunch we looked for hotels away from the center of town. We were able to find a cute hotel on the peninsula, overlooking the Mediterranean. As we settled into our room, thunder showers started to roll in. We could see lightning over the nearby Islands and hear the claps of thunder.

Greek Island near Kas

After breakfast the next morning, we sat on our terrace trying to relax before our drive to Ölüdeniz. The quiet was disrupted by the sounds of explosives and rapid fire automatic weapons. It’s an unmistakable sound. At one time Mary and I worked in neighboring facilities. We had a shooting range directly behind our facilities, where staff regularly trained with flash and concussive grenades, automatic weapons and high powered sniper rifles. That said, we’re very familiar with the sound of gunfire. The sounds were coming from the nearby Greek Island of Kastellorizo. The Island is about as close to Türkiye as Jamestown is to Narragansett (or for our Connecticut friends, about as close as Fishers Island is to New London). No one else in the hotel seemed bothered by the sounds, and some went about their business as though they couldn’t hear anything. We learned the Greek Island regularly conducts mountain warfare training. Phew!!!

Beaches on the Road to Ölüdeniz

Ölüdeniz:

The drive to Ölüdeniz was beautifully terrifying. Soon after getting off the D400 we started our ascent on a narrow mountain road. Cars in both directions zipped effortlessly along the seemingly endless switchbacks. Every so often, a glimpse of the \240Mediterranean would appear. If a patch of dirt allowed us to pull over, we would stop to admire the dark blue waters of the Mediterranean and its turquoise shoreline. The eventual descent into Ölüdeniz was as breathtaking and nerve-racking as was the climb.

Our Friend with his Leaving Pants

Ölüdeniz is a small resort area along the southern coast. It’s known for its beautiful white Belcekız Beach and the Blue Lagoon. The village sits at the base of Babadağ Mountain, a favorite spot for paragliding. The beautiful beach and the paragliding, were the things that drew us here. Our search for a nice hotel near the beach and the Blue Lagoon led us to the Sandia Ölüdeniz. Although it’s something we generally avoid, the hotel was an all-inclusive resort. However, based on the surrounding hotels, it was the best choice for the area.

Paragliding Office

As in Kas, cars were double parked everywhere. We double parked in front of the hotel when a hotel security officer approached. I asked for the hotel parking \240and he said “I help”, taking the car keys. We knew it was the end of Ramadan, but hadn’t realized it was a Turkish holiday as well until we were checking in. The hotel lobby was a bit chaotic and at some point the security officer placed the car keys on the counter and showed me a photo of the car. Partly because the tense drive and partly because the hive of activity in the lobby, it wasn’t until the next day I realize I hadn’t gotten a valet claim check, nor did I know where the car was parked. We’re in a small town in Türkiye, the rental has plenty of gas and we have unlimited mileage on it. We figured by the time we checked out, the security guy would be done with his joyride.

Mary Prepping for Jump

The hotel complex was beautiful. A large indoor/outdoor dinning facility led to a courtyard. Guest quarters were located in three-story buildings \240that lined the sides of the courtyard. After checking in, a very clean-cut, happy-go-lucky porter, sporting an incongruent looking neck tattoo, grabbed our backpacks and suitcases. The hotel has no elevators, so when he started to climb the first set of stairs, we offered to help. He chuckled and said he was working on his body for the girls on the beach. When he reached the second level, he abruptly dropped the bags and grabbed his pants, exclaiming, “oh no! My pants are leaving me”.

We walked down to the beach and explored a little bit of a town. The town was much grittier and dirtier than we had imagined. The hotel was described as being next to a shopping mall, but in actuality, it abutted a series of stalls selling every sort of knock-off imaginable. One store diagonally across from our hotel proudly called itself the Genuine Fake Store. Along with the occasional pile of trash, accentuating the vendor stalls, large open-front nightclubs blasting thumping techno music, advertised the activities du jour — break dancing night, Michal Jackson night, etc.

Nightclub with Thumpping Night Music

As we mentioned, the hotel was an all-inclusive. So as we made our way to dinner, we were greeted by a lovely young woman and a very bubbly young man. His name was Ibrahim, but he said everyone called him Elvis. He was part of the hotel’s entertainment crew and as he greeted guests entering the dining room he would ask, “where are you from?” When Mary said USA he became very animated. He claimed this was his third season at this hotel and we were the third Americans he had seen in three years. Our arm-wrestling friend from Antalya claimed they frequently get organized tours of cane carrying octogenarians from America, but rarely do they see individual travelers. Apparently, in this part of Türkiye, they get even less Americans. What Ölüdeniz was replete with was Russians, Germans and some drunk Irishmen. \240Although they have quite a few Chinese tourists, we were told they do a quick trifecta jaunt; they hot air ballon in Cappidocia, paraglide in Ölüdeniz, see the pools in Pamukkale and fly home. After entertaining us a bit, Elvis invited us to his light show at half-nine. (I muttered, he must mean 4.5. I didn’t even get a Marcia chuckle. Wait, it’ll come to you.)

Knockoffs as an art form

After dinner, as the Turkish Hokey-Pokey ended and Elvis’ light show began, we headed back to our room. \240Getting ready for bed we could hear the thumping music from the neighboring discos get louder. As the throng of sunbathing tourists vacated the beach, they began populating the nightclubs. With windows closed and air conditioner on, the thunderous music vibrated our room until way past 3:00AM.

We woke up groggy and road-wary. Through WhatsApp, we had made 10:00AM reservations for paragliding, which meant we were being picked up at the hotel between 10:00 to 10:15AM. Because of our experience in Cappadocia, we were in the hotel lobby by 9:50AM. At 10:25AM, as Mary was about to ‎WhatsApp the company, a very handsome bearded bohemian looking man, with long hair tied back, sunglasses resting on his head came gliding in. We looked at each other and said, this has to be our guy. Sure enough, he was.

We drove a few blocks to their office to settle our accounts, complete any necessary paperwork and wait for our assigned van and pilots. The entire office was tiled in white, so you couldn’t tell that mid way across the room there was a step-down. Mary missed the step and tumbled headfirst towards the corner of a bookshelf. Out of nowhere, our handsome bohemian friend caught her, and a handful of breast, in midair \240before she hit the bookshelf. Looking as relieved as we were, he held her and her breast until he was sure she was okay. After that, he escorted her wherever she went.

Turkish Graffiti Art

We waited a bit for vans loaded with pilots and equipment to arrive. After hand selecting a pilot for Mary, our handsome bohemian jumped into the same van with us. It turns out he was the owner of the paragliding company. His degree is in economics and for years worked as an economist; however, as he grew board with his office job, he turned his hobby and passion for paragliding into a successful business. He also told us he was engaged to marry a Doctor who is a pathologist. Interestingly, the Turkish government dictates where their doctors work. Once they get married, she can petition to work closer to her husband.

The Paragliding experience was just spectacular. My fear of heights was certainly challenged stepping near the edge of the launch platform. During our preflight briefing we were instructed to first walk down towards the edge and, when our pilots directed us to, we were to start running off the edge. Thankfully, it was so windy that after just two steps, we were airborne. Once airborne, it was a gentle glide towards the earth. The only time it got a little rocky was when the pilot asked “are you ready for fancy” and before you could digest what “fancy” meant, you were upside down doing 180° loops.

View of Blue Lagoon from Paraglide

Years ago we went skydiving in New Zealand with Jim, Judi and their daughter-in-law Christine. As soon as we landed, we were on such an adrenaline high we wanted to go back up. The same can be said about this experience, we could have spent hours floating over Ölüdeniz.

Fethiye:

Ölüdeniz is part of Fethiye and some visitors to Ölüdeniz stay in Fethiye \240and drive the twenty minutes or so to the different activities in Ölüdeniz. We had allotted three nights for Ölüdeniz as we wanted to be close to the beach, however, after two late nights of thumping disco music and over indulging and under-dressed Russians, we opted to spend our last night in this area in Fethiye. \240A few travel sites had recommended staying in Fethiye rather than Ölüdeniz, but, to our detriment, we didn’t heed their advice. Fethiye was as tranquil as Ölüdeniz was frenetic. We booked the Uras, a beach-front hotel in Fethiye, surrounded by cafés, small \240shops, residential homes and a smattering of boutique hotels.

Fethiye café

After checking in, we jumped back in the car and headed to the mountains to see the Saklikent Gorge, about an hour east of Fethiye. \240We went canyoning in Costa Rica several years ago. There, we had two guides, strict guidelines regarding dress, and numerous pieces of protective gear. Here in Saklikent, we were initially surprised at the number of people and families with small children. The entrance fee to the canyon was 40 Lira (about $1.25) per person. If you wanted to walk the canyon but lacked proper footwear, you could buy a pair of clear water shoes for about $5.00. The canyon was extremely rocky and difficult to walk, especially with their paper-thin water shoes. We had to make numerous stops to shake out the substantial amount of pebbles from inside our shoes. \240At times we were hip-deep in rushing rocky waters but walking along the rocky shoals when they were available was as difficult. We spent well over two-and-a-half hours walking in and out of the canyon, chasing an elusive waterfall. All I walked out with was sore and scraped feet. Despite the difficult terrain, the scenery was amazing and well worth the trek. The majestic beauty of this place put this expirience right up there with hot air ballooning and paragliding.

Roadside, Enjoying cheese and Herb “pancakes”

On the return trip to Fethiye on a windy mountain road, we pulled into a small roadside mom and pop “pancake” shop. A heavy set woman sporting a babushka, rolled out dough into a paper-thin torts, while a younger woman laid dough out onto a \240convex stone, heated by an open flame. We sat barefooted on elevated platforms, surrounded by throw rugs and pillows, sipping tea, fresh squeezed pomegranate juice and snacking on “pancakes” stuffed with herbs and cheese. One could not ask for a more peaceful way to spend the afternoon. Tomorrow we’ll head to Pamukkale to see one of the world’s natural wonders.

Uras Hotel

The Uras Hotel in Fethiye was lovely. The manager who checked us in the day before, a slender Dutchman with a mouche or soul patch (patch of hair under the bottom lip) helped load our bags into our car. We were headed on a three-hour northwest trek to Pamukkale.

Travertine Pools

Pamukkale is famous for its travertine pools and the ruins of the ancient Roman city of Hierapolis. Hierapolis was founded in the second century BC and built adjacent to the calcite-rich thermal waters found in the pools of Pamukkale. The calcite has created natural pure white pools and travertine terraces. Cleopatra was known to bathe in these pools as some of them were gifted to her by Marco Antonio (Marc Anthony). The calcite waters are still said to have healing properties.

Pamukkale Pools

Other than the pools and the ruins, there is not much else in the town. As a result, there are limited hotel choices. Many of the larger tour groups, and there are plenty of them, arrive on buses from as far as Izmir or Fethiye. We stayed at the Venus Hotel, the top rated hotel in Pamukkale. \240It’s located in the heart of town, surrounded by residential homes. The entire hotel stay, including breakfast, was under $100.

Venus Hotel

Morning Hot Air Balloons over Pamukkale.

We dropped off our bags and, against the hotel manager’s advice, headed to the pools. He cautioned there would be too many tourists this time of day. However, we wanted to be at the pools for sunset. Sections of the pools were visible from the hotel and the park entrance was a mere five minute drive. No matter how many pictures or films you see of the Grand Canyon, nothing prepares you for standing at the edge of the Canyon. The same can be said about the pools in Pamukkale; the pictures are beautiful, but they do it no justice. It’s not until you step over the edge and glimpse down at the multiple tiers of travertine terraces, glimmering with aqua blue water that you can truly appreciate this true wonder of nature.

Predawn Balloons over the pools

As we watched a spectacular sunset along with all the other tourists, we waded in the pool’s warm waters, hoping the curative properties of the waters would heal my canyoning feet. The next morning, we were up before sunrise and back at the base of the pools. Although not as grand as Cappadocia, Pamukkale has its own hot air balloons that lift off at sunrise. We watched as hot air balloons dance overhead and dipped near the pools.

The Canyons we walked through

Streets of Ephesus.

Ephesus & Izmir

After breakfast we were back on the road towards Izmir and Ephesus. As we got closer to Ephesus, the traffic congestion leading to the ruins was horrendous. Tour buses, cars, vans, and motorcycles all crawled down a single lane road.

Temple of Artemis

The Ruins of Ephesus are magnificent and relatively well preserved. It’s chilling to walk on streets that are thousands of years old. The modern day ruins of Ephesus sit about 3.3 miles from the nearest shore; however, Ephesus was once a port city. At one time, the city was considered the most important trading center on the Mediterranean. The city’s prosperity was based on its location, as it sat within a sheltered natural harbor. There’s a very complex explanation as to why this happened, (for example: the Meander of the silty Cayster River, which emptied into the Aegean Sea, etc. blah, blah, blah) suffice it to say, over thousands and thousands of years, the sea receded. This contributed to the gradual abandonment of the city.

Ephesus street leading to coliseum

Ephesus was also significant during the early days of Christianity. The mother of Christ, (the Virgin Mary), lived out her years on the outskirts of Ephesus. Although the city was Greek, because it was a port city, it was also a cultural melting pot. That’s why Paul’s letter to the Ephesians encouraged unity. \240Supposedly, former Jews thought they were better Christians than former Gentiles. Paul counseled not to be divided by former statuses as Gentiles or Jews. To this day, Ephesus remains an important Christian pilgrimage destination. After hours of exploring in the sweltering heat, while dodging throngs of tourists, we jumped back in the car for the one hour trek to Izmir.

Our waterfront hotel

With a population of 3 million, Izmir is Türkiye’s third largest city. We stayed at a Marriott near the Konak square. After checking in, we walked the waterfront promenade, ate at a waterfront café, and were back in our room at a reasonable hour.

Izmir Waterfront Promanade

The following morning, we walked to \240Konak Square, which is the busiest part of the city. The beautiful Izmir Clock Tower, which stands in the center of the square, has been a symbol of the city since its construction in 1901. We spent hours shopping and darting in and out of the narrow alleyways just east of the square. In contrast to Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar, browsing the Konak area was relaxed and low key.

Izmir Clock tower

When we returned to the square, hundreds of police with high power assault weapons and riot gear lined the square. As we sat for lunch, we asked why so much police. We were told “nothing to worry, here for strike in support of Iran”. Not completely sure what that meant, after lunch we moved to a coffee shop closer to the action to see if we could figure what was going on. Without notice or fanfare, at some point, all the police dispersed.

Police in riot gear in Konak square

As we walked back to the hotel, a middle-aged man walking near us chatted us up. He asked us if we were enjoying Izmir and then asked how long we had been in Türkiye. At some point his questions seemed more intrusive than casual. As he flashed his police ID, he asked us if we were interested in tasting the best Turkish tea and invited us to follow him into the police station for a cup. Our inside voices said Oh Hell No!! Outwardly, we graciously declined and continued walking. Visions of Hotel California flashed before us. We don’t suspect getting out of the police station would be as easy as getting in.

After freshening up, we headed to the Konak Pier for dinner. The Konak Pier was designed by French architect Gustave Eiffel in 1890 as a customs building. Now it houses high end stores and restaurants. After a great meal at a restaurant named OR, we headed back to the same coffee shop we stopped at after lunch, for tea and dessert. The handsome man who took our order mentioned he recognized us from lunch and asked if he could join us. We found this odd, since the coffee shop was packed at lunchtime.

It turns out, he owned the coffee shop and many other businesses. He owns a company that produces chemicals for textile production and has clients in India, China as well as New York and Chicago. He and his daughter were vacationing in Jordan and had managed to catch the last flight out. \240He mentioned he has a house in Izmir and one in Istanbul, and is building his retirement home on the southern Mediterranean coast. Once he learned we were retired, he had a lot of questions about retirement life. He was a great conversationalist and spoke perfect English.

Five hundred year-old Hammam

When asked, he clarified that the excessive police presence that afternoon was a show of support for Iran, after Israel bombed Iranian targets. We chatted about the different places we’ve visited, and he recommended some places to visit and places, that as Americans, we should avoid. As his staff continued to bring us cups of tea, we continued to chat until closing. At the end of the night, he refused to let us pay. With so few American tourists visiting this area, we’re not sure if we were a novelty, a source of curiosity or, based on our afternoon’s interaction with the police officer, a perceived threat. In either case, the conversation was innocuous and enlightening. The next morning we took a final walk through the markets, although few places open early.

Efes Beer

I rarely drink beer, but on this trip, I have developed an affinity for a local beer called Efes. It comes as a lager and a malt and most restaurants carry it and it’s a staple in hotel mini bars. At check out from the Izmir Marriott, I told them there should be a charge for an Ephesus. Mind you, Efes is how they pronounce Ephesus. Suddenly, there were two clerks furiously typing on their keyboards. The manager turns to us, apologetically, and says he has to contact guest services. A woman from guest services appears for a moment and heads over to another computer terminal. We were a bit perplex that a $5.00 beer from the mini bar would create such a hub of activity. After minutes of searching, the guest services woman returns and informs us that somehow they failed to book our tour of Ephesus. Through the haze of miscommunication, I say no, I had an Efes beer from the Mini bar. With a look of relief, the manager exclaims, no problem, no problem, no charge. If I had known this was going to be the reaction, I would’ve had two.

Arriving for our Turkish Bath

It’s not the big things, it’s the little irritations when you can’t understand the language. We gave ourselves plenty of time to gas up the rental and return it. Easier said than done. There’s almost no signage in the airport, and what little there is, is in Turkish. We looped the airport at least five times, and every time we asked someone, we got a different answer. A parking attendant finally pointed towards the domestic garage. Once we drove into the garage, you could see the rental companies.

Orient Bank Hotel

MIstanbul part deux

Our return to Istanbul was unremarkable. We booked a hotel in the heart of the old city called The Orient Occident, a former bank converted into a boutique hotel. Traffic in the old city has become so congested that many streets are closed to traffic from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, so, only permitted vehicles are allowed to enter the area. As a result, we had to book a hotel transfer with one of those permitted companies; fortunately, the price difference was inconsequential. The ride into the old city and subsequent drop off at the hotel went without a hitch.

Changing Rooms in the Hammam

We had four particular activities we wanted to engage in while in Türkiye. We went hot air ballooning in Cappadocia, paragliding in Ölüdeniz and wading through the pools in Pamukkale. The only thing left was a Hammam. A Hammam, or Turkish bath, is a form public bathing. They are said to be relaxing and purifying for the body. The term Hammam emerged during the Ottoman period as a part of their religious values. We booked an afternoon at one of Istanbul’s oldest Hammam’s. It was erected between 1550-1557, over two hundred years before the signing of our Declaration of Independence.

Although women can wear their own swimwear, they provide a top resembling a small halter top and shorts; men are given shorts. A towel is draped over your shoulders and you are given wooden slippers. Once inside the Hammam’s internal section, you are instructed to lay on the heated marble slabs for at least half an hour to relax your muscles. The temperature in the room is well over 100° and once you’ve laid there sweating profusely, for about half an hour, you’re escorted to one of the bathing rooms. This Hammam catered to couples and can accommodate up to three couples at a time. While laying on warm marble slabs, they proceeded to wash and massage you from head to toe, dousing you with pans of warm water between washes. Once they’re done washing you, you’re treated to your choice of tea, Turkish coffee, fresh juices and or water. \240It was physically and spiritually refreshing. An amazing experience we were fortunate not to have missed. We ended our last night in Istanbul having cocktails at the rooftop of the Orient Bank Hotel and a dinner of tea and pastries in our room.

Final Cocktail in Istanbul

Istanbul epilogue.

We wrote quite a bit about Istanbul during our initial stop, so didn’t want to be repetitive. But we did want to say that, although we have not been everywhere, we’ve done our fair share of traveling in the last few years. As we talk to fellow travelers, everyone seems to have a favorite place they’ve visited. As an example, years ago we met an Australian couple in Phuket whose favorite place to visit was Las Vegas. So we recognize that for every taste, there is a \240different color. That said, a place we would recommend people see is Istanbul. It’s an ancient city full of history and charm. Although one can still find silhouettes of ancient cities within Rome, Cairo or Marrakech, Istanbul has forged a modern persona without abandoning its ancient roots. Many ancient structures, such as their Grand Bazaar and the hammam we visited, continue to function as they did five to six hundred years ago. Istanbul was the trade center of the modern world for over 1,500 years. That spirit is still alive and well in the city.

Sunset View of Istanbul

We may have mentioned that Istanbul is twice the size of New York City with 16-million occupants. Yet despite its size, you never feel unwelcome, uncomfortable or unsafe. You may feel claustrophobic at times, but never unsafe.

Thank you for traveling with us on this trip.