Whew, it’s been a while since I’ve written anything. Sorry! Let me continue my travel blogging with Madrid. My flight in April to Istanbul required a layover somewhere in western Europe. Layovers are usually annoying. But this time, I thought I’d make the best of it by scheduling a long 11-hr layover in Madrid and
Yum. Turkish food is quite the delight! On a sunny day or on a moonlight night. Your shapes and colors are a joy to see. Your tastes and textures sit well in me 🙂 Turkish food is full of great tastes. In the photo above, you can see a meze (small plate dish) of eggplant
One of my most enjoyable experiences in Turkey was taking a hot air balloon ride over Kapadokya. I had never ridden a hot air balloon before. Wow, was it exhilarating! Up in the air, floating like a feather, enjoying the sunrise and the pretty scenery. Aaaaaaah…. Uh, I don’t really have anything else to say.
This is the vista from my hotel in Kapadokya. Imagine waking up to this view every morning – how marvelous! We are in a small town called Ortahisar. The big rock formation is the Ortahisar Castle. This castle was one of three castles that were cut out and used by the Romans. Later in this
A three-day visit to Kapadokya allowed us to experience small town life and nature in Turkey. Kapadokya is a highland region in central Turkey, a 12 hour bus ride (600+ km) from Istanbul. The landscape is stark yet scenic, due to a history of volcanic activity and erosion. One might compare it to Death Valley
I’m finally back home to Chicago! It was a great 12 days spent in Turkey. I will write more posts on Turkey, but for now, let me talk a little about travel and transit. Especially since we’re in the middle of this volcanic ash thing. This trip was full of transit. We used all these
Istanbul is full of history and culture. It is a very old city. Istanbul witnessed great nations such as the Romans, the Byzantines, and the Ottomans. Here are some of the most famous historical landmarks in town. Blue Mosque. A beautiful, magnificent building built in the early 1600’s. The “blue” in the name is due
Life. You can find it everywhere you go in Istanbul. In America, we are often shut off from the world – hiding in our cars, our houses with large yards, our malls. In Istanbul, life takes place in shared public places. Here’s life with religion: Life at the marketplaces: Life for the young and cool
Merbaha, my friends! How are you? Jeff and I are having a most excellent time in Turkey. We’re almost halfway through our trip. We spent three days in Istanbul so far. Then we took an overnight bus last night to Kapadokya, in Central Turkey. I’ll hopefully post a few blog entries, so let me start
Living in a northern climate is funny. After Christmas and New Year’s die down, you are stuck with at least three months of bitter cold. You freeze your buns off, you don’t feel like doing anything, and you constantly think about either moving to a tropical island or killing yourself. Then one day (you never