Istanbul, Turkey

The start of my visit to Istanbul was not fun. I somehow contracted travelers’ diarrhea in Cappadocia (or on the bus ride to Istanbul) and spent my first two days sleeping, drinking water and eating bread. Luckily, I had buffered in some extra days in Istanbul, due to not visiting Canakkale.

Istanbul, at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, is a bustling city. My favorite image of the city consists of fishermen on the various bridges, surrounded by the Bosphorus, Golden Horn and mosques. My favorite sightseeing location is Topkapi Palace, especially its harem (private quarters). There, elaborate wooden doors with Arabic script above them connected rooms to courtyards. Many of these rooms contained walls filled with the blue Iznik tiles. Topkapi Palace is a massive work of art, its many buildings and pavilions blend harmoniously with the inner gardens and the Bosphorus.

Another enjoyable part of visiting Istanbul was tasting its cuisine. Unfortunately, due to my illness, I did not participate fully in this endeavor, but nevertheless I got to sample the basics. These included chicken doner kebab, pide (Turkish pizza), borek (flaky pastry with ground beef), baklava and milk pudding.

On my last day in Istanbul, I took an overnight bus to Sofia, Bulgaria. I was told the departure time would be 9pm, but a staff member clarified to me that it was 9pm departure from a satellite bus station and actually 10pm departure from the main bus station. In fact, the bus company really tested my patience as the actual departure was 11pm! On the way, of course the bus stopped several times. However, the interesting aspect about these stops is that they were at shopping/restaurant complexes owned by the bus company. Pretty business savvy, eh?

One more point to note. When crossing into Bulgaria, the immigration officer asked me if I had enough money for my stay in Bulgaria. Since when did Bulgaria start becoming a country for illegal immigration?

Cappadocia, Turkey

Cappadocia is a region in central Turkey blessed with fairy-like rock spires and churches and homes carved into rock. I spent two days in this touristy region, eager to observe these intriguing rock formations.

I spent my first day in the town of Goreme, which is in the center of the tourist region. When I arrived at dawn, there were dozens of hot air balloons floating in the air. After admiring the landscape, I proceeded to the Goreme Open-Air Museum, which has all of the cave churches in the area. The cave churches dated from the 11th century and contained Byzantine frescoes on the walls and ceilings. Many contained columns and domes inside.

I spent the second day on a group tour of Cappadocia. Highlights include panoramic view of the fairytale chimneys, caves and rock formations of Goreme and of Pigeon Valley. We also visited more caves in the Selime Monastery and hiked along a river and amongst the mountains in the Ihlara Valley.

By far my favorite visit ,though ,was the one to Derinkuyu, the region’s largest underground city. This complex is 55 meters deep with 8 stories and could have held a maximum of 2,000 people. The place contained a kitchen, church, school, well and meeting places. The construction of ventilation shafts and rocks to block enemies was well thought out.

I took an overnight bus to Istanbul on my second day in Cappadocia. The bus was crowded and almost every woman had a headscarf on, indicative of the more conservative rural Turkey. As usual, there were numerous 20-minute stops, which caused the arrival to be 1 hour late.

Pamukkale, Turkey

Pamukkale is known for its travertine baths (hot springs) and ancient Greek/Roman ruins (Hierapolis). Everything is on top of a hill. I was surprised that everyone would be hiking on water as they made their way up.

My favorite had to be the travertine baths. These are basically white rocks that hold water from the hot springs. Because they are on a hill, soaking oneself in one of these baths means that one gets a panoramic view of the valleys and mountains of the region. I will never forget watching sunset by these baths!

The complex also contains numerous Greek/Roman ruins, including a large theater. Furthermore, there is an agora, baths, temples and graves. One interesting observation is that most graves are little houses with sarcophagi on the roofs.

Selcuk and Ephesus, Turkey

My first city in Turkey was Selcuk, which is next to the ancient Greek/Roman city of Ephesus. The bus ride from Bodrum to Selcuk was one of the most enjoyable rides I have been on. On board, there was an attendant who served us snacks and drinks. He displayed excellent customer service. All this puts the U.S. airlines to shame!

Selcuk itself is a small town that has more heritage than I thought. In addition to a Medieval castle perched on a hill, the town contains the Church of St Jean and the Isa Bey Mosque. There are also some Greek and Roman ruins, in the form of columns, cistern baths and an aqueduct.

My highlight though, had to be the visit to Ephesus, the ancient Greek/Roman city. The site is huge and contains ruins and many intact buildings. Of notable interest are the huge Grand Theater and the Library of Celsus. I was surprised at the sight of an old latrine that had running water.

I also got my first exposure to Turkish culture while in Selcuk. First, the Turks are so hospitable and friendly, always asking if they can help with directions and wanting to drink tea with me. For example, my CS host Erkan works in a carpet store and his boss invited some of us foreigners to eat dinner with his family in front of the store. I also got to taste baklava, a dessert of oats, pistachios and honey, which is reportedly the best in Turkey. Lastly, my host Erkan taught me a little about the double-knotted Turkish carpets and kilims. Carpets are so important in the Turkish culture hat every house has several of them. Even though I did not end up buying one, I enjoyed learning about the carpet-making process and observing the intricate designs.

Kos, Greece

Kos, another island in the Dodecanese chain, is where Hippocrates, the father of Western medicine was from. I originally was not planning to come here but did so because I needed to make a ferry connection to Turkey.

My highlight in Kos was visiting the Medieval castle right by the harbor. Kos Town also has a bunch of Greek and Roman ruins scattered around the center of the city. Other than these few places, there isn’t much to do on the island besides relaxing on the beaches.

My ferry to Turkey was quite interesting. I arrived at Greek exit point more than 30 minutes before the scheduled departure. When it was my turn to present my passport and ticket to the officer, he told me that I had to go outside and wait in line for a boarding pass, even though I already had my ticket. What unnecessary bureaucracy! I waited in line for the boarding pass for half an hour and almost missed my ferry because of that. Luckily, the ferry waited for everyone to obtain their boarding passes before heading to Bodrum, Turkey.