Turkey 8-16 December 2008

Day 1: Changi - Istanbul Airport

• Flight was delayed by 2 hours! Flew off at 2am...and flight food was served at the ungodly hour of 3am...
• Reached at about 7am Turkey time.

Day 2: Istanbul - Canakkale

1. Hagia Sophia Museum (picture below)
2. Blue Mosque - Just a short walk away from the museum, supposed to have distinctively blue tiles, but we didn't think so!
3. Hippodrome of Constantinople - Outside the mosque, just 3 columns & a fountain, where chariot races took place.

• Drove 4 hours along the coast overseeing Marmara Sea to a ferry crossing to Canakkale.
• IRIS HOTEL faces the Aegean Sea among residential houses.

Day 3: Canakkale - Kusadasi

1. Troy - Replica of the infamous wooden Trojan horse looked very new... 4 hours to Pergamon.
2. Pergamon - Acropolis, architecture perched on the city's highest point. 3.5 hours to Kusadasi.
3. Stopped over at Artemis Locum to buy Turkish Delights and tea.

• HOTEL TATLISES faces the Aegean Sea too.

Pergamon

Day 4: Kusadasi - Pamukkale

1. Leather Jacket Fashion Show
2. House of the Virgin Mary
3. Ephesus - between Kusadasi & Selcuk, one of the largest archaeological sites. Library of Celsius is just beside a brothel... 4 hours to Pamukkale.
4. Managed to squeeze in Hierapolis as the sun was setting. The famous "Cotton Castle", or Travertines, is a World Heritage Site made of white terraces and pools created by calcareous hot spring waters flowing down the mountain. Hierapolis is behind the Travertines, and is supposed to contain many tombs, but we did not have time to explore. Theatre was in full view.

• LYCUS RIVER HOTEL was like a chalet with many low-level blocks. It had a lovely fireplace!

My umbrella dropped and I called the security to help me get it...he winked at me after helping...

Day 5: Pamukkale - Cappadocia: TRAVELLING DAY! 7-11am, 12-5pm = 9 hours

• Travelled to Cappadocia via Konya, the famous old capital of the Selcuk Turks.

1. Visited the 13th century Sultanhani Caravanserai, which used to be a stopover for ancient traders and travellers.
2. Nearing the hotel, stopped at Uchisar Pigeon Valley as the sun was setting.

• 5 -stars DINLER HOTEL for 2 nights. There was a fireplace too, but it wasn't as cosy as Lycus.

Day 6: Cappadocia

• During breakfast, a waiter said as he cleared my plate, "You are very beautiful." I thanked him. For the definite lie. But of course he made my day :)
• Finally, a normal touristy day without long travelling!
• Cappadocia is not found on the map. It is a triangular area with a unique landscape sculpted by the wind, sun, rain and snow. The whole area is made up of dwellings cut out of volcanic ash-solidified-rocks. People just dug holes and made houses out of these rocks.

1. Underground City of Kaymakli - one of the largest underground cities, said to have existed during the Hittite period.
2. Goreme Open-Air Museum - a compound with 29 rock-cut churches, decorated with frescoes depicting biblical stories, where early Christians practised and sought solitude. Ate Turkish ice-cream.
3. Onyx Showroom.
4. Lunch at a unique Cave Restaurant.
5. Uchisar old village - stopped to take photographs.
6. Pottery Showroom - used part of an underground city. Family-run business. A master with 37 years of experience works there.
7. Rocks that look like cones / male private part...
8. Carpet Showroom

Day 7: Cappadocia - Ankara - Istanbul

• 5 hours to Ankara.

1. Ataturk Mausoleum - resting place of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the father of modern Turkey after the Ottomans. He was the Commander-In-Chief during the war between Turkey and Greece, and after the war, he became President. He did away with Arabic and implemented the Alphabet Reform. The guard winked at me when I waved goodbye.
2. Domestic 45min flight to Istanbul. Took off, ate a sandwich, landed. That quick.
3. Had 3 hours before dinner at 9pm, so Michelle and I took a walk. Advised by a policeman to stay away from the park we were undecided about crossing over to...
4. Belly and folk dance performance.

Day 8: Istanbul - Singapore

1. Spice Market - Bought more Turkish Delights and coffee powder.
2. Topkapi Palace - palace of the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. A security flirted with me and proposed with the words, "Will you marry me?" Asked for my age, be my boyfriend...told him to come to Sg where I'd be waiting.
3. Grand Bazaar - Bought an imitation LONGCHAMP for 40 lira. Ate alot! Kebabs + promegranate juice.
4. Boat Cruise in Bosphorous River.
5. Shopping Mall - Ate promegranate ice-cream.

TOPSHOP
MANGO
ZARA
RIVER ISLAND
MISS SELFRIDGE
PULL & BEAR
ADIDAS
CHARLES & KEITH
WATSON

• The flight was full because the previous day's flight was cancelled and those affected were pushed to ours. Some of us almost couldn't get seats! There was a group of NUS boys and I asked about them. They were there for floorball matches. This Indian I talked to started asking personal questions...terrible representation of NUS males.

Day 9
Arrived in Singapore at about 4.30pm local time. Unpacked from 6 to 12mn...

AOB

• I enjoyed the breakfast buffet spread of breads and pastries. Stuffed myself silly.
• On those long drives, there were lands of olive, trees, mountains & plateaus.
• Men worked in hotels and cafes. Absolutely no women.
• Terrible service standards!
• Sun rises by 7am, sets by 5pm. Day starts getting dark at 4pm.
• Police cars are seen when the skies turn dark, spot-checking.
• Istanbul has dedicated bus lanes in heavy traffic areas.
• Plenty of cafes.
• Toilets - 0.50 lira per person per entry! = SGD 60 cents.
• Pay for drinks during hotel dinners.