World Traveler

 

I caught the bus to Egidir from Cappaddocia, which took about 8 hours. Whilst on the bus, coming into Egidir was absolutely beautiful and it really took my breath away. As you drive down from a huge hill you get a brilliant panorama view of the whole town. Egidir has Turkeys biggest lake (at first I forgot it was a lake and thought it was sea it was that big!) The whole lake is surrounded by mountains so its an awesome view and the waves on the lake were bigger than in the sea.

At the beach (on the lake) I rented a pedalo and took cigarettes and drinks with me, stupidly, thinking that I would be able to smoke! I had no idea how to steer the thing so nearly ran down a four year old (she looked petrified) and then almost crashed into a boat. Finally worked out the steering and lit up a cigarette but the waves were massive and one went straight over my head. Ended up really far out at sea and I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to get back in but after a tiring journey managed it - without hurting anyone!

There is also a small market in the town but the evenings are very dull as its not a tourist town so the Muslim people don’t have any bars to go to. I then traveled back to Istanbul after a ride on a bus called Kamil Koc, ha ha, I love the Turkish names for things!

http://www.worldtravelerjournal.com/category/turkey/

http://www.globosapiens.net/travel-information/Egirdir-768.html

 

Pamukale has one of the most beautiful sights that I have ever seen, is another wondrous place that Turkey has to offer. There a huge snow-like looking cliff that is made of calcium and its about a ten minute walk to the top  When you walk up there are loads of white calcium pools and chalky water trickling down.  When you reach the top there is an amazing panorama over Pamukale and you can see all the different levels of the calcium pools and its a fabulous sight. I stayed up there till sunset and it was absolutely beautiful as it made all the white cliffs go pink. It was such a stunning sight and just one of the many natural wonders of Turkey.

If you walk up further past the calcium pools there are also loads of ruins of roman amphitheaters which is pretty impressive and is free to walk around. There is also a restaurant area which includes and a big pool of mineral water with loads of ruins in that you are able to swim in. 

The town of Pamukale is fairly small but there is a fair bit of choice of hotels, hostels, restaurants and bars. Most of the hostels and hotels also have swimming pools with Calcium water in, its great for your skin apparently, and if you are lucky you might get to go to one of the underground hot calcium pools with the local people! Pamukale is like no where else on the planet so its not to be missed!

http://www.worldtravelerjournal.com/category/turkey/

http://www.bitez.net/turkey/pamukkale/

 

Cappaddocia is another place of natural wonder, as years ago there was a volcano eruption and covered the whole area in funny shaped lava cones which people now use as houses so its just like a real life Flintstones town!  There is even a massive castle that has been covered with lava and looks like something out of Star Wars (actually some parts of that movie were filmed there). 

Most of the guest house rooms are all cave rooms and most of the restaurants were in a cave so its really different to anywhere I have been before. The landscape really wowed me and everywhere you look is amazing.  You can also take a hot air balloon ride which is something that is a must as the view is out of this world

There was a belly dancer at a restaurant one night and I was moaning that there was never entertainment for women, the belly dancer the picked a load of guys out of the audience and made them take their shirts off and  attempt belly dancing!  Cappaddocia is a great place to see the Whirling Dervishes.

I also went on a tour that took me to loads of places, one of which being a pottery place so I got to try to make something (I have no idea what I was attempting) but it was OK at first but soon ended up a mess but it didn’t fling all over everyone like I had imagined. There is a fair bit to see and do and loads of great restaurants to try.

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http://www.goreme.com/

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From Fetiye we decided to take a 4 day boat cruise to Olympus. There were about ten people in total on the boat and it was amazing. We could just jump in the water whenever we wanted and we slept out on deck under the stars! We stopped at loads of different places along the way and there were loads of water sports and finally I tried the tubes! I’ve been dying to for ages (its where there is a giant swim ring attached to the back of a speed boat by the way). The driver was crazy and was going really fast in all different directions so it was really difficult to hold on, then I realised that my bikini was struggling to stay on as well, I was trying to hold on to it but then the driver took a sudden turn and I flashed my day glow boobs (they have never seen the sun in their lives) at a passing boat which was pretty embarrassing and then I toppled backwards out of the ring and half drowned!  It was exhilarating but would recommend doing it with a t-shirt on!

The boat sailed on and we passed a sunken city (happened after an earthquake and it about 25 meters under sea level) which was fab as bits of ruins were jotting out of the water. We got off the boat to explore passing islands and saw loads of mountain goats and there was also a full moon while we were on the boat which was the most amazing moon ever - it was massive and bright orange! We arrived in Olympus where the boat terminated and it was quite cute there, very natural and they had loads of tree houses that you can sleep in and some woods and a beach where there are loads of ruins.

 At nighttime we climbed up, what seemed like a huge mountain, to see one of the incredible natural wonders that Turkey has to offer. There are flames that naturally come out of the rocks at the top of this mountain, it was lovely and apparently years ago the flames were much bigger, but it occurs as a particular type of gas (cant remember what) comes from under the rocks!If it was in Thailand there would have been a load of sellers up there with marshmallows!

http://www.worldtravelerjournal.com/category/turkey/

http://tropicalsails.com/BodrumKaracasogutHalfWeek.pdf

As I got further down the coast it got more and more touristy, Didim was like little England!  Everything was in Pounds Sterling and it was almost impossible to buy Turkish food but there was plenty of eggs, beans and chips on offer in restaurants! Bodrum, which is a bit further down the coast was pretty much the same but not as bad but at least the partying there was good (apart from the fact that each place only seems to have one CD so I heard the same song about 7 times in one night!) and none of the bars and clubs ever seem to close, which I thought was fantastic!

There was much more Turkish food on offer and the waiters come out with funny lines as well “Do you want more tea, coffee, espresso….me?” each seemed to have some different line “How can I hassle you?” which made us laugh, but I must say that Turkish guys are very good looking!

I tried my first extreme sport (actually it sounds extreme but don’t know if it is, but its the closest I have ever got to one!)  Paragliding (me and a pilot attached to a big parachute)! We were taken up to the top of a mountain and I had to put on a funny suit with a chair stuck to the bum, then was harnessed up and told by my pilot “RUN NOW” at which I nearly soiled myself and suddenly thought ‘what am I doing?’  But it was too late so had to run, in the process I nearly lost a shoe and struggled to keep it on and then we were flying!  It was really cool but did make me feel sick (enough for the pilot top get out a carrier bag!)  It wasn’t that scary, except for when we got really close to crashing into a mountain or landing in a tree.  He also let me steer which did scare me but I didn’t crash and am still alive (obviously!)

http://www.worldtravelerjournal.com/category/turkey/

http://www.bodrum-info.org/

Just a few hours from Istanbul is a small town called Ayvalik where local Turkish people often take holidays, so there aren’t many tourists. I went on a boat trip during the day so I could check out some of the surrounding islands. The boat was fab and had a waterslide off the back (which made my bikini come off and look more like a necklace!) and everyone was out on deck dancing. The sea was freezing (because there are fresh water springs under the sea) and the water was so salty that you just float and when you get out you were covered with salt crystals (no its not the dead sea).

Later in the day they had party games on the top deck that random people had to join in on, I just watched as couldn’t understand anything as everyone except me was Turkish. Soon I realized that the man on the microphone was talking about me as everyone was pointing and cheering at me, I gathered I had to take part in the next party game so got up and stood with the other Turkish girls that were picked. This game, to my dismay, was a belly dancing competition and there was about hundred people on the boat watching me while I attempted to belly dance - IN A BIKINI for all to see! How embarrassing is that! They made me do it again after on my own too, as if the first time wasn’t embarrassing enough - I came second though!

There are plenty of different boat trips on offer, with relaxing options too, there are also night trips available. The town also boasts a fairly large market offering all types of clothing and food which is lovely to walk around. Don’t miss a panorama sunset with amazing views about 7km out of the town, there is also a restaurant there so you can make an evening of it, although you will need to take a taxi there and back as there is no other transport.

http://www.worldtravelerjournal.com/category/turkey/

http://www.turkeyinphotos.com/ayvalik.htm

Hello, or shall I say Mer ha-ba (that’s with a rolling R and a hacking up H!’)  I’m are trying to master the language but even a simple thank you is so long that it takes about 10 minutes to say it! Turkey is nothing like I had expected, I wasn’t really that up for it, I thought it would be all about carpets and pervy men but but its really cool and there are loads of natural amazing things to see with less perves than England (more carpets though). 

The capital, Istanbul is really cute!  Its like an exotic Coronation Street with its tiny cobbles streets and flowers and there are fabulous fairytale like mosques and palaces everywhere, the people are really friendly and chatty too (generally because they want to sell you something), and the food is to die for - I think I must have put on about 2 stone since leaving the UK!   The menu’s that have been translated to English are brilliant, we saw one that had ‘Sensitive meatballs’ on offer! There is plenty of choice even if you are vegetarian.

There is loads to see and do from sight seeing, history and architecture, beautiful scenery, ruins and temples. The nightlife is pretty good too and everyone is always up for a party. You meet loads of people, locals and travelers and its a very easy place to travel around. Transport links are good and bus travel is bliss as they have a steward that supplies water, cold drinks, tea and coffee and cakes! Prices are reasonable and you don’t get much hassle – unless you go to one of the bazaars!

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http://www.tourismturkey.org/

There is loads to see and do by night or by day. By day there are many beautiful buildings and mosques to see and of course all the bazaars – although all the shop owners will try and drag you into their shops and pressure you to buy something so stand your ground with a stern “No thank you.� There is also the spice market where you can get a potion for almost anything and there are plenty of free testers up for grabs too! If you fancy a lazy day the river cruises are lovely and usually provide lunch, although the quality of the food is fairly poor.

By night there are plenty of dining options or partying if you prefer there is an area in the city called Taxim which is great for both! Don’t miss out on some brilliant entertainment; dinner whilst watching belly dancing and traditional dancing, its definitely something not to be missed. One in particular that we went to was hilarious.  I sat right at the front and the biggest guy I have ever seen (think Arnold Schwarzenegger) came out in this hilarious short dungaree ans amble (like the outfit in National Lampoons European Vacation!)  obviously I couldn’t contain myself and was in fits of incredibly loud laughter at the sight of him, as was the woman next to me, then he started doing a kicky-up-leg dance which only increased my volume and made me laugh so much that my eyes were streaming!  I’m not sure if it was supposed to be funny but it definitely got me going!  Then two guys come out to do a dance but on their chests they had faces painted, fake arms swinging by their sides and their hands behind their heads and covered so it looked like they were little people wearing hats! 

Later they got 4 guys from the audience up and made them sit on stools next to each other and  asked them to put their feet and arms in certain positions and lean backwards then proceeded to take the stools away so they were just left sat in a tangle but it didn’t work and they all fell in a pile on the floor!

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/destinations/europe/turkey/istanbul

http://www.worldtravelerjournal.com/camels-and-carpets/