Bazaars and Markets in Turkey
Travels in Turkey, Part 4 of 12 One of the things that I love to do when I am away from home is to visit the local street markets and bazaars. Generally, these foreign markets are so fascinating that the girls enjoy them every bit as much as I do. We get a great taste
Photo Friday: Ballooning Cappadocia
While we were in Turkey this summer, we signed up for a two-day tour of Cappadocia. While I don’t like tour bus tours in general, this seemed to be our best option to get out to Cappadocia and see the surreal landscape. One thing that disappointed me about choosing the tour option was that I
Transportation Vacation
Travels in Turkey, Part 3 of 12 Minutes after we were wheels down in Istanbul, we started our first Turkish adventure — navigating our way from the airport to our hotel near Taksim Square via the public transit system. Our route included a train, a tram and a funicular! But before we could start the
Photo Friday: The Street
Photo taken in Selcuk, Turkey, on 4 Jul 2010. Yes, I realize that it is not Friday, but Thursday. However, I’ve decided to begin submitting my weekly contribution to the Photo Friday contest (not that my photos are in the same league with the other entries), and the submissions are due by midnight.
Topkapi Palace
Travels in Turkey, Part 2 of 12 On our first full day in Turkey, we had most of the day to explore Istanbul before needing to hop on a ferry across to the Asian side to catch an overnight train to Ankara. Since we were scheduled to have only one other full day in Istanbul,
Web Wednesday: Turkey Travel Sites
Like most people, I spend some time before a trip researching. I like to find out as much as I can in order to be prepared and not end up doing something silly like leaving the Grand Bazaar visit for a Sunday (when it is closed)…. In researching our trip to Turkey, I came across
Sultanahmet Square Sights
Travels in Turkey, Part 1 of 12 [For the next dozen or so Tuesdays, I’ll be writing about our experiences in traveling Turkey with kids. We spent 3 week in June and July 2010 exploring many different areas of Turkey. We had little idea of what to expect and ended up having a wonderful time.]
Holy Wisdom
The Hagia Sophia/Ayasofya in Istanbul is a place that both my girls have longed to see for years. In their history readings, they have learned about the beauty and historical significance of this now secular museum. The entrance fee was steep and there was a line (5-10 minutes?), but it was well worth it. I
Dondurma (Ice Cream)!
My children have come to equate touring with ice cream. (Did I offer them too many bribes when they were younger? ) Needless to say, they consumed lots and lots of ice cream in Turkey. Around Sultanahmet Square in Istanbul, street vendors sell dondurma, a “taffy-like” ice cream. Dondurma’s sticky elasticity makes it possible for
Photo Friday – Sky-High
Photo taken from a sunrise hot air balloon ride in Cappadocia, Turkey on 2 Jul 2010. Yes, I realize that it is not Friday, but Thursday. However, I’ve decided to begin submitting my weekly contribution to the Photo Friday contest (not that my photos are in the same league with the other entries), and the
Selcuk Market
Luckily, we arrived in Selcuk, Turkey early enough on Saturday that we were able to get to the market before everyone closed up for the week. I love street markets like these; you never know what you are going to find! Sure lots of fresh produce, eggs, cheese, meat, but also boxes of lids, piles
Photo Friday – Summer Fun
Photo taken at a convenience store in Selcuk on 9 Jul 2010. Yes, I realize that it is not Friday, but Thursday. However, I’ve decided to begin submitting my weekly contribution to the Photo Friday contest (not that my photos are in the same league with the other entries), and the submissions are due by
Reading about Turkey
When preparing for a trip, I always like to read. Not just the travel books, but historical books, historical fiction, travel narratives, fiction, just about anything I can get my hands on. For my own future reference, of for yours, here is a list of some of the books I read or skimmed before our
Turkish Evil Eyes
Top: Magnets for sale in the Spice Market, Istanbul Bottom: Evil Eyes in Cappadocia From the Wikipedia entry for “Evil eye”: Known as nazar (Turkish: nazar boncugu or nazarlik), this talisman is most frequently seen in Turkey, found in or on houses and vehicles or worn as beads. Apart from seeing evil eye talismans for
Photo Friday – Summer Fun
Photo taken at a street vendor kiosk outside of the Blue Mosque in Istanbul on 11 Jul 2010. Yes, I realize that it is not Friday, but Thursday. However, I’ve decided to begin submitting my weekly contribution to the Photo Friday contest (not that my photos are in the same league with the other entries),
Heading Home – Day 20
It came too fast — time to return home from Turkey. I woke early and got started on organizing and packing. After the girls finished their packing, we all headed up to our final breakfast in Turkey. We retraced our steps of two days ago – walk to the funicular, take the funicular, ride the
Around Istanbul โ Day 19
After a big breakfast in the hotel breakfast room, we headed out to Sultanahmet Square via funicular and tram. Our first destination was the Basilica Cistern (in Turkish it is called the “Sunken Palace”), which we found after consulting three different maps. In on our travels in Turkey, Camille was considered a child in most
Selcuk to Istanbul โ Day 18
After a great, cool night’s sleep, we had some breakfast, then worked on getting packed and the house cleaned up. For a break, we headed down to the Isabey Mosque at the bottom of our hill. We explored the courtyard, the we were invited to enter the mosque by non other than the imam himself!
Around Selcuk โ Day 17
It was strange to wake up in such a big house with only the four of us there. After breakfast, we headed out for a ride to Sirince. Riding in the “minibus” was a whole lot different when sitting in the front seat. Plus, I think anyone that saw us thought us to be stupid
Aqua Fantasy โ Day 16
We had a slow morning in Selcuk. After a big breakfast made from huge double-yolked eggs, my parents and sister packed and visited the Isa Bey Mosque, just down the street. Rob and the girls headed out for the day to the nearby waterpark, Aqua Fantasyland. After the driver came to get Suze and my
GBK Gwyneth
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