Around Turkey 2015

This was a trip that i long wanted to do but i also was aware of some issues that could turn it less pleasant . The language would be one of these issues, as well as the religion and tradition. I am not exactly a fan of Muslim countries, and i have traveled to Tunisia and Egypt but through travel agencies which is easier.
The idea was to visit some of the most interesting points of Turkey (historic sites, no vacation areas like Izmir, konya, etc ..), then on to Athens and returning to Turkey through Bulgaria. Some things went well, others very badly, but in the end i do not regret anything .., almost anything ...

Here is the full travel itinerary:

4, 5, 6, 7, 8 Istanbul
4 - Arrival in Istanbul: Nothing scheduled
5,6,7,8 Visit to the city
8 flight to Goreme
8, 9, 10, 11, 12 Göreme
8 - Arrival in Göreme and accommodation: Nothing scheduled
9 - balloon ride (if weather conditions allow)
- Museum Visit the open
10 - Excursion to determine
11 - Excursion to determine
12 - Flight to Izmir
12, 13 Izmir / Selçuk / Ephesus
12 - Izmir - Take train 13: 51h to Selçuk and accommodation
13 - Selçuk: Visit to the ruins of Ephesus and other
13, 14, 15 Selçuk / Denizli
13 - Arrival to Denizli by train and accommodation
14 - Visit to Pammukale
15 - Flight to Athens

Day 1: Istanbul
After a nice flight with Turkish Airlines (for me the best company I traveled) arrived at the international airport (Atatürk) of Istanbul. It was quite late so we limit ourselves to explore the surroundings of the hotel and dinner at a nearby restaurant. The hotel  i stayed is very basic but for travelers with limited resources is very cheap, and is located close to major attractions.

Day 2: Istanbul (New Mosque, Egyptian Bazaar, Suleymaniye Mosque, Sehzade Mosque, Cruise on the Bosphorus)
It was a beautiful sunny day so I made some changes in the travel guide to take advantage of the cruise on the Bosphorus, as the next day would bring rain and snow.

New Mosque (in turkish: Yeni Cami or Yeni Valide Camii)

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Cappadocia Fairy Tale

Starting with the story:

Situated in Turkey, in the region of Central Anatolia, Cappadocia is a magnificent region whose main attraction is its peculiar rock formations result of volcanic phenomena and subsequent erosion. It has a vast historical and cultural heritage, from underground cities to homes and churches carved in the rocks, a set of elements that did not go unnoticed and UNESCO in 1985 declared the Goreme National Park World Heritage Site.

Civilization in this inhospitable area began thousands of years ago when people like the Hittites settled here. Later other people coming from other parts of the globe passed through here and left their cultural mark, the result was a fusion of cultures and very different religions. But in fact, are the geological formations the main cause that made this area so famous for this worldwide. Its "lunar" landscapes are full of rocky calcareous and capricious formations whose shapes soft composition meant that the man could dig and work building their houses. This type of housing is known as "troglodite" and despite being characteristic in the region is not unique as many may think.
Due to its geographical location, Cappadocia was part of trade routes which made it an attractive target for the intruders. To protect themeselves from atacks the local people built huge underground cities that would be their refuge for thousands of years. It is estimated that older cities have more than 3000 years and some can and should be visited as is the case of Derinkuyu, Kaymakli, Ozkonak and Mazi.Durante the Byzantine period, some of these buildings have been converted into churches and decorated with frescos on walls and ceilings.

What to do:

Cappadocia offers a bit of everything and there are activities for everyone. The ideal is to stay long enough to not have to do those package tours including many activities that will surely leave you very tired and at the end you dont enjoy anything. The most famous leisure activity in the region is the hot air balloon ride where, if the weather conditions permit, will lead you to fly over the most famous spots in the area as the "Love Valley" among others.


Then there are some travel agencies that offer "day tours" that include various activities such as underground cities, hiking in the most famous valleys as Pigeons Valley, Red and Rose Valley, among others. The most famous packages are the Red Tour, Green Tour and Blue Tour.


Then there are many other activities such as horseback riding, quad bike, hiking and more. Check here for more activities.

When to go:

The best time is in the summer or spring, because winter can bring negative temperatures to the region (when I was there in January were -14 degrees), but the winter can be truly charming as evidenced by these pictures:
 

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Auschwitz, a nightmare come true!

On one of my trips to Europe, I had the opportunity to meet one of the most famous Nazi concentration camps in the world located in Poland.

Not a nice place to see, and in fact a lot of people asked me why did I go there if it is a place so horrible! As George Santayana said: "Who does not know the history, you risk the lives it again !!"

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