Archive for the ‘Turkey’ Category

Kitespot Review: Gokova Bay, Turkey

Kitespot Review: Gokova Bay, Turkey

A kite spot that is “Always Windy” is a kiters dream.  Sarah Craddy of Always Windy promotes her organized kitesurf holidays to such dream spots, one of which is Gokova Bay, Turkey. I spent ten days kiting in Gokova bay last September, and had strong, consistent wind 9 out of the 10 days I was there. […]

Best of 2012 – By the seat of my skirt

Best of 2012 – By the seat of my skirt

Some of the best memories of my life were made in 2011 …  but 2012 turned out to be an incredible year as well! When I departed for my next big adventure, “Golden sands & European Trysts”, I had no idea the many great experiences that awaited me or where in the world I would I […]

Istanbul for the weekend

Istanbul for the weekend

While a weekend in Istanbul is not long enough to fully explore and immerse yourself into the fascinating city, it is possible to see many of the cities sites thanks to a great public transportation system and easy to navigate streets. My good friend Evelien flew from the Netherlands to spend a long weekend with me […]

Süleymaniye Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey

Süleymaniye Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey

Photo of the week: Süleymaniye Mosque as seen from Hamdi Restaurant in Istanbul, Turkey. To see more photos of Istanbul, Turkey CLICK HERE.

Cappadocia (Kapadokya) in Three Days

Cappadocia (Kapadokya) in Three Days

The balloon ascended slowly with the rising sun. My sleepy eyes widened in wonder as our immense basket floated across the most unusual terrain I had ever seen. The earth below seemed alien, the scenery surreal. A sprawling lunar landscape of canyons, tall rock cliffs, and curious penile formations among a fertile valley blossoming cherry and […]

Population Exchange between Turkey & Greece

Population Exchange between Turkey & Greece

Can you even imagine a day in which the ruler of your country says that you and over a million of your neighbors have to relocate … to another country? That is exactly what happened in 1923, known as the “population exchange” between Greece and Turkey. After WWI, the Ottoman Empire fell apart leading to […]

Lycian Tomb of Amyntas

Lycian Tomb of Amyntas

Photo of the week: Lycian Tomb of Amyntas, built in 4th Century B.C, carved into into sheer rock on a cliff above Fethiye, Turkey. On its walls is written in Greek letters “Amyntou tou Ermagiou”, telling us that Amyntas was the son of Hermagios. This tomb is the largest and highest, so we can assume Amyntas was a very […]

Ölüdeniz NO Butterfly Valley YES

Ölüdeniz NO Butterfly Valley YES

Barfing in a bag on a bus would prove to be a bad omen. I blamed the hamburger I ate my last night in Egypt for my upchuck, and considered once again becoming a traveling vegetarian. Dasha tried to comfort me with the image of a stunning blue lagoon on the cover of her guidebook, […]

Turkish Hot Air Balloon

Turkish Hot Air Balloon

PHOTO OF THE WEEK:  Sunrise balloon ride over mystical Cappadocia, Turkey.  

Turkey. A new country in an old land

Turkey. A new country in an old land

TURKEY Where East meets West Where legends like Alexander the Great use to roam Where the Trojan War took place Where ancient ruins tell stories Where dynasties and cultural legacies are still prevalent in a modern times By far one of the most fascinating countries I have ever visited! Turkey is a new country in […]

Destined for Turkey

Destined for Turkey

“Give your phone to a Turk and I will give mine to one too.  They can talk and figure out where we both are,” Dasha suggested in a creative attempt to find me. It had seemed like an easy enough plan to meet each other at the Otogar (bus station) in Izmir to begin our […]