Turkey

Ankara, the capital of Turkey (not Istanbul – surprise!) is a busy, smoggy city. Most tourists give it a miss, but there’s a few sights worth checking out if you’re passing through.…

Hiking in the Rose ValleyOur final activity that day (we really pack them in) was a guided hike through the Rose Valley offered by the hotel. Little did we know what we were getting into.…

Kaymakli Undeground CityNext up was the underground cities of Derinkuyu and Kaymakli. This is not for the claustrophobic! These underground cities span up to 8 floors underground, with windy tunnels leading through them.…

Kelebek Hotel, GoremeWe stayed in the Kelebek Pension (271 25 31) . It’s about a 10 minute walk uphill from the otogar. For US$15, we stayed in a “fairy chimney room”.…

We arrived after a very long bus ride from Denizli (close to Pamukkale). We were told at the Denizli otogar that we couldn’t make it to Goreme in one day – but we guessed that was mainly because there were no bus companies that operated direct buses from Denizli.…

Goreme Open Air MuseumThe first thing we visited in the morning was the Goreme Open Air Museum, which is a collection of ancient cave dwellings just outside the main town (2 km, and a beautiful walk!) It is best to get there early in the morning, before the tour buses.…

The Valley of the Fairy ChimneysCapadoccia is one of our fondest memories of Turkey. “The Valley of Fairy Chimneys” is truly like something out of a dream – it’s hard to believe you’re really seeing it.…

PamukkaleThis area is known for thermal springs, whose calcerous salt runoff has left vast white basins carved into the mountain. It’s hard to describe in words. The hot springs were used in Roman times for their therapeutic powers. …

It’s pretty warm and there is not much shade – although we were able to hide behind some walls for shade. However, there’s no need to weigh yourself down with gallons of water – there are snack stands spread throughout the site!…