TURKEY 2007



When I decided to go out for my 4th  major trip abroad (after Rome/Venice, Bali, Morocco) I settled upon Turkey after the advise of my brother. This was also my 2nd trip using a tour company...one of those guided bus tours. It worked out well enough for my 2 week December vacation. But....those long days on the bus and the constant changing of hotels can be a bit wearing. But still, it was the best way to see a lot of Turkey in a short amount of time.
I went into Istanbul a few days early to explore a bit on my own before the start of the tour. Istanbul is a great city to explore, even as a solo, female traveler...or at least it was this way in 2007. I think the city has changed a lot over the years and seems less safe than it did 8 years ago.

 Istanbul is a truly a great city, one of my favorites. I walked and walked and walked...I walked from one continent to another! Truly a "bridge" between Europe and Asia.  Highlights of the City:

 *The Blue Mosque
*Hagia Sofia
*The Roman Cisterns
*THE FOOD!!!
*Just wandering around the city
*Cagaloglu Baths

 The highlights of this bus trip included:
*The potential archaeological sit of Troy, and yes, there is a cheesy Trojan Horse
*Izmir
*Anotolia
*Pamakkula
*The unearthly caverns and cave "villages" in Cappadocia
*The Roman Library and Roman ruins-Ephesus

 While much of the time spent was on the bus in between sites, it was still a wonderful trip but spending 10-12 hours a day with the same people can be a bit much for an introvert.

 Take a peak at the pictures below, they can say what I can't...

















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