The Best of Turkey

An excellent trip to Turkey, on a tour organized by G-Adventures and led by our guide Tugce.  Fourteen of us, from Australia, Canada, Denmark, England, and the US joined Tugce as she showed us natural, cultural, historical, and archeological sites that had us amazed!

We started in Istanbul, then did a counterclockwise loop that highlighted places in eastern Europe and western Asia.  We began and ended our tour in Istanbul

Our Fantastic Guide Tugce, who showed us around her country, provided lots of information, and shared her life experiences with us.

ISTANBUL

On our first day, we had a walking tour through parts of Old Town Istanbul, all of which is a UNESCO site. In addition to getting to know each other, it was a great way to begin to learn a few things about Turkish history, cultural and religious traditions, and geography.

This is the Suleymaniye Mosque, in our neighborhood in Old Town Istanbul

The (Greek) Orthodox Patriarchal.  This is the place where the Orthodox Patriarch holds residence.  This is similar in religious significance to the Vatican for Catholics or Westminster for  Anglicans

The Bosphorus Bridge straddles Europe (left shore) and Asia (right shore), and is next to the Rumeli Fortress (left side) on the Bosphorus Strait

ÇANAKKALE

Then we got on our way to Çanakkale, a large town near the ancient city of Troy, along the Dardanelles Strait.  The distance was only about 200 miles / 320 km, but we made stops in the Gallipoli Peninsula to visit the ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) and Turkish WW 1 war memorials.  These memorials are located inside the Gallipoli Peninsula National Historical Park.

The ANZAC Memorial.  This is the location of the disasterous landing of Austrailian and New Zealand naval forces in WW 1.  They landed on the beach and faced these cliffs.  The plan was for them to land at the other end of the cove, where the land was much flatter.  The carnage here was the main reason the two countries established ANZAC Day to honor those who died here

The final resting place of several thousand allied soldiers, mostly from Australia and New Zealand

The Trojan Horse in Çanakkale.  This horse was built for the movie "Troy" (2004, starring Brad Pitt).  The movie studio donated this "prop" to Çanakkale

TROY

The next day, we spent a couple of hours visiting the ancient city of Troy, a UNESCO site (1998) located within the National Historical Park of Troia, near Çanakkale.  It is a remarkable site with ruins representing all ten "layers" of Trojan history, from neolithic (layer 0, from 3,600 - 3,000 BCE) through the Roman era (layer 9, from 85 BCE - 500 CE).

The East Wall, the excavated city of Troy, Layer 6.  The site has 10 layers, representing ten distinct civilizations.  The last two are the Greek and Roman layers

The excavated city of Troy.  Ten different layers of civilization have been uncovered and identified here.

EPHESUS

We then moved on to the most spectacular archeological site of our trip, the ancient city of Ephesus.  Ephesus was at one time a leading cultural, intellectual, religious and economic city along the Mediterranean Sea.  The city was built and rebuilt many times.  It was eventually abandoned because continuous river silting covered it up and the city became separated from the Mediterranean Sea.

Archeologists began excavating and reconstructing the city in the mid 1800s; that work continues into the present. The entire site was awarded a UNESCO World Heritage Sites inscription in 2015.  When we visited the site, we benefited from almost 150 years of archeological reconstruction. That included reestablishing practically the entire footprint of the city during its greatest time. It also included reconstruction of many facades and some entire buildings or public spaces, giving the site a fabulous three dimensional sense of the city. My favorite archeological site of the trip

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ephesus

Like a modern town hall, the Odeion in ancient Ephesus served as the meeting place of the city’s administrative council (the Boule), and as a multi-purpose indoor theatre, concert hall and assembly space. In form, the Bouleuterion (Council House) is a semi-circular, theatre-like building (originally roofed), with seating for an estimated 1750 persons, and a richly decorated stage (from Wiki)

The reconstructed Curetes Street, a main street which ran all the way down to the harbor.

The reconstructed Library of Calsus in Ancient Ephesus.  The library held roughly 12,000 scrolls; it was thought to be the third largest library in the ancient world, after Rome and Alexandria.  The library was destroyed by earthquakes and the ruins were eventually covered up by silt

CAPPADOCIA

We traveled by overnight train from Izmir (near Ephesus) to Konya, then continued on to the Cappadocian region in central Turkey.  For me, the highlight of the Cappadocia region was visiting and hiking in Göreme National Historical Park, home of the fantastic spires, columns, cones, and chimneys that are iconic for the region.  My favorite place in the trip!

The columns, spires, and cone-shaped "fairy chimneys" are the result of water erosion on tuff, a lightweight rock made from volcanic ash.  They are abundant in the Cappadocia region

Inside a cave church in Cappadocia.  The frescos are still there, even though this place was abandoned for centuries

Multicolored layers of rock in the Göreme National Historical Park in Cappadocia 

A small cave cabin:  Because volcanic tuff is relatively soft, these "chimneys" were hollowed out and made into houses, storage buildings, even churches.  We even visited a very large "underground city" where people who were persecuted for their religious faith could live for days, weeks, even months without being discovered

While we were in Cappadocia, we visited a religious ceremony performed by Whirling Dervishes.  A new experience for me; Whirling Dervishes are members of an order of Sufism within Islam.

Whirling Dervishes performing a ceremonial Sema, a ritual intended to help the dancers renounce earthly passions and aim for experiencing pure creative love of all creation.  They are part of a Sufi order within Islam.  Click for Video:  https://youtu.be/hdo9lucdomw  

Whirling Dervishes

A brilliant Cappadocian sunrise!

BACK TO ISTANBUL

The Hagia Sophia was an Orthodox Cathedral from 360 - 1453 CE.  The current building was completed in 537, and for about a thousand years, it was the largest cathedral in the world.  After the fall of Constantinople in 1453, it was modified to become a mosque.   It was a mosque until 1935, when it became a museum.  Since 2020, it has functioned as a museum and a mosque

What the Hagia Sofia looks like on a brighter day, without renovation scaffolding around it

Inside the Hagia Sophia 

The Blue Mosque, aka the Sultanahmet Camii.  A gorgeous mosque decorated with over 20,000 ceramic tiles, most of them some shade of blue

Our trip in a nutshell:  1,162 road miles plus 350 air miles for a total travel  distance of about 1,500 miles.  A lot of riding, but the company was good, the scenery was great, and the destinations were amazing.

OUR PEEPS

The people are a big part of the fun of a group trip.  Our Turkish group was awesome!  https://photos.app.goo.gl/abpH5uDafxTk2Tcv7

ABOUT TURKEY

Turkey is a large and geographically diverse country. At around 783,000 sq km / 302,000 sq mi, it is roughly the size of Texas in the US, a little smaller than British Columbia and a little larger than Alberta in Canada. It is significantly larger than any country in the Middle East except Saudi Arabia and Iran.

About 85 million people live in Turkey; roughly 16 million live in Istanbul. Istanbul is the economic and cultural center of the country while Ankara is the capital. Turkey is governed as a presidential republic. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has strong support among his political base, particularly for economic development, infrastructure expansion, and a more assertive national identity. However, he is also criticized domestically and internationally for increasing centralization of power, limits on press freedom, and concerns about democratic institutions.

Islam is the majority religion, but the state is officially secular. Turkish culture blends European, Middle Eastern, and Central Asian influences. Social norms vary widely: major cities tend to be relatively liberal and cosmopolitan, while rural areas are more conservative.

Turkey has an upper middle-income economy, with a GDP of roughly 900 billion to 1 trillion USD, making it one of the largest economies in its region. Income varies widely depending on region, but often fall roughly in the range of 500 to 1,200 USD per month / 6,000 to 15,000 USD per year, with higher wages in major urban areas. Unemployment rates are about 8–12%; though underemployment and youth unemployment are higher. Key industries include manufacturing (especially automotive, textiles, and appliances), construction, agriculture, tourism, and defense industries.

My experience in Turkey was of a vibrant and hospitable society, with a strong sense of history and national pride. People were generally welcoming and willing to engage, especially in tourist areas. Vendors and service workers were often energetic and persistent in seeking business, though typically in a friendly way. Security was visible in major cities and transportation hubs, but not overly intrusive, and overall we felt safe traveling throughout the country. 

Turkey offers a remarkable range of experiences—from ancient ruins and dramatic landscapes to bustling modern cities—and we could easily have spent two or three more weeks here to get a fuller experience of this fascinating country. Definitely worth a visit!

More here:  If any of these destinations piqued your interest, you can find more pics and info through the links below

More Pics:

Istanbul: Day One  https://photos.app.goo.gl/mMnrvTAFN9syGTBz5

To Canakkale:  https://photos.app.goo.gl/HGfaop5TCQboPayKA

To Selçuk/İzmir:  https://photos.app.goo.gl/Tguow1TS5yxyjRxWA

Troy:  https://photos.app.goo.gl/vVLHerhSJwG68hFe8

The Ancient City of Ephesus:  https://photos.app.goo.gl/Uz2TnqfLr3oX6khP6

Temple of Artemis:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_of_Artemis

To Cappadocia:  https://photos.app.goo.gl/bSgzA21fVutPdXTY8

Cappadocia:  https://photos.app.goo.gl/qsg9wJSuMveEXr9f6

Istanbul Day Eight:  https://photos.app.goo.gl/TuuKMoekxCYnKd1D8

Turkey: Our Peeps:  https://photos.app.goo.gl/abpH5uDafxTk2Tcv7

More Info:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Istanbul

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historic_Areas_of_Istanbul

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Mosque,_Istanbul

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hagia_Sophia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troy

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ephesus

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sultan_Han

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derinkuyu_underground_city

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cappadocia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sufi_whirling

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkey

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Turkey

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_World_Heritage_Sites_in_Turkey

https://whc.unesco.org/fr/etatsparties/tr

When we returned to Istanbul, we had time to explore another part of the Old Town around the two main mosques:  the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque

Our trip in a nutshell:  about 1,150 road and rail miles and about 350 air miles for a total of about 1,500 miles / 2,400 km.  A lot of travel but the scenery was good, the people were great, and the destinations were amazing!  So glad I did this trip

ABOUT TURKEY:

More here:  If any of these destinations piqued your interest, you can find more pics and info through the links below

More Pics:

Istanbul: Day One

https://photos.app.goo.gl/mMnrvTAFN9syGTBz5

To Canakkale:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/HGfaop5TCQboPayKA

To Selçuk/İzmir:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Tguow1TS5yxyjRxWA

Troy:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/vVLHerhSJwG68hFe8

The Ancient City of Ephesus:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Uz2TnqfLr3oX6khP6

Temple of Artemis 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_of_Artemis

To Cappadocia:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/bSgzA21fVutPdXTY8

Cappadocia:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/qsg9wJSuMveEXr9f6

Istanbul Day Eight:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/TuuKMoekxCYnKd1D8

Turkey: Our Peeps

https://photos.app.goo.gl/abpH5uDafxTk2Tcv7

More Info:

Istanbul:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Istanbul

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historic_Areas_of_Istanbul

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Mosque,_Istanbul

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hagia_Sophia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troy

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ephesus

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sultan_Han

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derinkuyu_underground_city

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cappadocia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sufi_whirling

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkey

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Turkey

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_World_Heritage_Sites_in_Turkey

https://whc.unesco.org/fr/etatsparties/tr

!