by Roy -

This article is written by Harsh

Folks, this is my first attempt at a blog and since this is a longish post, have broken this down into two parts… Don’t forget to read the second part too and share your comments.

While we may not be the two great adventurers spoken about in the Eastern Legends emanating from the hills of Tibet, my Roommate and I have done enough to certify as wannabe travellers. As much as we plan to go around the world, we do not think we can manage a leave of 80 days. Hence for our short break of 10 days we realized to focus and enjoy one place, one culture, one civilization to the maximum possible.

So what were the hot spots in contention…

  1. Thailand…hmmm…Been there…Done Everything Possible
  2. India…Perfect…if we both had not been Indians
  3. Macau…Come again??
  4. Afghanistan…Too Cultural considering we are both young girls…
  5. Turkey…A gigantic Bird… That’s more like it…Perfect…

Let’s go to Turkey said my comrade.

Istanbul, Turkey

Okay Turkey was not really the gigantic bird and our reasons for choosing Turkey was more or less the fact that it was easy to obtain a visa from the U.A.E, an affordable and safe tourist place for two back packers to roam around and moreover it had the reputation of being a quaint old place where the East meets the West.

Please note that my friend and I are very diligent hard working people who like nothing more than sweating it out planning a perfect tour provided everything can be done online. Everything includes hotel stays, bus tickets within Turkey, and of course, the airfare to the place and back. Now we would have liked to pay for luggage transfer from place to place as though we are back packers, my friend has a condition via which she is unable to carry bags for more than 15 minutes at a stretch without becoming incurably tired.

So where do we go to in Turkey??…Google…Ha…yes let’s start off at the capital…Istanbul…

The flight was Turkish Airlines, the partner of the greatest football team on Earth, Manchester United. We got into the midnight flight so that we could sleep and travel at the same time and not really waste time. In 5 hours we were in Istanbul.

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by Roy -

The Top Five Cities to head out to in Turkey

This article is written by Meenakshi Shankar

With its huge coastline dotted with quiet little coves and fishing villages, the gorgeous sunshine and a famously warm welcome, Turkey features in the Wanderers must-do destination.

VISITING Turkey should come with a warning: you visit once, you’ll visit the country thousand times. That’s the common effect on many first-timers whether they have come for sun, sand and sea or for a quick jaunt to Istanbul.

If you want to discover the ‘must head out to destinations’, this list is just for you.

1. Cappadocia

Whether it’s to marvel at the fairy chimneys made of volcanic rock, go white-water rafting in its rushing rivers, descend into the multi-storey underground cities (underground city of Kaymakli ) or squeeze into a hermit’s cave in an early Christian monastery, there is plenty in Cappadocia to sate the appetite of the curious wanderer.

And if getting high is your thing, hot air balloon rides have become legendary here as the views of the lunar-type landscape are like nothing one has seen before.

2. Kusadasi

Visit the incredible ancient city of Ephesus; hike upto the summit of Bulbul Mountain; marvel at the marble ruins of the pillars of the temple of Artemis – one of the Seven Wonders of the World, built over eight centuries ago – and more.

3. Istanbul

Haggle for carpets, tuck into Kavun dolmasi, kick back in a hamam and more in Istanbul which is a treat for every Wanderer.

Take in the sights and sounds of the legendary waterway lined with historic villages, grand wooden mansions, imposing fortresses, and the Baroque summer palaces of the late Ottoman sultans. At the end of it, escape to Princes’ Islands – where you revel in the magic of Buyukada, the popular summer resort with sandy beaches and pinewood scenery.

The Spice Market is a heady brew of fragrances: spices, dried fruits, nuts and seeds.And take our word – it is about the most exciting market shopping experience you can find anywhere in the world.

Stepping back into history: Antalya

4. Antalya
Set on a crescent-shaped bay, Antalya is bounded by citrus groves, valleys and the gorgeous Taurus Mountains.

Go on a walking tour tour through the winding streets of the old harbor quarter of Antalya.

Explore the museum and let history come alive and speak its tales.

Hike up to see nature’s curiosities, the eternal flame of Chimaera.

Or you could simply head out to Aspendos , an ancient city dating to the fourth and fifth centuries B.C where the stunning and best-preserved ancient theater in Turkey beckons you to come and explore.

Whirling Dervishes: monks of the Mevlevi sect

5. Ankara

The old world charm of the capital city captivates the Wanderer. The bold touches of the mystical east transports you to a bygone era – which comes alive whilst you walk through the city’s Citadel walls and explore the Roman Baths of Ankara.

A treasure trove – explore the by lanes, the souks, the Mausoleum of Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey and more. With its history dating back to 3000 years, Ankara is a potpourri of the old and the new – a treat for the Wanderers.

Meenakshi Shankar

20 June 2011

http://www.thewanderers.travel/blog/index.php/destinations-turkey/

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by Roy -

Bridge Between two worlds

Istanbul is a city where one keeps shuttling between continents. The Bosphorous strait, flowing between the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea, divides the city into European Istanbul, which comprises the bulk of the city to the west, and Asian Istanbul on the east. The Bosphorous Bridge is quite literally a bridge between two continents, with signboards proclaiming ‘Welcome to Europe’ and ‘Welcome to Asia’ at either end. Most tourist attractions like the Topkapi, the Aya Sophiya, the Sultanahmet Mosque amd the Hippodrome are in the Older part of the city on the European side, while the commercial areas are in the newer part of the city on the European side. The Asian part is mainly residential, and home to the majority of Istanbul’s 14 million population.

Much like its geography, the city is caught between two worlds. One part is going all out to make efforts to become part of the European Union, in letter, spirit and dispensation (notwithstanding their dislike for the Greeks ). Yet, there is a large part of the city which is very oriental. The crowd on Taksim Square will contrast phenomenally with those in the Kapali Carsi (Grand Bazaar). The hippest and most fashionable of Turks can be seen strolling around on the walking street off Taksim square, just like in West Europe, while the traders and ware-sellers on the Kapali Carsi will try every possibility in the book to sell their amazing collections: small blue coloured eyes to ward off evil, Turkish dolls (similar to the Russian ones, one inside the other), Turkish Cay (tea) sets, Turkish carpets (some ‘Made in China’), Turkish delight sweets, coffee beans, spices and condiments, incense sticks are all up for sale. Bakhlawa is one of the most common sweets, and little carts selling sweets and snacks are all over the place. No place in the city is far from a Bahcesi (tea garden). And neither from the ubiquitous McDonald’s.

A ‘Secular’ Muslim republic

Turkey is a unique country in many ways: in addition to belonging to two continents, it is a secular country with a predominantly Muslim population – over 90%. A question most commonly asked in many parts of Turkey is, “Are you Muslim ?”. If the answer is “no”, the response to that is simply, “O, Christian”. Many still harbor the impression that a person can either be a Muslim, and if not, s/he has to be a Christian. Try explaining that you are Hindu, and at many places it will not be understood at all. Whatever that be, Turkish hospitality will take over, with the inevitable offering of Cay and sweets. Being a predominantly Muslim country however does not deter the mushrooming of watering holes, pubs and night clubs, especially in up-market Istanbul. Theater and movies are aplenty, and the Turkish film industry churns out approximately 100 movies a year.

Finally, a respectable Currency

The year 2005 has seen the introduction of the Yeni Turk Lirasi (YTL) or the New Turkish Lira. This has made the currency much more respectable compared to the earlier Turkish Lira which converted to 1.25 million liras to a dollar. A taxi ride cost millions, Salaries ran into billions and lottery tickets promised trillions. The Turks smartly knocked off six zeroes and the currency now looks much more respectable. Visibly happy over the move, Cenk Bey (bey is used to signify respect, the equivalent of -ji in Hindi), my Turkish friend says, “We are blessed. We can now use coins”.

It’s All About Football

The Turks love their football like they love little else. Everyone, just everyone, from little boys to old men, all are equally fanatical about the game. Many reckon Turkey’s World cup semi final performance as the most significant thing to have happened to Turkey after Mustafa Kemal (Ataturk). Nitty gritty details about the Turkish league and the other premier European leagues, the English, Spanish and Italian in particular are discussed, analysed, debated and dissected in detail. So great is the passion for the game that recently, the Adiyaman’s gap association, set up a team consisting of all visually impaired players.

Big city, little roads

Traffic moves really, really slow in Istanbul, a situation not helped by narrow lanes and alleys in many parts of the city. Turks keep a good distance between vehicles and consider it extremely impolite to honk. Buses are aplently, and many of them have vestibules with two carriages, thereby doubling the number of passengers traveling. The metro is good, but coverage is poor. It helps commuters beat the road traffic in the commercial areas of Levent to Taksim. The fastest, and most popular mode of transport is the ferry which also provides spectacular views of the Bosphorous. On board, cay and coffee are available in abundance, helping Turks stay close to their favourite drink.

Istanbul is very much the cultural, historical and commercial hub of Turkey. Ankara is the country capital, where the government sits. People from Istanbul don’t think too highly about those in Ankara, considering them to be bureaucratic, not enterprising and slow. Doesn’t it remind you of a couple of cities closer home. The cities are very well connected, though, and the eight-laned (at places, 12) modern highway helps people from Istanbul zip fast to Ankara, complete work and get back, all in the same day.

Epilogue

Istanbul has seen the mighty Byzantium, Constantinople and the Ottoman empires come and pass. While the mosque minarets dot is landscape, so do state of the art skyscrapers. The amazingly devout resonance of muezzins calling from the mosques contrasts sharply with the cacophony of DJ’s playing the latest dance numbers. Burqas and skirts. Being ambidextrous comes naturally to Istanbul, a fact that adds to the romance of the place. Taking history in its stride, moving ahead at a racy pace, nonchalantly balancing contradictions between two worlds, Istanbul is a city I always love to come home to.

Deepak Sapra

2010

http://www.indiatravelogue.com/trav/istanbul.html

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