Turkey

You wanna know what.......?

I LOVE TURKEY.

This great country is both culturally rich and stunning and I can't stop raving on and on and on about it....

Flying British Airways from London Heathrow, the flight was comfortable and short. Only 3 hours.

Visa's however are a nightmare and if you're an Aussie be ready to line up for a good 4 hours...... and........it isn't cheap. 60 buckeroo's to be exact!!! Hopefully duty free chocolate can curve your starvation as you lined up in the never-ending immigration conga line.

Istanbul on first impressions seemed quite modern, green and clean. The size and magnitude of the city at first is a little overwhelming. Happily munching on my turkish delight, a string of mosques start whizzing by. The roads becoming narrow, the lanes become colourful and the architecture starts changing dramatically.

The old city has endless cobblestone streets and stunning examples of Ottaman architecture. An imposing ancient city wall elevates the ambience and the ocean breeze from the neighbouring harbour keeps the city cool and comfortable to explore on foot or segway.

It’s main sites include the impressive Blue Mosque with its 6 minarets, St Sofia (now a popular museum) and Topkaki Palace home to the Ottoman empires for nearly 500 years. A good hint for first time tourists is to avoid the lines and prebook your tickets. Don't be silly and sizzle like a sausage in the sun!

If shopping gets your blood pumping then a short stroll to the grand bazaar should definitely be on your list. Although not as impressive as Morocco or Egypt you can still barter your way through all things leathery and shiny! Its colourful experience and a great way to banter with happy locals.

With a hub of chic restaurants, the old city is a great place to grab a bite and catch a view atop an endless list of rooftop ressie... but for someting different I suggest jumping on a tram and heading river side...mutha fucka...

.....to the hipster suburb of Beyoglu.

Jump off the tram, hit the streets and follow the mellow music towards coffee filled cafes, back alley bars and retro restaurants. Cool down with a cold bevvie and start a swanky convo with a local fashionista.

Beyoglu's got that ‘East London’ grungy but uber trendy feel and you’ll soon find yourself caught up in its 'uber' relaxed vibe. Friday and saturday nights see crowds gather around Galata Tower (which itself is extremely impressive). The warm summer nights are prefect for casual chit chat, happy faces and smooth acoustic tunes.

Next, wander across Galata bridge. Lined with wishful fishermen all dipping their rusty lines in the Golden Horn

desperately praying for that little nibble.

Or perhaps follow the scaly scent below and find a handful of quirky restaurants serving up delicious fish and chips at cheeeeaaaap cheap prices.

The more you explore this marvellous city the more you start to realise it seems to go on and on and on. Offering everything you could possibly imagine. The city seems to effortlessly mix cultures, religions and people. Whilst modern Islam is still very dominate, a very open minded, multicultural acceptance can be felt across the entire city and it works perfectly.

Of course the harbour brings a certain freshness to the city and a cruise up the Bosphorus is a great way to see the city by sea. Maidens towers, Bosphorus bridge and many palaces/mosques call the harbour side home. It’s extremely cheap and highly enjoyable. Plus where else in the world can you say you’ve just crossed out of Europe and into Asia on a single boat trip. Thats pretty neat right??.

Next.... Cappadocia.

"The Dr Suess of Turkey"

Located in the desert about smack bag in the middle of Turkey, we flew into Kayseri and caught a cab into the town of Göreme.

As you eagerly verge closer to Göreme warped rock formations moulded by past volcanic eruptions begin to emerge.

"They kinda look like massive soft serve ice-creams yeah??"

"Yeah i'm pretty sure the Grinch lives here"

Cappadocia is a short stroll or a 2 minute drive outside of town. There’s an open air museum which is the perfect introduction and a great way to get an understanding of this unusual landscape.

"Remember....a brief history lesson always helps.."

Bring your walking shoes as there's plenty to explore. Homes, churches, animal stables even markets were all carefully carved into the rock formations. It’s mind blowing to think people once lived and thrived deep inside.

And if you want to avoid the crowds and discover this unusual world for yourself, than Cappadocia offers endless possibilities for all travellers. There's tracks for walking, horse riding or even four wheeling.

I'm a walker.. I like to walk... so we walked.

(Plus I wanted to get my face all up in these creepy carvings as physically possible).

Walk, climb or crawl your way through ancient dwellings, park your bum at a 1000 year old dining table, stand in ancient bedrooms, kitchens, common rooms all whilst enjoying amazing views over Cappadocia.

If you ever wanted to walk amongst the aliens on mars then this is your closest alternative. After 4 hours of non stop exploring we still hadn’t even touched the brim of what's on offer. So take WATER!!

Next.....Pamukkale.

"Got Milk"

Here lays an ancient roman city built on the side of a white-wash valley.

Where constant natural springs have transform the landscape into travertines and terraces of white carbonate minerals.

In other words....

Huge pools of miiiiilk. Sooo probs best to stay away if your lactose intolerant..

Pamukkale in Turkish translates to Cotton Castle. A name clearly derived from its silky cotton candy appearance. But user beware: It may look like a fluffy cloud but it's HARD as a rock..

For a small fee you can spend all day exploring this bizarre milky wonderland.

Dip in and out of calcium pools, bathe in hot springs or discover the ruins of the ancient roman city.

A world heritage site, Pamukkale’s natural spring waters have barely changed (well except maybe the addition of change rooms and a fast food canteen) but you can take pride in knowing you're bathing just like the romans did, exactly where the romans did. Ohhhhhhhhhhh yeahhhh..

There are just sooooo many amazing places to explore... Ephuses, Troy, Gallipoli, Dalaman, Antayla, the list is endless.

From vibrant cities, to abstract landscapes and ancient worlds. To stunning coastal beaches, to skii slopes and wintersports to towns driping in history. Turkey has a little something for every happy traveller.. It really is a Turkish delight!! Yep, I said it.... ;)

So why not, if you haven’t thought of visiting nows the time.

I gaurantee...

You'd be a turkey not to go....