Good bye to Turkey

Looking back at my pictures and memories of Turkey, I want to thank everyone who made the journey so wonderful. Thank you to Bryan DeLeo who first said the week in Istanbul with Road Scholar was his favorite. Then, thanks to Kazim Uzunoglu, who thoughtfully organized all our time touring on our own. Thanks to Marty Kinsley my partner in energetic, enthusiastic adventure. 

Thanks to all the people we encountered, Turks and fellow travelers; for the amazing history remaining; the turquoise waters; Orhan Pamuk; the complex, rich culture we loved. And to everyone who made my trip possible, I am grateful. Helen

gule gule

KIlim at the Lighthouse

Relaxing at the Lighthouse

Herd of goats on the road to Ucagiz.

More kilim

Goodbye to Turkish friends, 

Another cliffside coastal drive, then a boat ride to our island.

A stop at the Lycian ruins at Patara.

Goats and herders on the road.

The view from our terrace.

Our Lighthouse in the Mountains

 The drive from our gulet included a stay at Dalyan and a great little museum in Fethiye.

An adventurous drive in our Fiat to our lighthouse accommodations in the mountains.

Embroidered boots on display in Dalyan.

 A Crusader Knight?

overlooking the pool on the mountainside

 Just resting after the drive.

German friends at breakfast.

Seven Days on the Aegean

Amazing new friends-2 Canadians, Portuguese couple, 3 Americans. Wonderful food & water!

Lycian tombs 2400 years old on the river where they filmed The African Queen.

Bodrum

Just one Arabian night & day in Bodrum and ready to board the gulet for a week.
Unbelievable views of the Aegean, fish and breakfast from the same.

Pictures later...

Our Day at Ephesus

After a fortifying breakfast at Nisanyan House, we spent the day at Ephesus.

The Library

Great calligraphy 

Hadrian's Gate

Moving to the country...

Today we flew to Izmir, rented a car and drove to our place in the country near Ephesus. It looks like Tuscany and Greece, in a Turkish sort of way. 

The marble infinity pool by our cottage.

Old farm implements ??? Saw these on our walk after dinner.

Last Day in Istanbul

We had to go back to Hagia Sophia before we left. And it was worth it. 

Then we finally found Orhan Pamuk's Museum of Innocence, based on his novel of the same name, in a neighborhood near his home. It is an art installation movingly depicting the context and obsession of the love Kemal has for Fusun.  The exhibit is moving and original. It could only be in Istanbul.

Beautiful views and Vittles

From the Byzantine Galata Tower and it's views of the Bosphorus to Ciya in the Asian district of Istanbul, we ate our way to satisfaction and more.

People and places

Our leader Reyan, passionate Turk and Istanbuli.

The Greek Patriarchate church in Istanbul, center of the Greek Orthodox Church.

Emily Johnson, American friend teaching in Istanbul.

Sinan gem, the Rustem Pasha Mosque.    

Tourists in town.

Holidays and Holy Days

 Children happily preparing for Khitan or the Islamic male circumcision rite of passage.Hmmm.

Seventh century Chora church with amazing 12th century mosaics.