A week in Turkiye - Istanbul and Cappadocia

Resorts along the Bosphorus

After years of dreaming of a long Turkish vacation outside of Istanbul (I have been to Istanbul three times already), I finally got to explore Turkiye last year over two weeks. We spent time a week inland, in Istanbul and Cappadocia plus another week along the Turkish Riviera, in Kas and Cesme. And I loved the time I spent in the country. The history, the culture, the architecture, the richness, the mountains, the seas, the warmth, the people, the food, the roads; everything was outstanding. It was like the perfect vacation. Even writing about it brings all those amazing memories back to me. And now Turkiye is added to my list of favourite countries to travel to.

Overall itinerary:
Istanbul - 3 nights
Cappadocia - 4 nights
Antalya - 1 night
Kas - 3 nights
Cesme - 3 nights

Detailed itinerary for week 1:
Day 1: Land in Istanbul, stay at Ritz Carlton: Visit Taksim Square and Istiklal street in the evening
Day 2: Istanbul: Explore Old Istanbul (Sultanahmet area)
Day 3: Istanbul: Take Bosphorus tour up to Anadolu Karagi
Day 4: Drive to Cappadocia (8 hours), stay at Mosaic Cave hotel
Day 5: Cappadocia: Visit Kaymakli underground city, Ihlara valley trek and experience Turkish dinner
Day 6: Cappadocia: Visit Goreme panoramic point, Uchisar castle, Pigeon Valley and Urgup
Day 7: Cappadocia: Explore Goreme open air museum, Avanos pottery and Kizilirmak riverside walk
Day 8: Balloon ride in Cappadocia, drive to Antalya (7 hours), stay at Tara Dinc hotel
Day 9-15: Kas and Cesme along Turkish Riviera


Day 1: Land in Istanbul, stay at Ritz Carlton; Visit Taksim Square and Istiklal Street

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Bosphorus from the Ritz

n my first day in Istanbul, I landed quite late and reached the hotel only by late evening. The taxi ride to the hotel as usual was quite colourful and vibrant. There were loads of high rises all the way, with enough green areas in between to make the ride picturesque. The roads were wide, and people all around made the whole vibe quite inviting already.

As the Ritz is near the Istiklal area, we all just walked out of the hotel for dinner. It was a 15 mins walk to Taksim Square and all evening we explored the area around, a good start to the experience that is Turkiye. There was a new mosque at Taksim Square which had been under construction the last time I had visited. It was now all lighted up and people were just sitting around it in the square, doing nothing. 

We walked along the Istiklal street and it felt like suddenly we were in the middle of a festival. Even though I have been here multiple times, the street didn’t fail to enchant me, again. And it felt so amazing to be back in such a lively culture. Its liveliness even at 10 pm at night can beat any high street in Europe. Full of people walking around, having a nice time, eating, shopping and talking to each other. We did the same - walking around, checking out some local shops, buying some dry fruits and local sweets and just feeling alive.

We had dinner at a small local restaurant, in a covered area with painted ceilings and greenery all around. It was a Turkish restaurant and the food, especially the vegetarian fare was tasty. In addition, there were musicians there who were playing local music and making the guests dance. It was fun to just observe them dance away. And just like that, it got late by the time we came back to the hotel, sleeping much later than we are used to. The whole evening was just so vibrant, it felt like our Turkish holiday had begun.


Day 2: Explore Old Istanbul (Sultanahmet)

Istanbul as a city has so many layers of history and culture, its very difficult to explain it fully. It was the centre of the Christian Byzantine empire, and then became the centre of the Ottoman empire. Over the years, its location at the cross-roads of Europe and Asia meant it was always bustling, as a trading location and as a mixture of cultures. People from different parts of the world have made it their home, making is quite an interesting mix. It is home to the old and the new, the rich and the poor, Asian and the European, Christian and the Muslim and so on. And that’s what makes it a complete wonder – a city with so much to offer and show when it wants. I love Istanbul and every visit makes me fall even more in love with the city, its life, its vibrancy, its colour.

There is an old part of Istanbul – Sultanahmet - where the Ottomans lived and ruled. Then a Greek part which feels different, more trading oriented and posh. And of course the Asian part which is very chaotic. And all these parts are different, even though they are separated just by the Bosphorus. The lifeline of the city, the strait dividing and connecting Istanbul at the same time. Our first whole day in the city - from 11am to 6pm - was spent exploring the old town, Sultanahmet and its historical buildings – the Blue Mosque, Aya Sofya, Arasta Bazaar, Hippodrome, mini Aya Sofya, Grand Bazaar, Eminonu bazaars and Galata bridge – and they were a pleasure to experience.

We took a taxi to Sultanahmet and the driver took us around the waterfront to get there. The road goes all around the landmass and was perfect for people enjoying walking in the cool breeze. It was also new (and the start to all the new things I would notice around Turkiye on this trip). We got off at the waterfront and then walked up to the top to start exploring. As you walk in, you already start noticing all the old and antique buildings in this part of the city.

Our first stop was the park between the Blue Mosque and Aya Sofya. And they both looked grand, standing on either sides of the park. There were loads of crowds all around as it was the first summer open for travel after the pandemic. There were long queues for the Blue Mosque but it seemed to be moving faster, so we went in there first. It was being renovated inside though, so there were pillars everywhere and clothes covered all the paintings on the ceilings and the walls. So we didn’t really get to see its intricate paintings from the inside this time.

Aya Sofya

The Aya Sofya had an even longer queue. And it took us a while waiting in the sun to get in. The place had changed from the last time. When I had visited in 2007, it was a museum. And now it was a mosque. So the tickets were gone. You now had to take off your shoes when you go in. The interiors were fully carpeted now. And some people were coming in to pray, much lesser to just visit. There were more chandeliers inside, all lit up and looking gorgeous.. There seemed to be less of the Christian paintings than before (I saw only one when leaving). And now there was a separate area for men and women to pray, a place I had walked around before was closed to me now. It felt so incompatible with what I had experienced before, to come to a place many years later and find that its entire character had changed. But the outside looked the same as before – the Aya just sitting there grandly like an emperor, unmoved and untouched by what was happening around it.

We then started walking towards the Grand Bazaar through the small streets of Sultanahmet. It was an interesting though ordinary walk all the way. We first passed through the Arasta Bazaar right next to the Blue Mosque, and were totally smitten by all the exquisite handicrafts they were selling. I stopped at the mini Aya Sofya which is supposed to be the test model for the main church which was built later. It was decorated differently, with a lot of blue paintings inside.

We then passed by the Hippodrome which had the Obelisk and a few other mosques and older buildings around it. It looked quite grand and nice to walk through. It also felt newer or definitely better maintained now than before. We then kept walking through the interiors of the city till the Grand Bazaar.

Streets of Sultanahmet

We also passed by mosques every 10 meters. All with the typical blue roofs and unique designs. We also passed by many old imperial buildings, all telling the story of this ancient city. There were some old wooden houses on the way, some very old monuments around. There were so many bazaars too everywhere, it was all so lively and full of people. It was as if every turn in this area had its own history. There was a liveliness in the city which for me is forever the signature of Istanbul. It was bubbling with life at every turn. It was quite tiring too as the whole area is quite hilly, so you need to walk up and down quite a lot.

Lamps in the
Grand Bazaar

Then we reached the Grand bazaar and it was as enticing as ever. With the painted and covered ceilings. Except the really old part, which did not have a painted ceiling but sold the really antique stuff. And small shops everywhere selling all kinds of stuff – the gorgeous Turkish lamps, sweets, antique jewellery, pottery, handicrafts, clothes. Anything you name, it was there. Just so much stuff, in all colours. Exotic and quirky. It was quite a unique experience. And tiring too, so we stopped for some Turkish tea, and that is where my parents became fans of the local tea.

Egyptian Spice Market

Then we walked all the way down the hill to the Galata bridge, through the Eminonu bazaar area. Sometimes we glimpsed the sea through the lanes, and it was such a gorgeous sparkling blue. The rest was all crowded with everyone buying and selling all they have. We walked through the grand Misid Caruso Egyptian spice bazaar, which was a riot of colours and flavours. It was so vibrant, with so much stuff. And so crowded. 

Galata tower

We then reached the Galata bridge and walked along the seaside. The area was full of tourists taking ferries off to somewhere. And this was where we took a taxi to get back to our hotel. The day had been fun, to walk around everywhere and enjoy the refreshing air and the blue of the water everywhere. Even though the day was still to go, the riot of colours and people had been quite a lot already. And we were ready to call it a day earlier than usual.


Day 3: Istanbul: Bosphorus tour up to Anadolu Karagi

The next day, we spent exploring the Bosphorus. We took a local ferry from the Besiktas ferry terminal which was a 15 mins walk away from our hotel. We just walked there, past a big palace, and took one of the local ferries, riding all the way till almost the Black Sea, to the village of Anadolu Karagi. It was a 1.5 hours ride till Anadolu, and we kind of spent the whole day on this tour, there and back.

Along the Bosphorus

First of all, the ferry ride was quite majestic. Open air, all along the settlements along the deep blue Bosphorus. Past a few old forts and some ruins. Past small picturesque villages in hidden coves and large resort towns on the coast. Past luxurious wooden villas on the water, the holiday homes of the rich and the famous. Past deep green forests. And some sandy beaches. Past three huge bridges on the Bosphorus. With the blue waters below and the cool wind above, during the hot summer day. It was a spectacular ride.

Along the Bosphorus

The Bosphorus was busy with loads of ships going to and fro. And we stopped at a few places on the way to drop off passengers. When we were almost at the Black Sea, the ferry turned around and dropped us at the village of Anadolu Karagi. It was a small fishing village made up of colourful houses. A lot of tourists got off there with us, and started walking up to the castle. We started walking too, through the village and up the hill. There were lot of local fruit trees on the way, and we ate a few berries while walking up.

End of the Bosphorus

When we reached the top, we walked to the castle, which was essentially a historical lookout point for the Black Sea. It had some small ruins from those times, but the high point for me was the view from there – of the whole Black Sea (and potentially Ukraine) across it. The water was a deep blue, and the wind chilly. It was fun to sit there for a while, just staring at the vastness and absolute gorgeousness of the nature around.

View from Anadolu Karagi cafe

Then we spent some time getting snacks at the restaurant near the top which also had a break taking view of the Bosphorus on the other side, dotted with ships and lined with small villages on the side. The food there was mostly sea food which the village was famous for. It was quite calming to just sit there and enjoy the afternoon sun. After spending a few hours in the village, we walked back to the ferry for the ride back to Istanbul, which was as fun as the ride in.

Istanbul at night

And just like that, it was time to leave Istanbul. As always, it was fun to be back. This was my fourth visit to the city, and I was impressed with it again. It was quite busy when we went though it was hot and summer. Possibly because it was the year after the pandemic finished. Still wherever we went, some people were tourists but there were lot of locals too. At night, the lights of the city were always impressive, especially around the Bosphorus. The mosques on top of hills would sparkle like diamonds. It was also full moon time, and when the moon would rise above the Bosphorus, the city seemed very magical. With the big moon, the lighted mosques, the colourful bridges on the Bosphorus and the ships criss-crossing it.

Istanbul has a lot of things to do, it’s never possible to explore it fully. A few other things which were on my list but I couldn't get to were the Suleymaniya mosque and the Kadikoy area - maybe for the next time. Most things hadn’t changed from the last few times I had been there. Especially taxi drivers, lot of whom still cheat tourists. So one should always be careful when in Istanbul. One thing different from the last few times though was the number of Turkish flags everywhere. Flying on a flag post or just hung along some huge buildings - there were loads around, which I don’t remember noticing the last few times.


Day 4: Drive to Cappadocia (8 hours), stay at Mosaic Cave hotel

Today we spent most of the day driving from Istanbul to Cappadocia, and it was a nice introduction to the Turkish countryside. We left our hotel early morning to avoid the crazy Istanbul traffic we had heard about. We got onto the highway quickly and then drove through the Asian side. That drive was through a part of Istanbul full of sky high rises.

The roads all the way were outstanding. We took highways most of the time – the O7 and then the O4 - and they all looked like newly constructed roads. They were all toll roads too. We stopped on the way randomly, at a local eatery. It felt like a very simple eating place on the way. The first impression was not too encouraging, but we took the plunge and ordered some food. And we were pleasantly surprised. We ended up ordering multiple helpings of the food - it was so similar to what we eat in India – rice, pita bread, yoghurt and rajma. And it tasted just like Indian food too, especially the rajma. I think this is when my parents finally realised that Turkish food is something they would enjoy eating. At the stop, we also ran into people who had been driving all the way from Netherlands! It was quite far to be honest to drive, and impressive too.

The first half of the drive till Ankara was very green and through small mountains, lakes and forests. We also passed by some picturesque small villages in the valleys, with orange roofed houses. We then crossed Ankara which felt like it was located in the middle of nowhere. It was a huge spread out city, full of high rises and we just circled it and continued on.

After Ankara, the landscape became dry. The mud became a reddish colour, and it was all bare land everywhere. The drive was still interesting though, with all kinds of interesting bare landscapes. We stopped at a salt lake, the Toz Golu on the way. It was an expanse of white till wherever the eye could see. We had stopped there as it was on the way, and later realised that it was actually a tourist place.

Towards the end to Cappadocia, we missed a highway turn and ended up taking smaller roads which delayed us a bit. We did drive through a few small beautiful towns on the way which was nice. But we ended up taking 10 hours (with a 2 hours break) to reach Cappadocia instead of the planned 8.

Goreme National park is a huge area in Anatolia famous for its interesting dry and wind-eroded landscapes and the many rock and cave dwellings of the people who used to live here. The place is popular for hiking, sightseeing as well as the underground caves and painted churches there to explore. And of course for the popular balloon rides which cover the park when the weather is good. There are three main villages within the park – Goreme, Uchisar and Urgup. Some people stay within, in these villages while others stay in the villages nearby.

We were staying at Goreme, one of the villages within the National park. We reached the village around 7pm on the Saturday evening and were a bit overwhelmed by the tourist crowds. We found it tough to drive into the village to get to our hotel. And the whole experience did not have a good first impression on us. But once we reached our hotel and settled in, the place finally grew on us.

Goreme is one of the three cave villages which are located within the park. It is built along a small valley and goes all the way up the mountain. The narrow roads have been maintained well, making it easy to drive within the village. Even though the village was so old, it was very well planned and quite clean. It has a lot of restaurants and tourist guides there. So its always full of tourists, making it very lively at all times.

Goreme at night

It has a lot of cave houses which are very popular with tourists. I think all the houses had been turned into hotels, and some of them were quite fancy. The common joke is that the locals have all moved in to brick houses, while the tourists come and live in their old cave houses😁. The village also has a lot of fairy chimney dwellings, giving it a charming and magical look. The views of the village were gorgeous and it felt great to just sit there and have your meals once the lights would turn on in the village. 

There were also loads of Indians in Cappadocia, as it’s a popular tourist spot in the country. And so the first day, we went and ate an Indian meal at India Gate. It was quite an average restaurant, but it still felt amazing to eat Indian food in a foreign land. And the village looked gorgeous from there – it was scintillating at night, with all the yellow caves and houses shining in the night light.


Day 5: Cappadocia: Visit Kaymakli underground city, Ihlara valley trek and have Turkish dinner

Today was a full day spent exploring the area around and one of my favourite days on this trip. We started with a breakfast at our hotel, with a view of the cave houses around and it was a soothing start to the day. We first drove to Kaymakli, which is an underground city of 8 floors! It could house up to 30 thousand people at a time, and had been fully hand carved over many years. People used to live in this underground city while hiding from invaders. It had been abandoned and lost to the world for many years and was only recently re-discovered.

Kaymakli underground city

When we walked in, I had a moment of claustrophobia where the thought of going 8 floors deep into the earth felt nauseating. But I convinced myself to go in. And my mind was blown away by how well it had been crafted. There were hallways and small rooms everywhere, corridors through which you could walk through the floors and the rooms. It was like a whole world in itself. There were loads of tourists that day, and we avoided big crowds. But surprisingly once inside, it did not feel as claustrophobic as I had imagined. There was fresh air coming in, through multiple vents that had been very intelligently made. And there was a lot of natural and some artificial light too. Its quite a wonder how this underground city was built so well, with so much space, light and fresh air.

There were churches, kitchens, wine storage areas, grain storeyards, stables and what not, everything that you could need. In fact there were a few floors just for keeping and rearing animals. Even now, only 3-4 of the floors have been fully excavated, and the rest are still in various stages of uncovering. We explored a few of the floors underneath and came out quite amazed to see what humans are capable of.

The new Kaymakli town

When we came out, we walked to the top of the mound, and it looked like a small mud hill from the top. All around it was a modern town with normal houses. And just tens of feet from it was Kaymakli, a huge city so completely hidden that no one could have guessed this place could house 30 thousand people within it, going all the way down 8 floors. Apparently there are many such other underground cities around, Derinkuyu being another such big one. And some 150-200 smaller such settlements in the area around. So now when we were driving to the next place, I kept looking for such hidden cities 😉. Finding none though.

Wheat fields

Our next stop was a ride away, the Ihlara valley. It was quite a long drive away, through some gorgeous fields, landscapes and towns. This was quite an agriculture predominant area, with yellow sunflower fields, wheat fields and black gram fields all the way. In fact we got out of our car and picked some fresh kale chane too, which we ate over the next few days. We drove past some small nice towns too, all charming in their own way, and we easily could have stayed in one of these less crowded places.

Ihlara village

And then we came to Ihlara village which is located along a canyon. There were some new houses and some old cave houses in the village, all on the top of the canyon. We got some gorgeous views of the village at the edge of the canyon there – it was quite a picturesque place. We walked along a the canyon a bit, admiring its beauty.

Ihlara canyon from the top

If you go down to the bottom of the canyon along the river, you can hike for 19kms from Ihlara on one end to the Selime monastery on the other. And the marking all along was very good. We hiked only a part of it, from Ihlara to Beliserma. And it was outstanding. First the valley was green all along the river. And then there were old caves in the mountains all along. Apparently those were all parts of the monasteries here, and Christian monks used to live there and pray. Some of those caves were so high up in the canyon walls, it was difficult to imagine how the monks got up there.

Church frescoes

Church frescos

The monks of the valley also carved and painted some gorgeous churches in the cliff walls. There were loads of these ancient painted Byzantine churches all along the way. I visited four of these, the Daniel Pantonassa church, Kırkdamaltı Kilisesi (the St George church), the Jacinth church and the Serpentine church. Each of these still had some painted frescos on the walls and the ceilings. Just walking in to see them felt like we had come to a different era.

Ihlara valley

And the hike along the river was through shrubs and greenery, it was all very fresh and green. We stopped at a cafe on the river, which was another highlight of the day for me. The café had small tents right in the middle of the river. And you could sit in the carpeted tents, with your feet in the river, enjoying the food and drinks. It was fascinating to be there.

 

Beliserma village

We ended our hike at Beliserme, which was an easy spot as the cars came all the way till the bottom of the valley. Driving out from this spot, we again passed by some drop-dead gorgeous villages, with old cave houses lining the edges of the canyon. It was like we were driving through a different era all together. And then we drove back to Goreme, again passing through many villages with cave houses. It’s like they were everywhere here, everyone liked to live in them😊.

Cafe in the river

Our last stop of the day was a Turkish dinner at Evranos. There are many such restaurants arranging Turkish dinners at night, and this was in the town of Avanos. It was in a building which had a cave-like appearance. They served many courses of traditional Turkish food. And all through the night, there were folk dances happening in the podium. 

There was a group of dancers who did a few of their local dances, including showcasing a wedding in this area. They were all lively performances. And then there was a Dervish swirl performance which was quite hypnotic. The dances ended with a belly dancer who got a lot of the guests to also dance in the end. All in all it was quite an active evening and we loved it. The food and the performances were all outstanding. And even though it may seem too typical, too touristy I would recommend the Turkish dinner to anyone visiting Cappadocia.


Day 6: Cappadocia: Goreme panoramic point, Uchisar castle, Pigeon Valley and Urgup

Goreme panoramic point

Today again we spent the day exploring some of the nearby places in the National Park. We first drove to the Goreme panoramic point, which is above a cliff with a 270 degrees view of the park around, the cliffs, the cave houses, the fairy chimney and all the natural wonders around. This place looks a lot more picturesque when the balloons are around, though today was impressive too.

Then we hiked up from the main road to Uchisar Castle, which was the castle at the neighbouring village. The way Goreme was located in the valley, Uchisar was on a hill top. We ended up taking an off the beaten track to walk from the main road to the city up top and walked through some old cave houses and chimney fairies. It was interesting to see how all these rock structures had been converted into places to stay. We even walked in to one of these houses, where the owner had converted the place into a café and hotel. He showed us the inside, also mentioning that he had been born in the same cave house. It was so airy and cool, the perfect place to stay in such a hot climate.

While walking up to the castle, we also picked up some peaches from the trees on the way. They were so ripe and sweet, we ate them over the next few days. We also saw some tomato plants as well as a small tortoise on the hike up. Turkiye does have a lot of local fruits and small animals everywhere, it’s still so wild and raw even now.

Pigeon valley

We walked through the pigeon valley where apparently the pigeons were kept. This area has so many fairy chimneys, it was very surreal. And then we reached the village up the hill, Uchisar. It was quite a big city, with panoramic views all around. And the castle felt haunted given the way it had been carved. This castle was a popular place for people to hide when they faced attack. And now the castle can be seen from anywhere, even from far off. We walked a bit through its ruins and bought some of the dried fruits being sold around, they are everywhere.

Cave hotels near Urgup

After walking back down Pigeon Valley, our next stop of the day was the village of Urgup. We stopped on the way at a nice view point, but it was too windy to stay there longer. We kept driving on and stopped near the Esbelli cave hotel. We walked a bit around that area. If anyone comes to visit, I would suggest them to live here. It was quieter and a bit away from the noise of the Goreme area. There were such nice hotels to stay here. We then drove to Urgup and loved it too, such a nice, clean and spacious place to stay. Anything felt better than the crowded Goreme we had picked 😊.

We came back to Goreme early that day by 630 pm. And then we explored our own village. Goreme looked really nice at night, with all the lights on. It felt like out of a fairy tale. We walked to another Indian restaurant, Namaste Indian for our meal and really liked the food there.


Day 7: Cappadocia: Goreme open air museum, Avanos pottery and Kizilirmak riverside walk

Today it wasn’t as warm as the other days, it was actually a very pleasant day. We had been booking a balloon ride for the past few days but it kept getting cancelled including this day as it was quite cloudy. So we spent the day exploring around some more. We first went to the Goreme open air museum. This area was quite a hub of activities and had some nice shops and handicrafts also nearby. It had some very nice pretty churches, 6 of them. I walked around them for a while. The Buckle church which was outside on the main road had some gorgeous blue paintings on the ceilings. I liked the Sandal church, Dark church and the Apple church too. The rest were just about ok. 

There were a lot of similar kind of places to visit in Goreme still (like the Red Valley with sunset point, Devrent and Pasabagi monks valley, and Cavusin with its 2 famous Byzantine churches), but we had got bored of the same kind of activities everyday. So for the last day, we did something different. We drove to the nearest city, to Avanos.

Avanos ceramics

We first stopped at a pottery shop as this city is famous for its pottery. And the pieces there were so exquisite! So detailed, so artistic. It was tough to pick something and not the rest. We bought a few pieces finally, and were amazed at their quality. My father also tried his hand at making a few pottery pieces. It was a nice experience.

 

Along the river

Then we went to the river, Kizilirmak and walked around it. It had a few parks and cafes next to it. Lot of people were boating in the river too. We walked in the park and had lunch at Mado café. It was a very relaxing afternoon next to a river in warm weather. And felt nice to take it easy one day. And when we came back to Goreme, we had dinner again at the Indian place, Namaste India, closing out our stay at Cappadocia.


Day 8: Balloon ride in Cappadocia, drive to Antalya (7 hours), stay at Tara Dinc hotel; Stops at Sultanhani caravanserai and Lara beach

We had been booking the famous Cappadocia balloon rides for the last 3 days. And they had been cancelled 3 times because of strong winds. We finally managed to get some tickets for the ride on our last day in Cappadocia. So we woke up before sunrise and went to Cavusin valley where even before dawn there were 100s of balloons in the sky, ready for the ride. It was quite a magical sight to see at dawn, all these balloons being filled with air and the air of anticipation all around.

Balloon ride

And then we took off in a group of about 21 people in one balloon. The balloons take off one after the other and even touch each other initially. Ours then took us up very high when we could see over the whole valley and the 100s of other balloons. Colourful and patterned ones. The captain brought us down very close to the ground and just like that you keep floating for around an hour. It was quite a magical sight, especially as the sun’s first light came about. We could see all the natural formations all around, and even our villages far off, Goreme and Uchisar. We also saw so many people doing horse riding and other such activities down below.

In the balloon

We also had a very interesting landing where some people had to pull us towards the right spot to land. Thankfully we made it down safe and sound, totally excited after the ride. It was quite nice to do this activity so early in the morning. And then the whole day was still ahead. Overall it was nice to finally do the balloon ride. And we also saw why Goreme was so popular to stay, it looked fabulous all around with the 100s of balloons dotting the sky – its one of the experiences Goreme is popular for.

Anyways then it was time to leave Cappadocia. It had been a nice relaxing stay for us. I think if you are fond of hiking and nature, there is a lot to offer in the area. Lot of activities everywhere. But if not, then it can get a boring to stay here long.

After the balloon ride we started our long drive to Antalya. First we drove through some dry areas which were clearly not very rich. You could see that the wealth in the area had dropped from the other route we had driven on. On the way we stopped at Caravanserai, which was an old resting place from the silk route times, which had recently been renovated. We also walked through the local market next to it which was selling some really exquisite handicrafts.

After this, the landscape changed to mountains which were gorgeous. The drive was through green areas, through valleys and hills. We stopped at a few local places on the hilly way to eat our meals. The road here was a 4 lane road and a pleasure to drive on. Then we got onto the coastal road which was extremely busy. There was just so much traffic there as it was summer and apparently all the Turkish people come to the Riviera then. So we took an internal road to get to our hotel, which was all along the sea. It had nice parks next to it and gave a sea resort kind of vibe. The weather got warm by now, it was 35 degrees and driving along this road we saw all the grand resorts along the sea which Antalya is famous for.

Lara beach at night

We checked in to the Lara Dinc hotel, which was very basic, simple and sweet. It was located in almost a residential area with lot of high rise apartments near it. And we could see the flights landing from there all day, there were just so many! It was near the Lara beach and we walked there in the evening to eat. It was so full of people, even at 10pm! It was so warm even at night, in the 30s, it felt amazing. There were not a lot of good food options there though, so we just ate at a local café on the beach and called it a night as we had some more driving to do the next day too.

Continued (part 2)...

Short work trips to European cities

In 2019, I had to make a couple of short work trips to some cities in Europe (and around). As they were for work, I spent most of my time between the hotel, office and the airport. But I did manage to snatch a few hours here and there to go outside, explore a bit of the city and walk around. And it felt awesome. At least I got some feel of the world outside, even if just for a few hours 😊. And so here are snippets of what I saw during my few hours outside, in Istanbul, Cairo, Asturias, Madrid, Dusseldorf and Milan.


Two days in Istanbul

I was in Istanbul for two days for a conference and I must say, even the two days were enough for me to again fall in love with the depth and variety of experiences in Istanbul. As soon as you land here, you feel a vibrancy in the air, which is difficult to explain. My flight landed past midnight but still I could see the city, alive at night all the way till the hotel. With its low and high lights, its teeming millions in the streets, the small hills in between and the mosques on top of those. Just the drive in brought back all the energy to explore the city all over again...

Our take-off point

The first day, we had a yacht ride on the Bosporus. We got into the yacht from one of the palaces on the side, and then were in the water for the next few hours. We went up and down the Bosporus during this time, almost till the end. The weather was sunny and warm. The sky a deep blue, dotted with clouds. And there was something very heavenly about the whole surrounding, the deep blue Bosporus on a sunny summer day. I remember thinking, that this is life, this is what bliss must feel like.

Holiday homes on the side

As we floated on the Bosporus, we initially passed by the busy city, then all the mosques looking majestic, on top of the hills. Then came some forts on the banks. And then many grand houses on the sides of the Bosporus, which looked like holiday homes. It just felt so relaxing, fun and uplifting. Just to be there. And seeing all I did on the boat ride encouraged me to read about Istanbul when back in London.

Then we walked back to our hotel, taking in the colours and life of the city. It felt like such a vibrant place with so many layers. You walk past high end shops, then roadside vendors, then a green park, then a mosque and then the Bosporus. Everywhere there are people, smiling and going on with their lives. Everyone with a different story to tell.

In the evening, I was to meet a friend near Galata Tower, and decided to take the public transport there. So I first took a tram and reached a bridge. There I got out and saw a guy selling the Indian butta, which I wanted to buy. But I decided to then take the train up the hill to Galata, called Tunel. This slow moving one stop train takes you up the hill to the Galata tower. At the Galata, we had dinner at a market place, with green plants growing all around, bringing a lot of coolness to the restaurant. And there were lots of people sitting around just chatting. I loved it all again, I don't know why.

We then walked on Istaklal street, doing a bit of window shopping and then went in to a restaurant to sit on the terrace and eat Baklava. The Baklava were too heavy to eat a lot, but from the terrace, we got a good view of the street at night. It was so active even so late. So clearly nothing much has changed since I was here last, in 2006...

Blue Mosque at night

At night we saw the Galata tower and the blue mosque. And both looked scintillating. We also walked to the Galata bridge on top of which people were fishing. And under the bridge, there was a long line of restaurants, each with a brilliant view on the Bosporus. The restaurants had people standing outside, trying to lure in tourists. We sat there at one of those for a bit, just enjoying the feeling of being between Europe and Asia, with a grand water body below and the vibrant city around.

Istaklal street at night

While walking back, we saw people on Istaklal street late through the night. And shops were open even at 1 am! There were some people begging and a few singing on the sides. It was tough to get by with English though. As the shops were open so late, I bought some Turkish sweets and finally said goodnight to such a long day in such a vibrant city.

The next morning, after our morning sessions, we had a few free hours before our flight. So we decided to walk till the Hagia Sofiya. We couldn't reach there as we got lost a few times 😊. But we did experience Istanbul again. The streets sometimes feel rich, sometimes have a European feel with outside sitting, sometimes feel Middle Eastern and sometimes just feel downtrodden. And all of it exists right next to each other. People are different everywhere and seem to be from different countries and backgrounds. And all seem to be going somewhere.

I finally got to the butta place again and bought butta. It turned out that the vendor was Pakistani, and he spoke to me in Urdu. So clearly Indian style butta isn't made by anyone else! Anyways, after randomly exploring the city and never reaching the Hagia, we came back to our hotel to be off to London. It even started raining while we were going to the airport, just after it was so hot and sunny all day. The city never fails to surprise me. Flying out of Istanbul was a bit of a surprise though, given how many security checks you need to go through! I had to go through 3 baggage checks and 3 passport checks before I got to the plane. Clearly, things are more fragile here than I remember from before.

Anyways, I was so impressed by this visit that I came back and read two books about Istanbul. It is such a deep and layered city, with so many cultures merging in a mosaic, it always feels like a mystery to be understood and solved. Again and again.


An evening in Cairo

My work trip to Cairo was one of the shortest ever. I barely got 24 hours outside the airport - I landed there early morning and flew out the next morning. From the air, I could see how huge the whole city was. The lights extended till where my eyes could see. Apparently 30% of Egypt's population stays in Cairo and around.

Once I landed there, it felt like having come to a different place. Everything was written in Arabic and it was not as easy to get by with English. I got an on arrival visa at the airport from one of the bank stalls and then in 10 mins, I was out of immigration. It looks like the airport is open all night, unlike European airports which shut down at night. I was staying in the airport hotel itself given the early flight timings and took a hotel shuttle rather than walking there, which was convenient. The hotel though could have been anywhere in the world, it didn't feel like I was in Cairo at all.

The first half of the day, I was in the New Cairo part of the city. It was very near the airport and felt like any other modern financial centre. The traffic felt much busier, but more on that later. After my meeting, I had a few hours left in the evening and decided to make a rush for the Giza pyramids, to at least see something of the city as I was there. The pyramids are on the other side of New Cairo, in the city of Giza, and traffic getting there is expected to be bad. I was discouraged to try to see the pyramids, but I did anyways.

Yellow houses of Cairo

It took me almost an hour to get there and it was quite an interesting drive. I could see the desert everywhere, all yellow and empty rocky landscape outside the city. Inside of course, the city was very densely populated. The driving wasn't that bad, as there are a few highways which literally take you over the city of Cairo, to Giza. It was all so crowded everywhere and you could see the city below the highways. Shops, houses and narrow lanes. Filled with people. And in between, I saw some very pretty mosques and churches.

There were high rises everywhere. All in yellow. It felt like a sea of houses everywhere I could see. It was almost like a bombardment of yellow on the eyes. But lot of these buildings looked only partly completed. They all had this yellow sandy shade to it and felt as if stuck in time. People were staying in them, but they had not been completed. I am guessing those were the poorer parts of town.

On the way, I also drove over the deep blue waters of the Nile. And realised why it is known as the lifeline of Egypt. It was all so green and alive next to it, while the rest of the city was so yellow. There was also something spiritual about the Nile, something worth exploring on a longer trip to the country.

The pyramids

I reached the pyramids much later than I expected and they were closed. So I was only able to look at them from the outside. As grand and magical as they looked, with the setting sun behind them, I do think they lost a bit of their shine as they are literally inside the city. But their grandness and peacefulness was quite impressive. Standing as testament to the movement of time... I had been super warned to stay away from the hustlers there, so I avoided going into any of the shops I around. I found a Pizza Hut right in front and walked up to the third floor to get a good view of the pyramids. And the view from there is something I would totally recommend.

View from Pizza hut

After this quick view, we drove through the city to come back. By then, the sunny and warm day had also turned colder, just like it happens in the desert. Inside the city, we drove next to the promenade next to the Nile, which was very active again. Lots of people were walking there in the cool air, and the road was lined with tens of nice restaurants. I drove by Tahrir Square too which didn't really have much. But I could see all the liveliness there. My drivers didn't speak English well and were surprised when I wanted to stop and see things on the way, like walk next to the Nile and eat at one of the restaurants there. They kept discouraging me and just kept driving me around!

I was surprised by how much everyone was scared of driving into the city, as if the traffic would dissolve them! The distances surely are huge. You can keep on driving and still be barely far from where you started. But it wasn't as bad as I expected. Definitely better than Bombay traffic 😀.

For dinner, we went to the Lakeside club which was in New Cairo. Driving there I saw how different New Cairo was to the old city. It had very wide roads, green trees all around and houses which looked like palaces. And the restaurant was next to a swimming pool surrounded by lights. The food was good, but again the restaurant could have been anywhere in the world. Its not fun to eat at such modern places when you are in an ancient place like Egypt. I would definitely like to see more of the country and its culture sometime. But Cairo I may want to stay away from 😊. I found it very tiring somehow, don't know why.

At the airport in the morning, I saw some people wearing the choga, but not a lot. So it felt like I was in the Middle East. And I saw men kissing when greeting each other, which was super weird. Anyways the trip ended quite quickly, but I am happy that I saw something of the city, and not just the hotel, airport and office!


A weekend in Oviedo, Asturias

The trip to Oviedo was a personal trip to attend a wedding. So it wasn't work but it was still very busy and I wasn't able to see much of the area. I loved what I saw of it though. And plan to go back sometime for sure 😊.

Asturias is a principality in the north of Spain, neighbouring Galicia and Portugal in the west, and Santander and Basque country on the east. It has the coast and the mountains on either side and boasts of a different heritage and weather from the rest of Spain. For one, it is always cold and rainy there. It is greener than the rest of Spain. And the people here have Celtic origins and believe in some different motifs and symbols.

There are two main towns in the region, Gijon and Oviedo, and both share the same airport. While landing at the airport, I saw the area around the sea, and it looked fabulous. I could see the sea waves lashing against the cliffs, the clouds on the top and this huge green area in between. The whole area had small green hills, dotted with wooden houses like in Switzerland, but colourful like in Italy 😊. The colours looked resplendent against each other, and very welcoming.

After landing, it was a one hour drive to Oviedo which was through stunning countryside. It was sad though that the entire three days I was there, it was raining very heavily. So we could not explore much of the outside but I could see its potential for sure. Oviedo looked like a nice quiet modern town. And you can see high snow covered mountains all around. No wonder, this place was cooler and greener, very different from the Spain across those mountains.

The first evening, we had an event at a traditional Asturian cider place. They are famous for their apple cider, made from apples grown locally. The place had a very fun and casual feel about it. With huge barrels kept like decoration, inside the restaurant. And the apple cider was served by the waiters in the traditional manner, after tossing it into the glass from a height, so that it splashes everywhere. It was fun to see this show before every glass being served 😊.

View from Meres Palace

The wedding next day was at the Meres Palace which was a lovely venue. It also suddenly stopped raining that day which was welcome, as we got to see the lovely bright countryside for a bit. The views from there were stunning. Of green mountains, orchards, beautiful wooden colourful houses on the hills and so on. All around it, it had apple orchards (for the cider 😜) and within the Palace, they had a chapel, a lovely ballroom and a grand interior to host the wedding. They also had amazing food and of course the traditional apple cider, being served by the waiters in the traditional manner. We had a great fun time at the wedding. I also noticed that everyone here dressed up in much more subtle colours and clothes, even to weddings. Especially given how much being an Indian I love colours, everyone around felt very very sober 😊.

The chapel

The next day we had some time, so we walked a bit around town as there were some places to see. But it was raining so much, that we just stopped and had lunch at La Corte de Palayo. Which turned out to be an amazing choice. The food there was outstanding. And I must say, Asturians love their food. They have so many tasty dishes, even vegetarian. Both at the wedding, in the restaurant and my friends place, the food was so yummy and tasty. I loved it!

And very soon it was time to leave. I found Asturias to be very different from the rest of Spain that I have visited. People are very friendly here. And happy. As family living is still quite a large part of their life. Its tough to get by with English though. Its definitely a place am coming back to sometime.


Two days in Madrid

Lunch at the casino

I spent two days in Madrid recently on a work trip. The first day was at the conference in a museum - Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando. It was an impressive location. We explored the museum a bit between sessions and the paintings were impressive. Our lunch and dinner was at the Casino de Madrid nearby, which was even more grand. The lunch room was gorgeous, with its painted roof and huge chandeliers. And the dinner on the terrace was lovely, with cool wind blowing all around and a view of the bustling street below.

View of Madrid streets

During the day, we took a quick break and walked out in the sun to the Sol market place. The area was quite charming, with small streets, boutique shops, painted buildings, and lot of street artists in the square. Some of the street artists tableaus were much better than I have seen elsewhere. And it was so hot and sunny, it felt awesome to just walk outside. At night, we walked to one of the party areas near our place and spent some time at Salmon Guru. All around, the place was very active, and full of people even after 11 pm.

The next day, after the conference, I spent a few hours with a friend where we walked around the Central area. We also walked to one of the local markets and saw the local fish being sold. Madrid has such a green and open feel to it, with its wide tree-lined roads, its sun and its laziness. I always miss this in London. And there is so much to do in the city too. I feel it is not really a touristy place but a stay-worthy city.


An evening in Dusseldorf

I spent a couple of days in Dusseldorf on work where I barely got to see the city. But one of the evenings, I had a few hours to explore the place, and I liked what little I saw. I walked to the central area where I walked around the cobbled streets of Altstadt. There were lots of shops and restaurants there and some churches and other grand buildings. It felt like the downtown of the town.

Houses on the Rhine

The highlight for me though was the walk along the Rhine river. From Alstadt, I just walked to the river and walked along it for a kilometer. It was a sunny day and people were siting outside at one spot enjoying concert music in the sun - such a European thing to do.

As I walked along the promenade, I was impressed by the huge houses on the other side of the river and the greenery there. Plus the row of trees all along the river. It felt like a lazy calm place where walking along the river feels like coming to a different place altogether. I enjoyed the calmness of the city, and again felt that it is a non-touristy, but worth-staying-in kind of place.

Summer concert

The Promenade

A couple of hours in Milan

The carving

Milan was a very short and busy work trip for me. I only got 2 hours before my flight to explore the town, and so I took a tram to go to the Duomo, the Cathedral. The Duomo is the heart of Milan, everything is concentrated around it. All shops around are named after it. And that's the place everyone tells you to go to if you have time in the city.

The stained glass

I have been to Milan before and have seen the Duomo before too. But this time, I went inside and was amazed by its grandeur and detailed work. I especially loved the stained glass windows inside. They were huge with some very detailed work on them. And the carvings on the outside are fabulous anyways. It suddenly got sunny for that one hour we were there and it felt like the Duomo was suddenly shining...

We also then walked into the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele arcade nearby and that was shining too. All the gold paintings and lighting all around. And I left Milan again feeling how grand even a market in Europe can be...