Random hands welcoming me to Istanbul.
The Galata Tower, beautiful.
So many recycled stone pilliars and columns all from different historic periods, even medusa's head!
Huge fish were swimming around in the pools that have been here for centuries.
They covered over all of the tile mosaics, this is a revealed peace where the plaster got removed.
Cats, everywhere.
View from the european side looking out over the water at asia.
The tower is the
Galata Tower, the one earlier in this series of pics.
Time for a wonderful lunch of meze, or small plates, Turkey's answer to tapas.
We hung out long enough we got free fruit plate and tea.
Raki is clear and turns a milky white when you add water. It's Licorice in flavor, like ouzo but you will never get a Turk to admit that they are even remotely similar.
Welcome to
Göreme, beautiful city in the middle of Turkey that is home to some of the oldest dwellings in history of man.
Those cave's that were carved out of the rock, yeah,
we stayed in one. It was amazing, but those ancient people, they were short. Erin is like 4 in shorter than me, and she had to duck going in.
Tree covered in bags.
Turkeys in Turkey!!
Graves.
Ancient Church.
Perspective on the cliff dwellings, those trees are about 50 ft high. And the pigeon roosts below, they are on the left of the above pic. This place was vast to say the least.
This lovely condo features two floors and a view!
Complete with family dining table, hand carved.
If the Turks think it needs a handrail, lookout, it's probably not the safest place. Definitely not to code.
Actual remains in a grave.
Erin's dinner was baked in a clay pot.
Early morning sunrise on our way to fly in a HOT AIR BALLOON!!
Erin and John. We just met John, he was nervous and asked a lot of questions you don't really want to know the answer to while floating in a basket 4,000 feet above some pointy rocks.
We survived the ride, landing in the back of a trailer and then they gave us champagne.
Our cute pilot.
Sinners at Dinner, drinking Turkey's finest wine.
Rainbow over Goreme.
Cute puppies at the hotel. Turks don't like dogs, but these cuties were left in the care of an American who ran the hotel. The one on the left bit my thumb while I was feeding him.
Our hotel.
The neighborhood.
Pigeons living in the roosts centuries later.
Ceramics studio, in a cave, underground, rocking it
Cappadocia style.
That's me. I am small compared to these things, but then, who wouldn't feel a bit small here?
That cave up there, ^, I climbed in it and this is the view from inside one of the windows.
Can you see the hand? ^^^ It's coming for you.
REALLY OLD CASTLE. England has nothing on this place.
Tea Time.
Erin told me she didn't have a cat. I think she lied.
This is where I spread Aurelia's ashes, in the
Sea of Marmara, bridging the gap between Europe & Asia.
This is where we had our last dinner, on the underside of the bridge facing Asia, eating fresh seafood, listening to the call to prayer, watching the sun set on a beautiful vacation.
The best place to grab a drink, meet new friends, and soak in all that is Istanbul,
Istiklal.
Hot Air Balloon Ride Video.
Last night, call to prayer.
