Finally Turkey

Getting to Turkey was no small matter. As nothing is ever as simple as it should be in Egypt, leaving also followed this. It was one of the most frustrating roundabouts I have ever been on to get out of Egypt. As I boarded my plane at 3:30 in the morning, I was happy and saddened as the final chapter of my Middle Eastern adventure was about to unfold. After an hour of sleep, I arrived in the breathtaking city of Istanbul. Here East truly meets West as European culture and Islamic mysticism blend in an enchanting metropolitan.


Here the Blue Mosque can be seen, one of the endearing modern symbols of Istanbul.

This is the new part of Istanbul where people shop, dine and lounge at cafes.

This is the inside courtyard of one of the mosques.

After five days in Istanbul, wandering and exploring, I decided I had to move on. The next stop was Selcuk, an old city famous for the ruins of Epheseus. Above is the library at Efes, the most impressive facade that remains.

Here is the remains of the Amphitheater. At one point Artemis' Temple, one of the seven ancient wonders, also was here, but now all that remains is a single pillar and it is completely unspectacular.

After the ruins I spent the day taking shots of flowers and animals, waiting for my night bus to Olympos.

Olympos was spectacular. Situated in a sleepy cove on the Mediterranean, this group of backpacker huts and treehouses is a real paradise. I could have stayed here all summer as the water was clear, the beaches beautiful and the air clean and fresh.


Despite the other guests, I felt secluded and free, able to totally relax. My days were spent hiking in the mountains, swimming in the Mediterranean and jumping off of cliffs.

This is a view of the coast from the cliff tops. I will come back here. It was that beautiful. But as with all things this too had to come to an end if I was going to make it to my final stop and reason for coming to Turkey, Cappadocia.