My international trip after 8 years. On the 10th Sept 2022 , I landed in Instanbul. The excitement was at its peak. It was afternoon and we checked in at a hotel in the old town of Sultanahmet which was my base for three days in Istanbul.
After having lunch, I head out to watch the Dolmabache palace. We took the tram and stopped at Sirkeci station. We waited at the gates for our guide to arrive . Finally we entered and Voila – the architecture , grandeur and chandeliers were something your eyes cant seeing. This magnificent palace was built in the 1840’s and was the last palace build by the Sultans of the Ottoman Empire. The Dolmabahçe palace got its name from Turkish word Dolma which means filled and the Persian word bahce which means garden. It was the Last residence of the Ottoman sultans. The architecture of this palace has elements of Baroque, rococo and neoclassical styles . We saw the different rooms including the washroom and bathroom which were grand and made of marble . We also saw the huge Crystal Chandelier in the grand ceremonial hall which was said to be gifted by Queen Elizabeth .
By the time we finished it was sunset and view from the bosphorous strait was breathtaking. On my way back to the metro I had the local Turkish bread Yufka from one of the street stalls.
My 2nd day at Instanbul began with a guided tour to the popular monuments like Topkapi palace, Bascilica cistern , Blue mosque , Hagia Sophia and Theodosius Obelisk.
The Topkapi Palace is the largest palace in Turkey and served as the administrative centre of the Ottoman Empire from 1460s until the Dolmabahce palace started functioning .
The Basilica cistern, a 950 feet deep structure was built in the6th century during the Byzantine empire. It was the largest rainwater storage that lie beneath the city of Istanbul, now it’s a tourist attraction. Hagia Sophia was originally a Greek Orthodox Church and later changed into a mosque and museum . Theodosius Obelisk was imported from Egypt and is the oldest historical monument in Istanbul dating back 3500 years. Isn’tthat a lot for a day?
By the end of the day, I was exhausted but the lively atmosphere made me want to explore more as the city had some much to offer. On my way back to the hotel just outside the Sultanahmat tram station I stopped by a shop which had the most variety of Bakhlawa . I felt like a kid outside a candy shop – mesmerized and confused which one to pick.
On the 3rd day in Instanbul , the guide took us to the grand bazaar , imagine colaba causeway in Mumbai multiplied 10 folds. The Grand Bazaar as the name suggest is walking distance from the tram station – Beyazit Kapalicarsi. One of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world. There are high chances one can get lost both in shopping and in the market.
Later in the afternoon my sister joined me and I had already made a list of must visits for her since she had only few hours to spend in the city. I took her to the Grand bazaar to do some shopping . We ended the day doing some photography at the Galata bridge and and kept watching the sunset against the backdrop of the mosques. I walked up to take a closer look at the Galata tower and further up the Istiklal street. The place was bustling with people , shops on either sides ,restaurants and fewer taxis . And yes how can I forget the fun I had at the traditional Turkish icecream stall where the icecream vendor first plays a prank before handing over the icecream to you . Always wanted to do this.
Our next destination was Cappadocia , a city formed from rocks made of volcanic ash ejected from a vent during volcanic eruptions.
The first half went in traveling and by the time we reached our hotels we were famished. So we freshened up and sat to decide on a hotel to eat . I had heard a lot about the cave hotels . Was curious to see one . So we decided to have lunch at the Sultan cave hotel . Good food and good view. Besides we also took a tour of their cave rooms . In the evening we walked down the Goreme market . The streets had many ceramic and carpet shops. Resisted the temptation to buy as a lot was already purchased at the grand Bazaar. However shopping in these smaller cities is more economical . We ended the day by watching the sunset and doing some photography against the love valley.
Our 2nd Day in Cappadocia was the most exciting day which we looked forward from the time we planned the trip. We wake up as early at 4pm to reach the meeting point, had an early, well really early breakfast and hopped into the van to be taken to the spot where all the Hot air balloons were being prepared for take off. It has the best view for photography. Finally the time came when we boarded the balloon and up we went in the air . We went at a height of 1300 meters. Imagine the view. After landing we celebrated by having champagne. This was indeed the highlight of our trip.
We went back to the hotel and got ready for the next phase of adventure. A guided tour to some of the unique places. One of its kind was the Underground city at Kaymakli. These caves were build inside the soft portions of the volcanic rock. These underground settlements was used to protect from Muslim Arabs , Mongolians and Romans across different centuries. Next we saw the Fairy chimney valley and monk valley. These caves were handmade. It had living quarters, churches, stables and storehouses for monks and other inhabitants who stayed over millions of years. Our next site was the Pigeon valley . Around the 9th century pigeons were useful to the locals for various activities. Hence pigeon houses were carved into the soft tuff rock. Other places we visited were the Goreme open air museum and carikli (sandal) church and Selima monastery which is also the largest monastery in Cappadocia region. Later I walked down the first ever canyon – The Ihlara valley , a canyon formed by the Melendiz river. During 7th century AD , the Byzantine monks dug houses and churches out of the tuff stone. We saw some openings in the cave and were told that monks stayed there . Next we visited a gemstone centre where we saw gems that changed color with light falling on them. We ended the day with a pottery session. In Early days it was believed that a boy needed to know pottery to be able to get married and the girl learnt carpet weaving.
The best part about travelling is that it exposes you to different cultures, history and some mind blowing view and local food.
Talking about food, it was at our final desination Antalya that I found the authentic Turkish coffee – yes, the one prepared on hot sand. On the first day at Antalya, while walking through the main street, I spotted the shop which was selling Turkish coffee. After I got done with the guided tour to Kaleici – the old town and Duden falls and Marina bay , I returned to the shop and had their Turkish Coffee prepared in a copper vessel on hot sand. It was served with two cubes of Turkish delight on the side . For a coffee lover what more can one ask for. The 2nd day at Antalya was spent at the Konyaalti beach, soaking in the hot sun and blue waters. On my way back to the hotel , I finally fell for the beautiful carpets displayed and bought one.
For more pictures and videos please visit my Instagram handle @nagsharmista
