Meanderings Abroad – Page 6 – Creative Meanderings

Spring Break 2014: Days 1 & 2

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Mar 302014

Spring break has begun! Without wasting any time, I was on a plane to Japan to catch up with my BFF. 😉

P joined me for the flight over as she is on her own tour of Japan and we had the first night to hang out. J had everything prepared for me to relax and settle in before we whirled out to Roppongi for dinner and some night-time cherry blossom viewing.

Pre departure at AD airport27-Mar-2014 20:31, Apple iPhone 5s, 2.4, 2.15mm, 0.042 sec, ISO 400

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Arrived!!

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28-Mar-2014 21:39, Apple iPhone 5s, 2.2, 4.12mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 2500

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Yesterday, we had a mini Willamette/TIUA reunion BBQ, which was a lot of fun. We hadn’t seen each other in years!

WUReunion_Springbreak2014

What's wrong with this picture?29-Mar-2014 17:39, Apple iPhone 5s, 2.2, 4.12mm, 0.025 sec, ISO 32

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Although it’s been a busy two days; it has been like being ‘home’ again. My heart is full!

-T 😀

A Retreat for One

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Feb 052014

I knew that I was going to need some serious down time for just me after the move and everything. So, I booked a two-night stay at Anantara’s Qasr Al Sarab out in the South-Western region of Abu Dhabi.

As described, it is truly a desert resort. I loved it!

On the first night I booked a hammam treatment at their Anantara’s Spa. It was so nice and great to have fresh skin again. It felt as if I was cleaning away the past and making a fresh new beginning. 🙂

Then, the second night, I booked a signature massage, which really helped to loosen up my tension. This was after a very hard day by the pool reading and relaxing. 😉

So, overall, for just two-hours away, I felt as if it was a wonderful getaway without much stress of travel in getting there. It was definitely pricey, but I gotta say it was TOTALLY worth it. I may go back again for one night over a week in a few months. We shall see. I just don’t want to lose the great feeling I had.

Anyway, here are some photos:

The Big Buddha

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Aug 212013

Aside from going out to see the famous islands around Phuket, there is not a lot to see on the island itself. However, there are a number of main sights and we finally saw the last ‘big’ one the other day.

Up on the mountain overlooking the cities of Phuket is a big white Buddha. At night it is lit up and during the sunny days it shines atop the mountain. It’s kind of cool to look up at when admiring the green mountains and blue skies.

So, we decided to try to head up the mountain to see it on our little scooter. It took about a half hour and the ride was not too bad as we got to see some lovely scenery, views and cute elephants. 😉

18-Aug-2013 15:11, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 6.6, 6.3mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 100

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18-Aug-2013 15:14, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.7, 11.0mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 100

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18-Aug-2013 15:15, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 6.9, 7.9mm, 0.003 sec, ISO 100

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18-Aug-2013 15:16, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 6.6, 6.3mm, 0.003 sec, ISO 100

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18-Aug-2013 15:19, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.003 sec, ISO 100

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18-Aug-2013 15:03, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.8, 12.6mm, 0.003 sec, ISO 100

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18-Aug-2013 15:29, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 6.6, 6.3mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 100

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18-Aug-2013 15:30, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 8.4, 18.9mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 100

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18-Aug-2013 15:29, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 6.6, 6.3mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 100

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It was a good short trip on the scooter and nice to complete our Phuket island sights. Of course, we have not actually gone out to see the famous islands and probably won’t on this trip, but we can now say that we’ve seen Phuket in its entirety. 😉

In the scooter parking lot, there was this:

18-Aug-2013 15:26, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.017 sec, ISO 100

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Most scooters can hold an entire family and there are baby seats or sometimes used for the family dog…. 😀

-T

Turkey Day 10 – Istanbul

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Apr 102013

Today was the last of our tour-type activities.

We had the same start as yesterday including the bus ride over the sea and back again to first visit the Spice Bazaar, which was quite interesting and colorful to see. There wasn’t just spices there,but souvenir items, scarves, jewelry, etc.

Istanbul - Spice Bazaar08-Apr-2013 11:08, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.7, 11.0mm, 0.02 sec, ISO 160

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Istanbul - Spice Bazaar08-Apr-2013 11:11, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.033 sec, ISO 125

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Istanbul - Spice Bazaar08-Apr-2013 11:16, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.4, 7.9mm, 0.033 sec, ISO 160

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After that, we got on a boat for our half-day Bosphorus cruise, which means about 1.5 hours on the boat. Sadly, the weather was not great – in fact, the worst we have had since we arrived that we had to be out in. So, although the cruise could have been quite beautiful, it was just okay.

Istanbul - Bosophorus Cruise08-Apr-2013 12:44, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.6, 9.4mm, 0.008 sec, ISO 100

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Istanbul - Bosophorus Cruise (Bosphorus Bridge)08-Apr-2013 12:48, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.003 sec, ISO 100

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Istanbul - Bosophorus Cruise (forts on both sides of the sea)08-Apr-2013 13:07, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.017 sec, ISO 100

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Istanbul - Bosophorus Cruise (most expensive house in the world...)08-Apr-2013 13:10, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 4.1, 15.7mm, 0.017 sec, ISO 125

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Istanbul - Bosophorus Cruise (2nd bridge)08-Apr-2013 13:09, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.8, 12.6mm, 0.006 sec, ISO 100

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Our tour ended with a drop off near the Grand Bazaar since it was closed yesterday.So, after a quick warm-up coffee at Starbucks, we explored the bazaar. For some reason,I expected it to be very chaotic and with stalls everywhere, but in fact, there are lots of small shops and it was fairly organized. People weren’t even that aggressive to try to sell us things, so that was a surprise.

Istanbul - Grand Bazaar08-Apr-2013 14:48, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.01 sec, ISO 100

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Istanbul - Grand Bazaar08-Apr-2013 14:55, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.077 sec, ISO 200

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Istanbul - Grand Bazaar08-Apr-2013 14:56, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.033 sec, ISO 160

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Istanbul - Grand Bazaar08-Apr-2013 15:12, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.4, 7.9mm, 0.04 sec, ISO 200

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Istanbul - Grand Bazaar (snack time)08-Apr-2013 16:01, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.033 sec, ISO 125

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Istanbul - Grand Bazaar (happy with our snacks)08-Apr-2013 16:04, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.125 sec, ISO 200

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After a few quick purchases, we had lunch at one of the shops and then meandered our way back to the hotel.

I had a Turkish hammam treatment and massage, which I had been dying to have since we got here. It was rather expensive for what it was, but it was still relaxing and a nice change. I need to have another one when I get back….

Istanbul - Turkish Hammam in the Prince Hotel (massage area)08-Apr-2013 17:43, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.5 sec, ISO 400

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Istanbul - Turkish Hammam in the Prince Hotel (cooling off area after sauna)08-Apr-2013 17:43, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.625 sec, ISO 400

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Istanbul - Turkish Hammam in the Prince Hotel08-Apr-2013 17:44, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 1 sec, ISO 800

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Istanbul - Turkish Hammam in the Prince Hotel (bath area)08-Apr-2013 17:44, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 1 sec, ISO 800

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Istanbul - Turkish Hammam in the Prince Hotel (bath area with nice warm stone marble)08-Apr-2013 17:44, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 1 sec, ISO 640

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Istanbul - Turkish Hammam in the Prince Hotel (resting area)08-Apr-2013 17:45, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 1 sec, ISO 500

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We went back to Istiklal Street for dinner at The House Cafe. We road the tram again and then got on the second oldest and shortest ‘subway’ ever.It was quite fun for an experience. 😀

Istanbul - Second oldest subway and the shortest "Tunel"08-Apr-2013 20:25, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.2 sec, ISO 400

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Istanbul - Second oldest subway and the shortest "Tunel"08-Apr-2013 20:24, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.25 sec, ISO 400

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Istanbul - Second oldest subway and the shortest "Tunel"08-Apr-2013 20:24, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.167 sec, ISO 400

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Istanbul - The House Cafe08-Apr-2013 18:54, Apple iPad mini, 2.4, 2.18mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 1000

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Istanbul - Lovely dinner at the House Cafe started with a tradtional soup (yogurt, mint and cumin)08-Apr-2013 21:04, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.167 sec, ISO 400

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Istanbul - Lovely dinner at the House Cafe followed by a delicious salad with quinoa, walnuts and more! YUM!08-Apr-2013 21:18, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.2 sec, ISO 400

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Now, we are back for an early night in to relax. Tomorrow is a free day, so we will relax and return to explore Istiklal street more in the daytime. 😉

I am actually looking forward to going home in a day as the weather is starting to get to me and I need to just relax in my own space….

– T 😀

Turkey Day 9 – Istanbul Old City

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Apr 092013

Upon arriving at our hotel yesterday, we had thought that someone from the tour would have contacted us to confirm a pick-up time for this morning; however, we just went off of what our itinerary said. It was very trusting of us and of the tour company to assume we would pay attention to it. 😉

So, it was nice to be free to sleep in a bit, but I was still awake at 4:30…why? Who knows….

Anyway, we made it to the lobby in time and waited in hopes that someone would show up. A bus arrived and we piled in with a random collection of people. The bus took us across the sea to a meeting point, where it was a rather crazed Chinese-fire-drill like activity of moving people to different buses based on their activity for the day and language of the tour. When our English-speaking bus was put together for the Old CIty tour, we headed back across the sea towards our original location to visit the sights in the area.

Strangely, we were on a bus for the tour, but most of it could have been walked in about half the time…No mind…we had a very entertaining tour guide for the day, which was a stark contrast to our guide the previous eight days. 😀

Our first stop was to the Blue Mosque or otherwise known as the Sultan Ahmet Mosque. It was quite impressive inside.

Istanbul - Blue Mosque07-Apr-2013 09:09, Apple iPad mini, 2.4, 3.3mm, 0.059 sec, ISO 250

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Istanbul - Blue Mosque07-Apr-2013 09:10, Apple iPad mini, 2.4, 3.3mm, 0.05 sec, ISO 250

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Istanbul - Blue Mosque07-Apr-2013 09:23, Apple iPad mini, 2.4, 2.18mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 500

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Istanbul - The Sultan Ahmet Mosque (aka Blue Mosque)07-Apr-2013 11:06, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.125 sec, ISO 250

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Istanbul - Blue Mosque07-Apr-2013 09:33, Apple iPad mini, 2.4, 3.3mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 32

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Istanbul - Blue Mosque07-Apr-2013 09:34, Apple iPad mini, 2.4, 2.18mm, 0.006 sec, ISO 32

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Next came a quick walk through the old Hippodrome of Constantinople where chariot races like in Ben Hur were held. Now, it’s a long walkway with obelisks in the middle. From there we walked over to the Hagia (aya) Sophia. It was originally a basilica, then became a mosque and is now a very impressive looking museum.

Istanbul - Hagia Sophia07-Apr-2013 10:05, Apple iPad mini, 2.4, 3.3mm, 0.042 sec, ISO 200

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Istanbul - Hagia Sophia07-Apr-2013 10:05, Apple iPad mini, 2.4, 3.3mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 400

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Istanbul - Hagia Sophia07-Apr-2013 10:05, Apple iPad mini, 2.4, 3.3mm, 0.042 sec, ISO 250

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Istanbul - Hagia Sophia07-Apr-2013 10:06, Apple iPad mini, 2.4, 3.3mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 640

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Istanbul - Hagia Sophia07-Apr-2013 10:09, Apple iPad mini, 2.4, 3.3mm, 0.042 sec, ISO 200

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Istanbul - Hagia Sophia07-Apr-2013 10:19, Apple iPad mini, 2.4, 3.3mm, 0.042 sec, ISO 200

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Istanbul - Hagia Sophia07-Apr-2013 12:25, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.7, 11.0mm, 0.1 sec, ISO 400

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Istanbul - Hagia Sophia07-Apr-2013 12:01, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.125 sec, ISO 320

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Istanbul - Hagia Sophia by day07-Apr-2013 11:52, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 100

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Sadly, the Grand Bazaar was closed today – being Sunday – so we had to make do with a tourist trap shopping center (mall as it was called). We had some ‘fun’ looking at jewelry, but didn’t buy anything as I have caught on to their schemes of marking up pieces… 😉

We headed to lunch, but it was another sad showing of food to which we are starting to rebel against…. After lunch, we stopped at the Rustem Pasha Mosque, which is “more blue than the blue mosque” according to our guide. It is true, there were a ton of Iznik tiles of blue.

Istanbul - Pasha Mosque07-Apr-2013 13:43, Apple iPad mini, 2.4, 3.3mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 250

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Istanbul - Pasha Mosque07-Apr-2013 13:43, Apple iPad mini, 2.4, 3.3mm, 0.042 sec, ISO 80

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Istanbul - Pasha Mosque07-Apr-2013 13:43, Apple iPad mini, 2.4, 3.3mm, 0.042 sec, ISO 125

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Our last stop was the Topkapi Palace, which is right next to our hotel, so we were free to head home whenever we finished. The palace was not overly impressive, but their collection of jewels and the third (?) largest diamond was definitely the envy of many a diamond-loving-woman who passed by!

Istanbul - Topkapi Palace07-Apr-2013 16:06, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 6.6, 6.3mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 100

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Istanbul - Topkapi Palace07-Apr-2013 16:33, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 6.6, 6.3mm, 0.003 sec, ISO 100

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Istanbul - Topkapi Palace07-Apr-2013 17:09, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.017 sec, ISO 100

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Istanbul - Topkapi Palace07-Apr-2013 15:07, Apple iPad mini, 2.4, 3.3mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 400

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Istanbul - Topkapi Palace07-Apr-2013 15:08, Apple iPad mini, 2.4, 3.3mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 250

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Istanbul - Topkapi Palace07-Apr-2013 15:08, Apple iPad mini, 2.4, 3.3mm, 0.042 sec, ISO 160

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After a bit of a rest in the hotel we headed out again to check out a bit Iskilal Street on the other side of the sea and the more central part of Istanbul that is away from the touristy area. We found a good place for dinner and then stopped at the famous chain, House Cafe, for dessert and coffee. It was sooooo wonderful to be away from the tourists and people harassing tourists and just act like a ‘local’ for a while. We are going to go back again on our free day to shop and enjoy it more again.

Istanbul - Izkander Kebap round 2 on Istiklal Street07-Apr-2013 21:03, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.125 sec, ISO 200

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Istanbul - Istiklal Street07-Apr-2013 20:32, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.7, 11.0mm, 0.02 sec, ISO 100

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Istanbul - Istiklal House Cafe07-Apr-2013 19:43, Apple iPad mini, 2.4, 3.3mm, 0.059 sec, ISO 400

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Thus ended our second evening in Istanbul! 😀

-T 😀

Turkey Day 8 – Gallipoli & Istanbul

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Apr 082013

We had a very early rise again (5am) to be ready to leave on a ferry across the Marmara sea to Gallipoli.

Gallipoli is famous from the war for the Australian and New Zealand forces coming to the aid of the British in an attempt to control the waterways and ultimately Istanbul. It was a rather brutal fighting ground where many, including Turks, lost their lives.There is an Australian film about this, I think. So, it was interesting and both sad and sweet to read the tombstones of both young and older men who sacrificed their lives in war.

Gallipoli - ANZAC06-Apr-2013 09:46, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.005 sec, ISO 100

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Gallipoli - ANZAC06-Apr-2013 09:41, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 4.1, 15.7mm, 0.006 sec, ISO 100

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Gallipoli - ANZAC06-Apr-2013 09:53, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.7, 11.0mm, 0.003 sec, ISO 100

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Gallipoli - cemetary for fallen Australians (Lone Pine)06-Apr-2013 10:09, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.6, 9.4mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 100

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Gallipoli - cemetary for fallen Australians06-Apr-2013 10:10, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 7.2, 9.4mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 100

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Gallipoli - cemetary for fallen Australians06-Apr-2013 10:08, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 100

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Gallipoli - cemetary for fallen New Zealanders06-Apr-2013 10:23, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 6.6, 6.3mm, 0.003 sec, ISO 100

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Gallipoli - cemetary for fallen New Zealanders with Ataturk06-Apr-2013 10:24, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 6.6, 6.3mm, 0.003 sec, ISO 100

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Gallipoli - trenches from the war06-Apr-2013 10:25, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.006 sec, ISO 100

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From Gallipoli, we stopped for lunch on our way to Istanbul. We got a bit of a taste of the horrible traffic that is well-known in the city. Luckily, we still got to our hotel early enough in the evening to go out and explore Sultanhamet more.

Traffic back into Istanbul06-Apr-2013 16:52, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 4.2, 37.8mm, 0.003 sec, ISO 100

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Istanbul traffic - center roads for commuting buses (very smart!)06-Apr-2013 16:53, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.4, 7.9mm, 0.003 sec, ISO 100

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We walked around after finding a decent restaurant to eat dinner at. It was nice to finally have some real food. I think that my stomach has revolted from all of the crappy food we have been eating the past week and very little exercise. So, after dinner, we walked up near the Topkapi castle, which also faces Hagia (Haya) Sophia. It was lovely. The area is very touristy as R had warned me and so many store workers were trying to get our attention –

Our first nice dinner in Istanbul Old City near our hotel06-Apr-2013 20:41, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.125 sec, ISO 400

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Our first nice dinner in Istanbul Old City near our hotel (Meze - appetizer)06-Apr-2013 20:46, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.125 sec, ISO 400

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Our first nice dinner in Istanbul Old City near our hotel (stuffed chicken with spinach = delish!)06-Apr-2013 21:05, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.125 sec, ISO 250

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Istanbul - Me and Hagia Sophia again06-Apr-2013 22:27, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.167 sec, ISO 400

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Istanbul - The Sultan Ahmet Mosque (aka Blue Mosque) at night06-Apr-2013 22:27, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.7, 11.0mm, 0.5 sec, ISO 400

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Istanbul - Me and Hagia Sophia06-Apr-2013 22:26, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.4 sec, ISO 400

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“Ladies, may I ask you a question?” “Can I talk to you just for a minute? – No? – Why not?” “You’re so beautiful and sexy.” “Don’t talk this guy because he’s very horny.” (This is my favorite one). “Excuse me, I am not dangerous. I own that store over there…” “Girls, you dropped something…”

The tactics are creative and persistent. Some more annoying than others…. 😉

So passed our first night back in Istanbul’s Old City area. We will be touring it more tomorrow at a more decent hour of the morning!

-T 😀

Turkey Day 7 – Pergamum & Troy

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Apr 062013

Our last big archaeological tour stops were rather disappointing….

We headed first to Pergamum, which is one of the seven churches in Revelations, but there was not much of that aspect at the site. Mostly, it was a lot of rocks and ruins showing where buildings might have been. The most restored were the columns and theatre, but even that was not all that impressive.

Pergamum05-Apr-2013 13:23, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 7.2, 9.4mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 100

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Pergamum05-Apr-2013 13:19, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 4.2, 18.9mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 100

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Pergamum05-Apr-2013 13:00, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.4, 7.9mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 200

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Pergamum05-Apr-2013 12:59, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 4.2, 18.9mm, 0.125 sec, ISO 400

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Pergamum05-Apr-2013 11:03, Apple iPad mini, 2.4, 3.3mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 32

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Pergamum05-Apr-2013 11:03, Apple iPad mini, 2.4, 2.18mm, 0.003 sec, ISO 32

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From there, we headed to Troia or Troy. On the way, we got to watch the film starring Brad Pitt, which was nice just for the main reason of passing the time on the pass. Like Pergamon, the ruins for Troy were very unimpressive. Even the legendary Trojan horse was under construction, so we were not able to see that. Luckily, the one used in the movie was on the waterfront, so we got some pics of that.

Troy05-Apr-2013 19:02, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 4.2, 26.4mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 100

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Troy05-Apr-2013 18:49, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 6.6, 6.3mm, 0.004 sec, ISO 100

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Troy05-Apr-2013 18:38, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.005 sec, ISO 100

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Troia or Troy05-Apr-2013 18:23, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 100

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Troy - the most beautiful thing in the entire site...05-Apr-2013 18:44, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 4.2, 56.7mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 100

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Trojan horse used in the film "Troy" parked on the waterfront in Canakkale05-Apr-2013 20:53, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.4, 7.9mm, 0.008 sec, ISO 100

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Model of Troy in Canakkale - more interesting than the real site05-Apr-2013 22:34, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.7, 11.0mm, 0.167 sec, ISO 400

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Model of Troy in Canakkale - more interesting than the real site05-Apr-2013 22:33, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.167 sec, ISO 400

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Canakkale - Trojan horse at night05-Apr-2013 22:31, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 1 sec, ISO 500

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We got to our hotels in Canakkale (chanakale) and then went out to explore the small city a bit. It was nice to have another evening free to walk around and see the city. We had dinner at a place on the main road and tried Izkender Doner, which was meat over bread pieces drizzled with tomato sauce with a side of two dallops of yogurt. It was tasty and definitely better than what we have been eating.

First Izkendar kebap in Canakkale and first real food in ages!05-Apr-2013 21:53, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.167 sec, ISO 400

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Canakkale - Where we had our Izkender Kebap05-Apr-2013 22:20, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.077 sec, ISO 200

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Canakkale - waterfront05-Apr-2013 22:32, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 4.0, 14.1mm, 0.769 sec, ISO 400

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Canakkale05-Apr-2013 20:50, Apple iPhone 4S, 2.4, 4.28mm, 0.063 sec, ISO 800

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Canakkale - mosques are blue here...not green05-Apr-2013 22:46, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 4.0, 14.1mm, 0.625 sec, ISO 400

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Canakkale - random dwarves on waterfront05-Apr-2013 22:38, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.4, 7.9mm, 0.4 sec, ISO 400

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So, it was a good ending to the day after another long bus ride and disappointing sites. We are up early tomorrow, so….

-T 😀

Turkey Day 6 – Ephesus

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Apr 052013

We had a little bit of a later start this morning, which was nice. It also meant that we were finished sooner, but don’t let me get ahead of myself.

Our first stop was to the Basilica of St. John. Apparently, the body of John is buried still under the ruins, but they have yet to excavate it says our guide…. I’m not sure how much I believe him. The more interesting part was to consider the various locations of Ephesus.

04-Apr-2013 10:43, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.003 sec, ISO 100

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Basilica of St. John (the Baptist)04-Apr-2013 10:58, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.8, 12.6mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 100

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Basilica of St. John (the Baptist)04-Apr-2013 11:05, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 7.4, 11.0mm, 0.004 sec, ISO 100

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From the basilica, we headed up the mountain to the supposed house of the Virgin Mary. The story is something like since Jesus told John to take care of his mother John built her a house up on the mountain. It was a simple and small house. Then, some nun seemed to have a vision confirming this was Mary’s house. So, not sure but it was a nice visit.

House of the Virgin Mary04-Apr-2013 11:44, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.01 sec, ISO 100

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House of the Virgin Mary04-Apr-2013 11:53, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.005 sec, ISO 100

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House of the Virgin Mary04-Apr-2013 11:55, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.008 sec, ISO 100

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After that, we headed to the ruins of Ephesus Antique City where there were a number of amazing sites. The largest outdoor theater was impressive. Also, the temples, library and terrace houses with mosaics of ancient times were quite a sight.

Ephesus - Library04-Apr-2013 12:43, Apple iPad mini, 2.4, 3.3mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 32

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Ephesus Antique City - Terrace Houses under excavation04-Apr-2013 14:17, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.008 sec, ISO 100

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Ephesus - Colisseum04-Apr-2013 12:55, Apple iPad mini, 2.4, 3.3mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 32

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Ephesus Antique City - Artemis Temple04-Apr-2013 13:40, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 8.4, 37.8mm, 0.004 sec, ISO 100

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Ephesus Antique City04-Apr-2013 13:58, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 8.4, 18.9mm, 0.003 sec, ISO 100

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Ephesus - Colisseum04-Apr-2013 13:30, Apple iPad mini, 2.4, 2.18mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 32

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At first, I wasn’t wholly impressed with the city ruins given my travels elsewhere, but upon hitting the main road to the library I was duly impressed. So, I had to take back my doubting.

After almost missing our tour bus to lunch, we headed to a carpet center for our lunch and a showing of carpets. That wasn’t great, but it is part of the tour.

Ephesus - Carpet center04-Apr-2013 14:34, Apple iPad mini, 2.4, 3.3mm, 0.042 sec, ISO 125

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Ephesus - Carpet center04-Apr-2013 14:38, Apple iPad mini, 2.4, 3.3mm, 0.042 sec, ISO 200

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Ephesus - Carpet center04-Apr-2013 15:06, Apple iPad mini, 2.4, 3.3mm, 0.042 sec, ISO 100

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Thankfully, we were given the afternoon to relax and be on our own. So after a rest in the hotel, we headed out to explore the city. We walked along the waterfront, stopped in a few stores, had dinner in town to avoid another poor buffet meal, and saw the sunset. Overall, it was a nice change of pace.

Kusadasi - Starbucks at last!04-Apr-2013 17:34, Apple iPad mini, 2.4, 3.3mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 32

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Kusadasi04-Apr-2013 18:29, Apple iPad mini, 2.4, 3.3mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 32

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Kusadasi - non buffet dinner = drinks and...04-Apr-2013 18:45, Apple iPad mini, 2.4, 3.3mm, 0.004 sec, ISO 32

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Kusadasi - ...pizza!04-Apr-2013 18:55, Apple iPad mini, 2.4, 3.3mm, 0.008 sec, ISO 40

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Kusadasi - sunset04-Apr-2013 19:19, Apple iPad mini, 2.4, 3.3mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 32

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Kusadasi - sunset04-Apr-2013 19:22, Apple iPad mini, 2.4, 3.3mm, 0.008 sec, ISO 32

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Sadly, we have another long day in the bus tomorrow, but it is our past big stretch on our way back to Istanbul. 🙂

-T 😀

Turkey Day 5 – Pamukkale, Hierapolis & Aphrodisias

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Apr 042013

After our first-off morning dip and such, we were back on the ‘most uncomfortable bus’ for another long day of fun.

Our first stop was still in Pamukkale at the Hierapolis Antique City and Pamukkale’s limestone pools. The city was very impressive in terms of wide spread space with ruins from days of old. In fact, there was a recent article about archaeologists finding the mythical ‘gate of hell’ in this area. We tried to find it, but considering it brings death, we didn’t try too hard. 😉

Hierapolis Antique City03-Apr-2013 09:26, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.033 sec, ISO 100

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Hierapolis Antique City - Temple of Apollo03-Apr-2013 09:36, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 4.2, 34.0mm, 0.017 sec, ISO 200

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Hierapolis Antique City - not exactly the Gates of Hell, but it is somewhere on this land...03-Apr-2013 10:22, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 4.2, 18.9mm, 0.017 sec, ISO 200

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Hierapolis Antique City03-Apr-2013 10:07, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.4, 7.9mm, 0.01 sec, ISO 100

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Hierapolis Antique City03-Apr-2013 10:02, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.006 sec, ISO 100

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Pamukkale - sitting on the tombs03-Apr-2013 10:31, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.8, 12.6mm, 0.008 sec, ISO 100

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There are a ton of pics from here as the ruins were nice. Sadly, the weather wasn’t as nice as it has been. I still sort of expected more from the ruins after seeing Jerash in Jordan and the temples in Egypt. Turkey is supposed to be older and more impressive I think, but I haven’t yet had that feeling. Maybe I’m too spoiled from my travels….

Anyway, we also walked a bit on the limestone with pools from the hot springs. They call Pamukkale the cotton castle due to the limestone formations. It is pretty impressive, though rather unsafe to walk around barefoot and no guard rails.

Pamukkale - with pools03-Apr-2013 11:02, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.005 sec, ISO 100

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Hierapolis03-Apr-2013 09:50, Apple iPad mini, 2.4, 3.3mm, 0.005 sec, ISO 32

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Pamukkale03-Apr-2013 11:02, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.7, 11.0mm, 0.006 sec, ISO 100

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Hierapolis03-Apr-2013 09:59, Apple iPad mini, 2.4, 2.18mm, 0.008 sec, ISO 40

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From there, we drove a good distance before stopping for lunch at a nice place. It was probably the best meal we have had on the entire tour so far. After lunch, we walked around Aphrodisias, which is a city named after Aphrodite. The ruins here were more impressive perhaps because of the architecture or a full and happy stomach. 😉

Aphrodisias Antique City03-Apr-2013 15:29, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 6.6, 6.3mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 100

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Aphrodisias Antique City - Temple to Aphrodite03-Apr-2013 15:11, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 6.9, 7.9mm, 0.003 sec, ISO 100

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Aphrodisias Antique City - theatre03-Apr-2013 15:22, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 6.6, 6.3mm, 0.003 sec, ISO 100

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Aphrodosia03-Apr-2013 14:52, Apple iPad mini, 2.4, 3.3mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 32

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Aphrodosia03-Apr-2013 14:49, Apple iPad mini, 2.4, 2.18mm, 0.003 sec, ISO 32

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Aphrodosia03-Apr-2013 14:22, Apple iPad mini, 2.4, 2.18mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 32

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video Lunch here was the best meal of the tour!03-Apr-2013 14:25

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Lunch here was the best meal of the tour! (my mushroom and cheese grill)03-Apr-2013 14:05, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.033 sec, ISO 125

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Lunch here was the best meal of the tour! (dessert - yogurt & honey)03-Apr-2013 14:25, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.02 sec, ISO 100

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Our final highlight of the day was an amateur leather fashion show. It could have been an amazing parody on a SATC episode where the ladies attend Fashion Week shows. It was a mix of comedy and entertainment as a creative sales pitch to get us to buy their leather goods. If I lived in a cooler climate I might have considered, but instead I am saving my money for jewelry purchase. Haha 😀

video Kusadasi - leather fashion show03-Apr-2013 19:37

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Kusadasi - leather fashion show03-Apr-2013 19:36, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 4.0, 14.1mm, 0.067 sec, ISO 200

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Kusadasi - leather fashion show03-Apr-2013 19:30, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.125 sec, ISO 320

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Kusadasi - leather store03-Apr-2013 20:05, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.167 sec, ISO 400

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video Kusadasi - leather fashion show03-Apr-2013 19:31

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video Kusadasi - leather fashion show03-Apr-2013 19:31

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We ended our day with our arrival at our hotel in Kusadasi (kushadasee) where we will stay for two nights. Phew…

Ephesus - View of Aegean Sea from Efe Boutique Hotel04-Apr-2013 07:16, Apple iPad mini, 2.4, 3.3mm, 0.004 sec, ISO 32

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Kusadasi - view from our hotel room sunrise04-Apr-2013 08:21, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.4, 7.9mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 100

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-T 😀

Turkey Day 4 – Konya & Pamukkale

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Apr 032013

We had a very long day in the bus on the fourth day of our trip. From Kapidokya to Pamukkale, it takes about 12 very long hours.

Along the way we made a few stops to see a few things. For example, we stopped in Konya for a visit to the Turkish whirling dervish temple. The whirling dervish is a type of Muslim sect where the whirling causes a meditative state. Nowadays no one formally trains but it used to be a formal religious activity like joining a nunnery or something like that.

Konya - Temple for whirling dervish02-Apr-2013 14:47, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 6.6, 6.3mm, 0.003 sec, ISO 100

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Konya - Temple for whirling dervish02-Apr-2013 14:58, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 6.6, 6.3mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 100

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video Konya - Temple for whirling dervish02-Apr-2013 14:59

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Konya - Temple for whirling dervish (no pics allowed)02-Apr-2013 15:06, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.125 sec, ISO 320

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Konya - Temple for whirling dervish02-Apr-2013 15:14, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.013 sec, ISO 100

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Konya - whirling dervishes02-Apr-2013 15:28, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.033 sec, ISO 100

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After that we stopped every two hours for a leg stretch and lunch at a crazy wedding hall place. I bought potato chips to survive the rest of the day. 😉

Feeding Center 2 - one of the worst stops we made for food...02-Apr-2013 13:50, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.033 sec, ISO 200

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Feeding Center 202-Apr-2013 13:51, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.125 sec, ISO 200

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Feeding Center 202-Apr-2013 13:53, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.077 sec, ISO 200

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Feeding Center 202-Apr-2013 13:54, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.077 sec, ISO 200

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Feeding Center 202-Apr-2013 13:57, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.125 sec, ISO 250

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Feeding Center 202-Apr-2013 14:32, NIKON COOLPIX S51, 3.3, 6.3mm, 0.004 sec, ISO 100

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We finally made it to Pamukkale and our hotel. There was a thermal bath there, which helped to wash away some of the soreness of the bus ride. Unfortunately, all 23 of us from the tour group were in the same hotel and all of the other tour buses arrived at the same time so the bath quickly filled up! Still, it was a nice refresher and made me miss Japan’s onsens!

In the morning, we got up for another quick dip before Day 5 began in full.

-T 😀

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