Turkey: Antalya

When I was 17 I went with my mom, who worked at a salon, so I could get my hair done. I finished long before she did, so I decided to walk down the street to get a snack. Her salon was near a busy street corner which had to be crossed in order to get to the food stores. I remember being surprised by the noise of the traffic; cars whizzed by, and horns honked. I approached the main intersection with caution and stood there; I stood for a long time. The light flashed and changed but I waited on the street corner like I was waiting for a bus. The waiting made me anxious, and I felt like every driver who went past was staring. Finally a man came to cross and I scurried behind him when he received the secret signal. At seventeen, I knew how to drive, but I didn't know how to cross a busy city street. I think that experience is indicative of my sheltered country upbringing.

This trip has brought me back to that street corner many times. With a new language to learn almost every other week, it's been a shock to my system. Currency, bus schedules, street names and sign posts are an effort to process, and I often feel like I stick out more than the other travelers, who seem like naturals. However, there is almost always a new lesson to be learned by sitting back with patience and giving yourself time. I expected traveling to cure me of my shyness and my awkward conversation skills, but I am still the same and have learned that I will just have to continue to work at it. When I finally get the courage to "cross the street" there is always something interesting and new waiting.

I guess it's no small miracle (providential, you might say) that Steve is my exact opposite. Although he too was born in the stix, he has the gift of conversation and confidence that I lack. He has a humble spirit and he is comfortable in his own skin; people are drawn to him. When it comes to finding our way, he has the true brain of an engineer: organized, prepared and logical. He is a master navigator; he has always led us to to our destination and we haven't gotten lost once! I am always amazed when our local bus pulls out and Steve knows how many landmarks we need to hit until its time to get out. I'm sure he'd say it's google maps that deserves the credit, but as my mom has always said, I could get lost in a paper bag-- no map is a match for my bad sense of direction, and so I give him five gold stars.

Turkey is a huge place, so all that talking and map reading and planning finally landed us on an overnight bus to Antalya; a place we visited and left before I really had anything to report. Our ten hour bus ride from Cappadocia made me sick again, the lack of sleep and the air conditioning was a bad combination for a sinus infection, so when we finally arrived at the hotel all I could do was sleep. We did manage to explore a little, and visited the old town portion of the city, a preserved roman-ottoman quarter, which was beautiful.

Antalya is a sea side city in the western Mediterranean. It is a blend of ancient and modern; small cobble stone streets wound around the dark blue Mediterranean Sea, and we explored the old Roman marina and some ancient stones that were the last remains of mosques and churches.

The day we chose to explore was a balmy 35 degrees, so after walking in the heat we hopped on a bus to Lara beach, a beautiful golden strip along azure waters. It was packed to the gills with locals and tourists, so we found a patch of unoccupied space, dumped our bags and jumped into the inviting waters; water so clear and still it looked more like a lake than a sea. As the sea met my skin, I gasped. I sucked in the warm air as if it would heat me up again from the inside. The water was freezing! I had expected the sea here to be like the bath-water green of the Indian Ocean, but it was not. Neither of us lasted long in the water--just long enough to get wet so we could stand the heat of the sun and the noise and cloud of cigarette smoke from the people around us.

After an hour of juggling the hot and cold extremes (and annoying little sand flies), we decided to head in to the small park beside the beach to sit under a tree and enjoy some shade. We had just settled on our beach mat for some relaxation when we heard a yell.

"Hey! Come come!"

We looked over. A group of Turkish guys were sitting at a picnic table. At one end of the table was a brick stove, fired up and smelling delicious. Steve waved, and they invited us to come and eat.

"Too much food" one of them said.

We sat at their table and attempted conversation, which was more like charades. They spoke little English, but the conversation stayed lively. We slowly worked out that they were a group of young police officers from Istanbul, enjoying a weekend off. They proudly flashed their police identification cards around and motioned to the spread of food on the table. Roasted chicken, fresh bread, peppers, tomatoes and onion. And a large bottle of vodka. They were all set!

Steve filled up on chicken, and I picked at some until one of the men across from me insisted I eat a sandwich. I tried politely to decline, which did nothing against their inebriated determination. Collectively, they piled food high on a hunk of bread. By the time they were done, the sandwich was as large as my head. I wondered how on earth I was going to eat that thing. Seeing my hesitation, the guy across from me held the sandwich up to my mouth. There was no getting out of it; I closed my eyes and took a bite. They all cheered.

As they talked with Steve, I was tackling the sandwich, absorbed with eating. It took me a few moments to realize that every time I looked up, the guy across from me winked (It took a few times for me to clue in, I've been out of the game for a while now and at first I thought he just had something in his eye). Antalya was the city I realized my powers: I'm a Turkish man magnet. Maybe it's the hair, or the fact that I smile too much at people, but that day at the picnic table it was clear: This guy dug me. Steve and I exchanged glances and we decided it was time to say thanks and leave before their drink gave them any more ideas. We were, after all, foreigners with a group of Turkish police. We gracefully told them it was time for us to get back.

"Picture picture!!" They cried.

Cell phones came out, and Steve pulled out the camera. Other than my admirer, we had had an interesting time and wanted to capture our new friends. My new friend was first in line to get a picture with me. How nice. You can see from our group photo he was feeling pretty serious about the whole thing. I'm quite sure he was trying to cop a feel, but rather than a breast he got armpit. As awkward as it was, Steve and I busted a gut laughing when the picture proved my experience. The picture is quite hilarious!

With full stomachs it was back to hotel to get organized. The next day we were leaving for Fethiye and we needed our energy. Traveling is tough business! Despite being sick, we managed to see the city and laugh a lot. I am grateful for such a fun traveling partner; someone who balances me out and encourages me to cross out of my comfort zone, but doesn't push me to be someone I'm not. It makes for wonderful memories.

More to be made! Next stop: Fethiye!


Preserved Roman Gate:

Roman fort of sorts.

Me and the sea.

Us, with the modern city of Antalya behind us.

Window sill flowers

Cute doggie!

Roman Harbour

Roman harbour

Small beach.

Turkish bagel salesman.

Old bathhouse

Our new friends.

My admirer can't take his Turkish eyes off me.

Hello! Armpit grab.

Cappadocia: Stories (Part II)

The town of Goreme is a popular tourist destination, but somehow the town has managed to keep its Turkish charm and small village lifestyle.

Everyday there are small local markets set up selling fresh produce and spices. Locals drive around on tractors and old cars. Five times a day the call to prayer echoes through the rocks. People stop their toiling and then resume. We have seen amazing sights here, but often, the best parts of traveling are not planned. not written down in travel books or the internet. Rather, the most exciting part of traveling are the little things; small exchanges with people that have an impact on you.

Here are some of my favorite moments:


Casual Conversations: Sea Monkey Fishing and Ancient Tombs.

On the first day we walked to the Goreme Open Air Museum. The sun was shining, but we were chilled. After acclimatizing to the weather in Asia, the warm days here feel cold to us; you will notice from pictures that I have exactly one sweater, one wind jacket, and one pair of jeans, which have been on heavy rotation!

As we were nearing the finish, the sky opened up and the rain poured down. We ducked inside the nearest cave, an old church, to wait it out. A couple of travelers from Oregon had the same idea, and we began to chitchat. They are some of the most interesting people we've met: Hannah is an Emotional Release Therapist who travels around to learn from other spiritual disciplines. She has stayed with monks in Thailand, and shamans from turkish hill tribes. Her husband Scotte, is a seasonal worker. In the summer he is a salmon fisherman in Alaska and lives on a boat for two months. In the winter, he fishes the great salt lake of Oregon, but not for salmon. He fishes for Sea Monkeys.

If you haven't heard of a Sea Monkey, just look to the advertisements in the back of old comic books. They are promoted as a mysterious, fun-loving space pet that gets shipped to you in the mail and will hatch from little sawdust filled packets when put into water. I actually had some....

One year for my birthday, I got them as a gift from my cousin Brianne and her boyfriend Josh. Sea Monkeys (SM) are little shrimp-like animals that can survive as eggs for thousands of years. As adults they don't get very big, about the size of a pinky nail.

I put the eggs in water, and soon enough they hatched and grew. You never had to feed them or change the water- SMs can live off of their own waste and bacteria. After a few months, they became fat and floated around on my dresser in their plastic capsule. Curious, I would hover over them and stare. Their skin is translucent; organs and guts pump invisible fluid around to keep their tiny bodies working. Two black eyes stick out from their heads and bump against the sides of their enclosure as they swim. They look nothing like monkeys, but there is something sinister and mischievous about them. Over time, the water got murky and the SMs kept swimming around, getting bigger. I began to distrust them; at night I thought I could hear them splashing around. I would wake up, my room haunted. Finally, after imagining them escaping and slithering around like wormy ghosts on the floor, I decided to flush them back to the sea where they belong. To this day I I only have two fears: cats and sea monkeys.

I retold this story to Scotte, the Sea Monkey fisherman, and he laughed. He said I had some pretty cool friends to get me such a gift, and agreed that my fears are warranted; anything that can survive in outer space or as an egg for thousands of years is suspicious. Nevertheless, the SM business is still going strong.

The rain let up, and we exchanged emails and said goodbye. Before we climbed out of the cave we realized we had spent the last hour chatting over the holes and bones of ancient tombs. Only in Turkey I suppose!



Meeting The Muppets: Live from a Turkish Watermelon Stand

Our experience of Turkish locals had been clouded by the dark side of tourist capitalism. The only conversations we'd had led to the sales pitch of one thing or the other, so we were cynical. Every time we were asked the opening line: "Where you from" we were on alert.

One afternoon we walked around the markets, eating fresh strawberries and produce from local farms. As we rounded the corner, we heard the famous line. Sitting in chairs, two older Turk men slouched beside a large watermelon stand. We stood at attention, ready to decline.

"Canada" Steve answered, making sure to keep up his walking pace.

"Oy! Canada!" The first shouted.

"Canada!" The second echoed, slapping the first on the back.

"Come come come" they chimed.

We looked at eachother and cautiously approached the stand.

The first hacked into the melon with his machete, lopping off a chunk of ripe fruits. He stabbed it and brandished it toward us.

" Turkish water melon! The best! You eat, and we talk about Canada".

The brothers had been to Canada about 20 years ago. Through broken English they recounted their adventures of moving to Toronto as fabricators, and making their fortunes. Proudly, brother number two pointed to the house behind us. "We build. Now sell watermelons."

As they spoke, I tried my best to listen, but couldn't take my eyes off of them; I was fascinated with their faces. Brother number one spoke through a crooked mouth and grey eyebrows that framed his dark blue eyes. His skin had deep lines that jumped around with passionate conversation. Brother number two had a scrunched up face and I couldn't make out his eyes below a wild bush of the hairiest unibrow I have ever seen. He never looked up at us, he kept his chin down and grunted in Turkish in agreement after each sentence delivered by the first. Their side conversations always ended in small bursts of laughter. They reminded me of Statler and Waldrof from the muppets-- jovial, whitty, and sarcastic.

By the end of the conversation, we were full of fruit and laughter. The men argued with eachother to confirm details, and our politeness kept us listening although it took twenty minutes of deciphering afterward to piece together the whole story.

We were so charmed by them. A couple of village farmers who had a past filled with secret adventures that only a couple of foreign kids could relate to.

The Laundry Mat:

We wanted clean clothes, so we found a laundry service, the only one in town not run by a hotel.

After the morning drop off, we returned in the evening to pick up our clothes. Suddenly, there was an eruption of voices and hands flying around the laundry room. The three women put their hands to their faces. They pointed to the lightbulb, the clock, and the the dryer filled with our clothes. The power had gone out so they were running behind. "no big deal!" we said. We could wait.

The ladies didn't speak a lick of English. They made us tea and we sipped while we waited. Steve remembered he needed to get smaller change to pay, so he went out to get some while I drank my tea. I was now unguarded, so the women advanced.

One of the women, elderly, came and sat next to me. Her head was covered, but her bright eyes brought attention to her tanned face. She smiled, reached out, and pinched my cheeks. One of the landmarks of my Verbeek face is my "poinky"cheeks. If you've ever seen the old picture of Santa Claus from Coke advertisements with large apples for cheeks, that's about spot on with what I'm sporting. My cheeks have been the object of pinching affection many times in my life, which means I should be used to it; but, life experience doesn't do a thing to stop the rest of my face from giving away its other wonderful trait: the cherry tomato blush.

The other ladies gathered round and fingered my long waves, the result of the travel braids I wear to ward off frizz and tangles. They scrutinized my skin, gazed into my eyes and gave me a pat. Finally one woman motioned to my face and gave me the thumbs up. I looked at the grannie who grinned and she gave me two thumbs up. Mom and Dad, you will be happy to know that despite the round face and poinky cheeks, my genetics get the Turkish stamp of approval!

We signed to eachother and I learned the grannie was the mother of one of the ladies. They laughed and joked among themselves and I smiled, enjoying the energy as they skittered around the room, folding my order while grannie held my hand.

Steve came back and grannie leapt up, looking bashful. I pointed to our rings and said "husband." "Ooooh" they chorused, laughing as they inspected him with their eyes. Steve didn't get two thumbs up, but Grannie pointed at my belly and pushed us together. I blushed again. "Maybe in a few more years" I said, holding up a few fingers.

We left smiling. Grannie hugged me and kissed both cheeks as I said goodbye.

We walked off into the sunset, fresh laundry folded and wrapped in plastic. It was the best time doing laundry that we've ever had!

Turkey: Cappadocia (Part I)

Sometime in the seventies, a Hollywood big shot visited Cappadocia and was inspired to use the scenery as the setting of another world. Jagged spade-shaped rocks jut out of mounds of hard earth, brilliant colors of rose and rust line canyons that straddle distrust roads like a pair of outstretched arms. In every cliff are small holes, which upon inspection are doors to ancient houses, used by tribes people thousands of years ago. It is no surprise that Cappadocia was the inspiration for some of outerwolds of Star Wars*. if you look hard enough, you can see sand-people crouching behind rocks.

With all that adventure waiting, our first day was a bit of a bust. It was spent in bed as I battled a heavy cold and a sore throat. However, when we arrived at the hotel we discovered we would be sleeping in a cave room, in style with this ancient land.

After a good sleep and a day of recoup, we headed out the back yard to explore Cappadocia. The name Cappadocia means "land of beautiful horses" and is actually the name of the region, which contains three cities. We are staying in the village of Goreme, in the centre. The region is famous for its rock formations, which were created as a result of three erupting volcanoes that boarder the area. The ash and lava created the perfect sculpting materials for erosion to create a natural wonder.

We decided to hike the red line, a common walking route through Rose Canyon and the Goreme Open Air Museum. We hit the museum first, and had our socks blown off. The museum is a collection of ancient monasteries and nunneries along with ancient churches all carved into the rocks. The churches were formed between the 1st and 10th centuries, and the walls still have original fresco paintings depicting various holy scenes. Visit the website to check it out online, it was amazing! We weren't allowed to take pictures inside the churches in order to preserve the paintings.

http://www.goreme.com/goreme-open-air-museum.php


On the second day we went on a tour called the green line, which brought us to the next town in Cappadocia about 45 minutes from Goreme, to the site of an ancient underground city. The city was a hiding place for early Christians who were trying to escape persecution and war. They lived above ground, which is a flat, green landscape, unlike the rest of Cappadocia. But underground, layers of soft volcanic rock made it easy to carve ten stories blow ground, seven of which you can still walk though. The city was meant to be a hiding place, used only weeks at a time, so the living areas are modest. Tandoori stoves are carved into the floors with chimney shafts above for the smoke to escape. There are several wells and ventilation shafts, as well as a church and a school room for evangelizing. The city, which held up to 12 thousand people, was only discovered 30 years ago by a farmer, and it was amazing to walk through. Alot of thought was put into the details, as each narrow passage was created to limit the amount of people able to pass through, making it hard for enemies to infiltrate.

After the city we visited a cliff top monastery-turned-castle by later Muslim communities, and hiked through an ancient river valley that had several amazing rock churches and hideouts.

The last highlight of Cappadocia, for me, was my birthday. What an incredible place to spend it! Steve woke me up at 3:30am, and surprised me with a hot air balloon ride at sunrise. I had no idea! He did good. It was a good thing I didn't have time to think much about it beforehand though. I'm not really afraid of heights, but hovering thousands of feet in the air in a wicker basket is pretty intense. However, the view was spectacular, and there were hundreds of other balloons floating in the air, making the view even more amazing. It was such a sight!

The ride ended safely, although a little forcefully as a crosswind made our captain land us a little ways from his original target. Our basket grazed a few treetops and smacked the earth and almost rolled, but our pilot was a pro and we corrected just fine. Afterwards we enjoyed champagne, which our captain said was to celebrate "not dying".

After that Steve and I went on another hike trough the valley, and literally got lost for 5 hours. We explored a handful of forgotten churches and ancient rooms, and practiced our mountain climbing skills when we had to climb down a huge rocky cliff to find the road out. It was an adventurous way to begin 27!

So far Cappadocia is one of the most amazing things I have seen. It reminds me of Drumheller, but ten times as large. You could spend a lifetime exploring here and not see it all. We are sad to leave.

But next we are off the the southern coast, to see Antalya and the Mediterranean Sea. More amazing Turkey to explore!



* Star Wars was never filmed in Turkey. The government wouldn't issue a filming permit, fearing the filming would damage the natural environment. So Cappadocia was recreated from pictures in a different location.

Crazy hoodoos with tons of carved out houses:

Monastery/Castle:

Ceiling of a cave church:

Beautiful river formed canyon:

Underground city:

9km tunnel to the next underground city:

Birthday balloons:

Turkey: Savanah Turns 27

Today I turn 27. Time goes by so quickly. I can't say I have any profound knowledge or interesting revelations about life and all its mysteries, but I am so incredibly thankful and humbled by the kindness and grace poured into my life through relationships.

I am glad to be getting older. I think the years keep producing a better version of myself, and there is a lot of life still to be lived and memories to be made. As I reflect though, I have had many highlights over the years. Here are a few that come to mind in celebration of living a wonderful 27 years!


0-1 Born into an amazing family and the most loving parents. Got my name: Savanah Hope Verbeek.

2. My first memory: my dad saving me as I choked on a penny. Dad's are pretty handy at saving kids.

3. My baby brother was born. I wanted his name to be Brady, but I'm glad he's Cody. I remember the day he was born. I woke up to grandma Verbeek my parents bed. I was excited to be a big sister.

4. My baby sister was born! Life wouldn't have been soo colorful without my little sis around. Kassia, my little assia. I remember The first time I heard her cry in the hospital- it was funny sounding and we all laughed. She has brought us all so much joy.

5. I met my first friends, Brandon and Chelaine through the backyard fence. I also had a hand-me-down Pauple (so?) backpack ( a strange, alien looking teddybear thing) that was my pride and joy.

6. I learned to ride a two-wheeler. Showed my dad what I had learned after he got home from nightshift, in the dark street of our crescent at midnight. I waited up for him waaaay past bedtime.

7. We moved into a new house that my dad built with his bare hands. He is my hero. I got to go to a new school and ride the bus with my cousin Marissa.

8. My mom became my best friend. I thought I had no friends in grade three, but I always had her.

9. I got my first acoustic guitar, named "the paddle". I developed my first inappropriate crush on my guitar teacher Kevin.

10. I had my appendix out and was showered with sympathy. I also had my own little mini me who would follow me around and drive me nuts.... But secretly I loved it.

11. My family went to BC for the first time with our cousins, Jerrett and Craig. One of my favorite family vacays of all time!

12. I had my first kiss from the neighbor boy! Although it was much more like an experiment. Afterwards he scrunched up his face like he had kissed a frog so I threw leaves at him. So not like the movies! Also, my sister wrote me a secret note in my diary telling me she looked up to me. Her notes are always so thoughtful.

13. I got my horse Raven and had many equestrian adventures. The day I brought him home is one of my favorite memories. My mom also painted my bedroom this year. She spent a few weeks hand painting an amazing garden scene and made my room look like it was from a magazine. That room was my pride!

14. Our family went to Mexico and had an amazing time. It was there I realized I wanted to become a teacher. 14 was also the year I cruised around with my cousin and best friend Brianne, who got her license, and rocked 99 Red Balloons with the windows down in freezing weather.

15. Unknowingly, I met my future husband in the high school music program. 15 was also the year my brother tricked me into thinking he was nice. One day, when I was studying hard, he surprised me with Pringles, which turned out to be farts in a can.

16. Sweet 16. My Mom and Dad bought me an emerald guitar (my birthstone color) and I started to get into music. I also remember a beautiful letter my mom wrote. I am so lucky.

17. Experienced first love. Sigh. Also incredible friendships. I will never forget the Albino Rhino cake from Brianne and Josh, or the sea monkeys.

18. I'm pretty sure this is the year my dad stopped tucking me in after he got home from night shift. It's not the fact he stopped, but the fact that for 18years he made sure her tucked his kids into bed each night, even if he wasn't home for bedtime. This year I also started university, and the art of taking the long way round.

19. Started a band and dating my love Steve! Also became really close with my cherished friend Kessia, an answer to a lifetime of prayers.

20. I moved out on my own into a basement suite with random Asian roommates. I never had to borrow money or move back home. Yay I'm an adult! Also, I believe this is the year my brother introduced us to his love Tessia, who has become a beloved part of our family.

21. Steve and I travelled to Mexico to visit an orphanage and I worked with special needs kids. I also took a step back from school and my parents were supportive. They believed in me and knew I'd go back. I couldn't have done it without their faith in me.

22. I got engaged! I also spent the year in my favorite apartment on Jasper ave, learning about myself and growing with my family. My sister and I became closer and we made great memories.

23. The year I walked down the aisle, holding the arms of my parents who have given me an amazing life. I was welcomed by the most incredible family, a mom and dad in-law who are like second parents to me and love me just as I am.

24. An amazing year of traveling to England, and enjoying life with a supportive husband who helped me go back to school and achieve my dreams. Also a great year for music with Nathan Carroll, who has been a mentor and helped develop me as a musician and songwriter. Steve and I are so grateful for Nathan and Heidi, and their lovely kids.

25. Steve and I celebrated gaining two new in-laws, Andrew and Chanda, adding lots of love and fun to our family. Steve and I also took a second honeymoon to the Dominican. My little sister bought a house and got engaged, which made me very proud.

26. I finally graduated! My first niece was born (sweet Katelynn). I also celebrated two weddings as the maid of honor for Kessia (woot woot Vegas!) and Kassia's (woot Dominican!) I also gained a sister in law, Michelle. I began my traveling adventure with Steve, to see the world and how other people do life. It has been amazing.

27. My favorite part so far has been waking up and knowing that back home, people are thinking of me and sending their love. I am so blessed!

Also... The surprise hot air balloon ride over Cappadocia at sunrise wasn't to shabby either...


Thank you to all the people in my life that have challenged me, cared for me, and given such a rich life. Thank you to God who has had his hands in it all. 27 is going to be an amazing year!

Istanbul: The Sights

We jumped on the tram and headed to our first destination and number one tourist attraction, the Blue Mosque. Built between 1606-1616, it was created to rival the Aya Sofia (below) in grandeur and beauty. When we walked inside we were awestruck. Beautiful hand painted tiles donned calligraphy art and lined every surface of the mosque. Chandelier-like lights hung low, fanning out above our heads casting a soft glow. To one side Muslim believers prayed in a roped-off area, and soon it was time to leave as the haunting call to prayer was broadcast over the loudspeakers and people filed in to worship.

After we visited the mosque, we headed across the street to the incredible Aya Sofia (also known as the Hagia Sofia). Built between 527-65, it was considered the most magnificent church in Christendom until the city was taken over by Mehmet The Conqueror who converted it into a mosque. It is a brilliant display of two religious takes on aesthetic beauty. Converted into a museum in the 30's, you can see walls where gorgeous Christian mosaics have been plastered over with intricate hand painted tiles (Islam does not use graven images in holy places, rather detailed design work and delicate calligraphy taken from the Koran are used). It was interesting to see religious expressions on display, not in competition but coexisting, bringing mystery and character to the building. I think that's why it is loved by so many.

After that we visited the basilica cistern, a beautifully preserved cistern created by the Romans to supply water to a roman palace. It is a mysterious place filled with strange fish and two beautiful stones with carved medusa heads from antiquity. No one knows how or why the heads were put down there, but some theories suggest it is to scare away evil spirits.

Two of our other Istanbul faves: the Topkapi Palace and the Dolmabache Palace.

The Topkapi Palace was a magnificent palace constructed around 1453 that was inhabited by Ottoman Sultans until they later moved to more European style palaces like the Dolmabahce. I loved the intricate tiles in the Topkapi and the amazing artifacts on display. We saw the staff of Moses.....or so the legend has it! We also enjoyed walking through the sultans harem, a huge dormitory used to house all his ladies. Quite something!

The Dolmabahce my personal favorite however, because it still contains most of the original fixtures and furniture. It was taken over by Turkey's first president when he exiled the royal family and turned the country into a republic , and it later became a museum. It was an amazing blend of wealth, elegance, and beauty.

Istanbul is an amazing city that could take a lifetime to explore. By the end of our four days there our feet were aching from ten hour days. We then hopped on a bus and are now exploring Cappadocia. More on this amazing place to come!

Blue Mosque:

Hagia Sophia:

Basilica:

Topkapi palace:

Dolmabache palace:

Turkey: Istanbul

Our plane was taxiing to the terminal and I really had to pee. There is something about peeing on planes that freaks me out. I will wait as long as I humanly can.

By the time I found a washroom in the airport and got moving, the visa line was ridiculously long. We waited a total of two hours to get our visas and get through emigration. When we finally got through customs and connected to the net we discovered our accommodation had fallen through, and we needed to find something else. I was tired and annoyed; our first day in Istanbul was loooooong. I was cursing our decision to leave Asia, the land of cheap and relaxed.

When we finally booked a room, we laughed when we walked up to the door; It was broken, full of rust and spray painted with the name of the hostel. There were no windows, no signage and we thought we were at the back door when a staff came to let us in. The inside was a dilapidated cave-like building with a long living room area that you had to duck to get through. Our room fit only the bed. It was clean though, and the shower was hot. We collapsed on the bed and were asleep by 8:30.

We woke early the next day, ready to explore (my mood was much improved!) We started walking down our road when we witnessed two older men shouting at each other in a cloud of blue cigarette smoke. One was a salesman, the other a customer. Hands were flying and the discussion became louder and more rapid. Steve and I exchanged glances and looked at our feet, giving them a polite amount of space so we could skulk away, when one slapped the other on the back and smiled. We witnessed this type of conversation a few more times until we realized that the Turks are just very passionate people! They speak with caps lock on. It has become an inside joke for us to give them English overdubs:

"HOW ARE YOU?"
"IS YOUR MOTHER WELL"
"HOW MUCH FOR THIS SWEATER?"

It's all in good fun.

We had a fabulous time exploring Istanbul. The mix of religions and ethnicities (Kurds, Iranian, Turkish, Eastern European) is fascinating, and the food that comes out of it is amazing! We tried to stick to hawker food, and ate an amazing variety of donairs, turkish pizza, turkish delights, and all sorts of yogurt enhanced food that we can't pronounce. It's been my favorite food of the trip so far!

We saw a good many sights in Istanbul (which I will post separately). Some of our favorite things though have just been people watching. We passed through a feminist protest where the riot police were set up with full gear and water cannons (no pics of that one, since we hurried out of there!) and overheard some interesting opinions on the roles of women. As a woman it's been interesting to have to make conscious decisions about "modest clothing", but I haven't found it to be oppressive or negative. It's been a great learning experience and I appreciate knowing how I can show respect in new lands.

Although Istanbul started out a little rocky, we are falling in love with Turkey, the land of amazing scenery, history, and culture.

In the next post I will give a quick rundown of what we saw in the city. It was a very packed 4 days!