Thursday, May 15th, 2014

We are commuting between cities by bus during this trip.  Commuting by luxury buses in Turkey has been a very pleasant experience.  In some ways, I felt I was on an airplane instead of a bus.  Seats were invariably equipped with the reclining feature and in the back of each was a touch screen for TV, music, games and other entertainments.  Twice throughout a typical overnight trip that took approximately 8 to 10 hours, two attendants would push a cart of snacks, tea and coffee down the center aisle to serve passengers with refreshments before turning off the lights to let us fall satisfactorily to sleep.  Before the bus reached its destination, attendants would walk down the aisle, making sure all seats were back to their straight position, and all headphone cables neatly tied into a knot.  During our trip from Cappadocia to Safranbolu, I tried to tie the cable knot myself three times, thinking I had come pretty close to the way they do it.  But when the attendant saw my work, he hesitated for a moment and decided to redo the knot again!!  I have a lot of respect for such dedication.  Most of these bus attendants seemed fairly young, some looked fresh out of high school.  But they were all dedicated to their work, paying attention to details and courteous to passengers.  They reminded me of the level of professionalism observed in Japan.

Hotel Venus, the cozy and beautiful hotel in Pamukkale village at which we stayed.  A handful of such smartly decked hotels scattered about the village.  Some with more perks such as WIFI or swimming pool, others more basic.  Venus definitely belonged to the former category.

Venus Hotel

Aside from hotel Erboy in Istanbul, which was more or less your standard lodging comparable to Ramada/Holiday/Western, the other four hotels we stayed at were each unique in its own ways.  My personal favorite was Hotel Venus.  The place was arranged with much thought and care so as to be as welcoming and artistically pleasing as possible.  Divan-style couches, finely woven carpets and textiles, wooden furniture, colored-glass lamps and other carefully chosen paraphernalia were tastefully put together.  A residential dog completed the picture.  

Hotel Venus -Lounge

Hotel Venus - Divan pavilion in the front courtyard

Hotel Venus - Luggage Storage area

Hotel Venus - the tolerant resident dog

Aside from the aesthetic factor, the human factor added to the hotel's appeal.  Staying at Hotel Venus felt like staying at an uncle's country villa.  There was an air of trust and relaxation.  Stored luggage were casually piled up in the lounge area, keys were left at the front desk when guests went out, the innkeeper was not always present, probably out helping with some guests' unlikely errands.  The second day after we arrived, a Korean woman obviously in distress rushed into the reception hall.  She was in tears because she had lost her mother at the Travertines!  Imagine that!  Not knowing any Turkish and not knowing whom to turn to, she came to the innkeeper for help.  The innkeeper immediately drove with her to the Travertines to search for the missing mother.  Later that afternoon, everyone returned safe and sound, including the mother, who had spent the last hour alone in one of the more remote locations at the Travertines, crying.  Oh and the innkeeper was also the waiter at the hotel's restaurant, which served delicious Turkish cuisines.  At a small countryside inn such as Venus, the innkeeper had to be a jack-of-all-trade person, readily responding to unexpected issues and events that might arise.  

Hotel Venus - fish dinner

Hotel Venus - breakfast

Pamukkale itself had been thrust into fame and fortune because of the spectacular natural wonder, the travertines, listed as one of the intangible heritages by UNESCO.  The travertines, found half a mile from the local village on the nearby mountain slope, are in fact glaringly white carbonated buildup created by flowing streams.  These terraces form crescent-shaped pools in which visitors can walk and soak in.  Visitors can walk everywhere on the travertines barefoot.  The carbon buildup feels quite rough to the feet sometimes.  Walking the whole length of the travertines, which takes a considerable 30 minutes, is tantamount to a rough but good foot massage.

I thought Pamukkale koyu might have been your typical quiet village with happy, earnest and down-to-earth farmers before it was bathed in limelight by UNESCO.  Today it remains more or less the case.  There were small plots of half cultivated land for each household, some looked well tended to, others a bit in disrepair.  A few humble shops selling groceries and daily necessities dotted the village.  Fifteen-seat vans were the primary mode of transportation for villagers if they needed to travel to nearby towns.  The air smelled fresh with a faint scent of manure.  The sky was impeccably blue with cotton white clouds.  In the nearly distance, mountains stood against the little village.  The village felt genuinely intact and real.  Almost.  Half a mile away, up on the travertines, it was like a different world with tourists in the hundreds if not thousands from every corner of the world, milling, romping and prancing about, posing for photos and bathing in the pools in bikinis; while down in the village, women in hijab and harem baggy pants (or some variations of those) worked in the fields, as if oblivious to it all.

The Hierapolis Ruins are found together with the travertines.  This ancient Roman city, dating back to the 2nd Century BC, was not built here by chance.  This was once a spa city, chosen for the local hot springs.  Today, giant masonry remains.  The most breathtaking piece of these ancient ruins was the amphitheater.  There's just something about amphitheaters that bespeaks passing time on a grand scale and yesterday's glory and ancient wisdom.

Wednesday, May 14rd, 2014

We ended up booking everything with Turista.  Online feedback seemed to reaffirm its trustworthiness.

Just a few words about peddlers.  The tourist neighborhood teems with peddlers and shop owners who go out of their way to befriend potential customers.  Everyone that has tried to sell some kind of business or goods to us has been very friendly and courteous all the way through, even after we had to flat out turn down their offers.  I have to give it to them of how hard they try to make business grind along all the while retaining good humor and patience.  I can only imagine how tough business could be for shop owners who own a stall/shop in the Grand Bazaar or the Spice Bazaar.  Imagine all the merchants who sell practically the same type of goods have their stores neatly lined up right next to each other, stretching for the length of several street blocks.  The only thing that makes a difference between one store and the next is service, or in other words, the capability to win over customers with smart conversations and sometimes flattering remarks.  The set up therefore, of business hubs like the major bazaars, probably has a direct role to play in how glib and flattering the sellers try to act towards potential buyers.  This, unfortunately, is also one of the reasons I might not end up shopping at one of the major bazaars, instead opting for nearby alleys or other stores whose owners strike a better balance between importunity and indifference.  But overall, I never think of shopping as a "game of stratagems", which is why haggling, if I actually do haggle, is always a casual thing.  I am just constitutionally unable to take haggling seriously.

The friendly owner of a scarf shop.
He was the first merchant who tried to sell us something in Istanbul.  

I thought he'd be a good representation of a lot of the merchants you'd meet in Istanbul.

The other thing that utterly surprised me about Turkish people was the ubiquitous nature of tea drinking (or coffee drinking) to the average Turkish, as far as I could observe.  To put things into contrast, if you were to go to China for the first time and just observe the daily lives of typical Chinese people, I wonder if you'd actually reach the conclusion that tea was first discovered by the Chinese and later introduced to the rest of the world.  There's no doubt tea is still essential to many if not most Chinese.  Drinking tea is probably as common as drinking water.  But the ritualistic and celebratory nature of the act of drinking tea in China has long stopped been taken for granted and is instead elevated to something more like stage performance, seen more often at tourist destinations and chic-cum-traditional tea-houses that have spawned much later and cater to those willing to spend up to hundreds of Yuan.  All in all, there's a deliberateness to bringing back the aesthetic qualities of tea in China, though I applaud the effort, I can't help but feel a sense of loss and sadness.  Tea drinking for many Turkish people seemed like clockwork.  At designated hours of the day, tea trays on which are placed several glasses (complete with saucers) of black tea (may be flavored with apple or other fruit flavors) are taken to local shop owners and staff for a short respite.  The tea is invariably served in a small glass about 5 inches tall and placed in a saucer beautifully handcrafted.  And it is a common sight to see men and women sitting down for hours to chat with nothing else but these dainty cups of tea.  I felt it is more about the company and the conversation than quenching thirst.  Nevertheless, the tea is indispensable, it serves a symbolic purpose.

Turkish tea

Tile craft takes up center stage in Turkish aesthetic appreciation.  Topkapi Palace is one of the best places to see beautiful tile works.  

Topkapi Palace - Tile art

Within the Palace, the Harem is a separate quarter, which was closed off to the outside world in the past.  The Harem, or the "Sanctum Sanctorium" of one man, in this case, the Sultan, and in China's case, the Emperor, has always seemed an eerily unpleasant place to me.  Not in the physical sense, of course, the harem of the Topkapi and the living quarters of the Forbidden City are preserved with meticulous care.  Instead, the notion that so many women reside side by side in an enclosed and off-limits quarter abiding by trivial formalities and scheming against each other, all for the pleasure and the procreation (the more important purpose) of an heir strikes me as morbid.  All in all, it is better that such vestiges of history remain outdated and irrelevant. (Photo Credit of all photos below in this post: L Miu)

entrance to the Harem

Eunuch's quarter in the Harem

beautiful lattice door with mother-of-pearl inlaid (?) (in Harem)

beautiful colored glass window (in Harem)

The Grand Bazaar.  Very interesting to browse, it was an eye-opening experience to see seemingly endless rows upon rows of shops selling beautiful ceramics, lamps, potteries, sweets, spices, clothes, souvenirs, and just about everything else save fresh produce.  (These, to my surprise, I didn't find to be very readily available in tourist destinations)  To buy anything at the Bazaar, much bargaining skill is needed.  Prices here are set high to allow room for bargaining.  Shop owners are as international as you could find anywhere, readily speaking half a dozen languages.  One man actually said to us in Chinese with a Beijing accent: 美女，钱掉了。Unbelievable.

Suleymaniye Camii is a beautiful mosque on a grand scale.  Even though the Blue Mosque enjoys international fame, the Suleymaniye Camii does not pale in comparison.  In fact, visiting the Suleymaniye Camii might be a more satisfying experience.  Fewer tourists visit this Camii, situated on a hill which you will eventually get to after traversing many busy streets while trying to avoid cars. It is easier capturing better photos here.

The entire Sultanahmet neighborhood can be viewed from the outlook deck on the Galata Tower.  On a beautiful day, the view is spectacular!

Lower Left: Hagia Sophia; Lower Right: Blue Mosque

Top: New Mosque and Suleymaniye Mosque (?)

Upper Left: delicious rice pudding sold by street vendors;

Upper Right: on the Galata Tower

Lower: from Galata Bridge

Old City - Sultanahmet - Tuesday, May 13th 2014

  Sultanahmet is also known as the old city of Istanbul.  Many hot spots that tourists flock to and that enjoy international reputation are found in this neighborhood, all within very reasonable walking distance of each other.  The area is hilly with tortuous streets, cobblestone roads on which compact European model cars, Mercedes, and trams traverse nimbly among pedestrians who cross vehicle roads and tram tracks freely.  There's a comfortable and accepted blending and blurring of boundaries between pedestrian and vehicle traffic.  Mosques and towering minarets punctuate the city skyline everywhere.  

  Our typical Turkish breakfast, courtesy of the hotel.  I expect to see much more of this nutritiously balanced breakfast.  This was one of those times I felt lucky to have lived for so many years in New York because my preference in food is never overly loyal to a particular cuisine so as to be self-defeating when traveling abroad.  I thought the Turkish breakfast was very agreeable, but I've heard that it poses a challenge to many fellow Chinese visitors.

 

A typical Turkish breakfast with tea/coffee, bread, several varieties of cheese, tomato, cucumber,yogurt, dried fruit, and of course sausage.

Yerebatan Sarnici/Basilica Cistern.  We were so glad we visited the Basilica Cistern - Istanbul's underground water reservoir for the Topkapi Palace-early in the morning.  If your stay in Istanbul were brief, make the Basilica Cistern one of your must-see-destinations.  It is incredible so much effort and workmanship went into building a facility that far exceeded its functional purpose.  This is not something you easily find elsewhere.  The Romanesque, eerie and mysterious atmosphere created by giant rows upon rows of Corinthian columns zapped us back in time.  I imagined secretive-looking merchants paddling small boats and capturing fish in the water to be sold in local markets.  This spine-chilling place reminds me of the underground mine in Lord of the Ring where Gandalf faces up to Balrog!

fa

   The famous upside down head of the Goddess Medusa in the Basilica Cistern.  The origin of this piece of masonry is still unclear today.  Centuries ago when there was no electricity, imagine running into a Medusa head in this underground maze.  That would give me a good scare!!!

Sultanahmet Camii/Blue Mosque.  Standard tourist stop.  Standard tourist shot.  The ezan, call to pray chanted by the muezzin and which is broadcast far and wide through what I imagine must be megaphones in the minarets casts a magic and mesmerizing spell on the city at designated times throughout the day.

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the eponymous bluish tiles in the Blue Mosque

Lunch.  Another delicious vegetarian meal.

                         Granny's Granary

We had to book overnight bus tickets to Pamukkale one day in advance.  The agency we were looking for, Pamukkale Turism, was no longer in business.  We asked several different travel agencies on Divan Yolu, many of them sold only tour packages rather than just bus tickets.  Finally, Turista had what we were looking for.  Turista also had good day tours and hot air balloon ride packages.  We might end up booking the whole package in Cappadoccia with them.  

Ayasofya/Hagia Sophia.  A short distance from the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia boasts ingeniously designed half domes that help to bear some of the extraordinary weight of the main dome.  

Ayasofya Hurrem Sultan Hamamı.  The highlight of the day for me was the luxury Turkish bathhouse experience at Ayasofya Hurrem Sultan Hamam.  The bathhouse is right next to Hagia Sophia.  It is arguably one of the best bathhouses in town.  Yes, it's on the pricey side, but it's an experience everyone should try at least once, IMHO.  First timer, get ready for the following: 

--being stripped stark naked in front of complete strangers (same gender of course!) in the warm room; 
--sitting together in a fountain alcove and feigning casual conversation as you wait for your bathers to get ready;
--the bather then splashes you, using a small golden basin, with hot and cold water from head to toe, in other words, "get you soaked";
--the "scrubbing session" - prepare to get squeaky-clean, with the aid of the bather's powerful hands.  Gosh that was kind of embarrassing.  Luckily, my bather was so nice and good-natured, we communicated using very limited English, lots of giggling, and friendly eye-contact;
--the "bubble-bath and massage" session.  Divinely comfortable.  Oh, did I mention the previous three steps were all done in front of everyone?  There were four women, me included, ready to be "manhandled", and there were four bathers.  We were all in the same room.  But by that point, no one cared anymore.
--By then you were as clean as you could ever get, we were then ushered into the reception room and offered a cool drink and some Turkish delight.
--And then the grand finale, the aromatherapy massage.  This was done in individual rooms instead of in a communal fashion.  Imagine being kneaded like a flour dough and pinched, pressed, elbowed, rubbed, pounded, squeezed in every imaginable way.  The expert masseuse tread a very fine line between pleasure and pain.  Her powerful hands exerted a juggernaut force, lol.  I'm very new to the whole spa/massage thing, so I definitely don't consider the Turkish bath a beginner level spa experience.  But at the end, I felt like I was born all over again. :)
So if you feel comfortable with all of the above (ah-huh), do not miss this unforgettable experience.

I thought the Spice Market was incredibly touristy.  Some of the alleys nearby might be better choices if you consider shopping for Turkish delight or other souvenirs.

Finally, our lavish and totally impossible to finish dinner:

meze(appetizer) platter

seafood platter (this dish is H.U.G.E.)

Istanbul streets are full of feral dogs and cats who looked meek, not shy, but not exactly friendly.  Sometimes the cats do not hesitate to sit patiently below your lunch/dinner table waiting for you to toss a bite or two.  But none of them dared leap onto the table.  In fact, I thought many of them had a look on their face that were as if they had come to accept their fate completely.

Monday, May 12th 2014

     Reporting right from Istanbul!

  Turkish Airlines was a pleasant surprise.  I've heard good things about them, but I didn't expect the Airline to give each of us budget travelers an amenities kit, complete with toothbrush, toothpaste, earplugs, socks, a sleep mask, and a jar of lip balm!  Quite generous of them.  I remember getting amenities kit flying economies class in the 90s.  Airlines became much more miserly with goodies later on.  

 Turkish Airlines Amenities Kit

  In-flight meals were tasty, and there was an attempt, quite successful actually, at arranging the individual food containers in the tray in a visually pleasing way.  The cheeses, salads, pasta and egg/vegetable combo breakfast were delicious.  So were the Turkish dessert and nectar snack.  The lavatories remained clean throughout the flight.  The devil is in the details.  That's what makes one airline's economy class outdoes another one.  

  There were also people praying at designated times.  The devoted faced a particular direction (towards Mecca, I think), stood by the cabin door, held what I assumed was their holy religious scripture, and uttered prayers while nodding their heads and limbs at the same time.  What I found surprising was how long the prayer session lasted.  I mean our flight was traveling across time zones, so I was trying to pull an all-nighter, struggling to stay awake, but I could have sworn one passenger's prayer session took more than an hour!   

  Istanbul itself reminded me of my hometown in China, Xinanjiang.  Our tram threaded across buildings and streets that were obviously not built and paved yesterday.  Buildings snuggled closely, flanking narrow streets.  Street-level shopfronts sold doners (fat spindle of meat spinning around a skewer), sweets, cellphone services, carpets, and the latest local fashion in clothing, among many other merchandise.  There was an occasional McDonald's or Burger King which I thought looked a bit comically out of place.  As our tram snaked into the Sultanahmet region, it was immediately apparent that we had entered tourist central.  Small shops crammed on both sides of the tram, with neon lights and printed signs vying for our attention, many of which souvenir shops, travel agencies, and eateries.  Though concealed by the bustling shops at the moment, but we knew we were in the immediate vicinity of Istanbul's architectural marvels, including the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, the Topkapi Palace and etc.  

  Our stop, Gulhane, was right outside of the crenelated fortification of the Topkapi Palace, with the tram running right at its feet.  Our hotel Erboy is only half a block away.  What a prime location!

 

Tram in Istanbul - Gulhane stop, right outside of the Topkapi Palace

The cobblestone alley on which our hotel stands

Gulhane/Sirkeci Neighborhood

  The hotel receptionist was extremely helpful and courteous.  The staircases were spiraled like those in an ancient castle.  Corridors and doors and everything were quite cozy and small.  This was something I did not expect to find in Turkey.  The compactness of interior facilities actually reminded me of Japan, or I'm guessing maybe Europe since I've not been there. 

  After we settled in, we wandered around our neighborhoods and had a delicious dinner at a casual eatery.  This is what I had:

Sac Kavurma - a delicious vegetarian dish with aubergine,
red bell pepper, mushroom and some kind of grain

Ayran, a very common local drink, kind of like yogurt but salted

  Last but not least for today, even though we'd only been in Istanbul for a few hours, we could already tell why Turkish merchants were so reputed for their tactics in persuading/attracting customers.  Sweet talk and photo ops were staples.  At a carpet shop, the owner actually gave us what must be an one hour long lecture on appreciating the various fine qualities and workmanship of Turkish carpets.  I was literally mentally spelling out "hook, line, and sinker!!"  But we were somehow willingly walking into this sweet trap!  But overall I enjoyed the experience, because I walked into his shop knowing next to nothing about Turkish carpets and walked out armed with a basic set of 101 knowledge, and we were shown some of his best carpet collections, of course the ones we liked the most were well beyond our means to purchase, ranging in the thousands.  My favorite one was a blue 12X12 knots rug with the last Sultan's medallion design, but I liked it for quite different reasons: that particular carpet was so finely and intricately patterned that it almost looked like a Tibetan Tangka!  But that one was $2800.  I sure have good taste, too bad my pocket was not deep enough to match up. LOL.  But we did end up buying a small treasure within our means.  And I liked it very much. :)  Hundreds of years, if not a millennium of trade wisdom surely endure today and live on strong.

Friday, May 9th 2014

   

     The much anticipated journey commences in about 56 hours.  

  This is probably the only time I've begun packing well ahead of time, mostly because I've got nothing else better to do, and that for once I wish to pack light.  I've heard there will be hilly roads, plenty of slopes.

  And one of the things I realized as I thoughtfully rummaged through cabinets, drawers, and the nooks and crannies of my room on a daily basis, picking out carefully screened items, throwing them into my petite-sized orange suitcase and lifting it to test its growing weight is that, traveling light is a thought-intense process, not to mention it could get costly!  Many decisions, more like compromises, had to be made.

  Picking out travel outfits really came down to the question of fashion vs. function.  I normally opt for the latter by bringing two pairs of jeans and half a dozen t-shirts, but in this case, I struck a balance by taking along two print dresses together with leggings.  No shorts of any kind will be accompanying me this time.  I understand Turkey is probably one of the most relaxed countries with a predominant Muslim population, but since we will be visiting mosques, this saves the trouble of avoiding certain outfits on mosque-visiting-days.  I could just don anything and be ready to go.  A rain-proof/wind-proof jacket always comes in handy when travelling.  It's become an indispensable item.  But this kind of jacket could be jaw-droppingly costly at stores like REI or Eddie Bauer, with the latest collections ranging in the hundreds.  Luckily, I got mine at Eddie Bauer while it was 50% off for around $50.  So it is worth investing in a weather-proof jacket when they go on sale.  You could wear it alone on rainy days as a rain jacket, for an extra layer of warmth in the spring/fall, or wear it outside of your down jacket in colder weathers.  All in all, I am taking only about three to four changes of clothing, plus the extra change of clothing I sleep in could also be worn outdoors.  The reduction process was painful, yes, but it had to be done.  I plan to toss everything into the laundry in Cappadocia. :)  ExOfficio undies come in handy.  But contrary to what's printed on the label, the underwear does not always dry in two hours.  It depends on the humidity.

  Cosmetics always account for the chunkiest department in the suitcase.  And this is one of those times you would be grateful if you normally had a simple skin-care routine.  I've fallen into more or less a daily routine the past year and half, gotta do your daily homework.  But for traveling, skin-care would have to take a back burner.  My face will remain clean and protected from the sun, period.  As for make-up, I'm taking nothing but essential items, and for me that means: eye-brow kit, a single eye-shadow, an eye-liner, a small tube of foundation, and a lipstick.  Make-up removing sheets, lotion sheets (both by ELF) and etiquette sheets are really handy and all disposable.  :)  All in all, I've managed to pack the fewest items for this trip.

Turkey 2014 - Itinerary

Sunday, May 11th - DEPARTURE!

            From JFK Airport (NYC) to Istanbul Ataturk Airport (Istanbul)

            Flight Number: Turkish Airlines 12,nonstop

            Departure Time: 11:55pm, May 11th

            Arrival Time: 4:45pm, May 12th

            Total Travel Time: 9h 50m

Monday, May 12th - Istanbul, Turkey!!

            At Ataturk Airport, consider exchanging some Turkish Lira, but keep in mind airport rates are usually not as good as rates at PTT(post office) or currency exchange offices(Döviz Bürosu).  ATM withdrawal using your bank debit card is another very convenient option.  ATM machines are widely available in Istanbul. 

Consider purchasing tokens/fare card for the Metro and Tram.  There are 3 types of fare card machines: 1.Istanbulkart,the Card itself costs TL10, and you need to use a separate machine to fill the card with money, there are discounts on fares if you use Istanbulkart, but since the card itself costs money, there’s a trade-off; 2. Biletmatik Fare Card, disposable fare card for a pre-determined number of trips; 3. Jetonmatik (token machine) [see separate sheet]

Route from Ataturk Airport to Erboy Hotel: Take the Metro M1A(Aksaray direction) to Zeytinburnu Station (the 6th stop, bypassing DTM Istanbul Fuar Merkezi, Yenibosna, Atakoy-Sirinevler, Bahcelievler, Bakirkoy-incirli); at Zeytinburnu, transfer for the Tram T1(Kabatas direction) and get off at Gulhane Station(the 16th stop, bypassing Mithatpasa, Aksemsettin, Merkez Efendi, Cevezlibag AOY, Topkapi, Pazartekke, Capa Sehremini, Findikzade, Haseki, Yusufpasa, Aksaray, Laleli Universite, Beyazit Kapalicarsi, Cemberlitas, Sultanahmet); from Gulhane Station, walk along Ebussuut Cd until you see Numara 18, should be a very short walk.  The trip takes about 40-45 minutes.

When we settle in at Erboy Hotel, time should be around 7PM. 

Things To Do:

1. Walk along the Tram T1 route and sightsee on Divan Yolu.  The office of Pamukkale Tourism is located on Divan Yolu.  Consider buying bus tickets to Pamukkale. Grab dinner here. 

2. Sirkeci Station neighborhood is a historic neighborhood.  The station building itself is a historic landscape.