10 DAYS IN OTTOMAN CALIPHATE - TURKEY

Trip to Turkey

Period : 31 August 2011 up to 11 September 2011

Always and always...everything starting by mood, than I found again I will be in trip to an exciting country with heritage, unique culture with multiple background mixed of Asia, Europe. Due to its strategic location.

In astride two continents, Turkeys culture has a unique blend of Eastern and Western tradition. A powerful regional presence in the Eurasian landmass with strong historic, cultural and economic influence in the area between Europe in the west and Central Asia in the east, Russia in the north and the Middle East in the south, Turkey has come to acquire increasing strategic significance.

TURKEY.......the adventure will be begun.....

By browsing n browsing I decide to use Chora Travel as my trip organizer. I found that travel in Internet by googling "tour turkey.." and than everything gonna be so easy...

I arrange all my Intl' ticket by my self...again, just do it In my desk. I made online booking with Singapore Airline , return flight with only 1 stop respectively at Changi Airport....

Once I had decided to take trip than I made online payment to Chora travel for 40% deposit than 2 days after payment made they sent me complete itinerary and all scanned tickets. Wowwwww, they are so professional , right? Than everything clear, I just need to pack all my stuffs in travel...owwwww my gears for sure.

Maybe this will be useful to share as guidance , my trips for 10 days in Turkey costing Euro 2548 with 5 star hotel all in. So I do not need to think about breakfast, lunch and dinner. Also this include some attraction such as Hot Balloon Ride, Whirling Dervish Show in Istanbul , and Turkey's Night [night party with Turkey's style]. this cost also included all local transportation by plane from Istanbul to Cappadocia and Private Car to Ephesus.

Now....I m just awaiting departure date......31 August 2011

Day 1:

This is the day! At 13.30 heading to the airport and take GA 105 from my home town to Jakarta. Than catch SQ 963 to Changi for transit. All run so smooth and on time. It is good to come to the airport 3 hour prior departure to anticipate queuing. As this is a national long holiday, there are so many people want to traveling and the airport specially in immigration desk so crowded. 4 hours transit in Changi awaiting SQ 490 to Istanbul I spend my time to look for a hard disk but unfortunately I can' t find it.

10 hours fly from Changi to Attaturk a little bit make me exhausted. But lucky me I can sleep well in flight about 5 hours, so when I landing and starting the first day in Istanbul I feel fresh. My tour have not starting yet actually. This is free day to me, than I spend my free day by walking around my hotel. It's good that my hotel in centre of tourism. I walk to spice market, go to the harbor and follow the crowd spending afternoon in harbor. Not to much photo for today, mostly I spend my time by having local cuisine.

A night I decide to have my dinner in Turkish's night show. Ahaaaaa....it's so unique, dinner with traditional dancing plus erotic dancing. Ya ya ya....that a good dessert for my dinner. A little bit tired I back to hotel early and having sleep as much as possible due to my influenza.

Day 2:

Feeling better today. Wake up early, morning praying than starting activity with Internet connection. Good wifi in hotel available. Continuing my note writing, take a bath than having my breakfast. Lucky day, I love the spicy baked potato and sauces in my breakfast.

Here we go, for city tour.....

City tour is great! Visit Hagia Sophia...great place for photo. Museum is amazing, can see Moses Prophet Stick and other valuable things from Prophet Mohammad and Byzantium, Ottoman era. Also visit Blue mosque. I cancel Dervish show as it not allowed to make photo. So I just take a rest and review my photo shoots while packing for trip to Cappadocia tomorrow.

Day 3:

Flight to Cappadocia? It really great to get good agent by Internet. Chora Travel, they arrange my trip professionally. Good flight with good airplane and get business class! Wow! love it.

First day in Cappadocia I spend time to North area. Very nice panorama, amazing to view the chimneys and the stone.

Day 4:

Balloon ride! Wow...that the one I waiting for. Wake up early and go for balloon ride at 05.00 am. Exciting! I make aerial photo upper the stones and between the balloon. Get a lot of great photo today. Than back to hotel for shower, breakfast and continue tour to south area. This is a hard tour, a lot of hiking and climbing specially in underground city and Ihara valley. But alls are exciting and great. Back to hotel with sooooo exhausted leg.

Day 5:

Relaxing day in Cappadocia. My free time....I just wake up early for making photo shoot at roof top. Great photo of balloon ride from lower angel. Than spend times for relaxing, at afternoon get sunset photo at Red Rose Valley. At night come to Dervish show., not too impressed show actually, but I get one photo.

Day 6:

Trip to Pamukkale by private car. Wake up early to manages some office work, checking emails, than ready to go.....

Wow, it's really long trip. 12 hours overland! Arrived at Lycus River Hotel at 08.00 pm, having dinner than ...sleep.

Day 7:

Starting to have Geo Thermal Tour....Pamukkale. It's really a hot place. But really wonderfull. After full day tour I directly transfer to bus station. The bus is very good, even better than bid is class in airplane. On the way to Kusadasi I really enjoy a nice trip, with good bus which serve the passenger with ice cream and coke. It was a sunset time, so sitting in the bus with sunset view on the mountain a long the trip together with romantic song from my Ipod. It's really a great trip. Arrived in Kusadasi at 08.00 pm and directly having dinner in sea view restaurant with a half moon in the sky. Also there was an unplug music at lounge. Romantic dinner under the moon.

Day 8:

Early in the morning packing again and read for tour to Ephesus, Artemis temple etc. After lunch we visit leather jacket shop. It's really great shop with mini fashion show. The silk jacket really great but very expensive and do not know exactly whether it is right price or not. But in fact I bough 6 piece leather jacket.....ooooh....a little bit regret...do not know exactly but the jackets looks so good...not sure but.

After tour ending, transfer to the hotel for waiting somebody to pick up for a flight to Istanbul.

Day 9:

Free day in Istanbul I spend most of the day buy shopping in Grand Bazaar. Very nice place for shopping indeed.

And by walking from Sultanahmed street to my hotel Legaccy Ottoman I find a restaurant which serve dinner with whirling dervish show and belly dancing. So I spend my last night in Istanbul by having dinner in that restaurant with the shows.

Day 10:

Fly Home......hmmmm...it's really nice holiday in Turkey.