In this section, I include some photos from my own travels. Click on the audio player below the slideshow for music. 

Turkey

A few years ago I had the great pleasure of going to Istanbul and Cappadocia, Turkey. I wandered through ancient mosques, lots of bazaars, an Open Air museum, went hot air ballooning over the mysterious "fairy chimneys" in Cappadocia, drank apple tea with a lovely family on their farm, stayed in an amazingly beautiful cave hotel, and found some of the best native artisanal works I've ever seen. (Not to mention rugs - of course!) It was a beautiful place, and the people were wonderful; it's a country I hope to return to some day. 

Some interesting info: 

• Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey, and one of the largest cities in the world. It is the only city in the world to span two continents (Europe and Asia). 

• Hagia Sophia: This amazing structure  was originally built in 532 AD by a team that comprised a mathematician, a Greek scientist and a physicist. It's had a changing identity: at various times throughout its history, it's been an orthodox basilica, a mosque, a Roman Catholic cathedral, and now it is a museum.

• Cappadocia: A mystical place with perhaps some of the most unusual topography in the world. The rocks of Cappadocia near Göreme eroded into hundreds of spectacular pillars and minaret-like forms. People of the villages at the heart of the Cappadocia Region carved out houses, churches and monasteries from the soft rocks of volcanic deposits. Göreme became a monastic centre in 300—1200 AD.

• Grand Bazaar: The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, which opened in 1460 AD,  is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world. Today it contains 61 covered streets and over 3,000 shops which attract between 250,000 and 400,000 visitors daily. It is perhaps the only place in the world where I was too overwhelmed to shop. :-)

• Cats RULE:  In Istanbul, cats roam the streets, and are greatly loved and cared for. Residents put out bowls of water and food for them, and the cats make themselves at home everywhere - including many of the mosques. One cat I "met"  has taken up residence in The Blue Mosque, and is now famous for having been petted by President Obama during his visit in 2009. For more info, read the article: Istanbul: An Enchanting Place for Cats. 

        --Some info adapted from Wikipedia as noted


For more about Turkey, read (or listen to) the following: 

Istanbul: Memories and the City - by Orhan Pamuk
Istanbul: The Imperial City - by John Freely
National Geographic Traveler: Istanbul and Western Turkey - by Tristan Rutherford
Bazaar Istanbul: Music of Turkey (CD) 

All slideshow photos © MIchelle Badash