It’s been so long since we’ve been to somewhere far from what we know! It’s been so very long since we’ve seen the clouds from top. My down to dusk job doesn’t allow me to look beyond the numbers & stats. I know, we desperately need a break but can’t travel now due to personal commitments. But there’s nothing that stops us from planning for a getaway. It was a lazy Friday morning and we had nothing special to do. Out of boredom, we found an interesting way to talk about our next holiday destination.
It’s never easy to decide. We have so many parameters to be considered – nice weather, friendly people, rich culture, delicious food, unique landscapes, indulging adventures and so many things. Most importantly it has to be affordable and not similar to somewhere we’ve already been. After lots of arguments, brainstorming, persuasion and research, we finally zeroed in. I thought it’s worthwhile to share with you what prompted us to zero in on Turkey. Here’s why:
People and Climate: Nobody would like to spoil a holiday by negotiating and bargaining things with people. Travellers love welcome, albeit implicit –from people and the climate. Turkey would not fall short to provide that comfort. People of Turkey are like its weather – they have best of both the worlds - warmth of Asia as well as coolness of Europe, accentuated by the goodness of the Mediterranean. From oceanic to arid, from hot summers to cool winters, from snow to rain, you get to experience everything in different regions of Turkey in different times of the year. However, the best times to visit are April-May and September-November when the weather is pleasant particularly in Istanbul and Cappadocia. Likewise, the people of Turkey are multi-ethnic and multi-cultural and at the same time warm and friendly.
Affordability: The destination must suit our pockets. So, the first thing we did was to search for online air fares. Here’s what we found: Muscat to Istanbul for less than USD300. Not only it is pocket friendly, but also reachable within just 6 hours from Muscat.
If you are flying from some other country then: London to Istanbul for USD 175 (4 hours), London Gatwick to Antalya for USD 150, New York to Istanbul for USD 360 (13.5 hours), Shanghai to Istanbul for USD 470 (15 hours), and so on.
There’s a host of inland flights for travelling from one region of Turkey to another. Travelling by bus for journey within the country is yet another cheaper alternative.
Needless to say, Turkey has great hotels and resorts for both budget as well as luxury travellers. So, Turkey perfectly fitted our criteria.
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| Cappadocia hot balloon ride. CC image courtesy MrHicks46, flickr.com [license] |
Ride a hot air balloon over Cappadocia: Go through any “x number of things to do before you die”, you will find hot balloon ride as one of the experiences to indulge in. I have never done this but always dreamt of doing it. Just imagine yourself in a hot air balloon over the stunning landscape of historic Cappadocia (a world heritage site), observing the volcanic rocks, fairy chimneys, ancient houses and temples carved into rocks and all the geological wonders. It’s definitely an experience of a lifetime!
Witness the rich heritage and architecture: The Ottoman Empire has left behind its mark which can be seen in the historic monuments. A perfect culmination of Europe, Middle East and Mediterranean, Turkish heritage and architecture can be best seen in Istanbul’s 400 years old Blue Mosque, more than 2000 years old Hagia Sofia, Ancient Greek town of Ephesus which dates back to 10th century BC, underground city of Derinkuyu which was built to hide its citizens from the invaders, ancient city of Troy made famous by Homer’s epic Iliad and so many places that offers a peep into the history of Turkey.
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| Hagia Sofia |
Taste the delicacies: Turkish cuisine is a gastronomic delight. We had first tasted Turkish food in a Turkish Airlines flight. Also, there’s no dearth of Turkish restaurants in Muscat. Nevertheless, taking Turkish food in Turkey is something that will appeal to all the foodies. On top of my list are: a delicious Menemen breakfast, well known foods such as Kebabs, Doner, Kofte or Dolma, fresh fish stuffed with eggplant, Baklava sweet, Turkish cheese, yogurt and all the other specialities including a refreshing cup of brewing Turkish Coffee.
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| Baklava Sweet. CC Image Courtesy: Garrett Ziegler, flickr.com [license] |
Experience the culture: If you appreciate music and dance, Turkey will never fail to score high in your list. Turkish culture has originated from its Ottoman Empire and influenced by Sufi, European and lately by the western wind. Visiting Turkey means a chance to enjoy its traditional as well as modern dance & music. Among others, traditional folk Halay dance (National dance), Hora dance, Zeybec dance and Belly dance would definitely appeal culture lovers.
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| Courtesy: Odil Ruzaliyev (VOA) (Voice of America) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons |
Landscapes: Turkey is bestowed with so much natural beauty and varied landscapes that it would be hard to list down a few attractions. Yet I’ve found the following choices intriguing:
To spend leisurely time in one of the many spectacular beaches of Mediterranean, Black Sea or Aegean Sea.
To take a boat trip and visit one of the nearby islands.
Experience, the 17 hot springs of Pamukkale and swim for free in the hot waters of the natural pool formed by the white calcium – another world heritage site.
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| Pamukkale. CC Image courtesy: Josep Salvia i bote, flickr.com [license] |
Visit one of the magnificent waterfalls such as Manavgat or Duden waterfalls.
The list is never ending.
And that’s not all. There’s so many other activities. You can stay back, relax and take a Hamam Bath. It’s a traditional Turkish spa that refreshes mind and body. If you are a shopaholic, you can get all you want from traditional items and souvenirs to modern and fashionable apparels. Istanbul is famous for carpets, ceramics, dry fruits, textiles, jewellery and handicrafts.
So, what you are waiting for? Get the backpack and head for Turkey. It will be an experience to remember beyond doubt. Do share your thoughts on Turkey or about any other place that you consider your dream destination.