Turkish Delight

April 23 2023 15:50

The boat is about to stop, and we are about to end our Bosphorus tour. Me – trying to soak in the moment. No talking. No photos at this point. Just praying and reflecting.

The seas tell me to let go. The weather, the plans, and the things we hold on too much.

The whirring of the boat almost sounds like silence, Maybe life can be like that. The questions we ask or the challenges we face are like the whirring versus the silence. We prefer the comfort of silence, but we could not go on the boat’s journey without the whirring sound, so we must go with it – together with the waves and the heat.

It’s funny I think of these after the picturesque mosques. Turkey flags everywhere!

We learned basic words like meraba and tashakor.

Surprises surprises! That’s what’s good when you don’t do a lot of research. We were told the blue mosque was closed, but it turned out to be open! It was a beatiful cool inside. When the receptionist helped us find the tourist spots with a map, we were reminded that the Basilica Cistern used in Dan Brown’s Inferno was here! It was a cool place to visit! It is reminscent of my Palawan Underground River trip where you can find art in the dark!

Overall, Istanbul and Cappadocia were clean places! It was really pleasant.

*smiles in the Hagia Sophia – dream come true*

The decisions of our past are the architects of our present.
x dan brown – inferno (robert langdon)

April 26 2024 12:20

Right now. I am here. In the Present. After reminding myself to stop social media and composing stories. For this trip, I did not do any real time sharing. I am trying apply what I learned from Bianca Gonzales’ podcast (re: her recent trip from Bhutan). Social Media Real Time Posting just keeps you from connecting with the place and it’s people, your friends, and most importantly – yourself.

Yesterday, we visited a mosque near the water in Ortkoyu (check spelling). Spell check: Ortakoy Mosque. It was far from where we stayed, but the good thing is we get to see the metro part of the city. It was an elegant mosque standing against the water.

*Ortakoy Mosque (Grand Mecidiye Mosque)*

14:00

Before checking in for our flight to Cappadocia, we had to withdraw in Euro for our Hot Air Balloon flight. Good thing my Monzo worked here.

April 26 01:30

*welcomed with this snowcapped mountain view*

We arrived in Keyseryri Cappadocia. it felt post apocalyptic as there were no people around. I found a printed shirt which is a good souvenir from here!

April 27 13:02

We were on a tour visiting fairy chimneys and caves. It was a history lesson on how Orthodox/Anatolian Christians lived – they fast for 15 days. Following a dream, they are inspired to paint. They use paint from plants. Their paintings on the wall were detailed and symbolic. However, we were not allowed to take photos!

*what living in a fairy chimney looks like*

As Cappadocia is famous for pottery and carpets, we were made to choose one, and pottery won! The prices were so high though, but the artwork were one of a kind.

April 28 2023 16:02

I’m in the middle of the Green Tour, and Ihalra Valley was just too cold for me. I cant get sick! I had to stick this in my head – I have to rise above things I cannot control. There. Is. Always. Something. Better.

Turkish coffee is so strong. But I needed it because it was so cold in Ihlara!!!

We met a girl from Peru, so it was a chance for me to ask about tours to Macchu Pichu (spell?). “the girl with the beautiful eyes”. Her eyes are gray, and her skin like caramel.

We explored Kaymakli Underground cities, which is so timely as I just finished watching Ancient Apocalypse, a documentary theorizing that a civilisation existed before the Ice Age, and it tackled underground cities in Cappadocia. We went through tunnels, and saw how (or assumed) how they gathered food, lived, and worshipped inside the underground city.