Turkey 2015
In April of 2015, Tom and Iris had a great time traveling to Turkey with friends Mark and Anne. With so much history in Turkey and an excellent tour guide named Namik, it was a wonderful two week bus trip. The tour started in Istanbul with visits to St. Sophia, the Hippodrome, the Underground Cistern, Topkapi Palace, the Grand Bazaar, and the Blue Mosque. Traveling to Canakkale, they visited the Anzac Cemetery in Gallipoli. On the way to Kusadasi, they visited the city of Troy and the Asclepion in Pergamum. One of the highlights of the trip was visiting the ancient city of Ephesus. Traveling to Pamukkale, they visited the Necropolis and the city of Hieropolis. In Konya they visited the Mausoleum of Mevlana. Cappadocia was another highlight of the trip with an exciting early morning hot-air ballon ride and an evening Whirling Dervishes ceremony. They also visited the Open Air Museum in Goreme Valley, the Ozkonak Underground City, and one of the many cave houses of Cappadocia. In Ankara they visited the Mausoleum of Kemal Ataturk and the Anatolian Civilizations Museum. Returning to Istanbul, they went on a cruise of the Bosphorus and visited the Spice Market before returning home.
St. Sophia, Istanbul
Hippodrome and Underground Cistern, Istanbul
Topkapi Palace, Istanbul
Blue Mosque, Istanbul
Anzac Cemetery in Gallipoli
City of Troy
Asclepion (Roman spa) in Pergamum
Ancient City of Ephesus
House of Virgin Mary and St. John Basilica
Ancient City of Hieropolis
Necropolis (cemetery) outside of Hieropolis
Pamukkale Hot Springs
Mud Bath in Pamukkale
Mausoleum of Mevlana, Konya
Caravanserai of Sultanhan
Cave Home in Cappadocia
Carpet Weaving
Whirling Dervishes Ceremony
Balloon Ride in Cappadocia
Ozkonak Underground City
Pottery Factory
Love Valley
Open Air Museum in Goreme Valley
Camel Ride
Mausoleum of Kemal Ataturk, Ankara
Anatolian Civilizations Museum, Ankara
Istanbul Bosphorus Cruise
Farewell Dinner
