Rest and restoration….simply enjoying the peaceful wooded surroundings of Amanruya.

To break it up: Tom went into Bodrum with Thierry for hair styling and his first manicure!

The next day, Tom and I went to town, found a great purse store and enjoyed a delicious lunch (costs far more than expected!!)

The next day, June 5th was time say goodbye to Amanruya…flight crew dressed and posed for photo:  

Flight Bodrum which is situated on the southern Aegean coast of Turkey. This fabled coastline is where Homer’s heroes were born, where the ancient Greeks consulted their oracles and the Romans built magnificent temples to honor their gods.

The Amanruya Resort is set on a peaceful hillside, offering breathtaking views of the sea and a winding pathway leading to a sheltered pebble beach.

What beautiful, peaceful surroundings!

Lunch at the Beach Club…the sound of wind in the pines (“up-north Wisconsin”?)

Hotel: Amanruya

0410 wake up to catch the sunrise balloon ride!  Fantastic views of scenery — 100 balloons this hour, 50 more next 1/2 hour and 50 more following 1/2 hour!  The crews have an amazing coordination and the decision to go is based on early morning weather reports.  We are not so photogenic at this hour but the balloons are “raising” our spirits!

Toasting to the fantastic balloon adventure! Perfect landing right on the designated trailer!

After a rest we were up for a full afternoon of adventure.  The Goreme Open Air Museum is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where we viewed some of the fascinating frescoed and rock carved churches. The valued pigeons had alcoves carved for them to be happy and to deposit their fertilizer for gardens.

Tom and I passed on the  “underground city” tour at Kaymakli where the enigmatic cellar villages, over 40 of which have been discovered empty, are among the wonders of Cappadocia.

We re-joined the tour to the town of Avanos, which is renowned mainly for its pottery work. After a stop for lunch, we visited the famous pottery artisans in their traditional rock carved workshops. The panoramic views of Goreme were amazing.

We drove to a Caravanserais which is literally considered a “caravan palace”. This Caravanserais provided accommodation and other amenities for merchants and stabling for their animals. This type of building would be seen every 30-40 kilometers (a one camel trek) all along the “silk road” from Turkey to Persia.

This is where witnessed an actual Whirling Dervish ceremony including haunting sung poems from the brotherhood.  What discipline and focus the dancers maintain!

Late dinner back at our Kayakapi Caves Hotel….some great views!

Today’s flight…still with dirty airplanes!  Our attempt failed to find a crew to wash off the Santorini red dirt.  On our left we viewed the Black Sea…flew over the agricultural areas and some mountainous terrain.  No radar on approach into Kapadokya airport requires position reporting and with three airplanes 10-15 minutes apart we, TBM N850TD, ended up holding above the airport three circuits at 15,000 feet.  Interesting to follow our spider tracks, login to go.spidertracks.com to follow our N850TD. (enlarge last segment to see oval holding tracks)

There were a few rug purchases.  Toast to mother and daughters’ purchases.

Between 1459-1465, shortly after his conquest of Constantinople, Mehmet II built Topkapi Palace as his principal residence.  A series of pavilions contained by four enormous courtyards, a stone version of the tented encampments from which the nomadic Ottomans had emerged. It was the official and primary residence in the city of Ottoman Sultans for approximately 400 years (1465-1856) of their 624 year reign.

Around 4:00 pm Tom and I were treated to a bird’s eye view of a small portion of a Bollywood wedding celebration—right from our balcony! The loud music made us feel we were on the set of Slum Dog Millionaire. Reportedly, this was a three day celebration, 500 guests and all airfare and accommodations paid for by hosts. The dress (especially the women’s gowns) were exotic and extravagant!!

A very full day included: the underground Cistern, Haggia Sophia, the Roman Hippodrome, the Blue Mosque and the Grand Bazaar.  Our evening cruise on the Bosphorus took us to dinner at the restaurant Del Mare on the Asia Minor side of Istanbul.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Blue Mosque, which takes its name from the mainly blue Iznik tilework decorating its interior, is one of the most famous religious buildings in the world. The Blue Mosque was built by Sultan Ahemet I between 1609-16, during the period of declining Ottoman fortunes. Architect Mehmet Aga designed it with six minarets which was considered a sacrilegious attempt to rival the archeture of Mecca itself. To solve the trouble he was in, they commissioned a seventh minaret to be added to the Mosque at Mecca.