<p class="ql-block">04/22/2022</p><p class="ql-block">SF-Istanbul </p><p class="ql-block">One night in a hotel (Hippodrome Hotel) close to Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque.</p> <p class="ql-block">04//23/2022 Arrived Istanbul</p> <p class="ql-block">04/24/2022</p><p class="ql-block"><br></p><p class="ql-block">Hagia Sophia in the morning.</p> <p class="ql-block">Blue Mosque</p> <p class="ql-block">The hotel closed to the church and can photo shoot on the rooftop.</p> <p class="ql-block">04/24/2022</p><p class="ql-block">Drove to Ankara (5 hours), planned to visit Museums of Anatolian Civilization. But we dropped Ankara considering the weather condition about the hotair balloon. 7hours 45min drove to Cappadocia, checked in hotel at Seki Cave Suites.</p> <p class="ql-block">04/25/2022 </p><p class="ql-block"><br></p><p class="ql-block">We were successfully got on the hot air balloon. </p> <p class="ql-block">Each person got a certificate after the hot air balloon was over.</p> <p class="ql-block">04/25-04/28/2022</p><p class="ql-block"><br></p><p class="ql-block">Explored Cappadocia and photo shooting.</p><p class="ql-block">Take local one day tour booked through Seki Cave Suites.</p><p class="ql-block">Goreme National Park & Rock Sites of Cappadocia.Visit Kaymakli Underground City.</p><p class="ql-block">Visit Rose Valley, Love Valley.</p> <p class="ql-block">04/26/2022 </p><p class="ql-block">Wandering around Goreme town </p> <p class="ql-block">Cappadocia, a semi-arid region in central Turkey, is known for its distinctive “fairy chimneys,” tall, cone-shaped rock formations clustered in Monks Valley, Göreme and elsewhere. Other notables sites include Bronze Age homes carved into valley walls by troglodytes (cave dwellers) and later used as refuges by early Christians. The 100m-deep Ihlara Canyon houses numerous rock-face churches.</p> <p class="ql-block">Goreme town stone house</p> <p class="ql-block">04/27/2022</p><p class="ql-block"><br></p><p class="ql-block"><br></p><p class="ql-block">At Seki Hotel watched Air Balloon.</p> <p class="ql-block">Visit underground city</p> <p class="ql-block">The Derinkuyu underground city is an ancient multi-level underground city in the Derinkuyu district in Nevşehir Province, Turkey, extending to a depth of approximately 85 metres. It is large enough to have sheltered as many as 20,000 people together with their livestock and food stores.</p> <p class="ql-block">Walk through fairy chimneys in the Valley of Roses in Cappadocia</p> <p class="ql-block">04/28/2022</p><p class="ql-block"><br></p><p class="ql-block">Went to Rose Valley in the morning early to shoot hot air balloons.</p> <p class="ql-block">Cappadocia’s breathtaking landscape makes it a top global destination for balloon flights. The terrific flying conditions allow for amazing views of the spectacular, surrealistic landscapes. You’ll gently drift over and between fairy chimneys, pigeon houses hewn into the unique rock formations, orchards and vineyards. You’ll float through impressive valleys, each with distinctive rock formations, colors and features and then drift up over rippled ravines for breathtaking views over the region.</p> <p class="ql-block">After the hot air balloon shooting we drove to Konya.</p><p class="ql-block"><br></p><p class="ql-block">Konya is a city south of Ankara in Turkey’s Central Anatolia region. It’s a pilgrimage destination for Sufis, focused on the tomb of the founder of the Mevlana order, Jelaleddin Rumi, in the Mevlana Museum. Sema whirling dervish ceremonies take place at the Mevlana Cultural Center, east of the museum. The 12th-century Alaeddin Mosque is surrounded by the green parks of Alaeddin Hill.</p> <p class="ql-block">Aziziye Mosque or is an Ottoman mosque in Konya, Turkey. It is well-known for the columned balcony of its minaret, an architectural feature rarely seen in Turkish mosques.</p> <p class="ql-block">04/29/2022-05/01/2022</p><p class="ql-block"><br></p><p class="ql-block">Pamukkale Travertine and Hierapolis.</p> <p class="ql-block">Known for their therapeutic properties since Roman times, the waters of the Pamukkale Thermal Pools flow into white travertine formations that rise out of the surrounding plains. Nearby are the ruins of Hierapolis, an ancient city that grew up around the springs. The thermal pools and petrified waterfalls create an otherworldly landscape at Pamukkale, which means Cotton Palace or (Cotton Castle).</p> <p class="ql-block">This hotel included breakfast and dinner, free hot spring. Highly recommended!</p> <p class="ql-block"><br></p><p class="ql-block">Red Flanders Poppies were blooming everywhere in Turkey.</p><p class="ql-block"><br></p> <p class="ql-block">05/01/2022</p><p class="ql-block"><br></p><p class="ql-block">Ephesus Archaeological Museum.</p> <p class="ql-block">Ephesus is an ancient city in Turkey’s Central Aegean region, near modern-day Selçuk. Its excavated remains reflect centuries of history, from classical Greece to the Roman Empire – when it was the Mediterranean’s main commercial center – to the spread of Christianity. Paved streets wind past squares, baths and monumental ruins. The Temple of Hadrian was built before 138 A.D. for Emperor Hadrian’s visit.</p> <p class="ql-block">Victory Wing</p><p class="ql-block">The name Nike has a great history as it is named after an ancient Greek Goddess. According to Greek folklore, it is said that Nike, the Goddess was the reason why warriors won numerous battles for their motherland. Each time they won a battle they used to say, Nike, to each other.</p><p class="ql-block">The goddess’ wings are called swoosh and history has it that the wings brought audacity and motivation to warriors when they headed towards the battlefields. Experts like to believe that this was the main reason behind the design of the Swoosh Nike logo.</p> <p class="ql-block">Overnight in Sirince Village</p> <p class="ql-block">Şirince is a village of 600 inhabitants in İzmir Province, Turkey, located about 8 kilometres east of the town Selçuk and about 8 kilometres from Ephesus. The area around the village has history dating back to Hellenistic period.</p> <p class="ql-block">Turkish coffee is a style of coffee prepared in a cezve using very finely ground coffee beans without filtering.</p> <p class="ql-block">05/02/-05/03/2022</p><p class="ql-block">Istanbul-Asian side one day. Check in Moja City Hotel.</p> <p class="ql-block"><br></p><p class="ql-block"><br></p><p class="ql-block">05/04-05/06/2022</p><p class="ql-block">Istanbul-Europe side </p><p class="ql-block">Visit: Beylerbeyi palace Tunnel, Night cruise, Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque, Galataport Istanbul, Taksim Square, Egyptian Bazaar. Take a one day Bus Tour.</p> <p class="ql-block">The largest mosque in Turkey, Grand Çamlıca Mosque is a complex of Islamic worship which was completed and opened in March 2019. The mosque is located on Çamlıca Hill of Üsküdar district in Istanbul, and showcases an art gallery, a library, and a conference hall.</p> <p class="ql-block">Istanbul night cruis.</p> <p class="ql-block">Set sail along the Bosphorus, the meeting point of Europe and Asia, on this evening cruise. Experience Istanbul at its most atmospheric as you cruise past the illuminated city skyline and admire landmarks including Dolmabahce Palace, the Bosphorus Bridge, and the Maiden's Tower. While on-board, tuck into a 3-course dinner and enjoy a variety of entertainment including whirling dervishes, belly dancing, and DJs.</p> <p class="ql-block">This is very convenient and practical!</p><p class="ql-block"><br></p> <p class="ql-block"><br></p><p class="ql-block">Visited the Beylerbeyi Palace</p><p class="ql-block"><br></p> <p class="ql-block">The Beylerbeyi Palace, Beylerbeyi meaning "Lord of Lords", is located in the Beylerbeyi neighbourhood of Üsküdar district in Istanbul, Turkey, at the Asian side of the Bosphorus. An Imperial Ottoman summer residence built between 1861 and 1865, it is now situated immediately north of the first Bosphorus Bridge.</p> <p class="ql-block"><br></p><p class="ql-block">Visited Grand Bazaar</p> <p class="ql-block">The Grand Bazaar ‘Covered Market’; also meaning ‘Grand Market’ in Istanbul is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, with 61 covered streets and over 4,000 shops on a total area of 30,700 m2, attracting between 250,000 and 400,000 visitors daily. In 2014, it was listed No.1 among the world's most-visited tourist attractions with 91,250,000 annual visitors. The Grand Bazaar at Istanbul is often regarded as one of the first shopping malls of the world.</p> <p class="ql-block">Perfect end to Turkey tour!</p> <p class="ql-block"><br></p><p class="ql-block">This was the final route.</p><p class="ql-block"><br></p>