Turkey
SO MANY ROADS LEAD BACK TO TURKEY
THE BEST THING FOR US ALL THAT CAME OUT OF TURKEY WERE THE PEOPLE OF TURKEY. IT WAS THROUGH OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEM THAT WE GAINED ACCESS TO THIS AMAZING WORLD.
TURKEY HAS TAUGHT US THAT GREAT THINGS ARE BORN THROUGH DIVERSITY IN THOSE PLACES WHERE PEOPLE OF ALL COLORS AND RELIGIONS ARE DRAWN; PLACES OF BEAUTY AND CONFLICT THAT OVER TIME EMBRACE ENOUGH TOLERANCE TO DELIVER GREATNESS.
WE SPENT THREE MONTHS IN TURKEY CRUISING THE LYCIAN AND CARIAN COASTS WHILE ALSO FINDING TIME TO TOUR SOME OF THE INTERIOR PLACES LIKE CAPPADOCIA, EPHASUS AND APHRODESIUS.
Cruise Turkey
THE LYCIAN AND CARIAN COASTS ARE AMAZING
CRUISING THESE COASTLINES IN TURKEY IS SIMPLY UNMATCHED WHEN COMPARED TO THE REST OF OUR EXPERIENCES IN THE MEDITERRANEAN.
TURKEY'S FOOD IS SPECTACULAR AND AUTHENTIC RESTAURANTS ARE ACCESSIBLE IN THE MANY PROTECTED ANCHORAGES ALONG THIS COASTLINE.
THE WATER IS GIN CLEAR AND CLEAN. TURKEY HAS RECENTLY ROLLED OUT A DISCHARGE PROGRAM REQUIRING WASTE MANAGEMENT TO ENSURE IT REMAINS SO. THE BLUE CARD SYSTEM DOES REQUIRE PLANNING BUT IS STRAIGHTFORWARD AND NOT EXPENSIVE. I SUPPORT THEM IN THEIR EFFORTS WITH MANAGING DISCHARGE SO THAT THEIR COASTLINE CONTINUES TO BE AS CLEAN AND ENJOYABLE AS IT IS TODAY.
Ancient Turkey
HAVING NO REAL HISTORY SCHOLARS AMONGST US, WE DECIDED TO FIND GUIDES. WE WERE LUCKY TO HAVE A PERSONAL CONTACT IN THE BUSINESS. MENDERES WITH KORAL TRAVEL OUT OF MARMARIS HAD AN EDLESS CADRE OF PROFESSIONALS AND COULD FIND US GUIDES, DRIVERS AND TRANSPORTATION AT THE DROP OF A HAT.
WE CAME TO TURKEY NOT UNDERSTANDING THAT WE WERE AT THE CENTER OF SO MUCH. WE LEFT WITH A FULL APPRECIATION AND AN APPETITE TO RETURN.
THALES AND HERODOTUS WERE BOTH FROM TURKEY, THE SILK ROAD RAN THROUGH TURKEY, ST PAUL STARTED PREACHING CHRISTIANITY THROUGHOUT TURKEY, THE APOSTLE JOHN TOOK MARY TO EPHASUS WHERE SHE LIVED OUT HER FINAL DAYS. THE SEVEN CHURCHES OF THE APOCOLYPSE ARE ALL IN TURKEY, CONSTANTINE CONVERTED THE ROMAN EMPIRE TO CHRISTIANITY IN TURKEY, THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE WAS FOUNDED IN TURKEY, RUMI FOUNDED SUFISM IN TURKEY, TROY IS IN TURKEY AND ANNEAS WHO VIRGIL CREDITED FOR FOUNDING THE FIRST LATIN COMMUNITY LATER TO BECOME ROME WAS FROM TURKEY. THE ANCIENT LYCIAN CULTURE FROM TURKEY FOUNDED THE FIRST REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY WITH AN ELECTORAL COLLEGE AROUND THE TIME OF CHRIST AND WAS REFERENCED IN THE FEDERALIST PAPERS WRITTEN BY JAMES MADDISON. THE TEMPLE OF ANTEMIS AND MOSOLEUM OF HALLICARNASSUS (TWO OF THE ANCIENT WONDERS OF THE WORLD) ARE BOTH IN TURKEY. THE FABLED KING CROESIS, HEAD OF THE LYDIAN EMPIRE AND FIRST TO MINT COINS, RULED IN TURKEY AS WELL AS MIDAS WITH HIS GOLDEN TOUCH. THE LIST GOES ON AND ON...
Capadoccia
A WILD GLIDE THROUGH THE CANYONS
WE GOT OFF TO A ROCKY START WITH A BALLOON COMPANY THAT SEEMED LOST IN THE EALRY MORNING HOURS. THINGS IMPROVED AS WE TOOK FLIGHT - RISING ABOVE THE CLOUDS AND THEN BELOW THE CANYON CRESTS.
