Turkey Countryside Photo Gallery

Turkey is quite an amazing country to visit and my almost 2 week trip only covered the a small part of it, the western and central sections. There is a good mix of nature, history, and excitement, with Cappadocia being my favourite. Having passed on a hot air balloon ride in Luxor a few years earlier, I jumped at the opportunity here and did not regret it! I travelled around these parts of Turkey by coach on a guided tour, which included very long journeys between cities. Starting in Istanbul, I headed south then east all the way to Cappadocia, then back north to Ankara and finally returning to Istanbul. While we made frequent stops at highway rest stations and bought Turkish delight at almost every one of them, if visiting on your own, do consider flying, which is quite affordable and would save you considerable time. .
	Pamukkale The Roman spa town of Hierapolis was built in the 2nd century BC to take advantage of the mineral-rich waters of Pamukkale, whose impact can still be seen today as the waters have turned the nearby ridges white. While the water still runs, the town is long gone following recurring earthquakes, with only minimal ruins left.
	Western Turkey Dardanelles, Canakkale, Kusadasi About a third of Turkey's population lives around the Aegean Sea. With lovely beaches and beautiful sea views, there is plenty of natural beauty to explore. Perhaps it's a good thing no big highways cross this area, but the downside is the journey from Istanbul to Gelibolu would take over 4 hours.
	Western Turkey Ephesus Today's ruined Ephesus dates from the 4th century BC. Although landlocked today, it was a major Aegean port during Roman times, and what is left today shows just how prosperous the city was in those days. Expecting a major rush from the cruise ships, we arrived bright and early, only to find plenty of others also devised the same strategy.
	Goreme Cappadocia is famous for its rock formations, which were created by erupting volcanoes some 30 million years ago. Over time, erosion has created various formations, including the "fairy chimneys". Some even became homes of persecuted Christians, who carved churches and frescoes into the rocky landscapes.
	Goreme II
	Above Cappadocia The highlight of any Cappadocia trip would be the hot air balloon ride as the sun rises. The 4:30am morning call was quite intense, but at least hundreds of others were suffering with me.