Day 2 - Istanbul

Random Street Photos

Shoe Polishing

Friendly kid =)

Street Food (soaked in oil and sugar syrup).

This street food could be found in India also.

My favourite - freshly squeezed orange and pomegranate juice. 

Looks like a European City

GRAND BAZAAR

Wiki: "The Grand Bazaar (Turkish: Kapalıçarşı, meaning ‘Covered Bazaar’; also Büyük Çarşı, meaning ‘Grand Bazaar’^[1]) in Istanbul is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, with 61 covered streets and over 3,000 shops ^[2][3] which attract between 250,000 and 400,000 visitors daily.^[4] In 2014, it is listed No.1 among world's most-visited tourist attractions with 91,250,000 annual visitors.^[5]"

I have watched many travel shows featuring the Grand Bazaar of Istanbul, which is world famous. Unfortunately, it is such a let down, and I was disappointed. It is catered mainly for tourists, selling touristy souvenirs. Too orderly as well, I was expecting it to be more vibrant and energy with more hustle and bustle.  It is lacking the authenticity of an ancient bazaar.

SPICE BAZAAR

Wiki: "The Spice Bazaar (Turkish: Mısır Çarşısı, meaning Egyptian Bazaar) in Istanbul, Turkey is one of the largest bazaarsin the city. Located in the Eminönü quarter of the Fatih district, it is the most famous covered shopping complex after the Grand Bazaar.

There are several documents suggesting the name of the bazaar was first "New Bazaar". The building was endowed to the foundation of the New Mosque, and got its name "Egyptian Bazaar" (Turkish: Mısır Çarşısı) because it was built with the revenues from the Ottoman eyalet of Egypt in 1660.^[1] The word mısır has a double meaning in Turkish: "Egypt" and "maize". This is why sometimes the name is wrongly translated as "Corn Bazaar". The bazaar was (and still is) the center for spice trade in Istanbul, but in the last years more and more shops of other type are replacing the spice shops."

Even though the Spice Bazaar is also catering for tourists, I found more locals shopping here. It is really more interesting and authentic than the Grand Bazaar. The smell, the noise and crowd makes it more interesting. =)

Crowded Place

Lotsa Spices

More Locals in the Spice Bazaar

BOSPHORUS CRUISE

Wiki:" The Bosphorus (/ˈbɒsfərəs/) or Bosporus (/ˈbɒspərəs/; Ancient Greek: Βόσπορος, Bósporos; Turkish: Boğaziçi) is a straitthat forms part of the boundary between Europe and Asia. The Bosphorus, the Sea of Marmara, and the Dardanelles strait to the southwest together form the Turkish Straits. The world's narrowest strait used for international navigation, the Bosporus connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara (which is connected by the Dardanelles to the Aegean Sea, and thereby to the Mediterranean Sea.)"

Boats selling Fish Tapas (aka Fish Sandwich)

I did not enjoy the grill fish tapas, over-rated (too oily, too many bones, tasteless). Macdonald's Fish Burger taste so much better in comparison. 

European Side of Istanbul (with 2 big mosques)

The bridge spanning across the Europe and Asia Continent.

Spotted Dolphins swimming in the Bosphorus.

What a pleasant surprise! =)

Enjoying the view, sea breeze and the company of the sea gulls.

I felt free, just like a bird.

Feeding time!!! 

I fed the seagulls with bananas, and the technique is throwing the banana up into the air (and not towards the sea), so that the seagulls have enough reaction time to catch the food. It's fun!

Freedom!! =)

SULEYMANIYE MOSQUE

Wiki:"The Süleymaniye Mosque (Turkish: Süleymaniye Camii, Turkish pronunciation: [sylejˈmaːnije]) is an Ottoman imperial mosque located on the Third Hill of Istanbul, Turkey. It is the largest mosque in the city, and one of the best-known sights of Istanbul.

The Süleymaniye Mosque, built on the order of Sultan Süleyman (Süleyman the Magnificent), "was fortunate to be able to draw on the talents of the architectural genius ofMimar Sinan" (481 Traditions and Encounters: Brief Global History). The construction work began in 1550 and the mosque was finished in 1558.

This "vast religious complex called the Süleymaniye...blended Islamic and Byzantine architectural elements. It combines tall, slender minarets with large domed buildings supported by half domes in the style of the Byzantine church Hagia Sophia (which the Ottomans converted into the mosque of Aya Sofya)" (481 Traditions and Encounters: Brief Global History)."

Beautiful piece of Art

Grand and Beautiful. Very Symmetrical.

Huge Hall within the Mosque.

Really love the circular lights hanging down. So beautiful!

Lying down and taking a nap on the green outside the mosque.

(non-muslin gotta vacate the mosque during prayer time)

Good weather, good view and listening to the calling for prayers.

 It was so relaxing and peaceful!

Love it!!

Washing up before entering the mosque for prayers.

Huge Mosque

View of Galata from the mosque

Galata opposite, Bosphorus Canal and Asia Continent on the right.

WHIRLING DERVISHES

Wiki: "The whirling dance or Sufi whirling that is proverbially associated with dervishes is best known in the West by the practices (performances) of the Mevlevi order in Turkey, and is part of a formal ceremony known as the Sema. It is, however, also practiced by other orders. The Sema is only one of the many Sufi ceremonies performed to try to reach religious ecstasy (majdhb, fana). The name Mevlevi comes from the Persian poet Rumi, who was a dervish himself. This practice, though not intended as entertainment, has become a tourist attraction in Turkey.

The Mawlaw'īyya / Mevlevi Order or (Turkish: Mevlevilik or Mevleviyye, Persian: طریقت مولویه‎) is a Sufi order founded in Konya (then capital of the Anatolian Seljuk Sultanate) by the followers of Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Balkhi-Rumi, a 13th-century Persian^{[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]} poet, Islamic jurist, and theologian. They are also known as the Whirling Dervishes due to their famous practice of whirling as a form of dhikr (remembrance of God). Dervish is a common term for an initiate of the Sufi path; the whirling is part of the formal Sama ceremony and the participants are properly known as semazen-s.^[8]"

Taken at Hodjapasha Dance Theater.

Photography is not allowed (be'cos it is a religious ceremony), but you can see the video here:

https://vimeo.com/117726386

We paid 60 Lira (S$30, US$24) for 1 hour performance, quite expensive.

Will pay it for the experience, and it is quite graceful.

Day 3 - Cappadocia

Goodbye and Thank you Mr Lee Kuan Yew

It was a mixed feeling traveling when the rest of the nation was mourning for the lost of our founding prime minister Mr Lee Kuan Yew. During the funeral possession, it was pouring heavily (as though the sky was crying together with us) and the roads was lined up with people soaking wet under the pouring rain just to bid the last farewell to Mr Lee. I wanted to be there, standing in the rain in solidarity with my fellow Singaporeans to express our gratitude to Mr Lee.

Watching the funeral procession at the guesthouse lobby (with the best wifi connection), 

as we were not in the mood to check-in or listening to the day-tour packages.

CAPPADOCIA

Wiki: "Cappadocia (/kæpəˈdoʊʃə/; also Capadocia; Turkish: Kapadokya, Greek: Καππαδοκία Kappadokía, Armenian:Գամիրք (Gamirq), from Ancient Greek: Καππαδοκία, from Old Persian: Katpatuka) is a historical region inCentral Anatolia, largely in the Nevşehir, Kayseri, Aksaray, and Niğde Provinces in Turkey. In Ancient Greek Καππαδοξ (genitive -οκος) means "a Cappadocian".

In the time of Herodotus, the Cappadocians were reported^{[citation needed]} as occupying the whole region fromMount Taurus to the vicinity of the Euxine (Black Sea). Cappadocia, in this sense, was bounded in the south by the chain of the Taurus Mountains that separate it from Cilicia, to the east by the upper Euphrates and theArmenian Highland, to the north by Pontus, and to the west by Lycaonia and eastern Galatia.^[1]

The name, traditionally used in Christian sources throughout history,^{[citation needed]} continues in use as an international tourism concept to define a region of exceptional natural wonders, in particular characterized by fairy chimneys and a unique historical and cultural heritage."

View from the guesthouse

Goreme Town

Caves

More Caves

Chapel in one of the caves.

It used to be a Christian region, and slowed everyone converted to Islam.

"Early Christianity[edit]

The Cappadocian Fathers of the 4th century were integral to much of early Christian philosophy. It also produced, among other people, another Patriarch of Constantinople, John of Cappadocia, who held office 517–520. For most of the Byzantine era it remained relatively undisturbed by the conflicts in the area with theSassanid Empire, but was a vital frontier zone later against the Muslim conquests. From the 7th century, Cappadocia was divided between the Anatolic andArmeniac themes. In the 9th–11th centuries, the region comprised the themes of Charsianon and Cappadocia.

Cappadocia shared an always-changing relationship with neighbouring Armenia, by that time a region of the Empire. The Arab historian Abu Al Faraj asserts the following about Armenian settlers in Sivas, during the 10th century: "Sivas, in Cappadocia, was dominated by the Armenians and their numbers became so many that they became vital members of the imperial armies. These Armenians were used as watch-posts in strong fortresses, taken from the Arabs. They distinguished themselves as experienced infantry soldiers in the imperial army and were constantly fighting with outstanding courage and success by the side of the Romans in other words Byzantine".^[6] As a result of the Byzantine military campaigns and the Seljuk invasion of Armenia, the Armenians spread into Cappadocia and eastward from Cilicia into the mountainous areas of northern Syria and Mesopotamia, and the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia was eventually formed. This immigration was increased further after the decline of the local imperial power and the establishment of the Crusader States following the Fourth Crusade. To the crusaders, Cappadocia was "terra Hermeniorum," the land of the Armenians, due to the large number of Armenians settled there.^[7]

Turkish Cappadocia[edit]

Following the Battle of Manzikert in 1071, various Turkish clans under the leadership of the Seljuks began settling in Anatolia. With the rise of Turkish power in Anatolia, Cappadocia slowly became a tributary to the Turkish states that were established to the east and to the west; some of the population converted to Islam with the remainder forming the Cappadocian Greek population. By the end of the early 12th century, Anatolian Seljuks had established their sole dominance over the region. With the decline and the fall of the Konya-based Seljuks in the second half of the 13th century, they were gradually replaced by the Karaman-basedBeylik of Karaman, who themselves were gradually succeeded by the Ottoman Empire over the course of the 15th century. Cappadocia remained part of the Ottoman Empire for the centuries to come, and remains now part of the modern state of Turkey. A fundamental change occurred in between when a new urban center, Nevşehir, was founded in the early 18th century by a grand vizier who was a native of the locality (Nevşehirli Damat İbrahim Pasha), to serve as regional capital, a role the city continues to assume to this day.^[8]

In the meantime many former Cappadocians had shifted to a Turkish dialect (written in Greek alphabet, Karamanlıca), and where the Greek language was maintained (Sille, villages near Kayseri, Pharasa town and other nearby villages), it became heavily influenced by the surrounding Turkish. This dialect of Greek is known as Cappadocian Greek. Following the 1923 population exchange between Greece and Turkey, the language is now only spoken by a handful of the former population's descendants in modern Greece."

Cherry Blossom. =)

Beautiful Surprise!!

Jumping shots with friendly locals.

These ladies are University undergraduates and are quite friendly and shy. 

More Caves

The nicest experience is always the most unexpected. I truly enjoyed the experience of getting lost and trying to find a way to the vista point with great views.

Negotiating steep slope

Nope, too steep! Can't go higher.

It's great to be lost in such a beautiful scenery.

Having the place to ourselves. =)

This is too steep too!!

Finally, we were rewarded with a great view of Cappadoccia.

Beautiful!!

Good weather.

I told myself that I want to come here again for the next 2 nights, but I need to enjoy the scenery while it last. Unfortunately, due to weather and timing, we did not come back to enjoy this place again. 

It is a reminder to enjoy every moments in life. 

We often assume that we would enjoy it later or again, and sometime, the opportunity does not come by again. So gotta seize the day!

Goreme Town

=)

Beautiful Sky