A few days before we left for Turkey, I got a call from Sneha to get to the Turkish Embassy within the next thirty minutes. We had to be physically present to submit visa documents for our son, although the Turkish embassy website never mentioned it. The officer at the embassy sheepishly grinned and told us that it was a common grievance and nothing could be done about it. "Have a nice trip to Turkey" is all she could muster. It sounded more like "Welcome to Turkey and its ways"
After the usual flight experience with a troublesome toddler, overheated flight food and constant switching on & off of cabin lights, we reached Istanbul. Istanbul is a fascinating city across two continents divided by the Bosphorus Strait. I could sense a western city trying to blend into a traditional eastern world. There were modern corporate buildings next to ancient mosques, bars near the wall of an old fort, bikers zooming past veiled women and multinational brands in old Ottoman buildings. Every few minutes I saw a mosque and suggested to the driver it was the Blue Mosque. He sighed in contempt every time and finally snapped "Huh. This is small mosque. Blue Mosque ten times bigger". The taxi, with blaring but bearable Turkish music, zoomed past stop signs, signals with the red lights and pedestrian crossings. But, the giant taxi driver was kind enough to find our apartment in the narrow and confusing lanes.
Our apartment was right in the center of the city which was both an advantage and a disadvantage. The tourist spots were close by but the taxi drivers detested short distances. After getting to know the apartment facilities I headed out to get some provisions. I entered a mini mart and picked up a few items. I was not sure which milk to buy and took advice from the man at the counter who confidently said "I have that milk. Good. Buy". Later, I entered a bakery and in my horrible Turkish, requested for a vegetarian sandwich. Luckily, an app on my phone helped me communicate better. The baker went out of his way to show every single ingredient that was used to prepare the sandwich. People and the weather seemed warm and friendly. But not for long.
Rachit, Naina and baby Saanvi arrived. It was a reunion as all of us (adults obviously) studied in the same college where the boys spent most of their best years wasting time doing frivolous things. A quick-lunch and off we went into the streets where a reluctant taxi driver took us to the Bosphorus strait amidst heavy traffic. To distract the kids we showed them videos on the mobile phone and thus launched an endless series of Dora The Explorer, Wonder pets and rhymes. Once in a while, I would play a Bollywood movie called Gunda which is a b-grade classic thrash that only a few can appreciate (Read it : Only boys). The kids, fortunately or unfortunately, had better taste.
After getting down from the taxi, we ended up on a cruise boat that looked bigger in the pamphlets than in real. Luckily, it had basic safety measures, looked decent enough and had a stinky but usable toilet. From the boat, we saw the beautiful sights lining the Bosphorus' wooded shores: mosques, a bridge that for a time was the world's longest, the massive Rumelihisar fortress, the 19th century mansions of the Ottomans and the Sultan's fancy palaces. It was hard to imagine that one side was Asia and the other was Europe. Our laughter and chatter grew louder. Being the only people consuming alcohol and with kids going berserk by running all over the place we attracted some dirty stares. But, all sobered down when we got stuck in a downpour after the ride. An enterprising salesman saved us, by selling cheap umbrellas that barely functioned. We walked past an array of small boats that functioned as restaurants serving fish from the strait, trinket shops, a huge bus terminus and ended up in a regular restaurant where the food was ordinary and the beer was skunked. The beer gave the boys some trouble the next day.
Getting back to our apartment was another challenge as the rain had not subsided and the taxi drivers were as bad as they could get. Some asked for a sky-high price, some didn't want to move, some could not identify the address and the one who took us home was in a foul mood. Galatasary was struggling in a match, the directions to our place were confusing and he didn't understand English so he kept cursing and shouting. He refused to look at the GPS, the map or get off the car and ask for directions. I got down, begged a waiter at a restaurant to help us with directions and yet we were stuck. The driver was miffed with us and his football team. He flipped his radio channel to play some songs. Interestingly, a Turkish song played which resembled a Bollywood number. When I recognized the song he got even more angry and mocked at me. At least he got us back safe and didn't knife us. The moron had bargained for a price instead of turning on the taxi meter. In the end the bargained price was a lot lesser than the price shown by the meter.
The next day, another reluctant taxi driver took us to Sultanahmet. We took the smart option of hiring a guide to see Hagia Sophia. Hagia Sophia is a great example of religious harmony. Once a church, later a mosque, it is now a museum. There is an interesting story that fascinated all of us. Christian churches are traditionally oriented towards the east, and Muslims pray facing Mecca. Mecca is luckily southeast of Istanbul and bizarrely the east end of the Hagia Sophia actually faces southeast. So, the Ottoman rulers added a prayer niche, a wooden minaret, covered the faces related to Christianity in plaster and made a mosque out of the church. The prayer niche is at around ten degrees from the altar and until the guide mentioned that to us we did not realize it. Instead of destroying the Church the Ottomans just decided to re-use it and even preserved most parts of it. In a world where religious animosity is burning us all down this seemed like a great lesson from the past. It also showed the secular culture ingrained in Turkey since ancient times.
Right across the Hagia Sophia is the Sultanahmet mosque. It is better known as the Blue Mosque because of the blue tiles surrounding its interior walls. It has six minarets and the sultan who built it was rightly criticized for trying to emulate the six minaret mosque at the holy Kaaba. Even though the mosque looks symmetric we were told none of the Islamic monuments are symmetric because symmetry which is a form of perfection is only Allah's prerogative. One of the entrances used to have a big chain that forced even the king on a horse to enter the mosque with his head lowered. This is a symbolic gesture to ensure the humility of the ruler in the house of the divine. Ironically, a tout ripped us off with the lure of entering the mosque through a special line. He just broke the rules and sneaked us in. It seemed as though we cheated our way into god's chamber. Inside the mosque, thousands of handmade ceramic tiles with engraved blue tulips, stained glass windows, decorations with verses from the Quran and dimly lit lanterns on an oval-shaped metal structure gave it a beautiful look. There was a lot to see inside the mosque, but we had to head out to stop the kids from rolling on the carpet floor that smelt of unwashed socks. The wiser option was to let kids run around outside. After visiting the mosque, we took the tram to the Grand Bazaar just to realize we reached late. A generous shopkeeper who sold tea and snacks allowed us to use his tables and chairs as a baby diaper changing and feeding room. We bought some flavored tea from his shop. That is the least we could do to thank him.
The next day we were greeted by more rain and bad traffic. The taxi driver took a detour and left us at a place which was still a decent walk from Topkapi Palace. We took directions from cops, street vendors who spoke Hindi and somehow reached the Palace. The serpentine queues at the ticket counter forced us to use a guide service. A sudden downpour came unannounced and in order to protect Reyansh from rain, I bent down with a jerk which scared him. The poor kid kept crying for a long time till we calmed him down with some hot food under an umbrella at a coffee shop. A grumpy old man who was also taking cover under the umbrella was unwilling to give us space, but the kids found their own ways of grabbing space.
Topkapi palace can be a disappointment if you expect great architecture and majestic structures. It was built during an era where Islamic rulers led simple lives. Ostentatious rulers who were inspired by their European counterparts eventually splurged the empire's wealth on the beautification of this simple palace. I am also not sure when the concept of Harems came into existence because the guide avoided some of my questions around it and the internet as usual has too much information with contrasting views. The other attraction in the palace is the artifact section. We saw swords from the crusades, antique clocks, diamonds, including the Spoon maker's diamond , carpets, possibly Moses's staff ,etc. The palace has a distinction of someone reciting passages from the Koran continuously for the past 500 years and is home to some of the Prophet's (may peace be upon him) belongings like his sword, bag, strand of hair, etc. Messiahs in most religions are a part of mythology but it felt we were up close and intimate with his life and history of that time. Although, none of us were Muslims, we felt a great sense of reverence looking at this religious section of the palace.
We visited the Basilica Cistern which served as a water reservoir for the palaces and buildings centuries ago. The mystery behind the Medusa head, which was upside down is still not clear, but folklore suggests that it was set up to ward off evil. Inside the cistern, we took photographs dressed in unwashed rented royal attire that smelt of perfume mixed with sweat. Once we came outside, we were not royal anymore, nor the religious sentiments bothered us. We headed to a hookah bar along a cozy corner with graffiti on the walls, but surprisingly we were in a mood for tea and not alcohol. Modern Turkish rock music, apple flavored hookah and hot tea helped us rejuvenate. Interestingly, during the Azan - the call for prayer, the rock music was muted and no hookah was served.
Our taxi troubles continued as none of the drivers wanted to take us to Taksim square. A guy asked us to get in and then asked for an exorbitant price which forced us to get down. In Taksim square the rain started once again and we could not explore the streets which were full of interesting restaurants and pubs. We settled at a restaurant near the Taksim Square Hotel called Kitchenete and ordered food and drinks. The kids were exhausted and slept on the seats. To get back to our apartment was again an adventure. Rachit and I were drenched in the cold rain by the time we convinced a taxi driver to take us back home while the girls held the kids on their shoulders waiting near the restaurant door that blew cold air inside every time someone opened the door. Luckily, this driver was a gentleman and used his smart phone to navigate. It was our last night in Istanbul.
The girls went shopping the next day and the boys had to take care of the kids. During the long walk towards the metro station we munched on hazelnuts that a street vendor sold. Hazelnuts were being sold like peanuts unlike the special status given to it back home. The kids enjoyed the metro ride, tram ride and the funicular to the Sultanahmet area. My little boy tried running under the turnstiles at every station while Saanvi, thankfully, made sure he didn't succeed. In Sultanahmet, we didn't enjoy ourselves. A little girl on the street tried ripping my son's shirt which upset him while the rest of the crowd loved it, an ordinary lunch served by lazy waiters was followed by a sour grape juice on the streets, Rachit's tummy was acting up again and Saanvi was exhausted.
We were ready for our next destination. We had so much luggage that by the time we loaded all of it into the taxi we created a mini traffic jam in the lane. The taxi driver had to drive off the lane and take a turn back into it a couple of times. We crossed over to the Asian side of Istanbul on our way to Sabiha Gökçen airport and as usual heavy traffic greeted us. Reyansh was uneasy and restless. He was catching a mild flu and vomited in the car. There was no place to stop in the maddening traffic and the kid just dozed off in standing position. At the airport all of us revived. The girls were filling their starving stomachs, the kids were active and running around and Rachit's tummy was improving. A mini adventure awaited me. The security check officer found an ornamental knife and gun in our luggage. I had to answer a few questions, including whether I was a Muslim which I felt was offensive, racial and unnecessary. Carrying an item in the checked in baggage that might be a potential weapon has nothing to do with my religious belief and Turkey was the last place where I expected such kind of stereotypical profiling.
Anyway, we were on board. The girls were having wine while the boys just stuck to soft drinks and Gunda. From Kayseri airport, we took the bus to Cappadocia. The driver did not speak English and used sign language to communicate. He had lowered his window shield and by the time I used sign language to explain that I was freezing because of the gushing wind he shifted lanes unknowingly on the highway. I quietly went back to my seat and told myself that freezing was a better option than dying.
We all loved Cappadocia the moment we entered the town. It seemed as though a village from the stone age had been lit up. The Cappadocian region located in the the Anatolian region of Turkey, with its valley, canyon, hills and unusual rock formation has many hotels that have been carved out from the hills. The cave hotel where we stayed had rooms without heaters, but the stoned walls absorbed enough heat during the day to keep us warm at night. Tired after a long day we hit the sack.
Next morning, after a long breakfast where we were almost forced to leave by the staff, we visited Göreme open air museum, a place known for its rock cut churches with frescoes. More than a thousand years ago people lived in this region and the rocks, like today, served as homes, churches, granary and convents. The churches had numerous figurative paintings representing events from the biblical ages. The area is rightly referred to as fairy chimneys and interestingly the chimney like architectural styles have changed little over the centuries in this region. For lunch that day, our guide and driver Mustafa took us to a restaurant that served hot and fresh food. The bread was served with a salsa style side that we polished in minutes. The portions were big and the highlight was the dish that came in a pot. The waiter used a mini sword to break the pot. It made the lunch even more exciting.
At Pasabag a.k.a the Monk's valley we saw what looked like multiple pillars raised from the ground. Rachit and I climbed up a small hill and looked at these pillared structures. It was hard to accept that these were natural rock formations. The rock formations can force you to imagine different things. The art lovers could see shapes of animals, planetary objects or even the faces of humans. Rachit and I thought the rocks looked like the male reproductive organ and thus laid rest to any artistic conversation possible.
Across the Halys or Red river, the longest in Turkey, lies the ancient town of Avanos which is known for its pottery. Sultan's ceramic is the oldest pottery and the owners have passed on the tradition to the next generation for hundreds of years. We decided to visit this place and were treated royally with tea, wine and a private tour. A master demonstrated his skills and designed a vase within minutes, in another room we saw ceramics that glowed when the lights were turned off, the main display room had artifacts such as a wine goblet and traditional Hittite wine jug in various sizes and prices. The guide explained the soil, chemical and clay combinations used to create the color patterns and most importantly explained the difference in the quality of each product. The handmade goods were more expensive because it took them months to complete it and the fine grained designs were not reproducible through machines. The boys took care of the sleeping kids and received kudos from other visitors for being good dads while the ladies spent time evaluating and purchasing ceramic show pieces.
The following morning I got up to see the entire sky full of hot air balloons over the rocky terrain. It seemed as if someone used a paint brush and created these balloons. After breakfast, we headed towards the Derinkuyu underground city. On our way we stopped at a dilapidated building which was a rest house during the days when the silk route was used. We saw the Uchisar castle at a distance which was built, funny as it may sound, on top of a hill as well as into it. The underground city's history was interesting. Wars forced the locals into this eerie and suffocating dungeon. During its occupation, there was a social structure that was followed where the gentry got better parts of the city. The grain storage and the drain disposal were implemented well. There were wine cellars must have come in handy. The war outside would have kept the inhabitants inside the city for weeks and the rotten smell inside would have made matters worse. Access to the wine would have definitely reduced the whine. On a serious note, life would have been very hard in this city.
Outside, the potato chips twisted around like a coil on a stick, roasted chick peas and orange juice breathed some life into us.
Mustafa then took us to the most scenically located restaurant in Cappadocia. The restaurant was in a village called Soğanli which means Onion in Turkish and is known for its dolls. Funnily though, the place we visited had tomatoes being grown everywhere. A small restaurant served massive portions of food with great affection. The breads, like the Indian parathas, were stuffed with onions, spinach and cheese. The salad ,lentil soup and Ayran (butter milk) were fresh and delicious. Our table was placed in the middle of the lush green lawn surrounded by hills. It was the perfect lunch. Later that evening, a chatting session where we relived our college days went late into the night.
The following morning we were up for some more thrill. Our shuttle to the airport arrived late, the driver forgot to pick up a passenger and turned back again, I realized I had lost my credit card and we were all sleepy. Along the journey we realized that the flight was to leave in ten minutes, but the driver assured us that all was good. We rushed to the check in counter and realized we were not the last to board. Finishing our formalities, we ran on the runway and got into the flight. Off we flew to our beach destination.
The weather in Fethiye was warm and humid like any other beach destination. Rachit's idea of hiring a car from Dalaman Airport and not relying on public transport was a smart move even though he was the only driver in the gang. It helped us travel around, buy provisions for during our stay at our nice farm house like home and keep Rachit away from alcohol so that the rest of us could get drunk. Oludeniz beach located in Fethiye is considered one of the most picturesque beaches in the world. Even the drive to Oludeniz beach through the hills and a small town on rocky roads is fascinating. You can see pine trees which are generally found at higher altitudes near the beach and shrubs which are seen in dry areas on the hills. At one point the road just dives right to the bottom towards the turquoise colored ocean.
By sunset, the blue ocean seems to integrate with the blue sky, the sky starts reflecting different colors ranging from orange to pink, the yellowish sun reflects light on the hills which had dry trees that reflected back the yellow light. In a way, it was a circle of colors blending into each other. Of course, once the darkness set in the only colors we saw were in the cocktails.
Sneha and I took a dip in the Mediterranean sea while Reyansh was busy with pebbles. Saanvi finally convinced Reyansh to take a dip into the water by walking alongside like a master guides a student. We had some lousy food at a fake Indian restaurant and to add to the misery a bottle of local wine that didn't taste good was the only thing available back in our home. So, Rachit and I decided to buy some Whiskey which we could not complete. The bottle traveled from Fethiye to Istanbul to Singapore evaporating and spilling all along its journey. The bottle still has some whiskey left in it at my home.
We spent the entire next day at home as Reyansh was down with mild fever. Naina, Rachit and Saanvi went out for boat rides, island hopping and shopping. It was nice of Rachit and Naina to cancel their Pamukkale plans and instead visit it the next day with us despite the fact that Rachit would end up driving almost twelve hours or so in less than twenty four hours.
The next day, Rachit and Sneha decided to go for para gliding while Naina and I were getting the kids ready to go to Pamukkale. The sheep and goats in the nearby field helped me entertain Reyansh while Sneha was away gliding. The drive to Pamukkale was long and we did not have music in the car. The terrain was reasonably picturesque and constant cartoon noise kept us all awake. I wondered how people sustained themselves in this dry region. There were some quarries, farms and factories along the way which probably helped people earn a living.
We could finally see Pamukkale at a distance. It looked like a snow clad mountain amidst barren land. A natural wonder indeed. This blue water and white calcium based stone structure looks like a cotton palace and thus the name Pamukkale. Over the years the stone has eroded and the clay like mud can be seen even in the areas outside the immediate vicinity of this lovely marvel. Despite the hot sun the mud is cool and the walk on it was a different experience for all of us.
We packed some fresh potato and spinach rolls from a small restaurant. It helped us survive the long drive back to Fethiye. That night, we decided to eat food at an Indian restaurant. The food took ages to come and poor Saanvi was exhausted and got into a tiff with Naina. Reyansh, generally the one who goes wild, was looking at the proceedings quietly.
In the wee hours of the following morning, Rachit, Naina and Saanvi started their long return journey. Sneha, myself and Reyansh spent the entire day in Fethiye, just relaxing and returned to Istanbul that evening. The next day we were off to Singapore.
I will be honest to admit that Turkey is not the most tourist friendly places in the world. Istanbul can be nasty like any other busy city. But, for every bad encounter there was at least one or more wonderful experience. The taxi driver who didn't charge us extra for the night in Istanbul, Mustafa, who took care of us like a family friend, the generous house keeper in Fethiye who gave kids huge quantity of grapes from the garden or the lady who made sure she gave us fresh food at Pamukkale. Experiences in the end are always good.
Travelling with friends and family who are easy going, understanding and adjusting is the only thing one needs on a trip to enjoy. Some days, I close my eyes and think of Turkey. I visualize all of us standing in Cappadocia looking over the horizon. The couples hugging each other, a little because of the cold a little out of excitement, but surely out of love. Reyansh picking pebbles and Saanvi dancing and singing "Five little monkeys jumping ......"
After the usual flight experience with a troublesome toddler, overheated flight food and constant switching on & off of cabin lights, we reached Istanbul. Istanbul is a fascinating city across two continents divided by the Bosphorus Strait. I could sense a western city trying to blend into a traditional eastern world. There were modern corporate buildings next to ancient mosques, bars near the wall of an old fort, bikers zooming past veiled women and multinational brands in old Ottoman buildings. Every few minutes I saw a mosque and suggested to the driver it was the Blue Mosque. He sighed in contempt every time and finally snapped "Huh. This is small mosque. Blue Mosque ten times bigger". The taxi, with blaring but bearable Turkish music, zoomed past stop signs, signals with the red lights and pedestrian crossings. But, the giant taxi driver was kind enough to find our apartment in the narrow and confusing lanes.
Our apartment was right in the center of the city which was both an advantage and a disadvantage. The tourist spots were close by but the taxi drivers detested short distances. After getting to know the apartment facilities I headed out to get some provisions. I entered a mini mart and picked up a few items. I was not sure which milk to buy and took advice from the man at the counter who confidently said "I have that milk. Good. Buy". Later, I entered a bakery and in my horrible Turkish, requested for a vegetarian sandwich. Luckily, an app on my phone helped me communicate better. The baker went out of his way to show every single ingredient that was used to prepare the sandwich. People and the weather seemed warm and friendly. But not for long.
Rachit, Naina and baby Saanvi arrived. It was a reunion as all of us (adults obviously) studied in the same college where the boys spent most of their best years wasting time doing frivolous things. A quick-lunch and off we went into the streets where a reluctant taxi driver took us to the Bosphorus strait amidst heavy traffic. To distract the kids we showed them videos on the mobile phone and thus launched an endless series of Dora The Explorer, Wonder pets and rhymes. Once in a while, I would play a Bollywood movie called Gunda which is a b-grade classic thrash that only a few can appreciate (Read it : Only boys). The kids, fortunately or unfortunately, had better taste.
After getting down from the taxi, we ended up on a cruise boat that looked bigger in the pamphlets than in real. Luckily, it had basic safety measures, looked decent enough and had a stinky but usable toilet. From the boat, we saw the beautiful sights lining the Bosphorus' wooded shores: mosques, a bridge that for a time was the world's longest, the massive Rumelihisar fortress, the 19th century mansions of the Ottomans and the Sultan's fancy palaces. It was hard to imagine that one side was Asia and the other was Europe. Our laughter and chatter grew louder. Being the only people consuming alcohol and with kids going berserk by running all over the place we attracted some dirty stares. But, all sobered down when we got stuck in a downpour after the ride. An enterprising salesman saved us, by selling cheap umbrellas that barely functioned. We walked past an array of small boats that functioned as restaurants serving fish from the strait, trinket shops, a huge bus terminus and ended up in a regular restaurant where the food was ordinary and the beer was skunked. The beer gave the boys some trouble the next day.
Getting back to our apartment was another challenge as the rain had not subsided and the taxi drivers were as bad as they could get. Some asked for a sky-high price, some didn't want to move, some could not identify the address and the one who took us home was in a foul mood. Galatasary was struggling in a match, the directions to our place were confusing and he didn't understand English so he kept cursing and shouting. He refused to look at the GPS, the map or get off the car and ask for directions. I got down, begged a waiter at a restaurant to help us with directions and yet we were stuck. The driver was miffed with us and his football team. He flipped his radio channel to play some songs. Interestingly, a Turkish song played which resembled a Bollywood number. When I recognized the song he got even more angry and mocked at me. At least he got us back safe and didn't knife us. The moron had bargained for a price instead of turning on the taxi meter. In the end the bargained price was a lot lesser than the price shown by the meter.
The next day, another reluctant taxi driver took us to Sultanahmet. We took the smart option of hiring a guide to see Hagia Sophia. Hagia Sophia is a great example of religious harmony. Once a church, later a mosque, it is now a museum. There is an interesting story that fascinated all of us. Christian churches are traditionally oriented towards the east, and Muslims pray facing Mecca. Mecca is luckily southeast of Istanbul and bizarrely the east end of the Hagia Sophia actually faces southeast. So, the Ottoman rulers added a prayer niche, a wooden minaret, covered the faces related to Christianity in plaster and made a mosque out of the church. The prayer niche is at around ten degrees from the altar and until the guide mentioned that to us we did not realize it. Instead of destroying the Church the Ottomans just decided to re-use it and even preserved most parts of it. In a world where religious animosity is burning us all down this seemed like a great lesson from the past. It also showed the secular culture ingrained in Turkey since ancient times.
Right across the Hagia Sophia is the Sultanahmet mosque. It is better known as the Blue Mosque because of the blue tiles surrounding its interior walls. It has six minarets and the sultan who built it was rightly criticized for trying to emulate the six minaret mosque at the holy Kaaba. Even though the mosque looks symmetric we were told none of the Islamic monuments are symmetric because symmetry which is a form of perfection is only Allah's prerogative. One of the entrances used to have a big chain that forced even the king on a horse to enter the mosque with his head lowered. This is a symbolic gesture to ensure the humility of the ruler in the house of the divine. Ironically, a tout ripped us off with the lure of entering the mosque through a special line. He just broke the rules and sneaked us in. It seemed as though we cheated our way into god's chamber. Inside the mosque, thousands of handmade ceramic tiles with engraved blue tulips, stained glass windows, decorations with verses from the Quran and dimly lit lanterns on an oval-shaped metal structure gave it a beautiful look. There was a lot to see inside the mosque, but we had to head out to stop the kids from rolling on the carpet floor that smelt of unwashed socks. The wiser option was to let kids run around outside. After visiting the mosque, we took the tram to the Grand Bazaar just to realize we reached late. A generous shopkeeper who sold tea and snacks allowed us to use his tables and chairs as a baby diaper changing and feeding room. We bought some flavored tea from his shop. That is the least we could do to thank him.
The next day we were greeted by more rain and bad traffic. The taxi driver took a detour and left us at a place which was still a decent walk from Topkapi Palace. We took directions from cops, street vendors who spoke Hindi and somehow reached the Palace. The serpentine queues at the ticket counter forced us to use a guide service. A sudden downpour came unannounced and in order to protect Reyansh from rain, I bent down with a jerk which scared him. The poor kid kept crying for a long time till we calmed him down with some hot food under an umbrella at a coffee shop. A grumpy old man who was also taking cover under the umbrella was unwilling to give us space, but the kids found their own ways of grabbing space.
Topkapi palace can be a disappointment if you expect great architecture and majestic structures. It was built during an era where Islamic rulers led simple lives. Ostentatious rulers who were inspired by their European counterparts eventually splurged the empire's wealth on the beautification of this simple palace. I am also not sure when the concept of Harems came into existence because the guide avoided some of my questions around it and the internet as usual has too much information with contrasting views. The other attraction in the palace is the artifact section. We saw swords from the crusades, antique clocks, diamonds, including the Spoon maker's diamond , carpets, possibly Moses's staff ,etc. The palace has a distinction of someone reciting passages from the Koran continuously for the past 500 years and is home to some of the Prophet's (may peace be upon him) belongings like his sword, bag, strand of hair, etc. Messiahs in most religions are a part of mythology but it felt we were up close and intimate with his life and history of that time. Although, none of us were Muslims, we felt a great sense of reverence looking at this religious section of the palace.
We visited the Basilica Cistern which served as a water reservoir for the palaces and buildings centuries ago. The mystery behind the Medusa head, which was upside down is still not clear, but folklore suggests that it was set up to ward off evil. Inside the cistern, we took photographs dressed in unwashed rented royal attire that smelt of perfume mixed with sweat. Once we came outside, we were not royal anymore, nor the religious sentiments bothered us. We headed to a hookah bar along a cozy corner with graffiti on the walls, but surprisingly we were in a mood for tea and not alcohol. Modern Turkish rock music, apple flavored hookah and hot tea helped us rejuvenate. Interestingly, during the Azan - the call for prayer, the rock music was muted and no hookah was served.
Our taxi troubles continued as none of the drivers wanted to take us to Taksim square. A guy asked us to get in and then asked for an exorbitant price which forced us to get down. In Taksim square the rain started once again and we could not explore the streets which were full of interesting restaurants and pubs. We settled at a restaurant near the Taksim Square Hotel called Kitchenete and ordered food and drinks. The kids were exhausted and slept on the seats. To get back to our apartment was again an adventure. Rachit and I were drenched in the cold rain by the time we convinced a taxi driver to take us back home while the girls held the kids on their shoulders waiting near the restaurant door that blew cold air inside every time someone opened the door. Luckily, this driver was a gentleman and used his smart phone to navigate. It was our last night in Istanbul.
The girls went shopping the next day and the boys had to take care of the kids. During the long walk towards the metro station we munched on hazelnuts that a street vendor sold. Hazelnuts were being sold like peanuts unlike the special status given to it back home. The kids enjoyed the metro ride, tram ride and the funicular to the Sultanahmet area. My little boy tried running under the turnstiles at every station while Saanvi, thankfully, made sure he didn't succeed. In Sultanahmet, we didn't enjoy ourselves. A little girl on the street tried ripping my son's shirt which upset him while the rest of the crowd loved it, an ordinary lunch served by lazy waiters was followed by a sour grape juice on the streets, Rachit's tummy was acting up again and Saanvi was exhausted.
We were ready for our next destination. We had so much luggage that by the time we loaded all of it into the taxi we created a mini traffic jam in the lane. The taxi driver had to drive off the lane and take a turn back into it a couple of times. We crossed over to the Asian side of Istanbul on our way to Sabiha Gökçen airport and as usual heavy traffic greeted us. Reyansh was uneasy and restless. He was catching a mild flu and vomited in the car. There was no place to stop in the maddening traffic and the kid just dozed off in standing position. At the airport all of us revived. The girls were filling their starving stomachs, the kids were active and running around and Rachit's tummy was improving. A mini adventure awaited me. The security check officer found an ornamental knife and gun in our luggage. I had to answer a few questions, including whether I was a Muslim which I felt was offensive, racial and unnecessary. Carrying an item in the checked in baggage that might be a potential weapon has nothing to do with my religious belief and Turkey was the last place where I expected such kind of stereotypical profiling.
Anyway, we were on board. The girls were having wine while the boys just stuck to soft drinks and Gunda. From Kayseri airport, we took the bus to Cappadocia. The driver did not speak English and used sign language to communicate. He had lowered his window shield and by the time I used sign language to explain that I was freezing because of the gushing wind he shifted lanes unknowingly on the highway. I quietly went back to my seat and told myself that freezing was a better option than dying.
We all loved Cappadocia the moment we entered the town. It seemed as though a village from the stone age had been lit up. The Cappadocian region located in the the Anatolian region of Turkey, with its valley, canyon, hills and unusual rock formation has many hotels that have been carved out from the hills. The cave hotel where we stayed had rooms without heaters, but the stoned walls absorbed enough heat during the day to keep us warm at night. Tired after a long day we hit the sack.
Next morning, after a long breakfast where we were almost forced to leave by the staff, we visited Göreme open air museum, a place known for its rock cut churches with frescoes. More than a thousand years ago people lived in this region and the rocks, like today, served as homes, churches, granary and convents. The churches had numerous figurative paintings representing events from the biblical ages. The area is rightly referred to as fairy chimneys and interestingly the chimney like architectural styles have changed little over the centuries in this region. For lunch that day, our guide and driver Mustafa took us to a restaurant that served hot and fresh food. The bread was served with a salsa style side that we polished in minutes. The portions were big and the highlight was the dish that came in a pot. The waiter used a mini sword to break the pot. It made the lunch even more exciting.
At Pasabag a.k.a the Monk's valley we saw what looked like multiple pillars raised from the ground. Rachit and I climbed up a small hill and looked at these pillared structures. It was hard to accept that these were natural rock formations. The rock formations can force you to imagine different things. The art lovers could see shapes of animals, planetary objects or even the faces of humans. Rachit and I thought the rocks looked like the male reproductive organ and thus laid rest to any artistic conversation possible.
Across the Halys or Red river, the longest in Turkey, lies the ancient town of Avanos which is known for its pottery. Sultan's ceramic is the oldest pottery and the owners have passed on the tradition to the next generation for hundreds of years. We decided to visit this place and were treated royally with tea, wine and a private tour. A master demonstrated his skills and designed a vase within minutes, in another room we saw ceramics that glowed when the lights were turned off, the main display room had artifacts such as a wine goblet and traditional Hittite wine jug in various sizes and prices. The guide explained the soil, chemical and clay combinations used to create the color patterns and most importantly explained the difference in the quality of each product. The handmade goods were more expensive because it took them months to complete it and the fine grained designs were not reproducible through machines. The boys took care of the sleeping kids and received kudos from other visitors for being good dads while the ladies spent time evaluating and purchasing ceramic show pieces.
The following morning I got up to see the entire sky full of hot air balloons over the rocky terrain. It seemed as if someone used a paint brush and created these balloons. After breakfast, we headed towards the Derinkuyu underground city. On our way we stopped at a dilapidated building which was a rest house during the days when the silk route was used. We saw the Uchisar castle at a distance which was built, funny as it may sound, on top of a hill as well as into it. The underground city's history was interesting. Wars forced the locals into this eerie and suffocating dungeon. During its occupation, there was a social structure that was followed where the gentry got better parts of the city. The grain storage and the drain disposal were implemented well. There were wine cellars must have come in handy. The war outside would have kept the inhabitants inside the city for weeks and the rotten smell inside would have made matters worse. Access to the wine would have definitely reduced the whine. On a serious note, life would have been very hard in this city.
Outside, the potato chips twisted around like a coil on a stick, roasted chick peas and orange juice breathed some life into us.
Mustafa then took us to the most scenically located restaurant in Cappadocia. The restaurant was in a village called Soğanli which means Onion in Turkish and is known for its dolls. Funnily though, the place we visited had tomatoes being grown everywhere. A small restaurant served massive portions of food with great affection. The breads, like the Indian parathas, were stuffed with onions, spinach and cheese. The salad ,lentil soup and Ayran (butter milk) were fresh and delicious. Our table was placed in the middle of the lush green lawn surrounded by hills. It was the perfect lunch. Later that evening, a chatting session where we relived our college days went late into the night.
The following morning we were up for some more thrill. Our shuttle to the airport arrived late, the driver forgot to pick up a passenger and turned back again, I realized I had lost my credit card and we were all sleepy. Along the journey we realized that the flight was to leave in ten minutes, but the driver assured us that all was good. We rushed to the check in counter and realized we were not the last to board. Finishing our formalities, we ran on the runway and got into the flight. Off we flew to our beach destination.
The weather in Fethiye was warm and humid like any other beach destination. Rachit's idea of hiring a car from Dalaman Airport and not relying on public transport was a smart move even though he was the only driver in the gang. It helped us travel around, buy provisions for during our stay at our nice farm house like home and keep Rachit away from alcohol so that the rest of us could get drunk. Oludeniz beach located in Fethiye is considered one of the most picturesque beaches in the world. Even the drive to Oludeniz beach through the hills and a small town on rocky roads is fascinating. You can see pine trees which are generally found at higher altitudes near the beach and shrubs which are seen in dry areas on the hills. At one point the road just dives right to the bottom towards the turquoise colored ocean.
By sunset, the blue ocean seems to integrate with the blue sky, the sky starts reflecting different colors ranging from orange to pink, the yellowish sun reflects light on the hills which had dry trees that reflected back the yellow light. In a way, it was a circle of colors blending into each other. Of course, once the darkness set in the only colors we saw were in the cocktails.
Sneha and I took a dip in the Mediterranean sea while Reyansh was busy with pebbles. Saanvi finally convinced Reyansh to take a dip into the water by walking alongside like a master guides a student. We had some lousy food at a fake Indian restaurant and to add to the misery a bottle of local wine that didn't taste good was the only thing available back in our home. So, Rachit and I decided to buy some Whiskey which we could not complete. The bottle traveled from Fethiye to Istanbul to Singapore evaporating and spilling all along its journey. The bottle still has some whiskey left in it at my home.
We spent the entire next day at home as Reyansh was down with mild fever. Naina, Rachit and Saanvi went out for boat rides, island hopping and shopping. It was nice of Rachit and Naina to cancel their Pamukkale plans and instead visit it the next day with us despite the fact that Rachit would end up driving almost twelve hours or so in less than twenty four hours.
The next day, Rachit and Sneha decided to go for para gliding while Naina and I were getting the kids ready to go to Pamukkale. The sheep and goats in the nearby field helped me entertain Reyansh while Sneha was away gliding. The drive to Pamukkale was long and we did not have music in the car. The terrain was reasonably picturesque and constant cartoon noise kept us all awake. I wondered how people sustained themselves in this dry region. There were some quarries, farms and factories along the way which probably helped people earn a living.
We could finally see Pamukkale at a distance. It looked like a snow clad mountain amidst barren land. A natural wonder indeed. This blue water and white calcium based stone structure looks like a cotton palace and thus the name Pamukkale. Over the years the stone has eroded and the clay like mud can be seen even in the areas outside the immediate vicinity of this lovely marvel. Despite the hot sun the mud is cool and the walk on it was a different experience for all of us.
We packed some fresh potato and spinach rolls from a small restaurant. It helped us survive the long drive back to Fethiye. That night, we decided to eat food at an Indian restaurant. The food took ages to come and poor Saanvi was exhausted and got into a tiff with Naina. Reyansh, generally the one who goes wild, was looking at the proceedings quietly.
In the wee hours of the following morning, Rachit, Naina and Saanvi started their long return journey. Sneha, myself and Reyansh spent the entire day in Fethiye, just relaxing and returned to Istanbul that evening. The next day we were off to Singapore.
I will be honest to admit that Turkey is not the most tourist friendly places in the world. Istanbul can be nasty like any other busy city. But, for every bad encounter there was at least one or more wonderful experience. The taxi driver who didn't charge us extra for the night in Istanbul, Mustafa, who took care of us like a family friend, the generous house keeper in Fethiye who gave kids huge quantity of grapes from the garden or the lady who made sure she gave us fresh food at Pamukkale. Experiences in the end are always good.
Travelling with friends and family who are easy going, understanding and adjusting is the only thing one needs on a trip to enjoy. Some days, I close my eyes and think of Turkey. I visualize all of us standing in Cappadocia looking over the horizon. The couples hugging each other, a little because of the cold a little out of excitement, but surely out of love. Reyansh picking pebbles and Saanvi dancing and singing "Five little monkeys jumping ......"
