Dear friends, One of the most famous sights in Cappadocia is the scores of hot-air balloons rising at dawn, a treat not to be missed. And what a wonderful way to start the day, although undoubtedly it was very early and very cold! Many already up and away when we arrived for our flight [...]
Dear friends, After our cruise along the Turquoise Coast and our visit to Ephesus, we said good by to three of our group, and the remaining four of us flew to Kayseri in Central Türkiye, and from there carried on by van to the region known as Cappadocia. I won't be the first and [...]
Dear friends, Probably the best-known of all the ancient sites in Türkiye is Ephesus, so of course we had to visit. Unlike most of the sites we visited along the coast, where we were often the only visitors, this place was pretty busy with tourists, many 'selfie' occupied. Historical accounts and archaeological remains of [...]
Dear friends, This last episode from the Turquoise Coast takes us on a long hike with beautiful views, meeting a nomadic family, a visit to the ancient city of Kaunos, and the winding river through the marsh and reeds for a brief stop in Dalyan. After a rainstorm in the night, it was lovely [...]
Dear friends, I will cover a couple more days of action and fun in this episode and include an ancient city or two, a delicious lunch, and a walk through a little village high on a plateau above the coast, an island monastery, a deserted village, and a museum. Never a dull moment, that's [...]
Dear friends, Before beginning this episode, I want to add a little more about Lycia which I mentioned in my last story when showing a photo of the distinctive Lycian carved stone tombs. The earliest references to Lycia can be traced through Hittite texts to sometime before 1200 BC when it is known as [...]
Dear Friends, As we made our way along the Turquoise Coast, enjoying the coves and harbours and hikes up into the mountains, it was fascinating and most enjoyable to visit more historic sites, and learn of each place's unique history through the ruins. First up in this story is Phaselis. Early morning, anchored in [...]
Dear friends, The start of our journey along the Mediterranean Coast, often referred to as the Turquoise Coast, began in Antalya, now one of Türkiye's premier resort areas with a majestic coastline and a backdrop of the towering Taurus Mountains. Although there had been successive habitations at this site, the city was founded in [...]
Dear friends, For the first of several Joanna's Journal stories about my recent travel to Türkiye, I would like to give a short introduction to the parts of this fascinating country my trip took me and a brief note on the remarkable history and geography about which I am now determined to learn and [...]
Dear friends, Another day in the South and plenty to keep us on our toes at Port Lockroy, which comprises Jougla Point and Goudier Island, both of which are home to numerous nesting gentoo penguins. On the rocks between the water and the mountains, nesting penguins. Gentoo penguins are ground-nesting birds, making rudimentary nests from [...]