Once the capital of three empires (Roman, Ottoman, and Byzantine), and nominated as the cultural capital of Europe in 2010, Istanbul was a true highlight of our trip. From our hotel in Sultanahmet, we were within walking distances to most of sites in the old city. After filling on yummy kofte (meatballs), we explored the massive domed ceilings and intricate mosaics at the Ayasofya (Hagia Sofia) and waited until after prayers to check out the impressive Blue Mosque. On Friday, we awoke to an early tour of Topkapi Palace, where our plan to beat the crowds by visiting the Harem early led us through the expansive palace in a baffling reversed direction. From there, we ventured to the Grand Bazaar, where amdist the mind-boggling maze of shops and shady shopkeepers, we managed to haggle our way to a fine soumak. After catching a whiff of the mesmerizing aromas at the Egyptian Spice Bazaar, we ferried over to the Asia side of the city for dinner at Ciya Soffrasi. One of Saveur’s top 100 restaurants in the world, the steam table of various regional dishes enticed us to an evening of foodie satisfaction. On our last day, we relaxed to a traditional Turkish bath at Suleymaniye Hamami (where Suleiman supposedly took a bath himself), followed by a bus ride across town to check out the intricate mosaics at Chora Museum, before ending the night with fried fish sandwiches, rice (with ketchup), and desserts from street stands along the Bosphorus river. It’ll be tough getting back to work on Monday, especially after flying back late Sunday evening … but it was certainly a trip to remember. I’ve posted more photos on our travel page.

Since raiding the Istanbul palace museum in Uncharted 2, we had wanted to see Turkey in real life. We finally took the opportunity for this spring vacation. After leaving work on Friday evening and three exhausting flights, we arrived just after midnight at our hotel in Selcuk. We awoke to a rooster crow, and was soon off to a day of exploring Ephesus. At the archaelogical site, remarkably well-preserved ruins reminded us of the grandeur of this ancient Greek city. For a few extra Turkish liras, the Terrace Houses showed us the intricacies of restoring mosaics – a task likened to a giant jigsaw puzzle. At the Ephesus museum, we perused the well-endowed statue of Bes and the multiply-endowed statues of Artemis. Brief stops at surrounding sites included the peaceful sanctum of St. John’s Basilica, the single pillar that remains of the Temple of Artemis, and a local carpet shop where the 2-hour sales pitch was informative but not convincing enough for a rug buy. The next day, we joined a group tour to Pamukkale and Hierapolis, where we basked in warm water pools amidst glistening white travertine terraces, but skipped the overpriced Cleopatra pool which was decked out like a theme park attraction. On Tuesday, we took an early flight to Cappadocia, renowned for its outlandish “moonscape” that nearly made the backdrop for Star Wars. Here, we were welcomed with breakfast at Esbelli Evi, before the hotel owner arranged for a private cab for us to tour the local attractions. Our day one itinerary took us from the underground city of Kaymakli to the hidden cave churches of Soganli village. The next morning, we awoke before sunrise to watch the first rays of light strike the majestic rock formations of Goreme valley … from a hot air balloon! The pricey yet memorable once-in-a-lifetime experience ended with a champagne toast before we returned to town. Our second day included a treacherous hike to explore the monastic churches of Zelve valley, the more manageable but touristy Goreme Open-Air Museum, and a panoramic view from Uchisar rock castle. By the time we finished dinner, we were exhausted and fast asleep. By next morning, we were sad to leave our luxurious troglodyte lifestyle behind, but excited to finally visit our last stop – Istanbul!