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!