Autumn Colours at Borough Market

What better way to spend a drizzly Autumn day than wandering around Borough Market. We got up early this morning and headed to our favourite London Market, which has recently opened a beautiful glass atrium in the Market Hall.

This glass structure has turned, what was for ages, a horrendously busy rammed part of the market, into a light and airy space full of bench seats and pot plants. 

The unspoilt town of Cirali and the Ruins of Olympos

We spent the last three nights of our Turkey tour in Cirali, one of the most unspoilt places in Turkey. It is a tiny village about two hours East of Kas and an hour and a half South of Antalya.

It has a 3.5 km beach that is never crowded, and every year Caretta Caretta turtles lay their eggs in the sand, and in August and September they hatch and make the slow journey from the beach to the sea. Cirali protects the eggs and the turtles as much as possible and keep locals and tourists away from the turtles during this season.

We caught a bus from Kas to Cirali, where at the Cirali highway junction we then had to transfer to a small minibus that takes you down to the small village.

There aren't any big hotels or resorts in Cirali, mostly pensions or bed and breakfasts, and only one main street that runs through the village.

We thought Kas was relaxing, but Cirali is even more so, with a very slow way of life. There are sun loungers on the beach, but these are all free, and the majority of visitors are families.

Our bed and breakfast

A Day Trip from Kas to Kastellorizo

One of the best day trips you can do from Kas is to the nearby Greek island of Kastellorizo. Kastellorizo (also called Megisti by the Greek and Meis by Turkish people) is the easternmost Greek island and is only 2 km across the sea from Kas, about 30 minutes by ferry.

The ferry leaves from Kas harbour at 10.30 a.m. and returns from Kastellorizo at 4.00 p.m. The night before going you need to hand over your passports to the ferry company and they will fill out all the required documentation to enable you to travel from Turkey to Greece with no issues.

Upon arrival in Kastellorizo we had to go through Customs, which didn't involve much except handing over the passports we were just given back on the boat and continuing through the tiny building and into Greece.

The Turkish seaside town of Kas

After a long trip from Goreme, we arrived in Kas at 3.00 a.m. in the morning under cover of darkness. We had driven along the coast from Antalya along very windy roads so we were glad when we finally arrived and tumbled straight into bed.

Kas is a small seaside town on the Southern Coast of Turkey, a three hour drive from the closest airport and popular with divers thanks to its amazing sea life and several shipwrecks along the coast.

Because of its location, it is still relatively unspoilt when it comes to tourists, especially compared to its neighbours Kalkan and Fethiye, both popular with British tourists.

Goreme - A full day Green tour of Cappadocia

Our second day in Cappadocia was also our last. We timed our visit to Cappadocia around the flight schedules, as our next stop after Goreme was the Southern Coast of Turkey and there are only a couple of direct flights a week. 

The other option is an overnight bus to Antalya which takes about 10 hours, and then another 4 hours to Kas. We again chose the quickest option of a one hour flight, so we only had two nights in Goreme.

Our flight was leaving in the evening, so we had the full day to explore Cappadocia. Without a car, the easiest way to explore Cappadocia is on a tour, and there are lots of options and companies to choose from. 

We chose a company recommended by our hotel who offered full day tours with a small group. There are several tour options on offer, and we chose the Green Tour which had the best mix of the places we were interested in seeing.

I'm not the biggest fan of tour groups, they always seem to be full of annoying people who stand in big groups blocking sights for other people, and I hate not being able to move at our own pace, but with such a short time we didn't have much choice. 

We were picked up from our hotel at 9.30 a.m. and transferred to a minivan with about 10 other people and set off for the Selime Monastery.

Goreme - Getting up at the Crack of Dawn and Exploring Red and Rose Valley

The next stop on our tour of Turkey was Goreme, in Cappadocia. Cappadocia is one of the most beautiful and unique places in the world, with its landscapes looking like the surface of the moon, and caves and fairy chimneys scattered all over thanks to erosion.

We flew directly from Istanbul, to Kayseri, which is about an hours drive from Goreme. Flying is the quickest way to get from Istanbul to Cappadocia, the flight time is about an hour. If you book far enough ahead, you can get really cheap flights. You can also get an overnight bus, which takes 10-12 hours, so even with my fear of flying, we thought a plane was the best option.

We arrived in Kayseri at about 9.00 p.m., and were picked up by a Shuttle which took us directly to Goreme. We were staying at Koza Cave Hotel, a lovely family run cave hotel. We had a quick dinner at the restaurant next door and then headed off to bed.

We woke early the next day, at sunrise, and headed up to the roof terrace so we could watch the Hot Air Balloons taking off. Hot Air Ballooning is one of the most popular activities in Cappadocia, taking off at dawn and flying high above Goreme with amazing views of the moonscape and the fairy chimneys.

Istanbul - Exploring the Grand Bazaar and Being Blonde in Istanbul

On our last day in Istanbul, we decided we were ready to face the Grand Bazaar, one of the biggest and oldest indoor markets in the world.

Neither of us had ever been to a country where haggling is encouraged, but in Turkey haggling is a big part of their culture.

We were a bit apprehensive that we wouldn't know how to do it properly, but it's actually really easy once you start. Before we went I read a lot about the custom and what is expected, plus I've never been talked into anything I don't want to buy so I wasn't worried I'd end up with a huge carpet!

We went to the Grand Bazaar first thing in the morning and quickly found that when you're one of the only people in the market, every single stall holder tries to get you into their store. I also felt extremely uncomfortable as I was getting a lot of attention because of my blonde hair, with a lot of men making comments that made both me and Bradley uncomfortable.

Blonde hair is not that common in Turkey, and in a lot of places I was the only person around with light coloured hair. Even when covered up much more than other women around me, I still got a lot of attention, which isn't something I'm used to when visiting overseas. I've never been to a country where I have felt out of place because of how I look and it was daunting!

So we decided to leave the market, and come back in the afternoon when there were more people shopping. I also decided to go back to our room and put on jeans rather than a dress, which was below my knees anyway, and tie up my hair, so the blonde wouldn't be as noticeable!

It seems ridiculous, but when literally everyone is staring at you as you walk down the street, I wanted to blend in as much as possible.

So instead of visiting the Grand Bazaar, we stopped for a coffee in a restaurant in Sultanahmet with a great view out over the water.

After coffee, we headed down to the waterfront and wandered along until we came across Gulhane Park, a big park thats runs adjacent to Topkapi Palace, and is one of the oldest parks in Istanbul.

It was now getting into the late afternoon, so we headed back towards the Grand Bazaar to try our luck again.

The area around the Grand Bazaar is full of pretty buildings and lots of shops, so you can browse and get an idea of prices before you enter the Bazaar.

The Grand Bazaar is absolutely huge, with thousands of shops and a maze of streets, so if you walk past a shop and see something you like, it's best to stop because you might never find that same shop again!

The vibe in the market was very different from when we visited earlier in the day. The shop vendors were much more chilled out and not as pushy, and while the market was much busier, it was late enough in the day that a lot of tourists had cleared out. I also didn't get as much attention with my hair tied back which also made the experience a lot nicer!

The Bazaar sells everything you can imagine, and locals shop here too, not just tourists. In just one small street we saw Fake Designer Handbags, amazing coloured pottery, carpets, lanterns and pashminas.

If you're going to buy anything then you need to haggle. The best tips I found were to ask around a few places to get an idea of the market and the cost. If your starting offer is too low, the vendor will know you don't know the market and can take advantage of you.

You should always let the vendor name the first price, then you offer about half of that and keep haggling until you reach a price you both agree on. Always decide how much you want to pay beforehand, and once a price is agreed upon you have to buy the item. Don't make an offer if you are not prepared to pay that price.

The last thing is to never show too much interest in the specific item you want. Ask about a few different items, even show disinterest in the item you want so you can get a better deal.

We ended up buying everything we wanted to buy when we arrived and left the market with a fair few bags. We ended up with a few brightly coloured bowls, pashminas, some magnets and a couple of handbags.. the handbags may have been a spur of the moment choice!

After feeling disappointed with the market in the morning, we left feeling a lot better and having really enjoyed ourselves, so we're glad we gave it a second chance. Wandering the streets inside the market was amazing, every turn brought you to about six other streets and we never went the same way twice.

Loved these lanterns!

Wandering back to our hotel, we stopped in the Hippodrome outside the Blue Mosque and grabbed some Gozleme, which are almost like Pancakes or Naan full of cheese, chocolate or potato. So delicious!

We were exhausted after such a long day, haggling can really use up a lot of energy. So we headed home for an early night, our last in Istanbul. The next day we were headed to Cappadocia!

Istanbul - Istiklal Street, Topkapi Palace and Sultan Ahmet Mosque

We woke up early on Friday morning intending to visit Topkapi Palace, but upon arrival discovered the lines were really long, full of tour groups and with more arriving by the second.

So we changed our plans and hopped on a tram to Kabatas across the Golden Horn, and hopped onto a Funicular railway that takes you the last bit of the way to Taksim Square.

Taksim Square is located in Modern Istanbul, and is is a popular place for both locals and tourists alike, with lots of hotels, shops and restaurants in the surround area.

Taksim Square has been in the news recently because of all the protests taking place in opposition of the development of a shopping centre on the site of Gezi Park. Protesters were attacked by police with tear gas and water cannons. 

While the protests started because of the fear of urban development in Gezi Park, they soon escalated to various issues, such as freedom of expression and against the Turkish Government. During the clashes with police over 4,000 people were injured and seven killed.

We had been watching the news in the lead up to our trip, and the activity seemed to have died down, so we felt it was safe to visit without incident. The protests had been one of our main reasons for choosing to stay in the Old Town area of Sultanahmet, rather than Taksim.

Istanbul - Visiting Hagia Sophia and the Basilica Cistern

Almost two weeks ago we returned from an amazing 12 night trip to Turkey. We'd wanted to visit Turkey for a while, but were slightly overwhelmed with all the planning. Thanks to websites like Tripadvisor and Turkish Travel Planner, it wasn't as hard as we thought, the hardest part turned out to be deciding where to go since Turkey is a huge country.

We decided on Istanbul and Cappadocia, with a visit to the Coastal towns of Kas and Cirali in the South of Turkey to end our trip.

We've spent the last week sorting through 1000 photos whilst planning our next three trips to Poland, Scotland and Norway respectively, which is why we're only just catching up on our blog posts.

Alright, lets get started!

After an early morning flight from Heathrow, we arrived in Istanbul to beautiful blue skies just after lunch. We'd arranged a transfer from the airport to the Hotel Novano, in Sultanahmet, Istanbul's Old Town. After driving through a maze of one way streets, we finally arrived and checked into our lovely, but tiny, room.

The hotel is only a five minute walk to the big sights, the Sultanahmet Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace and the Basilica Cisterns. So after dropping off our bags we headed straight back out again.

Hagia Sofia

The Sultanahmet Mosque (Blue Mosque) and Ayasofya (Hagia Sophia) are two of the most beautiful buildings I have ever seen, they give that same surreal feeling upon seeing it as when we saw the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

The two buildings are built directly across from each other, with a big park in between them. There were people everywhere, just outside enjoying the sunshine.

Sultanahmet Mosque

Seeing the Blue Mosque peeking through the trees

Next to Sultanahmet Mosque is a promenade called the Hippodrome of Constantine, which used to be the Sporting and Social centre of Constantinople, or what is now known as Istanbul.

There are two huge Obelisks in the centre of the square, the Walled Obelisk and the Obelisk of Theodosius. The Walled Obelisk was placed in the square in 357 AD, whilst the Obelisk of Theodosius has stood in the same spot since 390 AD.

These beautiful lanterns were all over Turkey, we would have loved to have brought a couple home but they never would have fit into our carry on luggage! They had the most amazing colours.

After exploring some of the Old Town and getting our bearings, our first stop was Hagia Sofia, which is now a museum but has in the past been both a Greek Orthodox Basilica and a Mosque. Hagia Sophia was a Cathedral from 537 to 1453, and then a Mosque from 1453 to 1931. It was then separated from any religion and opened as a museum in 1935.

Hagia Sophia has many similarities to the Blue Mosque, and served as inspiration when the Blue Mosque was being built in 1616. Up until the Blue Mosque was opened, Hagia Sophia was the central Mosque in Istanbul.

The interior of Hagia Sophia is covered in mosaics and has huge marble pillars, with Islamic discs prominently on display at the front of the Museum.

When Hagia Sophia was built, it was the largest of its type in the world for 1000 years until the Cathedral was built in Seville.

The inside is amazing, exactly like a cross between a Cathedral and a Mosque, with the Islamic discs and Chandeliers really the only things differing the interior from being a traditional Church. The main Church is also huge in size, with towering ceilings and big arched windows.

Mosaics of the Virgin Mary and Child with Justinian I and Constantine I at the Imperial Gate

It was late afternoon by the time we exited Hagia Sophia, so we headed across the road to the Basilica Cisterns, the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns that run underneath Istanbul. The cistern is about 105,000 square feet, and used to provide water to Topkapi Palace and the Great Palace of Constantinople.

The Cistern's ceiling is supported by hundreds of tall marble columns lit at the base and surrounded by maybe a meter of water, being capable of holding 100,000 tons of water. It is very dark and quiet, and every so often you'll feel a little drip of water going down the back of your neck, adding to the eerie feeling of being a couple of stories below ground.

Walking through the Cistern, you follow a raised, winding walkway, weaving through the columns, with fish gliding silently beneath your feet.

In the north west corner of the Cistern are two columns, with the bases carved into the shape of a Medusa head. It is not known where these heads came from, and tradition dictates the bases are turned sideways and inverted so as to inhibit the power of the Medusa's gaze.

We left the Cistern and discovered night had fallen while we were below ground. We stopped into the hotel to grab a jacket and headed down the street for dinner. We had the most amazing food while in Turkey, we had at least two courses for each meal, everything was so delicious and so cheap.

We ended up on a small balcony overlooking the street below and ordered a carafe of Turkish wine while we looked over the menu.

Most of our meals started with a Mezze platter, full of Vine Leaves, Babaghanoush, Hummus and olives. We got into the habit of ordering this whenever we had lunch or dinner and comparing the dishes to the previous day or week. The food just kept getting better, and it was interesting to see the flavours change slightly depending on where we were in Turkey.

After our huge meal and a bottle of wine between us, we rolled ourselves home to bed, tired after a full day of exploring but excited to discover more of this amazing city the next day!