From time to time we will feature an article as written by one of our clients. This gives our readers a chance to hear tales of travel from someone other than our staff, someone who has recently visited a destination and wants to share his or her experience with other travelers. This article is written by Dr. Prab Gill whose family completed a journey through Turkey.
TURKEY IN OUR EYES
Exotic, colorful and unexpected are all apt descriptors for Turkey. The culture is layered with enough of the contemporary to feel familiar, and yet harmoniously coexisting is an exotic Ottoman Turks-derived culture. To attempt describing it would fall short of describing the intrigue and beauty that it evokes; however, we do hope that we will mention enough to make you want to visit Turkey and assemble experiences that will leave you enriched.
Our van driver, after spending half a day with us, felt like part of the family. In spite of us not being able to understand much Turkish we were communicating just fine, don’t ask me how. He took upon himself to extend his role to be a guide and furthermore pulled us over to enjoy a Turkish coffee and bottled water for the kids, and this was “on him”, he would not let me pay. The generosity and capacity to care is what I will remember most about Turkish people.
We spent five nights in Kusadasi and took the opportunity to enjoy the Aegean Sea shore as well as visit Ephesus, Virgin Mary’s shrine where she apparently spent her final years, as well as visit countryside attractions. Visiting Turkey is to witness earliest Christian history. Some of the mosaics in Istanbul were awe inspiring, vibrant and huge in presence. Being in their presence was an experience that is truly unique. Of course, Istanbul was not short of an extraordinary experience. It is steeped in history spanning from the times preceding Christ and extending to contemporary times. The mosques, in their beauty, were difficult to be prepared for. The colors of Turkish carpets and the spice bazaar was something we all enjoyed.
Dr. Gill and his family in front of Saint Sophia
We are vegetarians and the dining experience was simply extraordinary. We enjoyed eggplant dishes that could not be imagined, yogurt dishes and not to mention the fresh vegetables, grape leaves and olives. Go to Turkey and you will understand why ours was an inspiring and memorable vacation. The picture is taken in front of the famous worship place, The Blue Mosque, in Istanbul.
In closing, I must say that Mustafa is the man to guide you in your international excursions.
