#turkey2014

Turkey 2014 

This is a little sum up of my trip to Istanbul and Pamukkale with two of my best friends. Enjoy and let me hear your feedback!

Rise and Shine, Up and Away! 

Rufus and I awoke at 4:30 a.m. (seems to be a trend here), got dressed in the dark, and ventured out into the cold for our balloon tour around Cappadocia. 

First and foremost, no photograph I, or anyone else, takes could possibly do the scenery and feeling of being that high in the air any justice. I was in absolute awe of everything the light touched: every balloon, hundreds of them, cresting over the ridges and cliffs. 

The light changed so much during sunrise that there was different color in every shot that I took. They are shown in chronological order here. It was simply breathtaking.

Afterwards, the pilot and his crew popped some champagne and we headed back to our quaint hostel nestled into the mountainside. What a morning.

Also, it's my father's birthday - so happy birthday Dad! 

Oh, The Places You'll Go! 

Early this morning, Rufus and I landed in Cappadocia, which is a landscape unlike any I've ever seen before. It's a cross between Tatooine and a Dr. Seuss book.

As soon as we arrived, we hopped on a tour around the area that lasted several hours. The main appeal of this area is its history and ancient ruins. We visited monasteries built into large rock formations dating back to the 6th century, overlooked vast valleys, and even headed underground to see the oldest and largest city built hundreds of feet below the surface of the valley. 

It's amazing to me that we've only been here for 11 days but it feels like so much longer. I think studying in Ghana has made it so much easier to assimilate into a culture so unlike my own - I'm incredibly lucky. 

Tomorrow, we have a 5am (yeah, in the morning) pick-up for our balloon ride around the region during sunrise! 

Stay tuned for more photos/videos!

Hello! 

Today was a continuation of the Eid al-Adha festival here in Turkey. The streets have been packed with travelers from seemingly all over the world to celebrate the Festival of Feasts. Rufus and I traveled through Karakoy to the Anatolian side of Istanbul for dinner and beers.

There was live music everywhere and people dressed in wicked costumes. We even stumbled upon a Shake Shack! Tomorrow, we're finally heading to a Turkish Bath for the full traditional experience and relaxing before our 6:15am flight to Cappadocia.  

And the adventure continues,