The Daily Telegraph - Saturday - Travel
‘Blue water sparkled, wild swimmers and fishers waved as I loped along the shore’
From a morning run in Istanbul to a balloon flight over Goreme, your travel exploits in Turkey captured the country’s essence
FAMILY FRIENDLY
I once took my daughter, then aged eight, on holiday to Kusadasi. Our hotel was a long way from the town and there was no bus, so we walked.
One day, when we were halfway down the hill, it began to rain heavily. There was no cover, so we took shelter under a tree in the garden of a house. A little girl came out and indicated that we should go inside with her.
Welcomed by her family, we were given apple tea and cakes, conversing in the only language we had in common: German (in my case, the O-level kind). We spent the afternoon with them, even after it had stopped raining, and joined them for a meal later. It was the best part of our trip. Jill Smith, Dorset
OARSOME SIGHT
“Make your way to the jetty and look for Defne, an elderly lady with only two teeth – she will row you across,” said the hotel receptionist. Sure enough, when we arrived at the riverbank opposite the ancient ruins of Kaunos, there was Defne, happily earning a few lira with her boat.
Across the river, we followed a track for a mile in blazing heat, eventually arriving at the entrance to Kaunos. We spent a couple of hours walking along the remains of streets where cartwheel tracks were still in evidence; we marvelled at the theatre, temples and baths. Defne’s sister sold us glasses of fresh pomegranate juice before our row back from this hidden gem. Heather Gosling, Somerset
MANY HAPPY RETURNS
When arriving in Kalkan, the road leading down to the harbour still excites me after 14 years. The town is magical, thanks to the warmth of the locals, who welcome us back every year. There are beach clubs dotted around the bay, reached only by small boat and an ideal place to read a book or swim in the clear turquoise waters.
English people I have met over the years on the boat trips that run from the harbour have become firm friends. On these outings, conviviality is extended over a lovely buffet cooked on board. We take swims in between offerings of ice creams, platters of fresh fruit, cake and biscuits. A mud bath is included in the price – just £45. Joanna Hayes, London
SENSORY OVERLOAD
We didn’t arrive in Istanbul on the Orient-Express, but we did stay at the Pera Palace Hotel, where 40 years earlier, in room 411, Agatha Christie wrote her famous murder mystery.
This is a city full of surprises. Ali, our student guide, wore an elegant sheepskin coat. Every 24 hours, five calls to prayer rang out from many minarets. In the Grand Bazaar, tantalising aromas of spices filled the air. I touched soft silk scarves, embroidered cotton, expensive leather jackets, exotic woollen carpets.
On the Galata Bridge, we tasted delicious fish dipped in bags of salt tied to the railings. We saw beauty (an emeraldstudded dagger in Topkapi Palace) and pain (a man bent double with a piano on his back). Our tip to Ali was charmingly refused. “You need it more than I do!” Vivienne Seakins, Warwickshire
MOUNTAIN EXCITEMENT
We gazed in wonder at the heavilyladen kumquat tree at our lodgings on Mount Nemrud, and listened to the happy chatter of a Turkish family in the valley below. Next morning, we trekked to the summit to see the sunrise illuminate the stone heads of the Commagene kings, before heading off to Lake Van.
On we went to view Mount Ararat, and thence to the ancient, shattered city of a thousand and one churches – Ani, on the Armenian border, once larger than Constantinople, with its buildings of chequered red and black cubic stone blocks. We traversed the high mountain pastures and dropped down into Trabzon, to visit the awe-inspiring Sumela Monastery, which clings to the mountainside. Muslims say only Allah is perfect – but with so many wonderful places to see, our holiday was as near perfect as it could possibly have been. Robert Plummer, Dorset
UP, UP AND AWAY…
Leaving our Goreme hotel before dawn, we headed to the launch site. Burners roared as multicoloured balloons were inflated, then eight intrepid aviators drifted gently upwards at sunrise, as if their flight had been choreographed.
Our pilot’s skilful flying and pinpoint landing were toasted with champagne afterwards. We then drove to Soganli and marvelled at its numerous cave churches cut into the tuff rock, many with stunning centuries-old frescoes. After a refreshing lunch in the shade of apple trees, we returned through striking desert scenery to the ancient Keslik cave monastery – once home to 300 monks – with its impressive refectory. Arriving back in Goreme for a mesmerising whirling-dervish show at 6pm, we ended the day with a delicious dinner at the delightful family-run Topdeck Cave restaurant. Michael Cox, Cheshire