The ABCs of Travel

In reading some new blogs lately, I've stumbled upon some interesting themed posts that I've decided to try out for myself. Though this one has taken forever to write, it's a pretty cool way to revisit some of my best memories.

So, this is the ABCs of Travel...and you can find some other bloggers similar posts linked here.
Amy and the Great World
We Took the Road Less Traveled

A) Age you went on your first international trip

When I was 14, I convinced my parents to send me on the school Spanish language trip to Portugal and Spain. It was 1992. I remember hating Portugal. That was the spoiled American teenager in me. I loved visiting El Escorial outside of Madrid and being scared by the aggressive leather salesmen in Tangiers. While I've been back to Spain since, Portugal is still on the to do list.

B) Best foreign beer you've had and where

Well, this is nearly impossible to narrow down, but two beers immediately come to mind. First is the house made lambics in Brussels at A La Mort Subite. They had a variety of flavors and were so delicious. Even though we were only in Brussels for a couple of days, we managed to stop by this local hot spot twice.



My second choice is the Einstok Icelandic White Ale that I discovered this summer. I just really liked it when I discovered it during our road trip.



C) Cuisine (favorite)

Not necessarily related to my travel experiences, but my favorite cuisine is currently 'anything but Italian'. The flavors of Italian food always seem to be in the same vein and, while delicious, feel so limited. While in Milan, we often frequent Asian and Indian restaurants and I've developed a true affinity for Chicken Tikka Masala. Basic? Yes, but so delicious!!!

D) Destinations- favorite, least favorite and why?

I've loved a lot of places, but a top tier fave is definitely Dubrovnik. I had the best few days there this past summer. Least favorite? Probably Naples. Places where I feel like I have to hang on to my purse for dear life are never comfortable.

E) Event you've experience abroad that made you say "Wow!"

Hands down- Jokusarlon Glacial Lagoon in Iceland this past summer. If you've seen my pictures, you don't need any explanation.

F) Favorite mode of transportation

Well, I love a good car that allows you to come and go as you please, but I'll take a good train trip any day. No airport security lines. No arriving two hours in advance. No hour long train to get to your departure point. Trains. One of Europe's greatest amenities. 

G) Greatest feeling while traveling

Sitting at a historic place, that you've heard of all your life, and never really believed that you'd have the opportunity to experience. Those are the best moments. And I've been blessed to feel it many times over.

H) Hottest place you've ever traveled to

Don't laugh. LONDON. Summer of 2013 my mom and I went to the UK for two weeks. They had a crazy heat wave. And, who'd think to worry about air conditioning when booking places, since it is rarely necessary. I carried my 50 pound bag to my rented room...up to the 6th floor of a walk up...in a building without AC. Who'd of thought?

I) Incredible service you've experienced and where

Ummm...struggling a bit with this one...but we did love our stay at Agriturismo Marciano just outside of Siena. It was super close to the city, the owner and cook were really nice and we had the most excellent meal with the other guests while we were there.

J) Journey that took the longest

Besides traveling back and forth to the US, most of my journeys aren't too long. When I traveled to Iceland this summer my plane was delayed and then I missed my connection to Reyjavik. This resulted in having to spend the night in Dusseldorf. No big deal. I was put in a decent room at a nice hotel without a problem. The next morning I had to fly from Dusseldorf to Frankfurt to catch a flight to Iceland. Soooooooo....it did take a bit longer than I expected to actually get to Iceland.

K) Keepsake from your travels

I love to buy souvenirs. I mean, it's hard to resist handmade items, native to a certain country, like handmade pottery. So I have quite a collection starting.

Main picture: bowl from Morocco; Clockwise from top: Murano glass from Venice, small bowl from Istanbul, handmade mug from Sicily from a friend, handmade mini pitcher from Bruges, Belgium, medium sized pitcher from Levanto, Italy, small bowl from Slovenia (gift from Sheila), and Murano glass from Venice

L) Let down sight- where and why

The Bock Casemates, Luxembourg City...why is everyone so excited about this on the various travel guide sites? Unfortunately, we were bored.

M) Moment when you fell in love with traveling

As soon as I moved to Europe, the travel opportunities just kept coming. In my first four months, I visited the South of France, Florence, Pisa, Lake Como and Munich. Feeling the vibe of different cities, seeing the locals, tasting the food...how can you not love traveling?

N) Nicest hotel you've stayed in

Stayed at Hotel Bristol in Vienna. It's directly next to the Opera House. We had a small balcony that we could look over to the opera's outdoor screen and our room was a series of rooms instead of one. It was old school traditional, but felt pretty fancy!

O) Obsession- what are you obsessed with taking pictures of while traveling and why?

I'm not necessarily obsessed with taking pictures of any certain thing, but I am obsessed with taking pictures are weird and odd angles. I find pictures so much more interesting when they are taken in this fashion. So, my friends know that if they hand me their camera the likelihood they'll get a picture that is perfectly horizontal or vertical is slim to none.

P) Passport stamps- how many and from where?

Currently, 41.

Q) Quirkiest attraction you've visited and where?

The only thing that comes to mind is more weird than quirky, and that's the mixed gender hammam in Turkey. It was such a crazy, weird, and slightly creepy experience.

R) Really frightening: where's one place you felt unsafe or uneasy?

Since I already mentioned Naples, another place that had moments of unease was definitely Morocco. We ended up having a great trip, thanks to our trusty and highly recommended guide, Mohammed, but our first few days in Marrakech did intimidate us from time to time. Maps were impossible to read and not feeling like many of the locals around could be trusted for reliable information made it difficult to relax and really enjoy the surroundings.

S) Splurge- something that you have no problem spending money on while traveling

Chances are, when you travel to a destination, it might be your only visit there. If there's something you want to do, I'm a big believer in just doing it. You might not be back. Do what you want. You can't take the money with you. So...splurging to take a hot air balloon over the mountainous terrain of central Turkey? Do it. No regrets.

T) Touristy thing you've done

In Istanbul we wanted to see the 'whirling dervishes'. These shows are put together just for the tourists and are super 'touristy'!! But, at least it was still super interesting to see them spin

U) Unforgettable travel memory

There are so many it's nearly impossible to choose but a huge highlight was getting to visit the famous grounds of Wimbledon during the 2013 tournament with my mom. My family has been avid tennis watchers for years, and to experience the 'queue' and then make our way to a grass court for a 5 set men's match. Hard to beat.

V) Visas- how many and for where?

Two. My Italian work visa and the visa required to enter Turkey.

W) Wine- best glass while traveling?

Let's just do the best glass of wine period. During the wine course I took last year we tasted a red wine from Calabria. It smelled of soap, but had the most delicious and smooth flavor. It appears to be available online to purchase...I might just have to go spend a few bucks.

X) eXcellent view and from where?

Top of this hill overlooking the harbor of Split, Croatia. I wandered up some stairs and found this perfect overlook, as recommended by my favorite travel guru, Rick Steves. The view was AMAZING!

Y) Years spent traveling

Well, I've traveled here and there throughout my life but the travel opportunities have really picked up since moving to Europe in 2011.

Z) Zealous sports fans and where?

A couple of years ago a couple of us went to an A.C. Milan v. Napoli game. I thought the Naples' fans were crazy! I don't really have much to compare it to in Europe, but it was insane to see flares being lit and the sound of canons firing throughout the game.

Favorite travel memory of your own? I'd love to hear it!

Kapadokya, Days 2 and 3

Our first day in central Turkey was so amazing I knew that the next few days would have a hard time keeping pace. We decided on a day tour that included hiking and a trip to a nearby underground city. Going on group tours is not something I'm a fan of, but in this area, without a rental car, it seemed really necessary to see the sites we wanted to visit.

feral dogs and cats...everywhere

First, it's probably appropriate to tell you a little about this region of Turkey. Cappadocia (English) or Kapadokya (Turkish) means "land of the beautiful horses". This region was formed by volcanic activity millions of years ago. The Cappadocia Exclusive website says, "The formation of this strange landscape started during the third geological period, when three volcanoes located on the edges of this region began erupting frequently. The deposits of volcanoes ash, lava and basalt laid the foundations for today's landscape. Earthquakes and ongoing effects of erosion have contributed to form the valleys and the "fairy chimneys" that can be seen today."

The surface rock is very soft and this allowed people to easily carve into the rock, which they did. They built homes and churches and entire underground cities to serve as hiding places to protect against invasion.

The tour started with a hike in the nearby Rose Valley, named for the color of the rocks in the area. The guide pointed out a handful of other colors that were visible due to the minerals in the rock. A true science lesson in action. You can also see the layers of rock as they formed and various color formations as evidence of different explosions and periods of time.

see the pink?

We then walked into a small town with a large cave dwelling still standing. There were tourists climbing all over the structure, but our tour guide advised against it, stating that it was no longer safe. In true Zimmer fashion, I kept my feet firmly on the solid ground.

We stopped by a place where all the fairy chimneys are well preserved.

After lunch we headed to the underground city of Kaymakli. It is the widest underground city and has four levels in depth that you are able to visit. I loved this place. This is the place to take kids. There are tiny tunnels to climb through and interesting passageways. As an adult, traversing the pathways wasn't the easiest, but it was definitely cool!

They carved these huge boulders to push in front of the tunnels in the event of attack.

For dinner that night we had a traditional pottery kebab and a dish comprised of okra. My sister will get a kick out of this...that I was responsible for selecting the okra dish as the one we would order. The pottery kebab has to be ordered at least three hours in advance and when served is cracked open at the table with a small hammer and then poured out on to the plate.

cracking the pot

the okra...it was...okay

For our third day in Goreme, we did absolutely nothing, and I loved it! We just decided that we had seen enough fairy chimneys and that we would take the day off. It was vacation after all!

No translation required, right? 

As a bonus to this post-- 10 points to the person who can name
this guy, who spent the day with us on our tour...
Hint needed? He's Oscar nominated.

Next up- Istanbul!

Again, you can see all my pictures from this trip (and others) on my Flickr page.

Kapadokya, Day 1

We have the week off this week so that the Italians can get their skiing in before the season is over. I, personally, am not a skier, so I've headed to Turkey for the week to experience the food, culture and everything it has to offer.

To arrive here, we flew from Milan to Istanbul via Turkish Airlines. We bought the required visa for American citizens and went through passport control. We picked up our bags and headed over to the domestic terminal and checked in for our flight to Kayseri. We flew Atlas Jet for this flight. It was easy to book both these flights in advance of our trip and we got both fairly cheap. (A traveler's tip for those traveling to Turkey in the coming months-- beginning in April of this year the visas will have to be purchased online prior to arriving in Turkey, as they will not be sold in the airports any longer.)

country #22

Once arriving in Kayseri our hotel had arranged transport from the airport for us and an hour later we arrived at Kelebek Special Cave Hotel. We booked Room 10 several months ago because when you can stay in a cave, why not?

our cute little cave room

This morning we crawled out of bed before the sunrise, literally, to take off on a hot air balloon adventure. We were nervous and excited for this trip. I had never ridden in a hot air balloon before and this seemed like an excellent time to experience it. We booked with Butterfly Balloons, a highly recommended and well respected company. The owner, Mike, was our pilot. He and his wife were such a nice couple and made our trip really enjoyable. We took off with three other balloons from the same company but headed out on our own in and out of valleys and all around the area. We could easily view snow capped mountains in the distance, tons of other balloons, and even our hotel. It was a little pricey, but it was off season so it is discounted and you can get an additional discount for paying in cash.

Later, we headed out to the Goreme Open Air Museum. We walked there and decided to experience it on our own instead of with a tour group. We paid a little extra to enter the Dark Church, and I think it was worth it. There were lots of frescoes that were rich in deep colors.

the "evil eye"

cave dwellings and churches carved in soft volcanic rock

On our way back to Goreme, we wandered down one of the marked trails into a valley of fairy chimneys. We climbed some steep hills and tried to nab some great picturesque shots. One our way back we stopped by a stand set up by an old Turkish couple who were selling orange and pomegranate juice, fresh dates and nuts, and several crafts. We bought a glass of fresh juice and enjoyed snapping pictures with them while they squeezed the juice. Angela received her best Turkish language lesson yet from the little woman, who seemed to know assorted words in every language. Her best English word, "Come." As we sat down the man asked, in really broken English, where we were from. As soon as we said America, he said, "Obama!" Funny the things the citizens of the world know about...

te- shuk-er e-deer-um

They fed us freshly dried fruits while we sat at their table, and picked up one piece and said, "Obama" and pointed to another and said, "Clinton". It wasn't until leaving, with another handful of fruit labeled with presidential names, that we figured out that the dark dried apricot was Obama and the lighter color was Clinton. Who knew that in middle of nowhere Turkey, racial references would be the prime topic of conversation.

We decided that if we died from eating and drinking random fruit and juice in the middle of nowhere Turkey,
we were okay with that. 

You'd think by now our day would have been complete. But by this point, we hadn't even eaten lunch! (Just a pile of dried fruit!)

We wandered through Goreme and ended up picking a place to eat that was called Cappadocia Kebab Center. Since we wanted a kebab, we hoped it would be a good choice, and we enjoyed it. And, it was cheap. 15 Turkish lira (about 5 euro) for two kebabs, a huge water and a Coke. Not a bad deal.

After arriving back at the hotel, we booked appointments at the Hammam. Everyone reports such wonderful things about it, and we decided to go for the traditional Turkish peel and soap massage.

Hmmm...it was quite the experience...and Angela and I know each other a lot better now!

A young guy, who couldn't be older than 12, or 17, geez, I don't know, hands us each a small plaid wrap to put on after removing our clothes. We didn't know if swimwear was the way to go here because it is a mixed hammam, which is a bit odd for a Muslim country. Anyways, we just decided to go with it, and stripped down and covered up with the wrap. Then we were off to the sauna for 10 minutes or so. Next, the young guy returned, this time in a wrap around his waist, along with a woman in her own wrap, and they led us to this huge marble slab. Angela was not at all interested in having this boy of 12 do her massage and it worked out that I ended up with him anyways.

You lay down on the marble slab and they maneuver your towels all around to keep your covered. Then they begin pouring warm water over you. Next comes the scrub part, with some kind of exfoliating concoction that is rubbed in. More water...and then comes the bubbles! They cover you with bubbles using some kind of net to gather large mountains of them. Then they use the bubbles and soap during the massage.

At times I had to bite the inside of my lip to keep from giggling. It was too quiet in that room when the water wasn't running and I was really wishing for some nice background music. But, it was quite the experience and I'm glad that we did it. Angela says she could do it every day, me? Not so much!

As you may guess, they're aren't any pictures of this part of our day, but if you want to see the rest of my Turkey album, I've got them all posted on Flickr for you to see.