Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Anywhere You Can Find Yourself?

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Can you imagine a ride overlooking the panorama of volcanic valleys and landforms of a kind that's never seen on the planet? If you can, tell me how it could be one the most amazing?


Yes, you guesstimated correctly! Balon! Balon! Balon (English: Balloon)! It'd be possible if you take a hot air balloon ride:) Allowing an inside look at the atmosphere, so waving, so amazing even looking at these photos, don't you think so...



Oooh beauty over beauty!


These young beautiful ladies are posing in their bathing suits even though there's still powerful aura around them. I don't know how they can manage to work in this fairy tale land...;)


Best models look alluring, powerful, and...


very feminine in this year's swimsuit issue and,


tasteful photos in Sports Illustrated. Did you buy your February issue of SI? You could find more 2009 Turkey shots here as well.


Carved the rocks. Adorned the stones. Built churches. And chapels. And temples. Built houses. Streets. Cities. They put love into every detail. They even built houses for pigeons in the speechless rocks. And this is when the rocks began to speak to nature itself.

So- the region enjoys a beauty created not only by the hand of man, but mainly by the nature. Rocks composed of various minerals and metals eroded due to climatic conditions and movements of the earth. Valleys, canyons, nature-sculptured rock statues, fairy chimneys came into being.

The name of this area is Cappadocia, or Kapadokya as we call in turkish, where Christianity had taken root in the 3rd century AD and was an especially learning center of Christian theology. Placed in the middle of Anatolia, as desc
ribed in the ancient Persian tongue "Land of Beautiful Horses" it's the oldest heart of the world.

More than being a place where history, architecture, nature and scenery have been blended in perfect proportions, there's a message to the future from all those who came here. Because Cappadocia has inspired every community that came here. Look who came and gone here: Cappadocians, Persians,
Byzantines, Seljuk Turks, Hittites, Phrygians, Greeks, Armenians and Ottomans lived in Cappadocia. All those who came here worked to build themselves a new world.

Isn't it easy to understand why every spot is mysterious and rich history here. It's said that even from the same spot you can never take the same picture twice, because Cappadocia is always changing and mysterious!

Recently visited Alan Solomon, reporter from Chicago Tribune could not say better than this "Here, it's possible for anyone to find himself." Continue to read his article A different world from the city. A different world than just about any place you have ever seen. Planet of the cones here, in Turkey, in Cappadocia

This is why people come here not only for holidaying but also to see, to learn, to touch the traces of the past.

And, I long for nothing so much as a day as blue and brilliantly colored as in this photo, and me inside seeing the magic with my eyes which conveys the fantasy of the valleys and hills of Cappadocia. This Spring I'm planning to go to Kapadokya and especially take this balloon ride. I'll touch the traces of the past like many other millions of millions visitors had done till now. Because it's a very long waited travel on my wish-list. Can't wait! I officially count the days!


Looks like Swimsuit Edition team should have also enjoyed their ride when they landed -as there was nothing 'not beautiful':)



Your Editor's Special Note: There are lots of happenings here around me and also in Istanbul, in Turkey! Good and exciting, different and unheard. Wanting to do more of writing. I have so much to say and so little time to say it:) Maybe I'll need to build up my editorial team...



13 comments:

  1. Nihal, loved this tasteful post! Looks like very good plan: flight with Balloons over the magnificent Cappadocian landscape will be truly the experience. Don't forget to taste of Cappadocian wines made by delicious grapes of Cappadocia, xo

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  2. I love the pics of the hot air balloons. and also your pics about the niceklace- beautiful! You are a brave soul to be in Istanbul, seeing your profile pic that you are blond -are you there for your job, or just because you like to travel?
    The US is my 4th country to live in- but I'm slowing down now - I've lived in the last house longer than 10 years LOL
    Am Dutch, and people call me an artist - look up my blog sometime - cheers.

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  3. oops, sorry for the type: necklace

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  4. The hot air ballons are great! The young ladies too, but that goes without saying :-)

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  5. When the weather is right there are always a lot of hot air baloons up over the Napa Valley here in CA. I've yet to take a ride in one. I kinda like to have my feet on the ground, LOL!

    Darla

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  6. I have a friend that has a balloon. I would love to go for a ride some day. Imagine all of the beauty that surrounds us from such a intriguing perspective.

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  7. Reminds me of that song - "Up, up and away in my beautiful balloon." What gorgeous views they must have had of the landscape below. I have never been in a balloon but I love it when I take a flight on a clear day and can see the houses and farm fields below. They create a pattern almost like a quilt! My friend Mary talked often of visits to Cappadocia. I can still hear her saying that name. When I read your post I thought of her. She passed away a little over a year ago. Thanks for the memory. :-)

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  8. What a magic post! I loved the balloon ride - thank you for taking me along,

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  9. wow...thanks for the tour and information, I'd love to be on that balloon but I am a scary cat of heights, love even more if I am as slim as those models :P yes, I am happy Nihal, for the weekend. I've worked my butt off these weekdays, and happy that there still a job too...much love and have a great weekend, big hugs!!!

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  10. Dear Nihal! Thanks so much for your encouragement for me. I heart you in my blog, get your award there! and I really adore this post! refreshing!

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  11. The ballons are beautiful and the ladies even more, hahaha.
    I'm looking forward to your ballon trip, it's gonna be great.

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  12. Dear Nihal,

    Thank you for this beautiful post that reminded me of my trip to Cappadocia in April 2007. Geologically the land of fairy chimneys comprises not only Nevşehir (Ürgüp-Göreme) but also Niğde, Aksaray and Kayseri provinces. Ürgüp-Göreme are the most touristic places in Cappadocia, the heart of the region, but there are lots of things (villages, churches, archeological sites hidden in fairy chimneys) to discover in other parts of this extraordinary land as well. Therefore I think one visit is not sufficient to see all the beauties of Cappadocia. There is now a small French community “amoureux de Cappadoce” who live permanently in the region and in houses built in fairy chimneys! And the “hot air balloons” ... It is an unforgettable experience.

    I wish you a wonderful trip in Cappadocia and I'm sure you'll return to Istanbul with amazing photos.

    Cheers,

    Müge

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  13. @ Jeannette: Welcome to my page, and thanks so much for your lovely note. Yes, I'm blond. Me, none of your estimations but I am an Istanbulian, working, living and enjoying the life in Ist'l:) Yeap, I like travel very much, have been to many spots for pleasure/business/education. I can travel when my work tempo allows me. Since my enter in this land, I've met/constructed good ties between Dutch people -all are so unique, and kind at heart. I'm very happy to meet another Dutch like yourself. Much Love~

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