In total, we were three weeks in Turkey – definitely not enough time for such a big and diverse country with lots of places and things to discover (at the bottom of this page you find some more pictures).

Mountains, high plains, rocky and sandy coastlines, almost untouched corners, and highly populated landscapes, antique ruins, chaotic cities, historic sites, high-tech and farmers still living a very basic and traditional life – all this you can find in Turkey. The people are generally very friendly, but in some cases you have to be careful: especially in very touristy areas the prices are often too high. Therefore, it is important that you discuss the prices first and agree to it before e.g. ordering in a restaurant.

Many different memories will remain in our minds, memories that are just as diverse as the country and its people:

• Istanbul with its fascinating mix of eastern and western culture and influence – and especially, the nice time spend with the motorcycle police there.

• A wonderful couple living at the black sea: they invited us into their house, gave us a bed and fed us. They not only saved us from a night in our tent beside the street in heavy rain, but gave us also a very interesting and fascinating insight in their life.

• The scraggy landscape of the high plains in Anatolia, and the heavy storm that hit us there in our tent in the middle of nowhere.

• The Mediterranean coast, where we found a place with a beach just for us, but with billions of sea-urchins, and where we camped under big old pine trees.

• The rather bizarre landscape in Cappadocia, with rocks and mountains allover perforated by caves that people dug out of them and of which any are still used.

• The huge cornfields stretching over more than100 km in the eastern part of Turkey.

• Dogs that surrounded our tent in the night, and kept us awake barking and snarling angrily at the tent and only inches away from our heads.

• The shepherd, which passed our tent one morning with his animals, and who could not speak to us, but who gave us with a shy smile some fruits, and then went his way.

• The sunrise on the top of the Nemrut Mountain, with its old stone figures.

• The motorcycle festival, which we found only by pure coincidence, and where we were welcomed very enthusiastically.

• Many liters of Cay (tea), served anywhere and anytime.

These and many other experiences have shown us the many facades of an extremely diverse country, which is worth to be discovered further, despite the horrendous fuel prices of more than 2 EUR!

The Turkish people are very open and friendly, and hospitality towards strangers is still an important aspect of life. Quite often, people helped us without any afterthought, and were actually always friendly and respectful towards us. And this was the case everywhere in Turkey, also in the eastern part, where the Kurdish people live, of which we were always warned in the west. The truth is, they were as friendly as the rest of the country.

Teşekkür ederim for three exciting weeks!