We’re Going to Turkey! April and May, 2011
(To get right to the blog posts, just scroll down.)
A group of 19 Penn State travelers is just back from Turkey! Our adventure lasted more than two weeks and took us to some amazing sights—from Istanbul’s famed Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar, and Spice Market, to the ruins of Ephesus, to the turquoise waters of the Turkish Riviera. And a dozen members of the group stayed for three extra days to experience the beautiful, other-worldly region of Cappadocia.
Read more about the “Legendary Turkey” trip and see a PDF of the trip brochure here.
Check back regularly for updates—or just use the “Subscribe” button in the upper right to get a new posting sent to your e-mail each day. —Tina Hay, editor
Here’s where we went:
Istanbul
We visited here at the start of the trip. Sadly, we missed the Royal Wedding, but we were busy seeing mosques, museums, and markets, and taking a cruise on the Bosporus.
Gallipoli/Troy/Assos
Next we visited the ANZAC Beach Cemetery, linked to a bloody battle in World War I, before heading south from Istanbul along the Aegean coast. We checked out the ruins of ancient Troy, which was thought at one time to be a mythical city, but archaeologists discovered in the late 1800s that it really did exist.
Izmir
This is a beach city on the Aegean coast, and our headquarters for the next two days. Day trips took us to the famous ruins at Ephesus and to a carpet-weaving factory, among other sights.
On a Yacht!
In case we weren’t feeling pampered enough yet, we then spent four nights on Turkish yachts called gulets, exploring the beautiful Turkish Riviera and stopping along the coast to see such sights as the Baths of Cleopatra.
- A Visit to the Baths of Cleopatra—Or Not
- The Pancake Boat
- A Sobering Visit to Kayakoy
- We Could Get Used to the Gulet Life
Antalya
Next we departed the yachts and visited Demre, home to the ancient ruins of Myra, then drove to the city of Antalya on Turkey’s southern coast. We spent two days checking out the Old Town, the Archaeological Museum, and the nearby ruins of ancient Perge and Aspendos.
- A Drive Along the Turquoise Coast
- The Hometown of St. Nick
- The Antalya Museum—Oh My!
- We Give Antalya Two Thumbs Up
- The Ruins Keep Getting Better
Cappadocia
Some of our travelers headed home from Antalya, while the rest took an optional extension, traveling up to Konya (home of the Whirling Dervishes) and then to Cappadocia, a very photogenic region. Its rock formations look a little like Bryce Canyon and the rest of southwest Utah, and it also has churches and even hotels carved into its many caves—not to mention ancient underground cities.
- Konya, Whirling Dervishes, and the Silk Road
- A Sneak Peek at Cappadocia
- The Fair Chimneys of Cappadocia
- The Cave Town of Zelve
- Galip the Potter Shows How It’s Done
Ankara
After leaving Cappadocia, we drove up to the nation’s capital, Ankara, and visited the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations. After a farewell dinner, we spent one last night in Turkey, and headed to the airport for home in the morning.
Miscellaneous
A Daily Blog from France and Bavaria, July 9-19, 2010
Take a vicarious trip to Europe with more than 50 Penn State Alumni Association travelers. Penn Stater editor Tina Hay went along and sent back daily updates on their adventures—see the posts below. (You can start with the one at the very bottom—”A Trip to Oberammergau”—and it will lead you through each post after that in turn.)
For more details about the trip, see the detailed itinerary here. For photos, just go to The Penn Stater magazine’s Facebook page and click on the Photos tab. Enjoy!
Post-Trip
- France and Germany Photos from Dan Madio
- Random Weird Facts from the Trip
- Eating Like the Locals
- Parlez-Vous My Language?
- ‘Roaming’ Around Europe, Electronically Speaking
- Some Trip Photos from Another Penn Stater
- Where We’ve Been
Oberammergau
Würzburg
- ‘Stumbling Stones’
- A Visit to Nuremberg
- Wine at 9 O’Clock in the Morning?
- The Cats Have Requested Equal Time
- On the Autobahn with Ronnie and Sophie
Strasbourg
- These Travelers had a Special Agenda
- Monsieur Le Puppy Welcomes You to Kaysersberg
- First Day in Strasbourg
Paris
- The Eiffel Tower Lights, Shot with an iPhone 4
- More Photos from Paris
- Today’s Bit of Paris Trivia
- I’d Love to Join You for Dinner, But I’m Eating at the Eiffel Tower Tonight
- Lots of Photos from Paris
- Travels with Sophie
- Beware of Scooters…
- Greetings from Paris
Before the Trip
- Passion Play Passes Muster with Both Catholics and Jews
- Dreaming of Europe
- The Season of Oberammergau is Here
- A Trip to Oberammergau
For more this and other Penn State Alumni Association alumni tours, go to http://alumni.psu.edu/travel.
1. Lois Kelley | July 4, 2010 at 2:42 pm
Ed and I look forward to the trip. A great idea to blog and a much appreciated added value. Thank you.
2. Jerry Hodge | July 10, 2010 at 12:09 pm
Hope you enjoy Wuerzburg. I lived there for a year and one half back in the late 50′s.
3. Trish | July 11, 2010 at 2:13 am
Are there any plans to meet up with local alumni while in Paris?
4. Tina Hay | July 15, 2010 at 11:35 am
Hi Trish — Sorry I didn’t see your comment until just now. Sometimes we do try to connect with local alumni (for example, invite them to our reception), but alas, not this time. Our stay in Paris was too short to fit it in, I’m guessing.
5. Some Trip Photos from Another Penn Stater « The Penn Stater Magazine | July 21, 2010 at 2:35 pm
[...] Travelin’ with Tina [...]
6. ‘Roaming’ Around Europe, Electronically Speaking « The Penn Stater Magazine | July 22, 2010 at 1:28 pm
[...] Travelin’ with Tina [...]
7. Lois Kelley | July 27, 2010 at 9:23 am
Tina, I am so present to how much your presence and “traveling with Tina” commentary and photos added to Ed and my extraordinary trip from Paris to Oberammergau July 9 to 19. I am still wading through the many photos and I continue to search for pictures of you on the trip. At your convenience, I would appreciate your favorite photo of Tina. Thank you for your many wonderful contributions to Penn State and the Alumni Association and adding enjoyment wherever you go.
8. France and Germany Photos from Dan Madio « The Penn Stater Magazine | July 28, 2010 at 11:51 am
[...] Travelin’ with Tina [...]
9. September/October Issue Headed Your Way « The Penn Stater Magazine | August 25, 2010 at 9:46 am
[...] Travelin’ with Tina [...]
10. Adriana (Adie) Storm) Mahony, '62 | November 12, 2010 at 2:45 pm
Tina, are you on vacation? A leave of absence?
None of my business but I miss your posts and reports of late…..or am I making this up?( being ’62 grad , things can get foggy-ish)
My favorite blogs by you include the hilarious details; you have such a wry style and unique sense of humor…… and the best episodes include those film tours of the campus….particularly by air……
Just sayin’…….
11. Tina Hay | November 12, 2010 at 3:00 pm
Adie — You’re so sweet! I’m here — look for a post later today about another bird-banding adventure this morning. But you’re right: I clearly need to finagle another helicopter ride, and soon! –Tina
12. The Best of The Penn Stater Blog, 2010 « The Penn Stater Magazine | January 6, 2011 at 12:03 pm
[...] Travelin’ with Tina [...]
13. Istanbul, Here I Come « The Penn Stater Magazine | April 26, 2011 at 3:58 pm
[...] Travelin’ with Tina [...]
14. More from Istanbul « The Penn Stater Magazine | May 2, 2011 at 2:59 pm
[...] Travelin’ with Tina [...]
15. On the Road Again, in Turkey « The Penn Stater Magazine | May 2, 2011 at 4:48 pm
[...] Travelin’ with Tina [...]
16. We Give Antalya Two Thumbs Up « The Penn Stater Magazine | May 16, 2011 at 11:02 am
[...] Travelin’ with Tina [...]
17. The Ruins Keep Getting Better « The Penn Stater Magazine | May 17, 2011 at 11:17 am
[...] Travelin’ with Tina [...]
18. A Sneak Peek at Cappadocia « The Penn Stater Magazine | May 18, 2011 at 6:07 pm
[...] Travelin’ with Tina [...]
19. Legendary Turkey: The Best of the Travelers’ Photos « The Penn Stater Magazine | June 1, 2011 at 5:07 pm
[...] Travelin’ with Tina [...]
20. Check Your Mailboxes: July/August Issue Is En Route « The Penn Stater Magazine | June 24, 2011 at 11:40 am
[...] Travelin’ with Tina [...]
21. The Best of The Penn Stater Blog, 2011 « The Penn Stater Magazine | January 10, 2012 at 11:01 am
[...] Travelin’ with Tina [...]