Travel Notes | A Journey to the Ottoman Empire Across Eurasia——Turkey【1】

Turkey

10 days trip

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——Travel notes + itinerary recommendations: Da Wei

The lunatics include: Dawei, Zhuzhu, Zhou Yi

Sherry suffers from a disease that has no antidote - lazy cancer . She feels that using the brain to code is a process that consumes physical strength, energy and time. Although there is no cure for this disease, but Occasionally, mental rehabilitation can still bring improvement to your body.

Three months ago, a casual trip expanded my limited horizons. I took a 10-day holiday arrogantly, and shouted in my heart: My weekends in the first half of the year were all dedicated to work! While you are on vacation, I am executing activities. While you are at work, I am planning activities for the next vacation! Hmm, I am a little nervous, but high-intensity work will make me feel that my body is being drained bit by bit...

At the beginning of the year, I saw commemorative photos taken during my trip to Turkey from various fashion bloggers. They were so beautiful and desirable (What photo editing software did you use? Teach me~) , and sent 4I also want to see this ancient country that has experienced ancient Greece, Byzantium, and the Ottoman Empire. After all, this is a solo trip to a strange country, so I chose a group tour with a higher safety factor.

Turkey—a colorful fantasy country

My impression of Turkey was previously limited to a Westernized Islamic country with a long and glorious history that separated politics and religion, and an important geographical location straddling the Eurasian continent. However, I never thought that this country is so colorful and has everything!

Turkey has rich and unique topography, ranging from coastal plains to mountainous pastures, from cedar forests to stretching prairie, as well as the alien-like Cappadocia stone forest landscape and large-scale underground city wonders. From Mediterranean-style bathing beaches to the ski resorts of Uluta Mountain, from paragliding to hot air ballooning, and perfect Mediterranean hiking routes... you can find everything to get your adrenaline pumping. It is also one of the areas with the richest plant resources in the world, accounting for 1/3 of the known plant species on the earth. In addition, in the eyes of Turks, Turkey is one of the three major food countries alongside China and Italy (only in the eyes of Turks!).

This is a colorful country!

Türkiye’s geographical location: Connecting the two continents of Asia and Europe, it has mountains and the sea. It is both old and young. Türkiye borders the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea to the west and south, spanning the two continents of Europe and Asia. The vast country covers a variety of landforms and climates, and its landscapes are so beautiful that they are as pleasing to the eye as its carpets.

Best time to travel: April to October is the peak tourist season in Turkey, but spring and autumn in major cities such as Istanbul are the most suitable seasons to visit. The temperatures are moderate from April to May and September to October every year, and there is no such thing as August. It's sweltering and not as cold as winter. If you want to go to Pamukkale and want to avoid too many crowds, the best season is December, when there is no strong sunlight reflection (sherry: Without strong light reflection in Pamukkale, you can’t take pictures of the Silver Mountains , there are not too many tourists, the temperature is slightly lower but not too cold. The most special thing is the strong contrast between the ice and fire at the bottom of the mountain. It will be a rare experience.

Dressing Guide

The climate varies greatly across Türkiye. Generally speaking, the temperature in spring and autumn is moderate, so you can wear a single layer and add a jacket or thin sweater at night. Summer is hot, so light clothing is more suitable. Pay attention to sun protection, and girls can bring a scarf (long skirts/pants are required to enter the mosque). If you go to Cappadocia in spring or autumn (and want to take a hot air balloon ride), be sure to bring windproof clothes.

language

Don’t think about it for Turkish babies, fluent English or vivid sign language can take you all over the world.

history

(I recommend this book. Although it is relatively simple, it is enough to understand the culture and brief history of a country)

"Türkiye: Silk Road Inn in Memory"

Customs and taboos

Türkiye is an Islamic country, and its work and rest hours are no different from those in the West. In addition to being required to take off your shoes and be silent when entering a mosque, the atmosphere in the country is very liberal, especially in an international city like Istanbul, which is very different from other Islamic countries in the Middle East.

Turkish people are hospitable, polite and considerate, and small gifts can greatly enhance the friendship between new friends. Turkish men seem to be particularly enthusiastic about female tourists from China and will offer to help, but solo women should also pay attention to their own safety.

English is not widely spoken in Turkey. Except for tourist hotels, restaurants or shops, it is best to have a Turkish translator when negotiating official business. Turks greatly admire their founding father, General Kemal Kemal, and all companies and government agencies hang photos of Kemal.

May not be able to revisit

Since we ended our trip to Turkey in April 2015, the situation in this disputed land has rapidly taken a turn for the worse. There has been a lot of chaos, including joint terrorism against China, chaos in Syria, terrorist attacks, anti-Maoist attacks, and then terrorist attacks. Sherry's ideal Turkey is very safe. Although news reports will talk about IS attacks and the like, I think they are all very unlikely. But my family didn't think so. From departure to return, my family didn't sleep well for 10 days. I also had to report my situation on WeChat every day. Fortunately, I am with a group. If I were to travel independently, this trip would definitely be ruined due to the obstruction of my family... (I have been taught a lesson by my dad countless times, but I just won’t change my mind. My parents are so hard...)

In-depth tour route

Let me first share with you some itinerary plans for in-depth travel in Türkiye.

Option One:

Crocus City → Istanbul → Canakkale → Izmir → Antalya → Cappadocia → Ankara

Option II:

Istanbul → Canakkale → Izmir → Antalya → Cappadocia → Ankara

third solution:

Ankara → Cappadocia → Antalya → Ismir → Canakkale → Istanbul

Whether traveling independently or in a group, these three options can cover the itinerary you want to plan.

Sherry took the third route, entering Ankara and exiting Istanbul.

The approximate cost of the tour route:

Tour fee ¥6999

Tip ¥700

Hot air balloon ride $255

(Our tour guide is named Vivi. She is a very nice person. She saved us all the unnecessary things to start with!)

Guangzhou-Liuzhou round trip train fare ¥400

Shopping ¥XXXX

I am very satisfied with the quality and service of this route. Except that the time I spent in the ancient city of Ephesus, which I particularly like, is too little for me, everything else is fine. Five-star hotel for the entire trip (to be honest, the quality of foreign hotels is really good, the rooms are unique, and the location is good) . Generally speaking, the cost of a group tour in Turkey is between 12,000 and 15,000. , since the price is so low, it is essential to go to a shopping store. In order to save space, I will not write about shopping. In fact, it does not take up much time and travel.

Those who want to travel independently can refer to the itineraries of group tours. The following is Sherry’s itinerary and travel notes, and also provides some independent travel suggestions.

Prepare

visa:

You can try E-VISA, which is very convenient. You can enter https://www.evisa.gov.tr/en/ without having to jump through the wall and there is a Chinese page. Follow the steps step by step to complete the information, submit, pay, and it will be approved within 24 hours. Don’t worry if you are traveling with a group. For others, you can apply for visas in advance at Moubao or a reliable local travel agency, or at Mafengwo. The prices for both Moubao and Mafengwo are between 400 and 500 Ruanmei coins. In order to prevent the situation of incomplete preparation for the visa on arrival due to language barrier, it is always the most convenient to apply for the visa in advance. Take photos and archives of your visa, ID card, and itinerary. Send one copy to your email address and print two copies. Keep them with you at home and on your person, just in case. Türkiye is not as safe as everyone imagines.

Air ticket itinerary:

Please choose Qatar flights for comfort, safety and high quality, no need to explain. I chose this group because all the planes were operated by Qatar Airways. It is indeed a rich oil country, 2333333!

(refer to)

Guangzhou → Ankara around ¥2100 (excluding insurance and taxes)

Ankara → Guangzhou around ¥2200 (excluding insurance and taxes)

We will stop in Doha on the way. The airport duty-free shop in Doha is so big! Buy, buy, buy and enjoy!

Warm reminder: Because the airport is too big, please board in advance. Walk from 1 to 20, divided into ABCD. You can walk for 15 minutes. Don’t miss your flight~

Strategy:

At the beginning of the year, I received the book "Turkey Lonely Planet Travel Guide" from Mr. Shuang. From the book, I learned a lot about Turkey's history, culture and itinerary. Even the food is listed in great detail. I recommend it!

"Türkiye Lonely Planet Travel Guide"

Clothing:

The time I went there was from June 13th to June 22nd. During this period, it was slightly cool in the mornings and evenings, so I needed to wear a thin jacket, especially when riding in a hot air balloon. The jacket needs to be windproof. Bringing a pair of trousers is the best choice. After all, Qatar Airways’ cabin air conditioning is sufficient, and the sun in Turkey is strong enough during the day. If you don’t want to catch a cold or get sunburned, thin long sleeves and trousers are indispensable. You can bring shorts, short sleeves and a skirt at other times, especially to Antalya, the weather in the seaside city is enough for a bikini! The shoes must be good and breathable, and bring a scarf. Girls must wear a headscarf when entering the mosque. Wear long sleeves and long trousers, and the trousers cannot be tights.

other:

A universal adapter, emergency medicine, a swimsuit (you’ll regret not swimming in the Mediterranean!), slippers, and of course, the most important thing, chili sauce! ! ! Say it silently twenty times! You will regret not taking it! As a Liuzhou native, chili peppers are very important~ Moreover, I didn’t bring them with me when I went there. I can tell you from my painful experience that I felt like vomiting after every meal... A spoonful of chili sauce mixed with white rice will do. ah……

Distance and hotel:

Book a hotel on Booking.com in advance and print out the hotel reservation form. You need printouts in both languages. Make three portions and serve separately. Hotels in Türkiye are not expensive and of high quality.

exchange rate:

1 new Turkish lira = 2.2483 yuan, 1 yuan = 0.4448 new Turkish lira. You can exchange U.S. dollars or Euros in advance, and Turkish lira, U.S. dollars, and Euros can be used domestically.

camera:

Newbie Canon 100D, iPhone 6 plus

I love making friends while traveling, and of course, there are new surprises every time! Although I traveled alone this time, I got to know Zhuzhu and Zhou Yi, who are very nice people. It was worth it!

Rough itinerary

Day 1 Liuzhou→Guangzhou

Day 2 Guangzhou→Doha→Ankara→Cappadocia

Day 3 Cappadocia

Day 4 Cappadocia→Antalya

Day 5 Antalya→Pamukkale

Day 6 Pamukkale→Izmir

Day 7 Izmir→Alacati→Canakkale

Day 8 Canakkale→Istanbul

Day 9 Istanbul

Day 10 Doha→Guangzhou

If you are traveling independently, it is recommended to rent a car to complete this itinerary. The Chinese driver’s license is universal in Turkey. If you don’t rent a car, please avoid some places with inconvenient transportation.

Please stay tuned for the detailed itinerary. A whole WeChat message is too long.

My hands are tired!

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