We are all checked in and sitting at the gate waiting for our flight from Los Angeles to Istanbul.
This will be the third Gate 1 tour we have taken. The most recent was our trip to Thailand last November. We also took a tour with them a couple of years ago to Bulgaria, Serbia and Romania. This time Tim and I are traveling with my sister and my brother-in-law.
I will update this site as often as I can while we travel to share some of our pictures and some information about what we are seeing.
Here is a rough idea of our itinerary:
Wednesday – Arrive in Istanbul and transfer to the hotel
Thursday – Istanbul city tour – visit the Blue Mosque, Hippodrome and St Sophia – afternoon free to explore
Friday – Sightseeing in Troy and a drive to Canakkale
Saturday – Visit the Asclepion and drive to Kusadasi
Sunday – Day at leisure in Kusadasi
Monday – Pamukkale Hot Springs, Necropolis and Hieropolis
Tuesday – Travel to Konya
Wednesday – Visit Caravanserai of Sultanhan en route to Cappadocia, Whirling Dervishes Performance
Thursday – Full day tour of Cappadocia
Friday – Ankara, Mausoleum of Kemal Ataturk
Saturday – Istanbul Bosphorus Cruise and Spice Market
Sunday – Flight home
Thanks for following along…
Gratitude Moment: Today I am grateful to be able to share this trip with my sister
A Note From Abroad 
We wanted to go to Istanbul so badly when we were traveling in Greece, but the protests were in full effect at that point and we thought it might not be the best idea. I look forward to living through your posts and pictures! Safe travels!
LikeLike
I’m sorry you were not able to get to Istanbul while you were so close. I hope my posts will give you a “taste” of what it is like.
LikeLike
THE SUNRISE RUBY
In the early morning hour,
just before dawn, lover and beloved wake
and take a drink of water.
She asks, “Do you love me or yourself more?
Really, tell the absolute truth.”
He says, “There is nothing left of me.
I’m like a ruby held up to the sunrise.
Is it still a stone, or a world
made of redness? It has no resistance
to sunlight.”
This is how Hallaj said, I am God,
and told the truth!
The ruby and the sunrise are one.
Be courageous and discipline yourself.
Completely become hearing and ear,
and wear this sun-ruby as an earring.
Work. Keep digging your well.
Don’t think about getting off from work.
Water is there somewhere.
Submit to a daily practice.
Your loyalty to that
is a ring on the door.
Keep knocking, and the joy inside
will eventually open a window
and look out to see who’s there.
— Rumi
LikeLike