Hello Antalya, Turkey

Ana and I spent a week in Istanbul during our honeymoon back in 2007. In many ways, the trip was significant because it helped shape our decision to go teach in Egypt two year later. We found the people friendly and country slightly exotic considering we hadn't really be beyond our own backyard. During our stay in Istanbul, posters outside of travel agencies left a huge impression on us, especially Pamukkale-that place looked like it was from another planet. We always wanted to return and go investigate if those places really existed. On the agenda: Antalya, Pamukkale, and Cappadocia.     

The trick to any adventure is go to where locals eat. We've discovered that several countries we've visited have their own version of what we call a California burrito (some sort of wrap with meat, sauce, and fries).

What university did you attend?

Our Pink Floyd suite at Kale's homestay was pretty sweet. The place is run by Katja, an expat German lady who showed us a great time. If you're looking to make a new friend, stay in the old city center, and eat at cool places, hit up Katja.   

Our rooftop view.

Finally, someone speaks the truth.

Have a desire to ride on a pirate boat? We did. 

Antalya was a nice break from being landlocked in Ethiopia. The city is very walkable and easy to navigate. 

Only if we had our swimsuits.

In general, we are not big fans of Roman artifacts, but then again we never had the opportunity to be immersed in it.

It was interesting to see giant statues stitched back together. Ana and I talked about what if the American empire fell, would the Lincoln Memorial be pieced back together and displayed in a museum like this? 

Detail of a sarcophagus.

Farnese Hercules-the original? 

The museum had everything from a natural history, statues, Ottoman period pieces, coins, ethnographic items, etc. 

For my sheesha smoking friends.

A popular pirate boat destination is a visit the Lower Düden Waterfalls. If you are lucky (unlike us), the boat captain will take your photo and mount it on a porcelain plate that you can buy at the end of the ride. 

Pulling back into port.

If you are a pomegranate fan, a visit to the Anatolia region is a must. 

Perga is a short bus ride from Antalya. near the city gate.

We were disappointed that the Roman Theatre was closed.

Stadium

Katja not only runs a homestay, but also an laundromat. She keeps her soap in this cool tin. 

Buy a bag of pistachios and get a free newspaper cone for the shells. 

Hıdırlık Tower

A stroll around town. Stay tuned from Pamukkale.