Istanbul and Cappadocia

Some places really grab me. This is the view from the highest sport in Goreme, Cappadocia towards Uchisar Castle, a place I walk to , hike to, run to...It is a magnet for me

Istanbul

Remember Grade 7 geography...and Constantinople, the walled city. I have about 7 cities in the world that I really want to get to, and Istanbul was tops of that list. Regina and I were first there in 1981, in the middle of a 6 month backpacking trip. We bussed from Athens, stayed a few days and then bussed back to Munich. Ths is before the days of regional flights, ATMs, internet, Lonely Planet, etc.

Coming back was interesting...so many more people, tourists and cars. Still an amazing city, with the skyline, the mosques, the bazaars and friendly people. Maybe not as exotic...but much has changed since then, including myself.

Yoros Castle, top of the Bosphorus

Pretty village below Yoros. Note that all the dwellings have a boat launch

Love being on the water, in a new country, with new friends

Istanbul skyline is just captivating, from anywhere is the city

All the mosques are lit up

The Cisterns just below Hagia Sofya. Regina and I had an impromptu, after-hours tour back in 1981, before it became such an organized tourist attraction

You know you are not on Spring Garden Road today

Supper under the Galata Bridge. So cool.

This along the remaining city wall. Buddy is selling lighters. That^s it...lighters

You have to see Whirling Dervishes at least once in your life. Here at the old train station for the Orient Express

Home sweet home for a few days, my hostel. Cool place, if a bit crazy at night

Cappadocia

This has been on my Bucket List since 2008, when I saw a documentary about the underground cities. I love limestone formations (Vinales, Cuba...Northern Laos...Guilin, China) and this area is a home run. I am so happy to be here, touring, hiking, walking, running, hitch-hiking. A very cool week in my life. Great hostel, great food, lots of cool people to hang out with. Makes backpacking very worthwhile.

My very first look into Cappadocia. It is going to be a great week

Sunset in Goreme, looking at Uchisar. Man, I am happy

The castle atop Uchisar. I did a 3 hour overland hike to get there one day, up and down across 3 big crevices that had me ranging 2 kms past Uchisar to the south to find a crossover

Night time in Goreme

Sunrise, with the baloons. Too cool

Mucho balloons, my roomie Harley in the foreground. Too many dineros for my pocketbook.

Underground city. Some of these could hold thousands of people for a few months, food, water, wine, livestock, air vents, security. Fascinating places

I love this kitchen. See the ovens, bottom right, and storage shelves above left. Hoeny, I wanted that shelf over there! Can you make me another one?

My fascination with look thrus continues.

If you think these are cool, come to Cappadocia!

Uchisar castle...my magnet

Just about to cross Pigeon Valley, last little obstacle on my cross country hike

Some Spanish guys from the hostel are x^skiiing the mountain in the far background

Really, this makes me very happy

Always looking for the cool photography angles

I walked 25 kms to get to the underground city in Ozkonak.

and met Yasif Acar who originally found this underground city. A local imam, working in his gareden. Nice man.

Hitchhiked back from Ozkonak, had some interesting rides, including one of those political vans (elections were yesterday). Got to see this church. Pretty cool. Had a jail where you could chain up 10 people. Yikes.

Portuguese Camino

Camino pilgrimages are basically from church to church till you get to Santiago. Sometimes, the churches are with sight of each other...at least you know where you are going next, eh?

Portuguese Camino

I was originally planning to go to Agadir, Morocco and do some surfing. To tell the truth , I feel I am getting too old for that and the partying around it. What I felt like doing was walking, and RyanAir put me in Santiago, Spain for a cheap price, hence the Portuguese Camino.

It cost about 1 Euro a kilometer to do a Camino, which is quite a bit cheaper than backpacking in Euro countries. Portugal is even cheaper than that, so I was spending about $35 a day while averaging 24 kms a day

10 days of walking, 5 days that I got in a swim, sunshine everyday but one. Some funky albergues and fairly interesting group of Pilgrims. This time of year, about 20-25 people a day start the French Camino....the Portuguese..maybe 5 -6 people a day.

People move at different speeds, so the group changes a lot, but there are only so many places to stay, so people drift in and out of your way all the time. As usual, Germans make up about 50% of the crowd.

The weather was great, the people and Pilgrims very friendly, the paths thru Portugal went thru small farms all day, the cafe con leche were irresistable, the Pilgrim menus at times wonderful. All in all, a very enjoyable Camino.

Walking all day is its own form of meditation and walking continuously until you meet a goal is quite satisfying.

This is one serious mixed salad

Stone pathways, funky old houses, churches everywhere. Great for walking on a sunny day

Porto is built on hills. I love what hills do to architecture. Good warmup for Camino

I want to live here

Porto, a most beautiful city

Camino start

Pansy with an attitude

My signature photo when backpacking

The catedral in PonteVerde. The albergue is on the same grounds.

Good morning!

The Camino has many looks...this one I have only ever seen once.

Look at the grooves worn into these stones....how many passages over how much time did this take?

I take pictures of all the various ways that the shell gets worked into design. This one I like quite a bit

Glad that is not me working

Some of the albergues are very pretty inside

The Spanish are very gregarious. This crew was singing with guitars for a few hours, with many people in the restaurant joinng in. Note the size of the bottle of vino tinto

A bit of colour to brighten up your day

Camino end in Santiago

Camino foot damage