A cultural Journey through the Mediterranean from Venice to Istanbul

 

It has been few weeks since I watched all 12 episodes of this amazing documentary “Francesco’s Mediterranean Voyage”, but still under the trance of the true historical events and places it covered.  Indeed a marvelous piece of hard work and determination by BBC  by Francesco da Mosto an Italian architect, author, historian, film maker and television presenter.

This series has IMDb rating of 8.4/10 proving its value for viewers.  It was aired in 2008; subsequently a book has also been written by him that can be seen on goodread.

Below is the short description by each episode that I have taken from subtitle-index.org to give you an overview of the journey this man has taken to follow the trade route of his ancestors:

 

Episode 1 – Goodbye Venice – Arrivederci Venezia      

Architect and historian Francesco da Mosto embarks on a journey to cross the Mediterranean Sea, retracing the trade routes of his ancestors in a sailing clipper from the 19th century. Before he leaves his home in Venice, however, there is research to do for the voyage and new skills to acquire – not least gaining the respect of the crew of the White Swan, with whom he will spend the next few months in cramped quarters and sometimes dangerous situations as he visits the greatest treasures of the Mediterranean. Francesco also visits the Doge’s Palace for reminders of the greatest age of Venice, when the city’s empire stretched across the Mediterranean, and he marks the Festival of the Redentore, a fantastic night of Venetian celebrations and fireworks.

 

 

Episode 2 – The Open Sea – Istria and Split

Francesco and the crew of the Black Swan hit the open sea and head down the Croatian coast. The hard life of a working sailor is creating some problems for our doughty presenter, but he is learning the ropes as best he can. His first challenge is to scale the heights of the main mast to hang the Venetian flag aloft. In spite of his best attempt to hide his fear, it’s a terrifying ordeal. Next stop is Pula and the extraordinary amphitheater, where fights to the death were regular Roman entertainment, as well as the Temple of Augustus and the great Arch of the Sergians. Nearby, Francesco goes in search of the extraordinary fresco of the Dance of Death in the little village of Beram. But here he has every traveler’s nightmare – how do you find the villager who holds the key to the church? Next up is a stopover at the isolated lighthouse of Porer which has saved many a Venetian ship navigating these treacherous waters. And then to the beautiful city of Split where the astonishing palace of Diocletian – the oldest inhabited palace in the world. Only it is not lived in by any one rich or Royal – after Diocletian moved on it became home to the biggest collection of squatters a palace has ever seen. And now it is still packed to the rafters with people and their ramshackle conversions with some architectural oddities to show for it. On the coast of Split the trip ends with Francesco and the crew playing the oldest ball game of the region – the weird and wonderful game of Picigin – a cross between tennis and football, played in the sea. Francesco tries to understand the rules but it’s all Croatian to him.

 

Episode 3 – Land of Hope – Bosnia and Dubrovnik

Conditions at sea are turning rough as Francesco da Mosto continues his journey, sailing from Venice to Istanbul. The coastline is stunning but he cannot fail to notice the scars of war that followed the collapse of Yugoslavia. His first stop is the great Mostar Bridge – an ancient symbol of unity destroyed in a moment of madness in war and now rebuilt. Once again the young men of the town take their lives in their hands and leap from the bridge to prove their manhood. Francesco travels to nearby Medugorje where the Virgin Mary appears to the villagers promising a new era of peace and prosperity. Then begins some island-hopping and reminders of Venice – the beautiful island of Hvar is like a home from home – so the crew enjoy their first night out on the town. Heading for Korcular, Francesco berates the locals for trying to claim it was birthplace of Marco Polo. Then on to the medieval city of Dubrovnik, a great trading city-state and still one of the most beautiful cities in the world. What better place for Francesco to discover the secret of eternal youth than in the great Franciscan monastery at the heart of the old town.

 

Episode 4 – The Pont of No Return – Montenegro and Albania

On the next step of his sea voyage from Venice to Istanbul, Francesco da Mosto is sailing into the Bay of Kotor where Venetian sailors knew they were leaving safe waters for the dangers of pirates and the ships of rival powers. So perhaps it’s wise for Francesco and the crew to stop off at the magical little church of Santuario della madonna della scarpello, perched on a few rocks in the open sea. Here Venetian sailors prayed for a safe voyage or, if they were lucky, where they offered thanks to God for a safe return. Many Venetian ships came to grief here – if not through attack then they fell victim to the elements. Off the coast of Montenegro, Francesco dives to a shipwreck deep on the ocean bed. Next is Ulcinj – a pirate fortress town – where captives taken by pirates were held before being sold into slavery. Even today it has an air of menace. Francesco sees the original cells where Venetians unlucky enough to fall into the hands of the pirates were imprisoned. Next stop is Durres on the coast Albania – poor and facing an uncertain future after the all-too-recent rule of Communist dictator, Enver Hoxha. The capital city of Tirana is still the stuff of spies and Cold War intrigue but the colorful city Mayor is pinning his hopes to a dramatic make-over of the city.

 

Episode 5 – Corfu and Greece

As Francesco and the crew of the Black Swan enter Greek waters, the boat is making the fastest headway since leaving Venice on the long voyage to Istanbul. But disaster strikes as the mainsail rips and they limp into the next port, the island of Corfu. Corfu has more relics of British rule than Venetian, and Francesco is soon drawn into a game of cricket on the island’s best cricket pitch. In the romantic setting of the British Garden Cemetery there are many reminders of British occupation. And Corfu is the island setting of the hugely popular novel, My Family and Other Animals. Author Gerald Durrell is long since dead, but his good friend David Bellamy is there to point Francesco in the direction of the island’s animal life. While the Black Swan puts in for repairs Francesco takes the ferry to the Greek coast and heads inland. His first stop is the surprising town of Ioninna – a little bit of Turkey in the middle of Greece. Once it was the stronghold of the evil Ali Pasha whose cruelty was the talk of Europe at the beginning of the 19th century. But peace and hope is restored as Francesco ascends the incredible mountain realm of Meteora – a sacred kingdom in the clouds. Here ancient monasteries perch perilously on the mountaintops with, seemingly, no way to get up to them. Inside are some of the least seen but most brilliant frescoes of the medieval age.

 

Episode 6 – The Gulf of Corinth

Amidst a sea of dolphins, The Black Swan enters the Gulf of Corinth off the coast of Greece as Francesco continues his voyage from Venice to Istanbul. The boat must maneuver under the Rio Antirio bridge and then navigate the narrow Corinth Canal, which separates mainland Greece from the Peloponnese. At Mount Parnassus, Francesco visits the mystical site of the great Delphic Oracle, the greatest prophetess of the ancient world. She would talk in riddles but her pronouncements determined everything from events of state to romance and marriage. Mount Parnassus was also home to the Pythian Games, forerunners of the modern Olympic Games. Next stop is Athens. Often dismissed as a busy, noisy and overcrowded city, the Greeks prefer to see Athens as the biggest village in the country. Athens was the capital of the ancient Classical world and home to the Acropolis. Birthplace of Western Art, it is also the site of one of Venice’s greatest atrocities against art and culture – an attack on the sacred temple of Parthenon that almost destroyed it. The attack also resulted in a massive loss of human life. Francesco sees the damage from the 700 cannonballs, still evident today. Francesco also has a date in Athens – the woman with the greatest singing voice ever to emerge from Greece – Nana Mouskouri. As they stroll through the romantic setting of Athens’ National Gardens, can Francesco persuade Nana to serenade him?

 

Episode 7 – Badlands – The Peloponnese

The Black Swan docks near Athens – on route for Istanbul – so Francesco heads off alone on motorbike into the wild west of Greece, the Peloponnese. Here the people in the south have a reputation for, at best, unfriendliness, and it isn’t long before Francesco runs into trouble with the locals. But there is plenty to marvel at. Mystra, the ruined Byzantine town, once known as ‘the Florence of the East’, the ancient theatre at Epidaurus where a stage-whisper can be heard throughout an auditorium seating thousands, a tiny cave-like church that boasts incredible frescoes, and Vathia – the abandoned town of towers where neighbor fought against neighbor to get the upper hand. Meanwhile, in the aptly named region of Arkadia, Francesco finds a sweet surprise – a field of beehives where the bees make the best honey in Greece and the biggest worry bead shop in Greece. At Methoni, he visits a great Venetian fortress at the sea’s edge, the site of a massacre of his ancestors at the hands of the Ottoman Empire.

 

Episode 8 – The White Islands – The Cyclades

Francesco da Mosto continues his sea tour around the Mediterranean from Venice to Istanbul by visiting the magical, mystical Greek islands known as the Cyclades. First stop is the most sacred island of all, Delos, the birthplace of the god Apollo. Francesco encounters the lions of Delos and the great phalli of Dionysus. On Tinos, a place of miracle and pilgrimage, he meets a woman who crawls on her hands and knees for a kilometer uphill to give thanks to the Virgin Mary for the recovery of her sick husband. The island of Naxos was a key port for the Venetian empire and even the houses feel Italian – a home-from-home for the travel-weary Francesco, who enjoys the island’s traditional and very strong liqueur. After a spot of octopus hunting, Francesco arrives at the great sunken, flooded volcano of Santorini which boasts a civilization older than the Classical world and the best sunset in Greece.

 

Episode 9 – Crete

Francesco da Mosto continues his sea tour around the Mediterranean. The stormy seas of the Cyclades take a turn for the worse as Francesco approaches Crete, the biggest of the Greek islands. As the storm passes, his first stop is the beautiful but abandoned island of Spinalonga – just off the coast of Crete. It is an island haunted by sadness and tragedy. Docking at Iraklion, capital of Crete, Francesco sets off for the deep underground caves where Zeus, king of the gods, is reputed to have been born. Just down the road lies the immense palace of Knossus – excavated by an Englishman – reputedly the home to King Minos and the legendary Minotaur. There, he tries his hand at the ancient Cretan art of pot-making. At the beautiful monastery of Arkadhi he stands in the very spot Cretan independence fighters blew themselves up with gunpowder rather than be captured. Their skulls, together with the remains of their enemies, are stacked on shelves in the monastery. Then a surprise for Francesco – an invitation to a Cretan wedding – but first he must help prepare the wedding feast. With 1,500 guests invited, the task is enormous: 150 sheep make up the main course alone. Francesco dances until dawn and the boat has left Crete before he even knows it.

 

Episode 10 – The Dodecanese

Francesco da Mosto has been at sea for two months now as he travels from Venice to Istanbul. He approaches the last group of the Greek islands – the Dodecanese. Rhodes was home to the legendary crusader knights of St John. Over the centuries, it was repeatedly caught up in fighting between the Christian and Islamic worlds, and even today it has the feel of a fortress island. Next stop is the exotic Turquoise Coast. The coast is too shallow for the Black Swan to explore, so Francesco swaps boats and heads for the extraordinary Dalyan Tombs – great classical burial temples carved out of the high cliff tops. They were deliberately carved high in the mountains so the spirits of the dead had less far to travel to heaven. On the way he encounters the huge loggerhead turtles of the region, which enjoy nothing more than crunching their way through the shells of giant crabs. One of the most unexpected islands of the area – and an uncomfortable reminder for Francesco of his country’s recent past – is the island of Leros. Mussolini redesigned Leros as a launch pad for his dreams of a Fascist empire that would dominate the Mediterranean. He rebuilt the main town as a military town with wide straight boulevards for army parades. Next stop is Patmos, where St John the Divine is said to have experienced his revelations that make up the Book of Revelation in the Bible – foretelling the end of the world and the final struggle between God and Satan. The Cave of the Apocalypse on Patmos is said to be the actual site, and Francesco sees the crack in the roof of the cave out of which apparently the voice of God emerged. And, at last, a surprise for Francesco renders him speechless.

 

Episode 11 – The Dardanelles

Francesco da Mosto reaches the outer limits of the old Venetian empire on his voyage from Venice to Istanbul. Now he enters Turkish waters, the Strait of the Dardanelles, gateway to the east. First stop are the haunting beaches of Gallipoli – scene of one of the worst massacres of the First World War. It was here that the Anzac forces of New Zealand and Australia were decimated as, alongside British troops, they tried to retake the Dardanelles. After the bumpiest of bus rides inland, Francesco arrives at the city of Edirne, which boasts Turkey’s finest – and biggest – mosque. The incredible acoustics of the giant dome are demonstrated by a local imam with the biggest pair of lungs in town. In Edirne the most popular sport is wrestling. Naked, except for skin-tight leather trousers and covered in olive oil, the local wrestlers are giants of men. The sport is a severe trial of strength and the rules uncertain – it’s even acceptable to put your hands down your opponent’s trousers. Francesco is forced to give it a try. The White Swan embarks on its final lap to Istanbul. But one detour is irresistible – to Bursa, birthplace of the doner kebab.

 

Episode 12 – Istanbul

Franceso da Mosto reaches Istanbul, the final stop of his marathon voyage from Venice following the trading routes of the Venetian empire. Istanbul straddles the Bosphorus as well as two continents. It has been home of both Christian and Islamic civilizations, and Francesco is eager to explore this great city. First stop is the Palace of Topkapi – center of power for the Ottoman empire. Most haunting of all is the palace harem, a prison to the sultan’s many concubines. Beneath the city is a vast network of underground tunnels dating back more than a thousand years. Donning hard hat and waders, Francesco enters one of the huge underground cisterns – looking more like a Roman emperor’s palace than a water tank. Two giant heads of Medusa lie abandoned in the water. Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar is one of the world’s biggest undercover markets and Francesco has a mission in mind. He is going to learn how to sell a Turkish carpet. As he learns the secrets of the trade, he is shown one of the most expensive and beautiful carpets in the city. A visit to Istanbul would not be complete without the experience of a Turkish bath, however, so Francesco offers himself up for a vigorous soap and scrub. But soon it is time to say goodbye. A final celebration aboard the Black Swan with its long-suffering crew brings Francesco’s journey to an end.

 

Picture Gallery

 

It was early days of my career when my manager visited Sri Lanka with his family and complimented the place.  Sri Lanka is known to be an economical yet beautiful place offering most of the common attractions like Jungles, Hills, and Beaches making it a popular tourist attraction.

So, I knew about it and many times discussed within family to make it our next destination, unfortunately when it is compared with central/west  European countries, Turkey or North America, it becomes difficult to make a strong case.

The man who made this trip forcefully possible for me is Rizad (El Macho for my ease 🙂 – my Sri Lankan colleague living at the eastern corner – the town of Akkaraipattu. He knows very well about my travel interest and this time he convinced me to book my ticket for at least a week while he is there on his annual vacations.

There was not much for planning since I was invited by a local guy who – despite many attempts – was not ready to reveal the plan, may be he didn’t have one or he didn’t have control over planning in presence of his family 😉

For me, it was difficult as Schools are open here in UAE and leaving family behind for a week is something I was not feeling happy about.  However my better half encouraged me to avail this opportunity respecting my inner greed of travelling new places

 

Hence, here I am – at the Colombo Airport – early morning of 6^th May 2017 – excited and puzzled what comes ahead.

 

Some Quick Facts:

Sri Lanka was earlier known as “Ceylon” till 1972, got independence in 1948 from United Kingdom.  It is a tropical island close to the equator.  It is the last piece of land in South Asia forming a unique shape making it truly a pearl.  Majority is Buddhist speaking Sinhala (74%), then Tamil population of other faiths (18%) Hindus, Muslims, and Christians mainly.  Total population is 21.2 million.

 

Visa:

Visa process is very simple.  Online visa can be applied using the website takes only 2-3 days to receive approval that you must carry when approaching immigration counter.  The visa fee is very nominal ($20) for SAARC member countries and little more ($35) for other countries. Also a form shall be submitted along with visa approval to specify your trip details, so make sure you carry a pen as most of the time you will not find it at the desk designated for visitors.

 

And the journey begins……….

Usually people visiting Sri Lanka start their trip from Colombo but mine was unique in a way that I was kidnapped by El Macho and his gang, and transferred directly to Kandy considering the short length of my stay (5 days), and the fact that he traveled all the way from his home at the eastern corner with family, friends (Asvar & Haroon) and their families !!!

The important point here is that Bandaranaike International Airport is not actually in Colombo but in the town of Negombo that is approximately 35 KM (22 miles) away from Colombo and takes almost 45 minutes.  You can reach quite smoothly there through Colombo Katunayake Expressway where LKR 600 toll tax is applied.  We traveled couple of times on this highway – not at the beginning of the trip – but towards the end with stressed mind due to the time remaining in flight departure because of extreme traffic congestion inside Colombo caused by Vesak celebrations.  At that moment this highway was truly a blessing.

 

Day 1

Our first stop was the town of Kandy – the capital of central province – a well known major city of Sri Lanka, surrounded by hills.  Kandy is primarily famous for tea plantation that will come ahead on my journey, but here we stopped beside Bogambara Lake at Kevins Lake View to have some rest and get refreshed.  That is where I started to observe Sri Lanka in bright day light, a relatively less busy morning on Saturday beside the lake was a nice experience.  It became hot by the time we resumed our journey after a short 3-4 hours break, not knowing the clouds waiting for us over the mountains.

 

El Macho offered a quick breakfast from a roadside cafeteria.

 

Our next stop was Nuwara Eliya means “the city on the plains” or “city of light” approximately 3 Hours south from Kandy at an altitude of 1,868m (6,128 ft.).

This place known to be the coolest area in Sri Lanka.  On the way we came across a fresh fruits stand to enjoy some fresh coconut water. The views were awesome from there.

 

As we move forward Nuwara Eliya introduced itself with massive clouds collision triggered heavy rain. We had to stopped nearby a roadside shelter and had opportunity to finish our lunch, my first pure desi Tamil lunch, and later on I became used to it 🙂

Few more beautiful views captured there.

 

We also visited Ramboda Falls on the way.  By that time the rain became pleasant and the beauty of Sri Lanka was at its best.

 

Our next stop was Labookellie Villa – a hotel and Tea processing plant sits amidst 1300 acres of rolling green landscapes at the Mackwoods Labookeelie Tea Estate.  The site offers breathtaking views you cannot afford to miss while in Nuwara Eliya.

Visiting Labookellie Tea Plant was an exciting experience.  There are many such places throughout the district can be found, layers of green fields as far as you can see.

 

Asvar – who became my protocol officer by himself – spoke to the plant staff and ensured that I witness the complete process and get good shots wherever I go.  Later on the tour I handed over my Canon 550D to him to satisfy his photography interest.  I was happy with my “Note 5” as It is quick and easy to get good photos and share on the go.

 

Haroon – has proved himself as a professional drivers who can drive attentively and carefully – except on two occasions – First when they picked me from Airport at the beginning and took fuel from the very first petrol station towards Kandy, that’s where he took an immediate turn and the Truck driver coming from opposite direction badly honked us and luckily managed to control his speed.  Second occasion was when we were coming back to the Airport at the end of the journey and due to the pressure to reach in time Haroon overtook a vehicle on hard lines and there the traffic police was closely watching and caught us immediately.  El Macho then used his social skills to convince police officer to leave us this time as he has to catch flight from Colombo Airport.

 

By the way I already bought a local dialog connection with sufficient internet package that I had to recharge few times during the trip.

The day ends with few final shots at fresh vegetable stand, followed by cottage hunt for overnight stay at Nuwara Eliya.  You will not find proper hotel sign boards, instead you will notice the boards saying “Rooms Available” because people have their homes converted into hotels to make some extra income, however you need to inspect the room carefully as not all of them are perfectly clean but there are plenty of these and you can find a suitable one for you.

 

This beautifully decorated nice little home was very catchy but the rooms in basement were not at all accommodating so I clearly refused to stay here and El Macho was very kind to arrange a nice and reasonable room nearby.

 

Day 2

Day #2 started with another special breakfast followed by a boating experience at Lake Gregory, a beautifully situated lake in the middle of green plains.

 

Later we visited the Strawberry Farms, views of the green plains and windmills were awesome.

 

Ambewala Farms was next on the list.  Though with the discussion of a dairy farm, one obviously thinks of a messy facility and bad smell, but the location of the farm, the management of the facility and overall impressions was very positive.  The only place where you cannot afford to stand long is where Rabbits are accommodated.  The Farm has a nice cafeteria where we enjoyed fresh Milk and Cheese.

 

Day #2 started with bright sunshine that transformed into another spell of heavy rain by the time we reached at Rawana Falls near the city of Ella. The plan was to take bath under the falls that we had to cancel considering the rain and cold.  However Asfar forced me to go near the fall and take few images and accompanied me with an umbrella.  He was just not happy that I leave a place with unsatisfactory feelings.  We had our lunch inside the vehicle and that is where I had a debate with El Macho and his friends when they through garbage from the rock.  Sometimes we become so ignorant and could not really acknowledge basic civic sense even at such a naturally beautiful place 🙁

 

Our target was to reach El Macho’s hometown Akkaraipattu before late night.  The travel by road in Sri Lanka was a pleasant experience, however you need acknowledge few facts:

• There is only only road (you may call it highway) connecting all major cities and suburbs. It is a two-way road with only two lanes
• The road is used by all sort of vehicles and even pedestrians so drivers have to be extremely careful while overtaking
• The quality of the roads is generally very good. In fact I was surprised how well it is being maintained considering the load of traffic
• The distance may look small but will take more than estimated time due to the fact above and I have personally witnessed it many times during the trip
• There are three types of roads A,B & E with subtypes. You may refer further details on their official Road Development Authority website
• Traffic rules are imposed very well as I never saw even a passenger on the bikes without helmet. Also traffic violations result in high penalties and it is not possible to escape

You will find Cabs only in Colombo and in rest of the country Auto Rickshaw is used as the primary means of transportation.  The new model has two headlights as compare to the older one with only one headlight (can be seen in background).

 

The day ended with Kothu Parotta meal we bought from an outside restaurant.

 

Day 3

Day #3 started from Akkaraipattu – a small town with population clearly segregated based on religion.  El Macho is the authority there (as he claims).

We had our morning breakfast (Idiyappam and Omelette) at nearby beach site among a huge crowd of Crows.

 

 

El Macho offered me this strange fruit called Panamaram but I could not convinced myself to eat, though he said it is very useful for Kidney trouble as it will be cured within days.

 

 

Our destination was Arugam Bay a famous surfing spot offers quality surf breaks. Arugam Bay is one the most famous site in Sri Lanka for western tourists as you find peaceful beaches, surfing, partying, and do-nothing opportunities at the same place.  You can rent an auto (Scooty) and roam around the town and feel truly relaxed.

As usual, Asfar was with me all the time to ensure I capture the bay from different angles and do not have any trouble in taking solo pictures.  He assisted me very well throughout the journey.  Enjoy the Arugam Bay………….  And remember it was the hottest day of our trip that we could not afford to go anywhere else.

  

Now I realized why people with white skin preferred Arugam Bay to get tanned, as my brown skin got darker and even after two months I can feel the difference.

Capture this view on the way back

Bought fresh fish while coming back home and enjoyed a home made Fried and Curry Fish. It was very tasty.

 

In the evening we had a drive behind El Macho’s home that is all agriculture land with beautiful – in fact – breathtaking views.  I enjoyed driving the Hi-Ace Van and observed few Snakes on the road as it was all jungle where I could have had a hunting experience but time did not permit us.

 

Day 4

Day #4 activities included visit to Marble Beach, Kanniya Hot Springs, Koneswaram temple, and above all the in-laws of El Macho – a place no married men can escape ever in life 🙂

All these places are in Trincomalee a major city and district in North Eastern Sri Lanka.

As usual, the day started with a rich breakfast at a local restaurant on the way to Batticaloa another major city as well as a district of eastern Sri Lanka.

 

Marble Beach also known as Air Force Resort as it is being maintained by air force authorities.  The place is quiet and peaceful with few resorts around. Water is shallow and clear.  We could not afford to swim as the planned journey for the day was challenging and we had to cover many places as mentioned above.

 

This Buddhist Temple at Marble Beach caught my attention

Before visiting Kanniya Hot Spring, we stopped by El Macho’s in-laws residence where a lavish seafood treat was waiting for us.  Unfortunately – most of the items (Prawns, Crabs) was not something I could easily digest so he requested to have Fish as well, though I couldn’t recognize which type of Fish was that 🙁 later came to know it was actually Mussels.

 

Kanniya Hot Spring is a collection of seven wells 3-4 feet deep having variety in temperature (as claimed), though they were all hot to me.  This place has a history as old as 5000 BC.  The water is considered as curing for skin diseases and also from religious perspective.  Change rooms are provided at site to avail the opportunity to take bath.  We just settled on washing our feet.

Another temple caught my attention behind the place.

 

The next tourist attraction was the second unique place of Sri Lanka I visited (first one will come at the end). The Koneswaram Temple. A strategically located Hindu Temple offers great long-range and bird eye view of the Indian Ocean. This temple is a sacred  place for Hindus and you have to visit barefoot. On  the way to the entrance you will find souvenir and refreshment shops both sides.

Just before the main entrance a place is called Lovers’ Leap used for desperate suicide attempts by lovers.

As soon as you enter inside the main boundry the huge statue welcomes you

There is a whole history in the form of statues and seems really important for the followers of Hindu religion.

As we almost finished the tour of the temple, it was almost sunset when the temple bells started ringing loudly, soon combined with the live music started from inner side of the temple.  Sunset – Bells – Religious Music – All this triggered strange feelings that I could not figure our and decided to move out.

 

Day #4 was long and tedious and I just wanted to go to bed.  El Macho and his gang stayed at their family house where as he arranged a very beautiful room nearby (place to be identified).  By this day I started missing my family and just wanted to spend one more day somehow to catch the flight back home.

It was 10^th of May and Vesak preparations at its peak.  Coming back from the temple we observed construction of decorated statues of different shapes and heights that reminds me of Muharram and Rabi’ al-awwal activities in Pakistan. It seems true that Religions become indifferent when they are limited to celebrating festivals 🙁

 

Day 5

Day #5 was unique in a way that we travel much more than we thought of.  Our plan was to cover Sigiriya an ancient rock fortress located near the town of Dambulla in the Central Province.  El Macho warned that this place will need several hours to cover but I did not take it seriously and realized later.

We started in the morning taking pictures beside a lagoon – I believe it was the site of Kantale Dam where I spotted a pair of beautiful Fish Eagles on the hunt, but could not stay to watch longer as we had to move further.

An Asian Water Monitor was also spotted on the road.

 

On the way we came across Habarana railway station where the train speed is 25km/h and wire protection can be seen to avoid elephant crossing.

In addition to Sigiriya, we wanted to cover a short Safari at Minneriya National Park or Wasgamuwa National Park and we negotiated with a jeep owner while having breakfast (Beef Rolls and Ulundu Vadai) at a roadside restaurant.

 

Turn towards Sigiriya was beautiful where I enjoyed boiled corns and marked suspected elephant walkway

 

 

Sigiriya is one of the most amazing places I have ever visited, a fortress built on the top of the rock by King Kasyapa (477 – 495 CE) with decorated sides with colorful frescoes and a gateway in the form of an enormous lion. Sigiriya today is a UNESCO listed World Heritage Site.  It is one of the best preserved examples of ancient urban planning.

 

With all these details you can imagine my curiosity and excitement to visit the site.  However it was proved to be the worst time to visit such an ancient treasure as due to the Vesak holiday whole of the country (it seemed) came out to visit the site that made it impossible for us to cover in detail.

To visit the official site of Sigiriya click here.  The ticket for locals is Rs 50 (0.33 USD) whereas for the foreigners it is USD 30 (4500 Rs).  El Macho bought my ticket along with other family members without knowing that it costs much more.  Later, the ticket checker inside Museum spotted me and asked to show the ID to prove that I am not a foreigner that obviously we could not furnish, hence had to buy a new and expensive ticket 🙁 that we could not avail due to the crowd waiting for us ahead.

The best picture of Sigiriya I could capture was the portrait below that I found inside the Museum, offering a bird eye view of complete site.

 

Few other site information pictures for reference:

After finishing from Museum when we came out we saw a huge queue where people waiting for their turn to visit the upper site of the fortress.

That’s where we discussed and decided to leave our expedition in the middle and make our final journey towards Colombo Airport as by this time we have actually realized that it is going to take more hours than under normal circumstances.  As I mentioned earlier, the distances in Sri Lanka seem shorter but due to the only connecting road it takes more time, and this time the Vesak celebrations doubled the impact and we just gave up on Safari or any other thing.

Before leaving Sigiriya I requested El Macho and his friends to have few group photos as I knew we will not be having a chance later.  Below is the best memorable photo we had towards the end of the trip.

 

We left from Sigiriya at around 2:30 PM in the afternoon of 11^th May and my flight time was 4:30 AM on 12^th May.  The distance is approx. 160 KM that takes max. 4 hours normally (if you see on google).  However roads were extremely crowded that we managed to reach Colombo at 12 midnight and situation was even worse in the city.  El Macho forgot some of his stuff back home and he managed to get it delivered to Colombo by one of his friends, so we had to enter the city to collect it and got stuck in traffic.  Before entering in the city I requested my hosts to accept the dinner offer with me as I thought it is the least I can do as a token of thanks, but they way it all happened we all forgot about the dinner and just wanted to reach to the airport on time.

That’s why I mentioned in the beginning that Colombo Katunayake Expressway was a blessing for us and by 2 AM we were able to reach to the same parking place from where these folks received me six days back.  We just could not realize how fast the time has passed.  After quickly having some snacks from nearby shop, I just wanted to say good bye to all of them but El Macho was not in hurry as for me it is time to go to my family whereas for him it was the time to go away from his family for another long span of time.  He is having detail discussion with his friends and family, and giving them instructions regarding family matters and his under-construction home.  Finally I just could not stop myself to intervene and he also realized my stress considering only two hours remaining in departure.

On the way I was able to grab few sovenirs from the Airport.  A wooden asian elephant (the quality was impressive), off-ourse a Mug for my office, and few Keychains and Magnets that did not cost too much.

 

In Summary, though I could not explore a lot of the Sri Lanka but the memories were awesome, and it improved my comfort level with the place that will surely help me in future expedition.  I promised El Macho to come again and this time it will be only me and him with an all-out adventurous journey of the beautiful Sri Lanka.

 

Note: Please feel free to ask any questions in comments or email me at sfahmed@yahoo.com

 

Note: This travel blog is contributed by my niece Fiza Zaheer, a student of grade 9 who recently visited Italy and sharing her inspirations.

Italy. The name itself has always made feel a deep desire to visit one of the world’s most famous tourist spot. One of the reasons for my fondness of the country is my interest in history, and since Roman history dates back to the 7^th century BC, I thought “why not?” Besides that, I’ve always viewed Italy as an aesthetic and elegant country.

This year my brother also happened to show some fascination in the idea of visiting Italy, so (finally) we managed to convince our parents to make Italy the summer spot of the year.

Planning

First things first – Italy is not a huge country, about 301,338 km². There are, however, a great many places to visit and sights to see, so I think you need at least two weeks if you want to visit the main and central attractions, roam around a bit, and avoid some of the hassle. Oh, and while planning your travel agenda you should definitely keep in mind that Italy is best visited in May, June, July, August and October. Although, the dates around 15^th of August can be a trouble since they have a public holiday “Ferragosto” and many places might be closed down. Another factor to be taken into consideration is that booking apartments in some cities, such as Rome and Florence, is much cheaper and convenient than hotels, according to our experience. You can book from sites such as Trip Advisor or Booking.com, but from wherever you book you have to do it way beforehand – at least a week or two earlier. The earlier the better otherwise you might just experience what we did, that is, every apartment, guesthouse or hotel had just one or two rooms left. Our ten-day stay in Italy was divided up in the following way:

2nd August 2016

Flight to Rome – 4 nights – Rome Together Guest House

(We booked a tour for the second day in Rome that took us to Naples by road, and from there to Capri Island by ship)

6th August 2016

Train to Florence – 3 nights – Duomo Guest House

9th August 2016

Train to Venice – 2 nights – Hotel Bisanzio

11th August 2016

Flight to Paris to Doha to Lahore

Places:

Rome – the Eternal City

As the old saying goes “Rome wasn’t built in a day”. Well, you can’t see it all in one day either. I had heard about the charismatic charm of Rome and had seen a lot of amazing pictures, yet I fell victim to the captivating elegance of the Eternal City. Even the most obscure streets had a classic historical touch.

We visited (of course) the Colosseum or “Colosseo” as the Italians call it, or even the Flavian Amphitheatre, as was its original name. The main transport we used in Rome to get around the city was the metro, which was very easily accessible. It is also quite easy to book skip-the-line guided tours, online or at a tourist point. We had booked GreenLine Tours that gave us a tour around ancient Rome, which included the Colosseum, the Forum and Palatine Hill.

We also booked a tour for the Vatican Museum, the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica, all of which hold a huge significance when it comes to art. The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel (measuring 133’ x 46’) having been decorated so beautifully in shockingly intricate patterns by Michelangelo in just 4 years (which is quite a short time considering that he was alone and that it was entirely hand-painted). On the other hand, St. Peter’s Basilica, while being the largest church, is the most renowned work of Renaissance architecture.

Naples / Capri Island

We also booked a tour to Capri Island. It was a nearly 3 hour drive to Naples, and from there an hour or a half to Capri by ship. At Capri, you can choose various activities to do while you are there. You can have a boat take you around the entire island, you can go up to Ana Capri the highest peak on the island, you can go into the Blue Grotto cave, though I have to warn you that there is a really long waiting time for the Blue Grotto (minimum of 1 hour) and you only get 5-10 minutes inside.

Florence – Cradle of the Renaissance

Rome to Florence by train takes nearly 2 hours. Our stay at the Duomo Guest House was a very pleasant one, plus the location was amazing as the “Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore” or simply the Florence Cathedral or Duomo was just beside us and it was a 5-10 minute walk to Piazza di Santa Maria Novella and the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella, as well as the Renaissance bridges on the Arno river.

The Uffizi Gallery and the Accademia Gallery were also on a fair walking distance from our guesthouse.

Siena

We had a private transport arranged from Florence to Siena, where we stayed for nearly 2 hours, walking around the small city. The first thing we noticed was the Torre del Mangia, the landmark tower, and then went on to see Piazza del Campo where twice a year a horse race would take place (on 2^nd July and 16^th August), the Palazzo Publico and the Siena Cathedral.

San Gimignano

San Gimignano is a hill town in Tuscany, and has structures of mostly medieval architecture. Here you have museums and churches to see. Besides that you can shop here for souvenirs and such items, better yet, San Gimignano has the best gelato in the world at Gelateria Dondoli, where there’s always a queue to eat gelato master Sergio Dondoli’s gelato. No worries though, you won’t have to wait long.

 

Venice – La Dominante

The train ride from Florence to Venice took about 2 hours 15 minutes, and then we took a water taxi (of course, since there are certainly no other means of transport around the city) that took 40 minutes and dropped us off at a 2-minute distance from Hotel Bisanzio, where we were warmly received and had a pleasant stay. Most gondola rides cost a good 80 Euro for 30 minutes but it was worth it. Exploring Venice in a gondola, I realized that everything I had heard about Venice was true: “City of Canals”, “City of Water”, “City of Masks”, “The Floating City”, “City of Bridges”, “Queen of the Adriatic”.

The markets of Venice are a must-visit. There is everything between simple tiny stalls and branded stores in these markets. Due to an upcoming public Italian holiday known as “Ferragosto” we found a lot of shops and stalls selling the masks that Venice is famous for, though one little shop stood out for us, at the back of which was a little workplace where a quiet old man was molding and decorating masks in such a way that the whole process was quite fascinating to watch. We found the Rialto market significantly convenient in terms of variety, although it was a bit more crowded since the Rialto Bridge is a popular tourist spot as it is the oldest of the four bridges that cross the Grand Canal.

Wandering San Marco, we saw the beautiful Basilica of Saint Mark, Piazza di San Marco and the wondrously lit up San Marco Campanile, which looked even beautiful the darker the sky turned. Along with a cup of caffé latte in the chill evening air and with a couple of opera groups performing, you couldn’t ask for more.

 

Thank you.

 

Pakistan is for sure one of the most gifted countries of the world with enormous fertile land, heavenly beautiful northern areas having most of the top Peaks and Glaciers, Deosai the 2^nd highest plateau of the world, access to Arabian Sea with ports like Karachi and Gwadar, Rivers and Deserts.

The coastline in the south is more than 1000KM long that offers stunning beaches and landscapes like Hingol national park, Kund Malir, Ormara and Gwadar.

During our last vacation back home in August 2016, we planned to explore few of the places that got famous recently among locals. Two of those were the Mubarak Goth and Sunehra Beach, 30KM from economical hub Karachi. Goth is a Sindhi word depicts Village and Mubarak means Congratulate. It is the extreme south-west corner of the city that recently developed a reputation being one of the beautiful picnic spot for weekends/holidays.

Getting there is easy but you should be prepared for a bumpy ride of two hours at maximum varies upon the part of the city you are coming from. The road was peaceful in terms of security; however it is good to have a check on the situation before you go.

The Beach offers scenic views but the overall experience was disappointing. The local administration is nowhere and the beach and the surroundings of the village (in fact whole town) are occupied by loads of beggars who will try their best to extract maximum out of your pockets as well as your belongings. It is indeed irritating. No proper facilities of changing rooms, toilets etc. are available so if you are planning to get wet you have to manage it at your own. Few available shelters are in bad condition and expensive too. The tides were high during as it was mid of August and visitors were exposed to the deep sea that we found unsafe.

Exhausted soon by Mubarak Village, we moved on to Sunehra Beach that is relatively calm and have low tides, so safe for families. At Sunehra Beach, a temporary kind of Beach Park has been arranged by some local feudal (must be with the consensus of local authorities) just to earn PKR 50/person that accumulates to a significant amount if we consider the no. of visitors. It is just a boundary wall, a security check post to collect money, few shelters that they call huts at an additional rental cost of PKR 6,000/day, some water sports activities also at an extra cost from 500 to 3,000/ride, and again with no proper changing or toilet facilities.

In short, it was a sheer disappointment at both places.

I wish there would be a sensible and visionary local leadership with sufficient funds and sincere intentions to develop and transform these small beautiful places into valuable tourist attractions and to educate local population, enabling them to get benefits of increased economic activities in the area.

 

Thank you.

 

If you have not yet seen the best documentary on Arabian Peninsula then you must check it first here and in the second episode you will realize why Salalah has a unique importance in the region. I heard about this place from many friends that it is the biggest Oasis in the middle-east but realized it only when I explore the place on Google  and YouTube. The sceneries were amazing with lush green landscapes, waterfalls, and valleys. Later I watched the above mentioned documentary (“Wild Arabia”) and came to know the reasons behind the mystery on how Salalah becomes green and cool during July to September when other gulf countries are going through an extremely hot climate. Also the narrator Alexander Siddig claimed that the Dhofar Governorate in Oman – due to its unique echo system – is home of more number of species than any other place in the whole Arabian Peninsula.

 

Package:

So, I started looking for possible travel options. Salalah is almost 1250 KM from Abu Dhabi and it takes almost 12 Hours of continuous drive or you can break the journey at Musact, the capital of Oman.

However me and my colleague decided to travel over weekend just for two days and opted to go by air that takes almost two hours from Abu Dhabi. For these short trips Expedia is known to be a good site with multiple options available. We got a deal (flight+hotel) for two in $1000 with Qatar Airways return ticket via Doha with two nights stay at Rotana Salalah Resort situated at Arabian Sea and only 25 minutes’ drive from Salalah International Airport.

We booked a car at the Airport for two days at a reasonable price. However once we reached there it was realized that we had mistakenly booked it for the day earlier and it has already been handed over to someone else. We were lucky enough to get one from another company else it could have become difficult to get one due to high season from July-September.

 

What to see?

Well, as usual I explored on Google and Trip Advisor to get the most important places to see and prioritize them to get the maximum out of our two days.   Following are some of the key spots I would recommend:

1. Al Mughsail Beach and Marneef Caves situated side by side where you see a beautiful beach view with incredible caves beneath from where waved pushes the water with immense pressure creating a unique sound
2. Wadi Darbat is a beautiful valley offers amazing landscape and little water activity (Kayaking)
3. Prophet Ayoub A.S. Tomb is a beautiful trail into mountains and very crowded during peak season
4. Sumhuram Old City is an Archaeological site also known as “Khor Rorī“ that shows signs of settlement back to the 2^nd century BC and was probably abandoned in the seventh century. Some other references are given under:
   1. Wikipedia
   2. Rough Guides
   3. Nabataea
   4. YouTube
   5. Google
5. Al Baleed Archaeological Site and Museum of the Frankincense Land side by side
6. Taqah Castle is a small fort beside the road from Salalah to Mirabat and in front of sea at a strategic location. It is not a must see but good to see instead
7. Prophet Umran A.S. Tomb  in the middle of the city. You can also visit Prophet Sualeh A.S. camel footprint in a nearby location

There are more things to see that we could not cover but you may consider in your journey using the following sources. However please remember that some of these locations will need a 4×4 Vehicle to visit.

– Beautiful Salalah

– Oman Tripper

– Virtual Tourist

– Wikitravel

– Sultan Qaboos Mosque

– Teeq Cave and Tawi Ateer Sinkhole

– Raysut Falls

– Secret Beach

– Magnetic road

 

Pictures Gallery

Taqah Castle:

 

 

Sumhuram Archaeological Site:

 

Wadi Darbat:

 

Al Baleed Archaeological Site:

 

Al Mughsail Beach and Munreef Caves

 

 

 

Turkey has always been a source of fascination since childhood due to its geographical importance, immensely rich history, stories of Ottoman Caliphate that have been passing on from elders, and the news about the latest time where Turkey has proved itself as a vibrant and rapidly developing nation.

We have discussed about visiting Turkey many times but felt it was a bit challenging with younger kids. Now my Daughter (12) was the one who showed interest in Ancient Roman Architecture after my Jordan Tour, so it became easy to achieve the consensus about our next destination and planning phase begun.

Planning:

If you are visiting Turkey very first time you should know that it is a very big country (815K SQKM – 37^th in the world) sharing borders with Greece and Bulgaria in the west, Georgia and Armenia in North East, Iran in East, Iraq and Syria in South East. It also touched the Black Sea, Sea of Marmara, Aegean Sea, and Mediterranean Sea. So it would not be easy to cover each and every attraction and travel itinerary shall be based on the areas of interest, time, local situation (considering the current crisis at south eastern border), and weather. Tourism is very well developed so hotels and tourist attraction booking is not an issue as we experienced. You can book a guided tour or can plan your own itinerary based on your priorities.

We had maximum of 11 days that made it possible to take highlights of most of the places. Below was our travel itinerary:

Fly to Istanbul – 3 Nights – Levni Hotel & Spa

Fly to Izmir and drive to Selcuk – 2 Nights – Bella Hotel

Drive to Oludeniz – 2 Nights – Lykia Liberty Resort

Drive to Konya  – 1 Night – Selcuk Hotel Sems-i Tebrizi

Drive to Cappadocia – 2 Nights – Uchisar Kaya Otel

Drive to Kayseri

Fly from Kayseri to Istanbul to Abu Dhabi

Below is the graphical route map for the ease:

Preparation:

Visa: For visa you can check the latest at Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs web site and check the visa requirement for your country at your nearest consulate. From Abu Dhabi you can get the e-visa if you are eligible else you will have to get the visa stamped on your passport. Once you submit all the required documents it will take 2 days to collect the passport back with stamped visa. The fee is AED 225 for one passport.  Those who are eligible for e-Visa (means you have valid visa OR valid residence permit from one of the Schengen Countries, USA, UK or Ireland), you can directly apply through this link. Else please apply for sticker visa on this link.

Ticket: The cost for ticket vary based on your prefer Airline, Timings, and Connections. You can try Sky Scanner, momondo or any other site for that. The important factor to consider is your check in time at the hotel; else you will have to wait as most of the hotels do not allow checking in before the standard time (1200-1400 Hrs.).

Hotel: If you take package tour then hotels are normally included. In fact some operators give you choice to select from multiple hotels based on your budget and priority. You can use booking.com or similar web site to get a look of the hotels offered. The factors to be considered are Location, Facilities (Breakfast, WIFI, Gym/Pool, etc.). If you booking at your own it would be good to book those hotels that offer free cancellation as it will save money if plans are changed.

Transportation: If your itinerary involves multiple destinations then please calculate the travel time as you may get tired by long road travel or many domestic flights. We initially planned to travel by Public Buses between Selcuk, Oludeniz, Konya, and Cappadocia (Uchisar) as it was mentioned that Turkey has a well-developed transportation system and cars was expensive to hire for 7 days. However when we calculated the travel time by road it was quite extensive and going to bus stands from hotel was another issue with 3 standard size luggage and few small bags. It was fortunate indeed that I came across Cizgi Rent A Car that is a local company with an extremely good customer service and strong network across Turkey. They charged me approx. 325 USD for 7 days that include Dacia (Renault’s local name) Duster mid-size SUV (Manual Gear & Diesel Engine), empty fuel tank, full insurance, delivery at Izmir Airport, and receipt at Kayseri Airport. I found this deal very competitive and it was confirmed by our guide at Cappadocia. As I have mentioned they were very responsive and vehicle condition was very good as I drove more than 1000 KM and never had any trouble.

Despite that my road travel experience went well, I realized that awareness of all Turkey’s Airports and Domestic Airlines could give me more choices to save time. But I have no regret as travelling by road is all-together a different experience where you get to know a place at its best.

So, the cost of the trip varies based on the Airline you select, Hotels you choose, No. of days you stay, and places/attractions you cover, and shopping. It could be 2,000 AED to 7,000 AED per person.

 

Places:

Istanbul

Istanbul by any means one of the most visited cities in the world and one visit may not be sufficient once you get to know the city. We had a wonderful stay at Levni Hotel & Spa, pampered by true hospitality of Mr. Nural Incler of guest relations. He is a real gem who provided his hand drawn maps to us to guide how to travel on Ferries and Metro to find his suggested restaurants. He also arranged a very professional guide (Mr. Selcuk) on our request @ a reasonable cost of 100 EUR for full day to accompany us during our visit to Topkapi Palace, Blue Mosque, Hagia Sofia, Basilica Cistern, and Bosporus cruise. It is recommended to have a local guide with you when visiting these historical attractions and other local places like Spice Market and Grand Bazar as it gives you important tips and information.

We also visited Princess Islands. It takes almost 8 Hours to complete the standard package of 3 Islands on private ferries booked by tour operators. We found one tour operator at Sultanahmet Square who offered a good price for 4 of us (180 EUR). They take you to three of those Islands and lunch and short ride on horse cart is included. They give 45 minutes on one island, 30 minutes of horse cart ride on second, and almost 2 hours on the last island where you can hire bicycles or additional horse cart t ride around that island for an hour in 75 TL.

The restaurants we tried are Ciya Sofrasi in Kadikoi and Pudding Shop near Basilica Cistern.

There are many more places to visit in Istanbul that can be checked on Trip Advisor.

 

Selcuk (Izmir)

Selcuk is a small but beautiful and peaceful town in Izmir province. I selected Hotel Bella due to its location to watch White Storks who migrate from Africa to Europe for their breeding season. We came across a huge lot of them as well, over our ferry while coming back to Istanbul from Princess Island. I got this information from trip advisor and decided to stay there to cover the ancient cities of Ephesus, Aphrodisias, and Hot Springs of Pamukkale.

You can either get included these destinations in your tour package or get a good package from Hotel as well.

We tried Kebap House near Hotel Bella and the taste was good.

Oludeniz

It will be an incomplete journey if at least one location of Mediterranean Sea is not included in your itinerary. It could either be Antalya, Oludeniz, Bodrum, or other. We heard from our guide that Bodrum is the most expensive south destination in Turkey as most of their celebrities go there. Oludeniz was recommended by someone as the top most places you should visit in Turkey and it really offers all sort of activities you find at other similar places. Lykia Liberty Resort has stunning views and range of activities through Escape Adventures. All the meals and snacks are included when you pay for the room and it is not too expensive.

Paragliding from Babadag Mountain was an awesome experience and very much recommended.

 

Konya

The only one thing that glorifies Konya is Mevlana. We decided to spend at least one night in Konya and since the travel from Oludeniz to Cappadocia was too long (9-10 Hours), what else could be the best place to break the journey. One thing that we missed was the Whirling Dervishes that can be found in Istanbul, Konya, Cappadocia, or may be other places as well. The show frequency and duration depends on the season so check with your hotel where you can find it. Our stay at Selcuk Hotel was good as it was just 10 minutes’ walk to Mevlana tomb.

 

Cappadocia

The historical region of Cappadocia is another must see in Turkey. Cappadocia is spread within the triangular border of the cities of Uchisar, Avanos, and Urgup. The Goreme can be considered the downtown of the region. We have selected Uchisar Kaya Hotel just 5 KM from Goreme downtown. The hotel offers beautiful view of Pigeon Valley. The overall region is so calm and attractive that you can spend a whole week. You can try Pottery Kebab from Sedef Restaurant and some Chinese cuisines from Peking Restaurant.

Our tour of Cappadocia was arranged by Euphrates Tours in a very professional manner. You may contact Ms. Filiz Ozkan (+90 507 0101338 Whatsapp) @ operations1@euphratestours.com. They arranged Mr. Ramadan a qualified and well experienced guide who gave us an overview of key places of the region within the time available. Our balloon flight was unfortunately cancelled by civil aviation due to bad weather, that’s is why it is good to have at least one more day in spear though it is not guaranteed as the weather in Cappadocia is quite unpredictable.

 

When we got enough of caves experience in Cappadocia, our guide Mr. Ramadan took us to the Venessa Ceramic factory. It was an awesome experience, especially when kids got chance to try it by them. The whole process was impressive and the finished products were incredible. The prices for the best products are high but we could not resist to buy few.

Our return flight was scheduled from Kayseri where we had a nice view of Mount Erciyes. However Nevsehir also has an International Airport and is very near to Goreme.

 

People:

People of Turkey are very beautiful, loving and caring. We experienced a trip to Nevsehir State Hospital when my Son got sick. They treated us very well and their hospitality was outstanding when they came to know that we are from Pakistan.

The shop owners at almost all the places were very cheerful, receptive and friendly. Our guides Mr. Selcuk (Istanbul), Mr. Mehmet (Selcuk), and Mr. Ramadan (Cappadocia) were very professional and cooperative. Many times there were little difficulty in communicating to people but it didn’t really bother us even when we were at our own.

Please do not get confused with the word “Selcuk – سلجوق”.  We have actually came across three Selcuks during our journey:

1. Mr. Selcuk (Our guide in Istanbul)
2. Selcuk (Where we stayed near Izmir & Kusadasi)
3. Hotel Selcuk (Our hotel in Konya)

 

 

 

It was when I saw the picture of Petra for first time; I found myself In-Love with Jordan  and decided to visit whenever I get chance. I got one by end of 2015 during long National Holidays in UAE. Here I will give you quick glimpses of my 5 days travel to Jordan that covered the most common attractions like Amman, Jerash, Dead Sea, Petra and Wadi Rum.

Jordan is a small country but with immense historical places as it was the buffer zone between Syria and Egypt. If you see the geographical position of Jordan, you will realize its importance in the past as well as in present. It has borders with KSA, Egypt, Israel, Syria and Iraq. Unfortunately that has become the reason why tourism has gone down drastically since the destabilization of the region.

OK, I started planning my trip much in advance, visited most of the sites offering different packages, explored people’s experiences on youtube and finally came up with an itinerary that best suited my budget and duration. However if you have luxury of time you can plan for whole week but there is a significant chance that you will get bored with too much history.

I have done correspondence with many tour operators and below are the ones I found suitable from itinerary and financial perspectives:

1. Jordan Trips – Mr. Moath (info@jordan-trips.com) +962790691544 (also available on whatsapp)
2. Sherazade Travel Jordan – Mr. Khaldoun Issa (issa@sherazade-travel.com) +962799850097

Also Jordan Pass is a good initiative by the ministry of tourism to save you visa fee (if you are eligible for on arrival visa) and offers free entry to almost 40 tourist attractions across Jordan. Check @ info@jordanpass.jo

You can also arrange private car if you want to plan your own itinerary. Check at Local Trips or localtrips.net@gmail.com.

Cost: The average tour of 5 days for a single person would cost approx. 1200 USD. However if you can arrange up to 4 people it would be very good as it will save significant money as you can use the same transportation.

Visa: Jordan embassy at Abu Dhabi – UAE charged me total AED 420. AED 120 for initial clearance that took 2 weeks and then visa fee of AED 300 that will take a day. If you are eligible for on arrival visa (check with local embassy and do not believe on anyone to avoid inconvenience).

Weather: Check out for weather updates as winters are usually cold and days are shorter than usual. I believe the Spring or late Summer is the best time to avoid extreme weather conditions and utilize time at its best.

Phone: As soon as you arrive and come out of the Airport, you can buy a local SIM from Zain counter at the left side. It will offer 1 GB of internet and unlimited local calls on Zain network (No call balance). This was suggested to me by Mr. Khaldoun. He also mentioned that I am his first Pakistani client 🙂

People: People of Jordan are lovely.  Very friendly and cheerful

Safety/Security: Though you will come across many check posts due to the overall region’s condition, but no safety issues at all as of now (Dec. 2015).

 

My Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival at Amman and visited Roman Theater and Amman Citadel

Day 2: Jerash Archeological Site and Dead Sea

Day 3: Petra Check this virtual tour of Petra. I am sure you will love it

Day 4: Wadi Rum and return back to Amman

Day 5: Departure

 

Roman Theater

 

Amman Citadel

 

 

Jerash

 

Dead Sea

 

Petra

 

Wadi Rum

 

Local Food

 

 

 

 

 

It was the morning of 31st December 2011 at Amboseli National Park when Ayesha (my Daughter) and I went on for the last day of our safari trip to Kenya. It surely was one of the most memorable trips of my life, and this particular event added some adventure to it.

 

An elephant herd was crossing the safari path that is a very common attraction for tourists. What usually safari drivers do, whenever they saw an event happening anywhere in the game park, they started communicating it to other vehicles patrolling the area and that’s how they gather to enjoy the show. In this particular event, we were the very first to realize that a big herd is about to cross the road and hence our vehicle (Hiace Van) was in front of the one side and on the other side we had another big queue leaving a sufficient path in between for the elephant to cross.

 

If you are a follower of National Geographic, Animal Planet, or BBC HD documentaries on Wild Africa, you probably know that elephant herd is led by a dominant matriarchal female that dictates their movements and shows off if necessary. During interaction with other species (like Human) the leader ensures safety of the herd and can go wild, and same was happened to us.

While the crossing was in progress, the leader occupied the road and was standing in the middle of the path, while showing her aggressiveness to the spectators at both ends.

Suddenly she got annoyed for some reason and started running towards our vehicle. It was indeed a shocking moment for someone not expecting it at all. I immediately stopped taking snaps and hide myself under and Ayesha who was capturing it through movie camera followed me. Our driver (Mr. Peter) who was a very cool fellow but in normal circumstances also got worried and as reaction started the engine to make a move in worst case.

However we were lucky enough as the noise of the engine somehow convinced the angry lady to step back and followed the herd that was safely away by that time.

 

Though the attacks of wild animals are rare in the well-developed Kenyan sanctuaries by it could happen. We saw many vehicles that were open from all sides while tourists were shooting Lions pride nearby that could lead to an unpleasant incident. So, my advice is to please consider your safety and never be so excited and complacent while on the safari.

 

Thanks.