Bulgaria is proud of its clean, natural spring waters. Most cities have public water fountains and they are all safe to drink. Tap water is usually safe to drink too. In Sofia there is a major spring near the public baths. The public baths are currently closed for renovations but plenty of Bulgarians visit the springs to fill up huge water bottles. The spring water comes up out of the ground with no mechanical assistance and is warm to the touch.
One distinct and so far unique feature about the cities in Bulgaria is the abundance of graffiti. In some areas is seems like there is graffiti on every wall and surface, from the ground all the way to as high as an arm can reach! Graffiti may be a touchy subject for some and I know a lot of people think of it as an eyesore, but as a visitor the graffiti I saw seemed to add some color and creativity to otherwise drab and blank concrete surfaces. I know people can argue intensely about weather graffiti is artwork or vandalism but sometimes I just thought it looked cool!
Here are some pictures of graffiti (and some legitimate wall art) that I found while exploring Sofia. I think I liked the graffiti in Plovdiv more, but unfortunately I didn’t have my camera at that time. Since I can’t speak Bulgarian or read the Cyrillic alphabet I apologize if there are any inappropriate messages in these pictures! Please let me know if you notice anything.
I got up early one morning while in Selcuk and went wandering. On top of a hill I found what is now known as St. John’s Church. Written records show that Saint John lived in the ancient city of Ephesus (near present-day Selcuk) for the last remaining years of his life after fleeing from religious persecution. Its believed that Saint John wrote several books of the Bible while living in Ephesus.
Saint John died sometime during the 1st Century and he requested to be buried on mount Ayusuluk which is where he spent a lot of his time while in Ephesus. A monument was built over his grave and in the 4th Century, Constantine, the Emperor of Rome, built a church over his grave. Two hundred years later an even larger and more impressive church was built over the existing one by Justinian, the current Emperor of Rome. The church has six domes and was one of the most impressive religious structures of its day. Its believed that if the Church of Saint John were fully restored today it would be the seventh largest cathedral in the world.
Like most ancient buildings it has been a victim of wars, earthquakes, fires, and pillagers and only ruins remain. Parts of the church have been slightly restored and its easy to imagine how impressive the cathedral was in its prime. The ruins sit on top of a small hill and wile wondering through the ruins you get a panoramic of view of the surrounding city of Selcuk and the countryside and farms around it.
Getting a hot and quick meal in Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city, can be as easy as walking out your door and turning the corner. It seems like wherever you go there is someone next to a small cart or stand who has something tasty to offer for a reasonable price. If there isn’t anybody on the street selling food then there will at least be a shop nearby offering fresh bread, pastries, kebabs, or convenience stores offering just about anything! Some of these are even open 24 hours a day. Then of course there are cafes and restaurants scattered all over the city.
Such fast meals include: doner kebabs, balik-ekmek (fish sandwiches served near the water), patso (hot dog’s with french fries), kumpir (baked potatoes filled with anything imaginable), ayran, fresh-squeezed juice, roasted chestnuts, fresh corn, simit (a circular bagel), or anything else within an arm’s reach while walking down the street.
Here are some pictures of quick and easy food off the street that tempted us every second as we walked around Istanbul.
Taking a regional bus in Turkey is a real treat. The buses that go from one city to another are all private companies and their ticket prices are relatively inexpensive. Also, while on a 2, 4, or 10 hour bus ride you’ll be served complimentary drinks and snacks such as tea, Nescafe, water, Pepsi, juice, cookies, cakes, pretzels, sandwiches, even Turkish delight! The buses have always been clean and usually the seats are very comfortable with plenty of legroom. There is plenty of storage place for heavy jackets and small bags under your seat or in the luggage compartments above.
Some of the buses have even had computer screens in front of you with movies, TV shows, music, and even a few games for the long ride. A few even had wireless internet on board! Some of the buses look so fancy it feels like you are actually traveling on a spaceship and not a bus.
The buses would also stop every hour or two to allow people to get out and stretch their legs if needed. They would stop at gas stations along the highway that would also usually have a convenience store with snacks and drinks and a gift shop so you could pick something up for whoever you were visiting. Around meal times they would usually stop for about half an hour at a roadside complex that usually had a few options to get a quick meal.
Buying tickets is easy too, usually you just go to the main bus station where there will be several companies with small ticket booths. Just ask around until you find a bus going where you want to go!
Of course, traveling this way isn’t always so comfortable! Often, the buses are completely full and sometimes people hop on when there are no seats left and stand in the aisle if they are on for only a short trip. And, the giant glass windows create a greenhouse effect inside the bus and things can be very hot and stuffy when the sun is out or if the driver just prefers to keep the heat on! The windows don’t open and often the A/C just isn’t very strong. It can also be a little difficult (and exciting) to travel as a foreigner and not be able to speak Turkish because generally the drivers and attendants speak very little English. It can be hard to know how long a bus is going to stay at a rest stop or where you are supposed to get off. Luckily, the attendants are always very helpful and check to make sure everybody is on board before leaving and always seemed to let us know when its time to get off!
Overall I could count on a long Turkish bus ride to be several comfortable hours of reading, resting, or just watching the beautiful Turkish landscapes fly by!
Cappadocia is a large region in central Turkey and is famous for its natural wonders, bizarre rock formations such as fairy chimneys, and its unique cultural and historical heritage. People made their homes here as early as 6th Century BC and it was probably one of my favorite places in Turkey to visit. We spent some time in the small town of Gorëme and I really enjoyed hiking around the slot canyons and snow covered valleys that surround the town. There were several high plateaus that offered incredible views of the surrounding landscape.
Cappadocia has a rich history and has been home to many kingdoms and empires over the centuries. Each of these civilizations left their unique marks on the landscape. The soft rocks and cliffs of the area made ideal caves and those caves still exist today, scattered all over and tucked around every corner. Early Christians used the area to hide from persecution and lived in elaborate underground cities.
