Our group had just seen the Pyramids of Giza, but where did the idea for the pyramids come from? Saqqara, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The tour bus left our hotel in the morning. It was just a 15 minute ride to the Pyramids of Giza. I was still sleepy since I had just checked out of my room and piled all of my things into one of the “community rooms” reserved for people on the tour.
Alexandria. I like saying it. Probably because it’s a mysterious city I’ve heard so much about in history class, reading history books, and because I’m Greek. It’s a great city near and dear to the hearts of Greeks, with several songs and poems written about it. A city founded by Alexander the Great and from where Cleopatra seduced the Rome. And just like Constantinople (now Istanbul) and Smyrna (now Izmir), many lament having to leave it behind. For these reasons, I had to pay a visit.
On my 2nd day in Egypt, I visited Dahshur and Memphis. I woke up, had a quick breakfast, and headed for the lobby of the hotel. Bishoy, my guide for the day, introduced himself and escorted me to a decrepit old van. The driver was great, but the fumes from the van were making me a little sick.
It was a dizzying climb up the massive rock in the middle of the city of Afyon to Afyon Castle (Afyon Kalesi). It wasn’t easy, especially in the freezing cold.
The tiny village of Çavdarhisar, seemingly in the middle of nowhere, holds one of the most unvisited and underappreciated ruins in Turkey – the ancient city of Aizanoi (Αίζανοί). It was originally settled by the Phrygians and later conquered by the Greeks and Romans. You may not have heard of it, but it contains some structures that were unique in the ancient world.
One of the most unexplored and underrated places to visit in Turkey is the Phrygian Valley (Frig Vadisi). The region is named for the Phrygians, an ancient people who were later assimilated into the culture of invaders and other rulers of Anatolia. You may have heard of King Midas or the Gordian Knot. Both are parts of Phrygian history.
Saint Catherine’s Monastery (Μονὴ τῆς Ἁγίας Αἰκατερίνης) is the oldest continuously inhabited Christian monastery in the world. It’s located at the foot of Mount Sinai in the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt.
The Bucoleon Palace (Βουκολέων) was one of the Byzantine palaces of Constantinople. The ruins are located in a small park on the Marmara Sea in the Küçük Ayasofya neighborhood. It’s just a short walk east of the Little Hagia Sophia Mosque.
If you want peace and quiet, authentic Turkish hospitality, and gorgeous scenery, make your way Gölyazı. This tiny little town is situated a short ride west of Bursa on a small island in a large lake, Lake Uluabat (Uluabat Gölü).