The Experience of Buying a Turkish Rug in Istanbul

The thought of buying a rug in Istanbul never really crossed my mind before we visited the many unique destinations in Turkey.  I've always liked the carpets I've seen in photos and enjoyed the ones Angie's parents have from when they lived in Turkey 24 years ago.  As I always knew, good rugs are not cheap, and I was not sure that any of the styles would be for me.

Less than a day after arriving in Istanbul, we ended up owning a carpet.

Oops.

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Swimming in the Sulfur Pool and a Mud Bath in Dalyan

Covered in Mud at the Mud Baths in Dalyan, TurkeyThe city of Dalyan in Turkey is one of southwest Turkey's star cities.  The surrounding region includes just about every geographical feature and attraction a visitor would be looking to explore. 

From ancient Lycian rock tombs, the ruins of the city of Kaunos, lake Koycegiz, and a protected beach where the endangered loggerhead sea turtle makes its nesting ground, Dalyan has something for just about everyone.

In addition to all these sights, the city is home to an attraction that is unique to just a few places in the world – the famous mud baths and sulfur hot springs. 

On our recent visit to Dalyan we decided to try out these attractions to see if they are truly worth the fuss, and while their true benefit may be lost on us, we found them to be an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon.

But while the baths and hot springs are a great attraction in Dalyan, we quickly found out that getting to them is the trickiest part!

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4 Tips for Enjoying Saklikent Gorge in Fethiye, Turkey

In being one of southern Turkey's top attractions, Saklikent Gorge attracts visitors from all over the region.  

We were recommended the hike in the gorge from friends we met a few days prior and were very excited to go out and put our hiking skills to the test. 

But as soon as we got to the gorge we realized one very important thing: Saklikent Gorge is not for everyone.

Unless you are in relatively good shape and not adverse to difficult terrain, this gorge is not for you. If you are looking for an excitement like this, read on! Saklikent Gorge may be exactly what you are looking for!

But be careful to heed these 4 tips to make the most out of your experience.  Many visitors to the gorge do not and have a very difficult time because of it.

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Royal Balloon Review – Floating Over Cappadocia in a Balloon

Cappadocia is one of those places that everyone should visit during a trip, and is the one place you'll regret most if you skip it.

To say that Cappadocia is an amazing destination is putting it lightly. It is one of the most unique places we have ever traveled to

The rock towers, or “fairy chimneys,” are unlike anything we've seen, and that is without even getting into the underground cities, lush valleys, and other scenery that the region is famous for.

And then there are the Cappadocia hot air balloon trips- the region's crown jewel. It is said that the region is in the Top 10 in the world for ballooning, and it only takes a few photos to understand why.  The fairy chimneys from below are stunning, but from above you get a fresh new perspective into the entire region.

So while you'll regret missing Cappadocia if you skip it on your next trip, it is my unfortunate duty to tell you that you'll hate yourself even more if you skip out on the hot air balloon experience when you are there.  

So when you finally get done convincing yourself to do it, the following is what you are in for.

We were hosted by Royal Balloon for our flight over Cappadocia.

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