This entry should really be titled: “Hoşça kalın Türkiye”, but it was too hard to resist the chance to use that title. At least we didn’t title it “Get Lost Turkey!”.
Leaving Turkey, this is the last time we will have our Passports stamped out on this trip. The remainder of our time will be spent traveling around the States. So for that reason it’s bittersweet to leave Istanbul. I think we’re both ready to see friends and family back home, but it also feels like were getting into the tail end of our trip. I do wish we had more time in Turkey, we really only had the better part of the week in Istanbul and no time at all to explore the rest of the country.
Istanbul has to be one of the most photogenic cities in the world, between the Bosporus, the Mediterranean and the aged Churches and Mosques of the city it’s certainly up there on our list of favorite places. The locals are very aware of this and there’s a pride in the city that has many people here wondering why with such a great city they are having such a hard time getting the attention of those in the EU – but that’s a story for another day.
For all of it’s attractions Istanbul should be considered a bargain for most travelers, but don’t expect bargain prices all around – with the advent of the “New” Turkish Lira and the relative weakness of the dollar (Thanks GW), prices for accommodation’s and food are decidedly more European that Asian – take plenty of cash.
But now we are off to the known world, here we come USA!