"Jamal Mecklai: Welcome to Turkey
Jamal Mecklai / New Delhi July 29, 2011, 0:41 IST
Back from yet another visit to Turkey, the best yet. Istanbul, as ever, was glorious, confirming the words of a famous poet, who once wrote:
Each day eclipsed the previous one as we marvelled at the amazing artefacts at the Topkapi Palace, the jaw-dropping power of belief at the Blue Mosque, the conjoined history of Islam and Christianity in the Hagia Sophia, the mind-blowing Sufi Dervishes whirling, whirling in the love of God. All interspersed with raki and the most fabulous fish restaurants and lamb kebabs and the best vegetables in the world. We went fishing on Sunday on the Bosphorus and, after a hamam in the morning, left the next day for Cappadocia for more wonder. Amazing landscapes, limestone caves with seventh-century frescoes, a bizarre Valley of Imagination and a hot-air balloon ride. And, of course, this wasn’t enough, so we went to Ismir to visit my uncle and aunt who took us on their magnificent yacht, Lady J, cruising in the Aegean … like I said, each day eclipsed the previous one."
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