Day 5 :
Good morning! Today we start our tour at a super early timing! Our driver is here to pick us up at 5am!
First, we are brought to their office for some light breakfast while they are preparing the hot air balloon at the other side.
Ok let’s go now! Some balloon are already up! This make us even more excited!
Tada! The famous hot air balloon right in front of us! There are actually a lot of hot air balloon company here all waiting for the best time to rise.
Slowly slowly one by one rising!
Finally it’s our turn to rise for the best sun rise view!
The pilot and staff are there to guide us what to do when rising and what to do when landing and we felt quite safe.
OMG! We are slowly flying! Sorry for my little excitement because I’m really super excited to take the hot air balloon! You know the feeling of one bucket list checked? Yup! That’s the feeling! Haha!
The sun is not up yet but a lot of the hot air balloon are already up to stand by to get the best view.
The hot air balloon will move a bit here and there, up and down, and 360 degrees turn so that everybody can have their fair share of view!
See, even not moving inside the basket, I can have different beautiful view!
LOOOOOOOOOOK!!! The sun is slowly climbing up from the mountain!
Most of the time I watch more sun set because obviously I can’t wake up for sun rise and this sun rise really left me speechless! All you need is to just give yourself a few quiet moment and enjoy the stunning view!
Doesn’t these photo makes you feel like traveling there to see with your own eyes? I have no regrets coming!
So beautiful with all the colorful hot air balloon around right?
The hot air balloon turns and it’s time for those people at the other half of the basket to enjoy the stunning sun rise!
Here’s our pilot! Thanks to him we have a safe and awesome trip up in the air!
Landed safely with all the staff’s help too!
Celebration with non alcohol drinks is also part of the hot air balloon package!
Cheers for the mission complete!
All of us will receive a certificate after the hot air balloon ride! Urgup Balloons is the company of the hot air balloon that we took. Interested parties can just contact them.
Love this candid photo of me walking towards the hot air balloon, taken by Yokie!
So this is the real deal of literary ‘sitting’ on a ( hot air ) balloon! Haha! The crew was packing the balloon when suddenly they decided to let the three of us ( yup only the three girls ) to take turn to ‘sit’ on the balloon and also take photo with them!
Here’s our pilot with again just the three of us!
Back to hotel to continue our beauty sleep! We are actually very tired because we woke up too early! Haha! Good night ( or shall I say morning? )
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Look at this cutie! He is looking into the restaurant where 2 staff is working inside right now. Not sure he is looking at the food or the staff but once the staff walk away his eyes will follow too. This is why I love dogs!
It’s the real breakfast time after a short nap!
Look at this cutie!
After breakfast, time to relax again as we have no plans yet!
It’s early and the mats are still not set up yet so when the hotel staff saw us going, he went straight to start setting up the place for us so that we can sit down and relax.
Relaxing with a cup of tea!
And then all the photo taking session starts because the sky and background is too beautiful not to take some “profile” picture! Haha!
Finally a picture with this cutie! Still lying at the same position after so long!
Natalie and boyfriend went out roaming while we are relaxing in the hotel and they found an activity which is ATV that we can do now, so we went out to meet them.
Hitchhiker Tour is so far the most reasonable company they found around so we decided to rent the ATV here.
Helmets, disposable shower cap ( to wear under the helmet ) and mask is provided.
Oh ya! Please note that only people with driving licenses are allow to drive the ATV. Unlike in Phuket, anybody can drive the ATV, so I’m not allow to drive this time round... so sad! Anyway helmets must be always on too!
Go go go!
The guide will stop by some point for us to take picture.
Pose to take picture only because I can’t ride!
The guide still bring us to some adventure ride!
Yesterday we are at the top of the red valley and now we are at the bottom looking up at the red valley.
The place looks so nice like poster even though the sky are a bit gloomy!
Camel along the way?!
There is cafe too! But we just got ourselves some mineral water and left.
The ride continues...
Evil eye wishing tree again! And I’m not stealing any!
Love this shot! Look like a poster shot! Haha!
We even ride on the road for like... 3 secs! Just to cross over the other side. Haha!
Done with the fun ATV ride and the staff still helps to blow the sands all over us away but this thing is so ticklish! Haha!
Heard that there is a local weekend market near by so we decided to walk over to have a look.
( Not sure what's the actual address but it is right in front of the travel agency below so the address link is the address of the travel agency )
Address: Avcılar mah. Bilal Eroğlu cad. no:19/4 Göreme, 50180 merkez/Nevşehir Merkez/Nevşehir, Turkey
Basically the market sells everything. From clothes to food!
We are all attracted by the dried food and snacks here!
And here’s the reason why we are attracted to that stall! The son of the stall owner is so cute!
Fruits look so yummy too!
I can’t help it but to buy myself some cherries! You would not believe how cheap is these cherries! It only cost me 5Lira ( SG$2.30 ) per KG! Straight away I bought 2KG! I wish I could clear all the cherry on the table but it’s too heavy! Haha!
Look at the smart dog! He was standing there because his owner is near by shopping and he is waiting there! But he is too big that we don’t dare to go near to take a picture with him ( and we are all dog owners... )! Haha!
Walk around and decided to have our dinner at Kenapzade Restaurant! Don’t the sky just looks like it’s too early for dinner? But it’s actually 7+pm!
Operating Hours : 9am - 12am ( Mon - Sun )
Enjoying the dinner at the outdoor table to enjoy the cooling weather and view.
Photo with the friendly staff at the restaurant.
After dinner, walking back to hotel and realize that this two dog are following us! So cute!
Sun is finally setting at 9+pm! Back to hotel to have short rest and to decide whether to go out again later for a drink.
Hello doggy!
Close up welfie with the cutie!
But obviously the dog are not interested in me! He is on the bench with me because the hotel staff saw me looking at the dog and ask the dog to sit with me.
And so we decided to head out for a drink! Pass by a unique green mosque! When we pass by in the day light, it look totally different!
Viewpoint was recommended by the boss of hitchhiker so we decided to go there to drink.
Address : Milli Sokak, 50180 Göreme Belediyesi/Nevşehir Merkez/Nevşehir Merkez/Nevşehir, Turkey
Operating Hours : 8.30am - 12.30am ( Mon - Sun )
Address : Milli Sokak, 50180 Göreme Belediyesi/Nevşehir Merkez/Nevşehir Merkez/Nevşehir, Turkey
Operating Hours : 8.30am - 12.30am ( Mon - Sun )
We went to the top level and the night view is really beautiful!
Cheers for our last night in Kappadokia!
Done enjoying the night, the view and the drink and while walking back, we pass by a club (?) where ( only ) men are playing some game ( looks like our mahjong ) there! It’s already pass midnight and it is still so crowded!
Saw that? Doesn’t it look like our mahjong? Haha!
Day 6 :
Work up at 5am to wait for the hot air balloon to rise again but this time we will not be on the balloon but just watching from our hotel.
Bye Kappadokia! You are so beautiful and I will not forget my experience here!
Back to Istanbul...
Off we go!
Enjoying my cherries above the sky! Yummy!
Checked in to our second apartment in Istanbul! Wanted to book back Salim’s apartment but it’s already book by other guest so he is nice to intro his friend, Adem’s apartment to us.
Check Adem's apartment : https://www.airbnb.com.sg/rooms/16554704?location=%C5%9Eehsuvar%20Bey%20Mahallesi%2C%20Kadirga%20Park%2C%20Fatih%20Istanbul%2C%20Turkey&s=lxAPC9fP
Tada! Our house for the next few night.
The living room, with a sofa bed.
Kitchen area.
Bathroom.
Bedroom.
Stray cat sitting outside our window like as if she belong to us!
This area which is the old city area is actually a different area as where we stay before. This area is less modern ( new city area ) with more locals feel.
In Singapore, we hang our clothes on a bamboo stick and hang outside our window to dry our clothes but in Istanbul, the hang their clothes in between two building and above the walk way!
Locals siting at the road side enjoying a cup of Turkish coffee. Remind me of Vietnam too! Don’t you think so? They both sits by the road side to have coffee and using the short table and stool.
Finally reached the Grand Bazaar, one of the famous Bazaar in Istanbul!
It’s a big place! Shopping starts! It’s actually a very touristy place here so you might need to consider to buy things here or not because normally the things here might be more expensive compare to outside.
Looking at those lamps really give an impression of Istanbul! They are famous for that right? So beautiful but can’t bring back!
There is market outside the Bazaar too. So the shopping continue after finishing the Grand Bazaar!
Another entrance of grand bazaar.
Pass by this underground shop and decided to grab my evil eye souvenir here because it’s cheaper here and they have more quantity ( I need a lot! ) here.
Fabric and sewing material shops remind me of my school days where I need to visit almost every week at Arab Street ( in Singapore )! They have so many nice things in there but too bad I don’t need it now...
What should I call this shop as? Animation? Look at the display at level 2 ( and 3? )!
Stop by a small ally to grab a quick bite as we have not taken our lunch yet.
Right to the end of the ally is this small kebab cafe.
Their kebab is surprisingly not bad!
( or is it that we are too hungry so all food taste as good? )
I wish I can grab some of this home so that I can enjoy a cup of Turkish coffee or tea at home like I’m still in Istanbul! Haha!
So here we are at the famous Spice Bazaar!
Once you walk in you can smell and see all sort of spices that Turkish use.
Of course they don’t just sell spices here, they do sell other things like jewelry etc...
Too many stall to choose from but we ended up buying at this stall because the lady staff is more friendly.
I didn’t buy any spices because I don’t know how to cook! Haha!
But instead I bought some dried apple tea! Yes.. tea again! The rest was getting local nougats there too but too sweet for me so I didn’t get.
Continue shopping... the place is not big but not small either too!
Long queue at this Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi and this make me curious what they are selling! But once I’m near I know I’m going to join in the queue too because they are selling Turkish coffee powder! Haha!
Operating Hours : 8am - 7.30pm ( Mon - Sun )
Price are reasonable too.
Coffee powder is grain and pack on the spot!
Next we are going to look for the beautiful ally with many colourful umbrella hanging above the ally! Got quite lost once we walk out of the market because our WiFi router got no more battery! But lucky Yokie already mark the place so even without WiFi we can roughly find our way there.
Turn left when you see that mosque on the right.
Sun is setting? Nope! Not so early in Turkey...
Once you turn left ( sea on your right now ), walk straight.
The sky is so beautiful with The Sun right there and sea gull dancing in the sky!
Continue to walk straight for about 8-10mins.
You will pass by these shops and turn left after the last shop ( red building ).
Just a few walk, there is a small ally on the left hand side with some umbrella too. BUT this is not the famous one!
Fake one so even the umbrella is spoilt, nobody bother to change it! Haha!
Picture with the fake ally first and continue to find the famous one.
Walk out the fake ally and continue to walk straight ( the road before we went to the fake ally ). And finally saw the Goldpa GSM, which is just beside the ally!
Address : Demirtaş Mahallesi, Prof. Cemil Birsel Caddesi Arıcılar İş Hanı No:24, 34611 Fatih/İstanbul, Turkey
Not only with colourful umbrella, they have colourful lantern and colourful stairs too!
So this is the famous colourful ally! A lot of people ( like us ) purposely come over to take picture here! There is still shops and cafe at the side of the stairs way, which you can enjoy shopping or sipping a cup of coffee while enjoy the colourful view!
Done taking picture at the colourful ally and I found myself a little cute model at the ally too!
Grab back again! Oh ya by the way, there is only one car size for grab in Turkey! No matter how many people we have, the grab car is always this big!
Had a very late lunch so end up I skipped dinner and Yokie went back to cook herself some noodle.
Anyway.. good night!
