Travel Like Olivia: Turkey 2017 Day 3 & 4 : Istanbul -> Pammukale -> Paragliding -> Cappadocia -> Red/Rose Valley -> Cavusin Village -> Pigeon Valley -> Underground City

Day 3 :

Work up super early to catch a fight for a day trip to Pammukkale!

Taking Turkish Airline this time round because this is the only airline that fly there. Booked the tickets from their website.
Done with our self check in and off we go because we had no baggage to check in!
Took the first flight, which is 5.05am there and taking the last flight, at 7.40pm back. It's a 1hr ride by the way.

Only the girls this time! So welfie first!

We are surprise that for the price we paid for the air tickets, sandwich is provided for us! Not those super yummy meal but a simple goat cheese sandwich. At least they still provide meal even though we are paying 233TL ( SG$106 ) per ticket and for a 1hr flight.

Arrived at Denizli, Cardak Airport and from here we had our driver to drive us to Pammukale, which is about another 1-1.5hr of car ride. We booked a one day tour through the same tour agent too but we get to choose our preferred itinerary.

This place is beautiful isn't it?

We were send to a hotel name Koray Otel ( hotel ) and was very puzzled what's going on because we didn't ask for any hotel stay but actually the meet up point for the tour is at the hotel.

Address : Fevzi Çakmak Cd. No:27, 20280 Pamukkale/Denizli, Turkey

Before the actual tour starts, we actually booked an additional activity which is the paragliding! I'm excited for this because my paragliding in Korea and Japan got cancelled due to weather! I pray so hard for a good weather today and finally I get to fly ( besides the short one in Taiwan )! We are doing with Pamukkale Hijackers.

Getting ready and welfie with Yokie while Natalie take off!

My turn! See ya in the air!

Yeah! I'm flying!

The view is so beautiful from the top! This activity is only recommend to those who have a stronger heart and not scare of height. You wouldn't want to scream all the way and irritate the pilot behind you! ( He might throw you down! Haha just kidding! )

Fly pass the Pammukale that we will be going in later! So white so nice!

Hands free! Follow the wind...

Done and back to their office to view the pictures. Oh ya they don't allow us to use our own camera, so no matter what you have to pay for the pictures. But of course you can choose not to buy like what Natalie did, her picture is not as nice and because she fly before in other country and she bought the pictures there already. Yokie's is not as good but better then Natalie's and it's her first time doing paragliding so she purchase to keep as a souvenir. I bought mine because it's the best among all! Haha!

A welfie with the pilots before leaving.

By the way, my pilot ( the one in red ) is the one that has the best photography skill! Haha! He totally know which angle to shoot to have nice picture and most importantly with my face in it. ( most of theirs can't even see their face in it! Haha )

Here's their name card. Contact them if you are interested in paragliding!

Back to the hotel to meet with other tour members. Was greeted by this dog at the pool! So cute! Is he smiling?

So the tour starts. First we went to a public spring area for us to have a feel of soaking our feet in the natural mud.

Next destination will be the Hierapolis (Pammukale) Archaeological Site.

Address : 20280 Pamukkale/Denizli, Turkey
Operating Hours : 6.30am -9pm ( Mon - Sun )

Got our tickets and here we go!

Basically this place looks a bit like Athens.

The Theatre! I didn't manage to go into the one in Athens but seeing this really give me a 'wow'! So beautiful!

Lucky there isn't many people so we manage to take pictures with the Theatre without many people photo bombing!

Next will be our free time, we can choose to relax somewhere or go have a soak at the Pammukale.

We sit down at a cafe thinking to get something to eat but nothing interest us. Lucky I still have my sandwich from the airplane. And look! We got a companion here!

Next we proceed to the blocked Pammukale area to take some picture without people all around us first.

The wind here is crazy! Our hair are all in a mess! Haha!

Next to the open Pammukale area where it's flooded with humans. Not easy to take pictures here without someone standing beside you.

Finally we found a spot where there is no people around!

We wanted to soak ourselves in the mud but there is really too many people walking around so it's difficult. Oh ya the place is really slippery with mud on the stones and we saw a few people slipped so if we gonna soak ourselves somewhere, maybe someone will fall onto us! Haha!

Lastly, we went to our meeting point which is the Antique Pool.

By right we supposed to have a dip in the pool here but we ended up not having enough time to do so! So sad!

So instead of dipping in the pool, we went to have some ice cream!

Last picture of the place before leaving.

Ok, next we to have our buffet lunch at Antik Restaurant, which is included in the tour.

Address : 20280 Pamukkale/Denizli Merkez/Denizli, Turkey

Well, the place is big but of course you don't expect like super great food here. They do serve decent local dish though.

Our next destination will be the gem and stone factory. I know that this is not the usual place where people will choose to go because they might afraid that this type of factory is just here to cheat tourist money. Well, since it is within the tour package so we got no choice but to just follow.

Actually it is quite interesting though. We get to see how they polish the stone and everything. Maybe it is also because we do involve in jewelry at work so we still found it interesting.

So, after all the introduction of the stones, they brought us to the shopping area where we can purchase product that is made by the different type of stones.

The cups here were supposingly for us to drink warm water with it daily and it is actually good for our blood circulation. Believe it or not it's up to us, and the staff there will not comment anything or force you to purchase which i think it is different from some of the country ( which somehow pressure tourist to buy something).

At the upper level will be the jewellery area, I actually lost one side of my previous ear ring so I got myself a pair of Zultanite stone ear ring. The Zultanite will actually change colour by itself depending on the lighting you are standing under ( It works! My colleagues are all amaze by it! ).

We actually have lucky draw for this tour and I WON!

Haha! The prize is actually the stone that they use to demonstrate on how the polish the stone in my previous picture. Not sure what to do with this but since it is quite beautiful, I shall bring home for my parents.

The tour ends, and there is still a lot of time before our flight back to Istanbul! We didn't want to waste our time at the hotel so we asked the tour guide to bring us somewhere but she is somehow not willingly so Yokie actually contacted the tour agency to check if it is possible to drop us somewhere else and come back to fetch us at the later time to the airport.
The agency agree and ask the tour guide to bring us to the national park and drop us there. Honestly speaking we rather spend time at the park then at the hotel doing nothing.

Address : Mehmet Akif Ersoy Blv., 20190 Pamukkale/Denizli Merkez/Denizli, Turkey

We decided to walk around and take picture at the park before we do and have a dip in the mud.

This national park is so peaceful and beautiful!

Look at all the duck! So cute!

Natalie's bodyguard?

And finally we get to dip our feet into the mud which is the same as the Pammukale! The Pammukale is actually above this nation park.

We was putting the mud all over our leg and the leg feel so smooth after scrubbing with the natural mud! Haha!

Doesn't it look like water flowing down an ice mountain?

Time pass so fast and it's time to leave the place. The driver came back to fetch us using his own car to the airport.

Bye Pammukale! I had the best paragliding experience here!

Sun set and time to go back!

We went near by our apartment to hunt for dinner once we are back to Istanbul and decided to have Kabap at Taxim Park fast food restaurant.

Address: Katip Mustafa Çelebi Mahallesi, Istiklal Cd 101/1, 34435 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Turkey
Operating Hours : 8.30am - 2am ( Mon - Sun )

Raining heavily while we are having our dinner!

Hot tea is a must for a cold raining evening!

I realise they are always super general with their meat!

We also order a mushed potato.

Since it's rain heavily, we just have to eat slowly to wait for the rain to get smaller in order to walk back to our apartment.

Had a long but yet fun day! Good night people!

Day 4:

Woke up early again to catch our flight to Kayseri! Yes we are so excited to go to Kappadokya ( or you can call it Cappadocia ) from there which is also one of the highlight of the trip!

Sun is up and off we go!

Here we are!

Our driver is already there at Kayseri Airport to pick us up and off we head off to Kappadokya! The journey takes about 1.5 - 2 hours to reach.

Some beautiful scenery that we pass by before reaching Cappadokia!

As usual, we had a half day tour with the same tour agency since our day 1 till now. We choose the South Tour and first stop will be the stunning Ortahisar Castle!

Our two cute body guard there.

Welfie with the gentle stray dog there.

And not forgetting to welfie with the humans! Haha!

Next, will be the Red Valley or can be called as Rose Valley.

Found a small tree with many Turkish evil eye hanging there!

I am not stealing any of the evil eyes ya!

We also get to try what is the feeling of sitting at the edge of a cliff! Erm, not advisable for people who is afraid of height for sure.

We actually spend quite a long time there taking pictures! Haha! jump shot fail.

So, where's next? It's the Cavusin Village.

Address : 50500 Çavuşin Köyü/Avanos/Nevşehir, Turkey

There is a guy who is selling souvenir at the foot of the caves saying that he can bring us up the caves ( and without asking for money? ).

The guy really bring us up to very nice spot where we can see beautiful view!

Photo taking again!

We actually went all the way to the top to see the stunning view!

Ok... Last photo!

Went in the little shop at the foot of the caves ( not that guy's shop ) and bought some evil eye key chain for my friends while the rest went to get something from the guy at his stall ( which he don't sell evil eye key chain ) even though he didn't ask us to buy anything.

So the tour continues... and next will be the ceramic factory.

Address : Karaseki Mahallesi, 50500 Avanos/Nevşehir, Turkey

The young boss was introducing us the different type ceramic product they do and how it is done.

I get to hands on as well and i fail badly! Haha!

They also bring us to see how their craftsman hand painted every single design for the ceramic plate.

Here comes the shopping area again. This time round we didn't get anything because all this beautiful products comes with a beautifully high price tag too. Oh ya by the way, they do help to ship back to our country if we really want to purchase too.

Few of my favorite piece but obviously I didn't buy!

They brought us to a secret room and we got amaze by it because all the plates inside glow in the dark! So beautiful!

There is another shopping area, the product here is much cheaper and more usable.

Yokie had been standing there for a very long time and really love the product but she controlled herself for not buying.

Lunch time! As usual buffet but food is not really to my liking.

After lunch, we went to another gem factory but this time round we really do a quick one because nothing interest us. They sell the Zultanite too!

Address : Aşağı Mahallesi, 50240 Uçhisar Belediyesi/Nevşehir Merkez/Nevşehir, Turkey

Next, we cross over the road and here we are at the pigeon valley!

A family here feeding the pigeon and so we can also take a better picture of the pigeon while they are busy eating.

The view at pigeon valley is beautiful too!

Selfie with the pigeons!

I guess everywhere we go, we will see this evil eye wishing tree?

So where's our next destination?

Yup! It's the Ozkonak underground city! It's a city that they build underground in the past with everything the people need and to live in when there is war. The underground city is actually link to every household and everybody will stay together underground when the war comes!

Address : Özkonak Yeraltı Şehri Yolu, 50500 Avanos/Nevşehir, Turkey

Let’s start our ( underground ) city tour!

Here’s our end of our tour. For those who are interested in the tour, you can call our guide Hafiz.

Or can contact the tour agency. All the guide and driver we use are arrange by the person we contact, but so far all the guides are good.

After the tour ends, time to check in our hotel, the Mithra Cave Hotel!

Address : Aydınlı Mahallesi Akgül Sokak No:10 Göreme, 50180 Göreme Belediyesi/Nevşehir Merkez/Nevşehir, Turkey

Check in and time to chillax ( chill and relax ) for a while.

The hotel chilling area is too pretty not to slack here!

There is spa here too!

Our room!

Level 1 Bed room.

Level 2 bed room.

The bathroom.

The view outside our room.

And our own outdoor sitting area!

Time to head out to explore the neighborhood!

Cool cafe around!

Shopping for our evil eyes here! Very nice staff here!
( Can't find the address but it's near the restaurant below so you can just click their address to find this shop )

A bit hungry so we walk in Old Cappadocia Cafe to try their hand made Gözleme, local hand made pancake.

Address : İçeridere Sk., 50180 Göreme Belediyesi/Nevşehir Merkez/Nevşehir, Turkey
Operating Hours : 11am - 10.30pm ( Mon - Sun )