Port Valdez, Alaska

The Alaska Car Ferry system is a wonderful way to get around the coast of Alaska for a day or multiple days. There was even a route from Bellingham WA and Prince Rupert BC to points in Alaska but those routes may no longer be running.

Homer, Alaska

Homer is reached at the end of the highway driving down the Kenai Peninsula from Anchorage, a few hours away. This small city on Kachemak Bay is also home to a fleet of fishing boats that ply the rich waters for salmon and halibut among other fish.

Denali National Park

A rare sunny day and Mt Denali, the highest peak in N America, reveals its 20,310 ft elevation. Take the Park bus to Mile 66, Eielson Visitor Center, for wildlife viewing along the way and hiking (carry bear spray.)

Museum of the North, Fairbanks

Don't miss this museum at the University of Alaska in Fairbanks.

Kluane NP, Yukon Territory CAN

Near the Haines (AL) Junction, and on the way back to Alaska from Skagway AL and Whitehorse BC, is remote but beautiful Kathleen Lake in the Kluane National Park & Reserve of Canada. Gorgeous day hike up the mountainside, we went armed with bear spray but no bears in sight!

Alaska & Canada by Road and Ferry

Zagreb, Capital of Croatia

One more bus inland to the capital which was also an important centre in the formal Yugoslavia. As a gateway to Central Europe, the architecture feels more Austro-Hungarian, in Croatia's largest city.

Split, Hvar Island, and Zadar

Traveling on public transport up the beautiful coast of Croatia is electronic and well-organized. We took the bus from Dubrovnik to Split, an attractive historical town on the Adriatic Sea, then ferried out and back to gorgeous Hvar Island from Split. We continued by bus to Zadar, a city on the Dalmatian coast known for its attractive old town with Roman and Venetian ruins.

Croatia on the Adriatic

The crescent-shaped Republic of Croatia has a long coastline dotted with islands and a popular Mediterranean climate. Near its southern border, the city of Dubrovnik is known as the pearl of the Adriatic, for good reason.

Anatolia, the Archaeological Site of Troy

 The city of Troy was conquered by the Greeks and their "Trojan Horse" after the abduction of Helen, a queen from Sparta, according to Homer's "Iliad". If you like archaeology and have a good imagination, this is a good stop just south of the Dardanelles strait.

 

Fascinating NW Turkey: Selçuk to Gallipoli

Ancient Ephesus in Selçuk, coastal Ayvalik, the ancient city of Troy, and the historical and heartbreaking WWI battlegrounds on Gallipoli. This pivotal region has sites spanning thousands of years and multiple civilizations.

Eastern Roman Empire

Well-preserved Roman ruins are present in many towns along Turkey's west coast.

Antalaya

Southern Turkey, on the Med...

Boat to Kekova Island from Demre

Amidst pristine blue waters and nesting turtles, forgotten ancient cities appear both above and below the water line along with the 4th C. BC Byzantine Simena medieval castle on the hill.  

Cappadocia above and below ground

Beneath the fairy chimneys, part of a volcanic landscape carved millions of years ago, lie hidden places of worship including early Christians escaping the Roman Empire. Today the properties hold precious carved ceilings and religious cave art not to mention built-in wine cellars and free cold storage.

Cappadocia

Turkish Cuisine

The food in Turkey is cheap and delicious. Shish kebabs (lamb, chicken and beef) are served with pita bread along with sliced onions, green olives, hot peppers, hummus and/or salad. Or how about bbq meatballs, freshly grilled fish, pizza, and ceramic pot stews with the pot broken away before serving. Cucumbers and tomatoes with local cheese, olives, and pita bread for breakfast.

Where Ataturk is Honored

Ataturk lies in Ankara, the capitol city, and is revered as the founder of the modern Republic of Turkey after WWI. (1881-1938) While he was a famous general, Ataturk was more an intellectual who managed to create a secular country after the collapse of the Ottoman empire and also defeat in WWI, including internal conflicts and tragedies. He turned westward and advocated education, a common language with a Romanized alphabet for use amongst many ethnicities in Turkey, equal rights, a separation of church (mosque) and state, and other significant changes.

Topkapi Palace, Istanbul

The Topkapi Palace, overlooking the Marmara Sea and Bosphorus Strait, was constructed by Mehmed the Conqueror starting in 1459, six years after the conquest of Constantinople. It served as the residence and headquarters of the Ottoman sultans for 400 years before they moved to the Dolmabahcę Palace.

Hagia Sophia Museum, Istanbul

Often referred to as the eighth wonder of the World, the Hagia Sophia Church was completed in 532 AD under the direction of the Byzantine emperor, Justinian I. It took just five years and the manpower of nearly 11,000 people to erect the structure that was the largest Christian church in the world for nearly a thousand years. Following the capture of Constantinople by the Ottoman Turks in 1453, Mehmet the Conqueror declared the Hagia Sophia a mosque, and it remained that way for nearly 500 years. The massive dome of the Hagia Sophia was considered a revolution in the history of architecture, and today, is supported by the four minarets built during the Ottoman period. In 1935, 7 years after the Republic of Turkey became a secular government, esteemed leader Ataturk opened the Hagia Sophia as a museum for all and a symbol of harmony. 

Dolmabahcę Palace, Istanbul

 Located on the European shore of the Bosphorus Strait, the Dolmabahcę Palace is where the Ottoman sultans moved in the mid-1800s when they wanted a new palace. Now it is conveniently located on both a ferry and tram route. The opulent palace is adorned with the finest crystal and marble, and has a European appearance. The world's largest crystal chandelier, a gift from Queen Victoria, hovers over the center hall.  The founder of modern day Turkey, Atatürk, also made the palace his home.