The Affluent Travelers

Balloon Over Turkey

SPECTACULAR SIGHTS via a hot-air balloon rising in the sky at sunrise in Cappadocia, an area of Turkey dominated with ''chimneys'' of stone.

 

It is a surreal environmet, flying across the dry, undulating hills and valleys of pastel tones of tan, pink and gray in the morning light. Below is a broad landscape of pointed hills carved out of the soft volcanic rock, eroded over millions of years by the winds to form cones, domes and the chimneys -- boulders of basalt balancing precariously atop thin shafts of volcanic rock or, as Cappadocians explain it, rocks carried to the top of hills by fairies.

Some of the scenes from the original Star Wars movie were filmed here, with Cappadocia -- an Anglicized spelling of the local Turkish name, Kapadokya -- standing in for Tatooine, the desert planet. During the Middle Ages, the area was home to thousands of Byzantine Christians who fled the Turkish conquest of Anatolia, carving homes and churches inside of the rock cones and in several cases, building underground cities in the rock. Visitors can tour the cities today.

Istanbul, Turkey

Ciragan Palace Hotel

Once the residence of the last Ottoman Sultans, the Ciragan Palace Hotel Kempinski İstanbul is the only hotel situated directly on the European shores of the Bosphorus. As the first member of the Leading Hotels of the World in Turkey, The Ciragan Palace Hotel Kempinski İstanbul is actually two hotels: the restored Sultan's Palace itself and a grand deluxe hotel featuring five star luxury.

Sultan Murat V, deposed during a military takeover, was held prisoner here with his family until his death in 1904. After this the palace became the new location for parliament and was opened on November 14, 1909. Parliament convened here for just two months before a fire, which broke out in the central heating vents, destroyed the entire palace in just under five hours, leaving only a stone shell. Priceless antiques, paintings and books were lost, along with many vital documents.

In 1946, Parliament gave the palace, its outbuildings and grounds, to İstanbul Municipality where it was used as a dumping ground for sand and other construction materials. It was also used as a swimming pool and was a football ground for the local team.

In its new incarnation the Palace has received the following awards:  Condé Nast Traveler - Top 100, The Best in the World,   Gourmet - The World's Best Hotels,   Condé Nast Traveler - 2000 Gold List, Best Places to Stay in the World,   Institutional Investor - The World's best hotels,  Travel & Leisure - Eating Well in Istanbul,  Architectural Digest - Hotels Around the World.

To ease the jet lag and transition into vacation mode I settle in for a Traditional Turkish Bath- "Kese" at the Çırağan Health Club. The first  part is  a warm soak and massage for complete body relaxation.  It finishes with a refreshing body scrub- Ottoman style.  There is nothing like the luxurious tub, smells of ocean and earth scents,  and peaceful music.