Buckley calling on Cheesehead and Murat
 

Cheese and Murat,

I started this thread so we can easily stay in touch with the hope of getting together at least for a drink.

My itinerary:

Istanbul May 15 - 18
Cappadocia at Esbelli Evi: May 18 - 22
Rhodes: May 24 - 26

Murat, I sent you an email today titled "Reservations for Mike Buckley." Please look for it.

I look forward to hearing from both of you!

Hi Mike!!

Great idea!

I am shocked that trip time has gotten so close. I have had my tickets since July of last year and still have so much left undone.

It is getting to be crunch time but I have been very distracted with a possible relo for us to the Pacific NW. It won't affect our May trip to Turkey, but I already have standard FF tix from Madison to Bangkok in November. It will bite if I live 2000 miles away from my departure airport!

As far as the Turkish portion of our trip goes, we are in Istanbul May 15-19 and Cappadocia (Esbelli Evi) the nights of the 19th and 20th. From there we head to Ephesus for a night, then Chios Greece, Santorini, and Athens.

Where are you staying in Istanbul?

We're staying at the Sultanahmet Suites: http://sultanahmetsuites.com/index.html?_ret_=return

You?

weellllll, that is a toss up.

I have ressies at Empress Zoe, E485 for 4 nights, Hotel Nena, E406 total (but includes airport transport both ways), and the new Holiday Inn north of the airport.

The HI is on a 5k points per night on Points Breaks (normally 15 k per night) and I have a superior suite booked for 3 night ( 900 sf room, normally e700 per night) and the presidential suite for the last night (1500 sf and normally e1200 per night?. The HI has a pool and spa and has a shuttle into Ist each morning at 9am. We have to find our way back.

I am strongly leaning to the HI. a bit onconvenient but Free is Free. It even might be nice to come back and swim in the evenings.

I am not 100% decided yet!

Hi Mike and Happy;

Ok Mike got the mail back and forth so communication is fine...Thank you.

I have the feeling we will meet at Rhodos, I was planning to go on 19th and leave on 21st or s3rd but I will try to alter. Happy where are you going to tsay in Santorini ? Maywe we meet there than. So sorry we can not do this in Cappadocia on my grounds :-) would be so much better and Fun. Well see what will happen...
regards,
Murat

Murat,

It would be nice if we could meet but I understand that your work schedule is more important.

If you could be in Rhodos to have lunch or dinner with us on May 24, we could schedule that. We plan on spending the 25th in Lindos and don't know when we'll get back to Rhodos that day. We don't have anything scheduled for the 26th other than flying to Athens that night. We're leaving that day open to maybe doing a day trip on the island.

Cheese,

I bet Murat would be willing to email one of his friends at one of the restaurants for a special evening in Cappadocia. We could do that on either of the two nights that you're there.

We'll be sure to discuss Thailand and Cambodia. We might be able to give you some tips.

Love it!

Either night in Cappadocia is good for us, Mike, and any place you would would like to eat will suit us fine. I will be very glad to get any SE Asia tips you can provide!

We will pick our car up on arrival (8am) at Keysari Monday the 19th and sightsee the day away, arriving Esbelli Evi sometime in the afternoon. The 20th we have a guide to show us around for the day, and then we leave very early the 21st.

Hi Murat - we will be on Santorini May 25-29, staying at Andronis Suites. Are you going to be on Santorini?

Hi Happy & Mike

In Cappadocia: Somine for Testi Kebab, Ziggy just 3 hundred below from Esbelli nice cafe restaurant bistro type of place, nice terrace for a dinner or after dinner meeting is nice. Dimrit is also very close to you. They have good food too a bit immitation of Somine but different atmosphere.

Dibek in Goreme is nice and 1 day Old Greek House in Mustafapasa (better for lunch)....

Happy I really could not sit 1 hour to plan my own schedule yet. But soon I will and ley you know when I am in Santorini next to 5 or 6 other Islands :-)

Cheers,
Murat

Greetings Happy Cheesehead:

So happy that you're finally headng to Turkey...as I said before, you'll love it.

I second Murat's opinion of Somine..we had dinner there as a recommendation of Bill (Bill Suha..Esbelli owner)and had a wonderful evening..there was endless entertainment that night, Turkish folk dancing, etc.

Will you have a car? Hope so..so much to see in Cappa..have a great time...enjoy~

Stu T.

Hi There Stu!

You are right about the FINALLY part! It was last July when you sent me all your wonderful pictures and trip tips. That is one of the perils of frequent flyer tix. I get them so far in advance but the the trip takes forever to get here.

I just looked through then again - you and Roz sure looked like you were having fun and they are great shots.

We will have a car, but only two days :( We will do the best we can.

Mike - looks like we won't go hungry. Murat has given us some good suggestions.

Did you know there will be a full moon the night of the 19th? It shouls be rising somewhere between 8:15 and 8:30 pm (and about an hour later the next night). I hope the skies are clear one of those nights. I would like to find a fabulous place to watch it come up. Sounds like the makings of another post :)

<<Did you know there will be a full moon the night of the 19th?>>

Of course! What compulsive trip planner wouldn't have that note in the itinerary? :)

LOL!

You will love it even from Esbelli's terrace or ask Suha to take you to rose valley for fullmoon walk :-)

You may even meet people BBQ'ing on the way in rose valley. Have a bottle of turasan and do not forget the opener...Wish I could participate.
Greetings from Bodrum....two more days traveling than I am back to fairy land....Than we will keep in touch for details....
Murat

Mike and Miss Wisconsin:

You'd both be hard pressed to find a nicer, more knowledgable proprietor than Bill (ISuha)...We have marvelous memories of our stay at Esbelli Evi...still check out the pix every now and then, and re-read my journal. Such fun doing that! Many times we read to one another, constantly saying.."remember that??!!

stu t.

We'll be following in your footsteps, Stu. Looking forward to everything!

"A full moon walk in the Rose Valley", just saying it sounds dreamy........

We shall raise a toast to you Stu (and to all our Fodorite frineds who make planning trips a pleasure) as we are relaxing on the terrace!

Gettin' close now!!!

Hey Mike - I sent an email with picture attachments to you. I just wanted you to know so you didn't thimk it was some weird Nigerian Check Cashing Scam or anything :)

That being the case, Happy, I hope you'll please tear up the check that I sent to you. :) :)

The way things are shaping up, it looks like the 19th will be most likely be the better night for us to get together for dinner.

That's because Murat has arranged a balloon ride for us on the 20th, which gets us going very early that day. He has also arranged for a guide for us for the rest of the day. That's going to be a long day and I wouldn't want to fall asleep in my soup while dining with you.

Because of our very early start on the 20th, we wouldn't want dinner to be too late on the 19th if that can be avoided.

How does the 19th and a "reasonable" dinner hour work for you?

Murat,

Have you had a chance to firm up your itinerary? I'm still hoping that it might not be too inconvenient for you to have lunch or dinner with my wife and me in Rhodos maybe on May 24.