I’m going to Istanbul
I’m going to Istanbul soon! It’s one of the largest cities in the world, around 15 million people. It’s unique in that it straddles two continents, Europe and Asia. You can see highlights including the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, and the Grand Bazaar.
Turkey is amazing
I did a tour of some major sites in Turkey back in 2005. There are unique natural and historical attractions, and you can throw in some adventure –
- Cappadocia and Pamukkale
- Ephesus and Troy
- Turquoise Coast, the best paragliding in the world
are just a few of the reasons to visit Turkey.
Turkey has a feel of the Middle East. It has a westernized culture in the big cities though.
Why Istanbul and Turkey?
I started latin dancing several years ago, and it’s one of my favorite things to do. I took classes in salsa, bachata and kizomba, with the odd tango, afro and chachacha thrown in. (My tour leader in Myanmar was a dancer, and referred to “salsa, chacha, blablabla”!) I’ve attended social dance events and festivals, within Canada and in Paris. And I’ve travelled to Havana, Cuba and Cali, Colombia to take salsa classes. That all came to a crashing halt over covid.
Early in covid, I checked out online classes over zoom, many of which were international. Partner classes were out, so I focused on styling classes. I took classes from teachers in Mexico, New York City, Paris and Canada of course. And then I found Ezgi Zaman from Turkey. https://www.facebook.com/EzgiZamanDanceProject. I love the way she dances and teaches. I’ve signed up for her sets of online classes several times.
For the last set of classes, her offer was that anyone who signed up for the classes would be invited to attend the Istanbul Dance Festival and attend her workshops for free! And she offered to show us around Istanbul for two days after the festival! I didn’t really think about it until a few weeks ago and then decided I shouldn’t miss this opportunity.
Where else should I go in Turkey?
The Istanbul Dance Festival is huge. They are expecting 4000 people to attend from all over the world. There will be classes from famous dance artists, performances, and social dancing all night long. The venue is a huge 5-star convention hotel. After the dance festival and touring Istanbul with my dance class, I will need a rest!
My plan is to go back to my favorite part of Turkey, the Turquoise Coast. Here there is the warmth of the Mediterranean, along with amazing historical sites and ruins. I will fly to Dalaman from Istanbul, then get private transport to Kas and then Fethiye.
I will have travel tips and pictures!