By Ann Duwe
 Photos Special to the Town Crier Istanbul’s Blue Mosque, above, creates a distinctive profile on the city skyline. |
With the euro high and the dollar low, Americans looking for travel value in an exotic locale are finding it in Turkey.
“It’s like Europe, without the euro - plus beautiful Mediterranean beaches where swimming starts as early as April, ” the Wall Street Journal reported recently.
The Mediterranean or Turquoise coast of Turkey has been settled by scores of civilizations. Turning over the earth anywhere from Troy to Antalya reveals evidence of ancient kingdoms such as Mycia, Ionia, Lydia and Caria. Greeks and Romans followed those civilizations, with each wave leaving stunning monuments - Pergamum, Ephesus, Priene, Didyma, Aphrodisias. During the Middle Ages, Christian crusaders from Europe built a chain of fortified castles, including the Castle of St. Peter in Bodrum, as safe havens for pilgrims on their way to the Holy Land.
Modern vacationers come for Turkey’s fine beaches, wholesome food and the sense of history inherent in every stone. What they also discover is the friendliness of Turkish people.
“People were very nice,” said Los Altos Hills resident Ruth Rogers who visited Turkey with her husband, Roy. “Of all the places we’ve been, Turkey is one of our favorites.” The couple particularly enjoyed taking a gullet, a type of yacht, along the coast.
In spite of a building boom in recent years, coastal Turkey has yet to experience the intense development typical of the French or Italian Riviera. Accommodations range from simple pensions to five-star luxury hotels. For example in Bodrum polished wood and modern art add to the ambience of the luxury property, the Marmara, which has a fine perch overlooking Bodrum harbor. Yet one can find reasonable accommodations harbor side at the Marina Vista.
Nowhere are there more luxury options than in Istanbul. At the Four Seasons Sultanhamet or Kempinski’s Cirgan Palace, rooms start at approximately $500 per night. Comparable rooms in Paris begin at $750 per night. For mid-level accommodations in renovated wooden houses like the Ayasofya, double rooms in the heart of the historic district begin at approximately $135 per night. Midrange rooms in Paris, if they have any charm, cost about $300 per night at present.
Tourism went into serious decline after 9/11 in Turkey. Hotels have continued to keep prices modest in order to stay competitive. The competitive edge extends to other items, including gasoline.
Jolon Wagner of Los Altos Hills attended junior high and high school in Ankara. In 2002, Jolon and husband Mike took their sons Ross, Reid and Devin on a cruise to several Turkish ports. Jolon wanted her boys to get a glimpse of what she experienced growing up.
“They were fascinated by the food, the smells, the idea that I had lived there,” she said.
Ann Duwe is a principal in Peter Voll Associates, a Palo Alto-based tour operator. She will lead a trip to Turkey Oct. 4-18. For more information, call 941-6381 or e-mail ann.duwe@sbcglobal.net.
