Turkey Ends Our Trip on a Sweet Note

The third and final stop of our European vacation was Turkey.

- WITH PAT-P

When my kids, Gabbie and Paolo, and I were planning our trip, I told them I wanted to visit Istanbul and Cappadocia. Many of my friends had shared how much they enjoyed their time in this fascinating country that bridges Asia and Europe.

We flew into Istanbul from Santorini and stayed for one night before catching an early morning flight to Cappadocia, a semi-arid region famous for its unique cone-shaped rock formations and charming cave hotels. The journey included a one-hour flight followed by another hour by taxi from the airport to our hotel.

We checked in at the Agarta Cave Hotel and were delighted with our accommodation: two bedrooms—a very spacious bathroom—and a private terrace. Since the weather was too hot for sightseeing, we turned our stay into a relaxing staycation. We dined at nearby restaurants and went to bed early in preparation for the next day's adventure: a hot air balloon ride with a 3 a.m. pick-up!

We booked our ride with Discovery Balloons, which included hotel pick-up and a light breakfast at their reception office. From there, we were driven to the launch site, where we watched the balloons being prepared for takeoff. By 5 a.m., we were airborne, just in time to catch the 5:20 a.m. sunrise.