From Our Travelers

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------September 8th 2005

Dear Jack,

I am very belatedly writing to let you know what an incredible holiday we had in Turkey—I’m copying Sirma, but will also write to her separately. Sorry I haven’t gotten to this sooner, but I’ve been a bit bogged down with building works and back-to-school stuff since our return.

Thank you so much for the kind gifts, the wine, the Turkish delight, the coffee set,…., that you and Sirma arranged between you.

We all think that our trip to Turkey was one of our best trips ever. I never would have thought of doing a “Blue Cruise” if you hadn’t suggested it, and now I’m busily telling everyone I know that they have to do one at least once in their lifetime! It was one of the most relaxing weeks we’ve ever spent, despite having a 6 year-old onboard. The boat was lovely, the food a revelation, and I really had no idea of the wealth of history all over Turkey. Both of the guides that Sirma arranged were superb, in particular Kenan in Istanbul who managed to keep a pretty packed sight-seeing itinerary enjoyable for the boys as well as us. We loved Istanbul… In fact, I think we’ve really just begun a love affair with Turkey…

So, thank you, thank you, thank you!

Best wishes,

Kathryn De Groot
London / Britain

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------September 8th 2005

While I have been doing my best to tell people how wonderful Turkey is and what they have been missing, I have been forced to avoid the phrase “Blue Cruise” in discussing the trip. Use of the phrase either results in people giggling uncontrollably or encourages the sort of tourist that Turkey really does not need.

Anyway, I would second all of Kathryn’s sentiments- the crew were amazing and our guides were incredible. All of the logistics worked like a dream and we definitely have memories that will remain for a lifetime.

Nelius De Groot
London / Britain

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------August 29th 2005

Dear Sila,

Since Monday we are back in Geneva, enriched by the experience of a fantastic holiday in Turkey!

I would like to thank you very much for all your help and your patience organizing the hotels and also the transfer. I am sorry that the latter did not work out. Somehow we both made an error with the date when I was in your office. Thank you very much for crediting my Master Card with the amount for the transfer.

We had great days in Istanbul and found the Galata Hotel(which was practically empty- we felt everyone was working only for us!) very well located for our stay. Initially we moved around by Taxi, but then we found out how to use the buses and moved around with them very well.

The Kismet Hotel in Kusadasi was an excellent choice as well: the location was excellent for our visit to Ephesus and Selcuk as well as strolling through Kusadasi. It must be one of the rare hotels with character in Kusadasi: we saw the nice old photos of the beginnings of the hotel some 50 years ago, when it was the only modern hotel in town. The site on the small peninsula is very exclusive too!

Since 1984, when I first saw the terraces, they changed a lot. Fortunately all the hotels and pensions above the terraces were recently removed and the whole area is now converted into a type of national park. The water is back too and distributed over the slopes too to re-create the famous pools and stalactites, which have nearly all vanishes(as far as I could see). We were also very impressed with the excavations and findings at Hierapolis, the Roman town just above the terraces.

On Saturday, we arrived Fethiye in the intense mid-day heat at 2pm and took a taxi to the Ece Saray Marina.

In the evening Gita and I shopped for our sailing trip- a lot since we were 8 people on board! Our friends arrived later that evening. From Sunday until Saturday August 20th we cruised the area between Fethiye and Marmaris and enjoyed the beauty of many lonely bays- lonely except the many other sailing yachts and gullets…

The last weekend we spent in Oludeniz, mainly on the beach. But on Sunday, just before leaving for Switzerland, we descended to Oludeniz by tandem paraglider!!! This was a fantastic experience! We saw all the beautiful coast from high up, plus the mountains and the town of Fethiye etc…

All together we had a really, really great time.

Thank you very much again for all your efforts and your patience(I know I was a demanding customer- sorry!),

All the best,

Robert Herzog
Geneva/Switzerland

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------August 21st 2005

Ilgin,

Tesekkur ederim.

We really enjoyed Turkey, its friendly people, spectacular ruins, fantastic weather and beautiful sceneries. And of course, our very knowledgeable guides, Etem and Volkan.

We enjoyed dining al fresco all nine of our dinners in Turkey, particularly Roof Garden of Swissotel, Vogue, Ciragan Palace, Feriye and Seasons in Istanbul and Secret Garden in Bodrum. Invariably the temperature cooled down to a pleasantly cool and comfortable degree every evening, a phenomena we have not seen anywhere in the world. We have been taking one vacation a month around the world for the last seven years, and there has been nothing like Turkey.

Any thus, thanks again.

Suzy and Hyung Kim
New York/The United States