At Schipol Airport, we were stopped and told that we might not be able to enter Turkey with US passport, but we explained to them that the two countries had agreed on visa terms and that we had our visas. We obtained our Turkish visas a week after the Turkish and US stopped the political war they had and agreed to terms and allow US passport holders to visit Turkey and vise versa. So, you can imagine how tense it was for us heading to Turkey with US passports. We left Amsterdam on Turkish Airlines heading to Sabiha Gokcen International Airport (the Asian side). When left Turkey we flew from the European side, but more about this later. We were thrilled to fly to Istanbul, but we were not sure how we will be treated as US citizens entering Turkey after such political tension. The short answer is that we came to love Istanbul like no other city we visited on this trip, we saw Sultan Ahmed Mosque, Hagia Sofia, Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts, Maiden Tower, Uskudar, Taksim Square, Beskitas, Chora Museum, Little Hagia Sofia, Grand Bazaar, Eminonu, Galata Tower and the Galata Bridge, Fatih, and many other places.
Amsterdam
We left the US in the evening and we landed in Amsterdam in the morning. From North America to Europe in 6 hours and 30 minutes. Schiphol Airport was big and well organized and much busier than the Boston Logan Airport. To get to the city center from Schiphol Airport, we had to take the train which was easily accessible from the airport. We took the direct train to Amsterdam Cenraal Station. One way ticket was around €6.
Carpet of Stars, Carpet of Sands – A Trip in Morocco
It started with a plan to visit the vast Sahara Desert passing by Marrakesh, but we ended up going further, all the way to Chefchaouen.
Tokyo
One of the best cities I had ever visited was Tokyo. Respectful people, rich culture, unique styles, efficient, and well mannered life style.
Penang Island (Georgetown)
I took a van ride to cross the border from Ao Nang to Georgetown. It took about 11 hours due to some unfortunate circumstances. Georgetown was so hot during my stay. I spent most of the time walking around the old quarters and checking out the old buildings and architecture.
Ao Nang
Ao Nang is a happy-go-lucky town on the west seacoast of Southern Thailand. It felt like a planet of its own. Communicating with the locals reminded me of the power of a genuine smile and what it means to live without borders.
Koh Lipe
Koh Lipe Island was a paradise on Earth. I have never imagined I'll
be able to go to such far away Island in the Andaman Sea. Koh Lipe was
one of my favorite places I visited.
The Beginning of Something
In this blog you will find pictures and videos I took in the cities I visited and details about the trip. This blog's purpose is to share this experience with friends and others who might be interested.
Hat Yai
I took a plane ride from Kuala Lumpur to Hat Yai for $21. It was a one hour plane ride. The Hat Yai airport was relatively small but efficient. It was my first time ever to land in the Thai soil. What a great feeling it was.
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur was the first city I visited. I did a lot of research
about the city before I undertook the adventure, but I was still
surprised from the first day I landed in Kuala Lumpur. What a wonderful
adventure in Kuala Lumpur.
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