• Basilica Cistern in Sultanahmet / Istanbul

    The Basilica Cistern is a large cistern located under Istanbul, near the Hagia Sofia and Blue Mosque.  The cistern was built in the 6th century and used into modern times until it was forgotten and rediscovered.   The kids really enjoyed place and gave it a thumbs up! It’s a fairly…

  • Hagia Sophia in Istanbul

    Another one of my top things to see in Istanbul was Hagia Sophia, known locally as Ayasofya.  I knew of it but not much of the history until I taught the kids Roman History as part of the 3rd grade curriculum.   It was the largest Christian Cathedral in the world…

  • Blue Mosque in Istanbul

    Visiting the Blue Mosque, technically known as the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, in Istanbul was one of the top things on my list.  Our first morning in Istanbul, we visited the mosque and I was quite happy to finally be here!  The mosque was built in the early 1600s and it…

  • Paragliding in Ölüdeniz, Turkey

    We can now add paragliding to the list of activities we didn’t know we wanted to do until presented with the opportunity.  Turns out that where we’re staying in Turkey (Fethiye/Calis Beach) is about a half hour away from Ölüdeniz, which is famous for both its turquoise blue waters and…