Christmas, cats, and a new adventure

After spending several wonderful weeks in Asia, I flew from the Philippines to Istanbul, where I was about to begin another adventure, this time a winter road trip through Turkey in the campervan!

We had decided to spend Christmas and New Year's in Turkey, starting with a few days in Istanbul before heading south towards Antalya. It was a lovely change of atmosphere after the tropical islands of the Philippines, and spending Christmas in Istanbul felt surprisingly cozy.

And once again, I couldn't get over the cats! Istanbul is absolutely full of them, and I was amazed by how friendly, gentle, and well looked after so many of them seemed. They were everywhere, often looking perfectly healthy and well fed, and many were more than happy to come over for a little attention.

After a few days in Istanbul, we got back on the road and started making our way south. One of our stops was Pamukkale, famous for its incredible white travertine terraces and thermal pools. Walking through that landscape felt almost surreal, especially in the middle of winter! We also visited Hierapolis, the ancient city right next to the terraces, with its fascinating archaeological ruins.

It was such a lovely way to begin our road trip, combining a cozy Christmas in Istanbul, countless adorable cats, a little history, and some beautiful landscapes along the way. And there was still so much more of Turkey waiting for us!