TURKIYE: Sailing in the Turquoise Coast on the Southern Shores of Türkiye

What better way to end our time in Türkiye than sailing on the southern Turquoise Coast on the Mediterranean Sea.

Türkiye's Turquoise Coast runs along the southwestern Mediterranean coast, from around Antalya west toward Muğla and Bodrum. 

It gets its name from the unusually clear, blue-green water.

We had just spent 18 days on the northern Black Sea coast, which is green, wet, with villages, tea plantations and dramatic mountain scenery.

In contrast, we then flew down to the southern Turquoise Coast where it is sunny, dry, HOT, beach-oriented, with ancient ruins and lots of tourism.

Both have their own charms.

PERU: The Stunning Northern Coastline

We had visited the Must-See places in Peru and wanted to get off the beaten track.

We figured the northern coastline would fit the bill.

The northern coast is a very different experience from the Andes mountains, with warm sunny weather, freshly caught seafood and sandy beaches.

We flew to Trujillo and rented a car to drive about 600km (360 miles) north up the coast.

We passed through fertile farm land and also dry desert stretches to reach Mancora. 

CHILE: The Atacama Desert

The Atacama Desert, in Northern Chile, is one of the driest non-polar deserts in the world.

Stretching along northern Chile, it lies between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes Mountains.

Parts of the desert are so barren that scientists use the area to simulate conditions on Mars.

To really explore the area we based ourselves in the little town of San Pedro de Atacama for 4 nights.

CANADA: Victoria's Inner Harbour

Another place our footsteps keep taking us back to is Victoria, on Vancouver Island, on the west coast of Canada.

Victoria was first settled by Europeans in 1843 when the Hudson’s Bay Company established Fort Victoria as a trading post.

It quickly grew into a key port and became the capital of British Columbia in 1868.

The inner harbour in the city’s centre is always active with boats, ferries, water taxis and planes.

ITALY: Ortigia was a Greek Epicentre in Sicily

Ortigia was the original settlement of Ancient Syracuse, founded by Greek colonists in the 8th century BCE. 

 

The island is small at 1 sq km.

At one time the city was one of the most powerful cities in the Greek world.

Over the centuries it became an important center in not only the Greek world, but also the Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Norman and Spanish worlds.

Today, traces of these eras are still visible in the architecture and layout of the city.

MEXICO: Cabo San Lucas

Cabo San Lucas is proud of their Arch, known locally as El Arco.

It is a natural rock formation that marks the confluence of the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Cortez (AKA the Gulf of California).

The arch was naturally carved over millions of years by wind and the constant pounding of the waves against the rock. 

MONTENEGRO: The Pearl of the Adriatic

The town of Kotor is called the ‘Pearl of the Adriatic’.

It is scenically nestled in the Bay of Kotor and has one of the best preserved medieval old towns in the Adriatic. 

Old Kotor looks like a cute Venetian-era old town. This is because it was ruled by Venice for nearly 400 years.

Over the centuries, Kotor has experienced tumultuous times.

Kotor was besieged by the Ottoman Empire in 1538 and again in 1657, it endured the plague in 1572, and was nearly destroyed by earthquakes in 1563, 1667 and 1979.

Kotor, and the Bay of Kotor, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

THAILAND: Island Living - Phuket Sunsets & Koh Samui Night Market

Phuket is Thailand's largest island and is on the western coast of the country. 

Historically, the island Phuket was situated on a major trading route between India and China.

It is considered among the world's best beach destinations with fine white sand and inviting clear warm waters.

MOROCCO: Atlas Mountains, Berber Villages, Movie Sets and Seaside Sunsets

One of the things I love about Morocco is the diversity.

There are big modern cities that have centuries old historical medinas. 

There are quaint towns and villages nestled in the countryside and mountains. 

And there are desert dunes in the Sahara with Berber kasbahs.

Our route was a counter clockwise circuit of the country. We saw changes in the topography which included ocean, desert, mountains and valleys. 

ARGENTINA: Tunyuyan - Harvesting in the Shadow of the Andes Mountains

Tunuyan, south of the city of Mendoza, has high altitude vineyards with the Andes as a backdrop.

The grape vines were heavy with fruit as the end of February is harvest season in the southern hemisphere.

We felt "lucky" one day as the workers were picking in "our" vineyard.

We asked if we could watch for a bit. 

GREECE: Let's Start with Santorini

When I think of Greece some of the images that come to my mind are shimmering blue water, white buildings, crystal clear blue skies, islands, sunshine and sunsets.

The island of Santorini has all those things.

It is a volcanic island with cliffs, a rugged coastline with red, black and white beaches. 

CROATIA: Another Sunset

We love Croatia, especially the coast. 

The people are warm, generous and inviting. 

We never felt nervous or unsafe. Never.

I will admit, I feel sad to leave the coast, crystal clear turquoise water, bright blue sunny skies, warm weather, beautiful quaint villages and imposing mountains. 

Until next time.... Siiiiigh.

CROATIA: Coastal Cities - Zadar, Sibenik and Split

We rented a car and drove down the Dalmatian Coast. 

Enroute, we had two nights in Zadar and were able to experience their famous sunset and listen to their Sea Organ.

CROATIA: Wine Tasting

Who knew Croatia produces great wine and competes with the best in the world wine market? 

I certainly didn't. 

The lack of common recognition is because the producers are small and locals consume a large portion of it, which leaves little for export. 

There are 3 main wine regions and more than 300 geographically defined wine districts. They produce mostly white wine in the north with red and white wine in the south.

TURKIYE: When Opportunity Knocks on the Turquoise Coast

When opportunity knocks, I always believe it is important to open the door to check it out.

Sometimes it opens to a big fat nothing. And other times, you hit a home run.