Turkey Photo Tour Report

by Valerie Ramponi

Just wanted to say a BIG Thank You  to all who organized the recent Photo Tour of Turkey with photographer, Louise Tanguay.  It was great fun travelling with the small group of avid photographers from across Canada – myself from BC, Laurie from Alberta, Carol from Ontario, several from Quebec and Eugene from Nova Scotia.

 

Exploring the layer upon layer of archaeology, architecture, history, biblical sites, culture and landforms took us photographer twice as long as normal tourists.  Our Turkish guide Koray Cirik, was very patient, never rushing us and agreeably asking the van driver to pull over for a photo op when someone would cry out ”Sheep on the right” or have the driver pull ahead  to give scale to a vast panorama.

 

We ate kebabs on roof tops and mezze in the sunshine by small rivers.  The soup was so good at Kervansaray, the mountain inn we stayed at before our pre-dawn climb of Mt Nemrut (for the sunrise) that most of us asked for second helpings.  The variety of hotels and inns were excellent and the weather perfect except for about 5 minutes of rain.

 

We debated on what would be the highlight of the trip; what would be the first thing we’d tell our friends.  Would it be the magical hot air balloon ride over Cappadocia; squeezing through hand hewn passageways into the underground city where the Troglodytes hid out at Derinkuyu; or the oldest archaeology site (recently discovered) at Gobekli Tepe dating back 12,000 years?  Would it be the calligraphy exhibition at Hagia Sophia or the touching wall of petitions at Mary’s house near Ephesus (The Virgin Mary is reputed to have spent her last years at this house located in what is now a mountain park)?

 

For me, beyond all the marvelous sights, scenes and adventures, it was the enthusiastic, inclusive generosity of this small band of Canadian photographers that most shone for me.  We shared photo tips, equipment and  experiences. I think we all let our inner child out to play including the Explorateur tour guide, Jacques Lachapelle,  who captured the journey on his ipad.  I very much appreciated his cheerful help in assuring I made it up and down the many, many flights of stairs safely.  I think I worried folks by mentioning I’d broken arms three times falling down stairs.

 

I had a fabulous time.  Thank you so much Louise Tanguay, photographer extraordinaire, Explorateur, Photolife and Turkish Air.  You make a great team. And a special thanks to Michel Gauthier who initiated this photo tour.

Participants’ Photos

Turkey Photo Tour

Spring 2014