I feel truly fortunate that my husband has a job, we live in a safe place and pretty much everything is taken care of. Not everyone can say that. I am sure that Brno offers more things to do, and it is not going to be only about basketball this season. I am excited to get to know this part of Czech Republic, Moravia, the land of local wines. Let’s go!
Hello followers!
I know it seems like there will be no party for the New Year´s Eve this years!
I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. Because if you are making mistakes…you’re Doing Something. “
To anyone who noticed my recent 4-month inactivity on my Instagram.
They shot me down, but it was all my mistake!
I have been verified on my FaceBook page, YEAH!, and until then, everything was going great. And then I noticed that my name on FaceBook was not the same as the one on my Instagram profile.
So I decided to change that and make things right. But as soon as I changed that, I realized that my new name was too long. I thought to myself, if I changed it once, I can change it again. But then at the moment of the question, if it was me that wanted to change the name, I answered no, trying to make things happen faster. WRONG!
Instagram froze my account, on my phone, on my computer and it wasn’t for just a couple of hours. It took exactly 4 months and countless emails about verification that it is ME that owns the account and that it was me that made that silly mistake.
Here is what I have learned:
1. Don’t mess with Mark Zuckerberg!
2. I realized that without Instagram, it is not the end of the world. First week was very hard for me, especially with the circumstances, I was only thinking about the engagement that I was losing, about all the energy and thought that I have spent on the whole Instagram thing. And suddenly it was gone. Completely gone. I felt small and insignificant. But as time went by, I realized that all other things that I have been ignoring these past years and I was able to connect more with people around me. The time that I have spent previously on Instagram I used on other things. In many ways, it was liberating.
Here is what I have learned:
1. Don’t mess with Mark Zuckerberg!
2. I realized that without Instagram, it is not the end of the world. First week was very hard for me, especially with the circumstances, I was only thinking about the engagement that I was losing, about all the energy and thought that I have spent on the whole Instagram thing. And suddenly it was gone. Completely gone. I felt small and insignificant. But as time went by, I realized that all other things that I have been ignoring these past years and I was able to connect more with people around me. The time that I have spent previously on Instagram I used on other things. In many ways, it was liberating.
3) That there are many people that are not my followers/admireres, but those that I consider my friends, either close or bit distant. Those are usually the ones that are genuienly worried when they don’t see me on Instagram for a while. These friends are usually quick to write if everything is ok and they do it via different type of media than Instagram. So it has been great to see that my close friends pay attention to my daily life and worry when things are different #LoveYouGuys
4) I have learned that there are more Apps to get engagement. I was pleased to find out that my Snapchat grew easily to over 5k within a few weeks and my Facebook fan page got a boost from it as well. Yes, Facebook still lives. It might be an older App, maybe without glitter and fame, but FB is still as solid as it comes. I recommend highly to keep on connecting FB with your other accounts and use it wisely.
Another way that I have been in contact with others via online has been Google Maps. Yes, Google Maps! My visits, reviews and opinions, along with photos has been wanted and searched and highly appreciated. I reached Level 7 of the Local Guide and my reviews help millions of people.
Este blog sigue vivo también, it has as many as 350 visits each week and I also have some fans on my Tiktok. And we all know that YouTube is another way to get engagement and the real moneymaker. (My next move, BTW!)
Overall, I have had good and bad experiences in social media. It has never been black and white, there are always people searching and hunting for something generic, not real, even fake. And there are also many people, who use social media to learn, to improve their lifestyle and connect with others in a meaningful way.
So I hope that in today’s world, which is full of people that “hate” or “have to have an opinion about something that they have zero knowledge about”, there are still many that will share positive thoughts, encouraging stories and more love overall, which is always needed. We have to understand more and judge less!
That is why it is so good to have the ability to share my thoughts and maybe influence some people through these social media, where I am able to experiment, to try new things. I am very happy to be back!
PS. I have recovery my insta name again @keilleylee geel free to follow me!! xoxo
Keiilley Lee Marques
Turkey is an unforgettable experience.
Turkey is home to infinite locations that are beyond your wildest dreams! Full of ancient sites, unique beauty, and unparalleled destinations, visiting Türkiye is an unforgettable experience.
I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. If you are making mistakes…you’re Doing Something. “
A wonderland of tastes
Türkiye is home to the freshest and tastiest fruits and vegetables since it enjoys a temperate climate with all four seasons. The food here is mind-blowing! It is a true culinary paradise!
In next 3 blogs that I will write, I will bring you closer to the country that divides east from the west and has a lot to offer and many places to visit.
Turkey is friendly, beautiful, culturally rich and good value for money. Also it is modern enough to be comfortable yet traditional enough to be interesting. Turkey is one of the world’s top 10 travel destinations, welcoming more than 35 million visitors every year.
Istanbul
I might not be telling you anything new but you should be hearing this.
Put a visit of Istanbul Turkey in your traveling plans! This city that is half European and half Asian is within reasonable travel distance, and offers so much, that you can make a week vacation just to see this incredible place. People are very serviceable and want to always offer you better for less. In other words, you feel special when you are going through the streets of Istanbul.
Denizli
The City Where History and Nature Meet
Located at the crossroads of Aegean, Central Anatolia and Mediterranean regions, at the junction point of Anatolia, Denizli has hosted many civilizations throughout history with its geographical location and natural beauty.
Denizli where you can see the traces of many civilizations such as Hittite, Phrygian, Lydia, Roman and Byzantium, is known all over the world for Hierapolis Ancient City, included inUNESCO World Cultural Heritage List. Denizli, located on the fertile soil of Lykos Valley, has a rich potential in terms of historical, archaeological, cultural and natural beauties.
Patara Beaches
Patara was one of the heavenly corners of Antalya since ancient times, and has maintained this feature till today. In parallel with its sea, its tides and current, Patara was frequented by thinkers, pioneers and mystical aspects from across the world. This tradition continues in our days with visitors who come from across the world to explore the city and its famous beaches.
Patara Harbour
Thanks to its geographical and climatic feature, the harbour of the city has become one of the indispensable stops of the east-west maritime trade route in the south of Anatolia, and thus a first-degree determining factor in the history and development of the city’s settlement. The alluvium carried by the water of the 130 km long Eşen River have filled the harbour of Patara, which ended settlement in the city in the 14th to 15th century CE. Today, the desert-like sand dunes close to the sea provide a different atmosphere to visitors.
Cappadocia
The “Land of Beautiful Horses” and Fairy Chimneys
Cappadocia is a beautiful region in central Turkey famous for its fairytale scenery, cave dwellings, remarkable rock formations and, of course, the hundreds of hot air balloons that soar in the sky during sunrise each morning.
There is also so much awesome hiking in Cappadocia, that it will take you at least a week to explore all of the diverse hiking trails in the region.
Your very best day
Türkiye’s many magical lands are full of fairy-tale wonders that create once-in-a-lifetime memories. Whether it is for a wedding, a honeymoon, or a special occasion, Türkiye promises to make the best day of your life even more special! Get ready for the next blogs!
Life in the Bubble, with Euroleague (Junior) Basketball
When you have a career like Lubos it’s hard to know from where to start, but like always we will start from his early beginnings.
I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. If you are making mistakes…you’re Doing Something. “
Life in the Bubble, with Euroleague (Junior) Basketball
Honestly, I have never thought that I would be part of the team that would spend the extended weekend “in the bubble”, meaning that nobody from the group of 23 people couldn’t leave the premises of the hotel and the arena.
I joined the team of Basket Brno Next Generation in their first ever trip to Adidas NG Tournament, held in Istanbul. I was assigned as team’s PR manager, meaning that I would do some interviews, and mostly be taking pictures.
My husband is the head coach and director of the team that was invited to the tournament, that includes some big names on club scene in Europe, such as Real Madrid, Zalgiris Kaunas, Efes Pilsen, among others.
The Euroleague did a good job of keeping the players, staff and team’s followers excluded from the outside world. They tried their best to separate even the teams, different times for meals, meeting rooms, etc. Nobody was hanging out in the lobby, which is very usual during these tournaments.
Tournament itself was broadcasted online, via Euroleague and YouTube, which was great since the games were closed to public.
I was fortunate to be allowed to be on the floor, and even though I had to always have a mask on, I was able to change spots on the floor, go into the stands and even get some cool pictures taken from above the floor.
People were genuinely nice and helpful, which is great in such times like present pandemic.
It was great to be part of the team, to feel their excitement from their first experience from the tournament, and even though they managed to win just one game out of four, they all seem to enjoy just to play and compete.
At the end, Basket Brno finished 7th but one of their players got selected in the All-Star team, which is very unusual, and it shows its value. It was definitely a great experience and everyone seemed to enjoy to play games, to compete and to feel a bit normal during this strange time.
Weekend escape in a lovely Wroclaw
I love the basketball lifestyle, especially since it allows me to travel and visit new places. Sometimes, these places I would never have thought of going. Now I can tell you about a place where little Gnomes rule. Do you feel like making the visit with me?
I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. If you are making mistakes…you’re Doing Something. “
Let’s enjoy this magical experience of getting to know this wonderful city in the southern part of Poland. I tell you my dear readers, what a pleasant surprise Wroclaw has been!
City with many different architectural styles, an old part of town, new neighborhoods and places where time has stopped completely.
It’s a perfect place to spend a great weekend with family, or a nice getaway for couples.
It’s impossible to walk around and not feel moved by your surroundings. You might browse through many streets in this polish city, where there are as many as 180 bronze statues of Gnomes. These little creatures “rule” the city and it is one of the main attractions. If you want to make a collage of selfie photos with all of them, you might need a lot of space on your SIM card.
This beautiful city offers opportunities for adventurous types, like myself. River Oder cuts through the city and gives it the powerful image along with many bridges the cross quite imposant body of water. There are 12 islands that the river created within the borders of the city, and there are as many as 100 bridges that make Wroclaw known as Venice of The East. Where, of course, you can find another collection of Gnomes.
I highly recommend to use some comfortable shoes to go around because you can walk some serious distances, depending how active you want to be.
Wroclaw (Breslavia) (Wrocław) Ciudad en Polonia
If you are interested in architecture, you should visit Rynek square that should please you well. The more you walk, the more you get to see and the more you will love it. You will see renaissance and gothic facades of the buildings, some of them well kept, some of them, well, not so much. To my surprise, there was a lot more to see even outside of the city center, where you can usually find most of the sights to see.
And then, there is the gastronomy. Another positive thing about walking is to create appetite and there are plenty of places to conquer your hunger. You can literally find any type of restaurant with a variety of quality, just like pretty much any big city. Meaning, you can eat like a kind and you can also go low cost with pretty good quality food. Your choice!
I have heard great stories about club life and being able to go out literally all night, all the way to the morning. Unfortunately, we live in a pandemic and all the clubs are closed, but it is something that would really make me come back and experience it.
Maybe a visit as a couple will be in order once things get to normal. I can’t wait to be able to sit outside, drinking my beer or glass of wine, and feel the great scenery of the city.
I already know that I will be coming back soon enough, and anyone, who is in Germany or Czech Republic, should definitely consider visiting Wroclaw. You will not regret it!
Is New Year’s Eve Canceled This Year?
When you have a career like Lubos it’s hard to know from where to start, but like always we will start from his early beginnings.
I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. If you are making mistakes…you’re Doing Something. “
I know it seems like there will be no party for the New Year´s Eve this years!
But you know what, there are just two options: to go to bed early or make your own party!!
So don´t forget to get dressed nicely, put on some expensive perfume you have gotten as present this christmas, and put a good looking make up.
After that you should make a toast to be alive with health and have a positive attitude.
Year 2020 definitely wasn’t a great year, we thought it would be twelve months ago.
Yeah, it was pretty much the quite opposite, in fact. But we’re not gonna let this dumpster fire of a year stop us from popping the champs and shooting it out the door—in a safe and socially distant way, of course.
My advice:
Do a playlist for NEW YEARS PARTY
The is a long list on youtube, but you know what spotife is the best!!
Prepare a good meal even more sofisticared if you feels that much!!
1 Meatballs,They’re quick, easy, and perfect for any party!
2 Potato in any kind of preparation
3 Chocolate truffles, I have a huge sweet tooth, so when I host a party, there are a bunch of sweet snacks on the table. And these sinful chocolate truffles are one of them!
4 Chicken tenders, Flavorful meat that’s crisp on the outside and juicy on the inside? Who can say no?
5 Charcuterie board, my favorite!!
And of course there are as many good reasons to pop a bottle of champagne as there are reasons to celebrate!!
_My favorites one is Dom Perignon, but of course there a many goods ones and better price
1 G.H.Mumm Grand Cordon
2 Taittinger Brut La Francaise Champagne
3 Veuve Clicquot Brut Yellow Label
4 Bollinger La Grande Annee Brut
5 Ruinart Blanc de Blancs
6 Bollinger
Just because you won’t be sweating profusely at some dive bar trying to find a face to make out with at midnight or smushed in a crowd of people in Times Square while freezing your toes off or counting down ’til 12 a.m. with all your friends at some house party doesn’t mean you can’t have a dance party in your room with a bunch of bangers to set off all the right ~vibes~!
You gotta stay manifesting!!!
By Keilley Lee Maques
Hey. Are you looking for any last-minute gift ideas??
If so, Here are some great gifts! … Last–minute gift ideas for 2020!!
When you have a career like Lubos it’s hard to know from where to start, but like always we will start from his early beginnings.
I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. If you are making mistakes…you’re Doing Something. “
Christmas day comes on the same date every year, but it somehow always manages to sneak up on us. Between all the baking, decorating, and wrapping, sometimes a handful of gifts slip through the cracks, causing you to rush to the mall at the last minute.
While you can always shove a few bills or gift cards in a card and call it a day (no judgment here), these last-minute Christmas gifts feel way more personal.
It’s going down to the wire to buy your last-minute gifts, since many regular shipping deadlines to get things under the tree before Christmas are today.
And this year (with many people canceling Christmas to shelter in place), everyone probably has a similar idea: Online shopping to avoid the crowds, and rushing to ship gifts to their family at the same time. Eek.
Last-minute shopping can be hairy, but it doesn’t have to involve boring, expected gifts (or gift cards). And just because you’ve waited until the 11th hour to shop for friends and family doesn’t mean you’re totally out of options. From cozy layers to thoughtful gift sets, we found plenty of things that are still available to make the fitness lover, home chef, beauty enthusiast, or wellness fanatic in your life feel appreciated.
1 LIP ESSENTIALS MAKEUP SET
2 LIBRE EAU DE PARFUM HOLIDAY SET
3 Rituals “The Ritual of Ayurveda Balacing Ritual Medium Body Care Gift Set
1 True wireless from sony WF-SP800N with noise Cancelling
2 JBL GO 2
3 Jbl Audiofone T500 Bluetooth
4 Smartwatch
1 Zara Gift Card
2 Nespresso Boxes caffe
3 Hugo Boss Perfume
1 JP Art Gallery
2 Bvgari Bag
3 Dyson Supersonic
4 Champgne
Now let´s talk serious:
Today’s media portrays Christmas as such a consumer holiday by implementing large savings and deals during this time of year. Consumerism runs this country (world), and frankly sometimes it’s hard to just remove it from our every day lives. Yes, it’s OK to purchase these items on sale and gift them to your kid, but a gift does not substitute love and compassion.
The world we live in is so materialistic. We judge each other on status: which brands we wear, what music we listen to, how much stuff we have. Giving and receiving gifts during Christmas is by no means a bad thing, but it is not the sole focus of the holiday. The holiday is a celebration of the birth of Christ and a holiday to spend time with the people who really mean the most to you: your family. It’s not about getting that perfect toy for your kid, but rather a time to spend time with them and enjoy their company. After all, they’re not children forever.
My advice to you is to really think about the meaning of the holiday and try to let that shape your life. Think about it — what if people acted like they did around the holiday, every day. Think about the religious significance, think about how you’re supposed to treat each other with dignity.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and Christmas is in the air. Don’t Forget The Reason For The Season!!
Merry Christmas Everybody!!
LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL
When you have a career like Lubos it’s hard to know from where to start, but like always we will start from his early beginnings.
I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. If you are making mistakes…you’re Doing Something. “
We could see it in his eyes. The end was near and the spark of life, that our dog possessed all his life simply was not there anymore. Those days, when Maximus would be jumping around just to greet us by the door or energetically chasing his toys to get our attention, were long gone.
It is funny how we become accustomed to simple things, take them for granted over the time and at the end we realize its great value when we lose it, or when we are about to lose it.
I think something like this happened to our family when our Maxi got diagnosed with a genetical heart condition this spring. It came as a very unpleasant surprise, if I say it mildly, that our healthy-looking Coton could depart from our lives very soon.
Maxi recovered quickly after being treated in Barcelona emergency for pets and sent home along with prescription for heavy medication. A reality check for all of us followed: our dear four-legged family member would spend rest of his days getting drugs. We knew that his time here with us was approaching to its end, we just did not know how long it would be.
Max would not even skip a beat and kept being the same dog as always. His playful demeanor kept us in good spirits and he never made us feel that there is something wrong with his heart. Medically speaking of course.
It is an irony that someone with such a big heart would die because of it.
Maximus was there when both of our children were born, he greeted them and, in many ways, he felt like he was supposed to protect them. He always showed affection toward them, and in this last stage of his life, he would cuddle against them more often.
I suppose that he felt a need to show his love more often, and I am sure that he got it from us in return as well.
Trip to the emergency for the third time within past 12 months was not a good sign. We were preparing ourselves for the possibility that it could be the last one. Once we got there, and received the hard news about his bad condition, we had to make the toughest decision that I pet owner must make: to let your friend go, to stop his suffering, to put him to sleep. We all knew that it was the right decision but somehow it did not feel any less painful.
We were blessed with a great doctor who dealt with the situation with an exceptionally good manner. She was practical but at the same time, she understood that we stood in front a very delicate decision, a sad one too. When we left the room, and hugged our Maxi for the last time, we waited for five minutes for the final ordeal to take place.
When she came out, our eyes were all wet and puffy. And then she told us something so warm, that we really did not expect:
“I have seen many dogs in my career, and I can tell when a dog has had a good life or did not. I am certain that Maximus gave you a lot of great memories and that he lived a good life. He is in peace now.”
We left the clinic in tears. Her warms last words were nice but obviously not enough. We spent our ten-minute drive home in silence. Deep in thoughts, reminiscing, remembering and mostly just feeling sad.
And then there was still one more thing that we had to do. We had to explain to our kids that Maximus was ill and that he died in the hospital. With foresight, we prepared them for that possibility on many prior occasions.
We all deal with death differently, and one must be careful when you explain it to the young children.
Their idea of death can be sometimes downplayed or exaggerated.
So, we tried to explain in minimal detail the whole ordeal and kept repeating all the positive things that have happened, and what was good for Maxi.
By doing that, we started to remember all the great stories. Suddenly, we talked about life more than about death, we smiled more than we cried.
I think that Maxi would be incredibly happy to see us there together, wiggling his tail every time his name would be mentioned in our conversation. He would feel our love and how much we are going to miss him.
Embracing the Change From the Inside Out!!!!
Throughout my life I have had change come at me when I least expected it.
I am pretty good at making decisions, when something feels right for me. I am also not scared of change, when I can see the road ahead or when I believe that it will be good change.
However, like so many other people, when we don’t know what will happen, we tend to wait to create change until we have to or we hit a “pothole” on life’s journey and we have to stop and reflect on where we are going. Even when we know it is time for change, even when it hurts to stay where we are, when we long to grow emotionally, mentally, personally and professionally, even then we tend to wait.
But what are we waiting for?
Even when we long to feel better and get healthy, we tend to wait to clean up our habits, until something happens where we simply have to.
WHY TO WAIT?
Why are we so scared of challenging ourselves?
We tend to wait until the pain of staying stuck is bigger than the pain of change. Yes change is effort and it feels like pain.
For the past 18 years of my life and changing cities, meet new culture, new people, I realizade that, people are create in kind of custuming and culture and they are fraid of changing.
What if we could look forward and wonder what we would do with change, rather than what change would do to us?
It is possible to create a life we love, but it starts with seeing change as a journey. It starts with having the courage to look inside and discover you own special, silly, beautiful, funny, clumsy, awkward, lovely self. And then there is also the dark side of ourselves, the parts we want to hide and the parts we don’t love because they are not so fluffy, or sweet, or pretty.
The thing is, nothing about being human is ever perfect.
“Life is not about perfection, it is about discovery….” In my experience it has been a “trip to me”— an open door to “me” discovering my whole self.
A dialogue begins as you listen to your body and discover your personal relationship with food and what that means.
You learn that self-nourishment extends beyond eating healthy. It’s a beginning that extends to the whole self, emotionally, physically and spiritually.
Changing from the inside out.
You feel the love and power that comes with the understanding that you can own your “emotional” real estate—the whole self.
When we approach big change in our lives from the inside out, it means we unearth, understand and then begin to address the thought patterns and limiting beliefs about ourselves and our world that got us here.
That’s really how and when we begin to change the behaviors that we adopted as a result of that thinking that are no longer working for us.
That’s when we begin to unlock our power and address the underlying problem and not just the outer symptoms. And that’s when we are truly able to create long-term change.
Embracing the Change From the Inside Out!!!! “SO I INVITE YOU TO JOIN ME FOR SOME CHANGE”, be the change you want to see in the world!!
By Keilley Lee Marques
A magical place of Cappadocia
When you have a career like Lubos it’s hard to know from where to start, but like always we will start from his early beginnings.
I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. If you are making mistakes…you’re Doing Something. “
This time I want to introduce you to an incredible place, full of magic, with the most fabulous natural rock formations and dream tourist attraction that you can enjoy from the bird´s view. Meet me in Cappadocia, Turkey!
You know how much I love to travel, to discover new destinations and to introduce them. Now I am fascinated with this city, Cappadocia, located in the central part of Turkey. You can imagine a place surrounded by caves that came to be the living places for people over 4 thousand years ago. You may find cities well preserved underground. That sounds magical, doesn’t it? Well, all that and a lot more you can find in Cappadocia.
My trip to Cappadocia started in Istanbul where I took a direct flight by Pegassus Airlines. It was a pleasant flight that took about 1 hour and 20 minutes and I was able to see the central part of Turkey from the airplane. If you want to fly to Cappadocia, I highly recommend this airline, with excellent service and low prices. But if you prefer to enjoy theroads, or you get sick during the flights, you can easily manage to rent a car and become a road warrior for 10 hours.
Everything has been planned by Aygul and her agency Enka Travel Turkey, they have closed packages with everything included and they have the best tour guides too. It has been a fantastic experience, a very friendly and at the same time very professional treatment.
I stayed at a wonderful hotel in the city of Urgup, the Carna Cave Hotel. An unique experience, with rooms that simulate incredible caves, very in tune with the rest of the city and its attractions.
The hotel is very well located, with incredible places to visit around it.The hotel has a great location, with incredible places to visit around it.
The attention and kindness of its staff is one of their strengths, you will feel at home, they will make you have an unforgettable experience. I recommend that you make reservations in advance and request a package with all services included, you will not regret it because the hotel is beautiful and has impressive views the beautiful and charm Urgup.
Ortahisar is famous for its friendly inhabitants, picturesque stone houses, narrow streets and lovely churches as well as the castle-like rock formation after which the town is named. This 90-meter high natural fortress, a prominent landmark in the region – honeycombed with caves and tunnels, camouflaged by nature without the slightest indication of human presence inside – has partly crumbled away revealing some of its interior. Today it has been restored and the peak is accessible by a staircase. The Ortahisar Castle offers a magnificent panorama over the fairy chimneys of Hallacdere and the snowy peak of Mt. Erciyes.
Ortahisar is famous for its friendly inhabitants, picturesque stone houses, narrow streets and lovely churches as well as the castle-like rock formation after which the town is named. This 90-meter high natural fortress, a prominent landmark in the region – honeycombed with caves and tunnels, camouflaged by nature without the slightest indication of human presence inside – has partly crumbled away revealing some of its interior. Today it has been restored and the peak is accessible by a staircase. The Ortahisar Castle offers a magnificent panorama over the fairy chimneys of Hallacdere and the snowy peak of Mt. Erciyes.
Ortahisar is famous for its friendly inhabitants, picturesque stone houses, narrow streets and lovely churches as well as the castle-like rock formation after which the town is named. This 90-meter high natural fortress, a prominent landmark in the region – honeycombed with caves and tunnels, camouflaged by nature without the slightest indication of human presence inside – has partly crumbled away revealing some of its interior. Today it has been restored and the peak is accessible by a staircase. The Ortahisar Castle offers a magnificent panorama over the fairy chimneys of Hallacdere and the snowy peak of Mt. Erciyes.
If you are a traveler like me, who is looking for impressive places to visit, Cappadocia is the ideal destination. Known as the region of the balloons for its famous hot air balloons.
Do not forget to charge your cell phone battery so that you can capture the most impressive images of this magical city from above. And if you have a guide like mine, don’t forget to bring at least 2 camersas, in addition to a great guide, he has been a great photographer and knows exactly where to take the best photos.
Many influencers travel to Cappadocia just for the experience of taking pictures of the entire region from balloons or hotel shots. But you must take the forecasts regarding the weather. Turkey is a country of seasons and therefore the climate varies. The best time to visit the city of balls is in September or at the beginning of October, you will enjoy all the splendor of the landscapes with a perfect climate, neither too cold nor too hot.
One of the main questions is if to visit this place in summer or in winter. Any season is good to visit Cappadocia
But, there is much more to see and visit in Cappadocia. In each season of the year you will find attractions, if you like heat, visit the city in summer, but if you prefer snowfall, it is advisable to book for the winter season.
Cappadocia is surrounded by many towns, one with an excellent location is Göreme, an exquisite tourist destination from where you can easily move to the rest of the towns. Of course the most agglomerated also, but if you are looking for a less touristy and more regional town Urgup where I stay is a very good option.
If you like tours, there are at least three recommended routes, but the options are more varied in Cappadocia. You can get to know the city on foot, an ideal alternative for tourists like you and me! You can travel it on horseback, which is a wonderful option, in a Jeep or on a Scooter for the more adventurous.
If you want to know this magical place and not to miss the experience of flying in a balloon, I recommend you be patient and travel during low season so you will save some money. The month of July and August belong to high season and a trip to Cappadocia could cost you up to 400 euros, but if you wait a bit for the low season to arrive, your cost will go down easily as much as 100 euros.
There are so many fascinating things to see in Cappadocia that you could spend a lifetime here and still discover new places. The main ‘must-see’ attractions are the two large open-air museums and the best of the underground cities. However, there are also many small, all-but-forgotten rock-cut churches and monasteries, splendid hiking trails, several spectacular caravanserais and many dramatic rock formations well worth going out of your way to visit.
It will undoubtedly be one of the best experiences of your life, you will not regret visiting this magical place in Turkey. Cappadocia is the destination that I recommend.
PLACES TO VISIT IN CAPPADOCIA
- Goreme Open Air Museum: cave churches with frescoes
- Zelve Open Air Museum: an empty cave town with churches
- Kaymakli Underground City: the largest underground city
- Derinkuyu Underground City: the deepest underground city
- Ihlara Valley: the deepest gorge of Anatolia
- Uchisar: Roman rock-cut castle
- Ortahisar: Roman rock-cut castle
- Avanos: center of pottery since the Hittites
- Pasabag: mushroom-shaped fairy chimneys, monks valley
- Devrent: animal-shaped fairy chimneys, imagination valley
- Hacibektas: center of Bektasi sect of Islam
- Gulsehir: first settlements in Cappadocia
- Forgotten Cave Churches: churches located in the valleys
- Caravanserais: 13th century hotels on the silk road
New season, New city, New home!!
When you have a career like Lubos it’s hard to know from where to start, but like always we will start from his early beginnings.
I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. If you are making mistakes…you’re Doing Something. “
Sometimes, we are so keen on making plans, short term, or long term, and we don’t realize that so often, life makes plans for us. Or in other words, we are just reacting to the situations that we are thrown into.
Right now, I am in the middle of adjustment to our “new home” that is surprisingly not located with the borders of the United States, as we planned. Instead, I am in Brno, Czech Republic, trying to figure so many different things, regarding my kids, school, getting settled and thousands of other things to be taken care of. Luckily, I am equipped with the basics of the language (for those who know little bit about the local tongue, IT AIN’T NO JOKE), so this transition is not as hard as it could be.
My husband took an opportunity to come to Brno to be part of the new project, to stay active during this difficult period of time. Covid 19 pandemic has been hard on virtually everyone, and like I mentioned before, it has rearranged plans for many.
So, I am here, at the outskirts of second biggest city in Czech Republic, looking at the field of sunflowers that are almost all dead. School just started, and our kids are thrown into a brand-new environment, almost new language. New everything. But they are great, they do not sweat it as much as we adults would.
They are young, they adopt. They look at the bright side, and maybe we should take a note, and behave like them.