Tuesday, July 21, 2026

Final Glimpse

Since returning to California last week, I'm looking back at some stories or photos that didn't get mentioned or highlighted. Just a few unique moments....

So here it is: Gulliver's National Geographic Review of 2026.



(Almond—the guard dog)



(Silk Road Caves)



(Hulya and I hiked along a river valley and it was so beautiful)



(The birds and blue skies of Istanbul)


(This quick shot was taken as we zoomed by some locals, also in transit!)


(Endless fields of crops and Mount Erciyes peeking up from beyond the horizon)



(Almond - again - on guard)



(The morning view from out cave-room in Cappadocia)



And if you have never seen the photography of Ara Güler, his B/W photographs of old Istanbul are so striking. Here's a few of my favorite shots from him...









Now, for my final trick—witness the amazing transformation of an American into a pure Kebab-loving Turkish macho-man!

First step: while the weather forecast is looking to be 95 F for a solid week long, go to a local Turkish barber and get a haircut! 

Easy and simple. 

But don’t leave yet. 



If the barber asks: "Do you want Turkish waxing?” 
Say YES! 
And be ready to experience incredibly unique nerve stimulation that you never knew was possible. 




When done, apply aftershave, go outside, get a quick tan, then eat 10 portions of protein in one sitting; smoke five packs of cigarettes, pack in a tray of Baklava, and wash it all down with a liter of black tea…. 

How can this change a man…the results will surprise you!





Alright, folks, that's it for this year. Thank you so much for joining along through these wonderful travels.
Be well, stay healthy, and take care of each other.

Big Hug,
Gulliver 

Wednesday, July 8, 2026

Cappadocia

Again, I'm at a loss of words because of how incredibly stunning a place can be...


What can be said about a city made of "fairy chimneys" that took 60 million years of volcanic activity,  time, pressure, a dash of persecution to create? 

This is Cappadocia—home to the incredible formations know as fairy chimneys. They were naturally formed, then sometime after the time of Cyrus the Great of Persia conquered the land and called it "Katpatuka" (meaning "land of good horses") there has been so much human activity that its hard to keep track of. And that was 2,500 years ago when the Persian Empire took over these lands. 

Since those days, the Christians built monasteries here and hid out from persecution...
 
The Silk Road passed directly through the caves via the tunnels of Avanos....

And nowadays most people think of Cappadocia as a hot air bonanza! And it is very striking to get up at 5am and watch about a hundred of the giant balloons surf the twilight rays.











 

 







(taking a break from the 95 degree heat!)








 

(we stayed at a cave hotel with this friendly guard dog named "Almond") 













So now you know a bit of the history, and a bit of the current trends of hot air ballooning...but there is one think you also need to know. Turkey brought the legend Shaquille O'Neal over here for a publicity reasons, and while he was here he ended up with a hair transplant (see video below 🤣)



NOW you know everything you need to know. 

https://www.reddit.com/r/nba/comments/1s8p24o/turkcell_shaquille_oneal_playing_in_a_turkish/

 

 

 

Sunday, June 28, 2026

Istanbul


I won't say much during this post because the pictures speak for themself. But I must give a big THANK YOU to Hulya's cousin Gülenay for hosting us in Istanbul. From her place we had easy access to the ferry station which took us to the heart of the ancient Ottoman Empire. Now, allow your eyes to feast upon the incredible details which only Istanbul with its extensive history can provide. 

 
 






















After visiting the Blue Mosque where construction began in 1609, we stopped for tea and sweets before continuing to explore the grand bazaar for carpet and light fixtures.



 

 
 
















 

And that concludes the Istanbul experience.  


 
Coming next...Cappadocia!