Turquoise coast

The Turquoise coast, commonly known as the Turkish Riviera, is located on the coast of south west Turkey and lives up to its name. The waters are varying shades of blue and crystal clear. The coastline around Oludeniz is extremely dramatic where tall cliffs plunge into the Aegean Sea. It is very popular with para-gliders who start their journey from Babadağ (a mountain nearly 2000m above sea level) and end it on the beaches of Oludeniz. Oludeniz is also the perfect launch pad for day trips to the neighbouring islands and nearby beaches. Below are just a selection of the many photos taken during a week on the Turquoise coast.

Intense Istanbul

From the architectural beauty of the Blue Mosque to the sound of the calls to prayer and the smell of the narghile (hubbly bubbly, hookah) being smoked, Istanbul is an assault on the senses. The highlights of our visit to Istanbul would have to be the Grand Bazaar, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace and the Spice Bazaar.  The Grand Bazaar is an endless maze of crockery, lamps, jewellery, leather and carpets whereas the Spice Bazaar sells anything from pistachio nougat to Iranian saffron.  Hagia Sophia was completed in 537 AD and has gone from being a church to a mosque to a museum.  The interior is vast and it is humbling to stand inside a building that is nearly 1,500 years old. Topkapi Palace used to be the home of the Ottoman Sultans and is now a museum, of which the harem is the most interesting part.

 The Blue Mosque

Canon EOS 7D

Lens: Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM

ISO 100

Aperture: f/10

Shutter Speed:1/125

 Carpets and Cushions

Canon EOS 7D

Lens: Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

ISO 200

Aperture: f/3.55

Shutter Speed:1/125

 

Teas and Spices

Canon EOS 7D

Lens: Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

ISO 400

Aperture: f/4.0

Shutter Speed:1/60

 

 Shoes for Sale

Canon EOS 7D

Lens: Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

ISO 500

Aperture: f/2.8

Shutter Speed:1/60

Lamps in the Grand Bazaar

Canon EOS 7D

Lens: Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

ISO 250

Aperture: f/3.2

Shutter Speed:1/100

 Colourful bowls

Canon EOS 7D

Lens: Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

ISO 250

Aperture: f/3.2

Shutter Speed:1/100 

 Fresh fish in Karakoy Fish Market

Canon EOS 7D

Lens: Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM

ISO 100

Aperture: f/4.5

Shutter Speed:1/200

 View of Beyoğlu

Canon EOS 7D

Lens: Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

ISO 100

Aperture: f/7.1

Shutter Speed:1/500

Interior of Hagia Sophia

Canon EOS 7D

Lens: Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM

ISO 800

Aperture: f/4.5

Shutter Speed:1/40

Hagia Sophia at Dusk

Canon EOS 7D

Lens: Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

ISO 100

Aperture: f/11

Shutter Speed: 2 s

Sunrise Sunset

Sunrise or sunset?  I can never decide which is my favourite.  Getting up to watch the sunrise can be a bit of a challenge, but more often than not, very rewarding.  It also means that you are making the most of the day (unless you crawl back into bed that is).  Sunsets are often appreciated more on holiday and usually signify the end of a day full of sightseeing or lazing on the beach.  Do I really have to choose?  Well no matter.  Looking at these pictures takes me straight back there.

Sunrise from Mission Beach, Australia

Canon EOS30D

Lens: Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM

ISO 100

Aperture: f/5

Shutter Speed:1/60

Sunrise from Mission Beach, Australia

Canon EOS30D

Lens: Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM

ISO 200

Aperture: f/5

Shutter Speed:1/50

Sunset from Little Venice, Mykonos

Canon EOS30D

Lens: Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM

ISO 200

Aperture: f/9

Shutter Speed:1/400

Sunset on La Palma, Canary Islands

Canon EOS30D

Lens: Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM

ISO 250

Aperture: f/8

Shutter Speed:1/320

Working at sunset, Mykonos

Canon EOS30D

Lens: Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM

ISO 100

Aperture: f/6.3

Shutter Speed:1/320

The Windmills, Mykonos

Canon EOS30D

Lens: Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM

ISO 200

Aperture: f/10

Shutter Speed:1/800

Sunset over the Elaphite Islands, Croatia

Canon EOS 7D

Lens: Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM

ISO 100

Aperture: f/7.1

Shutter Speed:1/500

Highveld sunset, South Africa

Canon EOS30D

Lens: Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM

ISO 100

Aperture: f/8

Shutter Speed:1/125