Who: Nita and Larry Brown of Lone Tree
Where: Istanbul, with the Blue Mosque in the background
Best meal: Mezes are starters. There are hundreds of varie-
ties – hummus, yogurt-based spreads, eggplant-based spreads, sea beans, stuffed grape leaves. They are very fresh and served with bread. It was so hot during our visit that we made these our lunch and dinner many days.
Best deal: Renting a car and doing a self-tour. Be sure to rent an economical car, because gasoline is about $8 per gallon. We loved the independence of having our own schedule and going where we wanted to go. Essential to doing this is investigating hotels prior to the trip.
Best time to go: Spring is the best time to visit. The temperatures are comfortable, and the days are longer. The historic sites are less crowded.
Best travel trip: We heard that few Americans visit because Turkey is 99 percent Muslim and thought to be not friendly to Americans due to world events. Many Europeans vacation there. We found the people to be very warm and helpful. Accommodations at every level are available.
