Arising from our book Travels Abroad, is the Postcards from Abroad Series. Travels Abroad is essentially a chatty travel journal, crammed full of colour photos. But there were other lovely black-and-white photos from those trips, which didn’t fit into the format of that book. This gave rise to four companion books, including this one, Postcards From Turkey: A visual celebration, in black-and-white, of this ancient land of layered civilisations.

When Max and Sue Hoppe visited Bulgaria in 2009 and 2011, they were delighted to discover that the closest airport, to the village where their family lived, was Istanbul, just a three-hour drive away. Turkey had been high on their bucket lists for many years. They used these opportunities to do some exploring and immediately fell in love with this fascinating, friendly, exotic and cosmopolitan country.

Through these “postcards” you’ll:

• wander through ancient Sultanahmet, the old heart of Istanbul
• overlook the Sea of Marmara, the Bosporus and the Golden Horn, bustling waterways
• wonder at the lovely Haggia Sofia and the Blue Mosque
• take a tram to historic Taksim and Galata, with its Medieval tower offering 360 degree views
• discover the hidden gem of the Basilica Cistern
• enjoy a variety of street food
• take an overnight bus to incredible Pammukkale, a hillside covered in white travertine
• Wander through the ancient Greek city, Hierapolis of Phrygia
• Swim in a hot-spring littered with ancient carved pillars
• Travel to Cappadocia, to explore incredible rock formations
• Stay in a hotel room which is an old cave, carved out of rock
• Explore underground cities and churches
• And the cherry on top, take a hot air balloon ride over ‘love valley.’

All this just scratches the surface of the treasures Turkey has to offer.

About the Book

In December 2013 and 2015, Max and Sue Hoppe visited their son, daughter-in-law and two granddaughters in Dubai, To be honest, it was not a place they fancied visiting, and only a strong desire to see the family prompted them to go there. They perceived it to be a paradise for those who like bling, fake snow and designer shopping, none of which held any appeal for them. They would prefer a tent under a bush, in the back-of-beyond, to a five-star hotel in a busy city. As it turned out, they experienced both! And found some of the best places to visit in the UAE. Luckily, their kids have discovered a completely different side to the Emirates than the one usually seen by tourists, and were delighted to share this with them. These “postcards” show some lesser-known but wonderful aspects of the Emirates, such as:

• Riding Arabian horses through the dunes at sunrise and sunset
• Exploring the forbidding Al Hajar Mountains at Ras-al-Khaimah in Fujairah
• Watching racing camels being trained at sunrise
• Visiting the art and museum hub of Sharjah
• Watching a humane and entertaining style of bull fighting in Fujairah
• Exploring ancient mud-built mosques and forts in the desert
• Taking a water-taxi over the Creek in Bur Dubai, the old city
• Seeing how traditional Arabian architecture integrates into modern buildings, and yes, a visit to the Jumeira Palm and Burj Khalifa.
• A visit to a haunted fishing village at sunset
• Buying Pakistani bread, made to order in a tandoor oven
• A road-trip covering 5 of the 7 Emirates in one afternoon

These lovely black-and-white images will fill you with a desire to look beyond the surface, in this fascinating part of the world!

In December 2013 and 2015, Max and Sue Hoppe visited their son, daughter-in-law and two granddaughters in Dubai, To be honest, it was not a place they fancied visiting, and only a strong desire to see the family prompted them to go there. They perceived it to be a paradise for those who like bling, fake snow and designer shopping, none of which held any appeal for them. They would prefer a tent under a bush, in the back-of-beyond, to a five-star hotel in a busy city. As it turned out, they experienced both!

Luckily, their kids have discovered a completely different side to the Emirates than the one usually seen by tourists, and were delighted to share this with them.

These “postcards” show some lesser-known but wonderful aspects of the Emirates, such as:

• Riding Arabian horses through the dunes at sunrise and sunset
• Exploring the forbidding Al Hajar Mountains at Ras-al-Khaimah in Fujairah
• Watching racing camels being trained at sunrise
• Visiting the art and museum hub of Sharjah
• Watching a humane and entertaining style of bull fighting in Fujairah
• Exploring ancient mud-built mosques and forts in the desert
• Taking a water-taxi over the Creek in Bur Dubai, the old city
• Seeing how traditional Arabian architecture integrates into modern buildings, and yes, a visit to the Jumeira Palm and Burj Khalifa.
• A visit to a haunted fishing village at sunset
• Buying Pakistani bread, made to order in a tandoor oven
• A road-trip covering 5 of the 7 Emirates in one afternoon

These lovely black-and-white images will fill you with a desire to look beyond the surface, in this fascinating part of the world!