Pamukkale: everything you need to know about visiting Turkey's most popular attraction

The travertine steps and ancient ruins at Pamukkale are a Unesco World Heritage Site  Photo: Alamy What is Pamukkale?

The surreal, brilliant white travertine terraces and warm, limpid pools of Pamukkale hang, like the petrified cascade of a mighty waterfall, from the rim of a steep valley side in Turkey's picturesque southwest. Truly spectacular in its own right, the geological phenomenon that is Pamukkale, literally "Cotton Castle" in Turkish, is also the site of the remarkably well-preserved ruins of the Greek-Roman city of Hierapolis. With such a unique combination of natural and man-made wonders it's little wonder that Pamukkale-Hierapolis has been made a Unesco World Heritage site. With over two million visitors annually, it is also Turkey's single most visited attraction.

Why go?

There are dramatic travertine terraces dotted all around the globe, from China to Iran, the USA to Afghanistan. But nowhere else in the world can visitors enjoy exploring both picturesque travertine formations, built up over the millennia from limestone deposited by the abundant hot springs, and the colonnaded streets, temples, bath houses, necropolis and theatre of the remains of an idyllically located Greek-Roman spa city, Hierapolis. You can even bathe, as the Romans once did, in a picturesque pool filled with warm (around 36C), mineral rich waters and swim amongst submerged columns of great antiquity.

How to get to Pamukkale

Pamukkale-Hierapolis is situated on the western rim of the vast Anatolian plateau, around 120 miles east of the popular Aegean resort cum cruise ship port of Kusadasi, near Ephesus. Most visitors come on gruelling day trips from Aegean or Mediterranean resorts. The easiest way to visit under your own steam is to hire a car - the drive takes around three hours from Kusadasi, four from Antalya and Marmaris, five from Bodrum. Alternatively comfortable inter-city coaches run to Denizli, the nearest city to Pamukkale, from all the aforementioned places and take around the same time as driving. Frequent buses and minibus es make the 40 minute run between Denizli's bus station and Pamukkale. Turkish Airlines (turkishairlines.com) and Pegasus (flypgs.com) both fly to Denizli's Cardak airport from Istanbul. Rail buffs might be interested in the four times daily service between Izmir and Denizli, via Selcuk.

• The best drives along the Turquoise coast

At Hierapolis you can bathe in hot mineral waters   Photo: Turkish tourist board

How to avoid the crowds

The best way to enjoy an uncrowded visit is to spend the night in Pamukkale village, which has plenty of accommodation (see below), then explore the formations and ancient site the following morning. The vast majority of day-trippers don't arrive until the afternoon after the long drive-in from the coast. Late-afternoon/dusk are espec ially busy. Pamukkale is also relatively uncrowded in winter (November through to March), especially on weekdays. It can, though, be cold and even snowy.

The best way to enjoy an uncrowded visit is to spend the night in Pamukkale village, then explore the formations the following morning.   Photo: Turkish tourist board

Tips for visiting Pamukkale

The best way to approach the ancient site is to walk up through the formations on the travertine path, starting at the south gate to the site. You are not permitted to wear shoes or even sandals to do this (to prevent eroding or staining the delicate calcite deposits) so bring your footwear (and everything else you'll need for exploring the ancient ru ins) along in a bag. Wearing swimwear allows you to splash in the warm, aquamarine pools en-route, and later swim in the antique pool at the top of the terracing. Allow the whole day to make the most of the travertines, pools and remains - bring a picnic lunch (and plenty of water/suncream etc in mid-summer).

• Turquoise Coast travel guide

Opening times and admission fees

Hierapolis/Pamukkale travertines joint site entry: 25TL (£6). Open Nov-March 6am-6.30pm, April-Oct 6am-midnight.

Antique pool entry: 32TL (£7.50). Open Nov-March 8am-5.30pm, April-Oct 8am-7.30pm.

Bring swimming gear to dip in the turquoise pools  Photo: Alamy Where to stay nearby

Recommended accommodation in pleasant Pamukkale village includes Melrose Hotel (melrosehousehotel.com) and the dearer Hotel Hal -Tur (haltur.net).

• The best hotels on the Turquoise Coast

Ask the experts

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About Terry Richardson

Terry Richardson is the author of The Rough Guide to Istanbul, co-author of The Rough Guide to Turkey, and writes frequently about Istanbul for a well-known English-language Turkish newspaper. He also helps to research and lead trips to Istanbul and elsewhere in Turkey for a specialist archaeology/history travel company.

• Find out about our other experts

Source: Pamukkale: everything you need to know about visiting Turkey's most popular attraction

Sojern's Q2 Global Travel Insights Report Uncovers New Globally Trending Destinations and Offers Fall Travel Forecast

SAN FRANCISCO, July 30, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Sojern, the world's leading performance marketing platform for travel brands, today released its Q2 Global Travel Insights Report based on the rigorous analysis of more than a billion traveler intent data points across the globe.

Q2 2015 Global Travel Trends: The Bird's Eye View

Compared with the previous two quarters, travelers across studied regions searched for destinations closer to home, eschewing long-haul trips in favor of domestic and regional trips. Globally, the most searched destinations during the second quarter of the year were: the United States, Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Portugal, Turkey, Greece and Russia. The latter re-entered the list after a quarter's hiatus, replacing Thailand.

Destinations with the Most Dramatic Rise in Traveler Interest Year on Year

Beyond the top 10, here are the destinations that captured the most traveler interest by region since summer 2014:

In North America, Haiti moved up 34 ranks since summer 2014, after experiencing a dramatic decline in tourism in the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake, followed by Iceland, up 11 spots. 

In Western Europe, Cuba pushed up 12 places to position 41, thanks to a lot of media attention and the detente with the US. Czech Republic, Iceland and Romania each moved seven places up in the ranking.

For travelers from Latin America, Aruba's appeal increased over last year, pushing it up 11 spots, followed, by Hungary, up 10 spots. The latter is one of the more affordable European destinations, as a non-Eurozone country.

In Southeast Asia, Bangladesh moved up eight spots and Qatar seven since summer 2014.

For travelers from the Middle East, Sudan gained the most popularity (up 24 spots), followed closely by Bosnia and Herzegovina (21 spots), a country which the World Tourism Organization estimates will have the third highest tourism growth rate in the world by 2020.

Cuba Continues To Gain Interest from Travelers Globally

Cuba continued its upward trajectory this past quarter, moving up another spot since Q1, to position 14 on the list of top 20 most popular Caribbean destinations for Americans. That is a five-place jump up from number 19 back in December 2014, which means that now Cuba ranks higher than Antigua and Barbuda, Curacao, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and the British Virgin Islands. The Caribbean island state also moved up on West Europeans' radars, climbing 12 places since summer 2014.

Greece Remains Tourist Magnet, In Spite of Financial Troubles

Source: Sojern's Q2 Global Travel Insights Report Uncovers New Globally Trending Destinations and Offers Fall Travel Forecast

Western sanctions prompt many Russians to choose Armenia as summer vacation destination

YEREVAN, July 29. / ARKA /. The growing number of Russian tourists visiting Armenia is prompted by Western sanctions against Russia, according to Aharon Adibekyan, head of a Yerevan-based Sociometer polling center.

According to recent data, released by Yandex.Travel, fewer and fewer Russian tourists search for their  summer vacation in Greece, Spain, Turkey and Italy, which used to be among their top choices. Russian searches on the web recorded a serious drop of about 27% in June in Greece compared to the same period last year. Notable losses of approximately 40% and 35.6%, respectively, were also recorded in Spain and Italy.

Speaking at a news conference today Adibekyan said many Russians are not willing to spend their summer vacations in countries which they had already visited and choose Armenia that attracts them with its food and novelty.

Russian Travel.ru included Armenia's capital city Yerevan into the top-3 most visited summer holiday destinations by Russian tourists in the CIS in 2015. According to Adibekyan, in order to spur up the interest of foreign tourists in Armenia local travel agencies and other related services should offer something specific, both in terms of food and attractions.

According to the ministry of economy, the number of foreign tourists visiting Armenia in 2014 increased by 11.3% from the previous year to over 1.2 million people. As for domestic tourism figure, in 2014 it surged by 28.4% to around 859,000 people -0-

16:17 29.07.2015

Source: Western sanctions prompt many Russians to choose Armenia as summer vacation destination

Why Turkey-KRG ties will likely trump Kurdish solidarity

BEIRUT // The government of Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish region is in an awkward position after Turkey resumed strikes against the militant Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in northern Iraq, ending a ceasefire in place since 2013.

Despite a bitter past, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) was thrown into de facto alliances with both Turkey and the PKK in recent years.

In the space of a decade, Iraq's Kurds went from fearing that a Turkish invasion would crush their hopes for independence to becoming strong economic partners with Ankara.

Despite initial mutual suspicion, Turkey quickly found the oil-rich, landlocked and relatively peaceful KRG a ripe market for trade. And in Turkey, the KRG found a destination for its oil. Both sides benefited.

After the KRG solidified control over northern Iraq in the years following the 2003 US invasion, the PKK retained a presence in the Qandil Mountains — which extend into Turkey — where they launched attacks on Turkish forces. Most other Kurds in Iraq had let go of this fight, settling for the autonomy and prosperity won after years of persecution. The more radical PKK were unwanted guests in the KRG and the two sides did not get along. But the KRG did little to bother them and the PKK kept their troubles confined to the remote, mountainous border region.

But when ISIL began launching major assaults on Iraqi Kurdistan last year, the KRG and PKK found themselves fighting as allies on strained front lines. The KRG allowed the PKK to move forces and weapons out of its secluded bases and across Iraqi Kurdistan to aid in the defence and the PKK played an important role in protecting Mount Sinjar on the border with Syria.

As ISIL's attacks against Kurdish forces in Iraq and Syria expanded, long-standing and sometimes violent intra-Kurdish rivalries gave way to a unified front to protect the ethnic group. The PKK, its Syrian affiliate YPG and the KRG's Peshmerga fighters found themselves on the same battlefields, momentarily leaving their political splits aside.

As with the PKK, the KRG has been at odds with the more militant nationalism propagated by the YPG and has at times aimed at vying for influence in Kurdish areas of Syria. But after ISIL, the KRG and YPG find themselves in the same fight.

So too did the YPG become the United States' spear tip against ISIL in Syria, coordinating air strikes and driving major offensives where no other ISIL opponents could. (While the US considers the PKK to be a terrorist organisation, they do not bestow the same distinction on the YPG.)

Popularity for the YPG and PKK soared.

But then, the KRG's two odd bedfellows – Turkey and the PKK – again found themselves at war.

Turkish news reports of the operations lumped ISIL and PKK into the same category.

Observers of Turkish-Kurdish relations have pinned the sudden move against the PKK as an attempt by Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan to build support for his AK party and snowball anti-Kurdish sentiment ahead of snap elections. Analysts say that the move is also likely acting as a counterweight to any domestic opposition to the country's decision to allow the US to use the Incirlik airbase from which to bomb Syria and Iraq.

For the KRG, which continues to battle ISIL, the latest regional developments have presented a tricky situation.

"The KRG is in a very tight spot," said Henri Barkey, director of the Middle East programme at the Woodrow Wilson International Centre for Scholars. "The KRG is completely dependent on Turkey. [Kurdish president Masoud] Barzani has a tacit alliance with Erdogan."

"But in the eyes of Kurds, the perception that the KRG is with Turkey is very problematic," he added.

After Turkey struck the PKK, Mr Barzani expressed his displeasure to Turkish prime minister Ahmed Davutoglu and asked that Ankara not escalate the situation.

While Mr Barzani may face criticism from fellow Kurds for remaining close to a country that is now bombing militants who have protected the minority group against ISIL, analysts say that the economic dependence of Iraqi Kurdistan on Turkey will likely ensure that the KRG and Ankara remain close.

"The KRG is completely landlocked. Where are you going to turn to? Turkey is their exit out. Turkey is their main trade route. Turkey is their main source of investment. Turkey is the main source where they are sending their exports of oil," said Mr Barkey. "Where are they going to go? They are completely stuck."

Bayar Dosky, a lecturer at the American University Duhok Kurdistan, agreed on the KRG's economic dependence on Turkey, saying that the oil pipeline which connects the two is the only thing keeping the KRG afloat.

"The KRG doesn't have any other option. They are completely dependent on that pipeline to get enough money to fight against ISIL, to pay its employees' salaries as they are not getting their budget from Baghdad yet," he said.

Mr Dosky said that before ISIL began its assault on Iraqi Kurdistan, the KRG and Turkey were in a "honeymoon" phase of their relationship, characterised by frequent visits by KRG leaders to Ankara. That sentiment changed slightly with ISIL's onslaught, he said, as more Kurds saw Turkey do little to counter ISIL's gains in the region. But the economic ties remain strong.

Meanwhile, Michael Knights, an Iraq specialist with the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, downplayed the relationship between the PKK and KRG, saying that political powers in the KRG see the PKK as rivals and likely want to see their power deteriorated.

"The KRG and PKK are not really de facto allies under the surface: They're rivals who share the same physical space and who are fighting the same enemy, ISIS," he said.

"But in Syria, Sinjar and Qandil, the Barzanis and the PKK have an escalating rivalry. As a result, I don't think the KDP (Barzani's Kurdistan Democratic Party) is at all concerned that the PKK were struck by Turkey," he said.

"KDP wants the PKK to be reduced in capability at this time. PKK are a potential spoiler in the Ankara-Erbil alliance and a political rival to the KDP."

foreign.desk@thenational.ae

Source: Why Turkey-KRG ties will likely trump Kurdish solidarity

All the ice cream you can eat? Now that’s a Turkey Hill Experience!

By Peg DeGrassapdegrassa@delconewsnetwork.com

Every summer, I try to think of a new day trip or two to take with my grandchildren when they visit for a month from out of state. I have to give it some thought because their ages run the gamut from one to fifteen so the destination has to please them all. Being the itch that I am, I always want to try something new, somewhere I've never been before and have yet to discover myself. Luckily, living in the tri-state area, we never run out of options. This year, for one of our little road trips, we decided to head to Lancaster (Columbia, PA to be exact) to check out the "Turkey Hill Experience."

Who doesn't like ice cream, right? Even those of us down here in Wawa territory occasionally enjoy Turkey Hill ice cream, novelties and beverages. I thought it would be fun to go check out this new kid on the block, that just recently opened in 2011. The 17,000 square foot attraction highlights Turkey Hill's history while demonstrating its ice cream and iced tea-making proce sses.

Doorstep to doorstep, it took us about an hour and a half to get there from Delaware County. Turkey Hill Experience is not the factory where the products are made. We were told that's down the road from the "Experience," as are the dairy farms where the cows, the most essential part of the whole operation, are located. Rather, this is an attraction to educate consumers how the product is made, packaged and delivered to stores across the nation. All this education is done in a way that's fun for the entire family with fake mechanical cows to milk, a real-life delivery truck to pretend driving, a homogenization ball pit and and an ice cream theater (inside a giant ice cream container) to watch a video about the ice cream making process.

Lots of technology is incorporated into Turkey Hill Experience. Visitors can formulate their own ice cream flavor and name it, design their own ice cream carton and even create their own commercial to market their personalized new flavor. The whole thing is then sent to visitors' home computers to share through social media with family and friends.

To top it off, visitors can visit the "Taste Lab" where they are given a large bowl full of vanilla ice cream. In the lab, visitors can add their own flavor extracts to the base, such as caramel, chocolate, coffee or others, as well as add some mix-ins like nuts, candies, fruits, espresso beans and such. They then place their new concoction into a commercial freezer. When the time is up, visitors get to eat their finished product or take it home if they live closeby. I know this sounds an awful lot like Delco's FroYo places (think Yogurtland or Mango), but the instructors wear lab coats at Turkey Hill Experience and it's set up to look like a laboratory too, which makes the whole thing really feel like you're in a lab.

I forgot to mention that throughout the entire Turkey Hill Experience, visitors can sample all the ice cream they could possibly eat. Come to think of it, the place might not be quite as much fun if a person is lactose-intolerant. There are all kinds of flavors to sample (and the sample cups are ample size, comparable to a small cup of ice cream if you ordered it elsewhere). My group's hands-down favorites were Moose Tracks, Phillies Graham Slam and Party Cake flavors. Additionally, there's a Tea Room, where visitors can have all the samples of tea, lemonade, iced coffee and other Turkey Hill beverages they desire (up to 20 different varieties of beverages are available). As a side note, the Iced Mocha Latte was awesome! There's no doubt that by the time visitors reach the Taste Lab, they are quite filled to the brim from the limitless ice cream and cold drinks.

The entire Turnkey Hill Experience was really cute—all the kids, and adults included, really enjoyed themselves because it was something different (and all the ice cream one can eat didn't hurt the positive reviews either).The experience is definitely aimed at families, and there are plenty of photo/selfie taking opportunities at each exhibit, which seem s to always be a plus these days for young and old alike. We all learned a lot about the ice cream and beverage industry (Did you know in 2014, that Butter Pecan replaced Vanilla as the most popular flavor of Turkey Hill ice cream?). In fact, on the ride home, we laughed as we quizzed one another on various Turkey Hill facts that we had learned that day. We had all been transformed into walking, talking Turkey Hill ice cream encyclopedias.

The Turkey Hill Experience reminded me somewhat of the Crayola Factory in Easton, PA for some reason. Both attractions are all about products (crayons and ice cream) that gave us good vibes when we were younger and provoke good feelings in us now that we're older.

Everyone who worked at Turkey Hill Experience was really friendly, courteous and nice, which made our visit there extra special. The exhibit area was really contained too, so the kids could basically run amok pretty freely from activity to activity without lines or restrict ions. Downstairs, upon entrance and exit, there is a unique gift shop with, what else, but Turkey Hill everything!

We could have truthfully spent more time at Turkey Hill Experience, but we had reservations at Strasburg Railroad and we knew the last train was at 3 pm. When planning our little road trip, we had decided to split our day and visit both of these family-friendly Lancaster-area attractions. Luckily, on the day we visited Strasburg, it was one of the Thomas The Tank Days so we had the extra bonus of activities for young children going on in addition to the 45-minute, round-trip  larger-than-life steam train ride through the tranquil Amish countryside to Paradise, PA and back. Continued...

Years ago, when my children were little (they are now in their 20s and 30s), we visited Strasburg Railroad, but I truthfully forgot how enjoyable it is. The train ride in one of the beautiful antique first class train cars, was relaxing as we rolled along at a leisurely pace, passing by more than 1,000 acres of farm fields. Again, the staff was friendly, polite and knowledgeable which made the experience a feel-good, positive one. After all the hoopla of Turkey Hill, it was nice to kick back on the comfortable velvet seats in the train car and just veg for awhile, imagining being a rider of yesteryear.

When we disembarked the train, we walked through the tents full of Thomas the Tank products and activities and browsed through some of the unique gift shops on the grounds, concluding with a stop at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. Now, honestly, I am not much into trains, but I still enjoyed the exhibits highlighting the history and technology of railroading and the interactive , hands-on education center. I delighted in watching my grandchildren discover and learn about railroading, the industry that basically built our nation. For those who are fully into trains, this would be a train-lover's utopia.

For directions, admission prices and more information on Strasburg Railroad or the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, visit www.strasburgrailroad.com or call 1-866-725-9666. For more information on the Turkey Hill Experience, visitwww.turkeyhillexperience.com or call 1-844-VISIT-TH.

If you go to either or both places, I hope you enjoy the little day trip as much as my crew did. Originally, when we had planned the day, we were going to sneak in a Lancaster family-style lunch in between both attractions. However, on the actual day, we were so full from all the ice cream eating we did at the Turkey Hill Experience, that we skipped lunch altogether and finished our day waiting out one of those infamous summer storms while eating dinner at the Cra cker Barrel on Route 30 in Lancaster. If I ever go again, I must remember to eat breakfast first so I don't OD on the ice cream samples as we surely did this time around.

Lancaster is one of those versatile destinations like going into Philly or down to the Jersey Shore. No matter how many times you go, there are always new and exciting things to do and see. My grandchildren are here for another two weeks. We are busy planning another fun day trip or two in the tri-state area to make more lasting memories together and share some more priceless quality time. Isn't this really what summer is all about?

Readers can e-mail Peg DeGrassa at pdegrassa@delconewsnetwork.com or write her c/o DCNN, 1914 Parker Ave., Holmes, PA 19043.

Every summer, I try to think of a new day trip or two to take with my grandchildren when they visit for a month from out of state. I have to give it some thought because their ages run the gamut from one to fifteen so the destination has to please them all. Being the itch that I am, I always want to try something new, somewhere I've never been before and have yet to discover myself. Luckily, living in the tri-state area, we never run out of options. This year, for one of our little road trips, we decided to head to Lancaster (Columbia, PA to be exact) to check out the "Turkey Hill Experience."

Who doesn't like ice cream, right? Even those of us down here in Wawa territory occasionally enjoy Turkey Hill ice cream, novelties and beverages. I thought it would be fun to go check out this new kid on the block, that just recently opened in 2011. The 17,000 square foot attraction highlights Turkey Hill's history while demonstrating its ice cream and iced tea-making processes.

Doorstep to doorstep, it took us about an hour and a half to get there from Delaware County. Turkey Hill Experience is not the factory where the products are made. We were told that's down the road from the "Experience," as are the dairy farms where the cows, the most essential part of the whole operation, are located. Rather, this is an attraction to educate consumers how the product is made, packaged and delivered to stores across the nation. All this education is done in a way that's fun for the entire family with fake mechanical cows to milk, a real-life delivery truck to pretend driving, a homogenization ball pit and and an ice cream theater (inside a giant ice cream container) to watch a video about the ice cream making process.

Lots of technology is incorporated into Turkey Hill Experience. Visitors can formulate their own ice cream flavor and name it, design their own ice cream carton and even create their own commercial to market their personalized new fl avor. The whole thing is then sent to visitors' home computers to share through social media with family and friends.

To top it off, visitors can visit the "Taste Lab" where they are given a large bowl full of vanilla ice cream. In the lab, visitors can add their own flavor extracts to the base, such as caramel, chocolate, coffee or others, as well as add some mix-ins like nuts, candies, fruits, espresso beans and such. They then place their new concoction into a commercial freezer. When the time is up, visitors get to eat their finished product or take it home if they live closeby. I know this sounds an awful lot like Delco's FroYo places (think Yogurtland or Mango), but the instructors wear lab coats at Turkey Hill Experience and it's set up to look like a laboratory too, which makes the whole thing really feel like you're in a lab.

I forgot to mention that throughout the entire Turkey Hill Experience, visitors can sample all the ice cream they could possib ly eat. Come to think of it, the place might not be quite as much fun if a person is lactose-intolerant. There are all kinds of flavors to sample (and the sample cups are ample size, comparable to a small cup of ice cream if you ordered it elsewhere). My group's hands-down favorites were Moose Tracks, Phillies Graham Slam and Party Cake flavors. Additionally, there's a Tea Room, where visitors can have all the samples of tea, lemonade, iced coffee and other Turkey Hill beverages they desire (up to 20 different varieties of beverages are available). As a side note, the Iced Mocha Latte was awesome! There's no doubt that by the time visitors reach the Taste Lab, they are quite filled to the brim from the limitless ice cream and cold drinks.

The entire Turnkey Hill Experience was really cute—all the kids, and adults included, really enjoyed themselves because it was something different (and all the ice cream one can eat didn't hurt the positive reviews either).The exper ience is definitely aimed at families, and there are plenty of photo/selfie taking opportunities at each exhibit, which seems to always be a plus these days for young and old alike. We all learned a lot about the ice cream and beverage industry (Did you know in 2014, that Butter Pecan replaced Vanilla as the most popular flavor of Turkey Hill ice cream?). In fact, on the ride home, we laughed as we quizzed one another on various Turkey Hill facts that we had learned that day. We had all been transformed into walking, talking Turkey Hill ice cream encyclopedias.

The Turkey Hill Experience reminded me somewhat of the Crayola Factory in Easton, PA for some reason. Both attractions are all about products (crayons and ice cream) that gave us good vibes when we were younger and provoke good feelings in us now that we're older.

Everyone who worked at Turkey Hill Experience was really friendly, courteous and nice, which made our visit there extra special. The exhibit area was really contained too, so the kids could basically run amok pretty freely from activity to activity without lines or restrictions. Downstairs, upon entrance and exit, there is a unique gift shop with, what else, but Turkey Hill everything!

We could have truthfully spent more time at Turkey Hill Experience, but we had reservations at Strasburg Railroad and we knew the last train was at 3 pm. When planning our little road trip, we had decided to split our day and visit both of these family-friendly Lancaster-area attractions. Luckily, on the day we visited Strasburg, it was one of the Thomas The Tank Days so we had the extra bonus of activities for young children going on in addition to the 45-minute, round-trip  larger-than-life steam train ride through the tranquil Amish countryside to Paradise, PA and back.

Years ago, when my children were little (they are now in their 20s and 30s), we visited Strasburg Railroad, but I truthfully forgot how enjoyable it is. The train ride in one of the beautiful antique first class train cars, was relaxing as we rolled along at a leisurely pace, passing by more than 1,000 acres of farm fields. Again, the staff was friendly, polite and knowledgeable which made the experience a feel-good, positive one. After all the hoopla of Turkey Hill, it was nice to kick back on the comfortable velvet seats in the train car and just veg for awhile, imagining being a rider of yesteryear.

When we disembarked the train, we walked through the tents full of Thomas the Tank products and activities and browsed through some of the unique gift shops on the grounds, concluding with a stop at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. Now, honestly, I am not much into trains, but I still enjoyed the exhibits highlighting the history and technology of railroading and the interactive, hands-on education center. I delighted in watching my grandchildren discover and learn about railroading, the industry that basically built our nation. For those who are fully into trains, this would be a train-lover's utopia.

For directions, admission prices and more information on Strasburg Railroad or the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, visit www.strasburgrailroad.com or call 1-866-725-9666. For more information on the Turkey Hill Experience, visitwww.turkeyhillexperience.com or call 1-844-VISIT-TH.

If you go to either or both places, I hope you enjoy the little day trip as much as my crew did. Originally, when we had planned the day, we were going to sneak in a Lancaster family-style lunch in between both attractions. However, on the actual day, we were so full from all the ice cream eating we did at the Turkey Hill Experience, that we skipped lunch altogether and finished our day waiting out one of those infamous summer storms while eating dinner at the Cracker Barrel on Route 30 in Lancaster. If I ever go again, I must remember to eat breakfast first so I don't OD on the ice cream samples as we surely did th is time around.

Lancaster is one of those versatile destinations like going into Philly or down to the Jersey Shore. No matter how many times you go, there are always new and exciting things to do and see. My grandchildren are here for another two weeks. We are busy planning another fun day trip or two in the tri-state area to make more lasting memories together and share some more priceless quality time. Isn't this really what summer is all about?

Readers can e-mail Peg DeGrassa at pdegrassa@delconewsnetwork.com or write her c/o DCNN, 1914 Parker Ave., Holmes, PA 19043.

Source: All the ice cream you can eat? Now that's a Turkey Hill Experience!

Greece survives as top holiday destination for Romanians

Greece remains the top holiday destination for Romanians considering the number of tour packages sold by local agencies.

From a turnover perspective, however, Turkey has become the best-selling destination, as packages to Turkey are more expensive, said Alin Burcea, first vice president of the National Association of Travel Agencies (ANAT), cited by local Economica.net.

The number of holidays booked for Greece went down during the two weeks when the country's economic situation was uncertain, but the sales resumed after the country reached an agreement with the international institutions, said Burcea. The holidays booked for the Romanian seaside have increased compared to last year, and they could reach a 2-5% growth.

Tourists continue to buy last-minute offers while for the agencies, early bookings represent the most important category, Burcea added.

editor@romania-insider.com

Source: Greece survives as top holiday destination for Romanians

Patara, Turkey: Secret Seaside

At 11 miles, unspoilt Patara is Turkey's longest beach. Even more important, Patara has escaped the development that mars many lesser beaches around the Mediterranean thanks to the ruins of the once mighty ancient city from which the beach gets its name, and the resident Loggerhead turtles, a protected species which has been laying its eggs here for the past 40 million years.

From the south-east end of the beach, you can admire the distant towering limestone peaks of Lycia. At their feet sprawls a fertile plain, where farmers grow tomatoes, sweet peppers, aubergines and other Mediterranean staples. Between this cultivated land and the serried ranks of umbrella pine-fringed dunes nuzzling the beach, a patchwork of limpid lagoons forms a haven for wildlife. You may catch the croaks of frogs or the trills of wading birds above the crash of breaking waves. To the right, a mountain ridge plunging into the turquoise sea marks the furthest extent of the beach. Gaze we st, across low waves curling gently across the vast expanse of sandy shallows that make this beach so attractive to families, to the Greek island of Rhodes, 50 miles offshore. With the exception of the small café, there is nothing man-made in sight.

Fortunately for holidaymakers, the low-key, low-rise village-cum-resort of Gelemi (which is also referred to as Patara) lies in a shallow valley a little over a mile inland. Centred around a few restaurants, shops and bars, the village didn't come into existence until the Fifties, when the nomadic pastoralists who spent their summers high in the Lycian mountains and their summers on the plains around here, decided to establish a permanent base.

To reach the beach, you pass through the ruins  Photo: ALAMY

No tour companies operate in Patara, so everyt hing is independent. The pensions and eating and drinking places are run by local families; most of the delicious food is produced locally. The only beach café is run by the local authority, and profits are ploughed back into the area. This café is also the place to hire beach loungers and umbrellas.

• Turkey summer holidays guide • Turquoise Coast travel guide • The top 10 beach holidays in Turkey

To reach the beach, you pass through the ruins, which have an admission charge of £1.25. However, those staying for a few days can purchase a site and beach pass, which allows 10 visits, for £1.85; under 12s are free. Note that the beach is off-limits between sunset and 8.30am.

Patara has escaped the development that mars many lesser beaches around the Mediterranean  Photo: ALAMY

Founded by the mysterious Lycians, Patara became an important city in the Roman Empire. Its surviving buildings – a monumental triumphal arch, newly restored council chamber, bathhouses, temples, colonnaded streets, theatre and much more – are fascinating to explore. A team of archaeologists from Antalya University excavate here each summer, and millions have been spent on reconstructing important buildings.

With the exception of the small café, there is nothing man-made in sight Terry Richardson
Source: Patara, Turkey: Secret Seaside

The long way around: Couple and their pet cat who travelled to India without getting on a plane or using a smartphone (it only took them 500 days to get there)

Marta Martinez Samalea, 31, from Spain, and Boris Kanev, 25, from Bulgaria embarked on an epic 511-day adventure

Couple crossed Turkey, Iraqi Kurdistan and Iran, the Central Asian desert, China, Burma, before arriving in India

They faced hitchhiking misunderstandings, encounters with nasty dogs, and Boris went to hospital with gallstones

But the pair maintain that trusting strangers allowed them to see things many travellers miss out on 

By Emily Payne for MailOnline

Published: 02:44 EST, 22 July 2015 | Updated: 07:09 EST, 22 July 2015

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It seems that even holidays cannot escape our ever-growing obsession with and dependence on technology. Most travellers are constantly documenting their trips, snapping photos and relying on smartphones to get them from A to B. 

But one young couple decided to do it the old-fashioned way, ditching their smartphones and hitchhiking from their home country of Bulgaria all the way to India - without even getting on a plane.

Boris Kanev, 25, from Bulgaria and Marta Martinez Samalea, 31, originally from Spain, embarked on an epic 511-day adventure hitchhiking across Turkey and the Caucasus, Iraqi Kurdistan and Iran, the Central Asian desert, China and Burma before finally arriving in India. 

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Marta Samalea, 31, travelled with her boyfriend Boris Kanev, 25, from Bulgaria to India overland, via Turkey, I ran, China and Burma

Foreign lands: The distinctive cone-shaped rock formations of the otherworldly beauty of Cappadocia, in central Turkey

The couple set themselves the mission to reach India overland, both as a destination and an excuse to see the countries in between

'What we really wanted to do was an overland journey, and thought of getting a van, or bicycles,' Marta told MailOnline Travel. 'But we simply loved hitchhiking and it felt like a good way to sneak into everyday life in different places, it's a great way to meet people and stories that would not cross your way otherwise.

'We had set ourselves the mission to reach India overland, both as a destination and an excuse to see what's in between, and step on the map. And the route was totally uncertain at the start, although we had a rough idea of all the possibilities, bureaucracies and issues we could encounter. 

'We left our home in Sofia on a rainy October afternoon, and the road east took us to Turkey and the Caucasus, where we spent our first (and last) winter. 

Marta and Burma the cat, who the couple found on their travels. 'We really enjoy the simplicity of hitchhiking, walking, hiking,' Marta says

Different worlds: A woman carries her baby in the Ban Nalan village, in Laos, one of the last pit stops of the couple's journey

'With the spring we moved on to the Middle East, and celebrated Nowrooz in Iraqi Kurdistan and Iran. From ther e, the route shifted northwards and we crossed the Central Asian desert, steppe and mountains all the way to China and then to South East Asia. 

'When we thought that our journey had taken us too far, and that if we wanted to visit India we would need to fly, we found the door open via Burma and arrived to the Indian subcontinent through its north eastern border in Manipur. Since then we roam around, enjoying very slowly each and every state we pass through.

The couple - who are still in India and have now spent 22 months on the road - chose to travel simply, without aeroplanes or smartphones, which meant they were dependent on hitchhiking, hand-written maps and the kindness of strangers. They have posted updates on their blog and Facebook page. 

Marta didn't think Burma the cat would survive, but she is still strong after five months, 'looking for a handsome tomcat in the backya rd'

The rainbow mountains of Hormoz, in Iran. The couple were dependent on hitchhiking, hand-written maps and the kindness of strangers

'We really enjoy the simplicity of hitchhiking, walking, hiking, ' says Marta. 'An overland travel is a wonderful chance to see that the earth is one, and how landscapes are shaped by cultures, coloured by the peculiarities of the inhabitants across each border.'

'We think that trusting strangers is totally worth it. This way of travel has brought us to many more homes, yards and gardens, encounters and conversations than it brought us troubles and we have a wonderful bunch of friends we would like to see again sometime. Now, when we look at a map of Asia, it is not just monuments and landscapes that we see, but a whole book of stories of everyday lives.'

'Hitchhiking was tough under the snow or the scorching sun, w e were often afraid of camping under the storms and the speed of some cars made our hair grow grey, but so it would be if we travelled by bus. 

Boris on the road in Tibet before the couple crossed Burma and arrived to the Indian subcontinent through its north-eastern border

'China was another world, a mosaic of cultures, and we will definitely return one day to Tibetan lands,' says Marta

'We just had a couple of little misunderstandings here and there, and no big threats so far. But we encountered all other sorts of issues along the way, which spiced up the travel in their own way. 

'For a while Boris travelled with an empty backpack, because he had been stolen in a park, and we had encounters with nasty dogs, and Boris once ended up in a hospital due to gallstones. These things are no fun when they happen, but looking at them in the past, are par t of the story. A bit of challenge sometimes makes us wake up from our happy hippy travel mood.' 

'We were probably at our best in Turkey, ready for the travel ahead, and in spring time while crossing from Iraq to Iran, and then we got really tired because one can sleep little under the heat of the summer sun, but recovered slowly in Central Asia thanks to the stunning nature around us.

The landscape of the Sherkala mountain province, in Kazakhstan. The couple say that Central Asia was probably their favourite area

'Overland travel is a wonderful chance to see that the earth is one, and how landscapes are shaped by cultures,' says Marta

'By the time we reached Laos, having crossed the steppe, the deserts, the mountains, we had kind of forgotten that planes exist at all, and felt that we were very, very far away from home, so far away that it was almost unbearable, we were like trapped in our own travel, like when you are conscious that you are dreaming but you can't wake up. 

'So we stared at the map for days and nights, until we realized with joy that the way to India was now the way home. 

'And to top up the hard moments with some comfort, we found a volunteering opportunity, then a house sitting one - places to rest and catch up with ourselves for a while, and friends came to visit and there was the magic of Skype.'

Marta drawing at Mandu archaeological site, in India, where the couple are still living a simple life along with their cat, Burma

'The Caucasus was tough over winter, but we experienced a whole new kind of hospitality in the Georgian villages and we will definitely go back in any other season. We were in awe with the landscapes of Iraqi Kurdistan, and we would need a whole book to contain the wonders of Iran. 

'Central Asia was probably our favourite area, from the Kazakh steppe to the Kyrgyz mountains, and we enjoyed endless hours in every home and admired every piece of craft.

'China was another world, a mosaic of cultures, and we will definitely return one day to Tibetan lands. In South East Asia we could finally relax, and it was a gift to spend a winter in the jungle and by the seaside, and magic to cross Myanmar.

'About India, we cannot speak yet, because five months feels like no time in this universe. 

'We are still in India, enjoying life "at the end of the road" and fin ishing a short e-book of magic stories, that will hopefully be ready soon and, with some luck, will bring us back home before Christmas time, and trek mountains and walk along villages in the Bulgarian countryside.' 

The couple volunteering in Laos, where they felt far from home, until they realised they could enter India, their final destination via Burma

Source: The long way around: Couple and their pet cat who travelled to India without getting on a plane or using a smartphone (it only took them 500 days to get there)

What are the seven wonders of the world?

The Colossus of Rhodes and Christ the Redeemer, its modern match Photo: GETTY Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World were a collection of remarkable constructions listed by various Greek authors, including Antipater of Sidon and Philo of Byzantium. The classic list featured seven wonders located in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Great Pyramid of Giza

Built between 2584 BC and 2561 BC, the Great Pyramid of Giza is the only surviving ancient wonder. It is 230.4 metres wide at its base and 146.5 metres tall, and is the largest of three that sit beside the city of Giza, around 12 miles from Cairo. It was the tallest man-made structure for more than 3,800 years, until the completion of Lincoln Cathedral around the year 1300.

• Highlights of a Nile river cruise

The modern alternative? Modern pyramids include the glass entrance to the Louvre in Paris, the Walter Pyramid in Long Beach, California, and the 30-storey Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas. The world's tallest pyramid-shaped structure is the colossal Ryugyong Hotel in Pyongyang, North Korea - dubbed the "Hotel of Doom" - at 330 metres tall. It is followed closely by The Shard in London (309.6m).

Temple of Artemis at Ephesus

The Temple of Artemis was reckoned by Antipater of Sidon, the Greek poet, to be the finest of the ancient wonders. He wrote: "When I saw the house of Artemis that mounted to the clouds, those other marvels lost their brilliancy, and I said, 'Lo, apart from Olympus, the Sun never looked on aught so grand'." After being destroyed twice, by floods and arson, the third - and greatest - incarnation began in 323BC. It survived until 268AD, when it was damaged or destroyed during a Goth raid . The site of the temple was rediscovered in 1869, and fragments of it can be found in the British Museum.

Ephesus was given World Heritage Site status this year.

The modern alternative? Among the world's most striking modern temples are Chiang Rai's impossibly intricate Wat Rong Khun, opened in 1997, Harmandir Sahib, or the "Golden Temple", completed in Amritsar in 1604, Kinkaku-ji in Kyoto, the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona (its full name is Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família) and the Lotus Temple in New Delhi, a place of worship of the Bahá'í faith built in 1986, which has won numerous architectural awards.

Hanging Gardens of Babylon

This is the only ancient wonder whose exact location has not been established. While some believe they were purely mythical, other sources suggest they were built by King Nebuchadnezzer II around 600BC. The site may have comprised an ascending series of tiered gardens which resembled a large green mountain rising from the centre of ancient Babylon, near present-day Hillah in Iraq. If the gardens did exist at all, they were destroyed soon after the first century AD.

The modern alternative? Given its location, the Dubai Miracle Garden is an obvious choice. Opened on Valentine's Day in 2013, it contains over 45 million flowers covering a 72,000m² site and, as well as topiary-style displays, with blooms fashioned into the shapes of hearts, stars, igloos and pyramids. Others include Kew Gardens, the Keukenhof Gardens, the gardens at Versailles, and those at Villa d'Este in Tivoli, Rome.

• The world's best fountains

Lighthouse of Alexandria

Built by the Ptolemaic Kingdom between 280BC and 247BC, the Lighthouse of Alexandria measured up to 137 metres in height, making it one of the tallest man-made structures in the world for centuries. It was damaged by three earthquakes between 956 and 1323, surviving as a ruin until 1480, when the last of its stones was used to build the Citadel of Qaitbay, which still stands on the site.

The modern alternative? Among the most beautiful lighthouses around the world are those at Lindau in Germany, Key Biscayne in Florida, and Andenes in Norway. The tallest? Jeddah Light, a 133-metre building in the Saudi Arabian city, built in 1990.

• Quirky lighthouses around the world

Statue of Zeus at Olympia

This giant seated representation of the Greek god Zeus was built by the sculptor Phidias around 435BC in the Temple of Zeus at the sanctuary of Olympia. It consisted of a wooden framework covered with ivory plates and gold panels, while the throne was decorated with ebony, ivory, gold and precious s tones. It was mentioned by the Roman historian Suetonius (apparently Caligula gave orders for it to be shipped to Rome so its head could be replaced with a sculpture of his own). The statue may have been destroyed when the Temple of Zeus was lost to fire in 425. Alternatively, it was taken to Constantinople (now Istanbul), where it burnt with the Palace of Lausus in 475. Phidias's workshop was rediscovered at Olympia in the 1950s.

• The world's best ruins

The modern alternative? The Golden Buddha in Bangkok, the world's largest solid gold statue at 5.5 tons, is one option. Or how about the world's tallest statue: the Spring Temple Buddha in Henan, China, at 128 metre s tall?.

The Spring Temple Buddha alongside the Statue of Liberty, the Motherland Calls, Christ the Redeemer and the Statue of David (Graphic: Anna Frodesiak)

Mausoleum at Halicarnassus

Built between 353BC and 350BC, this tomb - for Mausolus, a Persian satrap (a provincial governor) - was 45 metres in height and covered in ornate reliefs by four different Greek sculptors. It stood at Halicarnassus, near modern-day Bodrum, Turkey, until it was destroyed by successive earthquakes between the 12th and 15th centuries. Since its construction, the word "mausoleum" has come to represent any above-ground tomb.

The modern alternative? The most famous mausoleum in the world is the Taj Mahal, built in 1643 on the Yamuna River near Agra to house the body of Mumtaz Mahal, the favourite wife of the Mughal emporer Shah Jahan. For something eerie, there's Lenin's Mausoleum in Red Square, Moscow - the leader's embalmed body is still on public display.

Colossus of Rhodes

This statue to the Greek god of the sun, Helios, once stood at the entrance to the harbour at Rhodes, on the Greek island of the same name. It was built in 280BC to mark victory over the ruler of Cyprus, Antigonus I Monophthalmus, but survived for just 54 years, when it was destroyed by an earthquake. It was more than 30 metres tall and made of bronze and iron with a marble pedestal.

The modern alternative? Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro is an obvious choice. It is of similar height, not far from the sea, and suitably impressive.

Seven Wonders of the Middle Ages

Writers in the 19th and early 20th centuries produced their own lists, variously titled Wonders of the Middle Ages, the Seven Wonders of the Middle Ages, the Seven Wonders of the Medieval Mind, and the Architectural Wonders of the Middle Ages. Most of the compilations featured the following seven attractions.

Stonehenge, England

Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy Colosseum, Rome, Italy Great Wall of China Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, Turkey

• Istanbul city guide

Porcelain Tower of Nanjing The Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa, Egypt Seven Wonders of the Modern World

Compiled in 1994 by the American Society of Civil Engineers, this list - a little heavily weighted towards the Americas - paid tribute to feats of civil engineering during the 20th century.

Channel Tunnel, England/France CN Tower, Toronto, Canada Empire State Building, New York

Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco Delta Works/Zuiderzee Works, Netherlands Panama Canal

Itaipu Dam, Brazil/Paraguay border Seven Wonder of the Industrial World

Outlined in a book by Deborah Cadbury, and the basis of a BBC documentary of the same name, they comprise the following.

SS Great Eastern Bell Rock Lighthouse, Scotland

Brooklyn Bridge, New York

• New York city guide

London sewerage system First Transcontinental Railroad Panama Canal Hoover Dam, Arizona/Nevada border

New7Wonders of the World

This list, the result of an initiative by a Swiss corporation, which has since been the target of criticism from tourist boards over "hidden costs" and voting methods, was published in 2007.

Great Wall of China Petra, Jordan

• The secret way into Petra

Christ the Redeemer, Rio de Janeiro Machu Picchu, Peru

Chichen Itza, Mexico Colosseum, Rome

Taj Mahal, India

The Great Pyramid of Giza was named an "honorary candidate".

The same group named the "New7Wonders of Nature" in 2011:

Iguazu Falls, Argentina/Brazil border

Jeju Island, South Korea Komodo Island, Indonesia Puerto Princesa Underground River, Philippines Table Mountain, South Africa

Halong Bay, Vietnam Amazon Rainforest, Brazil
Source: What are the seven wonders of the world?

Turkey’s growing medical tourism industry to grow even faster

Turkey's growing medical tourism industry has been growing quickly, but the sector is eyeing even greater profits over the next decade, hoping to become the destination for the 650 million living in the region, according to the head of the Turkey Health Tourism Development Council

With a know-how already well in advance of its neighbors, Turkey's health sector is now aiming to attract 2 million patients and earn incomes of $20 billion by the country's centenary in 2023, according to Meri İstiroti, the president of the Turkey Health Tourism Development Council.

"We have been telling the economy, tourism and health ministries that if we can make Turkey a brand, we will become a sector that can help decrease the current account deficit," she said.

Give us an overview of Turkey's place in the world health sector.

Globally, good health care and best practices were concentrated in the United States, in Europe or countries like Israel and the United K ingdom. In the last decade, it has been moving to the East and Far East.Turkey is in a strategic position. We are in the center of a region covering the Balkans, Eurasia, Middle East and North Africa.Now our know-how is far more advanced than our neighbors.The surgeons' capabilities, the physicians' medical education status and the infrastructure has been promising in the interests of getting good medical for regional patients. We started with more elective cases, like plastic surgery, dental surgery and infertility. We have now moved to higher-risk patient treatments like colorectal cancers, brain tumors, robotic utilization, stem-cell applications and organ transplants. And we are making our investments not only for 80 million [people] but for 650 million in our region. What is the financial dimension?In terms of per patient income, regular tourists bring around $700. The medical tourism income average is $8,000. This does not include the accompanying people's income, but t hey come as a family. So from a 2,000-euro per excimer laser operation to a 150,000-euro cancer treatment or organ transplant, when we also include the outpatients, the average is $8,000. There has been a steady increase since 2005 when we received 126,000 international patients. In 2010, we reached $2.4 billion in income with 487,000 international patients. The numbers for 2014 were 727,000 patients and $5.5 billion. Our target is 2 million patients and $20 billion in income. We have been telling the economy, tourism and health ministries that if we can make Turkey a brand, we will become a sector that can help decrease the current account deficit.The government at the beginning did not realize the significance of the contribution we can make. It said our responsibility is just to take care of our own nationals. But when they saw the numbers, they recognized the importance of the sector and they want to be in the game.Currently, Turkey is internationally recognized as a medical de stination. We have reached that point in 10 years' time.What has been the contribution of the state?The Economy Ministry has put forward a lot of incentives regarding marketing capabilities abroad. These have helped us to move in the international marketing area more intensively.Turkey's touristic attractions must have been an additional advantage to lure international patients.Indeed, Turkey is a country people like coming to as tourists. India is also a player in health tourism, but the moment you leave the hospital, you don't see a hygienic environment. Turkey is a country where people are pleased to visit.If we could maintain political stability, which has been done so for the past 10 years, that would bring with it economic stability. Health has become one of the sectors foreign investors want to invest in. That's how our investment scales have changed and become bigger. The hospital chains have developed faster, and they have done what they would have in 10 years in th e span of two-three years. And with increased investments, we started looking abroad.Can you attract patients from the West? Europeans must still have prejudices against Turkey as a developing country.The prejudices are down compared to the past. But I can't say that all the Turkish medical facilities are making tremendous business in terms of good quality. The patient has to search for good care and good medical outcomes on the internet, but the internet does not show the reality all the time. As institutionalized corporations in health care, we have the responsibility of providing the correct information, helping intermediate institutions like insurance companies and digital marketing offices. We have to put forward the good data so they will have the means to compare the good and the bad.Turkish hospitals not only compete with the world but also with each other. In 2002, there were 271 private hospitals; currently there are more than 600.Our biggest competitors in the region ar e the Germans and the South Koreans. Actually, all have seen what needed to be done in the developing countries, but it was the Germans and the South Koreans who have been the most successful. We are just behind them. In a few years' time we have made tremendous progress.One of our advantages is that we are the number-one country with the highest number of hospitals accredited with the Joint Commission International (JCI), which measures and shares best practices and patient safety with the world. We have 56 institutions accredited with the JCI. The hospitals that receive patients are not just concentrated in Istanbul. Erzurum, Gaziantep and Diyarbakır receive patients from the east, while the [Black Sea province] of Samsun [receives patients] from the north. The Central Anatolian town of Afyon is another one. In the east busloads of patients come to the hospitals.What are the problems you face as a sector?There are not enough human recourses, from doctors in certain high-expert ise areas, to nurses and support personnel for all these hospitals.Another issue is the lack of a system whereby ethical work can be traced. Health is such an area that unless you have the necessary education, you can't separate the good from the bad. In addition, there is never one type of treatment. We need a mechanism to register and monitor the medical results.So what are your proposals for the development of the sector?We need to have an independent accreditation institution which can keep the list of the medical results of all hospitals private and public, so you can trace the results in a transparent way.Obviously, this requires a separate budget, measuring criteria, software and the like. But if we are to make progress in this sector, we can't just do it by just investing in equipment, for instance.We need to change the current vision.The region wants to see us investing there, transferring know-how and training people. These are the issues for the future. Turkey can't become a major player just by securing a certain number of patient transfers to the country.But first we should not neglect the human resources dimension. We need to give the utmost importance to the training of good doctors by providing good education in medical faculties. The fundamental key to success lies in having good doctors. We should also give importance to learning foreign languages.hurriyetdailynews

Source: Turkey's growing medical tourism industry to grow even faster

Jordanians head south, an Eid tourist destination

The port city of Aqaba is the preferred destination for Jordanian holiday makers. (AFP/File)

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The port city of Aqaba is the preferred destination for Jordanian holiday makers during this Eid Al Fitr holiday, according to Shaher Hamdan, president of the Jordan Society of Tourism and Travel Agents. 

Hamdan told The Jordan Times Thursday that as the holiday, which starts Friday and continues through Monday, is relatively short, the majority of Jordanian vacationers will spend it inside the Kingdom, having made reservations for Aqaba, Wadi Rum and the Dead Sea. 

"The holiday is not enough for the majority of vacationers to travel abroad," he said, indicating that Sharm El Sheikh is the second preferred destination by Jordanians due to its proximity and affordability. 

For people with limited income and members of the middle class, Aqaba is the top destination, as it is cheaper than any other place outside Jordan, according to Hamdan. 

Turkey is the third destination, Hamdan said, adding that Jordanians booked for short visits to Turkey. 

If the holiday were longer than three days, Turkey would be the second preferred destination, he noted. 

"Jordanians love to go to Turkey to spend long holidays between five and seven days to tour the attractions there," Hamdan explained, adding that Aqaba is always the number one choice for people during Eid holidays.

However, Hamdan said many Jordanians have booked longer holidays in Turkey as they plan to skip the three working days after the Eid holiday announced by the government. 

Khaled Awamleh is leaving for Turkey on Saturday. 

The airline company employee told The Jordan Times he plans to spend five days in Istanbul and other cities with his wife and two children.  

"Going to Turkey for a short trip is not worth it. I planned this holiday even before Ramadan," Awamleh said.

By Omar Obeidat

Source: Jordanians head south, an Eid tourist destination

China and Turkey: new football destinations make their mark

What do Turkey's top division and China's Super League have in common? From the ordinary to the hardcore football fan, "nothing" is an acceptable answer. Or at least this was true until recently. Only in the past few years have both leagues seen an influx of household names entering their divisions, particularly this summer. While stars like Andrea Pirlo, Kaka, Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard, to name but a few, have all headed to the United States' Major League Soccer, two new destinations have leapt to the forefront from the periphery — Turkey and even more surprisingly, China. Richard Lewis analyzes the goings-on in the Super Leagues of China and Turkey.

Fine and Expensive China!

China does not have a rich history when it comes to football and unlike most household objects, few quality footballers are "Made in China." This may still be the case, but as China's domestic game catches up with the nation's international interest in the beautiful game, many aging stars are joining the Super League.

In particular, Brazilians seem to take a fancy to the league. Former Brazil national team head coach Luiz Felipe Scolari, who lead them in the 2002 and 2014 World Cups, has now been joined at Guangzou Evergrande by former Manchester City £32.5 million-star (which admittedly looks like nothing now that they have spent £49million on Raheem Sterling!) Robinho. The former Real Madrid star will link up with his former national team boss on a six-month deal after leaving loan-club Santos from a lack of playing time. The 31-year-old will wear the number sixty shirt at his club and be joined by international team-mate Paulinho as well. The 26-year-old Tottenham midfielder moved from Spurs to China for £10 million earlier this summer and has already made two appearances for Guangzhou. Striker Alan is another Brazilian compatriot at the club, who currently sit second in this season's table, a point behind Beijing Guoan.

Setting the Ba high!

Well-known African stars Demba Ba and Ghana captain Asamoah Gyan, too, will both be plying their trade in the Chinese league later this year. Ba is well known amongst many English supporters from his time with West Ham United, Newcastle United and Chelsea. Steven Gerrard and Liverpool fans won't soon forget the sight of Ba scoring the goal that marked the beginning of the end of their 2014 Premier League title challenge. Ironically, Ba actually moved from Turkey to China this summer, after ending his one season spell with Besiktas following the departure of manager Slaven Bilic to West Ham. Ba will now play at the same club where Chelsea legend Didier Drogba had a short spell in 2012: Shanghai Shenhua. Former Everton and Australian attacking midfielder Tim Cahill also plays for Shanghai, after moving from the New York Red Bulls in the last winter transfer window.

However, critics have suggested that the players — twenty-nine-year-old Gyan in particular — are motivated by money rather than glory. Gyan spent the prime of his career — after captaining Ghana into the World Cup 2010 quarterfinals — with Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates, where he was clearly a big, well-paid fish in a small pond. In four years at Al Ain, he scored ninety-five times in eight-three appearances and won three domestic titles in the process, far too easily it seems. Gyan will now play for Shanghai SIPG in the Chinese Super League, managed by former Manchester City, Notts County, Leicester City and England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson.

Turkish Delight!

Over in Turkey, the big name players have arrived in spades, with Fenerbahce snapping up Robin van Persie and Nani from Manchester United and Galatasaray signing German forward Lukas Podolski from Arsenal for £1.8 million. Only three years ago, Van Persie cost United £24 million from Arsenal and it was a mere two years ago when he lifting the Premier League as golden boot winner. Now, the Netherlands international begins a new challenge in Turkey, where fellow Holland hero Wesley Sneijder plays for Istanbul rivals Galatasaray.

However, these two bigger name sides are not the only clubs making waves this summer in Turkey — former Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o joining Antalyaspor from Sampdoria. There were even rumors that the 34-year-old Cameroonian could have been joined at the newly promoted club by some of his former teammates, Ronaldinho and Victor Valdes, only for the former world player of the year Ronaldinho to decide against joining Antalyaspor after ending his time with Mexican side Queretaro. Instead, Ronaldinho joined Brazilian club Fluminense on a year-and-a-half contract while Valdes' fate remains undecided. Fenerbahce were also linked with a move for Chelsea's Nigerian midfielder John Obi Mikel, but it has since become apparent that the defensive midfielder would cost too much to pry away from Stamford Bridge.

Of course, the phrase "retirement league" still frequently pops up and in many cases holds much truth. Not that Turkish or Chinese fans will care.

Photo credit: goatling on Flickr
Source: China and Turkey: new football destinations make their mark

All the ice cream you can eat? Now that’s a Turkey Hill Experience!

By Peg DeGrassapdegrassa@delconewsnetwork.com

Every summer, I try to think of a new day trip or two to take with my grandchildren when they visit for a month from out of state. I have to give it some thought because their ages run the gamut from one to fifteen so the destination has to please them all. Being the itch that I am, I always want to try something new, somewhere I've never been before and have yet to discover myself. Luckily, living in the tri-state area, we never run out of options. This year, for one of our little road trips, we decided to head to Lancaster (Columbia, PA to be exact) to check out the "Turkey Hill Experience."

Who doesn't like ice cream, right? Even those of us down here in Wawa territory occasionally enjoy Turkey Hill ice cream, novelties and beverages. I thought it would be fun to go check out this new kid on the block, that just recently opened in 2011. The 17,000 square foot attraction highlights Turkey Hill's history while demonstrating its ice cream and iced tea-making proce sses.

Doorstep to doorstep, it took us about an hour and a half to get there from Delaware County. Turkey Hill Experience is not the factory where the products are made. We were told that's down the road from the "Experience," as are the dairy farms where the cows, the most essential part of the whole operation, are located. Rather, this is an attraction to educate consumers how the product is made, packaged and delivered to stores across the nation. All this education is done in a way that's fun for the entire family with fake mechanical cows to milk, a real-life delivery truck to pretend driving, a homogenization ball pit and and an ice cream theater (inside a giant ice cream container) to watch a video about the ice cream making process.

Lots of technology is incorporated into Turkey Hill Experience. Visitors can formulate their own ice cream flavor and name it, design their own ice cream carton and even create their own commercial to market their personalized new flavor. The whole thing is then sent to visitors' home computers to share through social media with family and friends.

To top it off, visitors can visit the "Taste Lab" where they are given a large bowl full of vanilla ice cream. In the lab, visitors can add their own flavor extracts to the base, such as caramel, chocolate, coffee or others, as well as add some mix-ins like nuts, candies, fruits, espresso beans and such. They then place their new concoction into a commercial freezer. When the time is up, visitors get to eat their finished product or take it home if they live closeby. I know this sounds an awful lot like Delco's FroYo places (think Yogurtland or Mango), but the instructors wear lab coats at Turkey Hill Experience and it's set up to look like a laboratory too, which makes the whole thing really feel like you're in a lab.

I forgot to mention that throughout the entire Turkey Hill Experience, visitors can sample all the ice cream they could possibly eat. Come to think of it, the place might not be quite as much fun if a person is lactose-intolerant. There are all kinds of flavors to sample (and the sample cups are ample size, comparable to a small cup of ice cream if you ordered it elsewhere). My group's hands-down favorites were Moose Tracks, Phillies Graham Slam and Party Cake flavors. Additionally, there's a Tea Room, where visitors can have all the samples of tea, lemonade, iced coffee and other Turkey Hill beverages they desire (up to 20 different varieties of beverages are available). As a side note, the Iced Mocha Latte was awesome! There's no doubt that by the time visitors reach the Taste Lab, they are quite filled to the brim from the limitless ice cream and cold drinks.

The entire Turnkey Hill Experience was really cute—all the kids, and adults included, really enjoyed themselves because it was something different (and all the ice cream one can eat didn't hurt the positive reviews either).The experience is definitely aimed at families, and there are plenty of photo/selfie taking opportunities at each exhibit, which seem s to always be a plus these days for young and old alike. We all learned a lot about the ice cream and beverage industry (Did you know in 2014, that Butter Pecan replaced Vanilla as the most popular flavor of Turkey Hill ice cream?). In fact, on the ride home, we laughed as we quizzed one another on various Turkey Hill facts that we had learned that day. We had all been transformed into walking, talking Turkey Hill ice cream encyclopedias.

The Turkey Hill Experience reminded me somewhat of the Crayola Factory in Easton, PA for some reason. Both attractions are all about products (crayons and ice cream) that gave us good vibes when we were younger and provoke good feelings in us now that we're older.

Everyone who worked at Turkey Hill Experience was really friendly, courteous and nice, which made our visit there extra special. The exhibit area was really contained too, so the kids could basically run amok pretty freely from activity to activity without lines or restrict ions. Downstairs, upon entrance and exit, there is a unique gift shop with, what else, but Turkey Hill everything!

We could have truthfully spent more time at Turkey Hill Experience, but we had reservations at Strasburg Railroad and we knew the last train was at 3 pm. When planning our little road trip, we had decided to split our day and visit both of these family-friendly Lancaster-area attractions. Luckily, on the day we visited Strasburg, it was one of the Thomas The Tank Days so we had the extra bonus of activities for young children going on in addition to the 45-minute, round-trip  larger-than-life steam train ride through the tranquil Amish countryside to Paradise, PA and back. Continued...

Years ago, when my children were little (they are now in their 20s and 30s), we visited Strasburg Railroad, but I truthfully forgot how enjoyable it is. The train ride in one of the beautiful antique first class train cars, was relaxing as we rolled along at a leisurely pace, passing by more than 1,000 acres of farm fields. Again, the staff was friendly, polite and knowledgeable which made the experience a feel-good, positive one. After all the hoopla of Turkey Hill, it was nice to kick back on the comfortable velvet seats in the train car and just veg for awhile, imagining being a rider of yesteryear.

When we disembarked the train, we walked through the tents full of Thomas the Tank products and activities and browsed through some of the unique gift shops on the grounds, concluding with a stop at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. Now, honestly, I am not much into trains, but I still enjoyed the exhibits highlighting the history and technology of railroading and the interactive , hands-on education center. I delighted in watching my grandchildren discover and learn about railroading, the industry that basically built our nation. For those who are fully into trains, this would be a train-lover's utopia.

For directions, admission prices and more information on Strasburg Railroad or the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, visit www.strasburgrailroad.com or call 1-866-725-9666. For more information on the Turkey Hill Experience, visitwww.turkeyhillexperience.com or call 1-844-VISIT-TH.

If you go to either or both places, I hope you enjoy the little day trip as much as my crew did. Originally, when we had planned the day, we were going to sneak in a Lancaster family-style lunch in between both attractions. However, on the actual day, we were so full from all the ice cream eating we did at the Turkey Hill Experience, that we skipped lunch altogether and finished our day waiting out one of those infamous summer storms while eating dinner at the Cra cker Barrel on Route 30 in Lancaster. If I ever go again, I must remember to eat breakfast first so I don't OD on the ice cream samples as we surely did this time around.

Lancaster is one of those versatile destinations like going into Philly or down to the Jersey Shore. No matter how many times you go, there are always new and exciting things to do and see. My grandchildren are here for another two weeks. We are busy planning another fun day trip or two in the tri-state area to make more lasting memories together and share some more priceless quality time. Isn't this really what summer is all about?

Readers can e-mail Peg DeGrassa at pdegrassa@delconewsnetwork.com or write her c/o DCNN, 1914 Parker Ave., Holmes, PA 19043.

Every summer, I try to think of a new day trip or two to take with my grandchildren when they visit for a month from out of state. I have to give it some thought because their ages run the gamut from one to fifteen so the destination has to please them all. Being the itch that I am, I always want to try something new, somewhere I've never been before and have yet to discover myself. Luckily, living in the tri-state area, we never run out of options. This year, for one of our little road trips, we decided to head to Lancaster (Columbia, PA to be exact) to check out the "Turkey Hill Experience."

Who doesn't like ice cream, right? Even those of us down here in Wawa territory occasionally enjoy Turkey Hill ice cream, novelties and beverages. I thought it would be fun to go check out this new kid on the block, that just recently opened in 2011. The 17,000 square foot attraction highlights Turkey Hill's history while demonstrating its ice cream and iced tea-making processes.

Doorstep to doorstep, it took us about an hour and a half to get there from Delaware County. Turkey Hill Experience is not the factory where the products are made. We were told that's down the road from the "Experience," as are the dairy farms where the cows, the most essential part of the whole operation, are located. Rather, this is an attraction to educate consumers how the product is made, packaged and delivered to stores across the nation. All this education is done in a way that's fun for the entire family with fake mechanical cows to milk, a real-life delivery truck to pretend driving, a homogenization ball pit and and an ice cream theater (inside a giant ice cream container) to watch a video about the ice cream making process.

Lots of technology is incorporated into Turkey Hill Experience. Visitors can formulate their own ice cream flavor and name it, design their own ice cream carton and even create their own commercial to market their personalized new fl avor. The whole thing is then sent to visitors' home computers to share through social media with family and friends.

To top it off, visitors can visit the "Taste Lab" where they are given a large bowl full of vanilla ice cream. In the lab, visitors can add their own flavor extracts to the base, such as caramel, chocolate, coffee or others, as well as add some mix-ins like nuts, candies, fruits, espresso beans and such. They then place their new concoction into a commercial freezer. When the time is up, visitors get to eat their finished product or take it home if they live closeby. I know this sounds an awful lot like Delco's FroYo places (think Yogurtland or Mango), but the instructors wear lab coats at Turkey Hill Experience and it's set up to look like a laboratory too, which makes the whole thing really feel like you're in a lab.

I forgot to mention that throughout the entire Turkey Hill Experience, visitors can sample all the ice cream they could possib ly eat. Come to think of it, the place might not be quite as much fun if a person is lactose-intolerant. There are all kinds of flavors to sample (and the sample cups are ample size, comparable to a small cup of ice cream if you ordered it elsewhere). My group's hands-down favorites were Moose Tracks, Phillies Graham Slam and Party Cake flavors. Additionally, there's a Tea Room, where visitors can have all the samples of tea, lemonade, iced coffee and other Turkey Hill beverages they desire (up to 20 different varieties of beverages are available). As a side note, the Iced Mocha Latte was awesome! There's no doubt that by the time visitors reach the Taste Lab, they are quite filled to the brim from the limitless ice cream and cold drinks.

The entire Turnkey Hill Experience was really cute—all the kids, and adults included, really enjoyed themselves because it was something different (and all the ice cream one can eat didn't hurt the positive reviews either).The exper ience is definitely aimed at families, and there are plenty of photo/selfie taking opportunities at each exhibit, which seems to always be a plus these days for young and old alike. We all learned a lot about the ice cream and beverage industry (Did you know in 2014, that Butter Pecan replaced Vanilla as the most popular flavor of Turkey Hill ice cream?). In fact, on the ride home, we laughed as we quizzed one another on various Turkey Hill facts that we had learned that day. We had all been transformed into walking, talking Turkey Hill ice cream encyclopedias.

The Turkey Hill Experience reminded me somewhat of the Crayola Factory in Easton, PA for some reason. Both attractions are all about products (crayons and ice cream) that gave us good vibes when we were younger and provoke good feelings in us now that we're older.

Everyone who worked at Turkey Hill Experience was really friendly, courteous and nice, which made our visit there extra special. The exhibit area was really contained too, so the kids could basically run amok pretty freely from activity to activity without lines or restrictions. Downstairs, upon entrance and exit, there is a unique gift shop with, what else, but Turkey Hill everything!

We could have truthfully spent more time at Turkey Hill Experience, but we had reservations at Strasburg Railroad and we knew the last train was at 3 pm. When planning our little road trip, we had decided to split our day and visit both of these family-friendly Lancaster-area attractions. Luckily, on the day we visited Strasburg, it was one of the Thomas The Tank Days so we had the extra bonus of activities for young children going on in addition to the 45-minute, round-trip  larger-than-life steam train ride through the tranquil Amish countryside to Paradise, PA and back.

Years ago, when my children were little (they are now in their 20s and 30s), we visited Strasburg Railroad, but I truthfully forgot how enjoyable it is. The train ride in one of the beautiful antique first class train cars, was relaxing as we rolled along at a leisurely pace, passing by more than 1,000 acres of farm fields. Again, the staff was friendly, polite and knowledgeable which made the experience a feel-good, positive one. After all the hoopla of Turkey Hill, it was nice to kick back on the comfortable velvet seats in the train car and just veg for awhile, imagining being a rider of yesteryear.

When we disembarked the train, we walked through the tents full of Thomas the Tank products and activities and browsed through some of the unique gift shops on the grounds, concluding with a stop at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. Now, honestly, I am not much into trains, but I still enjoyed the exhibits highlighting the history and technology of railroading and the interactive, hands-on education center. I delighted in watching my grandchildren discover and learn about railroading, the industry that basically built our nation. For those who are fully into trains, this would be a train-lover's utopia.

For directions, admission prices and more information on Strasburg Railroad or the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, visit www.strasburgrailroad.com or call 1-866-725-9666. For more information on the Turkey Hill Experience, visitwww.turkeyhillexperience.com or call 1-844-VISIT-TH.

If you go to either or both places, I hope you enjoy the little day trip as much as my crew did. Originally, when we had planned the day, we were going to sneak in a Lancaster family-style lunch in between both attractions. However, on the actual day, we were so full from all the ice cream eating we did at the Turkey Hill Experience, that we skipped lunch altogether and finished our day waiting out one of those infamous summer storms while eating dinner at the Cracker Barrel on Route 30 in Lancaster. If I ever go again, I must remember to eat breakfast first so I don't OD on the ice cream samples as we surely did th is time around.

Lancaster is one of those versatile destinations like going into Philly or down to the Jersey Shore. No matter how many times you go, there are always new and exciting things to do and see. My grandchildren are here for another two weeks. We are busy planning another fun day trip or two in the tri-state area to make more lasting memories together and share some more priceless quality time. Isn't this really what summer is all about?

Readers can e-mail Peg DeGrassa at pdegrassa@delconewsnetwork.com or write her c/o DCNN, 1914 Parker Ave., Holmes, PA 19043.

Source: All the ice cream you can eat? Now that's a Turkey Hill Experience!