Tasty Gozleme in Turkey

One thing I really enjoyed about Turkey was the food!

I’m not really a foodie traveller, but I do enjoy some good sweets, meats and treats. After many kebaps, Turkish delights and an amazing Iskender meal, Turkey surprised me once again with another fun food – Gozleme.

Cooking Gozleme in Selcuk
Cooking Gozleme over the open fire griddle in Selcuk, Turkey

 

We were in Selcuk and had spent a long day hiking and exploring the scenery. We were hungry and getting a little cranky when we arrived at a little house with two friendly ladies working away at a wood-fired brick oven.

The open-air room was full of classically bright coloured Turkish rugs and decorations, a welcome place to sit and relax after our day in the hot sun.

Bright Colours of Turkey
Sitting down for some tasty Gozleme in Selcuk

 

As darkness began to fall, it was Gozleme time! These are tasty pastries, which are often filled with cheese, meat, eggs and potatoes. You have to make them by hand then cook them over a hot griddle.

The ladies made it look easy, but when some of us tried to roll our own, things got messy – not as easy as it looks! Being too hungry, I didn’t mess with trying to create my own Gozleme, I just wanted to eat! It was a fun experience though, seeing how a traditional Turkish meal was made.

Making Gozleme Pastry
Making Gozleme Pastry – Not as easy as the Turkish Ladies make it look!

 

Capture the Colour: From White Boobies to Red Geckos

Colour makes pictures pop and the TravelSupermarket Capture the Colour Photo Contest is responsible for many amazingly bright and beautiful image posts right now. It was Mariellen Ward at Breathe Dream Go who tagged me to participate in this contest, so I’m happy to share these five photos with you.

If you want to check out all the rules and details for this fun contest (yes, there are prizes to be won!) visit: http://www.travelsupermarket.com/c/holidays/capture-the-colour/

Alright, let’s get to the fun stuff…my humble entries into the world of capturing colour.

Green

This is one of the Emerald Lakes, which come into view after passing Red Crater on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing in New Zealand.

Emerald Lake - Tongariro Crossing
An Emerald Green Lake – Tongariro Crossing, New Zealand

Red

Well, hello there little lantern gecko. The gecko inside this lantern had it’s own private buffet of bugs. Flying insects would be attracted to the light and he’d be quick to gobble them up.

Gecko Lantern - Borneo
Red Gecko Lantern at Royal Mulu Resort in Borneo

 

White

A bird known for it’s blue feet, being chosen for a white image? Indeed, sometimes you have to look beyond the obvious to find a fun, or different, photo. A little fact about the blue-footed booby bird: Males have smaller pupils than the females! (This is a male.)

Male blue-footed booby bird
Stop staring at my Feet! White eyes and head of the Blue-Footed Booby bird, Galapagos Islands.

 

Blue

No boobies here, just a lone snorkeller passing by in paradise. A fairly classic image – bright blue skies and brighter blue waters in the Maldives.

Snorkelling near Vashugiri Island, Maldives
Blue waters, blue skies. Who wouldn’t want to snorkel in the Maldives?

 

Yellow

Some Canadian colour. The Boreal forest turns into a blanket of red, orange and yellow during the autumn. A beautiful time of year for hiking and enjoying nature.

Autumn Hiking in Quebec
A Sea of Yellow Leaves – Autumn Hiking in Quebec, Canada

 

Now for the extra-fun part. Nominating some other photo-friendly bloggers. Show us what you’ve got guys!

Cristina at thetravolution.com

Ian at wheresidewalksend.com

Allison at thetravelingbard.com

Dani at danicarlucci.com

Karin & Kieran at kandkadventures.com

 

Wildlife Photo: American Oystercatcher

 

American Oystercatcher
A sleepy American Oystercatcher seen at Punta Suarez on Espanola Island in the Galapagos

 

These shorebirds call Central and North America home, but can also been seen in parts of South America, and the Galapagos Islands.

They’re famous for their ability to pry open mollusks with their long, heavy and powerful beaks.

This American Oystercatcher was spotted taking a nap at Punta Suarez on Espanola Island in the Galapagos Islands.

Wildlife Photos: Golden-Mantled Ground Squirrel

 

Golden Mantled Ground Squirrel
A Golden-Mantled Ground Squirrel photographed in Bryce Canyon National Park

 

At first glance you might wonder if this is a squirrel or chipmunk, but despite it’s odd squirrel behaviour, the Golden-Mantled Ground Squirrel is, as the name implies, not a chipmunk.

These little ground squirrels do act very much like a chipmunk however. They’re known to store a stash of food in their burrows to eat when they wake up after hibernating for winter, something more common to chipmunks. They also have a striped back, which confuses many people into thinking they must be a chipmunk.

Golden Mantled Ground Squirrel - Stripes
The striped back of the Golden Mantled Ground Squirrel

 

The best way to tell this is a Golden-Mantled Ground Squirrel is to notice that the stripes on the back do not appear on the cheeks and face of the animal. Chipmunks, on the other hand, will commonly have their stripes extend up to their eyes, nose and cheeks.

This Golden-Mantled Ground Squirrel was photographed in Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah.

Wildlife Photo: Green Iguana

 

Wildlife Photo: Green Iguana
A Green Iguana photographed on Roatan Island in Honduras

 

The impressive Green Iguana is one of the most popular lizards in the Americas.

Native to Central America and the northern part of South America, this lizard can grow as large as 1.5m! Brightly coloured and docile in nature, Green Iguanas, also called Common Iguanas, have become a popular pet in North America.

Unfortunately they’re not as easy to care for as many believe, as they require a special diet, consistent sun and high temperatures. This Green Iguana was photographed in it’s natural habitat in Honduras.

travel writer. wildlife photographer. beer geek.