The museum is tucked away in the Monastery of Mar Sarkis on the rock mountain and the view from the museum is absolutely breathtaking. You can enter the museum after buying a ticket for 2 YTL and you are given a guidebook to help you understand the history. The Venetian plastered walls and rock structure of the museum are all that frame the life and work of this extraordinary human being. We walked through the rooms, all with motion sensors for light and a CCTV monitoring our every move. I was amazed to see the paintings and discover Gibran - the artist. The museum is on several levels, the lowest being a bedroom that is also where he is buried inside the rock. It was a bit eerie, so I didn’t stay in that room long.

Tel: 00 961 6 671 137

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There is a lovely church in Bsharre, St Saba church, which has the beautiful backdrop of the Qadisha valley to frame it and is located at the edge of the gorge. The three churches in this town were built by important families from Bsharre, but the St Saba is the most spectacular.

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On our way back from the Cedars in north Lebanon, near the Qadisha valley, we found the lovely town of Bsharre. Even if I did not know the significance of this small town, I would fall in love with it. But for me, it holds a deeper meaning. A walk down memory lane. A long walk. Taking me to my school days and words that etched their meaning over time.

The lines from Gibran’s book ‘The Prophet’ paved the streets of Bsharre as the car wound through its narrow streets, heightening my anticipation. Bsharre is Khalil Gibran’s birthplace - and where his soul rests even today. The town itself was known as Beit Chari in Phoenician times and later as Buissera. The town has become famous primarily because of the Gibran association. His home is now a museum tucked away in the mountain, overlooking a beautiful valley. It would inspire anyone to become a poet, and this town produced one of the greatest poets the world has ever known. His works have been translated into over two dozen languages—but the poet and philosopher was also an accomplished artist.

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Delphi is usually the second point of interest on every traveller’s list when planning their itinerary for Greece. Second only to the Acropolis. 180 kms from Athens it is quite easily a day trip. The famous oracle of Delphi has a fascinating history. But how does one get there?

You could go on one of the tours. Or you could do what we did. You would need two things. A map of Athens and a metro map. Armed with that you head to the nearest metro station and head towards Kato Patissia on the Green line. You exit the metro station and head towards Terminal B on Liossion Street. It’s a ten minute walk at most. Ask for directions or follow the map. I find the metro a lot faster than the bus, but you could take a bus from Syntagma (the centre of Athens) to Terminal B. The bus terminal itself is more or less like an inter state bus terminus in one of our metros. If you are looking for great service and smiling personnel, take the tour from the city centre. At the terminal, go to the office and look for a kiosk marked for Delphi. There is a bus going every couple of hours or so. We managed to take the one that left at 10.30 am. The ticket was approx 10 Euros. Buy the return. Actually, decide if you would like to stay in Delphi or Arahova. If not, get the return ticket.

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Pamukkale has one of the most spectacular landscapes I have ever seen. On approaching it, one notices a rock rising up, with terraced slopes filled with natural basins of white water that seemed more like ice than a hot spring, because of the colour. When I saw the hill , I gasped - the place was breathtakingly beautiful. It was a waterfall in snow.

There are several ways to approach the place, but the best way is through the western gate, near Necropolis. UNESCO declared it a world heritage site in 1988 to restore the natural wonder which was being detsroyed by excessive commercialism and tourism. It was a mess, but concerted efforts of various agencies paid off and the place has regained much of its lost splendour. There is an entrance fee of 3 Euros. Ideally, this place is best appreciated off-season. Somehow, a lot of toruists wandering about the travertines takes away much of the magic. As the waters rolled down each terrace, they created magnificent white stalactitiles, and in the travertines the temperature of the water is around 33 degrees Celsius. It takes 20 mins to reach the top of the plateau - all barefoot.

You could take a dip in Cleopatra’s pool—the Sacred Pool (for a small fee), which is a nice experience and although it does not make you look a decade younger as it is often claimed, it is still fun. The water is supposed to have medicinal properties, but I guess a 15-minute dip is not the answer. The springs have been renowned for their therapeutic features dating as far back as the Roman era.

I was told that the calcium carbonate in the water as it flows down the hill, on reaching the surface allows carbon dioxide to be released and the carbonate forms the white sediment. These sediments create travertines where water collects and created this visual tapestry. The continually forming terraces and pools, allow for continuous movement of water and formation of stalactites. In winter, you can see a mist over the surface of the water. You can take off your shoes and walk in the water. The reason I suggest staying a night in Pamukkale, is that it is worth visiting the ancient city of Hierapolis and a few other places. You can get relatively cheap accomodation in this place - 20 USD for a double if you are really on a low budget.

There are a lot of good pensions and although a lot of them have swimming pools as an attraction, you are unlikely to use the pool - not the one in the hotel anyway. In winter, make sure you stay in a better place as hot water is a problem!! But in summer there are many good places. When you take a dolmus from Denizli to Pamukkale you can just tell them which hotel you want to go to. If you call the hotel a day earlier, giving them details of when you will arrive they will generally arrange for a pick-up. A couple of recommendations for pensions are Serin and Koray - very basic, but nice. The bigger resorts are in Karayhit, which is located north of the plateau. Wherever you decide, you will get a great deal with breakfast included, as there are too many hotels and too few tourists.

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The best way to get to Pamukkale from Istanbul is by train. The Pamukkale Expresi, which has pullman seats, couchette and a sleeping car - depending on the level of luxury you need for the 15 hour journey - starts from HaydarPasa station in the Anatolian side of Istanbul and takes you to Denizli.

You can either book your seats online on the Turkish railways website (a bit of a maze) or book it from a TCDD authorised travel agent (it doesn’t cost any more). You could also combine it with a trip to Izmir and Ephesus.

You could get to Pamukkale by bus as well, in which case you go to the Otogar in istanbul and it is an 11 hour journey.

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In Athens, the most important map you will need is a metro map. You can get one there, but better to get comfortable with the places and the connections before you land there. It is fairly simple. There are only 3 lines and you cannot possibly get lost. There are metro lines and an ISAP suburban railway line. You will find a map on www.ametro.gr. There is a coastal tram and a convenient bus service in Athens.

Buses are the best way to get around mainland Greece. Fairly inexpensive, and a good network. There are 2 terminals in Athens, which service different regions of the country. There is also a good train network that connects the main cities. Two train stations — one for the west and one for the north.

The ferries to the islands would blow a considerable hole in the pocket, even if you take the slow ones. Schedules are fairly reliable so you need to check at a travel agent or head down to Piraeus and book tickets. You don’t really need to take a taxi except when you venture out at night. Public transport makes most places quite accessible. On the islands you could rent motorbikes for a day and that’s the best way to discover the place.

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