Robert Michael Poole

Writer, Photographer and Social Media Influencer Based in Japan

CAPTURING EVERY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD
New month, new country, new stories. #156 countries.
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Dec 1

Say hello to Şirince, a cute little village that’s a perfect synthesis of a traditional Turkish village and traditional Greek village. In fact, the town name actually means "cute" in Turkish, and used to be called "Çirkince," meaning "ugly."

This was an ironic take on the beauty of the village and also used to ward off others. As people wised up to how spectacular the village's location and architecture really was, they changed the name to Şirince in 1926.

The area around the village has history dating back to Hellenistic period (323–31 BC) and today any new building is required to align with the aesthetic of the village, which is under preservation.
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#luxurytravel #CelebrationOfLife #Happiness #Turkey #トルコ #イスタンブール #Turquía #Estambul #Турция
#Стамбул #Türkiye #火鸡 #Türkei #Turchia @unesco #UNESCO #Şirince #sirince

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Nov 30

Can you visit Turkey right now?

Anyone can travel to Turkey, though some are subject to restrictions.

You’ll need a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of departure, or be fully vaccinated at least 14 days before arriving. Some countries only need a negative rapid antigen test.

You’ll also need a Turkey Entry Form filled in at least 72 hours before departure.

If you’ve been to Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Brazil, India, Nepal or Sri Lanka in the previous 14 days you will be quarantined for 14 days on arrival in a government-listed hotel at their own expense.

Due to the new Omicron variation, arrivals from Botswana, South Africa, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe are banned.

Once in, you’ll find shops, cafes and restaurants open with no restrictions, though some crowded venues like theaters, cinemas or concerts will will require proof of vaccination, or a negative PCR test taken 48 hours prior to the event.

Nightly curfews and Sunday lockdowns have now been removed and cafes and restaurants can serve unlimited numbers, while museums have reopened too, but be prepared for some places to request mask wearing, social distancing and hygiene measures.

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#luxurytravel #CelebrationOfLife #Happiness #Turkey #トルコ #イスタンブール #Turquía #Estambul #Турция #Стамбул #Türkiye #火鸡 #Türkei #Turchia

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Nov 29

Welcome to Miletus, an ancient Greek city of western Anatolia.

Before 500 BC, Miletus was the greatest Greek city in the east. It was the natural outlet for products from the interior of Anatolia and had a considerable wool trade with Sybaris, in southern Italy. Miletus was important in the founding of the Greek colony of Naukratis in Egypt and founded more than 60 colonies on the shores of the Black Sea.

In 412BC the city sided with Sparta against Athens; but it fell to Alexander the Great in 334 after a siege. Miletus retained its commercial importance and received special attention from the Roman emperors Augustus and Trajan, but by the 6th century AD, its two harbours had silted up, and it was abandoned.

The ruins occupy the former peninsula, crowned by the hill of Kalabak Tepe. Hellenistic town walls and foundations have been uncovered and there are remains of the classical city from the 5th century BC to Roman imperial times. The Greco-Roman theatre though is the standout!—————————————————————
#luxurytravel #CelebrationOfLife #Happiness #Turkey #トルコ #イスタンブール #Turquía #Estambul #Турция #Стамбул #Türkiye #火鸡 #Türkei #Turchia @unesco #miletus

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Nov 25

These stunning white calcium pools, which cling to the side of a ridge, have long been one of the most famous picture postcard views of Turkey.

Pamukkale, literally meaning “cotton castle”, and was formed when a spring with a high content of dissolved calcium bicarbonate cascaded over the edge of the cliff, which cooled and hardened leaving calcium deposits. This formed into natural pools, shelves and ridges, where tourists could plunge and splash in the warm water.   Hotels were springing up from the 1970s to cater for the large influx of tourists, and shortly afterwards UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site.

But by the 1990s, this took its toll on the state of the calcium pools and restrictions were placed on these travertine terraces. Many hotels were knocked down, visitors are only allowed on major paths around the sites, and must remove footwear to stand on the calcium deposits.

This seems to have been a successful move, as the water supply is now used for preservation and some of the damaged calcium deposits have been strengthened.
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#luxurytravel #CelebrationOfLife #Happiness #Turkey #トルコ #イスタンブール #Turquía #Estambul #Турция
#Стамбул #Türkiye #火鸡 #Türkei #Turchia @unesco #Pamukkale #Hierapolis

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Nov 23

Welcome to my favourite Greek ruins in Turkey - Ephesus.

Built in the 10th century BC it was one of twelve cities that were members of the Ionian League during the Classical Greek era, and famed especially for the Temple of Artemis (550BC), one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Ephesus’ monumental buildings included the Library of Celsus and a theatre capable of holding 24,000 spectators, and it has been excavated and restored over many years by Austrian archaeologists, making it a real wonder to walk around.

Ephesus was also cited in the Book of Revelation and the Gospel of John may have been written here. The city was destroyed by the Goths in 263.
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#luxurytravel #CelebrationOfLife #Happiness #Turkey #トルコ #イスタンブール #Turquía #Estambul #Турция @fourseasons
#Стамбул #Türkiye #火鸡 #Türkei #Turchia @unesco #UNESCO #Ephesus

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Nov 22

If you’re heading to Istanbul and looking for a place to relax in palatial style, then the historic 19th Century Atik Pasha Palace on the European bank of the Bosphorus Strait is the place!

Now the @fsbosphorus, the palace is one of a group of several Ottoman-era palaces built as secondary residences along the European coast, near the Sultan’s principal summer retreat.

The interiors in beige, taupe, aqua, silver, and teal honour the original Ottoman design with traditional artworks too. Rooms are divided between two wings with copper roofs and stone-and-stucco exteriors, and some have high windows with spellbinding water views.

The palace has traditional hammams, and this extraordinary pool surrounded by columns, my favorite place for sure.
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#luxurytravel #CelebrationOfLife #Happiness #Turkey #トルコ #イスタンブール #Turquía #Estambul @fourseasons
#Стамбул #Türkiye #火鸡 #Türkei #Turchia @unesco #UNESCO

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Nov 19

The first-century theater of Hierapolis in Turkey is one of the best-preserved theaters in Asia, and it’s amazing to be able to walk in the steps of thousands who’ve been here before.

You might wonder why a stadium this large and well preserved, able to seat 15,000 spectators, stands so alone in nature in southwest Turkey.

When the ancient city was rediscovered by travellers after excavations in 1887, it was becoming destroyed by new hotels, but thankfully these have been removed to other side of Pamukkale.

Greeks and Romans considered the theater to be more than just a place for plays, so displayed the ideals of the Hellenistic culture right on the elaborate stage.

There were ten elaborately carved Corinthian columns decorated in marble with seashell motifs, and sculptural reliefs displaying mythological subjects as well as inscriptions on the walls and much more.

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#luxurytravel #CelebrationOfLife #Happiness #Turkey #Pamukkale #Hierapolis #トルコ #イスタンブール #Turquía #Estambul #Турция
#Стамбул #Türkiye #火鸡 #Türkei #Turchia @unesco #UNESCO #Pamukkale

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Nov 18

It's not every day you get to stay in a century-old Turkish prison, refurbished for luxury living!

@fssultanahmet was designed by Mimar Kemaleddin Bey beginning in 1918 as a prime example of Turkish neoclassical architecture, with an emphasis on pointed arches, ornate tiles, dramatic domes and towers.

It was the first jailhouse in the capital of the Ottoman Empire, for inmates awaiting trial or serving brief sentences. Juveniles and women were also detained.

An inscription in Ottoman language upon the main gate of the building states the name of the facility as the "Capital City Murder Jail" (Ottoman Turkish: Dersaadet Cinayet Tevkifhanesi‎).

Following the establishment of the Sağmalcılar prison, the inmates were transferred to the new site and the jail was abandoned on January 25, 1969 and is now a @fourseasons hotel!

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#luxurytravel #CelebrationOfLife #Happiness #Turkey #トルコ #イスタンブール #Turquía #Estambul #Турция
#Стамбул #Türkiye #火鸡 #Türkei #Turchia @unesco #UNESCO @fourseasons

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Nov 17

Welcome to the show! This incredible roman theatre of the Hierapolis was built in the second century AD under the Roman Emperor Hadrian.

Located in southwestern Anatolia in Turkey, Hierapolis was once a Holy City of Ancient Greece, and stand right next to the famed white cotton springs of Pamukkale.

It has a seating capacity of 15,000 and the facade is 300 feet (91 m) long, the full extent of which remains standing

Sculptural reliefs, displaying mythological subjects, were placed on the different storeys, while dedicatory inscriptions ran along the entablatures

An earthquake in Hierapolis in the 7th century caused the collapse of the building as well as the ultimate abandonment of the city.

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#luxurytravel #CelebrationOfLife #Happiness #Turkey #Pamukkale #Hierapolis #トルコ #イスタンブール #Turquía #Estambul #Турция
#Стамбул #Türkiye #火鸡 #Türkei #Turchia @unesco #UNESCO

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Nov 16

Back in the Middle East so it’s a good time to share a few pics from my last trip to Turkey.

This of course is the Hagia Sophia better know as the Ayasofya, one of the world’s great monuments.

It was built as a Christian church in the 6th century AD (532–537) under the direction of the Byzantine emperor Justinian I.

In subsequent centuries it became a mosque, a museum, then last year it became a mosque again, which sadly means a lot of historic elements of the interior have bene covered up or removed.

The building reflects the religious changes that have played out in the region over the centuries, with the minarets and inscriptions of Islam as well as the lavish mosaics of Christianity.

From @fssultanahmet

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#luxurytravel #CelebrationOfLife #Happiness #Turkey #Istanbul @fourseasons #トルコ #イスタンブール #Turquía #Estambul #Турция
#Стамбул #Türkiye #火鸡 #Türkei #Turchia

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Nov 12

A final shot from my time as a caveman at @cavotagoomykonos !

I’ll actually be in Athens all next week, before heading to Jordan on the 22nd November!

If anyone fancies meeting in Athens, let me know 🙂

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#luxurytravel #cavotagoo #CelebrationOfLife #TellOnlyYourBestFriends #Happiness #mykonos #Greece #CelebrationOfLife #TellOnlyYourBestFriends #Happiness #Summer #Greece #greekislands #visitgreece @visitgreecegr

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Nov 11

I would jump back in to this place in a second - the most famous instagram hotel in the world… @cavotagoomykonos

It was originally built atop an abandoned quarry back in 1985 by owner-architect Paris Liakos, then renovated thoroughly in 2007 and continuously updated.

The concept is “barefoot chic” with cave pools in most rooms, many of them unique. The model has been copied by many others in Greece ever since.
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#luxurytravel #cavotagoo #CelebrationOfLife #TellOnlyYourBestFriends #Happiness #mykonos #Greece #CelebrationOfLife #TellOnlyYourBestFriends #Happiness #Summer #Greece #greekislands #visitgreece @visitgreecegr

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Nov 10

At @kirinisantorini, harmonious design and the serenity of a pampering spa put inner well-being centre stage, but it’s also one of the most @sustainable.resorts on the island.

The hotel offers an environmental opt-in optiοn for not changing the bed sheets and the towels, and all bathroom products are free of single use plastic wrapping, recyclable and eco-friendly.

All guest rooms are climate-controlled to 20C (F68) degrees in the summer and 25C (F78) degrees in the spring / autumn to maximize both energy efficiency and personal comfort.

They also offer electric hotel cars for transfers and excursions (BMW).
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#luxurytravel #ecoresort #katikieskirini #kirinisantorini #CelebrationOfLife #TellOnlyYourBestFriends #Happiness #santorini #Greece #CelebrationOfLife #TellOnlyYourBestFriends #Happiness #Summer #Greece #greekislands #visitgreece @visitgreecegr

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Nov 9

What makes Santorini so instagramable is its blend of whitewashed accomodation, black rock cliffs, and Aegean blue sea around the volcano caldera.

Actually many of the Santorini Caves or yposkafa (which translates to “dug into a rock”) were underground buildings once used as homes, churches, canaves, and warehouses.

Many came about due to intense poverty long before tourism reached the island. The lowly crew members of ship owners and sea captains were not able to build their houses on top of the hill in Oia and had to come up with alternative housing.

They would carve a room into the earth, with a vaulted ceiling and a narrow facade, usually consisting of only one room.

The idea of painting them white came from the fact that whitewash was a cheap disinfectant material that worked against contagious diseases of the past, like cholera. It also reflects the heat of the sun in summer, keeping things cooler.

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#luxurytravel #ecoresort #katikieskirini #kirinisantorini #CelebrationOfLife #TellOnlyYourBestFriends #Happiness #santorini #Greece #CelebrationOfLife #TellOnlyYourBestFriends #Happiness #Summer #Greece #greekislands #visitgreece @visitgreecegr

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Nov 8

Ah, the classic Santorini shot! But what do you now about the village of Oia?

Most surprisingly, given the massive influx of tourists since the 1970s, the population is smaller now than in the past. Just 1,226 people actually live here, compared to 2,500 back in 1890.

That’s because Santorini used to be an important trading post full of sailors. But that economy vanished, and when the 1956 earthquake struct (the entire Santorini is a volcano caldera), part of the town was destroyed.

By 1977, 306 people were living here again, and the town was reborn as a ‘picture perfect” town, with many of its houses and resorts built in to the caves left by sailing crews of the past.

For their work in rebuilding Oia, the Greek National Tourism Organisation received the Europa Nostra Prize in 1979 and the Prize of the Architecture Biennale in Sofia in 1986.

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#luxurytravel #ecoresort #katikieskirini #kirinisantorini #CelebrationOfLife #TellOnlyYourBestFriends #Happiness #santorini #Greece #CelebrationOfLife #TellOnlyYourBestFriends #Happiness #Summer #Greece #greekislands #visitgreece @visitgreecegr

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Nov 5

"Is there an active Volcano in Santorini?"

Yep! It is the most active volcanic centre in the South Aegean, and what you see when visiting is a water-filled caldera. It was most recently active in 1950.

The island was the site of one of the largest volcanic eruptions in recorded history: the Minoan eruption, which occurred about 3,600 years ago at the height of the Minoan civilization.

There is also a Bronze-Age town near Akrotiri, covered by volcanic ash during the Minoan eruption around 1600 BC and partially excavated since 1956, with a great number of frescoes that might rank among the most inspiring pieces of art from the 2nd millennium BC.

At @nikkibeachhotelsantorini

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#luxurytravel #ecoresort #katikieskirini #kirinisantorini #katikies #katikiesclub #lhw #LHWTakeMeThere #CelebrationOfLife #TellOnlyYourBestFriends #Happiness #santorini #Greece #CelebrationOfLife #TellOnlyYourBestFriends #Happiness #Summer #Greece #greekislands #visitgreece @visitgreecegr

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Nov 4

During #COP26 its time to celebrate the best @sustainable.resorts worldwide, so check their feed to find those hotels going above and beyond.

In their quest to preserve and protect the natural beauty of Santorini, @kirinisantorini goes to great lengths to ensure sustainable, environmentally friendly practices down to the smallest detail.

From their own kitchen garden and locally sourced menus, to their choice of materials and supplies, they put the planet first and they are my top tip for the island.
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#luxurytravel #ecoresort #katikieskirini #kirinisantorini #katikies #katikiesclub #lhw #LHWTakeMeThere #CelebrationOfLife #TellOnlyYourBestFriends #Happiness #santorini #Greece #CelebrationOfLife #TellOnlyYourBestFriends #Happiness #Summer #Greece #greekislands #visitgreece @visitgreecegr

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Nov 3

Usually when I travel I’m happy to hike way off any beaten track. So the concept of a finding a cave in my hotel room is quite appealing!

This of course is @cavotagoomykonos - the inspiration for many a hotel worldwide and built on top of what was an old quarry.

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#luxurytravel #ecoresort #katikieskirini #kirinisantorini #katikies #katikiesclub #lhw #LHWTakeMeThere #CelebrationOfLife #TellOnlyYourBestFriends #Happiness #mykonos #Greece #CelebrationOfLife #TellOnlyYourBestFriends #Happiness #Summer #Greece #greekislands #visitgreece @visitgreecegr

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Nov 1

A DIFFERENT SANTORINI

The Crescent shaped Santorini in Greece is a world’s unique phenomenon. Its morphology was consisted early in the 17th century BC, when an enormous volcano eruption left the island with 3 parts of land, Caldera, Nea Kameni and Thirasia.

Over the centuries, Santorini flourished and was reborn, just to end up destroyed and abandoned again. But today, over the recent decades, it;s become recognized as one of the most beautiful places on earth, in part thanks to the unique white architectural style of Greek architecture.

One the east side of this is @nikkibeachhotelsantorini with its black volcanic sands, right on the water, offering a unique chance to swim in the sea around Santorini.

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#luxurytravel#NikkiBeachSantorini #NikkiBeach #CelebrationOfLife #TellOnlyYourBestFriends #Happiness #Santorini #Greece #CelebrationOfLife #TellOnlyYourBestFriends #Happiness #Summer #Greece #greekislands #visitgreece @visitgreecegr

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Oct 29

A visit to Greece wouldn’t be complete without a stop at the most famous instagram hotel in the world - @cavotagoomykonos

It was originally built atop an abandoned quarry back in 1985 by owner-architect Paris Liakos, then renovated thoroughly in 2007 and continuously updated.

The concept is “barefoot chic” with cave pools in most rooms, many of them unique. The model has been copied by many others in Greece ever since.

Expect to share the pool area with a mix of celebs and influencers, at breakfast I spotted the great @riyadmahrez26.7 - I would have said hi but I’m a @liverpoolfc fan!

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#luxurytravel #cavootagoo #cavotagoomykonos #CelebrationOfLife #TellOnlyYourBestFriends #Happiness #Mykonos #Summer #Greece #greekislands #visitgreece @visitgreecegr

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