By ERIK FEARN

Yalova

Head only a short distance from this sub-alpine city and it is still possible to see many traditional aspects of Turkish life, with shepherds gracing the hillsides, rosy-cheeked locals tending to their apple or olive orchards in a timeless manner, and everywhere the ruggedly beautiful and constantly changing landscape.

Just over an hour north of the city by car lies the spa town of Yalova. Its thermal springs were discovered by ancient tribes thousands of years ago but were turned into proper thermal baths by the Romans a "mere" 2,000 years ago.

The curative thermal baths are located on a quiet, wooded hillside with a wonderful view down to the port town and beyond.

Once inside, you can choose between the hot waters of the covered baths, enshrined in a centuries-old marble building. The water is scalding hot and the steam blinds you. My first urge was to throw a couple of tea bags into the communal tub instead of my family jewels

The outdoor pool is perfect. Bath-warm water steaming into the brisk spring air. Even if there's nothing to physically cure, the mineral baths are certainly good for the soul.

Entrance is cheap at 13 lira (RM34). Towels and lockers are provided.

Uludag

Rising right out of the southern suburbs of Bursa is a winding 36km road that takes you up the hulking mountain of Uludag (2,543m) - the largest winter sports centre in Turkey. The slopes, five-star hotels and ski-lifts are easily reached by car (one hour) or by a cable-car that goes straight from downtown Bursa to the Alpine slopes!

Uludag is Turkey's premier ski resort. (Photo: The Star, Erik Fearn)

December through May is the best time for skiing, but the resort is open year-round, which makes it a great destination for cool day hikes during the hot summer months.

Interestingly, in ancient times, the Greeks that lived in what is now Turkey had their very own holy Mt Olympus; home to their pantheon of gods - Uludag!

On a personal note, when I visited Uludag, I almost became a permanent winter feature.

I arrived in the ski resort at the tail end of the season. The snow on the roofs of the hotels - in some cases, a metre thick - was starting to lose its grip on the tiles and would cascade in huge avalanches off the roofs without warning.

While this snowy waterfall was a pretty sight from afar, standing right underneath it offered a less enchanting perspective. Which is what happened to me.

No sooner had I stepped out of my hotel and taken a deep breath of fresh mountain air, I heard a woosh, and promptly disappeared under a mount of fluffy snow.

Always one to keep my cool, I climbed out of my snowy cocoon with the aid of a passing skier.

Thinking that this might be a health risk to others, I walked across the street to the neighbouring hotel to tell the doorman there, hiding from the cold in the shelter of his doorway, that this could happen to anyone at anytime without warning, and perhaps they should take some preemptive action.

This is a true story. No sooner had I started pointing at the overburdened roof and opened my mouth to share my concerns, then a fluffy slab of snow broke free from the roof and cascaded right on top of me. No where else, you understand. Just on me.

I ended up looking like a lumpy snowman with a human arm pointing vaguely skyward. The doorman took a long time to finish laughing before he helped me. I spent the rest of the day indoors.

For more information, e-mail the Turkish Information Office in Kuala Lumpur at turkinfo.my@gmail.com

Getting there

There are a few options to get from Malaysia to Istanbul, your jumping-off point. Turkish Airlines (www.thy.com), which flies out of Singapore, often has good deals. The best and prettiest way to get to Bursa is to take any of the regular and cheap car ferries running from downtown Istanbul across the Marmara Sea to the nearby port city of Mudanya. The journey takes less than two hours and is a bargain at about 15 lira (RM40) per person.

When to visit

The summers can be scorching and the winters can be dreary (unless you're into skiing). Spring and autumn are best. Besides, you'll be able to get good low-season hotel and flight deals.