July 20, 2009 at 2:45 p.m. en route to Konya
Great start to the day. I slept like a rock last night, woke up early to go check my email, then took out for a quick workout. I walked to the end of the hotel terrace lookout and found a staircase leading down to an empty soccer field.....perfect! I ran and did a bunch of circuits with my awesome gym equipment - a bench, make-believe jump rope, bed of soft grass, iPod and perfect 68 degree weather. Forgot about the climb up but that was just bonus. Now breakfast has been a bit of a struggle for me - I hardly ever do dairy (which they often serve warm here) andI don't do meat. This can be quite limiting at times. So it was the usual 2 whole tomatoes, Turkish coffee, and a croissant. I eat those tomatoes like they are going out of style. I might turn into one at this rate, which is fine by me.
Our first stop was at Hieropolis. Imagine where the Greeks and Romans would go for good scenery, soothing powers and healing spring pools - yep, that is Hieropolis. Here you can find the ancient ruins of Greek baths, monuments and temples. We had a great time splashing though the warm water taking in the postcard-esque view.
We left there for a long day on the road. The drive to Konya is a long one. I ate even more bread and tomatoes at lunch and a yummy tossed salad. I had to pass on the rice pudding, and I NEVER pass on dessert. Now we are headed to Konya, but we will stop at Catalhuyuk - one of the first omhabited cities in human history. Located along the Silk Road and home to the Tomb of Rumi, Konya should be pretty exciting as well. Until then.......iyi gunler!
Factoids: I can eat 8 tomatoes in a single day.
Blog Playlist: I Feel a Hot One by Manchester Orchestra; Tomorrow by Silverchair; La Cienega Just Smiles by Ryan Adams; Live Like You're Dying by Lenka
Monday, July 20, 2009
Pamukkale
Pamukkale at 10:30 p.m. on July 19, 2009
It was so hard to leave Kusadasi this morning. Our accommodations at Charisma Hotel made for a perfect stay. So it came as not surprise that I slept through breakfast again. We loaded the bus to the first stop of the day – the Ephesus Archeological Museum. There were so many Roman artifacts just lying around it was difficult to decipher them all. The actual statue of Artemis from the Temple of Artemis was pretty amazing.
Next, we hiked through the vast cruciform Basilica of St. John (built by Justinian in the early 6th century) and the rest of Ephesus 4? It is believed that St. John was buried in the southern slope of the Ayosolug Hill there. The tomb, chapel, and other constructs were deemed unusual because of the 14th century earthquake there. Still, the remaining remnants are remarkable. Hiking through the ancient city was exciting. History right at your feet!
Our next stop was the most rewarding experience of this trip – Atakoy Village School. I tear up just thinking about that place again. Humble means would be the understatement of the century. The classrooms were very tiny, the supplies were scarce yet the school was enveloped in this positive energy. The students were soooo cute! They were also shy and very polite. However, Mehmet was not shy. He greeted me right outside of the bus and said “Hello, I am Mehmet. How are you?” He stuck his hand out. I took it and felt my heart break into a million pieces looking at that smile. See it for yourself above. I got my bag out of the bottom of the bus to get the T-shirts I brought for the kids out. I felt suddenly self-conscience as I rummaged through luggage full of things he had never seen before, but he waited for me all the same. He asked if I needed help and I knew I would have given him anything in that bag had he asked, but he was much too polite to do so. We toured the small school, seeing the students guide the tour and playing with a Frisbee, playing with the gifts we had brought them and showing us on a globe where we were from. Mehmet knew the Dallas Cowboys and Tony Romo. And they all love Hedo Turkaglu. I wish we could have stayed longer. I feel so blessed in my life, and I realize there are many things that I take for granted, but I think that I had an epiphany – life is too short to not just smile and enjoy it. That is how Mehmet approaches his life. I think I left a piece of me there at that school. I certainly hope so.
We lunched at the Anatolia Restaurant nearby, which was gorgeous with its courtyard, hammocks and flowers. The trout was excellent. But the scenery was the best part, which included a traditional dance demonstration and serenade by a man with a guitar and a bird – so cool! The next stop was Aphrodisias. This city was dedicated to the goddess of love. The remains of the city have been excavated since 1961 and efforts continue today. It was so stinking hot out there though!!! But it was worth every drop of sweat. Aphrodisias was once an artistic sculpture school during the Roman period. Whoa. There were so many sculptures and structures there that they were just lying around in stacks all over the place. Even though the city has been inhabited, buried, built upon and rediscovered over time, it is still strangely alive. You can almost hear cheering in the stadium and coliseum there, smell the food in front of the town center, and see the Romans building the immaculate Temple of Aphrodite. It is still difficult to describe. Amazing.
After a day of trekking through world history, we pulled into Pamukkale, an unreal city of natural, calcite-laden springs, waterfalls, basins and pools. We had 2 hot springs at our hotel! A glass of Efes and a dip in the hot spring overlooking the valley below and I was sleepy in no time. Off to bed now. Iyi gecelen!
Factoid: The Turkish word for "fireworks" translates in English to "bomb." We found that one out by thelifeguard at teh Aegean who kicked us out because of the "bombs" going off at the wedding on the terrace.
Blog Playlist: Like A Stone by Audioslave; Made Concrete by The Republic Tires; The Man Who Stole the World by Nirvana; Mansard Roof by Vampire Weekend
It was so hard to leave Kusadasi this morning. Our accommodations at Charisma Hotel made for a perfect stay. So it came as not surprise that I slept through breakfast again. We loaded the bus to the first stop of the day – the Ephesus Archeological Museum. There were so many Roman artifacts just lying around it was difficult to decipher them all. The actual statue of Artemis from the Temple of Artemis was pretty amazing.
Next, we hiked through the vast cruciform Basilica of St. John (built by Justinian in the early 6th century) and the rest of Ephesus 4? It is believed that St. John was buried in the southern slope of the Ayosolug Hill there. The tomb, chapel, and other constructs were deemed unusual because of the 14th century earthquake there. Still, the remaining remnants are remarkable. Hiking through the ancient city was exciting. History right at your feet!
Our next stop was the most rewarding experience of this trip – Atakoy Village School. I tear up just thinking about that place again. Humble means would be the understatement of the century. The classrooms were very tiny, the supplies were scarce yet the school was enveloped in this positive energy. The students were soooo cute! They were also shy and very polite. However, Mehmet was not shy. He greeted me right outside of the bus and said “Hello, I am Mehmet. How are you?” He stuck his hand out. I took it and felt my heart break into a million pieces looking at that smile. See it for yourself above. I got my bag out of the bottom of the bus to get the T-shirts I brought for the kids out. I felt suddenly self-conscience as I rummaged through luggage full of things he had never seen before, but he waited for me all the same. He asked if I needed help and I knew I would have given him anything in that bag had he asked, but he was much too polite to do so. We toured the small school, seeing the students guide the tour and playing with a Frisbee, playing with the gifts we had brought them and showing us on a globe where we were from. Mehmet knew the Dallas Cowboys and Tony Romo. And they all love Hedo Turkaglu. I wish we could have stayed longer. I feel so blessed in my life, and I realize there are many things that I take for granted, but I think that I had an epiphany – life is too short to not just smile and enjoy it. That is how Mehmet approaches his life. I think I left a piece of me there at that school. I certainly hope so.
We lunched at the Anatolia Restaurant nearby, which was gorgeous with its courtyard, hammocks and flowers. The trout was excellent. But the scenery was the best part, which included a traditional dance demonstration and serenade by a man with a guitar and a bird – so cool! The next stop was Aphrodisias. This city was dedicated to the goddess of love. The remains of the city have been excavated since 1961 and efforts continue today. It was so stinking hot out there though!!! But it was worth every drop of sweat. Aphrodisias was once an artistic sculpture school during the Roman period. Whoa. There were so many sculptures and structures there that they were just lying around in stacks all over the place. Even though the city has been inhabited, buried, built upon and rediscovered over time, it is still strangely alive. You can almost hear cheering in the stadium and coliseum there, smell the food in front of the town center, and see the Romans building the immaculate Temple of Aphrodite. It is still difficult to describe. Amazing.
After a day of trekking through world history, we pulled into Pamukkale, an unreal city of natural, calcite-laden springs, waterfalls, basins and pools. We had 2 hot springs at our hotel! A glass of Efes and a dip in the hot spring overlooking the valley below and I was sleepy in no time. Off to bed now. Iyi gecelen!
Factoid: The Turkish word for "fireworks" translates in English to "bomb." We found that one out by thelifeguard at teh Aegean who kicked us out because of the "bombs" going off at the wedding on the terrace.
Blog Playlist: Like A Stone by Audioslave; Made Concrete by The Republic Tires; The Man Who Stole the World by Nirvana; Mansard Roof by Vampire Weekend
Kusadasi
July 18, 2009 at 11:30 p.m. in Kusadasi
We arrived in Ephesus by 4:30 p.m. I know that I should just stop thinking that this can’t get any better, yet I wake up each morning to pinch myself and come to the same conclusion. And I am wrong every time. Ephesus is truly (up to this point) the most spectacular place I have ever seen. Ephesus was once a great city, rebuilt 3 times, of about 100,000 people and countless antiquities. It houses the Celsus Library, remnants of the Temple of Artemis, and the great theater where St. Paul preached “an epistle to the Ephesians.” Unbelievable. The main streets are made of marble stones, the pillars are so ornate and the vastness of the site is breathtaking. Hands down – this is Paradise for any historian.
On that note, I can’t help but to reflect on the difference between the historical sites here compared to those of America. Back home we have so many rules and restrictions on what we can touch or photograph or visit, but here you can climb onto a millinium old carved stone! And it has all held up pretty well given the wars and earthquakes yet we fear a hand print will ruin an artifact from the Civil War. I get the intention behind it, I just still find it interesting. Here you are expected to interact with the history. That may explain why students here are so well schooled in history and so proud of their own history.
OK, off my soapbox. We were given another 2 hours after the tour to look at the site, where as I could have spent days and never see it all. But I understand the rush – we had a 5 star hotel on the Aegean Sea waiting for us down the road. And seriously, this place is amazing. Check it out at http://www.charismahotel.com/ We were squeeling when we saw the view from our hotel rooms. We rushed down to the terrace to eat dinner and watch the sun set on the sea. Phenomenol. Now this is paradise! The outdoor pool spills over into the sea. We rushed into our swimsuits after “delish” dinner and raced to the pool. Gorgeous! We hung out, took some crazy pics and then rushed out to the beach. We had such a blast down there, though we got kicked out by the lifeguard. We went back in anyway.
Just got back to the room to take the best shower ever. We are having some internet issues so it may take a bit to get this posted. Until then, good night! Ahhhhh……
Factoid: The oldest shipwreck on Earth was axcavated in Turkey.
Blog Playlist: The Blower’s Daughter by Damien Rice; Boyz by MIA; Back to the Hotel by N2Deep; Breathe by Leaves
** Later that night, we called the front desk re: our internet difficulties and they sent a tech guy to our room to look at the laptop, not fix it, then 2 more techies showed up. They couldn’t fix it either so they let us borrow a personal laptop and an extra adaptor for the night. So nice! I returnied it all the next morning with a thank you note and 10 lirra. Orhan said “Is not normal behavior. Is the color of your eyes.” Whatever. If having blue eyes means being treated like a rock star, we will gladly take it.
We arrived in Ephesus by 4:30 p.m. I know that I should just stop thinking that this can’t get any better, yet I wake up each morning to pinch myself and come to the same conclusion. And I am wrong every time. Ephesus is truly (up to this point) the most spectacular place I have ever seen. Ephesus was once a great city, rebuilt 3 times, of about 100,000 people and countless antiquities. It houses the Celsus Library, remnants of the Temple of Artemis, and the great theater where St. Paul preached “an epistle to the Ephesians.” Unbelievable. The main streets are made of marble stones, the pillars are so ornate and the vastness of the site is breathtaking. Hands down – this is Paradise for any historian.
On that note, I can’t help but to reflect on the difference between the historical sites here compared to those of America. Back home we have so many rules and restrictions on what we can touch or photograph or visit, but here you can climb onto a millinium old carved stone! And it has all held up pretty well given the wars and earthquakes yet we fear a hand print will ruin an artifact from the Civil War. I get the intention behind it, I just still find it interesting. Here you are expected to interact with the history. That may explain why students here are so well schooled in history and so proud of their own history.
OK, off my soapbox. We were given another 2 hours after the tour to look at the site, where as I could have spent days and never see it all. But I understand the rush – we had a 5 star hotel on the Aegean Sea waiting for us down the road. And seriously, this place is amazing. Check it out at http://www.charismahotel.com/ We were squeeling when we saw the view from our hotel rooms. We rushed down to the terrace to eat dinner and watch the sun set on the sea. Phenomenol. Now this is paradise! The outdoor pool spills over into the sea. We rushed into our swimsuits after “delish” dinner and raced to the pool. Gorgeous! We hung out, took some crazy pics and then rushed out to the beach. We had such a blast down there, though we got kicked out by the lifeguard. We went back in anyway.
Just got back to the room to take the best shower ever. We are having some internet issues so it may take a bit to get this posted. Until then, good night! Ahhhhh……
Factoid: The oldest shipwreck on Earth was axcavated in Turkey.
Blog Playlist: The Blower’s Daughter by Damien Rice; Boyz by MIA; Back to the Hotel by N2Deep; Breathe by Leaves
** Later that night, we called the front desk re: our internet difficulties and they sent a tech guy to our room to look at the laptop, not fix it, then 2 more techies showed up. They couldn’t fix it either so they let us borrow a personal laptop and an extra adaptor for the night. So nice! I returnied it all the next morning with a thank you note and 10 lirra. Orhan said “Is not normal behavior. Is the color of your eyes.” Whatever. If having blue eyes means being treated like a rock star, we will gladly take it.
Izmir
Izmir 2:45 p.m. on July 18, 2009
Merhaba! What a wonderful night of rest. This hotel in Bursa did not have the same party animals (seagulls) outside our window throwing wild parties like those of Istanbul.....yea. I slept so hard last night that I woke up to the alarm at 6 a.m. completely unaware of my surroundings/time/place/roommate. After my mini manic attack, I met Megan for a quick workout and swim.
We didn't have such an easy time getting to the pool, which is elevated from the ballroom terrace outside by our floor. We tried about every possible entrance, route, exit, and staircase before we thought we had the secret entrance - an antique door with an antique doorknob that Megan pulled off when she grabbed it and leaned back. Oops. Why does everything in Turkey have to be so old?! We finally found another tour group member with terrace access.
The pool was spectacular. It was long, narrow and serene set between two quiet gardens, the bath house and the terrace. The water was perfect. I was able to get in some lunges, squats, pushups, dips and abs before getting in about 20 laps. Such a perfect start to the day/
Ate a quick breakfast with my new fave people - Addrienne, James, Megan, and Karen. Loaded the bus for a long day of driving. I feel like our group is really coming together, sharing stories and playing games and just having good adult conversation. On a bus full of history teachers from across the country, you can imagine how lively it can get rolling through the birthplace of civilization. Sometime I even need to just put in my iPod, but I do appreciate the intelligent adult conversation.
We stopped en route at the Razir Restaurant. Lunch was pretty good, although the vegetarian options are getting more and more iffy as we travel. At least I am not gaining weight. Now something I haven't talked about yet is the cat situation in Turkey. In Istanbul, Iznic, Bursa and everywhere else we have been, there were cats EVERYWHERE. Street kitties, pet cats, you name it they are crawling out of every nook and cranny. This restaruant was the first stop we have made where I didn't feel completely surrounded by felines. In fact I was about to share my observation while standing in the restroom when Karen piped in "Really? Cats?" and pointed to 4 cat statues by the front door. Seriously. It is strange because the cats are shooed away all the time by the Turks I see out and about, yet they are tolerated on a level I have never seen before in America. I love my cat, but one is all I need to see in a day.
For dessert, we were served the usual dish of watermelon and honeydew. I asked the waitor for a fork (I thought I did) but he handed me 8 toothpicks instead. I am studying my Turkish right now. We left the restaurant to continue our drive to Ephesus. Most of the drive so far has been over hills and mountains. There are sunflowers everywhere and they are huge! Orhan says we will be in Ephesus by 4p.m. but judging my the bus driver's aversion to brakes I am betting earlier. I really cannot wait to be there. Iyi Gunter!
Factoid: 7 of the 12 churches described by John were located in Turkiye.
Blog Playlist: The Wake-Up Song by The Submarines; Winding Road by Bonnie Somerville; Speeding Cars by Imogen Heap; Million Faces by Pablo Nutini
Merhaba! What a wonderful night of rest. This hotel in Bursa did not have the same party animals (seagulls) outside our window throwing wild parties like those of Istanbul.....yea. I slept so hard last night that I woke up to the alarm at 6 a.m. completely unaware of my surroundings/time/place/roommate. After my mini manic attack, I met Megan for a quick workout and swim.
We didn't have such an easy time getting to the pool, which is elevated from the ballroom terrace outside by our floor. We tried about every possible entrance, route, exit, and staircase before we thought we had the secret entrance - an antique door with an antique doorknob that Megan pulled off when she grabbed it and leaned back. Oops. Why does everything in Turkey have to be so old?! We finally found another tour group member with terrace access.
The pool was spectacular. It was long, narrow and serene set between two quiet gardens, the bath house and the terrace. The water was perfect. I was able to get in some lunges, squats, pushups, dips and abs before getting in about 20 laps. Such a perfect start to the day/
Ate a quick breakfast with my new fave people - Addrienne, James, Megan, and Karen. Loaded the bus for a long day of driving. I feel like our group is really coming together, sharing stories and playing games and just having good adult conversation. On a bus full of history teachers from across the country, you can imagine how lively it can get rolling through the birthplace of civilization. Sometime I even need to just put in my iPod, but I do appreciate the intelligent adult conversation.
We stopped en route at the Razir Restaurant. Lunch was pretty good, although the vegetarian options are getting more and more iffy as we travel. At least I am not gaining weight. Now something I haven't talked about yet is the cat situation in Turkey. In Istanbul, Iznic, Bursa and everywhere else we have been, there were cats EVERYWHERE. Street kitties, pet cats, you name it they are crawling out of every nook and cranny. This restaruant was the first stop we have made where I didn't feel completely surrounded by felines. In fact I was about to share my observation while standing in the restroom when Karen piped in "Really? Cats?" and pointed to 4 cat statues by the front door. Seriously. It is strange because the cats are shooed away all the time by the Turks I see out and about, yet they are tolerated on a level I have never seen before in America. I love my cat, but one is all I need to see in a day.
For dessert, we were served the usual dish of watermelon and honeydew. I asked the waitor for a fork (I thought I did) but he handed me 8 toothpicks instead. I am studying my Turkish right now. We left the restaurant to continue our drive to Ephesus. Most of the drive so far has been over hills and mountains. There are sunflowers everywhere and they are huge! Orhan says we will be in Ephesus by 4p.m. but judging my the bus driver's aversion to brakes I am betting earlier. I really cannot wait to be there. Iyi Gunter!
Factoid: 7 of the 12 churches described by John were located in Turkiye.
Blog Playlist: The Wake-Up Song by The Submarines; Winding Road by Bonnie Somerville; Speeding Cars by Imogen Heap; Million Faces by Pablo Nutini
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Goodbye Istanbul, Hello World...
10:50 p.m. on July 17, 2009 in İstanbul
The wake-up call thıs mornıng came at 5:45 a.m. Thıs was rough because I had a difficult time sleeping last night after the Turkish Bath experience. Anyway, no tıme for breakfast so I packed quick and raced to the bus. Goodbye İstanbul.
We drove into the small town of Adaparazi to vişit the Enka schools there. These were established in 1999 after the devastating earthquake there. These schools are so inspiring. The teachers are so motivated and hopeful, even when their resources are so limited. We can all learn a lesson in that.
Next, we drove to Iznıc to the studio of Targut Tuna and he was there! He demonstrated and explained the tradition of Turkish tile making. If any of you get a chance to ever check out his work, thınk pomegranate. You will thank me. Anyway, his works were available in his shop in the town so we went there next. Threw down some serious lira. Loves it! But as awesome as the shop was, the poor conditions ın that town around the shops were undeniable. It was so sad to see such conditions in a city enveloped in ancient ruins. We lunched on a terrace overlooking Lake Iznıc, which was a lot of fun.
We loaded the bus and headed off to Bursa. Thıs was when I realized that I really was not feeling so well. I slept the whole drive. Bursa was very cool. It is a city of over 1 million people but you would not know it with your eyes closed….it is so quiet there. We checked into the Kuza han market and tossed did a little damage. But the scarves were irresistable – pretty and cheap!
We then traveled into the Ulu Mosque. This mosque was beautıful as well as serene. It was built ın 1399 and holds 192 caligraphy inscriptions. Finally. We checked into our hotel – Kervansaray. It is snazzy. We ate a quick dınner in the restaurant there before going to a pricvate showing of a Turkish tradition – shadow puppet theatre. It was strange yet entertaining. Such neat traditions here. My day is so done now. Headıng to bed to get ready for the big day tomorrow….Ephesus. Squeel! Irı gecelem.
Factoid: Turkey is roughly the size of Texas.
Blog Playlist: Nausea by Beck; Middle of Nowhere by Hot Hot Heat; Lebanese Blonde by Thievery Corporation; My Summer Vacation by Ice Cube
The wake-up call thıs mornıng came at 5:45 a.m. Thıs was rough because I had a difficult time sleeping last night after the Turkish Bath experience. Anyway, no tıme for breakfast so I packed quick and raced to the bus. Goodbye İstanbul.
We drove into the small town of Adaparazi to vişit the Enka schools there. These were established in 1999 after the devastating earthquake there. These schools are so inspiring. The teachers are so motivated and hopeful, even when their resources are so limited. We can all learn a lesson in that.
Next, we drove to Iznıc to the studio of Targut Tuna and he was there! He demonstrated and explained the tradition of Turkish tile making. If any of you get a chance to ever check out his work, thınk pomegranate. You will thank me. Anyway, his works were available in his shop in the town so we went there next. Threw down some serious lira. Loves it! But as awesome as the shop was, the poor conditions ın that town around the shops were undeniable. It was so sad to see such conditions in a city enveloped in ancient ruins. We lunched on a terrace overlooking Lake Iznıc, which was a lot of fun.
We loaded the bus and headed off to Bursa. Thıs was when I realized that I really was not feeling so well. I slept the whole drive. Bursa was very cool. It is a city of over 1 million people but you would not know it with your eyes closed….it is so quiet there. We checked into the Kuza han market and tossed did a little damage. But the scarves were irresistable – pretty and cheap!
We then traveled into the Ulu Mosque. This mosque was beautıful as well as serene. It was built ın 1399 and holds 192 caligraphy inscriptions. Finally. We checked into our hotel – Kervansaray. It is snazzy. We ate a quick dınner in the restaurant there before going to a pricvate showing of a Turkish tradition – shadow puppet theatre. It was strange yet entertaining. Such neat traditions here. My day is so done now. Headıng to bed to get ready for the big day tomorrow….Ephesus. Squeel! Irı gecelem.
Factoid: Turkey is roughly the size of Texas.
Blog Playlist: Nausea by Beck; Middle of Nowhere by Hot Hot Heat; Lebanese Blonde by Thievery Corporation; My Summer Vacation by Ice Cube
Then there was the Turkısh Bath....somewhere between the moon and the stars?
July 16, 2009 at 11:45 p.m. in Istanbul
Almost used to the sunrise breakfast on the hotel rooftop overlooking Istanbul – almost. We had to eat a quick breakfast since we overslept a little. Yea, we slept for more than 4 hours! Today looked to be a little less intense than the last 2 days. By the way, yesterday was a 17 hour day. Ugh. That was the longest day ever. Our first stop today was to the Hagia Sophia (Ayosofya.) This place is unbelievable. I couldn’t even comprehend the vastness of that ancient structure. It is gorgeous, inspiring, overwhelming and somehow adventurous all at once. Hagia Sophia was built as the center of the Easter Orthodox Church, then it was turned into a mosque by the Ottoman conquerors. Now it is a museum and has been since Ataturk took power. It is still being rediscovered in many ways. Underneath centuries-old plaster are idols and Christian symbols! Our tome there was limited, but it made an impact on me. It is the most important place I have ever seen in my life…….so far. I snook off for a few quiet moments alone upstairs to whisper a prayer for about 10 different reasons……I could just cry thinking about the effect that place had on me. I felt so tiny in this place, which isn’t easy at 5’10”. Inside of one of the columns shipped in from Egypt is a hole. Tradition holds that if you put your thumb in the hole and make a full rotation, your wish will come true. So of course I tried it! And then I promptly cleansed my hands with anti-bacterial wash. But hey, when in Rome!
Next we visited the underground cisterns. Cisterns are the underwater reservoirs in Istanbul, and the Basilica Cistern has over 300 columns, including the two with Medusa Heads. The cisterns were creepy and damp, but also nice to look at. There was also another wishing column with a hole. I took a picture but I didn’t like my chances considering it was damp and dark in there. I also took a pic of (I thought) myself in the cistern in front of the water. My finger slipped or my arm moved, because what turned out was something like a bad acid trip. I think it looks really cool!
Our tour continued with a visit to the Bahcesehir School of Science Technology. This was a completely different experience from yesterday’s school visit in that the school was immaculate and there were students (4 of them) three who led the tours, answered our questions and proved to be absolutely brilliant. They were all conversational in English, personable and intelligent and even quite funny. They reminded me so much of my own students. But again, the school was like a museum of sorts with its planetarium, hands-on exhibit halls and science store. Orhan was standing near an exhibit re: technological innovations over the years, and he put his cell near a model of the cotton gin. (We are always making fun of his antique cell phone.) Pretty funny. He then fell asleep in the Planetarium demonstration. He won’t admit it but I have evidence – I took a picture of it.
The school visit was eventful as well. Another tour member asked for a Tums only to be rushed to the school clinic for a full work-up including a check of her blood pressure and temperature. Also, I had an intriguing conversation with Bonnie re: the unifying effects of language. Guess you had to be there. I was also completely impressed with the level of national pride and commitment the young adults we met today were already capable of. Ataturk is in every classroom and honored throughout the schools in Turkey. The students of this country consider going to other countries for higher education but most plan to return to help promote and better their mother-land. At 15 they are thinking about this stuff!
Our final stop as a group was with the Turkish Cultural Foundation for a tea with some NGOs and sponsors. It was very informative and I will try to look more into the topics introduced there tonight. Early release meant that we had an early start to our last night in Istanbul! James, Megan, Karen, Addrienne and I quickly changed and headed out to the streets.
We had a street vendor create Ottoman calligraphy gifts for some of us. Then, we hit a patio for the native Efes and cuisine. We had a blast even though the waiter wouldn’t stop making some very forward comments. He even grabbed my hand as we were leaving, not even phased by the fact that I towered over him, to ask for a kiss and to let me know that he would see me again later tonight, “somewhere between the moon and the stars.” More like somewhere from behind jail bars! It is funny how some things are different and yet other things are exactly the same.
In order to go out with a bang and get the recommended full Istanbul experience, we decided to go next to the Haman, a Turkish bath house by our hotel. I really don’t know where to start but I promise to try to tell you in person if you ever want to know. I can’t even find the words right now to write about it in my own journal. I will tell you that it was something that I will never forget.
Finally, we stopped into a cool shop on the way back to the hotel that was trying to close shop. I had been eyeing a bag in there for days, so we kept them open so I could get the bag, while Karen purchased a snazzy pair of purple boots and a great dress. We met back up with James to see what he got while shopping. Wow, does he have a fantastic eye.
The night was silly and scary and so much fun all at once. I am still trying to process it all so I can get some sleep. Tomorrow we leave Istanbul for Bursa. Good night!
Factoid: Beautiful people and children are encouraged to wear an evil eye to ward off jealousy or evil affection. Turkish tradition has made this evil eye or nazar boncugu both a popular accessory as well as a necessary piece of jewelry and home décor.
Blog Playlist: I Turn My Camera On by Spoon; The World at Large by Modest Mouse; Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand; Over My Head by The Fray
Almost used to the sunrise breakfast on the hotel rooftop overlooking Istanbul – almost. We had to eat a quick breakfast since we overslept a little. Yea, we slept for more than 4 hours! Today looked to be a little less intense than the last 2 days. By the way, yesterday was a 17 hour day. Ugh. That was the longest day ever. Our first stop today was to the Hagia Sophia (Ayosofya.) This place is unbelievable. I couldn’t even comprehend the vastness of that ancient structure. It is gorgeous, inspiring, overwhelming and somehow adventurous all at once. Hagia Sophia was built as the center of the Easter Orthodox Church, then it was turned into a mosque by the Ottoman conquerors. Now it is a museum and has been since Ataturk took power. It is still being rediscovered in many ways. Underneath centuries-old plaster are idols and Christian symbols! Our tome there was limited, but it made an impact on me. It is the most important place I have ever seen in my life…….so far. I snook off for a few quiet moments alone upstairs to whisper a prayer for about 10 different reasons……I could just cry thinking about the effect that place had on me. I felt so tiny in this place, which isn’t easy at 5’10”. Inside of one of the columns shipped in from Egypt is a hole. Tradition holds that if you put your thumb in the hole and make a full rotation, your wish will come true. So of course I tried it! And then I promptly cleansed my hands with anti-bacterial wash. But hey, when in Rome!
Next we visited the underground cisterns. Cisterns are the underwater reservoirs in Istanbul, and the Basilica Cistern has over 300 columns, including the two with Medusa Heads. The cisterns were creepy and damp, but also nice to look at. There was also another wishing column with a hole. I took a picture but I didn’t like my chances considering it was damp and dark in there. I also took a pic of (I thought) myself in the cistern in front of the water. My finger slipped or my arm moved, because what turned out was something like a bad acid trip. I think it looks really cool!
Our tour continued with a visit to the Bahcesehir School of Science Technology. This was a completely different experience from yesterday’s school visit in that the school was immaculate and there were students (4 of them) three who led the tours, answered our questions and proved to be absolutely brilliant. They were all conversational in English, personable and intelligent and even quite funny. They reminded me so much of my own students. But again, the school was like a museum of sorts with its planetarium, hands-on exhibit halls and science store. Orhan was standing near an exhibit re: technological innovations over the years, and he put his cell near a model of the cotton gin. (We are always making fun of his antique cell phone.) Pretty funny. He then fell asleep in the Planetarium demonstration. He won’t admit it but I have evidence – I took a picture of it.
The school visit was eventful as well. Another tour member asked for a Tums only to be rushed to the school clinic for a full work-up including a check of her blood pressure and temperature. Also, I had an intriguing conversation with Bonnie re: the unifying effects of language. Guess you had to be there. I was also completely impressed with the level of national pride and commitment the young adults we met today were already capable of. Ataturk is in every classroom and honored throughout the schools in Turkey. The students of this country consider going to other countries for higher education but most plan to return to help promote and better their mother-land. At 15 they are thinking about this stuff!
Our final stop as a group was with the Turkish Cultural Foundation for a tea with some NGOs and sponsors. It was very informative and I will try to look more into the topics introduced there tonight. Early release meant that we had an early start to our last night in Istanbul! James, Megan, Karen, Addrienne and I quickly changed and headed out to the streets.
We had a street vendor create Ottoman calligraphy gifts for some of us. Then, we hit a patio for the native Efes and cuisine. We had a blast even though the waiter wouldn’t stop making some very forward comments. He even grabbed my hand as we were leaving, not even phased by the fact that I towered over him, to ask for a kiss and to let me know that he would see me again later tonight, “somewhere between the moon and the stars.” More like somewhere from behind jail bars! It is funny how some things are different and yet other things are exactly the same.
In order to go out with a bang and get the recommended full Istanbul experience, we decided to go next to the Haman, a Turkish bath house by our hotel. I really don’t know where to start but I promise to try to tell you in person if you ever want to know. I can’t even find the words right now to write about it in my own journal. I will tell you that it was something that I will never forget.
Finally, we stopped into a cool shop on the way back to the hotel that was trying to close shop. I had been eyeing a bag in there for days, so we kept them open so I could get the bag, while Karen purchased a snazzy pair of purple boots and a great dress. We met back up with James to see what he got while shopping. Wow, does he have a fantastic eye.
The night was silly and scary and so much fun all at once. I am still trying to process it all so I can get some sleep. Tomorrow we leave Istanbul for Bursa. Good night!
Factoid: Beautiful people and children are encouraged to wear an evil eye to ward off jealousy or evil affection. Turkish tradition has made this evil eye or nazar boncugu both a popular accessory as well as a necessary piece of jewelry and home décor.
Blog Playlist: I Turn My Camera On by Spoon; The World at Large by Modest Mouse; Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand; Over My Head by The Fray
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Warning: System Overload!!!
July 15, 2009 Who knows or cares the time? Istanbul, Turkiye
My brain literally hurts from overuse. Today was so jammed packed. (I will probably continue in short sentences since that is all I can muster right now.) Breakfast again on the terrace, though I can't seem to get over that view. Today was soooo much information that my brain started to shut down sometime after lunch. First, we walked down to the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art and spent about an hour. It was pretty good with its location in the Palace of Ibrahim Pasha, but that palace was not well air-conditioned! Still, the artifacts and rugs from the 13th Century were pretty incredible. Orhan caught me and Adrienne trying to buy a coffee/soda from the cafe there, which was empty. He said "just leave the correct $ on the counter and take what you want." Foreigh concept.
Next, we ventured over to the Hippodrome, a courtyard/city center that houses 3 major historical structures - the Obelisk from Egypt, the Serpentine Column from Delphi and Constantine's Column, as well as the Fountain of Wilhelm. My favorite was easily the Serpentine Column, which was the shortest and least maintained, because it had the coolest back story. It is made of the armor and swords of fallen opposing soldiers by the Greeks into 3 serpents that wind up into one column. So cool!
The Blue Mosque was only steps away, so it was next on our list. It is the only mosque to have 6 minarets so it is pretty unique. That place was packed but it was well worth the wait. The courtyard was fantastic too but the weather suddenly turned dark so photo ops were hard to come by. Topkapi Palace is where the wheels started to fall off. I have no idea how many important things I saw there because my brain was backfiring. Oh, but I did take a pic by a guard of the palace who had a rifle inched from my head. He never even broke his focus, which is good. However, there are some that stick out – the actual arm and skull of John, the beard of Muhammad, actual gems from the Imperial Treasury (bling!) lavish dwellings of the Ottoman Sultans, the Harem at the Palace, and Muhammad’s footprint. System overload! By the way, Turkish museums are an experience all on their own. No lines, no order, and no flash photography. But, you can take pictures, touch things, and see more history that you ever imagines possible. In the Palace was the Istanbul Archeological Museum, which looked like something out of a movie, but we only had 45 minutes inside so I raced for it. There was an awesome sculpture of Zeus’ head hanging in a hallway and this patron walked up, put his hand in the mouth of Zeus, and a rock fell out of the bottom!!!! So that is why we aren’t allowed to touch stuff in our museums……seriously. There was also an amazing sculpture of Oceanus lying on his side like a centerfold. Addrienne tried to talk me into my crazy idea of mocking the pose on the floor below Oceanus for a photo op when my camera died! Ugh.
The Spice Bazaar was one of the wildest places I have ever seen or smelled. It was full of sleezy sales guys with amazing spices and other objects for sale. One hour was all we had so we did a little damage. A cool thing about shopkeepers in Istanbul is that they are hospitable like you are in their home. They offer you tea every time. Ryan, a group member from Montana, had some apple tea that made his face turn red and he walked sideways for quite a while. I don’t think all of those teas are regulated, just sayin’.
Dinner was served at Asitane Restaurant with a private performance of “Fasil” which is ancient classical music. Dinner was terrific, of course. We actually met a family from Dallas! I finally reached the point where I can’t eat so much anymore. That’s right folks, it has finally happened – I am full. So I am going to try to go sleep off some of this cuisine and prep for our final day in Istanbul. Good night Texas!
Factoid: Noah's Ark landed in Eastern Turkey. The Trojan Wars took place in Western Turkey, where you can still find the Trojan horse resting.
My brain literally hurts from overuse. Today was so jammed packed. (I will probably continue in short sentences since that is all I can muster right now.) Breakfast again on the terrace, though I can't seem to get over that view. Today was soooo much information that my brain started to shut down sometime after lunch. First, we walked down to the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art and spent about an hour. It was pretty good with its location in the Palace of Ibrahim Pasha, but that palace was not well air-conditioned! Still, the artifacts and rugs from the 13th Century were pretty incredible. Orhan caught me and Adrienne trying to buy a coffee/soda from the cafe there, which was empty. He said "just leave the correct $ on the counter and take what you want." Foreigh concept.
Next, we ventured over to the Hippodrome, a courtyard/city center that houses 3 major historical structures - the Obelisk from Egypt, the Serpentine Column from Delphi and Constantine's Column, as well as the Fountain of Wilhelm. My favorite was easily the Serpentine Column, which was the shortest and least maintained, because it had the coolest back story. It is made of the armor and swords of fallen opposing soldiers by the Greeks into 3 serpents that wind up into one column. So cool!
The Blue Mosque was only steps away, so it was next on our list. It is the only mosque to have 6 minarets so it is pretty unique. That place was packed but it was well worth the wait. The courtyard was fantastic too but the weather suddenly turned dark so photo ops were hard to come by. Topkapi Palace is where the wheels started to fall off. I have no idea how many important things I saw there because my brain was backfiring. Oh, but I did take a pic by a guard of the palace who had a rifle inched from my head. He never even broke his focus, which is good. However, there are some that stick out – the actual arm and skull of John, the beard of Muhammad, actual gems from the Imperial Treasury (bling!) lavish dwellings of the Ottoman Sultans, the Harem at the Palace, and Muhammad’s footprint. System overload! By the way, Turkish museums are an experience all on their own. No lines, no order, and no flash photography. But, you can take pictures, touch things, and see more history that you ever imagines possible. In the Palace was the Istanbul Archeological Museum, which looked like something out of a movie, but we only had 45 minutes inside so I raced for it. There was an awesome sculpture of Zeus’ head hanging in a hallway and this patron walked up, put his hand in the mouth of Zeus, and a rock fell out of the bottom!!!! So that is why we aren’t allowed to touch stuff in our museums……seriously. There was also an amazing sculpture of Oceanus lying on his side like a centerfold. Addrienne tried to talk me into my crazy idea of mocking the pose on the floor below Oceanus for a photo op when my camera died! Ugh.
The Spice Bazaar was one of the wildest places I have ever seen or smelled. It was full of sleezy sales guys with amazing spices and other objects for sale. One hour was all we had so we did a little damage. A cool thing about shopkeepers in Istanbul is that they are hospitable like you are in their home. They offer you tea every time. Ryan, a group member from Montana, had some apple tea that made his face turn red and he walked sideways for quite a while. I don’t think all of those teas are regulated, just sayin’.
Dinner was served at Asitane Restaurant with a private performance of “Fasil” which is ancient classical music. Dinner was terrific, of course. We actually met a family from Dallas! I finally reached the point where I can’t eat so much anymore. That’s right folks, it has finally happened – I am full. So I am going to try to go sleep off some of this cuisine and prep for our final day in Istanbul. Good night Texas!
Factoid: Noah's Ark landed in Eastern Turkey. The Trojan Wars took place in Western Turkey, where you can still find the Trojan horse resting.
Blog Playlist: Seven Nation Army by the White Stripes; 'Till I Collapse by Eminem; I Get Around by Dragonet; Pictures of You by The Cure
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