Turkey Tour 2006 ended today.
Turkey Trotters:
Alumni:
Dennis Funchess 59;
Bob Fletcher 63; Hilary Van Buskirk
(Straub) 65; Mark Fortune 65; Anita
Donohoe 66; Wendi Crabill (Felson) 67; Vanessa
Joseph (Genens) 67; Steve Suber 68; Brian
Heyboer 74
Friends/Family:
Barb Scott; Bonnie Moran; Jerry Moran; Jon Genens; Leslie
Fletcher; Priscilla Meyers; Susie Holecheck
Photographs
--Recap Pictures (9)
--Recap Story (2)
Thursday
- Saturday
June 1 - 3
Istanbul
Plans for Istanbul include the Blue Mosque, Hippodrome, Obelisk of Theodosius and Serpentine Column, Topkapi Palace and St. Sophia. A dinner cruise on the Bosphorous with local grads is planned along the Asian and European shores to view summer homes, palaces and wooden houses from the 18th century along this 19-mile strait. A drive to the Asian side for an exciting view of Instanbul from Camlica Hill is included.
Photographs
--Istanbul
I (10)
--Istanbul II
- Topkapi Palace (7)
--Istanbul III
- Bosphorus Cruise (11)
--Istanbul IV
- Bosphorus Cruise (10)
--Istanbul V -
Spice Market (11)
--Istanbul VI
- Last Night (8)
Tuesday
& Wednesday
May 30 - 31
Ankara at night
The Ankara itinerary was very busy including a tour of the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, Ataturk's tomb and a shopping spree with Mrs. Ulku in Ulus.
Wednesday included a morning coffee at the school with a few teachers and administrators. After the coffee and refreshments, a tour of the school and classrooms. At 11:40am the teachers have lunch and may drop by the library to visit. Then time to look around part of the base and the school before the bus returns you to the hotel. The afternoon includes a tea at the ambassador's residence which should last about an hour.
Photographs
--The
School I (7)
--The School II
(7)
--Ankara (10)
Lunch in Cappadocia
Today explore the magical land of Cappadocia. Explore the different ways in which Cappadocian rock has been utilized by man; from the ancient villages of Uchisar and Zelve to the rock carved churches of Goreme decorated with frescos dates from the 8th century. Also, see the underside of Cappadocia to be exact. In the 7th century Christians built underground cities where they were able to live undetected for months at a time.
Photographs
--Cappadocia
Arrival (9)
--Cappadocia
Ceramics (3)
--Cappadocia
Evening (7)
Dervish Cell
Depart this morning for central Anatolia via Lake Egirdir for the former Selcuk capital of Konya. Konya stands alone in the midst of the vast Anatolian steppe and is a traditional caravan stopping-place.
Tour the highlights of Konya’s architectural and religious legacy. Visit the Mausoleum of Mevlana, the 13th century founder of the Whirling Dervishes, the Ince Minare and Karatay Medrese Islamic Theological Schools.
This afternoon drive north for the land called Cappadocia and it’s seemingly desolate landscape. This region was first settled by ancient people, then by Romans, Christians, Byzantine and the Seljuks
Photographs
--Konya
(4)
Lunch in Perge
Still standing on the cliffs, which surround Antalya, are the ancient city walls and ramparts built by the Greeks. In town stands the 13th century Alaeddin Mosque and Hadrian’s Gate which was built in honor of the Emperor’s visit in 130 AD. Today explore the historic cities of Perge, Aspendos and Side. Known as the Pamphilian cities, Perge is where Apostle Paul preached his first sermon; Aspendos possesses an ancient amphitheater built for 15,000 spectators. Side is the site of numerous Greco-Roman ruins.
Photographs
--Taurus
Mountains, Perge, Manavgat, Side (9)
--Aspendos
(1)
Email from Anita:
This is a fabulous tour! Isa--his name translates to Jesus--has
been a superb guide--finding wonderful locations for our lunches. All
ethnic food, all very interesting locations. We are in Antalya tonight
and visited Perge, Side and Manavgat today. Tomorrow we head to Konya
and Sunday we will have lunch in an 18th Century home in Cappadocia. We
will sit on the floor and the lady of the house will serve us cacik, borek,
her own recipe of dried beans and a salad.
Yesterday, we stopped at a small restaurant in the Tarsus Mountains, and the woman cooked guzleme which we ate with ayran (yoghurt with water). Guzleme is like a flat crispy borek. She rolled out the dough with a broomstick until it was very thin, stuffed it with beyaz penir, spinach and grated boiled rotato, folded it over and cooked it on the domed surface of a small oven. Delicious!
Meershaum Carver
Pamukkale
Morning departure for Pamukkale, the “cotton castle” so named because of limestone hot springs and spectacular white rock formations. During your stay visit the ancient Roman city of Hierapolis with its theater, baths and necropolis.
Photographs
--Pamukkale (9)
Email from Anita:
We are having a wonderful time seeing sites of interest,
eating traditional Turkish food and visiting with each other.
There is a deep cistern at the Acropolis of Pergamum with a column in the middle. I tossed 50 kurush and it landed on the top of the column, which meant my dearest wish would be granted. But alas! My sunglasses fell from my hat brim and ended up at the bottom. Our tour guide Isa managed to coax someone to climb down a ladder to retreive them!
Today, we are at a resort hotel in Pamukkale and I enjoyed a thermal bath. Now I will send this message and go watch the belly dancer!
Trojans in Aphrodisias
This morning on to Aphrodisias, the city of Aphrodite and an ancient center of sculpture and art. Tour the Odeon, theater, baths, local museum, and the ancient stadium. Cross the Taurus Mountains traveling south to Antalya on the shores of the Mediterranean.
Photographs
--Aphrodisias (3)
Today Ephesus, a microcosm of Turkey’s cultural wealth. Known for the abundance and quality of its Greco-Roman remains, even these antiquated structures are “recent” additions to an illustrious past. Relics found in Ephesus date its existence at least to 3000 BC.
Photographs
--Ephesus (9)
Pergamum
Driving south this morning, stopping at the archaeological site of Pergamum built on three terraces beautifully laid out. Its Acropolis was the summit of a conical hill, about 900 feet above sea level, crowded with magnificent temples of Dionysus and Athena, and the great open altar to Zeus, one of the architectural and sculptural wonders of the ancient world.
Anita's Photographs
--Pergamum
(4)
Trojan
Horse , TroyBefore departing for Troy and Canakkale a visit to the famous Yesil Cami, or Green Mosque. The blue exterior tiles were placed during restoration work in the 1800s; the lavish use of tiles inside is original work.
Driving towards the Aegean a stop at the legendary Troy of Honor, one of the oldest sites in the world to see the symbolic Wooden Horse and the remains of the Trojan settlements in nine major Archeological layers.
Anita's Photographs
--Bursa (9)
--Troy (4)
Email from Anita:
I am having trouble finding a computer that will read my camera so
there are no photos. We saw the Green Mosque in Bursa yesterday and toured
Troy today. The weather has been fabulous and we are a fun group. I will
try to send photos again tomorrow.
St Sofia, Iznik
Depart Istanbul by coach with driver and guide crossing the Sea of Marmara by ferry. On to Iznik traveling through fertile green hills punctuated by tall, spiky cypress trees, passing peach orchards, cornfields and vineyards. The ancient city may have been founded around 1000BC. Colored tiles, embroidery and a local cottage industry offer things to buy here.
On to Bursa, the first capital city of the Ottoman Empire and, in a real sense, the birthplace of modern Turkish culture.
Anita's Photographs
-- Iznik (2)
Arrive Istanbul
Depart USA
