Stories to tell . . .: 2012

Turkey - Istanbul

October 2012

Turkey

22 days in Turkey included: Istanbul, flight to Izmir, road trip to Ephesus and through west coast & west-central villages, & then flight on to Cappadocia before returning to Istanbul.

Istanbul

Views from the charming Terrace Hotel where I stayed included the Sultanhamet neighborhood, Hagia Sofia and the Blue Mosque. The top floor room, # 8, was small, with a low ceiling, but just perfect for me. Just outside the door was the indoor terrace with additional views of the Bosphorus River and Asia. The top most, outdoor terrace provided a wonderful 360 view!

Terrace Hotel
Kutlugun Sokak No : 39
Cankurtaran - Sultanahmet 34400
Tel : 90 212 638 97 33 Fax : 90 212 638 97 34
Mr. Dogan support@terracehotelistanbul.com
www.terracehotelistanbul.com/terrace.html

Watching the day begin and end in tranquil Sultanhamet was a treat.

My trip overlapped one day with Mike & Deanna's extended visit to Turkey. The food in Turkey is delicious - never ate so many delicious tomatoes, peppers, and aubergines.

Blue Mosque
Built during the rule of Ahmed 1, bewteen 1609 & 1616

Hagia Sofia
from the Greek - Holy Wisdom
Buit in 537; until 1453 was an Eastern Orthodox cathedral, in the 1200's it was converted into a Catholic cathedral, and in 143 was converted into a mosque. It became a museum in 1931.

Grand Bazaar
Covers 61 streets and houses over 3,000 shops

Kariye Mosque

Famous for Byzantine art

Basilica Cistern
The cistern was built over the ruins of the Stoa Basilica, circa 400 BC.

Edirnekapi Neighborhood
Range of lifestyles in Istanbul

Topkapi Palace
Residence of the Ottoman Sultans for 400 years, 1465-1856

Spice Market

Hamsi - Fried Anchovies from the Black Sea. The Best!

Turkey - Ephesus

October 2012

Selcuk
Stayed for several nights at the cozy Boomerang Guest House in Selcuk while visiting Ephesus, the Meryemana ("home" of the Virgin Mary), and the village of Sirince. Selcuk is a sleepy town, it has some pleasant restaurants and a lovely park near the Boomerang where the locals gather to drink beer or tea and play Backgammon.

Boomerang Guest House
Ataturk Mah. Ugur Mumcu Sevgi Yol
1047 Sok. No:10,
Selcuk - Ephesus

Meryemana - Home of the Virgin Mary

Legend has it that the Virgin Mary settled in a small home in the hills outside of Selcuk. The location of the structure came to German nun, Sister Anne Catherine Emmerich in 1812 while in trance. Very curious, but the stone structure is considered a holy site and is in a lovely, peaceful setting.
Meryemana - Legend of Virgin Mary's Home in Turkey
http://www.sacred-destinations.com/turkey/ephesus-house-of-the-virgin

Ephesus

Ephesus was a Greek city built in the 10th century BC. The beautiful structures cover a large area and well preserved.

Sirence

Originally a Greek village, still small with ancient structures, quite a few shops with local wine (pretty good!) and chilies and small restaurants. While wandering through the streets away from the center I met a sweet little lady who invited me in to her home for tea. She was quite simple - crocheting little cats for sale.

Turkey - Izmir-Antalya Loop

October 2012

Road Trip

After flying into Izmir from Istanbul, picked up a car to begin the 700 mile loop. Travelled from town to town along the west coast to Kas before heading north to Pamukkale and back to Izmir. Along the west coast stopped at most of the historical ruins along the way and enjoyed the view of the Mediterranean as well as many of the beaches. Passed along fields of cotton, aubergines, peppers, and fields and fields of tomatoes. Ate Hamsi (small anchovies, lightly dusted in corn meal, then fried until crisp) as much as possible - absolute best snack food, and of course terrific meals and pretty good beer. Crossed beautifully forested mountains of laurel, pine, and cedar; picked side roads and discovered little villages, met interesting folks along the way, and... enjoyed so many dogs and cats that tagged along at my heels.

Priene - Sanctuary of Athena

Built by the Greeks in the 4th century BC, the temples were constructed of marble and wood. A quiet serene setting, the temple is perched on a forested hilltop.

Didyama - Apollo's Temple

Greek oracular temple built at least 300 years BC. It was reached by following the "Sacred Way". The immense size of the structures and columns (some up to 65 ft high with a base 6 ft wide) was impressive!

Datca - Old Greek Village

Dalyan

Dalyan Çayı River

Lycium Tombs - built around 400 BC

Coast Village of Kas, Antalya Province

Happiest Village Cats & Dogs!

Aphrodisias

Temple of Aphrodite

The Stadium could hold 30,000 people

Turkey - Cappadocia

October 2012

Cappadocia

Goreme & Urgup

Land of the Fairy Chimneys

Cappadocia was inhabited as early as the 6th century BC. The fairy chimneys (hoodoos), volcanic pillars, were carved into homes and churches.

Craftsmen and Artists

Taking the time to visit and chat with local merchants revealed impressive talents and the joy they get from their art.

The lock shop owner not only collected old locks but he fixed the broken locks by crafting the parts himself. He particularly loved the complex locks that had more than one "secret" key to open them.

This merchant took the time to teach a little Turkish history while talking about the old and new artifacts in his shop. He played a few minutes of the saz on my first visit and then, on a second visit, he treated me to a private concert... soon his wife joined him and played on.