turkey travelogue

Time to start a new adventure (written February 24)

A Travelogue of a Journey of History and Food

February 26- March 10 2015

Turkey

Itinerarybull February 26 - Depart for Turkey

bull February 27 - Arrive in Istanbul

bull February 28 - Istanbul City Tour

bull March 1 - Gallipoli World War 1 Memorials Drive to Canakkale

bull March 2 - Troy Pergamum Drive to Kusadasi

bull March 3 - Ephesus House of Virgin Mary and Church of St John the Apostle

bull March 4 - Pamukkale Hot Springs Necropolis and Hierapolis

bull March 5 - Travel to Konya (visit the Mausoleum of Mevlana [Rumi])

bull March 6 - Visit Caravanserai of Sultanhan en route to Cappadocia (Whirling Dervishes Ceremony)

bull March 7 - Cappadocia

bull March 8 - Ankara Mausoleum of Kemal Ataturk amp the Anatolian Civilizations Museum

bull March 9 - Return to Istanbul Bosphorus Cruise amp Spice Market

bull March 10 - Depart Turkey

Gate 1 Travel 13 Day Affordable Turkey

1Continued on page 2

Back in mid-November I stumbled across what looked to be an incredible deal on a trip to Turkey I subscribe to Travel Zoo and they send out an email with the Top 20 deals each week (this is how we found our great deal on the cruise from Boston to Quebec City last year) 13-Day Affordable Turkey offered us a chance to see a fair amount of the country for $1299 (we saved another $25 each by paying part of it by cheque) The tour included airfare 11 nights accommodations in 4-5 star hotels 20 meals all ground transportation around the country and tours along the way I did a little research into Gate 1 Travel and it seemed pretty legitimate so I proposed the idea to EdGiles and his brother Paul and Paulrsquos wife Cindy

After a little more research about how safe it might be to travel through Turkey we all decided to go for itIn addition I had posted on my Facebook timeline that we were taking this trip and offered to forward the information to any who might be interested There was a nibble An SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism for those wondering) friend named Lynn contacted me that she and her husband Dennis might be interested so I sent them the info A week or two later she asked me about which dates we were going and I told her Next day I got a message ldquoSee you in IstanbulrdquoAnd so we are about to embark on an almost 2-week trip to Turkey and we know 4 other people who will be on the

2

Turkey 2015 Travelogue

same tour How kewl is thatWe will take a bus to Chicago on Thursday afternoon and meet up with Paul amp Cindy for a non-stop flight to Istanbul landing about 1630 Friday There are a number of optional things we could have booked (Lynn amp Dennis booked them all) but at this time Paul Cindy EdGiles and I are just doing the full day tour to Ephesus I am tempted by a couple of them but we shall see what we shall seeIt should be a grand adventure (hopefully still with a small ldquoardquomdashsee some of my earlier travelogues for this distinction) A friend said to me ldquoYou never talked about going to Turkeyrdquo and I pointed out that I had never really thought about it much but that everyone that Irsquove known that has gone

raves about the food and the people and so much about the history For the deal they offered how could we not consider itI am not sure how often Irsquoll have computer access while wersquore in Turkey (one of the hotels has free wi-fi and the rest seem to have it available for a fee--and I tend to be cheap about these kinds of things) but when I do get access I will be keeping up with my travel updates through the Google group I set up a few years ago If you want these updates feel free to join in travels-with-shavasue (google groups) is the name of the group I figure that when I do get access I need to refrain from spending too much time online so I suspect I will only open up email to force myself to be good

Istanbul was ConstantinopleNow itrsquos Istanbul not ConstantinopleBeen a long time gone ConstantinopleNow itrsquos Turkish delight on a moonlit night

Every gal in ConstantinopleLives in Istanbul not ConstantinopleSo if yoursquove a date in ConstantinopleShersquoll be waiting in Istanbul

Even old New York was once New AmsterdamWhy they changed it I canrsquot sayPeople just liked it better that way

So take me back to ConstantinopleNo you canrsquot go back to ConstantinopleBeen a long time gone ConstantinopleWhy did Constantinople get the worksThatrsquos nobodyrsquos business but the Turks

Istanbul (Istanbul)Istanbul (Istanbul)


Istanbul was ConstantinopleNow itrsquos Istanbul not ConstantinopleBeen a long time gone ConstantinopleWhy did Constantinople get the worksThatrsquos nobodyrsquos business but the Turks


Istanbul

1953 swing-style song with lyrics by Jimmy Kennedy and music by Nat Simon The lyrics comically refer to the official 1930 renaming of the city of Constantinople to Istanbul It has been recorded many times since itrsquos release One of the better-known versions is the cover by the alternative rock band They Might Be Giants (TMBG) who released it on their album Flood in 1990

Istanbul(not Constantinople)

Continued from page 1

What a smooth travel experience we had The bus from Madison was about 10 minutes late departing and about 10 minutes late arriving at OrsquoHare which was pretty close to perfect considering it was snowing in Chicago Check-in and security were quick and painless We met up with Paul and Cindy in the small food court just past security with an hour to spare to boarding time EdGiles and meshared some bao (steamed buns) and we relaxed before entering our 12-hour incarceration aboard the plane

Boarding was reasonably quick but something kept us on the ground for about a half hour We made up that time during the flight EdGiles and mewere lucky enough to not only be seated together but also with Paul and Cindy so we had the 4 in the middle section of one row Turkish Airlines is definitely a nice company to fly with The service was good and they had a bunch of things to make the trip comfortable Every seat in the economy section not only had a pillow and blanket but slippers earbuds and a nice zippered pack that contained socks an eyemask ear plugs lip balm and a small toothbrush amp toothpaste

Even though it was after 2230 when we finally took off we were served dinner and drinks after we got up to cruising altitude They were out of the

vegetarian entree when they got to us but the hamburger patty tasted as if spiced with the same seasonings used for gyros or doner It came with a cucumberpeppertomato salad an eggplant salad with a chunk of chicken in it cheese (from Oregonmdashboohiss) a roll pureed potatoes roasted veggies and cheesecake I chose to watch The Boxtrolls (there was a great list of movies and other entertainments) while eating but started dozing in the middle of it I actually slept pretty good on the flight probably about 6 hours and woke up in time for them to serve us breakfast About 7 hours after supper we had a hot breakfast of scrambled eggs roasted veggies something called a turkeycheese toast a salad of cottage cheese tomato cucumbers and a piece of cheese a roll and some fresh fruit salad By the time they had this all cleared away we were only about an hour from Istanbul

Smooth landing a short shuttle ride from plane to terminal a reasonably long line to get through passport control and claiming our baggage (all four bags made it for us) and we went out to meet our guide who would get us to the shuttle van that would take us to the hotel

Our hotel is the Legacy Ottoman which is located just a short walk from the

Madison-Chicago-IstanbulA night of travel

Continued on page 3

Bosphorus and near the Spice Market If there was any doubt about it being a five-star hotel it was shoved aside when you saw the five gold stars as part of their logo cheeky or cheesy grin It was about 1730 at this point and after checking in we were told that we had our orientation talk at 1930 which would be followed by dinner at 2000

Glitch one (one of the few thus far) was not understanding how to turn on the lights in our room The bellman brought up our bags AFTER we had failed everything we could think of and Ed headed down to the front desk to ask what we were missing While he was away Paul came over and showed me that you had to insert your key card into a slot by the lightswitch and leave it there to turn onkeep on the lights After the bellman brought our bags up we showered and relaxed for a bit before getting dressed again

We went up to the 6th floor bar for orientation and to meet our guide Gate 1 is a budget travel company and

whereas many companies have a tour leader and individual guides at each location or side tour Gate 1 has one person to do it all We met ours Şenol who has been with Gate 1 for 8 years and worked in the tourist industry for 21 Thatrsquos almost half his life (hersquoll be 45 next month)

Stuff we found out during orientation There will be only 27 on our bus (built to seat 46) Şenol gets to do it all including always letting us know that we can wake him anytime if we need him donrsquot take a cab in Istanbul and it looked like we have a guide who has a decent sense of humour speaks better than average English and is reasonably organized We also found out that the bus has free Wi-Fi and so does every hotel that wersquoll be staying at So no problem staying in contact with the outside world

Since we lost a full day due to the flight that was scheduled so late in the day we asked if we could add the half-day optional tour to the Basilica Cistern Topkapi Palace and the Grand Bazaar

Lynn amp Dennis already had booked all the optional stuff but Paul Cindy EdGiles and I all agreed that it was probably worth it We were able to book that when the orientation was over and before dinner

Dinner was a LOT of food A spinach crepe covered with cheese a tossed salad with some feta roast beefsteak with a bit of broccoli and a twice-baked potato and fresh fruit for dessert Conversation was lively at our table We sat with Lynn amp Dennis and 4 others The food wasnrsquot spectacular but it was edible and the company was good even though we were all pretty tired

EdGiles and I werenrsquot ready to crash yet and since they had gotten in a LOT earlier than we did Lynn amp Dennis led us on a walk down to the waterfront and around the outside of a mosque right across from our hotel We got back to our room around 2330 and crashed pretty hard

3

Hotel Legacy OttomanView from window on first evening Hotel located in old town across from Spice Market

Started out with fantastic breakfast buffet with a wide array of choices I tried to eat reasonably and think I succeeded There was a table over-burdened with breadstuffsmdashall kinds of rolls breads some familiar lookingsome not Then on to one end that was all sweets including halvah and ice cream amp toppings Then on to salad fixings and olives fresh fruit cheeses cold sausages and other stuff I canrsquot remember now The hot foods were next and I was so pleased to find sauteed spinach and onions to add to really good scrambled eggs sausages and something that tasted a lot like a savory noodle kugel I know there was a lot more but you get the idea One of the best ideas that we saw were bowls of dry herbs and spices so you could doctor the food to your tasteWe got up around 630 and were set to start the dayrsquos excursions at 800 As I wrote yesterday we have a large bus that will seat 46 and only 27 on the tour (plus our guide and driver Kadir) We really didnrsquot spend much time on it since once we got to Old Town we did a LOT of walking

The morning started with a tour of the Blue Mosque The Mosque is still a working one and much care is taken to help educate the non-Muslim in the cultural traditions Signs indicating proper dress for both men and women are outside headscarves and loaner clothing are available to borrow and plastic bags are there for visitors to carry their shoes with them We all had what they refer to as ldquowhisper techrdquo (ear bud and receiver) so that we can hear Şenol even when we arenrsquot close to him which is good because I can concentrate on taking photos It was beautiful inside and we werenrsquot too rushed for time If wersquod been there during a prayer time I wouldnrsquot have been able to take photosFrom the Mosque we walked to the Hippodrome which was the sporting and social centre of Constantinople capital of the Byzantine Empire Today it is a square named Sultanahmet Meydanı (Sultan Ahmet Square) with a few fragments of the original structure surviving The history was impressive but now the area is a nice space near the Blue Mosque to hang out Many dogs

IstanbulAn Amazing (very full) Day


Continued on page 4

4


4


Continued on page 5

hang out there all tagged to show they have been picked up by the authorities and given a checkup and vaccinations There was a beautiful Anatolian Shepherd and a blacktan pooch that looked so very much like Shelly They were mostly friendly but every once in a while one or the other took exception to someone and kind of went after them Not really serious enough to cause harm but enough to make some people nervous and waryWe walked from the Hippodrome to the Hagia Sofia which is an incredible edifice that dominates the square It was built about 1600 years ago and topped with a massive dome that seems to float high above the floor This building that was built by Justinian as a church became a mosque 800 years later and became a museum in 1934 or so The Muslims covered much of the mosaic decorations with plaster and now they are trying to uncover them without damaging them Şenol said that hersquos almost 45 and cannot remember a time when there was no scaffolding or restoration work going on It was a tough walk for me up a very steep ramp to go up to the balcony where the women would pray but so very worth itAll of this so far was included in the basic tour At this point half of the group went back to the hotel and the rest of us continued on with the optional afternoon tour We went first to the Basilica Cistern a huge underground cavern that is down a LOT of stairs and dimly lit The cistern isnrsquot used as a cistern any longer but it is very peaceful and grand and cool (as well as kewl)Şenol led us to an area near by with many restaurant choices I was already getting sore from all the walking (between the arthritis in my knees degerative disk disease and spinal stenosis Irsquom almost a basket case Istanbul does not have a lot of benches and I was very ready to sit down for a bit Lynn Dennis Paul Cindy and EdGiles amp I chose a place called the Pudding Shop Lale Restaurant Lynn Cindy and I sat down while the guys went and got us food EdGiles chose for us some schwarma dolmas and an interesting pudding that was chock full of raisins fresh apricots figs and hazelnuts It was all delicious but I wasnrsquot seriously hungry so I picked at a little of this and of that All very tasty but I was trying to be goodAfter lunch we walked to the Topkapi Palace This was seriously more walking than I had expected or am used to I made a decision after entering the

palace to ask Şenol to inquire whether they had any wheelchairs to rent They had one that I could use and I just had to leave my ID with them Unfortunately it wasnrsquot in very good repair and one ofthe front wheels broke so it made it hard for EdGiles to push me over the cobbled pathways or the broken pavement or marbled paths Fortunately I could still use it to sit on when there was a stop and even a few minutes off my feet helps my back immensely We had a reasonable amount of time to explore but I really wasnrsquot up for a lot of walking at that point especially after waiting in a LONG line for the WC (water closet) So while everyone else went exploring I sat on the chair to people watch I have made a decision that next long trip I will bring a walker along to at least give me a place to sit when I need toBy the time we were ready to leave my back was doing better and my knees werenrsquot screaming at me We walked back to the bus and drove to the Grand Bazaarmdasha rabbit warren of over 5000 shops Lots of repetitive stuff and in many places shops with similar (or identical) merchandise were grouped together We had an hour and a half to explore I had two experiences that were as Lynn calls it the OLE (once-in-lifetime experiences) The first was finding a WC that was definitely more old-world than new In other words squat over a recepticle fitted into the ground This one was upper class since it was very clean had toilet paper available and fresh water to rinse it out The second was dealing with carpet merchants It came at a time when I needed to sit and just have a cup of tea or something There were some really nice smallish bolster pillows that we had our eye on and they picked up on that We got away only buying one unstuffed bolster and having hot drinks (apple tea for me and Turkish coffee for himself ) and a sit-down which was all I really wanted in the first place I also got the experience with haggling with a hustler We ended up with a pair of watchesmdashhis amp hersmdashfor next to nothing and joked all the back to the bus whether there was anything at all inside them So far theyrsquore keeping time (We only use a watch when traveling overseas since the clocks on the phones are much easier to use) (Later note His stopped working altogether after a day and I lost mine [the strap probably broke somewhere]after 4 days)Best one-liners trying to get us to buy something

5

bull Almost freebull Let me change your lifebull Let me sell you something

you donrsquot need (said with a decidedly Chicago accent)

Back on the bus we compared shopping notes as thebus driver worked his magic driving around a lot of traffic We got back to the hotel about 1730 and agreed to meet up with Paul Cindy Lynn and Dennis at 1900 for dinner (which was one of the few meals not included in the trip) We found a great place Saray just a few blocks from the hotel Dinner was fun and filling and incredibly reasonably priced (it cost the 6 of us about $50 USD altogether)After dinner we agreed that we were too tired for anything else and retreated into our respective rooms for the night I wrote as long as my eyes would stay open so all I got done was the travelogue for the first two days done Itrsquos now the third and hopefully I can catch up through tonight

Call to Worshipby Alexis Lavine copy2015


46


When I was a young man I carried me pack And I lived the free life of the rover From the Murrayrsquos green basin to the dusty outback I waltzed my Matilda all over Then in 1915 my country said Son Itrsquos time to stop rambling therersquos work to be done So they gave me a tin hat and they gave me a gun And they sent me away to the war

And the band played Waltzing Matilda When the ship pulled away from the quay And amid all the tears flag waving and cheers We sailed off for Gallipoli

It well I remember that terrible day When our blood stained the sand and the water And how in that hell they call Suvla Bay We were butchered like lambs at the slaughter Johnny Turk he was ready he primed himself well He rained us with bullets and he showered us with shell And in five minutes flat we were all blown to hell He nearly blew us back home to Australia

And the band played Waltzing Matilda When we stopped to bury our slain Well we buried ours and the Turks buried theirs Then it started all over again

Oh those that were living just tried to survive In that mad world of blood death and fire And for ten weary weeks I kept myself alive While around me the corpses piled higher Then a big Turkish shell knocked me arse over head And when I awoke in me hospital bed And saw what it had done I wished I was dead I never knew there was worse things than dying

Oh no more Irsquoll go Waltzing Matilda All around the green bush far and near For to hump tent and pegs a man needs both legs No more waltzing Matilda for me

They collected the wounded the crippled the maimed And they shipped us back home to Australia The armless the legless the blind and the insane Those proud wounded heroes of Suvla And when the ship pulled into Circular Quay I looked at the place where me legs used to be And thank Christ there was no one there waiting for me To grieve and to mourn and to pity

And the Band played Waltzing Matilda When they carried us down the gangway Oh nobody cheered they just stood there and stared Then they turned all their faces away

Now every April I sit on my porch And I watch the parade pass before me I see my old comrades how proudly they march Renewing their dreams of past glories I see the old men all tired stiff and worn Those weary old heroes of a forgotten war And the young people ask ldquoWhat are they marching forrdquo And I ask myself the same question

And the band plays Waltzing Matilda And the old men still answer the call But year after year their numbers get fewer Someday no one will march there at all

Waltzing Matilda Waltzing Matilda Whorsquoll come a-Waltzing Matilda with me And their ghosts may be heard as they march by the billabong So whorsquoll come a-Waltzing Matilda with me

The Band Played Waltzing Matildaby Eric Bogle

A Lot of time in the bus and a bit of history

The song in the left sidebar was written by Scottish-born folk (Australian by choice) singer-songwriter Eric Bogle in 1971 I sang it at the edge of the Anzacs graveyard during our visit

I wanted to get some writing done this morning and asked EdGiles to bring me up some fruit and cheese to break my fast I really wasnrsquot very hungry and I knew we had a of time on the bus today Itrsquos the only real drawback of this kind of travellingmdashonly 1-2 nights anywhere living out of suitcase and having to repack daily The wake-up call was at 630 bags outside the door by 715 and on the bus by 800 No trouble doing all of thatThe trouble came was when the bus got really warm and stuffy and I started feeling a little motion sickness Best cure Irsquove ever found for that besides opening the window which really wasnrsquot an option is to close my eyes and hope it passes soon I slept most of the morning awayWe had a bathroom break scheduled after about 2 hours of driving The truck stoprest area had more bathroom stalls than I have ever seen on the road Least there was in the womenrsquos (bayan) room I bought one digestive biscuit to see if it would help and in the meantime EdGiles said something to Şenol and they turned the circulating air back onWe had a lunch stop in Gallipoli where the recommended restaurant was kind of cafeteria style EdGiles and meshared a bowl of white beans in a sauce and some fried fish It all looked tasty but I still wasnrsquot all that hungryBack on the bus it was time to head out to see some of the memorials to the many dead in 1915 (Battle of Gallipoli WWI) Quite sobering it was and the first one is the one that brought out my emotions The Anzacs CemetraryMemorial had me singing quietly at the edge of where the dead (whether known or unknown) are buried We stopped at two more memorialsmdashone Australian cemetery and one Turkishmdashand were then on our way The area is really quite beautiful but the history of the area quite soberingWe reboarded the bus and went to a small city of Eceabat to board a ferry that would take us AND the bus across the Dardanelles We went all the way up to the top deck and enjoyed the bracing wind and mostly watched the gulls play discovered jelly fish swimming next to the ferry watched a cat whisperer on shore and then had fun watching

Dennis and EdGiles trying to figure out the earthworks and structures on either side of the strait from an historicalarchectural point of view I went to take a photo of the pilot of the ferry and got invited in to stand behind the wheelAfter departing the ferry we had a short drive to our hotel the Kolin which touts itself as the only five-star hotel in town We checked in around 1700 Once we were checked in (took a bit since the batteries for the door lock were dead) EdGiles and mechanged to go to the pool sauna etc I did a half-hour exercise routine and then 20 minutes in the jacuzzi while EG did the sauna and some elliptical work A bit of a nap for himself after his shower and I finished writing up yesterdayrsquos installment and then put my head down on the desk and napped for about 20 minuesDinner was scheduled to start at 1900 but since it was a buffet there was no hurry Lots of interesting and new things to try The dessert table was incrediblemdashIrsquove decided the Turks must really love their desserts We talked to a motherdaughter duo from Montreal and had a pleasant meal and conversation By the time we were done it was almost 2100 and I knew I wasnrsquot long for the conscious worldTomorrow wersquore off to Troy and Perganum and a LOT more driving

The day started out with a nice breakfast buffet again They really do offer us a lot of food and much of it different than we are used to I love having veggies to choose from for breakfast and the grilled tomato with cheese was good I took more than my stomach wanted to deal with (eyes-bigger-than-stomach syndrome) Some of the night I had been kept awake by the feeling that I might throw up at any time Strange because there was nothing else bothering me and I felt fine by the time I was dressed Anyway they even had lokum (Turkish Delight) on the breakfast barThe trip from Canakkale to Kusadasi is about 400 km (239 miles) which is about 7 hours of driving (by busmdashI expect a car would have been faster) but they broke it up nicely Our hotel was about 10 minutes from Troy and we spent a bit of time there (more detail in a bit) After 2 hours or so we had a pit stop Then another 1 12 hours to Bergama where we stopped at a kebab restaurant From there we went to Pergamum (Bergama is another name for it) and explored there for a while About 2 hours more and then another pit stop before the last 1 12 hours to Kusadasi and our hotel

Troy I had done a little research before leaving home and on Trip Advisor the reviews werenrsquot very good They said there was nothing to do there The ruins had been ruined by bad archeology

etc I didnrsquot care I was walking through Troy I was in Troy There was this kind of Disneyesque monstrosity of a Trojan Horse near the entrance (pic to the left) and a couple of guys with costumes and play swords shields and helmets that would take your photo for 10 TRY (Turkish lira) (about $4 USD) But there was Troy and it was a cool crisp clear day We had a nice tour and walked about the grounds One of the amusing things was that there were cats everywhere (and a few dogs) running around the ruins and having a grand existence One of the dogs looked a bit like Tyr And there was a skinny Anatolian Shepherd that kept barking and wagging his tail trying to get two cats to play with him Before we left Troy I kept eyeing the stand that served fresh orange or pomegranate juice The pom was 12 TRY (About $5 USD) which I kept thinking was too much for a glass of juice However I knew Irsquod kick myself if I didnrsquot go for it I am so glad I did The guy used two large pomegranates for my glass and it was tart and fresh and cool An awesome treatWe then drove for a while had a bathroom stop with a bit of tourist shopping and then continued to Bergama where we went to a restaurant

called Saglam which specialized in kebabs The manager explained all of the foods and then took our orders We shared a Lahmacun (a flat bread very like a thin crispy pizza covered with minced spicy meat) and a lamb kebab (the lamb was tasty but a bit tough) After a short wander through the gift shop there we were off againPergamum has several very well-excavated sites to see but we didnrsquot get up to see the Acropolis up close (But some of my photos werenrsquot badmdashI love my zoom) We spent all of our time exploring the Asklepion (the hospital complex) and heard wonderful stories as we wandered through the ruins It had obviously rained but the sky had cleared the sun was out and it wasnrsquot too hot or too cold I can see why people say that they are disappointed in Troy if they compared it with Pergamum This was a fantastic site and so glad it is part of the tour We were the absolute last getting back to the bus (I let EdGiles have my camera for a shot he saw and he got carried away) I was very glad that we stopped about 2 hours later when there was another bathroom break I didnrsquot want to hold up everyone going to the WC thereAfter that break we did the last hour and a half to Kusadasi and proclaimed Kadir our bus driver to be a hero The hotel is right on the shore of the Aegean and there is a lot of new construction between the main road and the hotel (not to mention the mud and muck from the recent rains) and he got us down

7

Running newsletter header top right

ldquoHateful to me as the gates of Hades is that man who hides one thing in his heart and speaks anotherrdquo

Homer The Iliad

More time on the bus but some incredible historic sites

Continued on page 8


here without hitting anything or getting stuck We checked in and discovered a wonderful view from our balcony All of our rooms have a seaside viewWe got our luggage plugged in the electronics and went to find the restaurant There was another wonderful buffet that lots of great tasting things on it My favourite was the phylo dough around veggies topped with cheese and some kind of tomato sauce It was kind of like lasagna but with the phylo instead of pasta We had great conversation going as we ate but finally I realized how tired I was feeling and knew it was time to go soak my head (We have a bathtub this time not just a shower and they

even supplied the bubble-bath)Time to crash for the night Tomorrow wersquore off to Ephesus one of their optional tours and it will be an all day excursion to that site the House of the Virgin Mary and the Church of St John Should be another fun full day

As our guide Şenol said ldquoif you come to Turkey and donrsquot go to Ephesus why come here at allrdquo Today was one of the optional tours that we booked right from the get-go The full day tour inlcuded a visit to the House of the Virgin Mary the ancient city of Ephesus lunch and the Basilica of St John the Apostle

We started out the day with the usual lavish breakfast buffet I awoke with pretty low blood sugar so I did get juice fruit (I love having cherries as a choice and they went really well in my yogurt which made kind of a cherry soup of it) and cheeses plus a few veggies and the best bread Irsquove had in since we hit this country topped with raspberry preserves It was a tasty way to start the day

We got to sleep in a bit since we were going to spend two nights here in

Kusadasi (we didnrsquot have to pack) and the bus wasnrsquot heading out until 900 It was a relatively short drive back up the coast to Selcuk which is where all the sites we were going today were To me the most interesting things about Selcuk is that they have a 6th-c castle built by the Emperor Justinian but it isnrsquot open to the public

First stop was the House of the Virgin Mary which is believed to be where she spent the last years of her life She was sent away when Jesus felt it no longer safe for her to remain near him and had John the Apostle accompany her to keep her safe The house is near the top of a mountain and it was very peaceful up there Two popes John Paul amp Benedict have both visited there so it has been proclaimed an official Catholic pilgrimage site The house itself was found supposedly after a nun told her

If itrsquos Tuesday it must be Ephesus

48

The Splendor of Pergamumby Alexis Lavine copy2015


Continued on page 9

The Cats of Ephesus (sounds like the title for a

childrenrsquos book eh)

9


The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World were Great Pyramid of Giza Hanging Gardens of Babylon Temple of Artemis at Ephesus Statue of Zeus at Olympia Mausoleum at Halicarnassus (also known

as the Mausoleum of Mausolus) Colossus of Rhodes and the Lighthouse of AlexandriaContinued from page 8

Continued on page 10

dreams to someone The house was half intact when it was found exactly where she said to look The house itself reminded me very much of the St Joan Chapel at the University of Marquette in Milwaukee Unfortunately no photos were allowed inside

Next stop was the ancient town of Ephesus which is an extensive excavation of one of the largest Roman towns ever discovered We had a couple of hours at a very nice pace but we were also racing the rain I doubt that my photos will do the place justice but it has to be one of the most complete jigsaw puzzles of history I joked with Lynn that a childrenrsquos book could be written called the ldquoCats of Ephesusrdquo since there were so many cats in residence (see below) There is an area where they have been excavating the mosaics but it would have been another admission to visit and we finished the official part of the tour as the rain began in earnest I will probably regret not going back but I didnrsquot want to get soaked for the rest of the day I ended the tour with a glass of pomegranate juice but was miffed when

I discovered Lynn had found sahlep for sale Sahlep is a wonderful drink made of milk sugar and ground sahlepmdasha kind of orchidmdashand cinnamon I so would have bought some if Irsquod have found it The street hustlershasslers followed us right up onto the bus trying to sell us stuff

Lunch was included in the tour today and we were taken up a windy curvy mountain road WAY off the beaten track to a wonderful restaurant Today it was a fixed menu that started with the most awesome soup in the world (bulgar chickpeas lemon mint and other spices) fresh bread a small appetizer plate that had two fried vegetable patties that were very like pakora a fried cheese stick and some goat cheese (very sour tasting) that worked well on both the fried patties and the bread a salad of shredded carrots red cabbage lettuce and a bit of tomato and cucumber the entree was stuffed aubergine (eggplant) (I mentioned To Şenol that I really didnrsquot want eggplant but would take a second bowl of the soup He talked to the proprietor who

offered me just the meat filling without the eggplantmdashMmmmmm Mmmmm good) It was served with more tomato and salad There was rice pudding for dessert Drinks were not included so I ordered a glass of ayran which is a yoghurt drink (sour and salty) that went very well with the other flavours of the meal And once again there were resident cats all over the place

Back down the mountain we went into the town of Selcuk to tour the ruins of the Church of St John the Apostle which is right in the center of town just down the hill from the 6th-c castle that I really wanted to investigate I heard one of the younger guys (there are four of them all around 30) ran up the hill and did so Irsquom not in physical shape to do that and there was no time to do it at the pace I move at sigh But the ruins were interesting and they contain the tomb of St John sans bones (the Crusaders took them home with them) The rain wasnrsquot anywhere in sight any longer and the daystar was shining beautifully Another pleasant tour of some ruins We were being hassled (close to hustled) by a guy

410

Turkey 2015 Traveloguetrying to sell us genuine ancient Roman coins I asked him if they were ldquogenuine fakesrdquo like the watches that were being advertised just like that ldquoGenuine Fake Watchesrdquo I was amused but I doubt he was

I napped the half hour back to Kusadasi and then for another 2 12 hours after we got into the room Luckily I woke in time to watch the end of a beautiful sunset over the Aegean The only sounds were the lapping of the waves upon the shore

We joined Paul and Cindy for dinner Another wonderful buffet (highlights of this one was stuffed artichoke hearts and a spinach dish with eggs) We were all chatty and continued to eat and laugh and talk until we were almost the only ones in the restaurant Near us was a table of Iranian-born folks who were all on our tour but they had all chosen not to take the opitonal trip today Paul

amp EdGiles went over to ask them how they had spent the day and eventually Cindy amp I joined in The wife of one of them had ended up in the ER last night (Şenol described being there until 330) for severe gastric-distress Good thing she had today to rest before we move on tomorrow We got to know them a bit (one is a travel agent herself and loves taking groups all over the world) and had more great conversation before we all retreated to our respective rooms

Now we are packed to leave in the morning to head to Pamukkale (according to Wikipedia itrsquos in the province of Denizli that is a natural site Urban spas and terraces of carbonate minerals left by the flowing waters include travertines It is in Turkeyrsquos Aegean region with a temperate climate and the Menderes River is located in the valley) (Note The Menderes [Meanders] is where the term meandering comes from because the river does that)

Government Republican parliamentary democracy

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (2014)

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu (2014)

Land area 297591 sq mi (770761 sq km) total area 301382 sq mi (780580 sq km)

Population (July 2014 est) 81619392 (growth rate 112) birth rate 16861000 infant mortality rate 21431000 life expectancy 7329

Capital (2011 est) Ankara 4194 million

Largest cities Istanbul 11253 million Izmir 2927 million Bursa 1713 million Adana 1468 million Gaziantep 1198 million

Languages Turkish (official) Kurdish other minority languages

Ethnicityrace Turkish 70-75 Kurdish 18 other minorities 7-12 (2008 est)

Religions Islam (mostly Sunni) 998 other 02 (mostly Christians and Jews)

Literacy rate 941 (2011 est)

Natural resources coal iron ore copper chromium antimony mercury gold barite borate celestite (strontium) emery feldspar limestone magnesite marble perlite pumice pyrites (sulfur) clay arable land hydropower

History Occupied in about 1900 BC by the Indo-European Hittites and after the Hittite empirersquos collapse in 1200 BC by Phrygians and Lydians Persian Empire occupied the area in the 6th century BC giving way to the Roman Empire then later the Byzantine Empire The Ottoman Turks first appeared in the early 13th-century and were in power for over 600 years Turkeyrsquos current boundaries were drawn in 1923 at the Conference of Lausanne and Turkey became a republic with Kemal Atatuumlrk as the first president

(Facts culled from httpwwwfactmonstercomcountryturkeyhtml)

Facts about the Republic of Turkey


11


Pamukkale Hot Springs Necropolis and Hieropolis

Travertines at Pamukkale by Alexis Lavine copy2015


We started with a nice breakfast buffet again (I know itrsquos getting a bit redundant) but had a little later start time since we only had about a 3-hour drive today They really are feeding us much too often or so it seems I feel like Irsquom eating a bit less at every meal

There is now a rotation system on the bus to give everyone a chance to sit up front We were close to the front yesterday and that was nice Today it was a pair of youngish men (early 30s I think) who were supposed to be in the number 1 amp 2 seats They whined a bit cuz they and the other two guys theyrsquore traveling with like sitting ALL the way in the back of the bus I offered to put them out of their misery and sacrifice myself to the front seat Granted much of the drive today was through either farmland or citiestowns but it was still nice to see from that seat This is a very fertile region and they grow a lot of fruit trees olive trees and vegetables No wonder we see so many vegetables all three meals each day

We had a pit stop about halfway from Canukkale to Pamukkale and then continued on We both dozed a bit whenever Şenol wasnrsquot talking His stories are great and he knows a lot about the history and culture (and just about anything about his country or weaves good tales I realized upon becoming more aware of my surroundings that we had mountains around us Snow-topped mountains The area reminded me of areas in Colorado but the farmland is more fertile here

Pamukkale is a natural wonder with terraces of carbonate minerals left by the flowing waters that create travertine (natural terraces) and thermal springs The area is also the site of the ancient Roman city of Hieropolis that once had as many as 25000 inhabitants There is also one of the few extant examples of

a necropolis (graveyard) that has been uncovered to date

After departing the bus we walked about 15-minutes to the travetines where many of our group took off their shoes and socks to walk out into it I kept hearing cries of ldquoI thought it supposed to be warmrdquo as I sat watching and taking photos The landscape was incredible from the white terraces to the fertile valley to the snow-capped mountains beyond I hope that the panorama photos that I took turn out We had some time to wander around this World Heritage site and find lunch before meeting up with Şenol again

There was only one restaurant on site and the food was passably good We shared a meatball (their meatballs are flat rounds or oblongs) sandwich and a goumlzleme (it was like a quesadilla with cheese and greens inside) We shared a glass of raki which is a liquor much like ouzo Itrsquos crystal clear but turns milky-white when water is added The water though detracted from the taste The stuff is 100 proof and very warming There was a thermal pool there but it cost 32 try each (about $13) to go in Şenol pointed out that we had the same thing included with our hotel

The day has been beautiful with a bit of clouds mostly sunny a light breeze and the temperature around 60F We enjoyed eating outside and reveling in the fact that the weather is decent but itrsquos still not really tourist season so

there arenrsquot huge crowds around us We met up with Şenol and the rest of the tour that day was what he described as a 45-minute walk through the ruins of Hieropolis to the Necropolis There is a shuttle bus that costs 2 try (about $90 USD) that could take those to the end of the walk who wanted to go 8 of us including me decided to take the shuttle Irsquom glad I did

At the end near the exit someone exclaimed ldquoWherersquos our busrdquo I chuckled and pointed out that it was outside the gate While the other 7 made their way to the exit I worked at my own

pace amongst the mausoleums of the Necropolis I enjoyed going at my own pace only being passed by a few people I took a lot of photos and tried to make friends with a snail

Eventually (the 45 minutes was more like an hour and a quarter) everyone was reunited and we were back on the bus once more The drive from there to the hotel was about 10 minutes

They didnrsquot seem to be ready for us at the hotel They were still cleaning and it was obvious that they recently had been painting Our room even has exposed wiring for something between our beds Oh well Wersquore only here for one night EdGiles and megot our suits on and went straight to the indoor thermal pool Others went and scouted it first If

Irsquod done that I might not have gone Itrsquos located about as far away from our room as possible and down a couple of sets of stairs The water looked a little murky but the heat felt really good once you got into it There were statues of white geese with water cascading from their mouths which was really really hot but felt so good on the shoulders and back

After about 45 minutes in and a 15-minute rest we came back to the rooms showered and napped or read for a bit until it was time for dinner Another buffet that looked really good but only the salads tasted really good The rest including most of the desserts

I tried was MEH Basically this is not a hotel that I would recommend to anyone coming out this way Maybe during the touristcruise ship season itrsquos better but Irsquod barely give it 2 stars much less 4 The facilities are barely kept up the food is edible but thatrsquos about it the spa prices seem outrageous to me their internet access is spotty if it is there at all and there is a shabby feel to much of it However the bed seems comfortable and there was enough hot water in the shower What more do we really need

So I think itrsquos time to read for a while and then crash


12

Pamukkale to Konya (lots of travelrest time plus an amazing site)



Today was a pretty long drive taking us from Eastern to Central Turkey but we still were able to sleep until 700 For some reason breakfast was about as exciting as dinner last night and there was not much appetite for many of us The hotel did well with salads but the rest was kind of Meh Except I am now in love with sugar-coated roasted chickpeas There were even cacao bean pods on the breakfast bar that we decided must be a joke that the natives play on the tourists to see if they are dumb enough to try to eat them Şenol told us that an average breakfast for him is tomatoes cucumbers cheese olives lemon bread and tea There certainly are many kinds of olives and after seeing kilometer upon kilometer of olive trees I believe it

At 830 we all piled into the bus for the 5-hour trek west This time we were the very last seats assigned and EdGiles and medecided to take separate seats That worked out well for such a long drive This country certainly is beautiful Still more fertile valleys and soaring mountains Orchards of cherry peach and other fruit trees I marveled at the landscape and know my photos will NOT do it justice

We had a pit stop about two hours into the trip and a lunch break after another hour and a half or so EdGiles got a stew of lamb eggplant and tomatoes while I got a beef stew with carrots peas and potatoes We both had rice and we shared some yummy fig pudding for dessert The Turks really know how to make fantastic puddings Yesterday at

lunch we had dogs begging nearbytoday it was cats I fed bits of my meal to a tabby kitten much to the outrage of one of the older cats (maybe his mama) After lunch we had another 2 hours until we arrived in Konya

Şenol was educated in English Lit and History and taught for a time before joining the tourism industry over 20 years ago He tells great stories and each day we learn more about the Turks and their culture Today was a lot about Islam as a religionmdashboth the history and the culture It got even more interesting since seven of the twenty-seven of us on this tour were born in Iran (and have been in the US since the 70s or so) And they are very much like Star Trekrsquos Mr Chekov and believe the Persian culture to be the best (and it really is underrated by most of the Western-centric cultures) (It is also interesting that we have a pair of Australians a mother and daughter team and a pair of Quebequois from Montreal the mother originally from ItalymdashIt means that we often have 4 languages being spoken around us on the bus much of the time) Anyway Şenol doesnrsquot talk all of the time but when he does the time seems to go faster

Finally we made it to Konya considered the most conservative city in Turkey (population about 1 12 million) by 1500 or so Our destination was The Mevlacircna Museum which is the mausoleum of Jalal ad- Din Muhammad Rumi a Persian Sufi mystic also known as Mevlacircna or Rumi The building that houses the tomb of Rumi and his followers was built

13

ldquoTravel brings power and love back into your liferdquo

~Rumi

The tomb of of Jalal ad- Din Muhammad Rumi a Persian

Sufi mystic also known as Mevlacircna or Rumi

Extended Familyby Alexis Lavine copy2015


in the 13th-century and is elaborately decorated inside Please indulge me as I say OMG What an incredible building and museum The tiles painted walls calligraphy and illumination (and yes I did take a LOT of photos of the books and scrolls folks) has got to be seen to be believed I hope my photos do it a little bit of justice We had a tour with Şenol for about 45 minutes and then had another 40 minutes or so on our own (Interesting enough just as our official tour ended and we were on our own our space was invaded by a huge crowd of people in suits with cameras and microphones surrounding some dignitary Many of the guys in suits had the curly white wires coming from their earbuds so you knew it was a security detail (Turns out it was the opposition partyrsquos leader who is campaigning now)

Anyway we wandered around the outside buildings after really enjoying the inside for a few more minutes Many small rooms each with a few pieces depicting costumes of the Sufi musical instruments books etc I know we missed a bit as we realized our time was coming to an end so we went out to meet up with the rest of the tour I did have enough time to get a pomegranate juice and EdGiles was able to get some crunchy coffee (which is what he has dubbed Turkish coffee)

Once we were all assembled we boarded the bus for a short (10 minute) drive to our hotel After we checked in I thought I might want a nap so I suggested that EdGiles go find an ATM (our hotel is in the midst of a bustling business district) and I would nap No I would take a shower No nap Whatever Since we were only given one key and I wanted power and lights etc I told him to give me at least 20 minutes I showered got all the devices and batteries charging and decided to sit and write up most of the day By the time he got back we had 45 minutes until we were expected for dinner so I decided I didnrsquot really need the nap

Dinner tonight was a fixed menu and quite good (but WAY TOO MUCH food) Bread and salad were on the table when we arrived in the dining room First course was a yoghurt soup that had some chickpeas and bulgar in it This was a bit bland until we added a bit of the paprika flakes that we have discovered all over the place Next came a puff pastry filled with cheese as an appetizer The main course was a mixed grill that included a lamb chop (YUM) a couple of spiced meat patties and a chicken breast plus a grilled tomato and pepper There had to be about 8oz of meat between the three kinds Dessert was rice pudding served with a platter of fresh fruit Both Dennis and EdGiles had raki to drink I helped Ed with his but Lynn hates anise-flavoured things so she steered clear of it

Since Irsquod already written up most of the

day and it was only about 2030 when we finished dinner I asked Lynn and Cindy if they were up for a game of something Paul and Dennis joined in and EdGiles sat and read nearby We played Uno (I won in a couple of hands) and then we played a game called ldquoMoneyrdquo that was new to all of us (Lory Pegasus Games OwnerManager had loaned it to me with very high recommendations) It took us a few hands to get the hang of it but we all decided it was pretty fun once we figured out what we were trying to do Lynn won the one game we played By the end of that we were all yawning knowing the wake-up call was coming at 700 tomorrow whether we are ready for it or not

Tomorrow we are off to Cappadocia for two nights (and only 3 hours of driving to get there)

414


I didnrsquot get a lot of sleep last night because of a combination of very hard bed vs a sore shoulder that even EdGiles cannot get the knots out of I hope Lynn who is a massage therapist can do it tonight I tossed and turned all night and was very groggy upon waking (tried some benedryl about 430) The buffet breakfast didnrsquot really tempt me much so I had a bit of fruit cheese bread with sesame butter and cherry preserves and some cherry juice (I would love to visit this country when the cherries are in season)

Todayrsquos total drive time was only about 3 hours and it was broken up with four stops before getting to our hotel here in Cappadocia

Stop 1 The Caravanserai of Sultanhan is a 13th-c structure that was used as a resting place for those traveling the Silk Road The structure had some architectural elements that I had never seen before like interlocking stones for the archways I was almost too caught up in the building to listen closely to Şenolrsquos explanation of the building and its history It was chilly with the sun casting lovely beams of light into darkened spaces

Stop 2 A primary school in a small

village not far from the Caravanserai that has been improved and supported by Gate 1 Travel This company like Grand Circle who we have traveled with a number of times has a foundation to help the local communities Gate 1 decided to concentrate on education The small school has about 110 students in 6 classrooms Gate 1 put in a heating system and built them a cafeteria We got to wander around the school and interact with the kids One classroom of 8-year olds had some very outgoing kids who enjoyed asking us questions in English and showing us a game of pattingclapping hands with each other not unlike games we played as kids

Stop 3 An early lunch break just a bit before noon Şenol explained that there was no other place that could handle a busload between where we were and Cappadocia We shared some chicken soup a dish that was like Shepherdrsquos pie with lamb that was topped with melted cheese and a goumlzleme There was a McDonaldrsquos next door that I went over to check out The menu didnrsquot look any different than any in the States

Stop 4 A carpet dealer (Carpetium [Ortahisar Turkey]) (I found a short video of the same place we went to on

Visit Caravanserai of Sultanhan en route to Cappadocia (and carpets and whirling dervishes oh my)


ldquoDance when yoursquore broken open Dance if yoursquove torn the bandage off Dance in the middle of the fighting Dance in your blood Dance when yoursquore perfectly freerdquo

~Rumi

15

Running newsletter header top rightContinued from page 14

youtube) where we had a demonstration of carpet weaving and one of the best presentations on the differences between carpets their history etc Obviously it was an immense sales pitch and very very well done First we were in a room where about 6 women were working on various looms Some were workinig in wool some in silk Next into a room where they showed how the silk threads were spun out of a cocoon and an explanation of the difference between silk amp wool Next we were brought into a large showroom with benches all around a wide open area that they ended up unrolling about 25 carpets of various styles shapes and sizes Finally the serious sales pitches Everyone spoke excellent English I really had never planned on succumbing to the sales pitch but they were good I pointed out that I have allergies to wool and they turned my attention to silk I then added that my husband was allergic to the price of silk Ultimately I would rather travel and see more of the world than have my next trip on the floor or on my wall

While others continued to shop I found that either my allergy to wool or my allergy to salesman was getting to be too much and I escaped to the fresh air All by my lonesone (which is a rare thing on this kind of tour) I sat and marveled at the beauty of this region from the snow-capped volcano in the distance or the interesting rock formations that it created thousands of years ago I watched an Anotolian Shepherd puppy trying to keep himself amused at the end of his chain and watched a quartet of guinea fowl clucking and teasing him Mama dog was chained up nearby and I suspect as bemused as I I had about an hour by myself or so it seemed and loved every minute of it

Finally it was time to board the bus again to go to the hotel which was about 15-minutes away

The evening has been pretty amazing We signed up to go to the Whirling Dervish ceremony that was held in a cultural center that is housed in another 13th-c caravanserai It was about 15-minutes from the hotel and was really really interesting This is one of the few places where it is really a ceremony rather than an entertainment There were 4 musicians 4 monks and a master who went through prayers from the Koran This is an Islamic group but

it was pointed out that some Sufi are Christian and use the New Testament and some are Jewish and use the Old In some places women as well as men perform the rituals but they try to work with whoever they have in the audience so it was only men for us Starting with prayers then music then a pattern of walking and bowing and finally getting into the whirling it was pretty mesmerizing for the 18 of us from our tour and a few others Afterwards we were allowed to take some photos as they did a short demo and then we were offered a hot cinnamon drink outside There was a wonderful video presentation on the history of the region that ended our evening there

Nice drive back to the hotel with Şenol answering more questions as we traveled We got back around 1915 and then had another dinner buffet Irsquod say this hotel does the best food so far in the hotels Lots to choose from and most very very tasty EdGiles and mewalked around the grounds a bit before coming upstairs I had asked Lynn to work on my neck again and she has I think itrsquos feeling better

Tomorrow very early some of our group

are going on a balloon ride over the area which I understand is amazing but with my fear of heights I figure itrsquos better not to waste the money I have however lent Lynn my smaller camera so hopefully I can get some pics of it all from that point of view Wersquove signed up for the optional full day Cappidocia tour and will be able to sleep in since we donrsquot have to meet in the morning until 915 We have two nights here so we donrsquot have to repack first thing in the morning as well

416


Erosion shaped the incredible landscape of the Goumlreme valley but thousands of years ago humans took a cue from Mother Nature and began carving an incredible chamber and tunnel complex into the soft rock Beginning in the fourth century AD an urbanizedmdashbut undergroundmdashcultural landscape was created hereAncient volcanic eruptions blanketed this region with thick ash which solidified into a soft rockmdashcalled tuffmdashtens of meters thick Wind and water went to work on this plateau leaving only its harder elements behind to form a fairy tale landscape of cones pillars pinnacles mushrooms and chimneys which stretch as far as 130 feet (40 meters) into the skyBut human hands performed equally incredible works here The rocky wonderland is honeycombed with a network of human-created caves living quarters places of worship stables and storehouses were all dug into the soft stone In fact tunnel complexes formed entire towns with as many as eight different stories hidden undergroundGoumlreme was inhabited as early as the Hittite era circa 1800 to 1200 BC and later sat uncomfortably on the boundary between rival empires first the Greeks and Persians and later the Byzantine Greeks and a host of rivals This precarious political position meant that residents needed hiding placesmdashand found them by tunneling into the rock itselfThe site became a religious refuge during the early days of Christianity By the fourth century Christians fleeing Romersquos persecution had arrived in some numbers and established monastic communities here The monks excavated extensive dwellings and monasteries and created Byzantine frescoed paintings in cave chapels beginning in the seventh century which endure in well-preserved isolation to this day

Culled from this National Geographic site

World Heritage Site Cappadocia

A FULL day in Cappadocia


Slept much better last night after Lynn worked on my shoulder and was ready and raring to go when I awoke Many of our group including Lynn Dennis and Paul chose to go on the optional balloon ride around the area They had to be up and ready to go at 545 I couldnrsquot see that it was a good idea for me to go considering my fear of heights so I sent one of my cameras up with Lynn When I woke up and looked outside there were about 20 balloons floating over the landscape My only regret wasnrsquot going with them to take pictures of them getting into the balloons and taking off However I did get to sleep until 630I was surprised to see spaghetti noodles and a marinara sauce on the breakfast bar this morning but I was happy to take some noodles and mix them with butter cheese and some of the spices we have found at every meal It made a great breaking of my fast along with a bowl of fresh fruit saladWe didnrsquot have to be on the bus until 915 today for the optional tour of Cappadocia We hadnrsquot booked it originally but it turned out that it was a great idea that we did Irsquod definitely recommend it to anyone coming here with Gate 1The first three stops were all very panoramic photo stops Being Saturday there were a lot more buses and a lot more tourists around But other than having to work through throngs of

people with selfie sticks the views were incredible Our fourth stop was the Open Air Museum at Goreme where we had about 2 hours to wander with Şenol or on our own This area had been a refuge prior to the 7th c for Christians trying to flee persecution from Rome There are many small chapels in the rocks many with enough of their frescos intact to be worth visiting There was one way up a flight of steps after a long hike uphill that Şenol said shouldnrsquot be missed He was so right These caves are all relatively small so there is a no photo policy that is strictly enforced by guards in each of the cave chapels After making it all the way up to the highest one (did I mention we were about 12000 feet above sea level) the guard reminded us no photos as we entered when he saw that EdGiles was going to hand me my camera But somehow we ended up to be the last two in there after a bit and he said ldquoPhoto okay Quickrdquo I grabbed the camera and got 4 very nice pictures of the frescos in that chapel as I said ldquogive him a tip pleaserdquo As I thanked him when I was leaving I went to shake his hand and he took it and put his other hand to his lips with one finger extended and said ldquoshhhhhrdquo I smiled and squeezed his hand before climbing downLunch was our next stop and boy are we spoiled now After that lunch I am not sure I want to eat ever again so I donrsquot bespoil the memory of it Şenol told us that this place was owned by a woman

and her three daughters and that they had a wood-fire oven for their bread and pide and such The restaurant is called Zerdali and Irsquod say try to find it if yoursquore ever in Cappadocia The menus had photos along with the prices (so much over here can be a surprise when it comes to prices) and EdGiles and I not too terribly hungry had agreed on one dish to share Şenol told us that was just a small dish probably not enough to share so we ordered a second dish The first dish Kayseri Mantis was minced meat filled pasta (much like very small ravioli or pelimeni) smothered in a garlic-yoghurt sauce and a bit of tomato sauce That would have been sufficient But the second dish was İccedilli Koumlfte a mixture of minced meat onion bulghur walnut and spicey spices that had been deep-fried (Irsquove found that itrsquos translated as Kibbee here in the states) OMG was that one tasty I was glad that I had ordered some ayran to go with it to cut through the spice EdGiles ordered turkish coffee and I thought Irsquod ordered a cup of sahlep but the waiter misunderstood When we settled the

cheque I mentioned it and he was very embarassed I was full and didnrsquot care but he explained to Şenol that he wanted to give me some to take away YummyIt was about a 20-minute drive to our next stop the underground city of Oumlzkonak These troglodyte cave-cities were excavated as early as Hittite times and expanded over the centuries as various marauding armies traversed Central Anatolia in search of captives and plunder There are 36 underground cities in Cappadocia and the widest one is Kaymakli underground city while the deepest is the Derinkuyu Underground City The one we went to wasnrsquot nearly that big or deep but we didnrsquot have to fight swarms of tourists to explore it We went down about five levels and it was really neat There were storage areas winemaking area and living quarters in the area we exploredThe final stop of the day was the Fairy Chimneys a set of rock formations that had the softer tufa beneath layers of harder volcanic rock that ended up leaving these formations that have to be

seen to be believed I was pretty wiped when we got there but still managed to wander around a bitBy the time we made it back to the hotel I was ready to collapse It was a glorious day with some incredible things that were seen and experienced But all I really needed at that point was to nap I wanted to do so in the bathtub but it is too narrow and had the faucet set in the middle of one side that would make it difficult for me to get in much less out So I showered and collapsed on the bed for the next two hours Dinner was another buffet (I think theyrsquore trying to kill us with food) and I ate relatively small portionsIt isnrsquot even 2100 yet but Irsquom ready to climb into bed and veg out until I am asleep Wersquore off to Ankara tomorrow Hard to believe we only have two more days left before we head home on Tuesday This is definitely a vacation that I wonrsquot soon forget EdGiles rarely says that he wants to go back somewhere but I suspect we might end up back here some day I sure hope so

17



418


This thing with breakfast buffets is getting kind of old Might help if the food was better I guess I tried an egg casserole this morning but it was cold and I didnrsquot feel like trying to make it edible I stuck to some flat bread and butter (the breads here are really great) some fruit yoghurt (mostly pomegranate which was interesting) with some cereal tossed in and cherry juice I am loving the cherry juice everywhere

We hit the road at 830 and had about 3 12 hours on the road plus the morning pit stop (it helps that Şenol needs a cigarette and coffee from time to time) and lunch stop which would put us into Ankara the countryrsquos capitol around 13001330 The morningrsquos talk was on the history of Atatuumlrk and the founding of the Republic which morphed into a bit to how the government is organized I love that one of the three main tenents of Turkeyrsquos constitution is that it is and always will be a secular state And itrsquos stated very clearly that this can NEVER be changed and a couple of their Prime Ministers have been imprisoned trying to add religion to the government (An object lesson I wish the US would learn from)

We also had a lot of time to read or nap or chat This has been a great bunch of folks to travel with Most people are open and willing to talk to others not within their own clique or family It could be that we are only 27 but wersquore very diverse and itrsquos nice to have such a congenial bunch to be stuck on a bus with for as long as

we have had to be The morning pit stop was at a place wersquod stopped at on the way to Cappadocia and they have one of the most amazing WCs (Water ClosetToilet) that Irsquove ever seen A small booth is just outside where a worker collects 1 lira from each that enters (about $38) The area is clean beautifully appointed and huge The stalls are divided between traditional and Western-style (with little symbols on the doors so you donrsquot have to guess) and has hot water to wash your hands (or feet since there are sinks for that too) in (not all toilets that we visited had hot water to wash in)

We were not seriously hungry (how could we be the way this trip has gone) an hour and a half later when we stopped for lunch EdGiles and mesplit a plate of chickpeas and a plate of pilaf I had a glass of ayran (I could get addicted to this stuff) as well We also got some ice cream for dessert The ice cream over here is kind of chewystickyhmmmmhard to describe (kind of like taffy) Itrsquos different but tasty We bought a couple of souveniers (btw--they sell STUFF everywhere) And then were on our way to the capitol city

Ankara was created as the capitol because it was relatively centrally located Its population when the Republic was founded in 1923 was about 7K and itrsquos about 5M people nowMost of it is very modern and the largest industry is the government We had two stops here in the city

Atatuumlrk was a Turkish nationalist leader and founder and first president of the republic of Turkey

Mustafa Kemal Atatuumlrk was born in 1881 in Salonika (now Thessaloniki) in what was then the Ottoman Empire His father was a minor official and later a timber merchant When Atatuumlrk was 12 he was sent to military school and then to the military academy in Istanbul graduating in 1905

In 1911 he served against the Italians in Libya and then in the Balkan Wars (1912 - 1913) He made his military reputation repelling the Allied invasion at the Dardanelles in 1915

In May 1919 Atatuumlrk began a nationalist revolution in Anatolia organising resistance to the peace settlement imposed on Turkey by the victorious Allies This was particularly focused on resisting Greek attempts to seize Smyrna and its hinterland Victory over the Greeks enabled him to secure revision of the peace settlement in the Treaty of Lausanne

In 1921 Atatuumlrk established a provisional government in Ankara The following year the Ottoman Sultanate was formally abolished and in 1923 Turkey became a secular republic with Atatuumlrk as its president He established a single party regime that lasted almost without interruption until 1945

He launched a programme of revolutionary social and political reform to modernise Turkey These reforms included the emancipation of women the abolition of all Islamic institutions and the introduction of Western legal codes dress calendar and alphabet replacing the Arabic script with a Latin one Abroad he pursued a policy of neutrality establishing friendly relations with Turkeyrsquos neighbours

Culled from this BBC website

Mustafa Kemal Atatuumlrk

Cappadocia to Ankara


19



ldquoTo see me does not necessarily mean to see my face To understand my thoughts is to have seen merdquo

~Mustafa Kemal AtatuumlrkStop 1 Mausoleum of Kemal Atatuumlrk which is a large monument to the war hero (World War I) and founder of the Republic This edifice is as impressive as the Lincoln Memorial in my mind and then some I got very lucky to have a perfect place for the changing of the guard (we were convinced that the guards were mannequins because we couldnrsquot see them blink) which was an imprssive display As impressive as any Irsquove seen whether it was at Arlington Cemetery in Washington DC at the Kremlin in Red Square in Moscow or at Buckingham Palace in London UK

Stop 2 The Anadolu Medeniyetleri Muzesi (the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations [aka the archeology museum]) This museum has one of the best collections of Hittite carvings anywhere Housed in an 15th-c castle I was impressed by the building as I was of the artifacts that it housed Lots of wonderful examples of pottery figurines jewelry and other items from the daily life of the Hittites the Assyrians etc Lots of Bronze Age stuff An hour was enough time to take a lot of it in but not really all The descriptive plaques need some work but itrsquos still a museum worth visiting

We got to the hotel abour 1700 and got the run down for the rest of the night and tomorrow (our last full day in country) Dinner was to be on our own but Şenol gave us a great suggestion (more in a minute on that) and the morning will be the earliest yet 530 for the wake-up call bags out by 615 on the bus by 700 This is to give us a little more time in Istanbul since itrsquos a 5-hour drive from here to there Ed and Paul hit the gym and I was drawn into the lovely deep bathtub (shower is totally separate for the first time all trip) and we agreed to meet for dinner at 1900

Now about that restaurant Şenol

recommended He pointed out a few places but said that we should skip most of them to go to the one called Aspava He said there were a lot of decent kebab places but that this one was the best and cost the least We were lucky enough to run into Lynn and Dennis who were coming back from there and they gave us a run-downwarningreview which we were glad to get First off no one in the restaurant speaks any English at all (a good sign in my book) They each ordered an entreacuteeand were shocked when they were brought a cold yoghurt soup salad a mixed vegetable grill (mushrooms tomatoes and peppers covered with cheese in a pan still hot from the oven) pita bread and French fries with a kind of salsa-like dipping sauce all before the entreersquos showed up After they were done with all of that tea and dessert came with it all as well And there was bottled water on the tables that they didnrsquot charge extra for So it was a good thing we knew this going in EdGiles and meshared lamb shish kebab (best lamb I can ever remember having) and Paul and Cindy shared a doner (meat wrapped up in pita) I couldnrsquot resist ordering the İccedilli koumlfte when I saw it on the menu (it was almost as good as the stuff we had yesterday) and they were nice enough to give us each one even though it appeared that an order was only 3 of them The salad was chock full of interesting vegetables and pickles The mixed grill was really good The French fries were okay The pita was amazing The tea was hot and lovely And the dessert was a small scoop of the sticky vanilla ice cream along with a dessert made out of semolina that wasnrsquot overly sweet Top it all off with some ayran for EdGiles and meand we rolled out of there The total cost for all of that you ask Irsquoll tell you 56 lira (abour $21 USD) for all four of us We did leave a great tip because on top of all of that

the service was top-notch

We needed to walk a bit after all of that so we went looking for an ATM (3 banks just around the corner) and then wandered into a grocery store (I love foreign grocery stores) before heading back to the hotel

So considering how early the morning will be I guess itrsquos time for me to find the arms of Morpheus (or at least his Turkish counterpart) Grsquonight Mustafa wherever you are

420


Ankara to Istanbul (including a Bosphorus cruise and a trip to the Spice Market)

On the Bosphorusby Alexis Lavine copy2015

Great nightrsquos sleep (best bed and hotel so far this trip) even though it was a very early wake-up call Up at 530 and the bags outside the door by 615 and then down to breakfast Best breakfast so far as well Another buffet but there were some very good cheese pastries (Irsquom thinking one was like borek and the other might have been like a pide) really moist tasty scrambled eggs bacon for the first time this trip a nice selection of fruits (fresh dried or stewed) and lots of other stuff It wasnrsquot hard after dinner last night to be good and take just a little bit of a few things After all we had a 5 plus hour drive ahead of us

700 into the bus I was thinking again that it was nice that we were only 27 on a bus that had 46 seats EdGiles and metook different seats so we could stretch out a bit more Today was going to be the last time that we would see our bus driver Kadir who has been so nice to me Always helping me down out of the bus and seeming to be proud of my tenacity When I went to give him his tip envelope I couldnrsquot help but hug him and it was reciprocated nicely And we were off

Along the way we had our usual morning pit stop (actually someone asked for an emergency one not too long after we took off) and a lunch stop a couple of hours later The terrain that we drove through was very hilly and

rocky for much of the way For quite a while it was all pine trees and then there were a lot of deciduous trees for a while more Lots of snow on the ground on one side of the road for a while as well I read and played a bit on my tablet or napped along the way For lunch EdGiles and meshared a cheese borek (flat pastry filled with cheese and fried) and some hot tea The weather today is a lot chillier than itrsquos been (in the low 40s) I found some sweets for dessert (one was a gooey ball of some kind of fruit paste either chestnut or date Irsquom not sure which studded with hazelnuts the other was the same gooey stuff filled with pistachios) Very tasty

When we got closer to Istanbul the highway was following the coast of the Bosphorus Lots of shipping and factories and lots of highrises and apartments We were on the Asian side of the border still Eventually around 1330 we got to Istanbul and the bus dropped us off on a pier to wait for the boat for our cruise on the Bosphorus Still really chilly and windy part of me was wondering if this was a good idea I wasnrsquot bundled as much as I probably should have been but what the heck When might I get this chance again Finally the boat arrived and I was the only one at first to go up on the upper deck Turned out that we had the boat all to ourselves and Şenol was our guide for this part as well We cruised along

21

Running newsletter header top rightthe Asian shore for a bit and eventually crossed over and cruised along the European side for the rest of the time A couple of the ldquoboysrdquo and EdGiles joined me up on top Dennis stuck his head up and walked once around the deck before retreating to the comparatively warmer lower deck

Our destination was very near the hotel that we stayed at the first two nights we were here in Instanbul We got off the boat and Şenol led us to the Spice Market and set us off to for hour and a quarter Paul Cindy EdGiles and mestarted out together and a couple of times EdGiles and mewere drawn in to shops There arenrsquot just spice shops in the Spice Market--they have a lot of the same kinds of shops as the Grand Bazaar selling lots of different kinds of stuff We knew we were going to be buying stuff for sure In fact we found a few gifts as well as finally finding a shop that we found to have the best prices The shop was just outside the main door of the Market and the prices seemed to be about half of what we found early in the expedition By the time we were done we had sent Paul amp Cindy off because we knew wersquod be a while and Dennis amp Lynn ended up finding us Between the spices teas and lokum (Turkish Delight) we bought our total came to 430 TRY (or

about $175 USD) and he even threw in a gram of the best Iranian saffron they sold as a gift We were also served some very tasty pomegranate tea while we finished up the negotiations It was a fun experience The sights smells and sales pitches as we wandered through the Market were the stuff dreams are made of

Back on the bus for the last time we drove through much of the newer city to our hotel which was about a half hour away from the market Very new very fancywe have the comfiest beds yet and an awesome corner room view Our farewell dinner is in about an hour and a half so I think itrsquos time to shower and relax and then change for dinner

Dinner was pleasant May not have been the best meal wersquove had since we got here but it was very congenial It was a set menu no choices and they included 2 glasses of wine (or beer or soda) besides water (first time all trip) A non-descript tomato soup improved by the addition of croutons and cheese that could be added beef with some peppers and tomatoes served with plain rice (not even pilaf ) and one lone broccoli spear--the combination was tasty enough but hardly worth writing about and tiramisu (I dislike anything coffee-flavoured and this was not an exception) for dessert

But we had great company with Mo (the eldest of the Persians [all three men were named Mohamed]--I couldnrsquot believe he is 86) and wonderful conversation A representative of the Gate 1 office in Istanbul went table by table asking for feedback Şenol went around double-checking this that and the other to make sure all the paperwork was done and we were told what time to be ready to transfer to the airport tomorrow (we have to be ready by 1030mdashenough time to sleep in but not really enough time to do anything more here) and then the good-byes There were a lot of hugs between people who were strangers less than 2 weeks ago We all have come to realize how lucky wersquove been to have each other as traveling companions

So itrsquos time to finish this off now Irsquom sure Irsquoll write up some final thoughts perhaps while waiting for our flight home but this really has been the trip Itrsquos been good enough that if the opportunity arises again we might find ourselves back here Heck as Paul said if we had the ability to learn Turkish moving here could be an option Itrsquos such a progressive country and our dollars would go much further here We are all leavingwith a very positive feeling

towards the Turks and their country

422


23


Final impressions of dogs and food Definitely some of my favourite memories of this trip


ldquoLet yourself be silently drawn by the strange pull of what you really love It will not lead you astrayrdquo

~RumiCredits All of the photos within this document are mine The quotes and facts have attributions with them The important credit is to my cousin Alexis Lavine who is one of the most incredible watercolour artists that I know After we booked our trip I discovered that she and her husband Phil took the exact same trip last fall with Gate 1 She sent me one of the paintings she did after her trip and I asked if I could use it in here She not only said yes but she sent me four others So on pages 5 8 11 13 and 20 yoursquove seen her talent If you want to see more of her work (or perhaps purchase a painting by her) you can go to her website at wwwalexislavineartistcom

Albums of all of my photos from this trip

The full collection

Days 1-2 (February 27-28) Istanbul

Day 3 (March 1) Gallipoli World War 1 Memorials

Day 4 (March 2) Troy Pergamum amp Canakkale

Day 5 (March 3) Ephesus and Kusadasi

Day 6 (March 4) Pamukkale and Hierapolis

Day 7 (March 5) Konya

Day 8 (March 6) On the road to Cappadocia

Day 9 (March 7) Cappadocia

Day 10 (March 8) Ankara

Day 11 (March 9) Back to Istanbul

Day 12 (March 10) Last view of Istanbul

Final thoughts This was a trip I never anticipated taking and already would love to go do it again Or at least parts of it again I didnrsquot write about the trip home but it was pretty uneventful Our plane was on time (have I mentioned how nice it was to have a direct flight from Chicago to Istanbul Or how nice it is to fly Turkish Airlines) no customs hassles and no problems catching the bus back to Madison Missed out on jetlag the first couple of days but it hit by the third Still doesnrsquot mean I wouldnrsquot do it again

My brother-in-law Paul was describing my travelogues to someone on the trip one day and mentioned that I write about almost everything and a lot about the food Yeah I do Food is important to me true But usually I am disappointed in other travelogues where they write that they went here and there saw this and that had lunch and then went there and here amp say that and this Irsquom always wondering what did you eat How was it What did it look like D Not really obsessed with it but fascinated to be sure

Yoursquoll also note that I take pictures of critters Dogs cats sheep roosters guinea hens and even a parrot I do because itrsquos part of the landscape for me Someone told me after I came home that people in Turkey do put out bowls of cat food but they tend to neglect the dogs That there is a group that tries to get dogs out of the country to get them adopted in other parts of the world I so wish I could do that but we also have lots of animals that need rescuing in this country (and our house is full up)

So until the next trip Irsquoll leave this here As Hans Christian Andersen once said ldquoTo travel is to liverdquo and I am so glad to be alive

2


same tour How kewl is thatWe will take a bus to Chicago on Thursday afternoon and meet up with Paul amp Cindy for a non-stop flight to Istanbul landing about 1630 Friday There are a number of optional things we could have booked (Lynn amp Dennis booked them all) but at this time Paul Cindy EdGiles and I are just doing the full day tour to Ephesus I am tempted by a couple of them but we shall see what we shall seeIt should be a grand adventure (hopefully still with a small ldquoardquomdashsee some of my earlier travelogues for this distinction) A friend said to me ldquoYou never talked about going to Turkeyrdquo and I pointed out that I had never really thought about it much but that everyone that Irsquove known that has gone

raves about the food and the people and so much about the history For the deal they offered how could we not consider itI am not sure how often Irsquoll have computer access while wersquore in Turkey (one of the hotels has free wi-fi and the rest seem to have it available for a fee--and I tend to be cheap about these kinds of things) but when I do get access I will be keeping up with my travel updates through the Google group I set up a few years ago If you want these updates feel free to join in travels-with-shavasue (google groups) is the name of the group I figure that when I do get access I need to refrain from spending too much time online so I suspect I will only open up email to force myself to be good

Istanbul was ConstantinopleNow itrsquos Istanbul not ConstantinopleBeen a long time gone ConstantinopleNow itrsquos Turkish delight on a moonlit night

Every gal in ConstantinopleLives in Istanbul not ConstantinopleSo if yoursquove a date in ConstantinopleShersquoll be waiting in Istanbul



Istanbul (Istanbul)Istanbul (Istanbul)


Istanbul was ConstantinopleNow itrsquos Istanbul not ConstantinopleBeen a long time gone ConstantinopleWhy did Constantinople get the worksThatrsquos nobodyrsquos business but the Turks


Istanbul

1953 swing-style song with lyrics by Jimmy Kennedy and music by Nat Simon The lyrics comically refer to the official 1930 renaming of the city of Constantinople to Istanbul It has been recorded many times since itrsquos release One of the better-known versions is the cover by the alternative rock band They Might Be Giants (TMBG) who released it on their album Flood in 1990

Istanbul(not Constantinople)


What a smooth travel experience we had The bus from Madison was about 10 minutes late departing and about 10 minutes late arriving at OrsquoHare which was pretty close to perfect considering it was snowing in Chicago Check-in and security were quick and painless We met up with Paul and Cindy in the small food court just past security with an hour to spare to boarding time EdGiles and meshared some bao (steamed buns) and we relaxed before entering our 12-hour incarceration aboard the plane

Boarding was reasonably quick but something kept us on the ground for about a half hour We made up that time during the flight EdGiles and mewere lucky enough to not only be seated together but also with Paul and Cindy so we had the 4 in the middle section of one row Turkish Airlines is definitely a nice company to fly with The service was good and they had a bunch of things to make the trip comfortable Every seat in the economy section not only had a pillow and blanket but slippers earbuds and a nice zippered pack that contained socks an eyemask ear plugs lip balm and a small toothbrush amp toothpaste

Even though it was after 2230 when we finally took off we were served dinner and drinks after we got up to cruising altitude They were out of the

vegetarian entree when they got to us but the hamburger patty tasted as if spiced with the same seasonings used for gyros or doner It came with a cucumberpeppertomato salad an eggplant salad with a chunk of chicken in it cheese (from Oregonmdashboohiss) a roll pureed potatoes roasted veggies and cheesecake I chose to watch The Boxtrolls (there was a great list of movies and other entertainments) while eating but started dozing in the middle of it I actually slept pretty good on the flight probably about 6 hours and woke up in time for them to serve us breakfast About 7 hours after supper we had a hot breakfast of scrambled eggs roasted veggies something called a turkeycheese toast a salad of cottage cheese tomato cucumbers and a piece of cheese a roll and some fresh fruit salad By the time they had this all cleared away we were only about an hour from Istanbul

Smooth landing a short shuttle ride from plane to terminal a reasonably long line to get through passport control and claiming our baggage (all four bags made it for us) and we went out to meet our guide who would get us to the shuttle van that would take us to the hotel

Our hotel is the Legacy Ottoman which is located just a short walk from the

Madison-Chicago-IstanbulA night of travel

Continued on page 3










3






Continued on page 4

4


4


Continued on page 5



5






46






















7



Homer The Iliad


Continued on page 8










48



Continued on page 9



9











410






















11























12










13


~Rumi












414












~Rumi

15










416












17



418


















19












420









21









422


23







The full collection

























3






Continued on page 4

4


4


Continued on page 5



5






46






















7



Homer The Iliad


Continued on page 8










48



Continued on page 9



9











410






















11























12










13


~Rumi












414












~Rumi

15










416












17



418


















19












420









21









422


23







The full collection
















4


4


Continued on page 5



5






46






















7



Homer The Iliad


Continued on page 8










48



Continued on page 9



9











410






















11























12










13


~Rumi












414












~Rumi

15










416












17



418


















19












420









21









422


23







The full collection
















5






46






















7



Homer The Iliad


Continued on page 8










48



Continued on page 9



9











410






















11























12










13


~Rumi












414












~Rumi

15










416












17



418


















19












420









21









422


23







The full collection
















46






















7



Homer The Iliad


Continued on page 8










48



Continued on page 9



9











410






















11























12










13


~Rumi












414












~Rumi

15










416












17



418


















19












420









21









422


23







The full collection




















7



Homer The Iliad


Continued on page 8










48



Continued on page 9



9











410






















11























12










13


~Rumi












414












~Rumi

15










416












17



418


















19












420









21









422


23







The full collection

























48



Continued on page 9



9











410






















11























12










13


~Rumi












414












~Rumi

15










416












17



418


















19












420









21









422


23







The full collection


















9











410






















11























12










13


~Rumi












414












~Rumi

15










416












17



418


















19












420









21









422


23







The full collection
















410






















11























12










13


~Rumi












414












~Rumi

15










416












17



418


















19












420









21









422


23







The full collection
















11























12










13


~Rumi












414












~Rumi

15










416












17



418


















19












420









21









422


23







The full collection





















12










13


~Rumi












414












~Rumi

15










416












17



418


















19












420









21









422


23







The full collection
















13


~Rumi












414












~Rumi

15










416












17



418


















19












420









21









422


23







The full collection
















414












~Rumi

15










416












17



418


















19












420









21









422


23







The full collection

















~Rumi

15










416












17



418


















19












420









21









422


23







The full collection
















416












17



418


















19












420









21









422


23







The full collection



















17



418


















19












420









21









422


23







The full collection
















418


















19












420









21









422


23







The full collection
















19












420









21









422


23







The full collection
















420









21









422


23







The full collection
















21









422


23







The full collection
















422


23







The full collection
















23







The full collection




















The full collection
















turkey travelogue

Documents