ISTANBUL, TURKEY

ISTANBUL, TURKEY
   Located on the northern peninsula of Turkey, Istanbul serves as the country’s cultural and economic center as well as Europe’s third largest city. The city lies on the coast of Marmara in the Bosphorus Strait and is one of the world’s megacities, housing more than 15 million residents. This metropolitan center that was once the capital of many empires, including the Roman and Ottoman, is now Turkey’s hub for industry and tourism.

   On a tour we saw the Whirling Dervishes. After playing some music and some speaking, three of the group went into the whirling that put them in a trance. They stayed in the trance for about 30 minutes. They did not lose their balance nor did they move off the space they were in. They came out of the trance as soon as the leader spoke some words. They are Muslims and are a small sect. They are doing this as a love gift to god. They do not do this in a Mosque.

    On another tour we went to the St Sophia Mosque, The Blue Mosque, the Topkapi Palace, the Grand Bazaar, and to a Turkish rug factory. 

Whirling Dervishes

Making a silk Turkish rug

Sandy and Hagia Sophia Mosque

Entrance to the Grand Bazaar-65 covered streets-since 1461

Topkapi Palace Gate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

KUSADASI, TURKEY (EPHESUS)

KUSADASI, TURKEY (EPHESUS)

   Located on the western coast of Turkey, this resort town attracts tourists from all around the world.  Since the area was settled by the Leleges in 3000 BC, culture and art have been at the forefront. Ephesus is a 15 minute drive away from this city.

   Ephesus was built in the most beautiful part of Western Anatolia. You realize this this as soon as you enter the city. In fact it is not difficult to imagine the historical past of the city, namely that of the Roman era, when Ephesus was the capital of five hundred Anatolian towns.

   This was after the period in which Homer wrote his immortal works, and the time in which St. John lived and died. At that time you could see the stairs of the colossal theatre from the sea far away, and the huge gleaming columns of the Temple of Artemis, which was once used to blind people with their beauty.  About 250,000 people used to live in this famous city where the most skillful artisans and rich merchants gathered together. The entertainments held in honor of Artemis every year during April, were very gay. Specters used to fill the theatres which were an essential part of their lives.  About a million people made up the audiences during that special month.

   Ephesus was abandoned and forgotten for a long time. About a century ago the excavations of this ancient city began.  Restoration has been undertaken continuously over the last ten years, so that some of this historical treasure, which had previously been buried for centuries, can now be seen and admired by millions.

Nike, Goddess of Victory, (Nike shoes trademark)

Communal marble 44 slots toilets. Slaves warmed them up first. A social gathering place.

Two story library, best of its time.

Sandy and Tom at the theatre for 2,500

 

 

 

 

 

BODRUM, TURKEY

BODRUM, TURKEY
                     

When this city was known as Halicarnasssus, the Greek poet Homer called it “the Land of the Eternal Blue.” It was the location of a mausoleum which was so impressive that it became so impressive that it became known as one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. After the empire declined, a band of crusaders called the Knights Hospitallar built what they called the Castle of St Peter here, and those fortifications endured for centuries.  Today, Bodrum is one of the most popular resort towns on the Mediterranean, especially with visitors from around Europe. There is the Museum of Underwater Archeology in Bodrum, which houses the remains of ancient shipwrecks.

Reclaimed sunken cargo ship from 1025 AD

Thomas - Roman Governor

Reclaimed tin (round) and copper (flat pieces) from Egyptian ship about 4th AD

Gold jewelry from Egyptian ship

 

 

 

 

ANTALYA, TURKEY

ANTALYA, TURKEY
   From the fluted minarets to the graceful arches of Hadrian’s Gate, the Roman-Ottoman past is tangible everywhere in the city of Antalya.  Originally founded in 150 BC as Attalia, named after its founder, Attalos II, King of Pergamon and became a major harbor for the region.  Today it is the largest city (2 million) of the Turkish part of the Mediterranean coast and a major hub of the “Turkish Riviera” attracting many tourists to the area. Antalya, and the surrounding regions, is rich in history. The old quarter of the city, Kaleici, has narrow, winding streets enclosed in ancient city walls, which now protect the peaceful quarter from the sprawling metropolis outside its walls. The walls can be entered through Hadian’s Gate, built by the Roman Emperor Hadrianus. Within the old quarter itself visitors can see many relics of the city. The Archaeological Museum displays, among other things, many Roman marble statues found in nearby ancient cities such as Perge.

   Turkey is a land of 77 million people. They are not in the European Union (EU) but are a member of NATO. They are the 17^th largest economy in the world.  The country is 97% Muslim and 3% other religions.  

   In 1923 Mustafa Kemal Ataturk (1881-1938) came to power and modernized Turkey. He is called the “Father of Turkey”.

 

Roman family burial marble sarcophagus

 

Roman statue of Heracles found near by in ancient city of Perge

Sandy pointing out Antalya while map show ancient cities

Tom and Sandy with ancient Roman ruins in marble

Statue of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and the Turkish flag

 

 

 

 

 

HAIFA, ISRAEL

   Haifa is a port located along the Mediterranean Sea, nestled below Mount Carmel, and is Israel’s third largest city. The settlement of this area dates back more than 3,000 years and still maintains much of its deep-rooted history.  All oil comes through here.

   The Sea of Galilee is a fresh water lake because it comes from where there was a volcano. The Dead Sea is 1300 feet below sea level. It is 35% salt. You can easily float in it.

     We visited the Mount of Beatitudes. There is a church built over the spot it is believed that Jesus gave the Beatitudes to the Disciples. At the river Jordon we filled up bottles of water. At the Sea of Galilee we took a few stones. Tom was afraid if we took too many they would run out. At the looks of the amount of tourists it wouldn’t take too many years.

 

Tom and Sandy at the Sea of Galilee

Capharnaum - The Town of Jesus

Tom getting water from the River Jordon

Tom and Sandy at the River Jordon

Pope Paul VI visited Mt of Beatitudes

 

 

 

 

ASHDOD, ISRAEL

ASHDOD, ISRAEL

 

We docked in the port of Ashdod and took a bus to Jerusalem that was 90 minutes inland. Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. There are 9 million people living in Israel now and in 1971 there were only 2 million.  Two thirds of the country is desert. The people are using the desert to expand the living space. In 1882 was the first influx into Israel by Jewish people from other countries that were experiencing racial hatred.  They moved together into a Kibbutz (means coming together). They farmed together, ate together, and did everything for the community.  Many had never been farmers before and they had a hard life but they succeeded in their homeland even if they came from many different countries.  In the last seven years the greatest influx has been from France. The Kibbutz of late has been turning to tourism to augment their income. They have erected a hotel and dining room to hold 1,000 and they feed the tour buses at lunch. Our tour bus stopped at one for lunch which was out of the world.  They had wonderful fresh vegetables straight out of their gardens, chicken, meat, or fish, and wonderful desserts. Also, they served red and white wine they had made at the Kibbutz.

 

On our tour we walked through the Garden of Gethsemane. At Mt. Zion we visited the Room of the Last Supper. We walked through the Jewish Quarter and visited the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. We also saw the West Wall that used to be called the Wailing Wall.   

Now on to the port of Haifa to go see Nazareth.

Church of Agony-Near bottom of Mt of Olives

Sandy in the Gaden of Gethsemane

Roman Ruins of a Market Place

City Wall

 

 

 

 

IRAKLION, CRETE, GREECE

IRAKLION, CRETE, GREECE

   Once the center of the Minoan civilization, as well as the largest of the Greek Islands, Crete has a lush history that forms a large part of the overall tapestry of Greece. According to Greek mythology, goddess Rhea hid the newborn Zeus in a cave of Crete, where he was subsequently brought up by nymphs who protected him from his enemies.  It was also on Crete that Zeus took the form of a bull to seduce the maiden Europa.

   The Knossos Palace's, the largest in Crete, complexes were arranged around a central court. The city was organized around the palaces.  In them was concentrated the religious and political authority, and they were also entrusted with the organization of the events connected with religion, as well as the production, storage and ultimate disposal of the agriculture products and the management of commerce.  The necessity to record and control the complex activities of the palaces may have led to the development of the two systems of writing which were adopted at this time: Cretan Hieroglyphic and Linear A which have not yet been deciphered. This was during the Protopalatial Period (2000-1750 BC), the Bronze Age. Their most valuable item to barter since they did not have money yet was copper.  

   The Palace was destroyed several times by earthquakes but it was built back with improvements each times.  It was built with a water system to get water from a spring, and to send sewage to a brook. The complex covered about 25 acres. The Administration Offices and meeting rooms were on one side of the open court yard. On other side were the five stories of apartments for the family and staff to live. The King and Queen had their bedrooms on the bottom floor.

   The Palace fell into disuse and it is not certain why; it could have been another earthquake.  Through the centuries it, as well as the town around it, became covered with soil and olive trees were planted over it. A farmer found some ruins in the late 19^th Century and there have been excavations every since. The town has not been excavated yet.

 

Model of the Palace of Knossos

Columns of Palace of Knossos still standing

Clay cups of multiple colors with egg shell thin sides

Stone with hieroglyphics on both sides