Turkey Galleries

Ankara : In April 2008 we visited Turkey and began our journey here, in Ankara. Ankara is the capital of modern Turkey and it was at once modern and historical. I felt comfortable her from the first. The people seem friendly with ready smiles on the streets. Turkey is a secular democracy crafted inside a muslim country and the tensions are showing a bit at the moment. More on that when we get to Istanbul.

Ankara

In April 2008 we visited Turkey and began our journey here, in Ankara. ...

Updated: Aug 08, 2008 3:05pm PST

Ballooning Over Cappadocia : When we left Ankara, our destination was Cappadocia, a beautifully bizarre region of wind sculpted rock. The rock is soft tufa resulting from volcanic eruptions. Wind blows sand eroding the rock into fantastic shapes. And to see it best, we took an early morning hot air balloon ride. During our ride, we floated as high as a few thousand feet, and at times we floated near the ground among these wickedly sharp spires. There's not a lot to comment on, really, just sit back and enjoy the ride. Cappadocia was about my favorite part of the trip.

Ballooning Over Cappadocia

When we left Ankara, our destination was Cappadocia, a beautifully biz ...

Updated: Aug 08, 2008 4:27pm PST

Living in Cappadocia : Cappadocia is one of the most unusual places I've been. The geography is dominated by the unusual rock formations that dot the landscape. Long ago, volcanic eruptions spewed tufa ash across the landscape. It hardened but was soft and subject to wind erosion. People living in the area learned to carve the soft rock, and tunneled into it to create houses. People still live in houses carved from the rock. While in Cappadocia, we visited with a family inside their rock home. What a treat. Check these out! The great room you see below is comfortable for perhaps a couple of dozen people. In order to get these photos, i had to hang back as we were leaving. I enjoyed meeting the family that lived here. Nice folks. Optimistic. Friendly. Engaging.

Living in Cappadocia

Cappadocia is one of the most unusual places I've been. The geography ...

Updated: Aug 08, 2008 4:53pm PST

Rest of Cappadocia : And now, as Paul Harvey would say, for the rest of the story. The first six photos here showcase the unusual rock formations in Cappadocia. Among these rocks, there is a city carved into them including churches. The next nine photos are taken inside the rooms of these churches. And finally, just before we left the region, we stopped in at a ceramic studio.

Rest of Cappadocia

And now, as Paul Harvey would say, for the rest of the story. The firs ...

Updated: Aug 08, 2008 7:30pm PST

Istanbul : I absolutely loved Istanbul. Old city. Modern city. Lively. Historic. Interesting! And I confess to humming the tune from the band "They Might Be Giants" called "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" much of the time I was there. I have actually been here before, nearly 40 years ago. Part of the fun for me is to see the changes. At that time, my roommate and I were traveling with a couple of girls (We were twenty and so were they. Girls didn't mind being called "girls" back then) We wandered through the Grand Bizarre and were approached by a couple of guys who wanted to buy them. We declined, but not before negotiating. I fear they will never forgive us! But I digress. Today parts of the Grand Bazarre have been remade into a modern shopping mall. Turkey in general, and Istanbul in particular, occupy a fascinating physical and cultural place. Istanbul lies partly in Europe and partly in Asia and is torn by influences from both cultural traditions. Turkey is an Islamic country but has a large Orthodox Christian population. It is a secular democracy being pulled in an Islamic direction. It has been conquered and occupied many times by soldiers from many cultures. It's enthusiastic to join the EU but would be the first non-Christian country to do so which gives the current EU members pause.

Istanbul

I absolutely loved Istanbul. Old city. Modern city. Lively. Historic. ...

Updated: Aug 08, 2008 8:21pm PST

Gallipoli & Troy : Gallipoli: Gallipoli was one of the bloodiest campaigns of the first world war, a battle ground where 500,000 soldiers were killed or wounded. Allied troups attempted to breach the Dardanelles to reach Istanbul and force Turkey from the war. Mustafa Kemal (later called Ataturk, the father of Turkey) lead the Ottoman Turks and defeated the allies solidifying his military career and paving the way for his political career. Troy: In Greek mythology, the Trojan War was waged against the city of Troy by the Achaeans after Paris of Troy stole Helen from her husband Menelaus, the king of Sparta. The war is among the most important events in Greek mythology. The Ancient Greeks thought the Trojan War was a historical event that had taken place in the 13th or 12th century BC, and believed that Troy was located in modern day Turkey near the Dardanelles. In 1870 the German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann excavated a site in this area which he identified as Troy. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Gallipoli & Troy

Gallipoli: Gallipoli was one of the bloodiest campaigns of the first w ...

Updated: Aug 09, 2008 11:05am PST

Ephesus : Ephesus is the best preserved and most extensive classical Greco-Roman city in Asia. At its height, it was the fourth largest city in the Roman Empire - 300,000 inhabitants. I was here in 1970 and since then, the site has undergone continuing restoration. It's a neat neat place. There is a modern city here. Driving through it to the ruins of historic Ephesus, we chanced upon an Easter parade with some cute paramilitary kids (probably an oxymoron … cute – paramilitary). And finally I’m blanking here. We walked through a neat village, possibly Kusadasi, where I was able to take some photos of local culture.

Ephesus

Ephesus is the best preserved and most extensive classical Greco-Roman ...

Updated: Aug 09, 2008 6:42pm PST

Island of Chios : In every trip, there is inevitably a stop you could have passed on. Maybe it looked good in the guide books, but it didn't live up to your expectations. Well, here we are ... the Greek Island of Chios. We spent most of the morning learning about mastic ... what it is, how it's made, what it's used for, what is its economic significance, and the hits just kept on coming. The problem? I DON'T CARE! To be realistic, the island had a neat harbor which I enjoyed walking around. It had a few nice bars where I enjoyed a cold beer. It had some neat villages with cool mosaics. And it had a church that looked like a cross between Islamic and Bavarian traditions. So the visit wasn't a total waste of time, but it felt like it at the time. And as long as we're confessing ... the island is historically interesting. It has been continuously inhabited for 8,000 years. Homer was born here, and I'm not talking about Simpson. It has been occupied by Ionians, Persians, Byzantine Greeks, Saracens, Venetians, Turks, ... well you get the idea.

Island of Chios

In every trip, there is inevitably a stop you could have passed on. Ma ...

Updated: Aug 09, 2008 7:19pm PST

Island of Kos : During our trip, we traveled by bus and also on the small ship Arethusa. It was a brand new ship, constructed in Croatia and with a Croatian crew on its maiden voyage. I had recently been to Croatia so I had a basis for conversation with the Captain and crew. Fun. The island of Kos was pleasant. We had ample opportunity to just wander around. I like this place.

Island of Kos

During our trip, we traveled by bus and also on the small ship Arethus ...

Updated: Aug 09, 2008 8:02pm PST

Island of Patmos : Of all the islands off the Turkish coast, this is my favorite. Patmos has been named a "sacred island" by the Greek government in 1981. We visited a UNESCO world heritage site: The Holy Cave of the Apocalypse, where St. John lived and worked. It is a galactic pleasure. And we had an experience here I will treasure for a long time, an Easter procession. I mentioned before that we were here for Eastern Orthodox Easter. We stumbled upon a procession from a church we visited, carrying religiously precious icons, to a local square. This is a great example of bumping into local culture as it unfolds. Patmos is historically interesting. St. John was exiled here for 18 months between 95 and 97 AD. It was here that he wrote the fourth gospel and dictated Revelation.

Island of Patmos

Of all the islands off the Turkish coast, this is my favorite. Patmos ...

Updated: Aug 09, 2008 8:37pm PST

Island of Symi : After Patmos, this was my favorite island. We arrived in late afternoon and the sun lit up the village in a pleasing way. We had dinner and strolled through the village as the sun finally set. While we were out a ferry landed and we watched the unloading and loading. We had no organized activity on the island, rather we were at leisure to do anything or nothing and this is what pleased me I think.

Island of Symi

After Patmos, this was my favorite island. We arrived in late afternoo ...

Updated: Aug 10, 2008 8:29am PST

Island of Rhodes : Rhodes was our last island stop. Up until now, the weather has been fantastic but in Rhodes it rained hard almost the whole time. We did get out and walk around the city. We saw the harbor where the Colossus of Rhodes stood. One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, it was built around 300 BC to memorialize the defeat of Alexander the Great. It stood for only 56 years before an earthquake destroyed it. Oddly, the remains of the statue were hauled away to Syria some 800 years later by a caravan of 900 camels. Because cameras and rain don't mix well, I have very few pictures of Rhodes. Sorry.

Island of Rhodes

Rhodes was our last island stop. Up until now, the weather has been fa ...

Updated: Aug 10, 2008 8:44am PST

Athens : What's Athens doing in Turkey? On our way back from Turkey we stopped for a couple days in Athens. I was there many years ago and it was right where I left it. I am not a big fan of Athens but it was worth a day or so to see the city again.

Athens

What's Athens doing in Turkey? On our way back from Turkey we stopped ...

Updated: Aug 10, 2008 9:02am PST