2008 Turkey II: Capadocia, Underground Cities & Ankara

DAY 6, Tuesday - Pamukkale

Serap arranged the usual wake-up call and we placed our luggage in the hallway outside of our room.

Breakfast was the standard good fare, but the coffee was strong as ever. We salvaged an orange from the fruit bowl for lunch. Otto and I secured seats in the back of the bus where extra seating allowed us each to have a window seat. Bus A was the first to depart on the drive (see map) to Pamukkale. Our driver made the usual periodic stops for those with enlarged prostates. One of our first stopping places was at the Tol and Ar Leather Factory Outlet where we watched models strutting down the gangway displaying leather trappings. Naturally, much time was allotted in the sales room for our captive audience to look over the expensive wares Our next stop was for lunch, offered buffet style. We looked over the Turkish dishes, many which included eggplants, but settled for lentil soup and the always-included free bead. Soup (tomato, chicken and lentil) was usually priced between two and three lira ($1.75 to $2.75) so we ate cheaply for lunches. Sometimes Otto and I just settled for an orange (carried over from breakfast) and a granola bar from the States.

As we continued on eastward we had a beautiful view of majestic snow-covered mountains off to our right, but the sunlight in that direction prevented decent photographic shots, at least any with definition.

Our major spot, and treat, for the day was a visit to the Necropolis (large cemetery) and the ancient city of Hieropolis ("Holy City"), situated atop the Pamukkale hot springs, a place considered by UNESCO a World Heritage Site. Eumenes II, king of Pergamum, founded the city in 190 B.C. In the 2nd and 3rd centuries, it reached the height of its development as Roman thermal bath center. The city is an important city for Christianity because one of the apostles of Jesus, St. Philip was killed here and a monumental tomb was built for him. 

After Serap purchased site tickets for us we proceeded to the Entrance Gate or the Southern Byzantine Gate. She wanted the group to follow her to the central portion of the site for a lecture, but Otto and I lingered behind for photo opportunities. We were really captivated by the travertine pools. 

Pamukkale is one of the most important highlights of Turkey, unique in the world. The site is named in Turkish as "Pamukkale", that means "cotton castle". The dazzling white calcareous castles are formed by limestone-laden thermal springs, creating the unbelievable formation of stalactites, potholes and cataracts. Waters in the terraces are the sediments of the springs with calcium bicarbonate at 33C. Apart from some radioactive material, the water contains large amounts of hydrogen carbonate and calcium, which leads to the precipitation of calcium bi-carbonate. Every second 250 l hot water rises from this spring, precipitating for every liter of water 2.20 g chalk or for every second 0.55 kg of chalk. In the course of time some sources dried up because of earthquakes, while new ones arose in the neighborhood. 

The effect of this natural phenomenon leaves thick white layers of limestone and travertine cascading down the mountain slope resembling a frozen waterfall. One form of these formations consists of crescent-shaped travertine terraces with a shallow layer of water, lying in a step-like arrangement down the upper one-third of the slope, with the steps ranging from 1m to 6 m in height. The other form consists of stalactites, propping up and connecting these terraces. The water of Pamukkale is famous for its benefits to the eyes and skin; and its curing properties to the ills of asthma, rheumatism, as well.

Meander Travel website: With hot thermal springs ever present and cool mountain air to offer cold water constantly available, the dying guilds no doubt made use of these natural features required in adding color to cloth. The city also had an advantage in the bath complex, still seen on the northwestern part of the city’s edge, near the northern necropolis. Some scholars compare the hot water of Hierapolis, and the cold water of Colossae to the lukewarm water of Laodicea as the background for the imagery of Rev. 3:15-16. Biblical Laodikya, just 10 minutes from Pamukkale was on the Denizli road. It's mentioned in the Bible as one of the 7 Churches of the Revelations. 

Tourists, including young women from our Gate One group, took off their shoes and waded barefoot in the warm water. Some took extended walks. Otto and I kept our shoes on and limited our activity to photography. A park employee warned us not to walk on formations with shoes.

We walked over to the Old City Wall that appeared to be the outer perimeter of Hierapolis. In the background was the white mountain range referred to earlier, but it still did not photograph well. We caught up with Serap for last minute directions for meeting our bus. We were given considerable time for wandering, but warned that it took 45 minutes to reach the parking lot from this particular spot. 

At this point was a helpful signpost with an illustration of the layout. We headed first of all to the Hierapolis Museum which was built at the site of the Roman baths in 1970. Before then artifacts were sent to the museums at Izmir and Istanbul. There was an admission charge, but since there was such a wealth of sites to see outside, we opted out of seeing the museum. From here we headed to the pool thought to be the remains of a sacred pool associated with the Temple of Apollo. A WC was conveniently located nearby. 

From the pool we had a beautiful view of the Theatre that was constructed to hold 20,000 spectators. The Theatre at Hierapolis was built in the second century AD under the Roman Emperor Hadrian during a period of extensive rebuilding following a devastating earthquake in 60 AD. It was later renovated under Septimus Severus (193-211 AD). Although the exterior is relatively unassuming as viewed from the front, the interior contains one of Anatolia's most complete and best-preserved collection of Greco-Roman theatre decorations. Recent archaeological evidence shows that the theatre was in use through the 5th and into the 6th century AD. The theatre is made mostly of marble, but the renovations made during the reign of Septimus Severus used recycled stones from an ancient theatre to the north of the city.

We returned to the pivot point of our tour and now we were to proceed northward along the main thoroughfare. I scanned the city from the Theatre to the Northern Gate of Domitian to show the immense size of this metropolis. Beyond the Gate were massive numbers of sarcophagi and burial tombs “(over 1,200 of them). I centered in on what I determined were prominent burial sites. When we reached the Domitian Gate, I zoomed in on the colonnaded street that led into the city. 

The massive basilica outside the gate was worth a picture. Otto is in the foreground determining the composition of his next picture. We continued on through what were now burial sites for families, until we reached an interesting tomb set aside for the burial of gladiators. 

The appointed meeting place at the end of the trail was a large modern center. 

Our three buses were waiting to take us to our 5-star Lycus River Thermal Hotel. This complex was quite large and spread out over acres of land. We walked through a number of buildings before reaching our room. 

As we headed for our included dinner, we passed through a large reception area with an inviting central fireplace. Live music added to the ambiance. Dinner that night was buffet style with an extensive offering of vegetables, entrees and desserts. 

We sat at a large table with a number of Chicagoans of roots from India. They were very friendly well-traveled people who were an asset to our group. After dinner, Otto and I sipped hot coffee in front of the fireplace. Very relaxing. Then we returned to our room to review our notes and make entries in our journals.

DAY 7, Wednesday – Konya (Iconium)

Otto was up a little early, before the wake-up call, and as agreed upon, he nudged me awake. We put out our luggage and headed for the comprehensive breakfast buffet. We had a later departure than usual because the agenda was not pressing. 

Our buses did make a stop at a scenic overlook for a parting shot from a lower level of the natural white layers of limestone and travertine cascading down the mountain slope Today would be a travel day with much time on the bus – heading deeper into the interior to Konya (note map). 

Konya is one of the world's oldest cities, with excavations revealing settlement from as early as the 3rd millennium BC. Under the Persian Empire, Konya, then called Iconium, was the frontier city of Phrygia. The city was connected by a roadway to Pisidian Antioch some eighty miles to the northwest and had good lines of trade and communication. It was a Greek minded community with a significant but not dominant Jewish community. As a more democratic and Greek metropolis, resistance against St. Paul and St. Barnabas was not swift and decisive as in places with dominant leadership structures.

In this city some of this community stirred up mobs against St. Paul’s message, but St. Paul was evidently able to manage the unrest for a period. The team remained in place, and saw considerable success in their preaching. After a spell of success, another mob began to stir. Unlike Pisidian Antioch, where the aristocrats expelled St. Paul and his companion, the mob of the Hellenes was stirred and eventually threatened to stone them. St. Barnabas and St. Paul fled the city south to Lystra and Derbe.

In addition to St. Paul’s first visit to Iconium, he returned on the second journey and possibly on the third journey (Acts 16:1-4; 18:23). Certain of the Jewish community followed St. Paul from Iconium and harassed him again in Lystra, pushing the crowd to stone him (Acts 14:19). St. Paul recalls the problems he had in Galatia in his late writings (2 Tim. 3:11). St. Paul’s concerns over the perversion to the Gospel message were directed at this and the surrounding communities in the Epistle to the Galatians. In addition, Peter’s first Epistle was likely written to this city, along with Lystra, Derbe and Pisidian Antioch (1 Pet. 1:1). In Byzantine times Konya was the seat of an archbishop. In the late 11th century the Seljuk Turks (see Seljuks) gained control of the area, and the city became the capital of the sultanate of Iconium, or Rûm. Konya experienced its greatest prosperity under Seljuk rule and still contains many fine buildings from that period. The city was taken over by Mongols at the end of the 13th century, and later by the Turkmen principality of Karaman. In the latter part of the 15th century it was annexed by the Ottoman Empire. Though Konya declined during the Ottoman period, it was revived again following the construction in 1896 of the Istanbul-Baghdâd railroad, which passes through the city.

After really great accommodations in the last two cities, one would hardly expect things to get better, but the Dedeman Hotel was terrific. It was one of the finest and largest hotels in Konya. Gate One had notified me a week before departure that they had switched to this hotel to improve service. Uniformed bellhops greeted our bus. The reception area was a marble showcase. Even the public bathrooms were solid marble. Our rooms were spacious and we had a terrific view of Konya from our picture window. Both of us enjoyed the room comforts as we brushed up on our readings. 

DAY 8, Thursday – Cappadocia

After a wonderful breakfast we departed for Cappadocia, (see map) visiting the famous Caravanserai of Agzikarahan en route.

This old inn was a gathering spot in the 13th century for the traders and camel caravans that made their way along this legendary Silk Road between Asia and Europe, setting up trading for their goods.

The caravanserais were built by the Sultans in the 13th & 14th century, each a days travel from the previous one. The costs of running and staffing the caravanserais came from the taxes collected on the goods passing through them. A caravan could stay up to 3 days free of charge.

The typical caravanserai had walls 2 rooms thick and 3 stories high, surrounding a central courtyard for the animals. Besides rooms for the people of the caravan (the inn) there would be storerooms for the goods and supplies, a bathhouse, an infirmary, A mosque in the center of the courtyard, (raised up one story above the animals) took care of the visitor's spiritual needs. A veterinary was on call to care for the animals. In the course of our trip we came across a number of such buildings. I inserted a map showing various trade routes.

We continued on to Nevsehir in Cappadocia. Our major activity here was to visit an underground city, the underground city of Kaymakli, once a refuge from Arab, Roman, and Mongolian aggressors. It was hollowed out of volcanic rock and going seven to nine floors into the earth. It was made up of a labyrinth of corridors, chambers, storerooms, kitchens and churches. Hittites probably carved the first three floors out about 2000 B.C. When Christians found refuge in the underground cities they enlarged them. Approximately, 15,000 people used to live in this underground city. The city was sub-divided into separate sections for better defense purposes. Each section could be isolated from each other by closing the millstone shaped round rock gates with a diameter of 1.5m. The passages between these sections are about 30kms long.

The corridors are very narrow, but the living rooms, meeting halls, churches and other facilities were very comfortable. The storage rooms were capable of storing enough food for the residents for many months. The airshafts and water wells were adequate for 15,000 people, living all together for a very long time.

During the early periods of Christianity, the first followers of Jesus and his apostles settled in the area to hide from the soldiers of Roman Empire. It is known that St. Paul was looking for a secure place after being expelled from Jerusalem. He came to Cappadocia and established the first Christian colony in this region with his followers.

After the conquest of Persia by Alexander the Great early in the 4th century BC, Cappadocia became independent. The first king of the Cappadocian dynasty, Ariarathes I (reigned 330-322 BC), paid tribute to Alexander, but Alexander's successors were unable to conquer the country. Later, the kings of Cappadocia sided with Rome, then a rising power, against the Seleucids and against Pontus. Cappadocia changed sides often in its support of the various factions during the Roman civil wars of the 1st century BC. The independence of the country ended when the Romans supplanted the Cappadocian dynasty with a puppet king about 40 BC. Text from Microsoft Encarta

Our capable guide Serap led us to a section of the underground city opened to the public and advised us that movement through tunnels from room to room could be arduous. This required crouching and crawling and so we might want to limit ourselves to just the first few levels. The more ambitious could continue on to the lowest ninth floor.

Otto and I limited our activity to entering the stable and then moving on into the chapel-like church. Even then, claustrophobia began to set in. Although we shortened our route, I managed to scratch the top of my head as a momentoe of the event.









We moved on to a scenic overlook where the wind and rain had eroded the brittle rock and created a spectacular surrealist landscape of rock formations, capped structures and even “mushrooms.” In the background is Mount Erciyes, previously known as Argaeus, only 50 km away to the south

The previously violent eruptions of the volcano caused sedimentation of large quantities of ash layers in whole area. The ash layers were solidified during the following centuries, at the same time rivers and brooks gouged grooves and wind and rains eroded the top level in different shapes and depth.

DAY 9, Friday - Full Day Cappadocia

Today would be taken up with the Full Day Cappadocia Tour, beginning with Urgup, a lively tourist center at the foot of a rock riddled with old dwellings. Urgup is located 14 miles east of Nevsehir and 4 miles east of Göreme. In Urgup itself you can still see how people once lived in homes cut into the rocks. These dwellings were inhabited up until 1950.

A little further on we stopped at another scenic overlook. Here in the Red Valley was an interesting rock formation in the form of a camel.

Cone structures abounded here and there and sometimes a large group of them concentrated in one area.

Goreme has a post-ninth-century monastic center, which has earned it the status of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Goreme, known in Roman times as Cappadocia, is one of those rare regions in the world where the workmapss of man blend unobtrusively into the natural surroundings. Dwellings have been hewn from the rock as far back as 4,000 B.C. During Byzantine times chapels and monasteries were hollowed out of the rock, their ochre toned frescoes reflecting the hues of the surrounding landscape.

Even today troglodyte dwellings in rock cones and village houses of volcanic tuff merge harmoniously into the landscape. The Goreme open-air Museum, a monastic complex of rock churches and chapels covered with frescoes, is one of the best-known sites in central Turkey. Most of the chapels date from the 10th to the 13th century, the Byzantine and Seljuk periods, and many of them are built on an inscribed cross plan with a central cupola supported by four columns. During the early ages of Christianity, this place was a refuge for first Christians of Asia Minor. More recently, the area was a safe-haven for the Christians, under the threat of Muslim Arabs, between 7th and 13th centuries. There are hundreds of churches carved on rock formations in the area.

After Serap purchased the gate tickets, she led the Bus A group through the grounds. to view the churches. The first stop was the Apple (Elmali) Church: This is one of the smallest and the most recent churches of the area. It was built in the 11th century. It is cross-shaped in the ground plan. The church was carved into the rock with a dome ceiling and pillars. Four columns support this dome. There are some frescoes that remained to current time. These wall paintings represent the raising of the Lazarus, the last supper, the crucifixion, the transfiguration, angels and some other holly figures. The artwork here was professional done

and of high quality.

The second church we visited was The Church of St. Barbara: This 11th century church has two columns supporting the ceiling and it is carved into the rock. Its frescoes show St. George and St. Theodore. The paintings on the walls and altar are more amateur –like and consisted more of just primitive symbols (rooster and roach).

The third church was the Snake (Yilanli) Church: It was built into the rocks in the 11th century with a low ceiling and long nave. As you enter you see a picture of Christ and the founder of the church. There are frescoes on the other walls, showing St. Basil, St. Thomas and St. Onouphrios. On the other wall St. Theodore is shown struggling with a snake. Our guide said she thought it was of St. George slaying a dragon, but I have to along with Theodore and the snake depiction. The pictures of emperor Constantine and his mother are also shown supporting the cross with their hands.

From the Snake Church we walked the snow-covered path to the kitchen and dining hall of the convent. Here Otto and I entered through the kitchen entrance and climbed up stairs to another part of the complex. Our last church cave visitation was that of St. Catherine. Back at the entrance area I took another shot of the Kizlan Monastery.






Just as with other tour groups visiting the area, we were subjected to a carpet outlet store presentation and the usual sales room pitch.

When we finally finished this business, we were taken to another scenic overlook to view the natural environment for cave indentations. Nearby were the “Pigeon Valley” and the high elevation that was used as a watchtower for spotting approaching Romans

Here we could view more cone-like structures that had been hollowed out for occupation, often referred to as “fairy chimney dwellings.”


We drove on for a short distance before again stopping. Awaiting tourists, a camel driver had his camel and ladder ready for takers. Another tourist attraction was the ice cream vender, who did not want for customers. After departing this spot our buses took us through the city of Goreme where we could see fairy chimneys right within the city limits.

Our buses then took us through another scenic drive through the country on the way back to Nevsehir and our hotel. A doorman was stationed at the entrance awaiting our arrival. Our room was comfy.

W hat a nice 6:30 pm dinner as part of the Whirling Dervishes package. We departed the hotel at 8:30 pm to reach the dance site by 9 pm. The performance took place inside a historic Caravanserai.

The Whirling Dervishes," also known as the "Sema Ritual", were performances that began with the inspiration of Mawlana Jalaleddin Rumi who is considered one of the greatest mystical poets of Islam. The Mevlevi Sufi order was founded to follow his teachings.

The captivating dance of the whirling dervishes, which displays infinite spinning in perfect harmony, is part of Turkish custom, history, beliefs and culture. It was a rare opportunity to experience a seven-century old ritual, featuring authentic costumes, live music with flutes, string and percussion, and the amazing sight of the Dervishes whirling on the stage. No photography of the performance was allowed. but illustrative post cards were distributed afterwards. In the inner courtyard Otto toasted a provided warm sweet drink with cinnamon flavor.

DAY 10, Saturday – Ankara

This morning we departed for the city of Ankara (see map).

Ankara, formerly Angora, is a city in central Turkey, capital of the country and of Ankara Province. It is principally a residential city and government seat, but a number of small industries produce carpets, leather goods, wine, farm implements, and cement. Ankara is an important market and processing center for mohair and for the fine fruits and wheat grown in the surrounding region.

The city lies on the main east-west rail line across the Anatolia region of Turkey, and is a major crossroads for trade. Tourism is also increasingly important to the local economy. Ankara is a city of contrasts. The old quarter, built around the ruins of an ancient citadel, has narrow, winding streets and crowded buildings. The new city, laid out in 1928, is spacious and well-planned, with broad boulevards, libraries, museums, embassies, government buildings, and fashionable shops and hotels. Ankara is home to the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, which contains a notable collection of Hittite artifacts.

Ankara has been a trading center since ancient times. Hittites occupied the site about 2000 BC. The Phrygians succeeded them about 1000 BC. Alexander the Great subdued the city in 333 BC; after his death, conquering Gallic tribes (Galatians) made it their capital. Known as Ancyra, it came under Roman rule in 189 BC, and in 25 BC it became capital of the province of Galatia Prima. Later a major city of the Byzantine Empire, it was successively occupied by Persians, Arabs, Seljuk Turks, and Latin Crusaders. The city, renamed Angora by the Seljuks, fell to the Ottoman Turks in 1360. It was occupied briefly by Turkish conqueror Tamerlane in 1402, but reverted to the Ottoman Empire the following year. In 1923, after the establishment of the republic of Turkey, Angora succeeded Istanbul as the capital. The name was changed to Ankara in 1930

Upon arrival in Ankara, our buses headed for the Mausoleum of Kemal Ataturk, first president and founder of the Turkish Republic.

Anıtkabir (literally, "memorial tomb") is the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the leader of Turkish War of Independence and the founder and first president of the Republic of Turkey. The site chosen for Anıtkabir was known as Rasattepe (Observation Hill), which, at the time of the architectural competition for Anıtkabir, was a central location in Ankara and could be seen by all parts of the city. It was designed by architects Professor Emin Onat and Assistant Professor Orhan Arda, who won the competition held by the Turkish Government in 1941 for a "monumental mausoleum" for Atatürk out of a total of 49 international proposals. The construction of Anıtkabir, which took nine years and spanned four stages, commenced on October 9, 1944 with the ceremony of laying the foundation stone. All stones and marbles were brought in from various parts of Turkey, to be a representation of Turkish People's devotion to the founder of the republic. Easily processed porous travertine is used on external cladding of the concrete surfaces and marble is used for the inside surfaces of the Hall of Honor.

I started my video from the Ceremonial Plaza (designed to accommodate 15,000 people), and zoomed in on the Hall of Honor. The Hall of Honor is the iconic symbol of Anıtkabir and the location of Atatürk's tomb. The structure is 41.65 x 57.35 m. in plan and rises to a height of 17 m, with the columns themselves measuring 14.4 meters. Ironically for a building that attempts to represent the Turkish nation, the first impression of the Hall of Honor is that of an abstracted Classical (Hellenistic/Ancient Greek) temple.


We waked into the large marble hall. Here was Atatürk's tomb situated right under the symbolic 40-ton sarcophagus in the ground floor. His corpse is buried below this in a special basement level tomb. The hall room has an octagonal plan in Seljuk and Ottoman architectural styles, and its pyramidal ceiling is inlaid with gold mosaics.

Otto and I toured the massive museum in hallways that surrounded the central tomb area. Photography was forbidden so there are no taped segments here on the video. We both noticed that the layout was somewhat similar to the historic caravanserai. Anıtkabir Atatürk Museum opened on June 21, 1960. Ataturk's personal items, his wardrobe, and some of the gifts presented to him are on display in this museum. Ataturk's medals, decorations and some personal items donated to the museum by his adopted children are also exhibited in the museum. I thought these displays were set up for someone who was worshiped as a saint. Other displays really stressed his accomplishments, which were quite extraordinary. The Battle of Gallipoli received more attention than any other exhibit – a huge dramatic sound and flash show that dramatized the action of that strategic Turkish battle, This victory over the French and English efforts in the Dardanelles really contributed to Turkish nationalism and love for their commander. Another exhibit had a map showing concessions that France, Britain and the United States (Wilson) wanted Turkey to cede to France in the Izmir region and area of Thrace. Ataturk was adamant that the Greeks would be moved out and Turkey would maintain its territorial integrity. The museum had large number of beautiful massive paintings. One that I thought was quite striking was one of Greek soldiers molesting helpless Turkish women and stabbing defenseless Turkish civilians while a Greek Orthodox clergyman is holding up a cross and sanctioning the massacre. The caption under the painting was translated into English and claimed that documentation had proven the Orthodox Church’s implication. All of the paintings promoted Turkish pride and nationalism in some way.

The latter part of the museum stressed social and economic reforms and speeches of Ataturk echoed through the halls. A relief here shows a weak hand holding the torch about to extinguish, symbolizing the downfall of the Ottoman Empire. Another, strong hand raising a radiating torch to the skies symbolizes the reforms with which the new Turkish Republic and Ataturk raised the Turkish Nation to the level of contemporary civilization. He has rightfully been called the Father of Modern Turkey and he brought the nation together as no one else could have.

Having followed all the red directional arrows and viewing all the exhibits, we stepped outside. At the opposite end of the plaza was the final resting place of I˙smet I˙nönü, the second President of Turkey, who was interred there after he died in 1973. His modest tomb faces the Atatürk Mausoleum, on the opposite side of the Ceremonial Ground. Although we saw this, I did not tape it.

To our right was the Street of Lions, the approach to the monument -- a 262 meters long pedestrian walkway that is lined on both sides by 12 pairs of lions carved in a style like the Hittite archaeological finds. There is a 5-cm. gap between the paving stones on the Street of Lions to ensure that visitors take their time and observe respectful behavior on their way to Atatürk's tomb. We walked down to the end of this walkway

The end of the walkway was actually the beginning of the complex. Towers and monuments here included:

Independence Tower The relief inside the Independence Tower shows a young man standing straight and holding a sword with both hands while an eagle is perching on a rock beside him. The eagle represents power and independence in mythology and in Seljuk art, and the young man with the sword represents the Turkish nation defending its independence.

Women statue group In front of the Independence Tower there is a statue group of three women in Turkish national costumes. The two women at the sides are holding a large wreath reaching to the ground. This wreath, made up of grain sheaves, represents the abundant country. The woman on the left with a cup in her stretched-out hand is asking for God's compassion for Atatürk, and the woman in the middle, covering her face with her hand, is crying. This group represents the pride of Turkish women, and their solemnity and determination even in the deepest grief of losing Atatürk.

Freedom Tower The relief inside the Freedom Tower shows a figure of an angel holding a sheet of paper and a rearing horse next to it. The angel figure symbolizes the holiness of freedom and the sheet of paper symbolizes the Turkish Declaration of Freedom. The horse figure is a symbol of both freedom and independence

Men statue group In front of the Freedom Tower there is a statue group made up of three men. The man at the right with a helmet and coat represents a Turkish soldier; on the left with a book in his hand are a Turkish youth and intellectual; behind both of these, in village clothing, is a Turkish peasant. By the grievous expressions in the faces of all three statues, the solemnity and willpower of the Turkish nation are expressed.

While Otto and I were viewing the Monuments at the walkway entrance, we heard the approach of marching boots. Luck would have it that we could now watch the formal changing of the guard up close.
We returned to the plaza. The park that surrounds the monument is called Peace Park in honor of Atatürk's famous expression "Peace at home, peace in the world." It contains around 50,000 decorative trees, flowers and shrubs in 104 varieties, donated from around 25 countries.

We checked into the Hotel Ickale, conveniently located nearby. Overnight in Ankara











DAY 11, Sunday – Ankara and Arrival in Istanbul

Our morning was pretty much taken up with the optional Anatolian Civilizations Museum. We thought this would be a worthwhile tour because the site was selected as the first "European Museum of the Year" in Switzerland on April 19, 1997. A sign at the entrance of the museum boasted of this honor.

We entered the main building from the courtyard. The Anatolian Civilizations Museum is in two Ottoman buildings located near Ankara Castle, in the historical Atpazarı district of Ankara. One of the buildings is Mahmut Pas¸a Bedesteni and the other is Kurs¸unlu Han. Bedesteni was built by Mahmut Pasha, one of ministers (viziers) of Mehmed II the Conqueror during 1464-1471. According to historical records and registry books, Kurs¸unlu Han was built as a foundation to finance Mehmet Pasha's (Mehmet the Conqueror's vizier) alms giving in Üsküdar, Istanbul. The findings indicate that the Han (inn, caravanserai) existed in the fifteenth century. The Han has the typical design of Ottoman Period hans. There is a courtyard and an arcade in the middle and two-storey rooms surround them.

Our tour started with the Palaeolithic Age. The remains represented the age discovered in the Antalya Karain Cave. The people of Palaeolithic Age had hunting and collecting communities living in caves. The stone and bone tools of these people are exhibited. I taped the wall paintings of animals. Serap said that animals were portrayed as larger than life because of the great respect the cave dwellers had for them.

We spent considerable time in the Hittite Period (B.C. 1750-1200), a section of the museum added at the suggestion by Ataturk. The Hittites in the Kızılırmak basin established the first political union in Anatolia in the second millennium. I thought this period interesting because Ramsess II of Egypt made much of his military victory over the Hittites in his famous inscriptions. Chariots were exhibited in stone carvings from this period reminding one of the references to chariots in the book of the Exodus. A small tablet of stone captivated me with inscriptions from one of Ramses II’s wives (not Nefertari) to the Queen of the Hittites describing gift exchanges. This is not on the tape because the bright lighting and the glass casing reflection of the exhibit would not allow a non-glare picture. The Hittite empire reached its peak around 1260 BC, when Hattushili III and Ramses II signed an agreement of peace and friendship.

On the lower floor level were collections from Greek, Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine period, with artifacts from the first millennium made of gold, silver, glass, marble and bronze. Otto and I left after this to seek out bus in the parking area. We had to wait awhile because the bus had returned to the hotel to pick up those who did not take the museum option.

Once everyone was onboard, we headed toward Istanbul.

Note map of our journey. Our bus passed through Izmit, east of Istanbul, the site of the August 17,1999 earthquake.

Turkey has had a long history of large earthquakes that often occur in progressive adjacent earthquakes. Scientists had estimated that there was a 12% chance of this earthquake occurring here in the 30 years from 1996 to 2026. An international team of scientists and engineers is currently mapping the earthquake rupture and its effects, using a wide variety of techniques from visual observations, to seismology and geodesy. The data collected will be used to better understand how the buildings failed in the earthquake. Of particular interest in the earliest stages of the team's work are the types of structural failure that occurred, and the kinds of construction practice that were employed in the failed and surviving buildings. The 1999 earthquake claimed the lives of at least 25,000 people

We stayed overnight at the Oran Hotel, the same one we had used at the beginning of our trip for the first night in Istanbul.

DAY 12, Monday - Full Day Istanbul

The breakfast buffet was very satisfying, but there was no bowl of oranges for our take-out lunch. We settled for apples. We opted out of most of Istanbul options offered by Gate One because we thought it better to walk and travel at our pace – besides saving the tour fees.

This morning we set our sights on the Grand Bazaar, clearly within easy walking distance from the hotel (see map). We walked to the main thoroughfare, headed past the University (pictured on the right) and around a large mosque.

We entered the Grand Bazaar through The Beyazit Gate.






The Grand Bazaar (or Covered Bazaar, Turkish: Kapalıçars¸ı ("Covered Bazaar")) in Istanbul is one of the largest covered markets in the world with more than 58 streets and 4,000 shops, and has between 250,000 and 400,000 visitors daily. It is well known for its jewelry, pottery, spice, and carpet shops. Many of the stalls in the bazaar are grouped by type of goods, with special areas for leather coats, gold jewelry and the like. The bazaar contains two bedestens (domed masonry structures built for storage and safe keeping), the first of which was constructed between 1455 and 1461 by the order of Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror. The bazaar was vastly enlarged in the 16th century, during the reign of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, and in 1894 underwent a major restoration following an earthquake.

We were interested primarily in looking at tablecloths and fabrics. There were many shops with a wide variety of items. Some tablecloths had little beads of evil eye beads sewn in the patterns. Turks believe that it prevents bad luck and brings good luck. Otto thought that the evil eyes did not fit into his tablecloth ideal. He did buy four colorful items from a vendor who gave him a “good price because he was the first customer of the day.” We continued on a awhile and then switched over a few lanes.

It was not long before we discovered the “streets” were not in a normal grid pattern. We did manage to work our way back to the main gate, stopping at a café for cay – hot tea in a clear glass container. The cafe table was located by a window, allowing us to watch the bustle of bazaar traffic.




We walked back to the hotel the same route we had taken earlier that morning.

We still had some time to rest up before taking the Bosphorus Cruise (see map) that we had signed up for with Serap. We boarded our craft at the riverfront below the hill, Eminonu pier. To our left was the Golden Horn. It was a little cool, but not bad enough to keep Otto from the open deck with his camera.







Turkey sits at the crossroads of Europe and Asia. Approximately 97% of the country sits in Asia, and is called Anatolia. About 20% of the population in the east is Kurdish. The city of Istanbul is partially in both continents. Though only 3% of Turkey (the part called Thrace) is in Europe, it is accepted in the European community, and the country participates in many European associations and contests.

Our ship started up the European side of the Bosphorus passing by the Dolmabache Palace built in the mid-19thcentury by Sultan Abdul Mecit I. Ataturk, founder of the Turkish Republic, died here in 1938.

Palace of Ciragan, rebuilt after having burned in 1920, now used as a 5 star hotel
The 1972 Bosporus Bridge

Rjumelu Castle was, on the European side of the Bosporus (at its narrowest point) was erected by Sultan Mehmet II the Çonqueror in 1452. 10,000 men completed its construction in four months. The purpose of the fortification was to control the strait here at its narrowest point.

Asiatic coast of the River

School of Medicine, a former hospital where Florence Nightingale tended to the wounded from the Battle of Crimea

Beylerbeyi Palace, at the foot of the Bosporus Bridge, was built in 1885 in the same style as the Dolmabache Palace. It was used as a guesthouse for the sultans

After the tour, Otto and I boarded Bus B (we arrived in Bus C) instead of our usual Bus A because we felt the groups had become mixed and because we had only partial participation in this optional tour.

Whatever bus was taken, they all faced the challenge of dropping off passengers in a maze by the hotel. Since dinner was not included this evening, Otto and I searched the neighborhood for a nice restaurant. As we stopped to look at a menu pasted on a window, an aggressive owner pulled us inside for a hard sell. Actually, the menu was attractive and the prices reasonable, so we allowed ourselves to be escorted to the second floor for a table. Dinner wasn’t bad. I ordered soup, fried chicken steak, and vegetables. We both ordered coffee. After a little writing in the journals, we slept soundly (although there was some street cleaners at work below our windows).

DAY 13, Tuesday - Istanbul at Leisure

Nice buffet breakfast on the eighth floor of our hotel. Good view of the Golden Horn below, but no oranges in the fruit bowl. The day was to be on our own. We asked the front desk to hale us a taxi to drop us off at the Haghia (Hagia) Sophia.

This church is considered a unique monument in world architecture, and it’s magnificence and functionality has been a good example in construction of countless Ottoman mosques. Haghia Sophia with its exceptional history constitutes a synthesis between east and west. This is the fourth largest basilica in the world behind St. Peters (Rome), St. Paul’s (London) and St. Paul’s of Milan. The exterior of the vast structure has a reddish hue.




One can find many attractions in Haghia Sophia – interesting forms of Byzantine architecture, mosaics of the Christian period as well as structures added during the Ottoman era.

Haghia Sophia has been a Christian place of worship for 916 years, then converted into a mosque and served Muslims for 481 years. The first building of Haghia Sophia church was established during the reign of Constantius I (324 – 337 AD). It was a basilica with a wooden roof, and it was burned down during a revolt. Today there is no evidence of this structure.

During the reign of emperor Theodosius Haghia Sophia was built for the second time and opened to the public in 415 AD. The basilica was again burned down during the Nika Revolt in 532 AD. Some ruins of this building were discovered during excavations in 1936. There were stairs indicating the entrance of the building, columns, capitals and other fragments of the building. Emperor Justinian (527 – 565 AD) wanted to build a church bigger than two previous ones, which would represent the power and magnificence of empire.

The new building of Haghia Sophia was made by two famous architects of that era. And many columns, capitals, marble and colorful stone were brought to Istanbul from various ancient cities in Anatolia. Work commenced in 532 AD and completed five years later. The new building consisted of a large central nave and two side aisles, separated by columns, apse, inner and outer narthex. It is covered by the magnificent dome (diameter 30.31 m), supported by the four large piers, 55 m high.

Besides the unique architecture of the building, the mosaics are also important artifacts of the period. The oldest mosaics – gold gilded with geometrical and floral designs - may be found in the inner narthex as well as in side naves. Figural mosaics (with images of Jesus Christ, Virgin Mary etc.) from 9th – 12th centuries are located on Emperor Door, apse, exit doors and upstairs gallery.

After the conquest of Istanbul in 1453, the so-called “Turkish period” started, and several repairs were made in Haghia Sophia. The art works surrounding the mihrab include the best samples of Turkish pottery and calligraphy. The script, taken from the Koran, is inscribed on rounded plates. In 1934 Ataturk had the mosque converted into a museum. Hence, the Museum of Ayaspfya.







Mission accomplished at the Haghia Sophia, we turned our attention to the Hippodrome. The Hippodrome was an immense construction 480 meters length and 117.5 meters wide; it could seat, according to estimations one hundred thousand spectators. Here Byzantine emperors resided over chariot races and circuses. In the Nika Riot of AD 532 30,000 people massacred as Justinian’s troops put an end to riots in the city.

It was build in 203 by the Emperor Septimus Severus and later on Constantine the Great extended and remodeled it. As Haghia Sophia was the center of religious life, the Hippodrome was the center of the civil activities. Today one can only see some monuments where the Hippodrome was.

The first monument was the Egyptian obelisk .

It was originally commissioned by the pharaoh Thutmose III (1549-1503 B.C.) who erected it at

Deir el Bahri opposite Thebes in upper Egypt to commemorate one of his campaigns in Syria and his crossing of the Euphrates river. Theodosius the Great in 390 A.C erected it on its present site. At the bottom of it there is a marble stone with some sculptured relieves regarding Theodosius.

The second monument is the Serpent column. The three bronze serpents were the base of a trophy that once stood at the temple of Apollo at Delphi. It was dedicated to Apollo as a token of gratitude by the 31 Greek cities that defeated the Persians in the battle Plataea (479 B.C.). Constantine the Great probably brought the column from Delphi.

In the 10th century the Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus built another obelisk at the other end of the Hippodrome. It was originally covered with gilded bronze plaques, but they were sacked by Latin troops in the Fourth Crusade. The stone core of this monument also survives, known as the Walled Obelisk. Its dilapidated state owes much to the fact that Janissaries would regularly scale it as a test of their bravery.

Finally, we turned our attention to the Blue Mosque. Sultan Ahmet I founded the Blue Mosque. He ordered Architect Mehmed Aga to begin construction in 1609 and the whole complex was completed in 1616. The location of the mosque is just opposite of the splendid Church of Haghia Sophia as if it is trying to compete with it. Architect Mehmed wanted to construct a bigger dome then Haghia Sophia's but Instead, he made the mosque splendid by the perfect proportion of domes and semidomes as well as the splendid minarets. There is an interesting story about the minarets, Sultan Ahmet I wanted to have a minaret made of gold, which is "altin" in Turkish. The architect misunderstood him as "alti" which means "six" in English. However, when the architect was shivering as "am I going to be beheaded?” the Sultan Ahmet liked the minarets very much. Prior to that time, no sultan had a mosque with 6 minarets because that matched the six minarets in Mecca. To avoid offense with religious leaders, Ahmet built a seventh minaret at Mecca.

Upon turning to the left, one comes to the main entrance of the mosque. The shoes must be removed. After the gate, one meets the breathtaking interior of the mosque with its chandeliers and blue tiles. Beautiful 17C Iznik tiles that give its name to the Blue Mosque surround the entire mosque. It is all carpeted with prayer rugs because people must put their forehead on the floor and therefore the floor should be soft and clean.

The building is nearly a square and covered with a dome of 23.5 m. (77 feet) in diameter and 43m(140 feet) high. There are four colossal standing columns of 5m. Diameter (16.3 feet), which give the basic support to the building. The mosque has 260 windows which let the sunlight diffuse into the building quite nicely. The pulpit and nave is worth seeing, made of marble and original. The Imam (priest) goes to the pulpit every Friday on the sacred day of the Muslims but he never climbs to the very top as a respect to Prophet Mohammed. The Muslims turn their face to the south when praying, because Mecca (Saudi Arabia) is located to the south. Two lanterns are arranged so as to give the directions to Mecca.

Now for the walk back to the hotel. We walked over to the main drag of Divanyolu Caddesi (which turned into Ordu Caddesi) with its series of streetcar tracks. Fred stopped to pet a little cat by a doorway. No sooner was this done than a woman pulled us into her shop and said we must have tea – consumed from the top level of her café. Well, we were ready for a break, so we consented. When we finally reached our hotel, we were ready for naptime. The farewell dinner was still ahead of us and we had to be in shape.

The bus drive took us past the great Aquaduct of Valens now romantically lit up at night. We headed for an evening nightspot – a line of restaurants along the Marmara Sea. The featured item on the menu was fish, but that was only one of many courses. We distributed tips to the drivers and tour directors and had a little social hour. A good way to end a good tour!

Back at the hotel we packed up our suitcases and placed them in the hallway. The night would be a short one with the wakeup call set for 2 am.

DAY 14, Wednesday - Return to USA

The hotel had graciously consented to set up the basic breakfast fare for a 2:30 am breakfast. Our bus driver transferred us to the airport for a departure flight (KLM 1610) leaving at 5:25 am We arrived in Amsterdam at 8:10 am. KL 6041 left Amsterdam at 10:20 am. We arrived in Minneapolis 12:30 pm and Annette was waiting for us at the Green Ramp Exit.

APPENDIX

The Kurds in Turkey

The Kurds are a large and distinct ethnic minority in the Middle East, numbering some 25-30 million people. The area that they have inhabited--referred to on maps for centuries as "Kurdistan"--spans modern day Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey. Half of the Kurds reside in Turkey, where they comprise over 20 percent of the Turkish population. The majority of Kurds are Sunni Muslims.

Modern Turkey's founder, Mustafa Kemal (better known as Atatürk--"father of the Turks"), enacted a constitution 70 years ago that denied the existence of distinct cultural sub-groups in Turkey. As a result, any expression by the Kurds (as well as other minorities in Turkey) of unique ethnic identity has been harshly repressed. For example, until 1991, the use of the Kurdish language--although widespread--was illegal. To this day, any talk that hints of Kurdish nationalism is deemed separatism, and grounds for imprisonment.

The Turkish government has consistently thwarted attempts by the Kurds to organize politically. Kurdish political parties are shut down one after another, and party members are harassed and imprisoned for "crimes of opinion." Most famously, in 1994 Leyla Zana--who, three years prior, had been the first Kurdish woman elected to the Turkish parliament--was sentenced to 15 years for "separatist speech." Her party was banned. More recently, in June the leaders of the pro-Kurdish People's Democracy Party (HADEP) were sentenced to several-year prison terms for allegedly having ties with the outlawed PKK guerillas. The state prosecutors' evidence consisted largely of press releases found in the HADEP offices from a news agency close to the PKK.

Adding to the grievances of Turkey's Kurds is the economic underdevelopment of the southeast. The Ankara government has systematically withheld resources from the Kurdish region. As a result, there are two distinct Turkeys: the northern and western regions are highly developed and cosmopolitan, part of the "first world," while the south and east are truly of the "third world."

The disparity and repression led to the formation of an armed separatist movement, the PKK, in 1984. While the majority of Turkey's Kurds do not openly support separatism from the Turkish state, many do support the PKK, as the only force fighting for broader Kurdish cultural, economic and political rights.

The state immediately responded to this threat with increased force, deploying some 300,000 troops in the southeast at an annual cost of $8 billion. In addition, the Turkish armed forces instituted a system of "village guards," paying and arming Kurds to keep the PKK guerillas out of their villages. Villages that refuse to participate in the guard system face demolition by the Turkish military, while those that go along suffer under harsh reprisals by the PKK.

The war escalated dramatically in the early 1990s. Between 1984-91, an estimated 2,500 people had been killed. Over the next four years, that figure shot up to 20,000 killed. Some 3,000 villages have been destroyed by the military in an effort to rout out PKK sympathizers, creating more than 2 million refugees.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Gate One Deal DLAT100 $899 per person. Air and Land Package included

* Istanbul, Canakkale, Izmir, Pamukkale, Konya, Cappadocia, Ankara

* Round trip flights Chicago-Frankfort-Istanbul (We opted to take MSP to Amsterdam).

* Airline fuel surcharges * All transfers * 12 nights first Class accommodations (4 stars)

* 19 meals: 12 breakfasts, 7 dinners * Services of an English-speaking tour manager