Hittite, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman ruins scattered across the country. Maybe endless hospitality and bottomless tulip glasses of çay. Maybe experiencing the stunning effect of a full solar eclipse or paragliding over the Mediterranean. Or maybe the blade to my throat and fire on my ears, no better leave that for the surprise ending... 
|
|
|
– a beautiful wedding. That’s right, I would like to claim that I was aware of just how amazing Turkey is and that I had insight into the sheer quantity of memorable sights and experiences I would find, but no. I was a bit nervous at first to travel and drive on my own after reading the warnings of bird flu, hostile skirmishes, and drugged drinks. However, I soon realized that these worse cases are localized events and can easily avoided with a little common sense. Anyway, I wanted to witness my best friend from childhood, Dan, get married to an sweet Turkish woman, Berna, and I was not about to let rumors from friends, family, and the over protective State Department deter me. |
|
|
|
 |
home mid April. It was just before tourist season – perfect in almost every way. The temperature was nice warm or hot during the days, but not the sweltering 100 degree weather that is predominant in the summer, and it was nice and cool at nights, clear all but a couple days. There were very few other tourists allowing me some precious silent moments at many of the ruins and sights that are normally overrun with hordes of people. I came to find they are usually overrun for good reason, it is hard to convey the quantity of things to see there, the month that I had made me realize that I had just seen the tip of the iceberg. |
|
|
|
in the center of Turkey that was not too amazing besides the people living there. I met up with Dan, his brother Mike, his sisters, Berna, and significant others and spent the first night easing into the 10 hour time difference playing backgammon and eating baklava. |
|
|
|
|
The next day we all ventured out into the huge city of Ankara visiting the tomb of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the recent founder of modern Turkey. It is surprising how much the Turks revere him and it goes so far that in his museum they have his rowing machine, cigarette holders, and even his dog stuffed on display... Then came the carpet shop. Dan has a passion for carpets and shared it with us at his friend Amet’s carpet shop up in the old city of Ankara inside the castle walls. By the end of the trip I had visited many carpet shops and gazed in wonder, while drinking çay or apple tea, at carpet upon carpet that were pulled off of stacks, out of corners, or behind closed doors to be rolled out before my amazed eyes – I found it to be an beautiful art, and I wish I could have brought back more. |
|
|
|
|
was I’m sure one of the most unique of its kind... We started off at the gym, putting in a solid workout and then went to the hamam, or Turkish bath. This place, dedicated to relaxation and cleansing, was over 400 year old. We cycled through many cavernous rooms including the hot steam room where we sweated everything out and the almost as hot massage room where big Turks scrubbed off many layers of skin, washed, and massaged us until we felt like new men. That’s right - no alcohol, no naked women, and guys with raki guts were giving the massages, hmmm that’s the last time I mistake hamam for harem... : ) |
|
|
|
 |
All cleaned up we donned our monkey suits and went to the wedding. The ceremony was very quick and like a civil service, a couple of words and it was done, poor Dan... or I mean lucky Dan! But then the lively Turkish music started up, many courses of food came out, and dancing followed! The primary dance was the circle dance. Involving snapping the fingers, flapping your arms like a bird, and at times joining hands to dance in a circle and by the end of the night I found myself in the middle of a circle of people clapping as I danced with the crazy sweaty uncle... Luckily it was not over until after the belly dancer came out and shook her money maker, and boy did she ever! Unsatisfied with my last dance being with Berna’s uncle, I went clubbing and party hopping until dawn with a bunch of Dan’s friends, the Turkish club music made it quite exotic. |
 |
 |
|
the heart of the country. Here the light spills over a lunar like landscape of pinnacles and fairy chimneys made of tuffa or a soft rock formed from ash of nearby volcano eruptions. The inhabitants here learned early on that this was a special place to live as the fertile valleys made for productive farming and soft rock prime for creating cave dwellings. Over the course of a few days, joined with Dan’s parents and family friend, I toured many cave cities ancient and new. Some were more than two thousand years old and held up to 30,000 people as well as livestock. The caves meant protection from the bitter cold winters, the hot summers, and most importantly hostile neighbors intent on conquering the land or inflicting religious persecution. |
|
 |
 |
|
rock – tables, pits lined with terracotta for cooking, bins to store food and water for livestock, wine making pits, and churches with vibrant frescoes. Massive circular stones would be rolled into place blocking entrances when necessary and every cliff wall was riddled with pigeon houses like Swiss cheese. The pigeons were used to transport messages and provided fertilizer for the crops. The land defied its deceptive barren look with blooming apricot trees, budding grape vines, and fields of crops wherever I looked. 
|
|
|
was also cut right out of the cliff side, but luckily the piped in water for the bathroom and routed electricity to make a very cozy cave with a great view overlooking the modern hybrid – half cave, half modern city of Göreme including cave hotels, restaurants, and clubs. One night I went to a cave restaurant for a night of Turkish dancing and music. It was neat to see all the different styles and costumes including whirling dervishes, circle dancing, fire dancing, belly dancing, and others. Some seemedto have a bit of Russian influence. |
|
|
|
 |
over the wild landscape in a hot air balloon at dawn. The rosy light spilled over the wonderfully strange eroded shapes that were scattered across the land and revealed the wide extent that was once inhabited underground by the myriad of cave entrances now dark and empty. |
The natural phenomenon was stunning, powerful, and awe inspiring - an experience wilder than dreams and more exciting than Hollywood special effects. Time stood still during totality, which lasted for three and a half minutes and the partial phase was about an hour on either side. As the eclipse progressed the light steadily got dimmer and the temperature dropped (in total probably 10 – 15 degrees!) until we saw the shadow of the moon crossing the mountains then the plains before us and then we were in it, but for a little while the nearby clouds were not – they were partially lit while the rest of the land was dark. As a beautiful 360 degree sunset/rise encompassed us the land fell silent. Below is what is called the diamond ring stage just as the moon is moving out from infront of the sun. 
|
|
 |
best honeymoon I have ever been on! I bussed down to the Mediterranean coast, dragged the newly weds out of their 5 star bed, to go exploring. Actually they were happy for company and invited me to join the tail end of their getaway. |
|
my plan was to drive along the Mediterranean coast then up the Aegean coast for two weeks stopping here and there to take in the sights. Driving in Turkey was actually not too crazy. The highways had clear signs, the roads were in pretty good shape, and the drivers seemed reasonably sane... Never mind the misleading lines painted on the street, the color of the stop lights, or that there were no speed limit signs ever. People took this to mean that it could be anything from a parking zone to ludicrous speed, I saw one car actually go plaid! Oh you had to watch out for things crossing the road too like goats, dumb people, tortoise, landslides that blocked all lanes, and my favorite - cars backing up on the highway! (oh wait honey I think that was our exit...) Anyway it was not too bad and it allowed me to get off the beaten path a bit and enjoy many sights that I would have sped by in a bus. |
|
 |
 |
|
overrun Greek ruins of Perge then headed out to the more laid back ruins of Phaselis. Although there were less structure remnants than at the well known sights, what was there had a peaceful feel to it perched between several calm bays and a dark forest. |
|
|
|
|
Tucked away in a deep wooded valley below snow capped mountains, it was a great place to getaway from the bustle of life and relax. A short stroll from the cabins and tree houses down the river brings you to a nice beach. On the way we took a side trail and explored some overgrown ruins deep in a swampy forest. We were led to some interesting sights, the best being some impressive mosaics and an amazing view of the valley, river, and ocean from on top of a ridge. |
|
of Chimaera. Continually alight since history has been recorded, natural gas has seeps out of the ground and spontaneously combusts... and me without my BBQ equipment... 
|
|
 |
above the river, I pushed off down the line. I wound down the Mediterranean coast stopping every once in a while to enjoy the view or hike around. It was much like California’s HW1 but with many more goats. I ended up in the beautiful harbor city of Fethie. |
|
|
 |
We motored around the coast and islands stopping in a few protected coves. The beautiful turquoise water was cool and the sun was hot – perfect combination. Under water there were some neat sea life and caves that we swam through, but the best was spotting an amphora – a terracotta vase used for transporting wine and olive oil in ancient times. I did not see any other signs of a wreck, but this lone artifact resting on the bottom of the ocean for me symbolizes Turkey’s wealth. You can hike or swim anywhere and find undocumented historical remnants, they are everywhere and the government does not have the time or money to restore or research many of them - a plethora of discoveries to be made and history to be patched together. |
|
|
|
for a while checking out the market, enjoying the harbor, playing many games of backgammon, smoking a nargile or water pipe, and catching some soccer games at the bar with fellow travelers Kate and Malena. The best though was paragliding. I was driven up to the top of a mountain, strapped into the rig with the pilot, we took a couple steps down hill and like that we were off and flying! It was very relaxing and quiet as we soared down off the mountain past some cliffs then over the sea. It was a little over 30 minutes of air time and before us stretched a sparkling sea speckled with forested islands and a perfect beach on the edge of the city Ölüdeniz. After landing on the beach I chilled there soaking up the sun while replaying the fight over a few times in my mind. |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
only it was not quite tourist season so it wasn’t rocking too hard. Still had fun though, I had come for the Museum of Underwater Archeology that was located inside the formidable Castle of Saint Peter. They had a very interesting collection of coins, glass artifacts, anchors, and amphora of all shapes and sizes from many excavations of ancient sea wrecks. 
|
|
 |
The waves were lapping 10 feet away, the castle was lit up across the bay, and Turkish music played in the background. It was still a little cool in the evenings on the sea so I decided to go for a bowl of soup. Looking down the list: tripe soup - gross, lentil - slightly better, tomato - that’s too normal, then - kelle paça çorbasi: lamb skull soup - Mmmm now we are talkin! It was a grayish white almost creamy soup with bits of lamb meat in it. I’m not sure what the big deal was - after spooning in some garlic oil and a squeeze of a lemon it tasted just like chicken skull soup to me... : ) |
|
|
|
From this town it was a quick hop over the amazing ruins of Ephesus. Complete with large and small theaters, a library (my favorite – the tall building with statues and columns), a 50 m long street mosaic, temples, fountains, living quarters, streets, underground sewer, hot and cold water lines, bathrooms, brothels, trade centers, gymnasium, baths, and tombs, I see why it is regarded as the one of the best surviving examples of a classical Roman city. |
|
 |
 |
|
and to my pleasure found myself exploring the entire city with just two other early risers for a good hour until the tour busses showed up with hundreds of tourists. Tucked in the valley of a few mountains, it was not hard to imagine the port city in its full glory that the well worn marble road stones spoke of – complete with ruts from chariot traffic. The Ephesus Museum also had some interesting finds from the city’s excavation including some well preserved sculptures, a sundial, and a detailed exhibit on actual specific gladiators. |
|
|
|
 |
the home of the famed ridge covered with calcium deposits and travertine pools. Exploring the surrounding area with a fellow traveler, Ingrid, we were very surprised at the extent of it. The white pillow looking flows covered a huge area. Unfortunately the thousands of years of people walking on the formations and bathing in the pools has taken a toll on the pristine beauty. But with recent limited barefoot access and directed water flow a fresh coat of calcium should rejuvenate the area. After trying to catch the sunset reflecting in the pools (unfortunately mostly thwarted by clouds) we had an exciting experience of hiking by brail – walking barefoot down the wet calcium covered hill with the sun down and the lights taking their time to turn on. |
|
|
|
sprawled the quiet ruins of Hierapolis amid fields of poppies and other vibrant flowers welcoming the coming of spring. The temples, churches, necropolis, and especially the theater were worth the hike (welcome exercise after all the driving and touring). The theater was one of the largest and best preserved I have seen with a mostly complete stage and a fully complete view of the surrounding valley and mountains. |
 |
|
|
 |
(I may have autographed the hubcaps on deceptive curbs, I figure they are lucky that’s all there was) I flew up to Istanbul for a few days. One of the most important cities in history controlling the trade through the Bosporus it was a unique mix of East and West, Asia and Europe, business and pleasure. |
 |
|
|
and bazaars, 3000 year old Egyptian obelisks, quality museums, parks, a harbor with the fish market, palaces, guys poring juice and tea, and... yep you guessed it carpet shops around every corner. I had a personalized tour of the city by a friendly local teacher pointing out the cities hidden treasures, the history of Islam, explanation of the interior of mosques, the history in the museums not written on little plaques, and spots where you could see the level of the ground 2000 years ago - now a good 7 feet lower than the current level. 
|
|
 |
then mosque, now museum is a huge structure with amazing architecture, paintings, mosaics, and many other surprises (shown above). The other large mosques were also amazing, especially the Blue Mosque (left) with the interior entirely covered in blue and white painted tiles. One of the first things that is noticed when traveling in Turkey is the call to prayer that is sung 5 times a day projected across every city from microphones on the minarets of the mosques. A wonderful reality check that you are somewhere different – sometimes it was not so clear with many people speaking English, American fast food restaurants on street corners, and most people wearing Western clothing. The best though was reading a book in the park between the Aya Sofya and Blue Mosque and hearing what is best described as a dueling banjo like rendition of the call to prayer as the two mosques were projecting the call out to the city at staggered intervals. Interestingly, I also learned that tulips are native to central Turkey. |
|
|
|
than the marble artifacts packed in to most museums I paid the Museum for Turkish and Islamic Arts a visit. It had a great variety of intricate wood carvings, calligraphy artifacts, carpets, and porcelain. The Tokapi Palace, once the stomping grounds of the sultans, now also contains many interesting artifacts. The palace itself is neat to walk through with many grassy courts, views of the water, sitting rooms, and of course the plush harem or “private” area. Another neat corner in Istanbul is the Basilica Cistern, a huge eerily lit water storage area beneath the city. |
 |
|
|
|
Composed of over 4000 shops all enclosed and packed shoulder to shoulder, it is hard to know where you are and which way is out – the ultimate tourist trap. Shopping is only a small part of it, dodging the persistent shopkeepers becomes an art and so does haggling for the desired price, but after visiting a few carpet shops already I was prepared. There was anything and everything you could imagine. Many had generic stuff not worth a look, but then there were small gems of shops tucked away in quiet corners – my favorite was Nick’s calligraphy on leaves – beautifully painted works of art. |
|
 |
 |
|
Shop after shop with mounds of ground spices, dried spices hanging from the ceiling, bins of tea, piles of nuts and snacks, every flavor of Turkish delight imaginable, and racks of fresh baklava. With the çay flowing like water, I spent a lot of time there trying a little of this and a little of that! Oh yah, I may be changing professions. I picked up some good saffron in the bazaar and upon returning home I found that it sells for 10 times as much back here in the States, wow! It was also a bit surreal seeing the mounds of lower quality saffron in piles out with the rest of the spices, some spilling onto the ground. |
|
 |
 |
 |
myself relaxing at the top of the Galata Tower on the northern shore of the Golden Horn contemplating many things. The view was of Europe and Asia separated by a short stretch of water. I could actually feel my misconceptions, the imposed insinuations on names, and artificial boundaries dissolving – changing the possibility-limiting fear of the unknown to the excitement of discovery. And that’s how I wound up with a knife to my throat and fire on my ears... I sat my travel weary body and stubble covered face into a chair and let the barber work his magic! It was the best shave of my life. He went over every inch of my face at least twice with his strait razor for an amazingly clean shave, wicked my ears with a bit of fire to remove the peach fuzz, then finished up with a full facial massage with a barrage of oils leaving me very refreshed and rejuvenated! Now that wasn’t too scary... |
|
|
|
back in Ankara spending a last couple days with Dan and Berna. I stopped off to pick up my carpets that I stashed there and caught one last museum for the road – the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations in Ankara. It had a stunning collection of artifacts stretching back to Paleolithic age neatly tying the history of Turkey together. The last word on the trip goes to the food. It was great. I did not have a single meal I disliked and thought most were very tasty. My favorite would have to be a stew I got in Göreme. It was cooked in a small closed terracotta jar for hours and it was brought out to the table steaming. They broke the jar in half leaving the bottom half with stew in it on your plate to eat out of – I wonder if archeologists in the future will one day unearth the remnants of my dinner and put it in a museum with a number and confusing description that most people will not bother to read... |
 |
|
|
 |
Well that is all until next time. As always if you would like to see any other pictures of specific parts of the experience, or want higher resolution copies of what are on the web site, just let me know. Also, don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions. Gobble Gobble jon.pineau@colorado.edu Check out some pictures from other trips here |