Pasha Tour of World Heritage Sites
After four days of “honeymooning in Istanbul,” we took an overnight train to Ankara (the capital) and for about two weeks traveled with Pasha Tours, with nearly every night spent in a different town. We shared a van with three other travelers, a Turkish guide and a driver. Zigzagging east, then sometimes west again, they were: Ankara, Safronbolu, Amasya, Cappadocia, Sivas, Divrigi, Nemrut Dag, Urfa, Harran, Gobekli Tepe, Konya, Pammukale, Aphrodisias, and Atalya. I’ll tell you a little bit about them.Food – always a first
If you think Turkish dinners are piled high with lamb dishes and eggplant salads you’d be half right. Eggplant is everywhere and usually great. But surprisingly the meat Turkish folks seem to eat more than lamb is beef: beef stews, minced “meat” and eggplant dishes, beef kebab or kebap, (I don’t know whether the difference is merely spelling or in a recipe), etc. We avoided eating much beef and enjoyed some chicken dishes and well-spiced lamb chops with the popular “Shephard’s salad.” That salad is served on every table every day, so if you don’t like cucumber, tomatoes, and olives, forget eating salad in Turkey. I happen to like all three so I ate a lot.
I also had the best strawberries and watermelon of my life! Fish is around but very expensive and usually NOT filleted when served.Yogurt is popular and Turkish ice cream a favorite with locals, but too sweet for me.
I tried the famous Turkish coffee, but even for a person who loves strong coffee, theirs was too bitter and thick for me...even loaded with sugar and milk. Nescafe is abundant for tourists, so I suffered through with it, sometimes sneaking in my packages of instant Starbucks but missing Hoyt’s fabulous home-roasted and ground coffee every day. Yes, I’m spoiled. In Istanbul, thanks to our GPS and the kindness of strangers, we found a Starbucks, a rare treat.
The greatest sweet treat of all, though, was the baklava. For the best in Turkey, we sought out a nice bakery recommended by the Lonely Planet in the town of Gaziantep (or Antep for short), the baklava capital of the world.
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| [Photo property of Hoyt L. Edge] |
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| A baklava bakery in Gazientep, Turkey [Photo property of Hoyt L. Edge] |
To understand Turkey, you need to gain some familiarity with its first president, Ataturk. To me, Ataturk is sort of like the Abraham Lincoln of Turkey. He freed the Turkish people from the rule of the Caliphate after a revolution he launched in the wake of WW I. Thanks to him, in 1923 Turkey became a republic and adopted a constitution, electing a President, Prime Minister, and parliament. In Ankara, the capital, we visited the Mausoleum of Ataturk and the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations.
1. Ataturk’s mausoleum (no indoor photos allowed). This memorial is HUGE, reminiscent of the great shrines in China for their dead emperors. Lots and lots of steps and a marching group of military who were enacting the “changing of the guard” when we approached, led up to this extensive piece of real estate dedicated to their hero: his burial shrine; a museum depicting the revolution complete with recreated battlegrounds; military equipment; his personal library; and a display of his personal belongings, including a nice pair of pajamas! Loved them! Did I mention it is a punishable crime to say anything bad about Ataturk?
The following is from our State Department: Insulting the State: It is illegal to show disrespect to the name or image of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, founder of the modern Turkish Republic, or to insult the Turkish Government, flag, or security forces. Laws in Turkey
The following is from our State Department: Insulting the State: It is illegal to show disrespect to the name or image of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, founder of the modern Turkish Republic, or to insult the Turkish Government, flag, or security forces. Laws in Turkey
Honest, the pajamas remark was a compliment! They were beautifully tailored of high quality material, probably silk.
Fast forward to 2011: Sorry to report this. In recent news you may have heard about the Turkish elections this month on June 12. Today, June 29, CNN reports protests against a decision not to swear in certain elected officials. We wish you the best, our Turkish friends.
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| Ataturk's mausoleum changing of the guards [Photo property of Hoyt L. Edge] |
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| Charlene L. Edge on the plaza of Ataturk's monument [Photo property of Hoyt L. Edge] |
2. The museum of Anatolian Civilization. Very worthwhile to gain an overview of Turkey and what lies ahead on a tour like the one we took. Wikipedia correctly reports, “Within this Ottoman building, the museum has a number of exhibits of Anatolian archeology.” Truly, the evidence, like pottery, for the many rises and falls of civilizations across the land are mind-boggling.
On a lighter note...kitties roam freely.
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| Dinner? [Photo property of Hoyt L. Edge] |
If you tread upon any ruins in Turkey, which are around every corner or at least every column, you cannot get away from religion. Even if you want to. So if you like to avoid thinking about the great unknown, Turkish historical tours are not for you. The ruins you see are either related to some ancient Hittite fertility goddess; Greek gods or goddesses; Roman gods or goddesses; “paganism” of unclear origins; early Christianity (like Ephesus where Paul visited), later Eastern Orthodox Christianity; or of course Islam.
Some say religion was born in Turkey. Even National Geographic. After I got home, I stumbled upon their June issue and guess what was on the cover? “The Birth of Religion.” The article is about what was found at Gobekli Tepe, a site in southern Turkey that we happened to visit on June 6th. It was built some 11,600 years ago and contains the oldest known temple, complete with stone pillars (reminds me of Stonehenge) with carvings of snakes, foxes, scorpions, etc. and stylized people.
At Gobekli Tepe, no other tourists were around. The wind blew a little and a few dogs slept against warm stones of the ruins. Under the bright blue sky, we peered down into deep brown pits full of hewn stone monoliths that the German archeologist, Klaus Schmidt, had dug out with his crew. We listened to our guide, “John,” translate what a young Turkish man who “guards” the site told him as we strolled around the perimeter of the pits. This young man had worked with Klaus Schmidt and said the digging work is currently stopped. Why? Turkey says Germany has some of their artifacts (not from this site but other sites in Turkey) and Turkey wants them back. Now. When the countries make peace on this, then the work may continue.
At Gobekli Tepe, no other tourists were around. The wind blew a little and a few dogs slept against warm stones of the ruins. Under the bright blue sky, we peered down into deep brown pits full of hewn stone monoliths that the German archeologist, Klaus Schmidt, had dug out with his crew. We listened to our guide, “John,” translate what a young Turkish man who “guards” the site told him as we strolled around the perimeter of the pits. This young man had worked with Klaus Schmidt and said the digging work is currently stopped. Why? Turkey says Germany has some of their artifacts (not from this site but other sites in Turkey) and Turkey wants them back. Now. When the countries make peace on this, then the work may continue.
It was breathtaking to stand there in the middle of sloping hills full of buried treasure not far from the Euphrates River (we rode down the river later) and try to imagine the people who had created this temple. I tried to make myself feel how long ago they lived. Okay, that’s impossible. I can’t feel that. I wished some of those folks had written about their lives, but alas, writing had not been invented yet, that we know of...
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| Hoyt L. Edge at Gobekli Tempe [Photo property of Hoyt L. Edge] |
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| Carvings on Gobekli Tempe monuments [Photo property of Hoyt L. Edge] |
It is a city with the most beautiful “surviving examples of Turkish civil architecture.” With cobbled streets and even a shoe maker and blacksmith in business today, I felt as if I’d entered a Grimm’s Fairy Tale, especially in the dining room of the traditional inn where we stayed.
Can’t believe they were so bad: the Hittites
If you’re like me, you’ve heard of Hittites in the Old Testament. Being on their land and visiting the ruins of their lovely hilltop capital, Hattusa, it’s hard to imagine they were as bad as the O.T. says they were. Too bad we don’t have their side of the story. I imagine they were people like us, relating to their world in ways they understood. One item in second photo below is a green rock purportedly for women to sit on if they want to increase their fertility. No, Charlene. It’s too late for you.
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| Town of Safronbolu [Photo property of Hoyt L. Edge] |
If you’re like me, you’ve heard of Hittites in the Old Testament. Being on their land and visiting the ruins of their lovely hilltop capital, Hattusa, it’s hard to imagine they were as bad as the O.T. says they were. Too bad we don’t have their side of the story. I imagine they were people like us, relating to their world in ways they understood. One item in second photo below is a green rock purportedly for women to sit on if they want to increase their fertility. No, Charlene. It’s too late for you.
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| Charlene at Hittite capital: Hattusa [Photo property of Hoyt L. Edge] |
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| Green Hattusa fertility rock [Photo property of Hoyt L. Edge] |
On June 2nd, Hoyt and I rose at 3:30 a.m., ready for a hot air balloon company guy to pick us up at the hotel and drive us in his van out to wide-open fields dotted with red poppies and blue bachelor buttons. There, we joined a group collected from other tours, and climbed into a shoulder-high basket to be hauled into the air by hotter air in a gigantic balloon. Crazy? An hour later, I decided that if the tour ended that day and we returned home immediately, my Turkish Delight-full tour would have been more than satisfying.
How did it feel? Sort of a combination of going up in an elevator and floating in a pool. It was eerily quiet and serene, with only the sound of our navigators talking on their hand-radios to other balloon operators, and the occasional spurt of gas shooting a flame up inside the balloon. Splendid perspectives of the land! Like hovering spies we gazed down upon Cappadocia’s “fairy chimneys,” which are rock formations that look like giant dunce-caps where people lived long ago and some cafes manage to serve tea today. They dot the landscape for miles and miles, their carved-out doorways open to the wind.
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| Charlene & Hoyt before balloon ride [Photo property of Hoyt L. Edge] |
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| Fire it up! [Photo property of Hoyt L. Edge] |
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| Up, up, and away [Photo property of Hoyt L. Edge] |
The Lonely Planet tells us it lies at the heart of Turkey politically as well as geographically, thanks to its role in the run-up to the War of Independence (led by Ataturk). It has three major Medresesi (mosque/schools) which we visited, one dating from 1271. The tile work in them, as well as in all mosques that we saw, was fabulous, with floor to ceiling tiles painted with the famous tulip patterns and geometric designs.
Unfortunately, in 1993, in Sivas at the original Madimak Hotel, the Lonely Planet reports: “37 Alevi* intellectuals and artists were burned alive in a mob arson attack. The victims, who had come for a cultural festival, included Aziz Nesin, the Turkish publisher of Salman Rushdie’s Satanic Verses....Demonstrations and vigils take place in Sivas on the anniversary of the attack; in 2008, tens of thousands of people attended a service the mark the 15th anniversary.”
By all accounts that we saw, there is no more such violence in that area. Let’s hope it stays that way.
*Alevi - The Alevi constitutes the second largest religious community in Turkey (following the Sunnis), and number some 25% (15 million) of the total population... Alevis consider themselves to be part of the wider Shi`a movement, who revere Ali (Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law) and the Twelve Imams of his house. Like all extreme Shia, their reverence for Ali verges on deification, for which reason classical Sunni ulama classified them as ghulat (exaggerators), outside the orthodox Islamic fold.” http://www.angelfire.com/az/rescon/ALEVI.html
Mt. Nimrut
On this mountain is a huge monument and burial place built for a pre-Roman ruler, Nimrut or Nimrod, whose kingdom was itty bitty. Some call the site the Turkish Mount Olympus. We got up at about 2:20 am, rode in a bus awhile, AND hiked up (really high up) rocky steps to the top for the sunrise when the gigantic rock faces of the statues turn red from rosey light – they toppled off the body part of their statues in an earthquake but have been set upright at the base of the statues.
On the mountain 2150km in the Anti-Taurus Mountains, IT WAS FREEZING and windy. But fun. And dreamlike to be around such gigantic reminders of long ago - colossal statues of Nimrod and the gods (his relatives, he thought). The artificial mountain peak of crushed rock 50 km high may contain the king’s tomb and those of female relatives. Lesson learned for Charlene: Keep that rain jacket packed for windy episodes like this to wear over about 5 layers. Always pack WOOL socks. Wish I had them that day. To compensate, I wore two pair of cotton socks.
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Mt. Nimrut [Photo property of Hoyt L. Edge] |
Urfa - The cave where Abraham was born – well, maybe... They say Abraham was born in Urfa (Sanliurfa today) and there’s a cave where pilgrims visit to pay him homage (we did) and a sacred fish pond. Urfa is called "The prophets city," who are Job and Abraham. The beautiful mosques grace this lovely city with their carvings and tiles.
Around Urfa
We went with skepticism but respect and curiosity, and visited the "cave of Abraham's birth." It was solomn and quiet, with a pool of water behind a glass wall. I saw pilgrims wash their faces with water from wall faucets before kneeling and praying.
Everyone always removes shoes before entering a mosque, and women must cover their heads and arms. Pants are frowned upon, but tolerated from tourists.
Everyone always removes shoes before entering a mosque, and women must cover their heads and arms. Pants are frowned upon, but tolerated from tourists.
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| Charlene L. Edge (center) exiting holy cave of Abraham's birth Urfa, Turkey [Photo property of Hoyt L. Edge] |
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| Mosque near Abraham's cave Urfa, Turkey [Photo property of Hoyt L. Edge] |
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| Inside mosque by Abraham's cave birthplace Urfa, Turkey [Photo property of Hoyt L. Edge] |
On the carpet above, notice the patterns contain lines to help worshippers stay in straight rows facing Mecca. I think this is true in most mosques.
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| A market street in Urfa, Turkey [Photo property of Hoyt L. Edge] |
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| A quiet street in Urfa, Turkey [Photo property of Hoyt L. Edge] |
Situated about 50 km from Urfa, this desolate spot, from all the archeological evidence and some written records, is one of the oldest continuously inhabited spots on the planet. Yes. It’s mentioned in the Book of Genesis as the residence of Abraham who stayed there awhile in 1900 B.C. (Lonely Planet). If you learned Old Testament stories, you may remember this is where Rebecca hauled up well water for Jacob and Abraham decided to march to Canaan (Palestine).
Today, thanks to Ataturk Dam, constructed nearby (Turkey is a major builder of dams), this area can produce cotton where before, only dry rocky ground surrounded mudbrick huts. People here worshipped the sun, moon, and stars - some may still do today. Understandably. Those were powerful heavenly bodies “above” that pulled, tugged, lit, and heated the earth and everything on it.
Today, the cone-shaped mudbrick huts are still the rage for architecture, acting as natural ways to cool and heat the inhabitant’s homes. We met the “owner” of a lodging made of interconnected cone huts, like a family compound, and we had our group photo taken.
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| Dam that helps farmers grow cotton [Photo property of Hoyt L. Edge] |
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| [Photo property of Hoyt L. Edge] |
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| Inside Harran hut family compound Harran, Turkey [Photo property of Hoyt L. Edge] |
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| Charlene and Hoyt Edge (center) with Pasha Tour group and "host" of Harran hut site Harran, Turkey [Photo property of Hoyt L. Edge] |
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| [Photo property of Hoyt L. Edge] |
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| Hoyt Edge and Charlene L. Edge at mosque/university ruins at Harran, Turkey [Photo property of Hoyt L. Edge] |
Gaziantep - Baklava capital of the universe
Legend has it that when the Caliphs got mad at their cooks, the cooks ran away and started a cook commune in Gaziantep (Antep) where the food is AMAZING, especially the baklava. I think every block had at least 5 baklava shops. We indulged, of course. And I also bought a copper pot, a major local craft. Here's that photo again for your enjoyment.
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| Antep baklava [Photo property of Hoyt L. Edge] |
Alahan Monastery. “This is a key site to understand early Byzantine architecture and added to the UNESCO World Heritage tentative list.” Well, in my view, if they’re going to put it on the list, they should MAKE AN OBVIOUS ROAD SIGN for the turnoff!!! We passed it, had to turn around and hunt for it. All on a zig-zag mountain road. YIKES. The place was lovely, though, overlooking vast valleys dotted with bright red poppies and wildflowers and a turtle! struggling to survive in the rocks.
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| Alahan Monastery church ruins in Taurus Mts. Turkey [Photo property of Hoyt L. Edge] |
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| Hoyt Edge and Charlene L. Edge at monastery ruins [Photo property of Hoyt L. Edge] |
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| Alahan Monastery in Taurus Mts. Turkey Even turtles up there! [Photo property of Hoyt L. Edge] |
This is the religious capital of Turkey. Its museum, with a stunning turquoise prayer tower, is a holy place, the memorial site and burial place of the founder, Mevlana, (a.k.a. Rumi) of the mystic form of the Islamic religion. He led a kind of worship in whirling dance that puts its practitioners into a transcendent state, founding the Order of the Whirling Dervishes in the 13th century. I do love his poetry - when I'm in the right mood!
Poppies
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| Konya, Turkey. Rumi's burial site. [Photo property of Hoyt Edge] |
Acres and acres of white poppies along the highway signaled Turkey as the second largest producer of poppies for medicinal purposes and cooking – poppy seeds, like the ones we bake in muffins and cakes!
Wading in milky Pamukkale
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| [Photo property of Hoyt Edge] |
This is the calcium carbonate location. Waters harden into cascading layers of white and aqua colored pools. We waded in, the water warm but the bottom of the pool rather rough on the tootsies. Had the sense I was in the Twilight Zone, with a landscape like this so foreign to us foreigners.
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| Hoyt L. Edge on the brink [Photo property of Hoyt Edge] |
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| Charlene L. Edge and Hoyt Edge in the Pamukkale pond [Photo property of Hoyt Edge] |
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| Afrodisia, Turkey [Photo property of Hoyt Edge] |
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| Here she is! [Photo property of Hoyt Edge] |
Don’t spend it all in Aspendos
Aspendos has the best preserved Roman theatre in the world and it is still used today for plays, ballets, and operas. Ataturk determined it so. Ah, our hero!
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| Aspendos theatre, Turkey [Photo property of Hoyt Edge] |
Antalya - End of Part II
“The Gateway to the Turkish Riviera,”Antalya has a wonderful museum of famous mosaic tiles, etc. but alas it was closed the day we were there. In the Old Town, there are well preserved Ottoman Houses and a gate for Emperor Hadrian who visited. He certainly got around! At this point in our sojourn, we left our friends on the Pasha Tour and picked up our rental car at the airport to drive ourselves westward. The first night alone we spent in Antalya’s Old Town, in a quaint guest house called the White Garden Pension, which a colleague at Rollins had recommended to us. It is quiet and clean with a shower that works! What more can one want?
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| Hadrien's Gate, Antalya, Turkey [Photo property of Hoyt L. Edge] |
Well, we visited more places that these, met a bunch of other good people, ate many other meals of yummy food, and climbed a thousand other steps around countless other sites, but this Part II has to stop somewhere. Hope you continue on to Part III (click below) where Hoyt and I break off on our own Turkey road trip!
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| A writing room can be anywhere. Charlene L. Edge at White Garden's cafe. Antalya, Turkey [Photo property of Hoyt L. Edge] |
On the top right side of page, click Part III of IV: The Turquoise Coast (southwest)
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