Holy Sanctimony!

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The sea is a wild thing. It can be calm one moment and violent the next. While the Aegean seemed an almost docile creature in Kusadasi, by the time we arrived at Canakkale, it was whipping at us with gale-force winds with white-tipped waves crashing against the shore. It was as if we had angered the God of the Sea, Poseidon, himself.

Our adventures in Turkiye, on the seventh of March, ranged from a quiet respectful introspection to the loud and boisterous. The first stop for the day was the House of the Virgin Mary, where it was believed she retreated to after the death of her son, Jesus. Though there sin’t any conclusive proof that the hideaway in the Turkish mountains is anything beyond a humble dwelling, it is still treated with much reverence by the staff there. Pastors, too, are even allowed to preach just beside it as well.

From there, we headed to the ancient of Ephesus. Initially built during the Hellenistic period, the site had also been adapted by the Romans when they took control of the region. Of particular note, again, were the baths, the tabernae that lined the main street, the gymnasium, the bouleuterion (which housed the meetings of the council and also doubled as a place for musical performances) as well as a temple dedicated to Domitian, the last emperor of the Flavian dynasty that followed after Nero’s disastrous reign. 

Reading through the information boards, mostly after the fact (because I took pictures of them), I was tickled pink to learn that after the city was bequeathed to the Romans in 131BC, Marc Antony and Cleopatra spent a winter in the city to prepare for their campaign against Rome’s very first Emperor, Octavian (better known as Augustus). And as we students of history all know, the Battle of Actium didn’t quite go in the favour of our beloved star-crossed lovers. 

During this period of Greek and Roman rule, Ephesus served as a major port on the Aegean Sea. Although the sea has apparently receded in more recent millennia, it was still fun to watch our tour guide re-enact how an old-timey merchant might have spent his time onshore after pulling into the harbour. I certainly ought to keep such city-building and planning in mind when creating my fantasy cities.

Ephesus also played host to possible pleasure houses opposite the impressive remains of the Library of Celsus. According to the information board, which I did not take a photo of (silly me), the ‘pleasure houses’ were terraced houses that contained certain objects that made archaeologists suspect that it was being used for more than just a roof over a resident’s head. 

Since, of course, no time machine exists, we simply must make our best educated guess about the civilisations of the past. But for all we know, the ruins that we saw at Ephesus might just have been innocent terrace houses and we ought to stop suspecting the people of the past of committing such salacious deeds. Prostitution might be the oldest profession but well, it’s still up in the air whether this was the case at Ephesus.

Oh, and I forgot to mention that near the surrounds of Ephesus, there was a Temple dedicated to Artemis that was considered one of the Ancient Wonders of the World. As we drove to Ephesus, proper, there were columns along the side of the road that would have indicated the temple’s approximate location. Unfortunately, as explained in a previous post, a lot of the original material that was moved to Constantinople and used in the construction of the Hagia Sophia.

Talk about recycling!

Even with the advent of Christianity in the region, the city of Ephesus stood strong though there were a few changes, including the construction of churches and dedications to Jesus and his mother, Mary.

And while we did see a significant portion of the old city, around 80% of the city is still buried underground. Some can be seen poking through the surface but other remains are buried 8 metres under!

From Ephesus, we headed to a questionable cafeteria that employed a lot of oil in their food before we arrived in the small village of Sirence. Now, the significance of this little town was that it used to harbour a lot of Greeks in the area. As such, it was known for its wine and olive oil. As I walked down the streets, I cooed at crocheted dolls and was very tempted to purchase a number of cute adorable animal creations. In the end, however, I settled for getting a new leather wallet to replace my old Mickey Mouse one that I bought in America back in 2004.

From Sirence, we drove to Canakkale and checked into the Halic Park Hotel. Tomorrow is Troy and my body is ready to regale you all with the cliff notes version of the Iliad. And, of course, tell you about the most infamous horse of all time!

Hot Airing over Antiquity

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Despite our chances of soaring over the Cappadocia region in hot-air balloons being dashed by the poor weather, we still had one last opportunity in Pamukkale. It might not have caverns and deep gullies, but it was still impressive to hover over the ‘Cotton Castle’ in all its limestone glory. And also take in the ancient city of Hierapolis via air.

Nothing screams adventure more than looking upon an ancient amphitheatre from above. Or, you know, running the risk of dropping your phone and losing all evidence of your overseas trip. But, I hear you, dear reader, say, it’s all about the experience, right?

Wrong! Here in the internet age, if there are no pictures, it’s doubtful it even happened. And even WITH photographic proof, editing software makes it easy to question EVERYTHING. Coupled with the fact that I hate taking pictures of myself? Why, it could be easily claimed that I stole all my photos from Google.

I didn’t, of course (what kind of travel blogger would do that), but it’s something easy that detractors can claim. Not that I have any detractors. My little corner on the internet is rarely frequented and when it is, it’s mostly by people I already know in real life. Which is exactly how I like it!

Regardless, the trip up in the air was quite smooth. We were up in the air and I didn’t even feel a thing. Best of all, we didn’t crash land. Nor did we become a ball of flame that hurtled to the ground in a fiery explosion. I might not have liked being bombarded by fossil fuel natural gas every time the pilot fired up…well, the fire…but I am thankful for getting an opportunity to take to the skies and look down at all the unworthy ants crawling down beneath me.

Delusions of grandeur, thy name is Kyndaris!

Once we landed, we packed hurriedly into the minivan and headed straight back to our hotel. And it was here that I bid a silent farewell to my Malaysian ballooning companions. I might not have gotten any of their names but I did overhear most of their conversations as they called family and friends while riding up in the balloon. And while I was very tempted to make my known in at least half of their calls, I resisted the urge.

So kind of me! So magnanimous!

All right. I think that’s enough self-aggrandising from me. Back to detailing my actual exploits while on holiday.

After returning to hotel, I went back to the room that I shared with Popo and readied to luggage to bring down to the coach. Then it as off to actually explore Hierapolis by foot. Or, more technically, as a chauffeur for Popo and her friend as I drove around on a modified moped.

The name, Hierapolis, is Greek in nature and according to the information board that I took at the site, means ‘Sacred City.’ It was presumably founded by one of the successors of Alexander the Great. In 188BC, it was passed into the hands of the Kings of Pergamon before becoming one of the wealthiest cities during Roman times. At the sight, there was plenty to see including a ruined temple of Apollo and a statue dedicated to Pluto, or Hades. I only recognised him because of the three-headed guardian to the Underworld, Cerberus, that stood at his side.

The city also featured many iconic Roman buildings including baths, gymnasium and theatre. I certainly knew that my 17-18 year old self would have been leaping for joy if I’d visited then, giving my interest in Ancient History and, in particular, the Flavian period of the Emperors.

Young children might be able to tell me in excruciating detail about their favourite dinosaurs. I will respond with my own rant upon my supposed subject of expertise – the Julio-Claudian emperors and the Flavian dynasty, which followed after Nero and the Year of Four Emperors.

History aside, it ought to be known that despite being the Sacred City of antiquity, Hierapolis was abandoned following an earthquake in about 616 AD that left only a few crumbling buildings in its aftermath. Despite this, there are signs of Seljuk presence in the ruins. Which would indicate that people had still frequented the site up until 400 years after the devastating quake.

But because of that, the city was almost pastoral in appearance with swaths of green covering the ruins. What made Hierapolis so special for us, though, was the ‘Cotton Castle’ that the city was built atop on. Layered all in white, the city was favoured with warm thermal waters that bubbled to the surface and which were rich in minerals. Over the years, it had covered the cliff tops in a layer of white limestone. And even in this modern age, those thermal waters continue to gurgle, which Popo got to enjoy by dipping her toes in.

There was also a swimming pool with sunken columns at the city that visitors could pay to enter.

Talk about taking advantage of what mother nature has given you! I however, simply enjoyed admiring the scenes of Europeans floating in the warm waters before inspecting the adjacent museum where displays of old pottery and statues could be seen. There were even carved reliefs depicting the coronation of Septimius Severus, a Roman Emperor, by the Goddess Nike and one that saw Dionysus, the Greek God of Wine and Debaurchery, partying hard with nymphs, centaurs, satyrs, the cherubic Eros and Pan.

After drinking in our fill of the city, we had a quick lunch in what felt like a communal cafeteria that stunk of oil before heading back on the road. This time we were headed westward to the Aegean Sea! Kusadasi, here we come!

A Mediterranean Escape

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Antalya was the first place that we finally managed to relax for a few hours after landing in Turkiye (or Turkey). After the disastrous attempt at sleep the day before, I slept like a log at the Ramada and was able to catch up on the missed hours while also giving my body the adequate rest it needed to rid itself of whatever it was that was plaguing my body.

Unfortunately, my exhaustion and head cold meant that, according to Popo, I was snoring quite loudly and she suffered as a result. Sorry Popo! I didn’t mean to suffer a bout of insomnia the night before!

After our first adequate breakfast buffet since Egypt, Popo and I, along with severeal other members of the tour hopped on a cruise to enjoy the spring sun and the crystal clear waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Without having to rush anywhere, we were free to lounge around the small boat, take photos and jive to classic 70s and 80s music. There may have even been dancing. There may have even been dancing. From me of all people! But if you ask for proof, dear readers, you shan’t receive it. No one needs to see my poss poor attempts to dance. Certainly, my ‘dance style’ is not something I’d want floating on the internet.

So, no dance!

Besides, I just don’t have the sexy hips to pull off anything remotely sensual.

In any case, it was our first beautiful day in Turkiye and I was going to enjoy the sun and surf, as well as practice my power posing to assert my dominance over any potential future partners, if it was the last thing I could do! For, of course, it will be me that wears the pants in any given relationship. 

I have an issue with control, okay? And no, I don’t want to go into the whys and wherefores of it!

Once our cruise was over, Popo and I enjoyed some hot chocolate as we gazed out over the Antalya cliffs and down into the harbour. It truly felt like we were living the high life fantasy. If I ever receive the prompt of mountain or beach, the Mediterranean might make me change my choice. Although, to be fair, there were no ‘beaches’ in Antalya. Just tall imposing cliffs with a hidden harbour. 

Lunch followed soon afterwards before we were on the road again, this time to the Aspendos Ancient Theatre.

Stepping inside the theatre was like stepping back in time to the good old days of Roman rule. A stage dominated the centre and tiers of seating rose ever higher and higher in a never-ending spiral. The acoustics, too, remained impressive because despite not knowing the exact science of how sound travels and the way it bounces off objects, the Romans had still constructed the perfect amplifier for performances down on the stage.

I was almost tempted to climb atop it and start a Shakespearian monologue. Thankfully, I was able to rein in my impulses and remained staring in wide-eyed wonder at the sight around me.

Once our alloted time was over, it was back on the coach to Pamukkale. But not before we stopped at a honey store to inspect some of their wares. While I didn’t buy anything, their yoghurt and honey mix was quite decent. And their deal: buy three, get one free would have tempted me if I didn’t already prefer the honey back home. 

Gotta love all that Manuka that we have!

Overall, it was a less busy than all the others and it was better for it!

Fairy Dervishes

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Hoping to wake early in order to catch an iconic hot air balloon ride over Cappadocia, I slept poorly. While some of it could have been attributed to my head cold worsening briefly, I also felt like it was my bubbling anxiety of whether the ride would go ahead or if it would be cancelled. When the allotted time for when the guide would call us about the situate came and passed (about midnight), I was able to drift into an uneasy slumber.

Only to wake intermittently until 4:30AM when I began getting ready for the day. Just as I was about to venture out at 5:20AM, the call came from the guide that the hot air balloons would not be able to fly and the event was cancelled!

Disappointed, I lay back on my bed, hoping to give my body some additional rest to shake my sudden illness. And also to counteract the terrible sleep I had.

With no hot air balloon ride to hold us up, we departed the hotel at 8AM and stopped briefly to admire the ‘fairy chimneys’ of Cappadocia. How they got their name remains a mystery to me, however the guide was quick to tell us that the fairy chimneys were a result of volcanic activity and the spewing of molten rock up into the air and erosion, resulting in the below pictures.

In order to take photos of these uniquely shaped rocks, we had to get up onto a wooden platform. The going was slow because there was a thin coating of ice covering the wooden planks. One member of the tour group even slipped and fell!

Later, we drove down to the Sultanhani Caravanserai for a quick pit stop on our long drive down to Antalya. The Sultanhani Caravanserai was a fitting area to stop at as the building itself was previously used to meet the accommodation and needs of travellers in the distant past.

The caravanserai itself was built in 1229CE under the order of the Seljuk Sultan Alaeddin Keyk bad-I. It was later expanded by a local governor in 1278. And although it was used to provide food, water and shelter for travellers in the past, it now hosted an assortment of precious rugs.

Lunch was had at Konya, a city in Turkey. Afterwards, and I was profoundly sick of eating the same old Turkish food of doners and soup (which is not to say that I dislike their food but after having it day after day, meal after meal, I was looking forward to a bit more variety), we entered the Mevlana Museum. 

Fun fact, by the way, but Konya was the capital of the Seljuk Turks’ Sultunate of Rum in the late medieval period. It also hosted the special known order as the Meslevi. Which is also known as the Order of the  Whiring Dervishes, famous for the Sufi dance known as the Sema ceremony. The Mevlana in question was Jalaleddin Rumi and his doctrine was passed down through the ages through the efforts of his son, Sultan Valad and Ulu Arif Chalebi.

A lot of what the Mevlana wore also became the uniform of the Order, which became symbolic throughout history: long caps and wonderiful flowing coats. As for the dervishes themsleves, according to the rites of the Mevleviyah, a dervish that completes the 1001 days of suffering is granted the title ‘dede’ and a cell. Following another ordeal of 18 days, they become what is known as a Mevlevi Dede and they train nevniyazs on Masnari, poetry, music, calligraphy and guling, along with providing a spiritual discipline for moral development.

Long story short, the Mevlana was a Muslim saint and was known far and wide for his poetry and being a mystic in the old times. The museum dedicated to the Order that he fathered was visited by locals and tourists alike, with some praying to him for health or luck in their endeavours.

After hopping back onto the coach, it was another long afternoon drive. We stopped several times for quick bathroom breaks but it was as we were driving through the Taurus Mountain range that everyone seemingly woke up to take quick snaps of the beautiful passing landscape with its snow-capped mountains. It helped too that the afternoon sun was finally peeking through after an entire morning of heavy grey overcast clouds.

It was almost 8PM when we pulled up at the Ramada in Antalya. Our guide was quick to inform us that the area was a popular tourist destination for Germans and Russians. After was was declared in Ukraine, the population also exploded as many citizens of Ukraine and Russia who fled the region wound up in the warm southern city close to the Mediterranean.

And looking at the signs that were written in both German and Russian, the story our tour guide told felt like it was most definitely based in fact.

While we didn’t make it to the Aspendos Ancient Theatre during the day, tomorrow is another day that promises to be worthwhile if tiring.

Pitted Spelunking Caves

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The name Cappadocia, it should be known, does not come from the caves that dot the extinct volcano landscape or the hot air balloons. It actually is a name given to the region due to the quality horses that roamed the area. And, in fact, there were plenty of horse statues scattered around on the streets, thus prompting the question to our tour guide: what’s with all the horses?

Waking early to, once more, make our 8AM daily departure, we headed down to the local caves to enjoy crawling through the remnants of what the Chrstians from ye olden times had dug out when they had still been persecuted by the Romans in the first few centuries CE.

We saw kitchens, a small church, storage areas, sleeping rooms and a wine cellar! Many of the tunnels within the cave system were small and tight, forcing our tour group to travel in single file. While it was cramp for us, and any curious tourists, in the context of the times, it made perfect sense for the Christians to make the tunnels as claustrophobic as possible. If the enemy ever inflitrated the caves, their large numbers would not avail them. The tunnels, being so narrow and tight, would serve as a perfect death trap for large armies. There was even a stone door with a hole in its centre. One in which someone could spear a person on the other side if they attempted to break through the hard rock.

After wending our way through the confusing labyrinth of caves and tunnels, we escaped and made a quick stop at Goreme Onyx, passing by a prison along the way. There, we snapped photos of pigeons and fed them with seeds so that they could they hop their disease-ridden bodies up onto our arms for the perfect photo opportunity.

The scenery in and around the area was also incredibly unique in comparison to everything I’ve seen in the world. But while there were plenty of caves here as well, they were meant to house pigeons and not humans. 

From there, we made several pit stops around the area before lunch, the pictures are below. In one of them, I managed to take a photo of a Shetland pony! At least, I think it is. In any case, it’s a small miniature horse and cute as heck! There were also camels but the owner was going to charge me an entire Euro! No, thank you! I’ll delete my photo rather than pay an exorbitant amount for a simple photograph!

Lunch was at the Uranos Sarikaya where we enjoyed stewed beef and potato. For dessert, I had a baklava. And it was so good! 

Like the hotel we were staying in, the restaurant itself were caves that had repurposed for a novel experience. It was fine dining at its best, although I did fear something akin to The Menu. Luckily, I am not especially wealthy and feel like I could have pulled off a cheeseburger moment a la Anya Taylor Joy’s character from the film.

Once we had eaten our fill, we then ventured to the Goreme Open Museum where early Christians in the region built churches in the malleable rock. Unfortunately, due to Turkish law, photos of the muals inside were forbidden without a permit. Suffice it to say, most of those were religious iconography pertaining to Jesus’s life. There were also a few Saints and a wickedly long serpent.

Of note was a church called the Dark Church. Why was it given such a moniker? Because it was bloody dark inside with the only light source a small opening. Creative, these people are not!

Still, had it not been for the fact that it received so little sunlight, many of the murals have been bleached out over the centuries. So, at least we got to see what the inside of the Dark Church had looked like originally.

That done, we returned to our hotel.

But I barely had a moment’s rest before joining another jeep safari. This time, we would be exploring the rugged landscape of Capapdocia, driving down into the deep gullies and ravines that we had seen from a distance earlier. WIth the rain, however, the sights and sounds of Cappadocia felt incredibly inferior to what we had witnessed in the Egyptian desert. And because it was so cold and wet, I was quick to return to the land cruiser in a desperate bid to stay warm rather than stand out in the rain to snap shots of the scenery.

I mean, I still did but the fun had lost its lustre.

By 4:30PM, we returned to the hotel and I took the opportunity until dinner to pen my thoughts down for the day (you’re welcome future me) as well as down some cold medicine as the near freezing conditions of Turkiye were starting to get to me.

Cross Country Road Trip

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From Safranbolu, it was a long drive to Ankara, the capital of Turkey. Although I had woken early, by the time I made it down to the breakfast table, all I had for the morning was one boiled egg and two pieces of bread. I slathered one in jam and on the cover, I placed a slice or two of select cheeses. It was certainly not the way I had intended to break my fast that morning and by the time we made a pit stop halfway to Ankara, I was starving. So starving, in fact, that I took the opportunity to buy myself a bag of peanuts. After all, I had learned my lesson when it came to the country’s hot chocolate. Or what they believed was hot chocolate.

Ah, but methinks this is now the perfect chance to talk about Turkiye or Turkey as a whole. The country, it should be noted, achieved independence in and around the 1920s under the rule of Ghazi Mustfa Kemal Pasha, the Great Ataturk as he was known and the first president of Turkey from 1923 until his death in 1938. He was succeeded by his friend and partner-in-crime, Ismet Inonu.

Turkiye’s primary industries are manufacturing and agriculture. This was actually evident back in Safranbolu or the city near it, with white plumes of smoke frising from steel production factories. 

At about 11:30AM, we finally pulled into Ankara and enjoyed an early lunch before we hiked up to the Anitkabir. The Anitkabir, it should be noted, is the mausoleaum of Mustafa Kemal ataturk and served as museum, war memorial and an actual dedication to the first president. There was, as well, a plaque describing the building as the Tower of Revolution. While we were there, we witnessed a changing of the guards and stared at hte soldiers stationed unmoving in their glasses boxes, their breath fogging up the glass because it was a cold and wet and miserable day.

In fact, along the way, we had seen snow and ice dot the landscape as we drove through on our way to Ankara. So, you can imagine how cold it was! Or, if you’re from Canada and already have ice resistance, how warm it was.

Within the museum portion of the Anitkabir, where photographs were also forbidden, I saw collections of weapons ranging from swords and pistols to canes! There were also smoke pipes that the Ataturk enjoyed. As well as the uniform he had worn when he had been field marshal and general of the Ottoman armies. Further inside, portraits and busts, too, lined the corridors.

But of significant important for any Australian was the portrayal of the battle at Gallipoli. Of course, for the Ottomans, Gallipose wasn’t the sole battle that they were involved in. It was but one of the many attempts from the Allied forces to break through into the Black Sea to aid their Russian allies.

The panorama in question, as you can see below, was primarily about the Canakkale Battles. Initially a sea battle, the Allied Forces with a combined fleet of 400 ships entered the Canakkale Strait (or the Dardanelles) on March 18, 1915. The battle lasted seven hours. By the end of it, three battleships, along with the same number of torpedo boats, had been sunk by cannons. Another four battleship were heavily damaged, resulting in a loss for the Allies.

Allied forces then attempted to start a land battle, a failed attempt that is commemorated in Australia on April 25 each year for all those that were lost in war: ANZAC Day. There’s usually a Dawn Service that is accompanied by the trumpeting of bugles and the words: Lest We Forget.

Further along the information board, the panorama detailed a second landing on Suvla Bay in August.

Two other information boards detailed the Sakarya Pitch Battle that was fought on 23 August to 13 September 1921. This was primarily a battle between Turkish and Greek forces that saw the Greek offensive sweeping up to within 70km from Ankara. In the end, the Turkish forces managed to rally and push back the attackers, serving as a turning point for the Turkish War of Indepndence.

The last panorama on display was Turkey’s Great Attack, which took place on 26 August 1922. During this battle, they slipped past Greek fortifications. It was the final push that they needed to claim independence. With the Great Attack, Turkey was able to establish a Republic. After the war, they also moved the capital from Constantinople to the more defensible Ankra.

From Ankara, we hopped back on the coach and headed straight for Cappadocia. During the lengthy drive, we made a pit stop at Tuz Golu, a salt lake. Unfortunately, due to the rain, there wasn’t much to see. But it was a good chance to stretch our legs after sitting on the coach for so long.

By 6PM, we had pulled up to our hotel: Yanak Evleri, a Cappadocia Cave Hotel that reminded me very much of the series of missions three quarters through Assassin’s Creed: Revelations. We had finally arrived at Turkey’s famous underground cities!

But while tomorrow does prove to be an exciting day in Cappadocia, it is soured by the fact that there won’t be any hot air balloon rides due to the miserable rain.

A Hidden World

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Popo and I woke early the next day, mostly owing to the return of my temporary insomnia, but also because during our trip through Turkey, we were expected to always be on the coach by 8AM. As for why my insomnia returned? Impossible to know although I chalk it up to me watching YouTube videos quite late on my phone and sneaking in a few songs on my Switch before bed. 

Hey! Even though I was travelling overseas, a girl’s got to treat herself, all right?

Regardless, we were up and getting our luggage stowed into the underbelly of the coach and eating a decent breakfast. By 8AM we were seated on the coach and ready for the long journey east to a small town in the Black Sea region of northern Turkey: Safranbolu. 

Along the way, we stopped for lunch and also enjoyed brief toilet breaks at petrol stations along the highway. At one particular stop, a Shell station, I purchased some hot chocolate that was middling at best. To be fair, it was still superior to whatever I had in North America but once you’ve had Australian coffee/ hot chocolate, there is simply no going back. Especially if you like milk froth.

It was about 2PM when we pulled into the UNESCO World Heritage City of Safranbolu. Of particular interest to tourists is the Old Town, which showcased hundreds upon hundreds of preserved red-roofed Ottoman houses on cobblestone streets. The only thing missing were horse drawn cabs. While I was wandering the streets and admiring it from above, the architecture of the houses somewhat reminded me of old Tudor-style houses although there werestill quite a few differences.

Unfortunately, leading Popo around the city centre meant that I missed out on many an explanation from the tour guide. Wikipedia, which is CLEARLY a reliable source that should be cited often, tells me that the name of the town derives from the spice, Saffron, and the Greek work ‘polis.’ 

And to be fair, the growing  of saffron or ‘safran’ by the locals is still very common practice in the city, what with all the saffron scented performed and flavoured Turkish delights that were on sale. 

Once we had viewed the the Old Town from above at a lookout, we headed to our hotel that was close by and modelled in the original Ottoman style. Afterwards, we headed to the centre to get in some ‘shopping. And shop I did! In fact, as I roamed the stores, I bought myself a handmade leather courier bag for only 700 Turkish lira! Others might have been able to haggle further this was not a skill I possessed.

Walking along with a few other members of the tour group, we stopped by a few stores to try out their free samples of Turkish samples. True, it was a ploy to get us to come in and actually buy their merchandise, but it also helped satiate my sweet tooth.  In fact, I even picked up some Turkish delights, courtesy of one fo the tour members hoping to bribe me back to their place and into the clutches of their diabolical mother who wanted to keep me as a prized pet. 

You might be asking anyone would do that. And for that well thought out question, I have no answer except maybe I had somehow imprinted on this mother. Or she thought me cute and adorable in spite of my actual age and temperament. 

After all, I can be quite playful and mischievous if I so wish. I was born in the Year of the Monkey! But, I’m also quite serious and very down-to-earth.

And if that sounds like an excuse, it is. 

In any case, our half-day in Safranbolu was quickly over and we retired to our hotel with its quaint little room that was supposed to sleep two.

The Rise and Fall of Empires

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After an uneventful day of transit, we landed quite late in Turkiye and were rushed quickly to dinner before we pulled in at the hotel that we would be staying at in Istanbul: the Pullman. On the two hour flight from Cairo to Istanbul (for most of the day, we simply sat around the hotel before hopping onto the coach that would deliver us to the airport at 10AM), I managed to watch Bullet Train and tick off the chaotic but fun movie from my long list of films that had looked interesting but I hadn’t bothered to go into the cinemas to actually well…watch.

In any case, by the time I had showered and fallen asleep on the soft bed at the Pullman, it was quite late and we had an early start the next day.

At about 6:35AM, I was rudely awoken by a morning wake-up call and served as a reminder that I was late! Popo and I came down for a hurried breakfast before boarding the coach that would take us around the ancient city of Istanbul, or Constantinople as it was previously known during the Byzantine and Ottoman eras.

We arrived at our first stop for the day: a decently sized marine vessel, just before 9AM. Hopping on, we enjoyed a cruise around the Bosphorus Strait, providing us with excellent views of the city of Istanbul. It should be known that the city straddles the bridge between Europe and Asia and has proven to be a pivotal beacon throughout most of history. It played a key role in Christianity before it fell to the Ottomans and became an Islamic stronghold. 

As such, the history of Constantinople is really a history of the world, as well as a symbol of the West’s relationship with the East.

But back to a recount of my trip there!

It was unfortunate that we had arrived in the city in March. The weather was still quite cool and after a good thirty minutes, I felt quite frozen to my spot on the upper deck and quickly sought shelter from the fierce wind.

After our trip on the high seas, our ship pulled into port near the Dolmabahce Palace. In Chinese, the palace is often called the “New Palace” as it was built in and around the mid 1800s and was in use for approximately 70 years until the 1920s when Turkiye became independent. 

The style of the Dolmabahce Palace, although commissioned by an Ottoman Sultan, was very European in design. However, this was soon explained by the fact that the architect for the palace had studied in France and had helped build similar types of buildings all across Europe.

Still, the decorations inside the palace was a lot different to the ones I’d seen before in France and Austria. A shame, really, that photos were not allowed as I could show you rather than be forced to describe what I saw. Even though there were a few other tourists that took quite a few ‘subtle’ photographs of the rooms and the grand ceremonial hall.

Most notable, at least to me, were the paintings that lined the walls. Most of them depicted famous battles the Turks partook in. Another interesting piece of interior design that caught my eye was the crystal staircase, with the crystal primarily being the supporting columns of the banister. 

Down in the old storage cellars, too, the palace sported numerous displays full of utensils compromised of Bohemian and Baccarat crystals. They also had Mosser glass, which the internet tells me can cost thousands of dollars because of their high-quality construction. Another location in the heart of the palace had displays for medals, weapons and Hokka sets. 

But it should be noted that the palace also had similar trappings as its European counterparts such as the gilded halls, lavish drapings, huge mirrors, as well as beautiful chandeliers. Which will serve as useful material for my future writings although I lack photos for reference.

After touring the Dolmabahce Palace, we had a quick lunch in a spot that was, no doubt, frequented for its water views and which served as a popular fishing spot.

With our stomachs full of grilled fish, we headed to the Grand Bazaar, established all the way back in 1481 according to the plaque out front. There, we roamed the shops and I exchanged some Australian and American dollars into Turkish lira. And though there was a leather jacket I dearly wanted to purchase, my funds, unfortunately, did not have enough stretch to allow me to buy it out right. Nor did I want to risk using my debit card for fear that the details would be stolen and used for nefarious purposes.

Good riddance, I say! I didn’t want it anyways…

Maybe…

Gosh, I do wish I had bought that reversible leather jacket!

Once I had established how useless I was at haggling, we headed to the Blue Mosque, which sat opposite the Hagia Sophia. Due to ill luck, visiting on a Friday of all days, the Blue Mosque was closed by the time we arrived. It was also undergoing renovations. This fact angered one member of the tour group who was quite rude and aggressive to our tour guide for fear that we would miss out on all the key locations on the itinerary. 

What he didn’t know, of course, was that the itinerary had already been rejigged when we had paid a visit to the Dolmabahce Palace earlier and we would have plenty of time upon our return to Istanbul to take a gander around a mosque if we so wished (which did happen, although it wasn’t the Blue Mosque!).

Undaunted by the trantrum thrown, the tour guide continued to tell us about the Roman Hippodrome that had been constructed in the heart of Istanbul and why the only signs of its presence was the obelisk that had been taken from Karnak Temple. Of course, we had already seen its twin when we visited Karnak Temple several days ago when we had given Egypt a whirl. Score one for a well-planned trip!

We then headed to the Hagia Sophia, which was initially built as a Church following the conversion of the Roman Empire to Christianity. The Hagia Sophia was later converted into a mosque when the Turks took the city. When Turkiye became independent, it served temporarily as a museum before being converted back into a mosque.

And to think that such a sight had been built in a mere 5 years!

True, a lot of the material, such as the Grecian columns used to support the roof, had been recycled from older buildings like a Temple to Artemis in the Ephesus region, but it still looked and felt like a marvel of engineering and vision.

The day ended with dinner at a doner kebab place before we headed back to our hotel for another long day ahead. Although, this time, we would mostly be on the road.

Dam-Nation

On By kyndarisLeave a comment

Our last day at Aswan had us waking at a more reasonable hour than the day before. It was a good thing too as I’d embarrassed myself the night before when I was called up to dance when our cruise ship hosted a Nubian performance. And if you’re asking for proof, you won’t get it. I know not to reveal my true face on the internet! 

Popo, by now, was terribly tired. I, on the other hand, was still full of vim and vigour. So, while she stayed aboard the Jaz Celebrity, I disembarked with a few other members of the tour group.

Our first stop was the High Dam. It should be noted that the High Dam was the second attempt to utilise the mighty Nile waters to bring benefits to the Egyptian people. Constructed in the years between 1960-1970, it saw Lake Nasser flood, threatening 40 temples in the area, including Abu Simbel. With the help of UNESCO, the Egyptian government was able to save the most important temples although some were taken overseas to other European countries. Only a few remained in Egypt including our next destination: Philae Temple.

The flooding of Lake Nasser also saw the relocation of the Nubians to their current location further north of the Nile and near Aswan, changing their lifestyles from living off the land through farming to becoming fishermen and relying on tourism for their livelihood. Which, as per my previous post, meant entertaining strangers in t heir houses and sharing the space with pet crocodiles!

Of course, constructing the dam also had its benefits. The first dam built atop the Nile in Aswan had been at the behest of the English and the French. When Egypt threw off the yoke of their previous ‘benefactors’ in the Suez Crisis, they sought the assistance of the World Bank and the USSR to help build a new power plant near the High Dam. This enabled Egypt to transform its economy and provide it with independence from other countries.

Our second stop for the morning was a visit to Philae Temple, which was dedicated to the Goddess Isis. It also featured the most recent use of hieroglyphs with dating devices putting in the tiny wall scribble at about 350AD. It might not have been a very good engraving but it still showed that the language of the Ancient Egyptians was still being used when the country was under Roman Rule.

Philae Temple, it should be noted, seems to have mostly been constructed during the Greek occupation of the country. The Grecian-style to the columns was very distinctive to my well-trained eye, although not all had been completed. Another indication that it was built during the Greek era of Egypt’s history was the presence of a ‘birthing’ house, which was meant to illustrate how the Ancient Greek leaders were transformed into Egyptians in order to make their rule of the country more palatable to the common folk.

And although I wasn’t able to take a long look at it, I did note that on the map layout of the Temple, there was even a small dedication to the very first Roman emperor, and the focus of one of my Ancient History projects: Augustus.

Once we had finished touring the temple in the allotted time we were given, it was back on the motor boat and the coach as we headed back to the cruise ship to collect our luggage and head to El Dokku, a Nubian restaurant, for lunch. The novelty here was that the restaurant was on a small island that was only reachable by boat!

After lunch, we headed to the airport with only moments to spare in order to check in and board. Upon landing once more in Cairo, we visited the Khan El-Khalili bazaar where, instead of wandering the stalls and being the target of wily thieves, I simply sat at a local cafe and enjoyed a mango smoothie. Later, people would claim that the mango smoothie was the source of the diarrhoea that struck down quite a few of the tour group but let it be known that I was unaffected.

Then it was back on the coach for a very late dinner at a restaurant near the pyramids. By the time we reached our hotel, St Regis Almasa, it was 11PM.

But it was better this than another hurried visit to the Papyrus and Essential Oils store – something that held zero appeal to me and felt like an attempt to shove in some sponsored shopping (something I very much detested in my cheap Chinese Europe trip back in 2009 with my mother).

And so ended our stay in Egypt. We might not have ticked off everything on our travel itinerary but we got to see most of it. 

Turkey (or Turkiye), here we come!

Monuments of the Past

On By kyndarisLeave a comment

We docked as Aswan during an known moment in the middle of the night. I certainly was not awake for it, although the water in our room temporarily halted and I had to find an alternate method to wash my hands. Thankfully in Egypt, bottled water is aplenty and the only real way to stay hydrated. Anything straight from the tap would be detrimental to both guts and stomach.

Heading back to sleep, I was rudely awoken by an early morning wake-up call and rolled out of bed around 3:15AM in the morning as we needed to drive down to Abu Simbel Temple. Of course, by then, the toilet to the room I shared with Popo were constantly flushing and I was required to find a fix to the problem. I managed it. Somehow. But I can’t say how or why what I did helped. All I know is that it was fixed and we were ready to head down to Abu Simbel. 

From Aswan, Abu Simbel was almost a four hour drive, made more complicated by the fact that the roads were filled with other large coaches, all needing to pass through a police check point.

It was almost 9AM by the time we pulled up at the temple and listened once more to the exploits of King Ramesses II, from how he defeated the Hittites, even though he was vastly outnumbered, to his vainglorious display of his love for his wife. After all, the small temple at Abu Simbel had been built in her honour. 

What we didn’t get to learn, although I did hastily duck inside the visitor centre to read it just as we were leaving, was that the Abu Simbel we saw was not the original Temple in its original location. After the Nile was dammed and a lake formed in the 1960s (more information will be revealed in a future post), the original Abu Simbel was at threat of being flooded. Egyptian authorities requested the assistance of UNESCO to help move the ancient site out of harm’s way. 

And thus, Abu Simbel was able to remain standing and frequented by tourists.

After drinking my fill of both the large Temple that was Ramesses II’s attempt to say that he was as strong as the midday sun (his statue was placed in the centre between the morning Ra and the afternoon Ra), as well as the Small Temple (although the line was so incredibly long), I started to make my way to the meeting point that our guide had indicated. That was until my hat flew off!

Sill me attempted to stop my hat but had forgotten that I was still holding a hefty water bottle in my left hand. As such, I managed to bludgeon myself with a mighty blow. There was no blood but it still hurt like the Dickens. And, of course, the blow sent me into a panicked anxiety-fuelled spiral. There I was, in the middle of Abu Simbel, wondering if I had suffered extensive brain damage, concussion or possible memory loss.

Let it be known, dear readers, that sometimes it doesn’t pay to read too many articles about sport-related head injuries and their consequences. While a little bump to the noggin can lead to long-term health complications if you’re unlucky, not every light tap will. And even if it did, well, there sin’t much I can do about it now, is there? The deed is done. Just learn to be careful for next time? Or live in a protective bubble!

Regardless, despite my best attempts to stay awake on the drive back to Aswan (for fear of concussion), the comforting rocking of the coach and the early start to the day had me falling asleep in mere minutes.

Once we arrived back at the Jaz Celebrity cruise ship, I had a quick lunch and barely any rest before boarding a sail boat to enjoy a lazy afternoon on the waters of the Nile river.

We then boarded ANOTHER vessel whilst on the water and headed to a distant Nubian village. And what a sight it was! The settlement was a myriad of different colours and the locals rode around on camels and motor vehicles alike. They also kept crocodiles in their own houses. 

It should also be noted that the Nubians also have their own spoken language. After learning my numbers and the Arabic alphabet (which I promptly forgot soon afterwards), we also learned how to say them in basic Nubian (which I also forgot). Afterwards, we enjoyed some tea and snacks at a local Nubian house, which was just as colourful as the other buildings we had seen. But instead of traditional floorboards or carpet, the Nubians liked to coat their floor with sand. 

As some of the tour members rested, including my grandmother, I and a few of the others left to wander the streets. I even bought a simple dress for my mother at a local stall before we returned to our cruise ship by motor boat.

Later, my grandmother was able to celebrate her birthday according to the lunar calendar and we all enjoyed some cake!

And so ended our third last day in Egypt. It was hard to believe that our time in this land of ancient mysteries was finally coming to an end.