A Call to Turkey 2006

                                                         

                                                    A Call to Turkey


During the winter months of ’06, a small group of friends started planning for a fall trip to Turkey. As we began to make these preparations, others looked on in wonder as to what would possess us to venture into such a volatile region of the world, especially to a country such as Turkey whose neighbors to the south and east were so unfriendly to the United States. However, the original group of 6 had heard nothing but glowing reports about Turkey and her people, so we began our initial inquiries into how best to see the country.

After looking into various offerings from US based tour operators, we decided to utilize a small Turkish owner/operated travel company out of Istanbul who had been personally recommended to us. I began corresponding with Mehmet Ozbalci ((Turfantastik Tours-turfantastic@turk.net) as to possible itineraries and pricing. His itinerary stopped at all of the”must see” sites as well as overnight stays in what were described as boutique hotels. This was a real selling point to our group, as we all preferred to avoid the larger hotel chains in our travels, preferring to stay in B&B’s or pensions.

Mehemt had proposed a 15 day tour commencing in September, just as the heat begins to subside and the bulk of the tourists have gone home. Hardly anyone travels during the winter months in Turkey, and while the mid summer months can be quite warm, the country still attracts tourists by the hundreds of thousands at that time of the year.

As you would expect, the cost for this 15 day privately guided tour depended on the number of travelers in the group. The price per person dropped substantially as our party of interested travelers increased. For a group of 12 the cost dropped to $2150/pp from $2850 for a group of six. This included all hotel stays w/breakfast, all dinners outside of Istanbul, a flight from Istanbul to Capadocia, airport transfers, and admission fees to all the sites visited, various day-boat excursions and ground transportation across Turkey. Airfare from Los Angeles is approximately $1000 via New York on American and Turkish Airways.

Our group of 12 began arriving in Istanbul on August 31st after stop-overs in almost every major capital in Europe due to the scheduling imposed by the airlines with regards to frequent flyer mileage usage. The drive from the airport to the Arcadia Hotel in Istanbul took us about 25 minutes along the water’s edge, then through the winding streets that looked as though they had been peopled by central casting. This old section of Istanbul with its cast of thousands and Hollywood set designs, complete with lighting and sound affects provided a grandiose welcome to this ancient Byzantine city.

As the last to arrive, we hurried to the rooftop restaurant via a 4 person elevator to meet up with the rest of the group. Upon stepping out to greet all of our friends, I was rendered speechless by the views before me. Directly in front of us was the “Blue Mosque” with its six minarets all lit up as if to physically challenge its neighbor to the left, the Aya Sophia. It was difficult to look past these two magnificent structures that were built almost 1000 years apart. The Blue Mosque was built by Mehmet Aga in the early 1600’s to rival the Aya Sophia completed in 537AD. The panorama of the city continued to amaze, as we sampled our first taste of Turkish cuisine and began getting accustomed to our cocktails with one ice cube. Additionally, we toasted our arrival and the beginning of this adventure with “raki” an anis flavored drink similar to the Greek’s Ouzo.

The call to prayer at 4:30am the following morning was a sure sign that we were not in Kansas as these melodic chantings emanated from the minarets, officially proclaiming our group’s arrival to this ancient Byzantine settlement and the beginning of our journey across Turkey.
Istanbul’s sites were in easy reach of our locale in the Sultanamet District which also has ample restaurants, shops, and an infinite variety of hotels. Our walk about this historic city began early the next morning as Mehmet called the role for our first day of touring. Due to the intimate size of our group, there was no need for the obligatory “tour flag” or umbrella with which to rally the lost members. It was just an easy stroll from our hotel to some of Istanbul’s most famous sites: the Byzantine Hippodrome, Blue Mosque and the Haghia Sophia.

We gathered, first, at the Hippodrome, the site of countless chariot races and the center of Byzantine and Ottoman life. Today, little is left of this sporting and political center with the exception of the Obelisk of Theodosius said to have been carved in Cairo and lugged across the continent and erected in AD 390. Next, we strolled across the courtyard and into the Blue Mosque. We had been warned that long pants would be required as well as covered heads for the women. We removed our shoes, and upon entering we were struck by the blue walls of tile, said to be in the tens of thousands, and stained-glass windows. The Mosque is an active place of worship as evidenced by the hundreds of prayer rugs on the floors. Just a short walk through some magnificent gardens, we were confronted by the Haghia Sophic (Aya Sofya, 537), considered to be the greatest church in the Christian world until Mehmet the Conqueror converted it to a Mosque in 1453. Today the building exists as a museum to the world and still a most impressive structure.
Because the history of Turkey spans several thousand years, and has hosted many foreign invaders and conquerors, it often becomes difficult to keep the Country’s time line straight. Early on, many of us decided to sit back, relax and absorb as best we could the sites and events that were being shared with us. The facts and dates would hopefully take care of themselves as our travels across Turkey continued.
After three days in Istanbul, the city continued to charm and amaze. The Basilica Cistern is an often missed site. Built in 532 AD to provide a continuous supply of water to the city in case of siege, today offers a welcome relief from the midday heat far beneath the city’s busy streets. Topkapi Palace, the home of various Sultans until the 19th century, hosts a magnificent collection of jewels and artifacts in a wonderful setting overlooking the Bosphorus. There is an ideal spot for lunch just outside the museum, with views over the waters separating Istanbul’s European side from its Asian side; the only city to reside on two continents.

The daily hustle and bustle that is Istanbul is that of an ancient city tentatively finding its way into the 21st century. One gets the feeling that the bargaining that goes on in the “Spice Bazaar” (est. 1660) and the “Grand Bazaar” (with over 4000 shops) will soon be an activity of the past, as the modern ways of commerce seek to streamline the bantering and do away with this time-honored, market tradition.
Day four, finds us departing on an early morning flight to the region of Cappadocia . This is one of the most photographed regions in Turkey due to the amazing volcanic rock formations that accent the landscape. Below ground is equally as spectacular, and visits to the underground cities with their cave dwellings and rock cut churches should not be missed The cave churches, with their magnificent frescos from the 10th century provide color and a rich sense of history to this unique area of Turkey. Our stay in Cappadocia, was at the well appointed Hotel Urgup Evi, a “cave hotel” which sits high up on the hillside offering breathtaking views of the valley below.
From the “fairy chimneys” to the underground cities, which in some cases housed as many as 10,000 people, we were amazed at the engineering skills that enabled the people to cut out these “Swiss Cheese” styled dwellings connected by paths, communal kitchens and incredibly deep wells. Many of these maze like structures are open to the public and are well worth the visit, but definitely not for the claustrophobic!
We then began our journey south to the coast and the city of Antalya with a stop in Konya, and the Mevlana Museum, home of the Whriling Dervish Sect whose members celebrate their faith through music and physical movement. This unique sect is taught to love everyone and everything while exhibiting unlimited tolerance towards other Muslims, Jews and Christians. Today, while mostly ceremonial in nature, the sect acts as goodwill ambassadors for a sometimes misunderstood country and religion.

After crossing the scenic Toros Mountains, we arrived in Antalya which is said to be the capital of the Turkish Mediterranean Coast. We stayed in the “old” section of the city where many of the buildings date from the Ottoman times and have been restored over the years as houses, hotels, pensions and quaint restaurants. Just a few short steps to the bluffs overlooking the harbor, the Hotel Dogan would be our home for the next two nights. This small hotel is a combination of 4 Ottoman style historic houses surrounding a manicured courtyard and small swimming pool.
The terraces and pool area were ideal for what had become a very important part of our trip………the 5’oclock cocktail hour …….at which time we recapped the high lights of the day, and shared all of our purchases and discoveries. As our trip progressed and we began depleting our supplies of duty free alcohol, our 5pm respite became more of a challenge and took us out onto the streets in search of spirits and mixes. With few exceptions, alcohol was available most everywhere in Turkey, with excellent offerings of beers and some wonderful red wines. Ice (“buz” pronounced booz) continued in short supply, and on some occasions it was kept away from the bar area and we suspected concealed under lock and key.

After just six short days our trip took on an air of relaxed adventure and exploration, as we tried to become “travelers” and not just tourists rushing thru a country. Our two and three night hotel stays allowed us to settle into an area, do some laundry, and familiarize ourselves with our surroundings before moving on. Dinner that evening in the Hotel’s courtyard was followed by a leisurely stroll down the cobblestone walks to take in the vistas overlooking the harbor and surrounding bays. What a charming way to end another perfect day in this very special corner of the world.

Antalya turned out to be a great base from which to see the ruins of the Roman city of Perge and the best preserved Roman Theater in the world at Aspendos, built in the 2nd century AD. In the afternoon we were left on our own to explore this unique coastal city.
While the women honed their bargaining skills on the local merchants, the men set out to sample some of the local brews. That evening our group shared an outdoor, cliffside restaurant with a young girl and her family and helped celebrate her 5th birthday with song and dance, as we all watched the sun vanish into the Mediterranean Sea.
The next day we detoured off the main road to the Mediterranean Coast and found the seaside village of Ucagiz. From there it was a short boat ride to the village of Kale, which is only accessible by sea and where we would spend our next three days. Kale is a small village with few inhabitants, but is world famous for its sunken ruins of Lycian Cities. Our stay there was at the waterside Kale Pension with its wonderful swimming area just off the docks that fronted the hotel. This small dock also served as the dinning area which was further complimented that evening by a partial lunar eclipse.

Dinners were always a relaxed event, consisting of a variety of courses and often extending late into the evening. The meals usually started with an offering of mezes, which could be anything from stuffed vegetables to calamari rings and all are familiar to the American pallet. Soups were numerous and usually quite delicious. The main dish was almost certainly some variation of lamb with sides of eggplant. If we were near the coast, fish would be offered, and was usually baked with the head still attached and the bones left in. Delicious breads of all varieties accompanied every course. While our dinners were always well-prepared, using the freshest of ingredients, the meals lacked variety and they soon began to take on a familiar taste as our trip progressed.

Our next day began early with offerings of bread, butter and honey along with the breakfast staples of salty black and green olives, tomatoes, cucumbers and the occasional hardboiled egg cooked somewhere between 3 and 5 minutes. My favorite was the “red bologna” that oft times graced the buffet line. Additionally, many in the group were replacing their first cup of coffee of the day with cay (tea) always with sugar and no milk. Personally, I think it was the pretty tulip shaped glasses that attracted everyone to the tea.

Our boat arrived back at the dock and we stepped directly onboard from our breakfast table to begin the day’s voyage. Kale Village is a stone’s throw away from the Island of Kekova and Asperiai, and the ancient ruins of the underwater Lycian Cities. While our boat was equipped with a glass bottom section, the views of the underwater ruins were far superior from the topside decks of the boat. No diving is permitted in or around these sunken remains as they are a protected natural treasure. However, we did make a swimming stop in a secluded cove before lunch so as to bask in the salty waters of the blue Mediterranean.
Lunchtime found us at another picture postcard stop. We shared the cove with a gorgeous collection of sailboats that were on extended overnight stays along the coast. Many travelers to Turkey will combine their land stays with a 3-5 night sail along the Mediterranean or Aegean coastlines. As the crew prepared the barbeques for lunch, we reflected on the sites we had seen, the people we had met along the way and our chance to renew old friendships in a truly unparalleled setting.
We were bid “gule gule” (bon voyage) by our hosts the next morning as we set off across the inlet to rejoin our waiting bus for the trip to Bodrum on the Aegean Sea. Our journey to the northwest included a stop in Dalyan and a boat ride to the sea, past the picturesque Lycian style rock tombs carved high up into the cliffs. We ended with a walk on Iztuzu Beach where sea turtles come by the thousands to lay their eggs. Over the years, with the help of “caution tape”, the turtles and sunbathers (some topless) have managed to coexist on this magnificent strip of beach that melts into the Aegean.
Bodrum is considered to be Turkey’s answer to a Greek fishing village with its white-washed homes draped by the ever present bougainvilleas, which added splashes of color to this pristine waterfront town. The quay was alive with captains trying to broker trips aboard their magnificent sail boats, many of them built here and in Antalya. Bodrum is a “hip” city with bars, clubs and restaurants desperately trying to become a part of the 21st century while at the same time respecting its own long standing history and diverse religious populations. Not an easy task.
The castle of St Peter, which dominates the harbor’s landscape, is well worth a visit, as it houses one of the most interesting underwater archeological museums in the world with shipwreck relics dating from the 14th century BC to the 11th century AD. The castle is an easy walk along the harbor’s edge and within easy reach of the lively waterfront market place.

As our adventure passed the three quarter mark, we were fast approaching Kusadasi and the out lying Roman City of Ephesus. It is said that Ehesus is the best preserved classical city in the eastern Mediterranean and a “must see” for every tourist to the area. Mehmet insisted on an early departure the next day so as to avoid the crowds that flock to the area via giant coaches dispatched from the cruise ships that regularly ply this part of the Mediterranean coast.
Ephesus is best enjoyed in the solitude and cool of the early morning and so we began our one-way decent to the “Library” along the main cobblestone road which is flanked by columns, gates and tombs all in various states of ruin and restoration. While all of the exterior marble has long since been removed by the “locals” the rest of the destruction is the result of earthquakes that have occurred over its almost 3000 year history.
The numerous baths along the way and the communal men’s toilets provided a unique opportunity to take some “goof” photographs in this otherwise, rather, scholarly arena. We were well ahead of the crowds when our group arrived at the Library. At one time this magnificent building held thousands of scrolls in it’s carved out niches. These scrolls along with other artifacts were well protected within the walls from the extreme temperatures and humidity present in the area which at one time had been very close to the sea.

We later realized what a rare treat it had been to visit and photograph this historical site in the peace and serenity of the early morning. When the crowds eventually caught up with us, Mehmet moved us off the Curetus Way and into the sanctity of the “Terrace Houses”.
The Terrace Houses must be visited in the company of a licensed guide and are probably the best example of what “life” was like during this period. This enclosed area is a terraced hillside of dwellings, whose excavations are currently in progress. The site provides a close-up view from suspended glass walkways of the exquisite mosaic flooring and frescos that adorn these residential ruins. Reluctantly, we ventured back out onto Curetus Way and towards the Sacred Way only to be confronted by the hundreds of people who had “joined” us in our stroll through history.
We made our way towards the Great Theatre alongside the elaborately constructed waterways and waste systems that pay tribute to those ancient civil engineers. The Great Theatre, rebuilt by the Romans between AD 41 and AD 117, could seat as many as 25,000 and until recently was a venue of choice by many touring rock groups until it was discovered that extensive damage was being done to the theatre as a result of the loud music and the thousands of concert goers. Our journey through Ephesus ended on Harbour Street, a magnificent tree-lined path that took us away from the ruins.
We took lunch in the nearby mountain village of Sirince on our way to Meryemana (Mary’s House). It is said that the Virgin Mary came to this area with St John to live out her remaining days. In 1967 Pope Paul VI gave credence to the site by proclaiming its authenticity. A lovely chapel sits in this wooded hillside area and it was certainly worth the hour or so of our time.
Having been over-whelmed by our visit to Ephesus, it was time for the group to begin thinking about getting back to Istanbul and our trip home. However, Mehmet had one more surprise waiting for us; the beautiful mountain village of Yesilyurt and the Cetmi Han Hotel. This Hotel is set into the mountainside, offering a serene collection of elevated gardens complete with hammocks, tables and chairs and stunning views of the opposing hillsides. The tiny village, just a short walk up the cobblestone road consisted of a collection of small shops offering olive products and the occasional display of spices. Once we had explored the shops and purchased some olive soaps, we all strolled back to our hotel to lounge about its luxurious gardens.

The courtyard setting provided an ideal backdrop for our final road trip cocktail party and a place to reflect on our experiences of the past two weeks. Dinner was one of our finest of the trip and an apt occasion to express our appreciation to Mehmet for all his planning and subsequent execution and to also say a formal good by to our driver Sadar, who would be leaving us the following day.
Before beginning our long drive back into Istanbul; we had one more stop on our itinerary, the ruins of Troy. Even though the ruins are part of Turkey’s World Heritage sites, Troy takes a great deal of imagination to be fully appreciated. Excavation of the site has revealed at least six ancient cities and possibly as many as nine, built one on top of another and dating back some 5000 years. If we are to believe Homer, then the Trojan Horse did play a crucial role in Troy’s history. However, most consider that the story is as bogus as the replica of the horse that guards the entrance to the site.
We moved on from Troy and headed for the ½ hour ferry crossing of the Dardanelles and the five hour bus ride back into Istanbul. For most of us this signaled the final days of our adventure across Turkey and a time to appreciate all that we had seen. Sharing this adventure with our longtime friends added a dimension to our travel that greatly enhanced the memories that we would all take with us.
I have been traveling about the world at every opportunity since I was fourteen years old. Fifty some years later, I still find the planning and anticipation of travel and the eventual trip, one of life’s great sources of pleasure. All of us on this trip would certainly agree that travel today has its share of hardships; whether it’s the myriad of security obstacles placed in our path at the airports, or just not enough ice in our drinks. Yes, it might be easier and safer to travel from the comfort of our armchairs and let Rick Steves handle the particulars; but if we had done this, then the “bad guys” would have won and we would certainly have lost.
Turkey is a safe, truly magical country and an exotic destination with a rich history that spans the centuries. Today’s Turks are proud of their Ottoman heritage and more than willing to share it with a western traveler, and that translates into unmatched hospitality. The country is rapidly moving into the 21st century and is beginning to emulate many of its western neighbor’s culture; and in doing so, will begin to lose much of what is so very special and exciting about today’s Turkey. My traveling companions and I will always be grateful that we answered this call to Turkey.
Submitted for your consideration and possible publication in your Travel Section:

Gary Brown
15291 Moulins Circle
Irvine, CA 92604
949 551-2220
gmbrown@earthlink.net