Despite war in Syria and threats of American involvement (averted then, not so sure about now!) and discontent in parts of Turkey with policies of the Erdogwan government, we had a peaceful and thoroughly enjoyable journey along the western coast of Turkey, exploring sites both modern and ancient. Returning to a country is good. It not only offers a second opportunity to revisit larger sites, to see them with different eyes, to take in details missed earlier, as well as new experiences that enrich ones impressions. Our group from Bryn Mawr included several friends who'd come on visit number one eighteen months ago, as well as those for whom the trip was their first time in Turkey. Our guides however were the same as before: Salih Orgun and Pamela Webb, a dynamic and knowledgable team.
Our return visit began as might be expected in Istanbul, with repeat visits to the staples of the standard tourist itinerary: The Blue Mosque, Hagia Sofia, the Grand Bazaar, Topkapi. There were changes: conservatives had begun requiring visitors to the Blue Mosque to abide by traditional covering requirements. The new requirement is, we heard, more an assertion of political symbolism than respect for religion; no other mosque in Istanbul imposes the requirement on women. Headscarfs, banned by Attaturk after the 1923 revolution along with the Ottoman fez, have become once again a battleground, as are the full figure black burka which one sees more frequently on city streets. For a fascinating look at this subject consider reading Pamuk's novel "Snow," set in Kars in Northeastern Turkey. One of our group used her denim jacket as a headscarf--that passed review. I put my neck scarf over my hair but my tee-shirt didn't pass so I had to hold what felt like a pillowcase around my shoulders; other tee-shirts not much different from mine went unremarked. The Hagia Sofia was undergoing renovations--a continuous operation we understand. Just outside the Hagia Sofia we stopped to descend into one of the underground cisterns constructed by the Byzantines to supply fresh water to the capitol. Today the cistern is a popular tourist attraction, where they sometimes hold concerts. It's an odd place. As for the Grand Bazaar, this time we came armed with a map and a bit more time, so we could explore deeper into its many byways, visiting one of the old workmen's hans. Topkapi has many attractions and on our return visit we checked some of those we hadn't visited before: the Harem is interesting--like a little city within the palace, with Eighteenth Century European decoration; we also went to see the jewels (yawn); and the library (no books anywhere, just couches). We also went walking in the old city down streets less traveled--along the old walls, stopping at the Byzantine Prison of Anemas which is under renovation, and talking our way into a little ancient neighborhood church known as Our Lady of the Silver Dagger where women still come to pray for fertility as well as the well known 14th century Christian "Chora" Church now a museum, with frescos of the lives of Mary and Jesus. "Chora" is Greek for "countryside"--it's hard to imagine that this little place was once well outside the crowded city; it certainly is not out the country any more.
We also returned to both Ephesus and Pergamum, but focused on some different aspects of those large sites, which are both under continuous historical excavation as well as upgrading designed to lower the impact of tourists who mob them, particularly Ephesus.
Fortunately there is much to see in both Constantinople and Turkey as a whole where tourists are almost completely absent, most notably Troy, the battlefield at Gallipoli--a thoroughly moving experience--before embarking for a three day cruise along the beautiful Turquoise Coast of the Mediterranean. Stops in Kayakoy, a modern ghost town, abandoned during the post war population exchange 1923, which sent the town's Christian population was "back" to Greece. The Moslem population, which was now declared more "Turkish," refused to live there anymore after the forceable removal of their friends. Kayakoy is now a World Heritage Site--another moving experience. Another at Dalyan, a protected coastal river town, the site used to film the march through the reeds by Hepburn and Bogie in "The African Queen," and also of fascinating Lycian rock tombs carved into the rock cliff walls. After all this relaxation we spent a hot day in the sun exploring what's left of the Roman city of Perge, which reached its pinnacle during the era of Alexander the Great.
Our return visit began as might be expected in Istanbul, with repeat visits to the staples of the standard tourist itinerary: The Blue Mosque, Hagia Sofia, the Grand Bazaar, Topkapi. There were changes: conservatives had begun requiring visitors to the Blue Mosque to abide by traditional covering requirements. The new requirement is, we heard, more an assertion of political symbolism than respect for religion; no other mosque in Istanbul imposes the requirement on women. Headscarfs, banned by Attaturk after the 1923 revolution along with the Ottoman fez, have become once again a battleground, as are the full figure black burka which one sees more frequently on city streets. For a fascinating look at this subject consider reading Pamuk's novel "Snow," set in Kars in Northeastern Turkey. One of our group used her denim jacket as a headscarf--that passed review. I put my neck scarf over my hair but my tee-shirt didn't pass so I had to hold what felt like a pillowcase around my shoulders; other tee-shirts not much different from mine went unremarked. The Hagia Sofia was undergoing renovations--a continuous operation we understand. Just outside the Hagia Sofia we stopped to descend into one of the underground cisterns constructed by the Byzantines to supply fresh water to the capitol. Today the cistern is a popular tourist attraction, where they sometimes hold concerts. It's an odd place. As for the Grand Bazaar, this time we came armed with a map and a bit more time, so we could explore deeper into its many byways, visiting one of the old workmen's hans. Topkapi has many attractions and on our return visit we checked some of those we hadn't visited before: the Harem is interesting--like a little city within the palace, with Eighteenth Century European decoration; we also went to see the jewels (yawn); and the library (no books anywhere, just couches). We also went walking in the old city down streets less traveled--along the old walls, stopping at the Byzantine Prison of Anemas which is under renovation, and talking our way into a little ancient neighborhood church known as Our Lady of the Silver Dagger where women still come to pray for fertility as well as the well known 14th century Christian "Chora" Church now a museum, with frescos of the lives of Mary and Jesus. "Chora" is Greek for "countryside"--it's hard to imagine that this little place was once well outside the crowded city; it certainly is not out the country any more.
We also returned to both Ephesus and Pergamum, but focused on some different aspects of those large sites, which are both under continuous historical excavation as well as upgrading designed to lower the impact of tourists who mob them, particularly Ephesus.
Fortunately there is much to see in both Constantinople and Turkey as a whole where tourists are almost completely absent, most notably Troy, the battlefield at Gallipoli--a thoroughly moving experience--before embarking for a three day cruise along the beautiful Turquoise Coast of the Mediterranean. Stops in Kayakoy, a modern ghost town, abandoned during the post war population exchange 1923, which sent the town's Christian population was "back" to Greece. The Moslem population, which was now declared more "Turkish," refused to live there anymore after the forceable removal of their friends. Kayakoy is now a World Heritage Site--another moving experience. Another at Dalyan, a protected coastal river town, the site used to film the march through the reeds by Hepburn and Bogie in "The African Queen," and also of fascinating Lycian rock tombs carved into the rock cliff walls. After all this relaxation we spent a hot day in the sun exploring what's left of the Roman city of Perge, which reached its pinnacle during the era of Alexander the Great.