Wednesday, July 04, 2007
As the sun sets on me and the Black Sea, so the sun sets on this blog. I fly home tomorrow, after 11 months in Turkey. Despite some difficulties and worries, I'm glad to have had the opportunities I've had. I want to thank the US Fulbright commission, Averill Park High School, and ÖDTU Lise, but most importantly I want to thank my wife Silvia and my children Mara, Elli Sol and Silas Miguel for agreeing to accompany me on this learning adventure.
This is part of Amasra (called by The Lonely Planet Guide "surely the prettiest small town on the Black Sea coast). I spent two nights here, relaxing, mentally preparing for my return to the US, and still trying to practice my Turkish.
On my second night in Amasra, I walked by a wedding reception on the bay. It was a lovely night, and it reminded me how much I miss my wife and children.
The view from my "pension" (room rented in a private residence - usually cheaper than a hotel). Behind me is the larger of the two bays of Amasra. In the background is a Turkish coast guard boat, and in the foreground are fishing boats. After my own fish dinner each night, I walked out to the end of the long jetty to the left.
Here I am standing on the bridge to one of the two islands that make up the town. The 600 year-old walls of the kale (citadel) are still holding up nicely. Notice that even the Black Sea is crystal clear here.
Well, I'm all ready to return to the US. Here I am with my belongings, and with my good friend Kenan. 
I went to the cıty of Safranbolu, which is known for it's wooden houses (it's a UNESCO World Heritage Site). This is a very quaint city, and while touristy (but the tourists were all Turks, which gave it a different feel), it tries to maintain its history. In some ways, it was like colonial Williamsburg, except that people still actually live in the entire city/museum.
Here is my room inside one of the wooden homes. The low couch-like furniture is a very old style (I've seen many in museums), and though very stiff, they are quite comfortable to relax on. This one ran the length of the room and was as wide as a double bed.
While they look like toy houses, these are examples of the wooden houses making up the city.
Another self-portrait, in downtown Safranbolu. I was here on a Saturday and Sunday, so the bazaar was in full swing.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
I took another trip to Gordion, to see King Midas´s tomb. I actually first went to Pilotli - only 3.50 US dollars for an hour bus ride - and then on to Gordion. Midas, as you recall, was very greedy and wished that everything he touched turned to gold. Well, he got his wish, but then even his food and daughter turned to gold. He asked the gods to take his wish back, and they pitied him and told him to swim in a local river. Supposedly the sand along the river once contained gold - Midas´s gold.
Anyway, there is some question if this is THE Midas, since many kings of Gordion took the same name - maybe this is only his son or something. The tomb is entirely man-made. There are about 100 of these in the area, but this is by far the largest. They put Midas in a tomb, and then began piling dirt on him. And piled. And piled. It is amazing to think how much effort this must have taken 2500 years ago or so. Around 60 years ago some American archeologists tunneled straight into the burial mound and found the tomb. The tunnel has been reinforced, and trees added. It still boggles my mind that they created this hill on flat desert-like ground.
Anyway, there is some question if this is THE Midas, since many kings of Gordion took the same name - maybe this is only his son or something. The tomb is entirely man-made. There are about 100 of these in the area, but this is by far the largest. They put Midas in a tomb, and then began piling dirt on him. And piled. And piled. It is amazing to think how much effort this must have taken 2500 years ago or so. Around 60 years ago some American archeologists tunneled straight into the burial mound and found the tomb. The tunnel has been reinforced, and trees added. It still boggles my mind that they created this hill on flat desert-like ground.
This is the tunnel that extends to the very center of the mound, at ground level. Because I have been taking most of my trips during the week, I have most of these historical sites to myself. At the end of this was the tomb, which is a room-sized wooden structure made of mamouth logs. It is considered the oldest existing wooden structure in the world.
Here I am with another self-portrait at the Gordion ruins. To get to Gordion I had to take a taxi about 12 miles - and the driver picked up an old man and his two large feed bags despite my objections. Then we turned off the main road onto a rutted dirt road - and then through a gully and onto a tractor path and through fields to a hidden gypsy tent camp. They work in the fields - basically migrant workers.Gordion is also known for the Gordion knot. Supposedly whoever could untie it would rule all of Asia. Alexander the Great came through and conquored Gordion but could not untie the knot. Instead he took out his sword and cut it. Well he did conquor most of Asia but he died at 33. Supposedly this was due to his not separating the Gordion knot properly.
No - it is not what you think. Some sort of oiled wrestling is the national sport here. This is the painted picture on a kebab shop about 1/2 mile up the street from me.
This is from the high school graduation held in the school gymnasium. Each teacher is called up to hand out two or three diplomas. As soon as we hand out the diplomas- complete with Turkish kiss on both sides of the face - we pose for a picture with each student.
I have been saying goodbye to various people. This is the shopkeeper where I bought most of my hardware items. He spoke no English but it is amazing how you can mime what you need.
Monday, June 25, 2007
If the traffic isn't bad enough, sometimes you get stuck behind a farmer transporting his cow in the back of his pick-up. It was one of those disaster-waiting-to-happen situations.
Another trip I went on was to Amasya, which was one of the most beautiful places I visited in Turkey. The small city is set in a steep valley, with a river running through the center. Many of the homes are built right over the river, and there was a long walkway along one side. The week I visited, there was a week-long art show featuring about 50 booths/displays along this walkway. Cut into the rock walls over the city are several massive tombs, and overlooking the entire city is an old castle perched on a tall peak. I enjoyed a very relaxing stay here, and would want to visit again.
I hiked three or so miles on a small, windy road that was surrounded by fruit groves on one side, and steep rocks on the other. This lone tomb was carved here at road level. You could walk around the tomb (it was set back as deep as it was wide), but I couldn't climb up to the "window" to see what was inside.
Here is a good picture of the tombs. The stonework is not the castle, but just an observation platform and access to the tombs. The castle is further up out of sight. You can also see some of the renovation being done on the houses here.
Whoa, I'm sideways! Oh well. If you tilt your head, you'll see some of the tombs behind me.
This was my hotel, the one flying the Turkish flag. It was in one of the reconditioned wooden homes that make this city so beautiful. My room consisted of the 7-9th windows from the left, on the first floor. The rocks behind are too steep to climb, so you approach the castle from the back side.
A community changing room (the only one?) near the bazaar. The car with the flat tire seemed to be a permanent fixture.
Doing some shopping in the bazaar. This one is not entirely covered, but there are so many hanging items it makes you feel like you're indoors. I loved the bazaars - where else can you buy cheap goods with dust and bird droppings on them? I became quite the savy shopper here.
This octagonal building was a training school for Imam's (mosque leaders). Though the guidebook says it's closed to the public, I was invited in and toured the ınner courtyard. I saw about 40 teens studying the Koran (they spend about 3 years memorizing it by "chanting" it aloud, often accompanied by a rocking motion). Most were as interested in me as I was of them, and we talked through our mutual broken Turkish/English. I spent about 20 minutes in there, and even had my picture taken with some of them. Since there is a fear of the radical/conservative religious in Ankara, some of my colleagues disapproved of my going there.
There's always time for a hamam (Turkish bath). These guys had their way with me (but where the little boy came from, I haven't a clue). The hamam dated from the 1400's.
The castle overlooking the city was quite a climb (on a hot day). The views were spectacular, and a little scary (they're not much for guard rails or safety - I could have tumbled all the way down to the city).
At night there were small dances and musicians along the boardwalk (mostly school children). You can see the tombs lit up in the background.Sunday, June 24, 2007
The following are from one of my few "tour" trips (with a guide, etc.). I went to the Cappadocia region, where past inhabitants (and even current ones) carved homes and Christian churches into the creamy volcanic rock. We visited, among other places, the Goreme Open Air Museum (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) and the Kaymakli underground city (a small cave entrance leads to eight levels, including space for their animals, so they could "hide out" if attacked). The above picture is from a great salt lake (yes, that's salt, not sand) we passed on the wa. I am standing ON the lake, and I could dig down an inch and water would seep through. 
I finally got to see a real camel (though this was for the tourists, judging how it turned its head, it was also camera shy).
We were able to scramble up into some of the "homes."
I believe this church is in a town called Sinassos. That's our tour guide to the left.
I got fairly good at taking my own picture (people would help, but after awhile I felt I was bothering them too much).
While the Cappadocia region is dry, there is an INCREDIBLE 16 kilometer valley (Ihlara Valley) that contains a peaceful stream, and hundreds of carved rooms and dozens of churches. We walked a short bit of it. It's like an oasis in the desert.
Here I am in one of the many carved-out churches. The hole in front of me was a burial plot.
We had dinner in a rather new restaurant that was carved completely underground. The man in the center is playing music for us.
Here I am in front of part of a village that was inhabited up through the 1950's, until cave-ins forced people to move out (notice the fence to keep people out).Wednesday, June 13, 2007
After our stay in Antalya, nine Fulbrighters chartered a blue cruise sailboat, from Fehtiye to Marmaris. The name comes from the blueness of the water. We were to spend four nights and five days on this boat
Before embarking, we had to order groceries. And while they delivered, one of us had to go and pay for them. Alice, who was always game for something new, tries out the delivery cart.
Here is our portage the first night. Where it is exactly, I can't tell you. That's part of the beauty of sailing, though, just wander where you want, and stop when you feel like it.
I'm such a landlubber (but I only got seasick once). The crew consisted of a captain, a cook and one other crewperson, a seventeen year-old boy who was on his first trıp - he got very sick, to the amusement of all.
Always the student, I managed to get in some good reading (but didn't ignore the scenery). Some of us took a little excursion boat inland where the sailboat couldn't go. We encountered massive winds and waves on the way back, making the return anything but peaceful. 
Still reading... Actually, I read as much as I could find this year (and there wasn't a great selection). The school librarian keeps track, and the school awarded me 2nd place for most books checked out (132). Darn that Turkish language teacher who beat me out for first.
We stopped a few times to look at ruins. I used to think you had to go to Greece to see ruins like this.
Atop a fortress. The bay silted up over the past 1000 years or so (behind me), helping lead to thye demise of the city.
