Yesterday was our last full day in Turkey! We started the day with breakfast at the hotel then went to Samanyolu, a Turkish television station on the Asian side of Istanbul, where the students were not only interviewed live but were also given a tour of the station's studios!
We then ate our final lunch at Bizim Köfte before heading to the Grand Bazaar. Founded in the 1400s, the bazaar now holds thousands of shops. The students and teachers were given hours to wander and to be able to buy souvenirs and gifts for themselves and friends and family.
After the Grand Bazaar, the group went back to the Grand Anka hotel to change before having dinner at a local family's house. The Dayi family's home was beautiful and nestled in the woods outside of the city and we enjoyed a freshly prepared meal and wonderful conversation as the sun set!
Today everybody is headed back to the States. It has been such an amazing 10 days-the trip of a lifetime!
Friday, June 10, 2011
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Back to Istanbul!
We embarked from the hotel early in order to catch a Sky Airways flight back to Istanbul. Arriving midday, we checked back into the Grand Anka and departed for a meal at Fetih Koleji, a private high school whose grounds we toured. Asuman Dayi, one of the program's major sponsors and a longtime friend of Istanbul Center, joined us for the meal. Brittany was thrilled to encounter French fries among the Turkish components of the lunch. During the subsequent school tour, Kalyn was particularly taken with the kindergarteners' bathroom toilets, which were shaped like frogs.
The group next ventured to Pierre Loti, a hill in the Eyup neighborhood that overlooks a sweeping and quite beautiful graveyard. With a spectacular view of the European side of the city after a cable car ride to the top, it was a nice, relaxing break in stellar surroundings.
After some deft bus maneuvering through Istanbul's notorious traffic, we made our way to the Austrian Consulate, where we partook in a lecture-recitation by pianist and Ottoman-era music expert Evren Kulay, a professor at the city's Koc University. With some beautiful music under our belts and historic explanations to match them, we had a late dinner at Pirpirim, which specializes in Southeastern Turkish food. Then off to bed in anticipation of our last full day in Istanbul...
The group next ventured to Pierre Loti, a hill in the Eyup neighborhood that overlooks a sweeping and quite beautiful graveyard. With a spectacular view of the European side of the city after a cable car ride to the top, it was a nice, relaxing break in stellar surroundings.
After some deft bus maneuvering through Istanbul's notorious traffic, we made our way to the Austrian Consulate, where we partook in a lecture-recitation by pianist and Ottoman-era music expert Evren Kulay, a professor at the city's Koc University. With some beautiful music under our belts and historic explanations to match them, we had a late dinner at Pirpirim, which specializes in Southeastern Turkish food. Then off to bed in anticipation of our last full day in Istanbul...
Kapadokya!
Yesterday was action-packed. We started out by leaving our hotel in Kayseri and heading to the Kapadokya region of Türkiye, specifically to the towns of Nevsehir and Avanos, to tour the underground cities and tunnels! The tunnels were originally carved out from the volcanic rock by Hittites about 4,000 years ago, expanded upon into rooms and cities later by Byzantines and Roman-era Christians seeking to escape persecution around the 7-8th centuries, and later used by Seljuk Turks as an armory or place to store their weapons. The caves were not only an adventure, as we explored 4 of the 6 floors, but a much-needed respite from the heat! The tunnels and rooms stay temperate year-round, being cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
After we explored the underground city in Kapadokya we stopped en route to lunch to get a fantastic panoramic view of the "rooftop chimneys" (one of the variety of rock formations native to the region). We then had a buffet-style lunch, perfect for a day of exertion and adventure, at Avanos Restaurant, before seeing the famous Red River and visiting a pottery workshop famous for its Red River clay ceramics. Brittany even volunteered to try making a bowl using an ancient Hittite method of wheel-throwing a bowl with a kickwheel device. After Brittany's demonstration all of us toured the workshop and even got to see the master artists at work!
After the pottery workshop we went to a national park and saw a variety of fairy chimneys-some shaped like mushrooms or animals and some with multiple heads-and cave houses! Then we headed to the Goreme Open Air Museum to tour ancient cave churches and rectories and view their pigeon houses. Many of the churches still had their original red ochre paint motifs and decor while others were decorated in frescoes. Some even had graves in them!
After touring the churches some of the group members treated themselves to hand-churned Turkish ice cream (dondurma) before we began the 1+ hour drive back to Nuzhet Hotel in Kayseri. After a rest break we gathered again and made our way to the Iskender Elmacioglu Restaurant, a beautiful place offering up traditional Kayseri fare. We were joined by some of the sponsors of our program in Kayseri, successful businessmen and figureheads from the city.
All in all, it was an exhausting and amazing day!
After we explored the underground city in Kapadokya we stopped en route to lunch to get a fantastic panoramic view of the "rooftop chimneys" (one of the variety of rock formations native to the region). We then had a buffet-style lunch, perfect for a day of exertion and adventure, at Avanos Restaurant, before seeing the famous Red River and visiting a pottery workshop famous for its Red River clay ceramics. Brittany even volunteered to try making a bowl using an ancient Hittite method of wheel-throwing a bowl with a kickwheel device. After Brittany's demonstration all of us toured the workshop and even got to see the master artists at work!
After the pottery workshop we went to a national park and saw a variety of fairy chimneys-some shaped like mushrooms or animals and some with multiple heads-and cave houses! Then we headed to the Goreme Open Air Museum to tour ancient cave churches and rectories and view their pigeon houses. Many of the churches still had their original red ochre paint motifs and decor while others were decorated in frescoes. Some even had graves in them!
After touring the churches some of the group members treated themselves to hand-churned Turkish ice cream (dondurma) before we began the 1+ hour drive back to Nuzhet Hotel in Kayseri. After a rest break we gathered again and made our way to the Iskender Elmacioglu Restaurant, a beautiful place offering up traditional Kayseri fare. We were joined by some of the sponsors of our program in Kayseri, successful businessmen and figureheads from the city.
All in all, it was an exhausting and amazing day!
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
A bonus visit to Kayseri
One of the most exciting parts of these trips is when last-minute opportunities spring up that give the group a chance to experience something unexpected. That's just what happened when the participants learned we'd spend today in Kayseri, a city in Anatolia, before heading onto cappadochia tomorrow. With nearly 1 million people and remnants of the Selchuk Empire that once controlled the area, Kayseri offers some enlightening history lessons.
After a morning bus ride, the group ate lunch at a well- known restaurant downtown, where different pide dishes and gyros offered a welcome glimpse of non-kebab Turkish cuisine. A walking tour of the city led us through a maze of stores and restaurants to the imposing walls of a 3rd-century fortress that once encompassed the city. A serpentine walk took us through an indoor bazaar where the students and teachers were overwhelmed by the plethora of Turkish goods on display, but we assured them that everything present would be availalbe in the Grand Bazaar on our last day in Istanbul. Also nearby was a statue of Mimar Sinan, famous Turkish architect, in one of three very green city parks that we meandered through.
A 13th-century hospital that serviced mental health patients from Anatolia and Europe remains intact near Sinan's statue. The stone dormitory that once houses its doctors is a short walk away and is now a bookstore. Our walk back to the hotel brought us past a couple of primary schools were uniformed boys and girls were excited to yell "hello! Hello!" as we walked past.
Rest time at the hotel prepped our travelers for a meal at a local private university in which several local families also joined the table to learn more about the U.S. and teach us about Kayseri.
After a morning bus ride, the group ate lunch at a well- known restaurant downtown, where different pide dishes and gyros offered a welcome glimpse of non-kebab Turkish cuisine. A walking tour of the city led us through a maze of stores and restaurants to the imposing walls of a 3rd-century fortress that once encompassed the city. A serpentine walk took us through an indoor bazaar where the students and teachers were overwhelmed by the plethora of Turkish goods on display, but we assured them that everything present would be availalbe in the Grand Bazaar on our last day in Istanbul. Also nearby was a statue of Mimar Sinan, famous Turkish architect, in one of three very green city parks that we meandered through.
A 13th-century hospital that serviced mental health patients from Anatolia and Europe remains intact near Sinan's statue. The stone dormitory that once houses its doctors is a short walk away and is now a bookstore. Our walk back to the hotel brought us past a couple of primary schools were uniformed boys and girls were excited to yell "hello! Hello!" as we walked past.
Rest time at the hotel prepped our travelers for a meal at a local private university in which several local families also joined the table to learn more about the U.S. and teach us about Kayseri.
Monday, June 6, 2011
A full day in Ankara
What a busy day! The group had breakfast at the hotel before embarking on a full day in the capital city of Ankara. First up was Anitkabir, the mausoleum of Ataturk, the founder of the Turkish republic. A beloved figure in Turkish history, his mausoleum consists of a large complex overlooking the city. Our group was lucky enough that our visit coincided with the changing of the guards. We watched as uniformed guards strutted and twirled their weapons as they switched posts.
A meeting with the Undersecretariat of the Ministry of Education came next. The students displayed their artworks and explained their essays and everyone asked questions about Turkey's education system. Teachers were interested in how the Turkish government handles special education and university admissions. The visit ended with the presentation of gifts for everybody- fancy pens for the students and scarves for the teachers.
Lunch was held at a private k-12 school. We ate soup, salad, entrees and desserts in the cafeteria alongside students and staff before touring the school auditorium, gymnasium and a biology laboratory.
Back to the city center, we met the Superintendent of Ankara's schools. The students showcased their winning pieces and asked about the biggest challenges facing the city's schools. This meeting was immediately followed by a trip to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, whose Undersecretariat viewed winning art and essay pieces. He lauded the students' work on the theme of empathy and presented Istanbul Center Executive Director Tarik Celik with a porcelain plate to thank the group for visiting.
The day's final stop was at TRT, Turkish Radio and Television. TRT operates 14 different channels as Turkey's public station and will be the main station sharing election results in next Sunday's elections. Our group took a tour of the building, including stops in a couple of news station sets, where we saw green-screen formulated images. Most exciting was when the students were featured on national news! They stood together on a news set while the anchor posed questions to Mr. Celik and then the students. Kelsey, Sania, Jesse, Sree and Kalyn all spoke about their experiences in Turkey and with the Art and Essay Contest and the first two even discussed their winning pieces. It was a pleasure to watch them and we've got our fingers crossed that we can get copies of the news program to distribute.
The busy day concluded with an evening meal and then tea and coffee in a 'cay bahcesi,' or tea garden. Tomorrow we venture to Cappadochia!
Sunday, June 5, 2011
"On the Road Again..."
Iyi aksamlar (good evening)! This morning we checked out of the Grand Anka Hotel in Istanbul and began the approximately 5 hour trek to Ankara, the capital city of Turkey. The students and teachers were amazed by how much the landscape changed as we drove from Istanbul's cool seaside breezes through craggy hills and mountains towards the center of the nation, stopping along the way in the town of Bolu for lunch. We arrived in Ankara at the Ulus district's Tac Mahal Hotel in the late afternoon and had some free time in which Sania, Kalyn and Audrey played a card game and Sarabrynn, Jesse and I went on a walk down the street in search of calling cards.
At 6:30 we met in the hotel restaurant and had an amazing meal of lentil soup, salad, bread, and an entree of fish. About half of the group was shocked to have a plate with a whole fish-head and all-placed in front of them but after Mevlut coaxed most of us into trying the dish we realized that it was not only delicious but that the experience was very much worth it! Sania and Rwanda even dared to try an eyeball each from their entrees. "Didn't it taste like peanuts?" Sania asked, to which Rwanda replied "If that's what you want to call it!" After dinner the participants went on a bus tour of the city of Ankara and it's environs as the sun set! It was amazing and very beautiful (cok güzel).
Much more to follow tomorrow! :)
At 6:30 we met in the hotel restaurant and had an amazing meal of lentil soup, salad, bread, and an entree of fish. About half of the group was shocked to have a plate with a whole fish-head and all-placed in front of them but after Mevlut coaxed most of us into trying the dish we realized that it was not only delicious but that the experience was very much worth it! Sania and Rwanda even dared to try an eyeball each from their entrees. "Didn't it taste like peanuts?" Sania asked, to which Rwanda replied "If that's what you want to call it!" After dinner the participants went on a bus tour of the city of Ankara and it's environs as the sun set! It was amazing and very beautiful (cok güzel).
Much more to follow tomorrow! :)
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Sightseeing in Istanbul
Today was all about history. The group spent their day in Sultanahmet, the peninsula that defines Istanbul and showcases its his. First on the agenda was Topkapi Palace, from which Ottoman Sultans ruled their Empire through the 19th century. Visits to the Holy Relics and jewelry exhibits were outdone only by the stunning architecture itself. With three courtyards and a fabulous location at the meeting-point of the Bosphorous Strait, Golden Horn and Marmara Sea, Topkapi Palace's mosaics and gateways were beautiful.
Next up was the Basilica Cistern, one of 25 in Istanbul and its biggest. The Cisterns served as water storage facilities during Roman times but this one was since turned into a museum. Lit by amber lights over the water, this cavern of columns was an arresting sight and offered valuabl insight into how the ancient city of Constantinople dealt with logistical issues like water access.
Lunch at Tamara restaurant included lentil soup, fresh salads and an entree that offered a little bit of everything- spiced chicken wings, lahmacun, rice, cheese pide and several variations of meat kebabs. Baklava and watermelon finished the meal and sustained our travelers enough to explore the second half of their tour of Sultanahmet.
The Blue Mosque is so named for the gorgeous blue colors of its internal decorations. With soaring domes and elaborate calligrahy, stopping in this still-working mosque was a treat. After crossing the parks and fountain between them, our group then visited Haghia Sophia, Turkey's best-known landmark.
First a Byzantine church and then an Ottoman mosque, Haghia Sophia is now a museum. It features gold-tiled mosaics of Christian scenes as well as enormous Arabic calligraphic medallions, plus a Christian alter and Muslim mihrab, which indicates the direction of Mecca. Haghia Sophia exemplifies Turkey's unique history in its displays of both significant Christian features and important Islamic elements. With its large archways and dramatic domes, the building is itself a feat to encounter. Our group listened to information about Haghia Sophia through headsets that linked to our tour guide, Aykut, so that he didn't have to yell for 28 people; We think he was glad for the headsets.
The group rested at the hotel before venturing to a nearby restaurant for dinner. Tomorrow brings our first major move- a bus ride to Ankara!
Friday, June 3, 2011
Our first full day in istanbul
Merhaba! Yesterday, June 3rd was a wonderful, action-packed day...so much so that we didn't return to our hotel until past 11:00 pm! We started the day with breakfast at our hotel-the Grand Anka-then embarked on a bus to the Miniaturk, a park full of miniature models representing key cultural and historic sites from both the past and present of Turkey (Türkiye). We even came into contact with a large group of Turkish elementary school children who excitedly surrounded Dean, Kalyn, Miriam, Jesse, Sarabrynn and myself. The children were beyond excited to practice their English with us and it was the highlight of our day-until the Bosphorus boat tour, that is!
After the Miniaturk we took our bus to a boat on the Bosphorus. We all sat atop the deck-many of us sitting on massive Eastern-style pillows-enjoying the views of both the European and Asian sides of the city of Istanbul. The muezzin (call to prayer) even sounded beautiful as we passed by, to Jesse and I's utter delight. We were even served tea on the boat! After the boat tour we were taken to a restaurant in Taksim Square called Beyoglu Bereket Halk Döner before going back to the hotel to get ready for dinner with a local family. Before we left, Miriam, Sania, Jesse and I walked down the street to a small flower shop where the students were able to buy beautiful and very affordable (5-10 Turkish Lira) gifts bouquets for the family which the florist even sprinkled with gloater and wrapped in ribbon.
We then got back on the bus and drove outside of Istanbul to Silivri and the house of the Beyaz family which overlooked the Sea of Marmara. The family not only welcomed all 28 of us (guides included) to their home but fed us from their berry patches and orchards before treating us to an amazing meal outside. The strawberries were so sweet and tender that one barely had to bite into them and they would melt in your mouth, more like strawberry juice! Also, the cherries were so amazing that Brittany-who doesn't even like cherries-couldn't resist eating more and more until we were sat for dinner in the beautiful, breezy, high-60s weather. Turkish staples such as lahmacun (a kind of Turkish taco-pizza), fresh watermelon and a variety of breads and salads. After we ate, we all congregated in the Beyaz family's gorgeous home and talked from sunset until past 10 pm. The family gave gifts-original paintings done by an artist friend-to the most experienced teacher (principal Dean Lillard) and the least experienced and most freshly minted teacher (Kathleen Hill)-and swerved us tea and homemade baklava. Then we exchanged hugs and affirmations of friendship before driving back to the hotel for the night.
After the Miniaturk we took our bus to a boat on the Bosphorus. We all sat atop the deck-many of us sitting on massive Eastern-style pillows-enjoying the views of both the European and Asian sides of the city of Istanbul. The muezzin (call to prayer) even sounded beautiful as we passed by, to Jesse and I's utter delight. We were even served tea on the boat! After the boat tour we were taken to a restaurant in Taksim Square called Beyoglu Bereket Halk Döner before going back to the hotel to get ready for dinner with a local family. Before we left, Miriam, Sania, Jesse and I walked down the street to a small flower shop where the students were able to buy beautiful and very affordable (5-10 Turkish Lira) gifts bouquets for the family which the florist even sprinkled with gloater and wrapped in ribbon.
We then got back on the bus and drove outside of Istanbul to Silivri and the house of the Beyaz family which overlooked the Sea of Marmara. The family not only welcomed all 28 of us (guides included) to their home but fed us from their berry patches and orchards before treating us to an amazing meal outside. The strawberries were so sweet and tender that one barely had to bite into them and they would melt in your mouth, more like strawberry juice! Also, the cherries were so amazing that Brittany-who doesn't even like cherries-couldn't resist eating more and more until we were sat for dinner in the beautiful, breezy, high-60s weather. Turkish staples such as lahmacun (a kind of Turkish taco-pizza), fresh watermelon and a variety of breads and salads. After we ate, we all congregated in the Beyaz family's gorgeous home and talked from sunset until past 10 pm. The family gave gifts-original paintings done by an artist friend-to the most experienced teacher (principal Dean Lillard) and the least experienced and most freshly minted teacher (Kathleen Hill)-and swerved us tea and homemade baklava. Then we exchanged hugs and affirmations of friendship before driving back to the hotel for the night.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Welcome to Istanbul!
All of the group participants have made it safely to Istanbul. A big group arrived late morning and grabbed a quick lunch before resting at the hotel for a few hours. The guides also helped everyone buy phone cards and call family members to confirm their arrivals. Stops at ATMs and for bottled water rounded out the first-day logistics and the remaining three group members' flights landed in late afternoon. Sedat retrieved the final three at the airport and then the whole group enjoyed a full meal in Istanbul's Eyup neighborhood. With fresh bread, salad, kebabs and baklava, the group recuperated from a long day of traveling. Tomorrow will start at 9:30 am, when we'll depart for Miniaturk- details and photos to come! Iyi aksamlar (good evening).
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