Istanbul, day one: aka June 16

Happy birthday part 2 to mom, she feels since it's still the 15th in California, that means she gets a second birthday...fine by me, id be happy to just get one. Why we keep doing this to ourselves = beyond me....got in past midnight, and it's now 8am, and we're on our way to cruise up the Boospherous, not sure exactly what this will consist of, so I've got my bikini on under my shorts and tank. Get on the bus with the other passengers....and find myself face to face with my first full fledged burka....awesome, not that they didn't think I was a sinning skin showing slut who's headed to hell before...now I'm in shorts and a bikini. Goodie me. Gotta admit, really didn't think a tourist bus would be the first time I ran into a burka (technically there were 3) anyway through a 1/2 sleep haze we're told we're going to the spice market first, then to the boat. Spice market is super cool, and a must see/do for anyone who visits Istanbul. The prices are set here, no haggling...however, this isn't to say one vendor won't have a better price than another. So be sure to check a few shops before you commit. There's also essential oils, lokum (Turkish delight) and it's made with honey, not sugar or  corn syrup like the pre made boxed stuff. They have Turkish saffron for £3 for a huge bag...which gets you in the shop, once you're in, they pull out the good stuff, Spanish, Lebanese, Istanbul...it costs more, but compared to what one pays in the US, it's still very cheap, (I paid roughly $40 for 3oz) and it's so pretty! Beautiful deep red color, great smell. They have huge bins full of every spice and tea you can imagine. The market has been around since 1660, called the Egyptian spice market as this was the meeting place for the spice/silk road...and if you close your eyes, you can almost imagine what it must have been in those days....on the outer edge, a vendor still had medicinal leeches for sale. (yes really). We headed over to the boat, and it began to POUR...ugh bummer, and guess my bathing suit was a non needed item. (boat had a covered portion, and the rain dissipated about 5 minutes after it started) There are palaces on both sides of the bosphorus, and you can really see the influence of the Asian vs European architecture. I've now seen not only a different country while standing on the shore of another (Greece to Turkey) now, I've seen another continent from the shore of another (Asia to Europe). Pretty frigging cool...and now, time for a nap.       

The world through another's eyes..and happy birthday to mom!

It takes 13 hours to get to Turkey (if you fly direct) and I've heard many times "wow that's really far" and being an American is rather an anomaly here..yet it takes an Aussie, or a Kiwi over 20 hours to get here, and there are no direct flights. We've met a ton of them, and no one seems to think it odd they flew all this way to spend a brief time here in . I now know why. The Anzac campaign of 1915 world war one. It lasted eight months and cost 500,000 lives. That is half a million people dead, an entire graduating class of the largest university in Istanbul gone before many of them would have even been old enough to drive today. I'd heard of Brighton beach, I had no idea it was off the coast of Turkey. Th soldiers were supposed to have landed here, but missed. This and many other small "what if's" and "if only's" led to a fruitless battle where the Turks were determined to keep their homeland, and the Allied forces, just wouldn't quit. One solider wrote: "I saw a Turk today, he looks just as human as I, why are we killing them?" they traded cigarette papers for tobacco,  shared water and food, clapped to each others songs by night, and got to the business of shooting each other by day. The trenches were close enough to each other you could easily carry on a conversation, and could even tell by the inflection of the voices if something (an attack) was immanent. This was a battle that has shaped the history of Australia, Turkey, and New Zealand, and was something I had no clue of until today. To see the pain of another countries history, something that has colored the view of their world, yet to be so removed from it...is a very sobering experience. I felt almost like a gawker going by a tragedy on a freeway. Both sides lost so much, and gained nothing..at least nothing at that time. Now through this common pain, the nations have formed a bond, and though they were on opposite sides of the battle lines, the pain is mutual. The sadness shared, and the determination to remember the insanity, the brutality and absurd loss that is war is a lesson all who travel here carry with them. The reality of the pages in the history books becomes a real experience that remains part of your soul. Something you remember forever. Bit of a heavy day for moms birthday! We did have a bit of raki to celebrate. And now, off to Istanbul! And we've been bus-wacked. Farfegnugen. Plus side, we're only going 1 way, everyone else did Istanbul, and back. This is a rather common phenomenon here, somehow the bus driver knows who's going where, who's not coming back, and where we're dropping one person off or picking another up. Sometimes a tourist, other times a local...if you're headed the right direction, people catch a ride! Nother plus, it's a tour bus (no pit stench!) down side...5 hours till we arrive. Blogging time!
Quotes:
"We look forward to the time when the Power of Love will replace the Love of Power. Then will our world know the blessings of peace." -William Gladstone
"When my heart is at peace, the world is at peace." -Chinese Proverb
"There never was a good war or bad peace." -Benjamin Franklin
"Peace is always beautiful." -Walt Whitman
"It is no longer good enough to cry peace, we must act peace, live peace, and live in peace." -Shenandoah proverb
Info on Gallipoli campaign:
http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/war/the-gallipoli-campaign/introduction
http://www.firstworldwar.com/battles/overview_gf.htm
And there's a movie: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082432/ (starring Mel Gibson)

The place of legend!

So friggin excited!!! Before we get to Troy...a bit about the travel to get here. As previously mentioned, We were caught in a bit of a rain storm yesterday (people must really think I'm a loon, as I was laughing jubilantly at the whole affair) saw a couple of girls on a mo-ped, the one on the back was holding the umbrella open, awesome....but priceless goes to the guy speed walking down the street with a hand clutched desperately over his breast pocket to protect his ciggys...no hat mind you and he was getting soaked, but he could smoke! (when he got where he was going I presume) the day started out quite lovely, so as we were headed to the bathes, and then to shop, I was wearing shorts, a shirt, and had my sweatshirt in my smaller backpack for the plane...I had originally intended to change into my capris prior to getting to the airport...however, though I found the rain fun(ny) to watch, had about 0 intention of walking the 15 minutes (each way) up the hill and back to get my change of clothes...yeah, traveling inland in a Muslim country in shorts (in high sing song voice again) awwwkkkward. And not high on my "recommended" list. Plus, it's cold, planes are always cold, and these were no exception. Nothing too dramatic, just a few more intense (I refer to them as "whore of babylon") stares than normal..and believe me, being stared at, picked up on, and borderline harassed, is par for the course. (and men wonder why women are bitchy: you passed complimentary, and into obnoxious about 70 fuckin' "no thank you's" earlier) travel tip numero UNO: get yourself a wedding band, or a burka, or both. The no flights out of Chanakkale until 2 days post when we intend to leave is all coming together now, as is the no direct flight (getting here started with a car ride at 6pm, and we got to the hotel past midnight.) this airport qualifies as one of the smallest I've ever seen, (perspective, I've been my share of municple airports) Another early morning, thankfully though the tour's done by noon(ish). Sadly, Troy was discovered by a treasure hunter, not an archeologist, so the majority of what was discovered was knocked down, dug out and pillaged, and as of WWII, the jewelry etc, is now in Russia (and they refuse to date to return it, lame) there are actually 9 versions of Troy, the one of Homers poem (the horse, Achilles, Helen etc) is believed to be that of 6 &7. Six is of the correct time period, has a well thought out city pan, and seems to have dwellings outside the city walls. 7, is a hodgepodge and everyone is now in the city walls. Lots of very large amphora (clay storage containers) are found in the floors of this city, as if the residents were prepared for (or going through) a siege. The area's prone to earthquakes, hence the multiple cities built on each other. Every 100 years or so, an earthquake decimates the area. It's abandoned (sometimes the inhabitants die during the quake. The buildings are covered by soil...and then a new group decides to build again (long pauses between city building here, we're talking hills covering the previous dwellings...not always the case as some of the walls are built atop the prior foundation, but in many cases, 100s of years passed between 1 city being built to the next.  So many years and cities in fact, that the area is now a hill. It was once a harbor town. The water has receded, the earth is still very furtive, and the river described in Homers poems are still of the same name and flowing as described. Though the story of Helen sounds romantic,  let's face it...this thing went on for a decade...I'm sure a dudes attention would have been dissuaded in this time. As are all wars, this was about power and position. Troy was in a veer strategical point of the Dardanelles, and as during this time period, sailors needed to wait for the right winds, he who controlled the area, controlled the money. So the Turks had it, and the Greeks wanted it...(sounds a bit familiar,hey?) according to the archeologists who now are exploring the cite, there's easily 125 years worth of excavations to be done....hopefully we take care of ourselves and the planet long enough to get to it all...in the mean time, the actual horse remains a mystery. No one is really sure if it was created as a battering ram, a device to trick the Turks (as described) some other type of war tool, or is simply a thing of myth and legend. We do know, the city itself was very real. The walls were in fact very decorative, and it seems the war did happen. The rest....
Quotes:
"Time! the corrector when our judgments err."  ~Lord Byron
"Time is the coin of your life.  It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent.  Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you."  ~Carl Sandburg
"Time is a figure eight, at its center the city of Deja Vu."  ~Robert Brault

Turkish bath!!! And, umm that was hail..

Because the trek to Pumakkale was a 12 hour endeavor, we opted to stay another night in Kusadasi, and head up to Canakkale (where Troy is) on Tuesday. Ate breakfast, showered, packed, put our bags downstairs and headed toward he center to see Mamko the travel agent from Tayf tours  (www.tayftours.com)who (in our opinion) totally rocks! They've got offices in Athens, Istanbul, Canada and the US, and he listens to what you're asking for, and his prices were equal to what I was finding on booking.com and such...minus all the work (umm YAY!) much rather give a live person a booking fee than some faceless nameless corporation. We got our tickets for our flight, gave him a few more things to look into and were off to experience our first (oh yes e will be more!) Turkish bath. Side rant, okay here people, you have about a millennia on us dumb ass europeans who seemed to think not bathing was some type of badge of honor (I'm so healthy I only needed one bath -nasty! Also why there were June weddings, that was the bathing month...) would a little deode-eo really hurt so damn bad today? And since it seems to, kindly keep your arm pit out of my face...again, thank you ferry system, don't think the bus system, winding roads, and au du heat wave would have made for a fun combo...anywho...back to the baths! The place is gorgeous. The reception area has a little fountain and some benches around it. (there's also a tv in the corner to remind you this is still the 20th century) you check in and can opt to purchase some upgrades (a mud mask, and/or oil massage) mud mask was needed for me (sunscreen + heat + hormones = breakout, boo) but wasn't anything special, so unless your face is an unruly mess, it can be skipped. The oil massage on the other hand, go for the longest one they offer, umm AWESOME (said in frilly sing song voice) after check in you get a locker key, head upstairs and change into your bathing suit (this was a coed bath) come back downstairs go through the reception area, a second waiting room, and on into the wash area. There's a huge tiled slab here. It's a huge hexagon that's heated from the center out. You lay on it (along with the others) and sweat. Around the edge of the room there is a ledge for sitting with faucets and basins placed about 2 body widths apart. If you get too hot, or want to sweat more, you go to a basin, dip the bowl in the water and pour it on yourself. Around 15 minutes after you arrive, the guys who work there come in and start splashing everyone with water. To prevent the water from getting in my eyes, I had them closed...which led to me getting a nice cold bowl full dumped on my belly. (squeak!) one by one each person is asked to sit up (there are 2 different guys doing this station) and you get loofaed.  (I was asked if this was my first time bathing as I had a LOT of dry skin, hee hee) from here you go to get your soap massage. The guy takes what looks like a pillow case out of the water blows air into it, and then squeezes from the top down, and wahla, your soaped up! Your massaged with a wash cloth, then asked to flip over...by this time I was so slippery, he slid me 1/2 way across the platform (the platform is easily 4.5 meters) fro here they direct you to one of the basins (not yet in use) and wash you off. You stay there and continue to cool down, and can splash yourself as much as you'd like while you wait. In groups of about 4 you then head out to the 2nd waiting area you passed through on the way in. Your wrapped in a sarong, and the towel is fanned around your shoulders before being wrapped. Ougb it didn't feel cool on your way into e bath...the anti room, now feels chilly, nice, not too cold, but a definite downgrade in temperature. After cooling off a bit more back to the main waiting area, a cup of tea, and then massage time! And it is melt on the table, can I please pay for more time awesome. Mom was a bit oily after...my skin was so dry it soaked all the oil up. Travel funk be gone! Too bad I'm still in the same clothes, oh well. We head back to the center, grab some lunch, and were going to do a bit of shopping as well as look for a place to mail out the postcards. Mother nature had other plans. The outside cafe ended up huddled under a few umbrellas while the main road turned to an impromptu river..and it HAILED, only for about 20 seconds, but still!! (you're welcome California, yes the weather here went nuts too...for a few hours) so, instead of shopping, made friends with the waiter and a German gentleman who is in real estate. Had an early birthday cake for mom, and headed to the airport. Tomorrow: Troy! (yes, "that one" that Hollywood had staring Brad Pitt...the Iliad and Odyssey: Troy) doesn't get much more legendary than this! So amazing. Yay
Quotes: "Chaos is inherent in all compounded things. Strive on with diligence." -Buddha
"In the sky, there is no distinction of east and west; people create distinctions out of their own minds and then believe them to be true." -Buddha
"Every man dies. Not every man really lives." -William Wallace 
"Everything has been figured out, except how to live." -Jean-Paul Sartre   

I have seen where the end was written, and now know where to get to Hades- beware!

But first, let's back up a bit... Recall how I mentioned when someone tells you "it can't be done" say thank you so much, and ask someone else? Case in point. Today is election day (yep on a Sunday, weird to an American view point) our hotel told us they called 4 travel companies and no one was going to Pumakkale today...we walked to the center and went to the one I had seen the previous night, (yes it was open at 10pm) 1 phone call later, and we were set, nice. Headed into the shopping district of old town, again, everything was open...clubs, restaurants, stores, even the stylists..and this is the part where we were side tracked. Before leaving San Francisco I was a bit busy packing up my room, getting all the paperwork, travel supplies, and loose ends tied up...so my hair, was left off the "done list" and when my hair gets long, it's heavy, and gives me headaches...especially in the heat when it's in a pony tail. Add to this the lack of conditioner, (not a single bottle or pump to be had to date ladies, add it to the travel should have list) sooo....needless to say the straw that was 3/4 down my back was in desperate need of help. One shampoo, a deep condition, some color and a much needed cut later, and I'm a new gal! Thank you Turkey!!! I know of no other place where you can drink wine with your stylist in the salon while getting your hair done until 1:15am...do you? Before we went to the springs we walked through some of the ruins of the ancient city. Huge Roman amphitheater apparently one can tell if it's Greek or Roman based on the shape, horseshoe = Roman, 1/2 circle = Greek...dont ask me to tell ya he difference between a 1/2 circle and a horseshoe, because...uhh...to date (that's 7+ amphitheaters peeps..)yeah, lost on me: column differences on the other hand, totally your girl! From here we walked to where the temple of Apollo was, and the gate to Hades(which have both been knocked down, Apollo in the name of Christianity, Hades in the name of a gate to the underworld..well we can see where that could be misused.)  Pumukkale needs to be added to the bucket list y'all. Its breathtaking and like no other place I've ever seen. The upper third of the mountain is covered in calcium, from a distance it looks like snow, or spun cotton. Hence the name, Pumukkale translates to cotton castle, and the area has bee used since antiquity to treat wool (makes it super soft) and every aliment known to man...today it still boasts it'll cure (pretty much everything) that ails ya! The pools are blue by day (pink at sunrise/set) and though they look rather deep, at most, you're up to your knees. The pools are shaped like the shelf mushrooms you see in the forest on dying trees...when you take a moment to reflect tthe travertine has been here and used pre 2nd century BC, how special this place is...it really is beyond words. You aren't allowed to wear shoes on the pools...and surprisingly, the formations (even at noon in 27 degree heat) are still very cool to the touch (think of drying potters clay, same type of feel) the springs claim to fix everything from stress to blood pressure to weight issues to...basically you name it. By the end of this trip (we're at natural hot spring #3 for me) I expect to look the same as I did at 16 from my hair to my skin to my pants size, and I'm guessing I'll be healthy for minimally the next 5+ years (hee hee). The government now controls the water flow so only portions of the pools are opened on any given day. Without the flow control the water would become red or brown (some would remain blue) depending upon the amounts of minerals, and flow direction/volume. Despite the hand of man, this place takes your breath away and soaking in the pools, though I can't speak to the other claims, is surely relaxing...and standing under the water falls to rinse off the bluish green clay, is fun too ;). (think of a mud mask, but au natural!)
Pamukkale info: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/485
http://www.sacred-destinations.com/turkey/hierapolis-pamukkale
Quotes: "Life is a magnificent manifestation where if we honour Sacred Mother Earth, rivers of love will flow freely. New levels of spiritual awareness are upon us and by recognizing their beauty we can inspire every aspect of our lives. Let your soul be an oasis of transformation that takes your life to the next level and fulfills your dreams. Rejoice in your awakening, the future is now and love is in every breath you take." -Micheal Teal
"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible." -Dalai Lama
"If one is lucky, a solitary fantasy can totally transform one million realities." -Maya Angelou 

#3 for me!

Yup the third of seven ancient world wonders on the "to do" list for today. Got a bus to Ephesus. £5.00...and the buses here, they're what we call shuttles in the city. The Turks would likely be appalled by the muni busses in SF. Before you get into the archeological site, there are shops and a few eateries, and (to date) my favorite shop sign/motto: (ya ready? It's awesome promise!) "Genuine Fake Watches!" I nearly fell over laughing...made mom find it for herself, (way too fun to spoil it by pointing it out!) oh yes, pictures were taken! Walked around for about 4 hours, saw 2 amphitheaters, one for games and plays the other (smaller) for government business, (speeches and the like) and concerts. This was a huge port city. The most famous ruin is the library...makes the SF main library look like plain Jane. The library was constructed well after the city was built, and was given what little space was left in the city walls. To make up for it's size, the architect used grander, the two story structures facade is still amazingly gorgeous. Marble, 8 statues, the columns and stairs are set in a way to trick the eye into believing the space is much larger than it really was. There's the remains of a public latrine, a bath house, some homes, terrace houses, the umm oldest female profession area (look it up if you're unaware) a gate of Zeus that was created to be small enough that no chariots could come through. Some temples dedicated to various emperors. On to Artemis procession way (woo who must be getting close to Artemis' temple), more shops (stoa)...and we're at another paid entrance. (be tee dub, ya can get the genuine fake watch at this entrance too- I know you had to be concerned about this!) Frick...how on earth did we miss the biggest temple of Ephesus?!? Whatever, I'm hungry and about to get nasty about it...(did I mention it's frigging humid and H-O-T...with an occasional breeze) ask the guard, (repeatedly) may we go eat and come back in? "Yes, go ahead." oh yay! After a leisurely (70+) minute lunch, I go say hello to a shop keepers puppy, to discooovvveerr. Artemis' temple...yeah it's not in the Ephesus archeological site....umm alrighty then. So happy I asked!!! I'm in Kusadasi specifically to see said world wonder...no the tiny "dedicated to" from such and such family on the procession row wasn't what we were looking for, (nice try mumsicle) get back to the gate, and cause a bit of a hullabaloo...am shown the fine print that states (basically) no in and outs...yeah dude, thanks for the reading lesson..this was why I asked, 3 times if eating was okay...you said yes...and since when does going to some type of monument/park etc have a no reentry rule?!? Good grief. Said my oops sorries, and with £20 (each) still in my pocket, an empty bladder and a refueled system, headed the kilometer+ back to the other gate, grabbed a cab, and off to the temple of Artemis... Zee temple of Artemis (no entry fee) is now mostly under a lake. There's one pillar left but not much else,(lots of cute baby turtles though, and geese and there's a stork nest on the top of the last standing pillar)  the grounds are HUGE, this would have given a Vegas hotel property a run for who's bigger. Though this was officially part of ancient Ephesus, I'm glad we cabbed it...(about the same as walking from the outer Mission to the Marina in SF, hills included, add heat) walked into Selçuk, went by a mosque, saw (another) castle of St. John (spelled Jean here) opted "no" on the entry fee for this one...(castle #4 for us, no offense but it's nearly 5, and we started around 10ish) got directions from the guy working at the castle door (4 points to Turkey, none of the "just go straight") get back to the bus and head back to Kusadasi. Gorgeous sunset, walk to the center for dinner (we're sidetracked, more about that on the next post) get home around 1:30am, and off to sleep. We're headed to Pumakkale at 8am!!,
More info on Ephesus: http://www.ephesus.us/ephesus/ephesus_history.htm
Temple of Artemis: http://www.sacred-destinations.com/turkey/ephesus-temple-of-artemis
Quotes:  
"Every exit is an entry somewhere.” -Tom Stoppard
“When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.” – Lao Tzu
“We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the life that is waiting for us.” – Joseph Campbell

2 islands, 2 ferries, 2 countries, 1 day:

Mom got a ride on the scooter (third scooter ride for her!!! Way to go mumsie!) to the ferry terminal, I opted to walk. (and was there about 20 seconds after they arrived, granted I had about a minute head start) the El Greco is a great little hotel (more like an apartment) there's a washer (sadly we weren't here long enough to have our clothes dry) a microwave, toaster oven, coffee maker, and a ceiling fan...I've been rather surprised by the lack of ceiling fans here...one would think a fan would cut back on electricity bills...yet, this is the first place we've stayed (honestly likely the 5th ceiling fan in total) that we've seen. There's a great roof deck with a view of the majority of the island (blocked by a rock on a small section). Patmos, though it's visited by a few cruise ships, is a bit more off the tourist track, and therefore very charming. The owner of the Greco is a history major, and has been a guide for years. His father is from Dallas, his mom, Greece. Ladies, be sure to wear your wedding band...even if you're single. Trust me on this. I'm honestly contemplating a burka. (no really I am) too bad they don't come in pretty colors, and you can't tan through the damn things...not to mention you'd roast...still, ownership and wearing is on the strong maybe list. Ferry ride was rather long...mostly because the benches weren't anywhere as comfortable as the seats on the blue line. Flip side, I was in the sun AND saw dolphins!!! So frigging awesome! And we saw 2 sets, or the same pod twice, not sure, still amazing. Yay! Landed in Samos, got a cab to the other side of the island (where the ferry for Kusadasi leaves) left our bags at the booking agent office. (they offer storage for backpackers-sweet!) walked down the waterfront, WAY more fish here than we've seen the whole trip (including the dead stuff floating in Rhodes) and these little fishies were alive and well, different sizes, shapes and colors...too bad there's no time for a dive. Ate at a cafe with free WiFi, and booked our hotel in Turkey. Water was rather choppy and the ferry gave a new definition to s-l-o-w....pretty sure we drifted out of the harbor. A few hours later, and some unexplained zig zags to cross the short distance from Samos, and we're back in Turkey. Got to our hotel in time to watch a beautiful sunset from our 4th floor balcony, nice. Went down to the center had some shish for dinner, was pretty good...but pretty sure it wasn't what I ordered (lamb chops) sometimes that happens. (for those who don't know the "sometimes that happens" story, ask...it's a darn good giggle!)
 “I soon realized that no journey carries one far unless, as it extends into the world around us, it goes an equal distance into the world within.” – Lillian Smith
 “A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving.” – Lao Tzu