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Day 1- June17- Meet in Istanbul, dinner at Yesil Ev. Great lamb kebabs, coban kavurma, crème caramel.

Day 2- Drive to Iznik, cross Izmit Bay on the ferry. See the Hagia Sophia and the museum in Iznik. Lakeside lunch and drive to Bursa. See “Green” tomb and Mosque, check into hotel and walk to Great Mosque (local schoolteacher told Richard and Louise that there are 192 sayings written in 13 different types of calligraphy on the walls). Free time for Cocoon Market and Alexander's Kebab.

Travel Quiz Question #1; Is the Green tomb really green?

Steve’s Helpful Hint: Many of the life preservers on the boats are just decorations. Check before you try rescuing someone as the life preservers may be glued to the boat.

Day 3- Drive to Gelibolu, then to Eceabat (cross Dardanelles on ferry) Lunch at Maydos “Vegemite” Restaurant along Dardanelles. With Guven, see the Gelibolu peninsula and the war memorials including Turkish 57th regiments memorial and where Ataturk got hit by shrapnel. Visit Troy with Mustafa Askin. Arrive Adatepe, overnight.

Inscription of Gelibolu Memorial “Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives… you are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side here in this country of ours… You, the mothers, who sent their sons from far away countries wipe away your tears; your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. After having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well.” Ataturk, 1934

Travel Quiz Question #2; Why are there so many sea shells in Troy?

a) Sea shells were mixed with other materials to make bricks used to build Troy.

b) Troy once was part of the sea.

Day 4- Local woman’s helpful hint: If you take your goat to work (in the fields) you’ll always have fresh milk to drink.

Countryside walk with Rifat. We chat with the women at the spring, the men at the café, and have tea with a local who spontaneously invites us all in for tea, gozleme and ayran for lunch in village center. Olive oil museum (explained by Metin). Dinner at Elizabeth’s (great beets!)

Travel Quiz Question #3; How many kinds of oregano are found around Bahcedoe Village?

a) 8 b) 80 c) 180 d) 800

Travel Quiz Question #4; Which of the following statements about olive oil are true?

a) Olive trees are violently beaten to harvest the fruit

b) Adatepe produces one of the finest olive oil in the world.

c) The best olive oil is hot pressed.

d) The best olive oil is made from olives that are caught in nets.

Day 5-  We learn about a Turcoman saying, “knock the pine tree down”, meaning to make a stupid mistake. They think bears are rather stupid, breaking and falling from pine trees that are too small for their size. Leave Adatepe after photographing “Nobel”, the Sivas Kangal dog. Go to Tahtakuslar Ethnographic Museum, learn about Turcomans  that settled in Kaz Mt. after 15th C. (Lecturer Alibey Kudar). See Sevim’s studio on the Aegean. Visit the Acropolis of Pergamum and drive to Sirince. Sevim comes from Ankara at night

Travel Quiz Question #5; Gozleme are;

a) Turkish pastry stuffed with cheese or other fillings

b) Turkish love songs

c) A handwoven Turkish fabric used in a hamam

Day 6- Walk through village to meet Okan at bus. Meet our archeologist friend at lower gate of Ephesus. Learn about ancient road signs and visit Slope Houses extensively.Spend afternoon in Ephesus Museum with him. Witness with museum staff the “golden goal” that wins the game for Turkey and takes her into the semifinals. Play with Greek and Roman artifacts at the office

Travel Quiz Question #6; Water was recycled and used in Ephesus for which of the following?
a) To grind grain
b) To cut marble
c) The sludge from marble was
i) mixed with lime and sand to make mortar
ii) used to settle win
iii) used in making paint for frescos
d) To press olives
e) In forge and iron work

Day 7- Leave Sirince for Bodrum. First visit Priene, ancient city, and Alexander’s House. Have lunch in Didim across from the temple. Patlican paradise - hot and cold patlican prepared 5 ways (mashed, grilled, mixed with tomato, stuffed, prepared with potatoes); best calamari! See the temple of Apollo in Dydima. Go to Bodrum. We learn from Sevim about the saying, “see the stork in the air”. When yousee a stork in the air, it means you will be travelling a lot.

Travel Quiz Question #7; The pillars in the temple of Apollo in Didyma are the largest existing marble pillars in the world. T/F

Day 8- Walk to St. Peter’s Castle to see the Underwater Archeological Museum.Visit museum thoroughly. (Byzantine shipwreck, Glass ShipwreckHall, Glass Hall, Uluburun Hall - oldest shipwreck ever found and excavated from 15th Cent. BC, hall of Queen Ada). Lunch in museum. Dinner all together at Epsilen, listen to flute music

Sarah’s helpful hint: Never make shish kebab on an oleander stick (oleander is poisonous).

Travel Quiz Question #8; Who is Belinda?

a) a Carian princess

b) a famous Turkish singer we met at Mujde’s home

c) one of the many great hostesses from a pension we stayed in

Day 9- Walk to Mausoleum. Drive to Marmaris. Arrive at boat, ODIN, for lunch. Shop for food, start to sail at 4:00 PM Go to Koycesiz Bay. Steve presents Sevim with a poster of Gone with the Wind, her favorite movie, as we sing the theme song. Overnight (gorgeous moon!)

Sarah’s helpful hint: Best sun screen, Coppertone Sport
Travel Quiz Question #9; The “Twins” are:
a) Sarah and Kathryn
b) the name of a constellation of stars we viewed from our boat
c) two legendary warriors in the Trojan War

Day 10- Wake up on boat, sail to Iztuzu (Caretta Caretta) beach where the turtles lay eggs. Swim off the shore. Boat through marshes to Kaunos ancient city. Walk to Kaunos, walk to theatre. Lunch on boat. Lake fish (kefal) and crab (grilled). See some rock cut tombs of Lycians. Go to Cleopatra’s mud bath, sink in mud. Boat back to Mediterranean to meet our “own” boat. See a caretta caretta!!! Swim and sing.

Travel Quiz Question #10; “Magnum” is:

a) a popular clothing store in Turkey

b) a powerful firearm

c) an ice cream bar

d) the highest academic honor one can achieve (magnum cum laude)

Travel Quiz Question #11; Caretta carettas swim to Turkey from Vietnam. T/F

Day 11- Weighed anchor and left Ecinicik on ESE x E bearing 45 degrees (per Steve). Boat to Fethiye Korfezi sail in Gocek Bay. Anchor at Bedri Rahmi Bay. Swim and rest. BBQ dinner (grey mullet and stuffed mushrooms). Disembark in Gocek. Meet bus and Okan, drive to Kayakoy/Fethiye.

Yelkenler fora! (“Set the sail” or get going/step on it!) Shopping: Local wildflower honey, 800 grams for 6.5 milyon lirasi - brought to your boat door by a local boat.

Travel Quiz Question #12; On this trip a “noodle” or “macaroni” referred to:
a) a form of pasta
b) another word for brain, as “using your noodle”
c) a flotation device

Day 12- Kayakoy Village walk with Figen and Michael. See beautiful but unidentifiable blue birds. Drive to Oludeniz (Dead Sea) for a photo op. Go to Fethiye for Rock cut tombs. Free time for lunch. Drive to Xantos and visit. Overnight in Kalkan, free time for dinner.

Travel Quiz Question #13; Any good archaeologist can date artifacts by:
a) hairstyles
b) shopping lists and their prices
c) none of the above
d) both of the above

Travel Quiz Question #14; Which of the following are thought to explain the holes found in churches:

a) gold and other valuables were hidden inside the holes, which were then plastered over
b) the holes held pots which improved the acoustics
c) the holes held pots which decreased the humidity and cooled the church

Day 13- Breakfast on the terrace. Drive to Ucagiz village. Get on the boat for sunken city visit. See ruins from the glass bottom of boat. Drive to Myra and Church of St. Nicholas, Arykanda on the mountain top. Quick dinner and then go to Aspendos Theatre for Swan Lake.

Biggest complaint of the trip: “This bread’s too thick!”. In reply, Sevim told us that you if the bread is fresh, you won’t be able to slice it thin.

Travel Quiz Question #15; What city has no prison because there has been no crime in the last century?
a) Istanbul b) Kalkan c) Bodrum

Day 14- Visit Aspendos and Antalya Archaelogical Museum. Dinner in Dogu Garaji (Eastern Otogar). Kolay Gelsin (may it be easy)

Travel Quiz Question #16; List the Turkish World Heritage Sites you have visited.

Travel Quiz, Answers

1. False, the Green Mosque is really blue, but at that time there was no word for blue.

2. a) Sea shells were mixed with other materials to make bricks used to build Troy.

3. b) There are 80 kinds of oregano found in the Bahcedoe Village. 

4. True, a) Olive trees are violently beaten to harvest the fruit. b) Adatepe produces one of the finest olive oil in the world. d) The best olive oil is made from olives that are caught in nets and never allowed to touch the ground. False, c) The best olive oil is cold pressed, not hot pressed.

5. a) Gozleme are Turkish pastry stuffed with cheese or other fillings.

6. All are correct. Water was recycled and used in Ephesus to grind grain and cut marble. The sludge from marblewas mixed with lime and sand to make mortar, used to settle wine, and used in making paint for frescos. It was also used to press olives, and forge and iron work.

7. True, the pillars in the temple of Apollo in Didyma are the largest existing marble pillars in the world. 

8. a) Belinda was a Carian princess, hastily named by Bahadir Berkaya until her real identity (Queen Ada) could be determined. 

9. a) The “Twins” are Sarah and Kathryn, so called due to their uncanny similarities.

10. c) “Magnum” is an ice cream bar.

11. True, caretta carettas swim to Turkey from Vietnam!

12. c) A “noodle” or “macaroni is a floatation device.

13. d) Any good archaeologist can date artifacts by either hairstyles or shopping lists and their prices.

14. All are correct. All of the following are thought to explain the holes found in churches. a) gold and other valuables were hidden inside the holes, which were then plastered over; b) the holes held pots which improved the acoustics; c) the holes held pots which decreased the humidity and cooled the church.

15. b) Kalkan has no prison and no crime in the last century. (Did you see the dungeon in Bodrum?)

16. Turkish World Heritage sites you visited on this trip: Ephesus, Istanbul,Troy, Xantos. There’s one more but even Lale doesn’t remember what it is.

17. Top of the page; All are correct. a) mmm, mmm, mmm!; b) WOW!; c) Nasty! d) Hee Haw!

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