Turkey Tit Bits
Good Morning is “günaydın” in Turkish meaning ‘May your morning be bright
and enlightened’. Christianity and Western culture has influenced Turkish
society to a large extent. This influence is evident in many aspects of their
living. Housing is fairly expensive in Turkey. A dwelling in Cappadocia may
cost anywhere up to 75,000 USD and five times that in Istanbul.
Turkish coffee is extremely strong. There is no filtering process as we
know it – boiling water is poured into a cup containing coffee powder and
allowed to settle and consumed thereafter. Turkish ice cream is thick and
dense. Their salads are extremely fresh and delectable. This is one country
where the taste buds of both the vegetarians and the non vegetarians were
wonderfully pandered to. The Turks drink a lot of ‘Sherbet’ - made with flower petals, herbs and spices
mixed with fruit in summer and ‘Sahleb’ in winter - a drink made from tuber
floor that keeps them warm.
Ten of us travelling in a 36 seater bus was sheer luxury – lots of space
and privacy. The monotony of the journey and the forced closeness with others
was totally mitigated. Central Turkey is more traditional and Islam is practised
with more fervour. Konya was the first capital of Turkey followed by Bursa, Edirne,
Istanbul and finally Ankara. The countryside is very pleasant to watch as one
drives along – apple orchards are plentiful in the foreground with snow peaked
mountains as a back drop. Whizzing by, we saw carpets of green grass, beautiful tulips, cafes by the seaside,
children’s parks and even exercise machines by the sea. Unlike the Indian road
scene, there are no human beings to be seen on the highways. In some places the
landscape is dotted with windmills. Turkey used to export large quantities of Marmara
marble to China but this has now considerably reduced as China has reduced the
use of luxury items (or so our guide told us). Individual taxes go up to 30%
and an average middle class family spends up to 2000 USD per month. Public
education is free up to university level. 23rd April is celebrated
as Children’s Day the day on which their 1st National Assembly was
established after the 1st World War. Petrol costs the same amount as
in India.
On the last leg of Turkey journey we visited Pamukale and Hierapolis.
Pamukale meaning "cotton castle" in Turkish, is a hot
spring site in Denzili province in Southwestern Turkey. Hot
calcium-laden waters spring from the earth and cascade over a cliff. As they
cool, they form dramatic Traventines of hard, brilliantly white calcium that
form pools. It is recognized as a World
heritage site together with Hierapolis. Alongside
is located the ancient Roman city of Hierapolis in a valley. Hierapolis was
founded as a thermal spa early in the 2nd century BC. This ancient
town became a healing centre where doctors used the thermal springs as a
treatment for their patients. Some of the excavations are truly amazing in terms
of architecture and sheer grandeur.
The hot springs at Pamukale have to be seen to be believed! The pools are
crystal clear with a mesmerizing touch of white and a hint of celestial blue.
The hills of calcium deposits glisten white in the sunlight, looking snow clad and
wintery. It is only when one nears it does one see it for what it is; another
one of those never ending wonders of nature.
An interesting legend associated with Pamukale was narrated by Mr Arjun
our guide. “There was a young girl who was unmarried and ugly. As no one wanted
to marry her, she decided to commit suicide and she threw herself off the
travertine and fell into a natural pool but did not die. Because of the healing
waters in the natural pool she turned into a very beautiful girl and caught the
attraction of the lord of Denizli while he was passing by. The lord instantly fell
in love with this young and beautiful girl and they soon got married.”
Figure 1 - City of Pamukale
Figure 2 – Fascinating limestone deposits
Figure 3 - Travertine terrace formations
Figure 4 - The pools of Pamukale
Figure 5 – Photo op
Figure 6 – KM in a mischievous mood
Figure 7 – Some competition?
Figure 8 – Jai looking good and relaxed
Figure 9 –Ruins of the Amphitheatre of
Hierapolis with a seating capacity of 15000. 60 AD
Figure
11 - A bath in Cleopatra’s Pool has always been
known to possess healing properties. It is actually a thermal pool where the
water temperature ranges from 36 to 57° Celsius.
Figure 12 – Setting sun from the hotel balcony,
Kusadasi and the vast expanse of the Aegean Sea
After
a refreshing night’s stay in Kusadasi, the next morning we visited a few
ancient historical sites.
The House of Virgin Mary is
located on the top of "Bulbul" – (Nightingale) mountain, 9 km from Ephesus.
The shrine of Virgin Mary is a humble house in the midst of a sprawling
garden. According to legend, this is the place where Mary spent her last days.
It is said that Jesus Christ in the last hours of His life asked John to take
care of his mother. Saint John, brought
Virgin Mary to this house and looked after her. He then spent several years in
the area to spread Christianity. During that period the entire area around Ephesus
was ruled by the Romans.
A
couple of days earlier I had lost the cap of my Nikon camera in Istanbul. As we
were strolling in the garden, Kats saw a camera cap lying on a stone bench
under a tree. On inspection, I found that it was exactly like the cap which I
had lost. Without any hesitation I picked up the cap – to me it was a miracle
of sorts – a gift from Mary herself.
The
place generates a feeling of well being and the atmosphere is filled with a
sense of peace, calmness and piety; a feeling one experiences in truly sacred
places.
Figure 13 – Statue of the Virgin Mary
.
Figure 14 – House of Mary
Figure 15 – Wishing wall, where people write
their wish on a paper and hang it on the wall
Ephesus
In 10 BC, Androclos, the son of the King of
Athens-Kodros, established the city of Ephesus. Ephesus was controlled by the Romans in 190
BC. One is awestruck by the vastness and the reach of the Roman Empire. Their
writ is written all over the conquered land. Ephesus is a typical Roman settlement
with temples, baths, libraries, aqua ducts and the like. A visit to this place
is an eye opener – one sees the existence of a well networked sewage system,
functional toilets, broad roads, libraries and fountains that give us a glimpse
of what life was all about in an ancient roman city.
The ancient city
of Ephesus had two main entrances, the upper and
the lower. The visit starts at the upper
level followed by a slow climb down to the last level.
Figure 16 - This building has the shape of a small amphitheatre with the stage
building, seating and the orchestra. It had a double function. First, it was
used as a Bouleuterion for the meetings of the Boulea or the Senate. The
second function was using the Odeum as a concert hall for performances. It was
constructed in the 2nd century A.D. It had a capacity of 1500 spectators
Figure 17 - Domitian Temple gave this area its name. It was the first temple
to be built in the name of an emperor (81 - 96A.D.)
Figure 18 – Ancient sewage pipe lines
Figure 19 – Photo op
Figure 20 - The Curates Street is one of the main arteries of Ephesus. There were fountains, monuments, statues and shops on the sides of the
street. The shops on the south side were two-storied. Ephesus had many
earthquakes, in which many structures including the Curetes Street were
damaged.
Figure 21 – Self and Dore at the Hercules gate.
Figure 22 – Tablet of Nike Winged Goddess of
Victory in ancient Greek religion.
Figure
23 – Fountain of Trojan. Built around
104 C.E, it is one of the finest monuments in Ephesus. It was constructed in
honor of Emperor Trajan, and the statue of Trajan stood in the central niche on
the facade overlooking the pool.
Figure 24 - There are six residential units on three terraces at the lower end of the slope
of the Bulbul Mountain. The oldest building dates back into the 1C BC and continued in use as residence until the 7C AD. The heating system of the terrace houses were the same as that in
baths. Clay pipes beneath the floors and behind the walls carried
hot air through the houses. The houses also had cold and hot water. The houses
had proper latrines with a very intricate system of sewage and plumbing.The
houses had marble walls with decorated flooring.
Figure 25 – Public
toilets built in 1Century AD. There was an entry
fee to use them.
Figure
26 - This library is one of the most
beautiful structures in Ephesus. It was built in 117 A.D. It was a monumental
tomb for Gaius Julius Celsus Polemaeanus, the governor of the province of
Asia, from his son Galius Julius Aquila. The scrolls of the manuscripts were
kept in cupboards in niches on the walls. There were double walls behind the
bookcases to protect them from the extremes of temperature and humidity. The
capacity of the library was more than 12,000 scrolls. It was the third richest
library in ancient times after the Alexandra and Pergamum.
Figure 27 – Truly memorable visit
Figure 28 – Magnificent road leading to the
theatre.
Figure 29 - The Great Theatre was constructed in
the Hellenistic period but remodelled many times in the Roman period. It is the largest theater in Asia
Minor with accommodation for 25,000 people; 24,000 seats and 1000 standing
places. Construction of the Great Theatre of
Ephesus may have begun during Hellenistic times. The seats at the bottom of the cave had
marble backs and they were used by the most important personalities of the
city.
Basilica of St John
It is believed that
the evangelist St. John spent his last years in the region around
Ephesus and was buried in the southern slope of Ayosolug Hill. Three hundred
years after the death of St. John, a small chapel was constructed
over the grave in the 4th century. The church of St John was
changed into a marvelous basilica during the region of Emperor Justinian (527
-565 AD). It is believed that the Apostle John traveled from Jerusalem along with
Mary somewhere between 37 and 48 AD. to the city of Ephesus where he remained
for the rest of his life. John was martyred at the age of 98 under the rule
of the Emperor Trajan.
Figure 30 – Main gate leading to the basilica
Figure 31 – Ruins of the basilica
Figure 32 – Resting place of Saint John
Figure 33 – The gang
Figure 34 – End of a memorable visit to Turkey
– in the hotel room for a farewell drink.
Turkey
surprised us with its gentle, tolerant and courteous people, its romantic
cities, its ancient architecture and its mix of the modern and the traditional.
It is a country that has character, beauty and a sense of history. It is
blessed with a wonderful climate yielding wondrous produce; a country that
needs to be savoured slowly and leisurely till its charm seeps into your very
being and you return home treasuring the time that you spent there.
