Okay. It doesn't really seem like it never happened, but it could soon. That is always the most disappointing part of a wonderful experience -- it becomes the past. I guess when there are things you don't want to remember (like childbirth or pain from an accident) it's not a bad deal but when it is something you want to keep fresh and alive, this human process can leave you too distant. I loved the experience of traveling--of meeting people, seeing different cultures, tasting new spices, smelling unique smells, and hearing the various languages all at once. Now that I'm back, I'm a bit bored. I still have plenty of things to do (work, exercise, organize, etc.) but they seem a bit routine at the moment.
As I reflect, I'm pleased with the opportunity I had and wonder what it would be like to live in a different culture for a longer period of time. I'm imagining that I might miss the many people I care about, but I think it might take awhile before that would seem awful. I guess I didn't really get lonely much this summer. Of course, it helped having Cody, Setare, Cheryl, and Marat to spend time with while there. I think you build a network where ever you are (as Cheryl has done).
The things I'm left wondering: can I truly learn a new language? would I grow disillusioned with the various cultural realities? would I feel older? younger? lonely? sad? does requiring women NOT to cover just become another controlling entity? where next shall I go.
If you have answers to these questions -- let me know. Thanks for reading my blog and I will return when I have more to say.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Friday, September 3, 2010
Cody's article about Spain: Campeones del Mundo
Campeones del Mundo
In the summer of 2010 nations from around the world played futbol in South Africa with the goal of bringing eternal glory to their respective country. Friends one day became enemies the next. With the game on the line, the hopes and dreams of millions followed each player’s every move. This World Cup produced magnificent wins, heart wrenching defeats, and enough controversy to last a lifetime. But for one American “soccer” fan learning Spanish and spending a relaxing summer in Espana, summer was all but relaxing; it was an exhilarating opportunity of a lifetime. Each day of class was nicely complemented with pinch of culture thanks to the most popular sport in the world.
I arrived in Alicante a week before my session began and learned how many Spaniards watch THE game. Sitting outside in downtown Alicante with thousands of fan surrounding me doing the same, I first caught a glimpse of what was to become a remarkable summer. Chants of “Yo soy espanol, espanol, espanol” was sung in perfect harmony to the Vuvuzela horns echoing off the buildings. Gasps of horror sounded when an opponent’s goal seemed inevitable, but sights of relief soon followed as the keeper made a tremendous block. A hero emerged during these first few games, a man known as David Villa. Countless times during the next month a memorable phrase could often be heard throughout the game: “Villa, Villa, Villa, Villa maravilla.”
In Madrid, the excitement and futbol fever increased ten-fold. Spain kept winning, knocking off neighbor Portugal and then Paraguay. Countless thousands watched from the Madrid stadium as more flocked to every bar in the city. The commotion that followed a simple shot on goal rivaled the most important touchdown in a Texas football game. No words can describe the scene as victory was declared. Drums, horns, and screams meshed to produce a symphony that even Beethoven would have loved. The only thing more impressive then the sound was the sight. Everywhere one looked only red and yellow appeared.
For two more games the frenzy continued until, after two hours of futbol on the 11th of July, 2010, the final whistle blew. Only one team remained. The score: Espana one, the Netherlands zero. Spain had survived its greatest game of all time to become, for the first time, campeones del mundo. And I, a college student who had played this wonderful game as a child gained a new appreciation for the enthusiasm and honor futbol could bring to a country.
My name is Cody and I am a Senior at the University of Oregon. I am studying
Political science, but after my experience in San Sebastian, I need to add
traveling, a beach, wonderful food, and una siesta into requirements for my
next job. I enjoy all of the aforementioned activities as well as backpacking
and cooking. I look forward to another year of school, graduation in the
spring, and another opportunity to explore the world.
In the summer of 2010 nations from around the world played futbol in South Africa with the goal of bringing eternal glory to their respective country. Friends one day became enemies the next. With the game on the line, the hopes and dreams of millions followed each player’s every move. This World Cup produced magnificent wins, heart wrenching defeats, and enough controversy to last a lifetime. But for one American “soccer” fan learning Spanish and spending a relaxing summer in Espana, summer was all but relaxing; it was an exhilarating opportunity of a lifetime. Each day of class was nicely complemented with pinch of culture thanks to the most popular sport in the world.
I arrived in Alicante a week before my session began and learned how many Spaniards watch THE game. Sitting outside in downtown Alicante with thousands of fan surrounding me doing the same, I first caught a glimpse of what was to become a remarkable summer. Chants of “Yo soy espanol, espanol, espanol” was sung in perfect harmony to the Vuvuzela horns echoing off the buildings. Gasps of horror sounded when an opponent’s goal seemed inevitable, but sights of relief soon followed as the keeper made a tremendous block. A hero emerged during these first few games, a man known as David Villa. Countless times during the next month a memorable phrase could often be heard throughout the game: “Villa, Villa, Villa, Villa maravilla.”
In Madrid, the excitement and futbol fever increased ten-fold. Spain kept winning, knocking off neighbor Portugal and then Paraguay. Countless thousands watched from the Madrid stadium as more flocked to every bar in the city. The commotion that followed a simple shot on goal rivaled the most important touchdown in a Texas football game. No words can describe the scene as victory was declared. Drums, horns, and screams meshed to produce a symphony that even Beethoven would have loved. The only thing more impressive then the sound was the sight. Everywhere one looked only red and yellow appeared.
For two more games the frenzy continued until, after two hours of futbol on the 11th of July, 2010, the final whistle blew. Only one team remained. The score: Espana one, the Netherlands zero. Spain had survived its greatest game of all time to become, for the first time, campeones del mundo. And I, a college student who had played this wonderful game as a child gained a new appreciation for the enthusiasm and honor futbol could bring to a country.
My name is Cody and I am a Senior at the University of Oregon. I am studying
Political science, but after my experience in San Sebastian, I need to add
traveling, a beach, wonderful food, and una siesta into requirements for my
next job. I enjoy all of the aforementioned activities as well as backpacking
and cooking. I look forward to another year of school, graduation in the
spring, and another opportunity to explore the world.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Barcelona and leaving
After the incredibly stressful time looking for bus tickets and leaving Amanda behind, Setare, Cody, and I took the overnight bus to Barcelona. We slept some and, unfortunately, missed what probably was beautiful scenery.
When they say, keep your hands on every piece of luggage at all times in Barcelona, they knew what they were saying. As we got off at the combined bus, train, and metro station in Barcelona we tried to figure out where our hotel was located. While looking at maps and being distracted by someone asking Setare and I directions, apparently an accomplice picked up my backpack and disappeared. I was, of course, disappointed to lose my computer (with pics downloaded), flash drive, all electrical cords, my nook, new scarf and white shirt from Alicante, and journals detailing my expenses and travels. As I kept remembering the things in the backpack I tried to remind myself that luckily I had my passport, money, and camera in my purse, AND, we were all safe.
However, we were tired -- and it was still only 7 a.m. We found our way to the hotel, dropped our luggage and took off walking. After having a light breakfast, we walked towards a park until deciding to buy tickets for the jump off and on tour bus. Just our luck, there was a marathon going on that day so the route was changed and we still ended up walking around most of the places. We saw some of the women running in the marathon, looked at some interesting buildings used for the Olympics, say the beautiful fountain with gold horseman on top and meandered our way into the cave like area that housed the Picasso Museum and old cathedrals. Thinking that we would get back to these places the next day, we didn't go into anything. Instead, we got checked into our hotel.
What an interesting room! It was the penthouse with two bedrooms, a living room, bath, kitchen and huge balcony overlooking the La Rambla. Cody and I left Setare to rest, shower, and settle in while we went to the airport to pick up the suitcase I had left there prior to leaving for San Sebastian. When we returned we discovered that Amanda would be in later that evening so we got a bit to eat and the three of us rode the bus around town looking at the outside of many of the Gaudi structures throughout Barcelona. Although many of these buildings were unusual and interesting, our tiredness made it difficult to truly enjoy what we were seeing. We finally headed back to grab Amanda and get ready for the evening's festivities. Amanda's trip had been horrendous and she had ended up losing one of her pieces of luggage. The saving grace for the "kids" was the plans to head out to one of the clubs in town -- RazzleDazzle. After a short rest, they headed off to meet Maggie, Ali, and Alex (some of their classmates from San Sebastian), and returned around 6 a.m. I decided not to be a tag-a-long and instead enjoyed some sleep.
Sunday was Setare and my last day so we were busy trying to get packed and ultimately to take our luggage to the train station and storing them in lockers so they would be ready for pick up when we took off on our overnight train that evening. In the meantime, Cody was trying to find internet to book for his time the following week in Italy. This day was truly more about "traveling" then enjoying the travels. As Cody said, sometimes this is the most stressful part -- and certainly the least enjoyable. Everyday brought some sort of difficulty and nothing ever went as you might expect. Including that when Amanda had gone that morning to get a ticket for the jump on and off tour bus she inadvertently bought tickets for the wrong company and, again, was not with us. Things kept getting in the way of our having a relaxing time in Barcelona. Maybe food would help! We found a nice, inexpensive place and treated ourselves to our last Spanish meal -- Paella and Sangria. It was a fun time and lifted our spirits and gave us energy to jump on the metro and find our way to the Parc Guell -- more Gaudi to see. With only a short time, Setare and I observed, left Amanda and Cody at the park, and headed on to the train station to leave from Madrid.
I felt sad leaving Cody -- I felt our last couple of days were a bit disappointing and frustrating. Luckily, he had a few more weeks to travel so maybe things would improve for him. We, in the meantime, got on the 1st class section of the train and headed out. Meeting a few people on the train proved interesting and I continued to see the social side of Setare as she met people easily and used her new found Spanish language. Yet, she was so ready to get home that when we were offered a 5 star hotel and 500 Euro to delay our return trip to the US, she declined. I, too, decided that returning together was a better idea. The trip was truly winding down!
When they say, keep your hands on every piece of luggage at all times in Barcelona, they knew what they were saying. As we got off at the combined bus, train, and metro station in Barcelona we tried to figure out where our hotel was located. While looking at maps and being distracted by someone asking Setare and I directions, apparently an accomplice picked up my backpack and disappeared. I was, of course, disappointed to lose my computer (with pics downloaded), flash drive, all electrical cords, my nook, new scarf and white shirt from Alicante, and journals detailing my expenses and travels. As I kept remembering the things in the backpack I tried to remind myself that luckily I had my passport, money, and camera in my purse, AND, we were all safe.
However, we were tired -- and it was still only 7 a.m. We found our way to the hotel, dropped our luggage and took off walking. After having a light breakfast, we walked towards a park until deciding to buy tickets for the jump off and on tour bus. Just our luck, there was a marathon going on that day so the route was changed and we still ended up walking around most of the places. We saw some of the women running in the marathon, looked at some interesting buildings used for the Olympics, say the beautiful fountain with gold horseman on top and meandered our way into the cave like area that housed the Picasso Museum and old cathedrals. Thinking that we would get back to these places the next day, we didn't go into anything. Instead, we got checked into our hotel.
What an interesting room! It was the penthouse with two bedrooms, a living room, bath, kitchen and huge balcony overlooking the La Rambla. Cody and I left Setare to rest, shower, and settle in while we went to the airport to pick up the suitcase I had left there prior to leaving for San Sebastian. When we returned we discovered that Amanda would be in later that evening so we got a bit to eat and the three of us rode the bus around town looking at the outside of many of the Gaudi structures throughout Barcelona. Although many of these buildings were unusual and interesting, our tiredness made it difficult to truly enjoy what we were seeing. We finally headed back to grab Amanda and get ready for the evening's festivities. Amanda's trip had been horrendous and she had ended up losing one of her pieces of luggage. The saving grace for the "kids" was the plans to head out to one of the clubs in town -- RazzleDazzle. After a short rest, they headed off to meet Maggie, Ali, and Alex (some of their classmates from San Sebastian), and returned around 6 a.m. I decided not to be a tag-a-long and instead enjoyed some sleep.
Sunday was Setare and my last day so we were busy trying to get packed and ultimately to take our luggage to the train station and storing them in lockers so they would be ready for pick up when we took off on our overnight train that evening. In the meantime, Cody was trying to find internet to book for his time the following week in Italy. This day was truly more about "traveling" then enjoying the travels. As Cody said, sometimes this is the most stressful part -- and certainly the least enjoyable. Everyday brought some sort of difficulty and nothing ever went as you might expect. Including that when Amanda had gone that morning to get a ticket for the jump on and off tour bus she inadvertently bought tickets for the wrong company and, again, was not with us. Things kept getting in the way of our having a relaxing time in Barcelona. Maybe food would help! We found a nice, inexpensive place and treated ourselves to our last Spanish meal -- Paella and Sangria. It was a fun time and lifted our spirits and gave us energy to jump on the metro and find our way to the Parc Guell -- more Gaudi to see. With only a short time, Setare and I observed, left Amanda and Cody at the park, and headed on to the train station to leave from Madrid.
I felt sad leaving Cody -- I felt our last couple of days were a bit disappointing and frustrating. Luckily, he had a few more weeks to travel so maybe things would improve for him. We, in the meantime, got on the 1st class section of the train and headed out. Meeting a few people on the train proved interesting and I continued to see the social side of Setare as she met people easily and used her new found Spanish language. Yet, she was so ready to get home that when we were offered a 5 star hotel and 500 Euro to delay our return trip to the US, she declined. I, too, decided that returning together was a better idea. The trip was truly winding down!
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Bilbao & San Sebastian, Spain
After storing my large suitcase at the airport in Barcelona, I took off to see Bilbao and visit Cody. Since I arrived in Bilbao around 10:30 a.m., I could go right to the Guggenheim Museum. It certainly is a wonderfully interesting building and fun to take pictures of. The exhibits are not really my cup of tea (very modern) but some were definitely better than others. Richard Serra's "The Matter of Time" was definitely interesting and I really liked the work of Anish Kapoor and his different exhibits. The reflecting metal mirror room, the bright pure colors of his first works, and the large paintball shooting canon exhibit were particularly fun to see.
Bilbao is basically an industrial town and not particularly attractive or interesting (to me). I'm sure that someone staying there would tell me many wonderful things to see so maybe it was just my desire to get on in to see Cody. So, I left on a bus around 6 p.m and saw the beautiful scenery between Bilbao and San Sebastian along the way. This is really the first green I've seen in a long time. Cody met me on his bike when I arrived in San Sebastian and we walked to the hotel/hostel he had booked for me near his homestay. As I settled in he took off to meet some friends for dinner and hooked back up with me around 10. He, MacKenzie (a friend of his from Oregon State) and Rich (an older student who was in Cody's Spanish class) met me at the Cathedral and we went into the old town area to have San Sebastian's version of tapas, called pinxos. Great version. Rich is somewhat of a gourmet about this food so it was fun to see his excitement. He also was certain he had met me before. Lo and behold, he had. He was on the Madrid tour that I was on in late May and he remembered talking with me in a coffee bar when we went to Toledo. Once he reminded me, I remembered as well.
So, while Cody was finishing up his last three days of school, I got to experience a bit of San Sebastian. What a gorgeous place. The statue of Jesus overlooking the city is a great place to walk up to, the old town with it's wonderful cathedral, millions of tapas bars and stores is very appealing, and the three beaches make this a great resort town. As Setare says, "this is a great place to visit and perhaps even honeymoon in." She still loves Alicante though and I can see that it is harder for the group to remain connected when they are spread further out across town. We did get to a salsa bar to dance one night and I got to experience all three beaches. The walk up to the funicular on the third beach where some wonderful iron sculptures have been placed was a special venture and I enjoyed getting to know some of the students that Cody had been with this month. They had all taken a few surfing lessons and Cody had gotten hooked up with two intercombios as well as taught English to a 14 year old teenage boy to make some extra money, so he had many people and things to say goodbye to.
I also got to meet Cody's house parents--a middle-class couple with grown children--who were very kind and seemed to think he was one of the "good American kids." Their home was quite lovely and it was another time that I wished I could speak Spanish. I believe he was very lucky and it really helped his Spanish. My hostel/hotel was close, had easy access to the beach, and had a delightful breakfast, so it wasn't hard to take off from there each day and experience a bit of the town. The cathedral near Cody's place was a nice one and I could see how this had been a good place for students to study, use the internet, and meet.
As we prepared to leave on the final evening, Cody had gotten bus tickets for he, Setare, Amanda (another student from Texas) and me to go overnight to Barcelona. At the last moment, as we packed up, Cody couldn't find the tickets he had bought for all of us. We ultimately went to the bus station (in his house father's car -- that Cody didn't even know he owned) and hoped that they would let us on the bus. Luckily, a woman who was checking people in remembered Cody and let us get on. The unfortunate part, however, was that Amanda missed the bus. Apparently she is typically late and this time she was just too late. We felt badly but couldn't do anything about the situation.
Bilbao is basically an industrial town and not particularly attractive or interesting (to me). I'm sure that someone staying there would tell me many wonderful things to see so maybe it was just my desire to get on in to see Cody. So, I left on a bus around 6 p.m and saw the beautiful scenery between Bilbao and San Sebastian along the way. This is really the first green I've seen in a long time. Cody met me on his bike when I arrived in San Sebastian and we walked to the hotel/hostel he had booked for me near his homestay. As I settled in he took off to meet some friends for dinner and hooked back up with me around 10. He, MacKenzie (a friend of his from Oregon State) and Rich (an older student who was in Cody's Spanish class) met me at the Cathedral and we went into the old town area to have San Sebastian's version of tapas, called pinxos. Great version. Rich is somewhat of a gourmet about this food so it was fun to see his excitement. He also was certain he had met me before. Lo and behold, he had. He was on the Madrid tour that I was on in late May and he remembered talking with me in a coffee bar when we went to Toledo. Once he reminded me, I remembered as well.
So, while Cody was finishing up his last three days of school, I got to experience a bit of San Sebastian. What a gorgeous place. The statue of Jesus overlooking the city is a great place to walk up to, the old town with it's wonderful cathedral, millions of tapas bars and stores is very appealing, and the three beaches make this a great resort town. As Setare says, "this is a great place to visit and perhaps even honeymoon in." She still loves Alicante though and I can see that it is harder for the group to remain connected when they are spread further out across town. We did get to a salsa bar to dance one night and I got to experience all three beaches. The walk up to the funicular on the third beach where some wonderful iron sculptures have been placed was a special venture and I enjoyed getting to know some of the students that Cody had been with this month. They had all taken a few surfing lessons and Cody had gotten hooked up with two intercombios as well as taught English to a 14 year old teenage boy to make some extra money, so he had many people and things to say goodbye to.
I also got to meet Cody's house parents--a middle-class couple with grown children--who were very kind and seemed to think he was one of the "good American kids." Their home was quite lovely and it was another time that I wished I could speak Spanish. I believe he was very lucky and it really helped his Spanish. My hostel/hotel was close, had easy access to the beach, and had a delightful breakfast, so it wasn't hard to take off from there each day and experience a bit of the town. The cathedral near Cody's place was a nice one and I could see how this had been a good place for students to study, use the internet, and meet.
As we prepared to leave on the final evening, Cody had gotten bus tickets for he, Setare, Amanda (another student from Texas) and me to go overnight to Barcelona. At the last moment, as we packed up, Cody couldn't find the tickets he had bought for all of us. We ultimately went to the bus station (in his house father's car -- that Cody didn't even know he owned) and hoped that they would let us on the bus. Luckily, a woman who was checking people in remembered Cody and let us get on. The unfortunate part, however, was that Amanda missed the bus. Apparently she is typically late and this time she was just too late. We felt badly but couldn't do anything about the situation.
Leaving Turkey for San Sebastian
With only about a day left in Istanbul, there were still so many things left to do! For some last minute shopping and a "must do" activity, Marat and I headed over to Mike's restaurant for brunch on Sunday. Cheryl had spoken often of this place and the proprietors and friends she has developed from there. It was clearly a low-key type place that reminded me of a cross between Danal's in New York City and a marijuana den in San Francisco. The food was very good and the atmosphere was unique. There must be a thousand lamps hanging from the ceilings and many textiles all over the walls. The hotel/restaurant is truly only a dalliance for his bigger business of carpet and textile sales. Since I had already spent my carpet allowance in Morocco, I looked at some Anatolyan tapestries and found a couple of pieces that I couldn't live without and would leave me with special memories. One I will put in my University cube to remind me of the larger picture of life so I can stay calm when stressed over things there. Another will grace my entry table at home. Unfortunately, the grand bazaar was closed so I guess I will truly have to return to Istanbul to see it and the numerous other things I'd missed.
We walked around Taxsim Square more this day and got to a couple of the museums that I had missed thus far. A must see was the famous Turtle Tammer picture and then we took off for the modern museum. I typically am not too fond of modern art but this museum had some special pieces and exhibits. Marat knowing the place helped as we had little time but strategic viewing opportunities. There was a special exhibit related to fashion that was very interesting and one that I would definitely recommend to others if they got a chance to see it. As we left this museum we saw another warehouse open with some avant garde type art displays. This was free -- and unusual. Many were visual clips -- for example, of a futbol game being played by men in suits -- and were aimed at challenging the manner in which we think about money and the economy. One display showed three gas pumps on one side and the devastation of gasoline fires on the other. All very interesting. Closing the day with the same dinner we had the first day put a nice final touch to my visit in Istanbul.
Seeing Marat's University was also one of the other must do things. We did that on Monday morning and I got to meet his colleagues and boss, as well as enjoy the view that he enjoys when working in his office. I could see why he was happy working here. I had a nice conversation with his past department chair and other young professional women who are beginning their careers as University instructors as well. The department chair, who has been researching, writing, and speaking about women's Islamic issues, was particularly interesting since her work brings up some of the same questions that I'm reading in my new novel, Snow by Orhan Pamur. She recently completed a novel that I look forward to being able to read when it is translated into English.
Ultimately all good things must come to an end, however, and my wonderful time in Turkey was closing out. I bid Marat farewell (leaving him a few things to bring to me in the US when he returns in September) and headed to the Asian side, again, to take a plane to Barcelona. The first big glitch occurred here when my luggage was 8 kg. over their weight limit and they charged me about $100 to send my things. Although I protested (since I could not get anything done online ahead of time), it was to no avail. Arriving in Barcelona at about 7 p.m. I went to an airport hotel so that I could get to the airport early the next morning.
It's hard to be in a town you want to visit -- yet, not visit it. That will have to wait till Cody, Setare, and I return next week. Now I was preparing for San Sebastian.
We walked around Taxsim Square more this day and got to a couple of the museums that I had missed thus far. A must see was the famous Turtle Tammer picture and then we took off for the modern museum. I typically am not too fond of modern art but this museum had some special pieces and exhibits. Marat knowing the place helped as we had little time but strategic viewing opportunities. There was a special exhibit related to fashion that was very interesting and one that I would definitely recommend to others if they got a chance to see it. As we left this museum we saw another warehouse open with some avant garde type art displays. This was free -- and unusual. Many were visual clips -- for example, of a futbol game being played by men in suits -- and were aimed at challenging the manner in which we think about money and the economy. One display showed three gas pumps on one side and the devastation of gasoline fires on the other. All very interesting. Closing the day with the same dinner we had the first day put a nice final touch to my visit in Istanbul.
Seeing Marat's University was also one of the other must do things. We did that on Monday morning and I got to meet his colleagues and boss, as well as enjoy the view that he enjoys when working in his office. I could see why he was happy working here. I had a nice conversation with his past department chair and other young professional women who are beginning their careers as University instructors as well. The department chair, who has been researching, writing, and speaking about women's Islamic issues, was particularly interesting since her work brings up some of the same questions that I'm reading in my new novel, Snow by Orhan Pamur. She recently completed a novel that I look forward to being able to read when it is translated into English.
Ultimately all good things must come to an end, however, and my wonderful time in Turkey was closing out. I bid Marat farewell (leaving him a few things to bring to me in the US when he returns in September) and headed to the Asian side, again, to take a plane to Barcelona. The first big glitch occurred here when my luggage was 8 kg. over their weight limit and they charged me about $100 to send my things. Although I protested (since I could not get anything done online ahead of time), it was to no avail. Arriving in Barcelona at about 7 p.m. I went to an airport hotel so that I could get to the airport early the next morning.
It's hard to be in a town you want to visit -- yet, not visit it. That will have to wait till Cody, Setare, and I return next week. Now I was preparing for San Sebastian.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Samos, Greece
Bidding Alexis goodbye (she was heading towards the Mediterranean coast of Turkey), I went up to see Lee Anne (the woman we had met last night at dinner) to discuss my next adventure. I had decided that I wanted to take a ferry over to a Greek Island and the only question was to decide which one and from where. Lee Anne's hotel actually sold tickets for the ferry from Kusadasi to Samos and since that was closer than heading back up to Cesme and going to an island from there, this seemed like the best plan. It also worked for more easily getting to the airport of Izmir on Saturday so my plan was set.
Kusadasi is a thriving port city where many cruise ships arrive so that folks can take the excursion up to Ephesus. The bazaar built around this port area was huge. Clearly, they know that many times folks are looking to buy something to remind them of Turkey so you could find almost anything there. I noticed that the scarfs I had bought in Istanbul for 5-10 Turkish lire were 20 here. I did see, however, that some of the ceramic items were less than I had found in Selcuk. I guess it serves one well to "shop" around. I headed for the ferry, got through customs, and enjoyed a cool breeze for the nearly 2 hour boat ride over to Samos.
This small island seemed to have everything that Greece is known for -- small, curvy, hilled pathways, beautiful water, and outdoor cafes everywhere. I almost landed a great room about 1/2 mile from city centre but the room was gone when I got there so the owner told me he'd save a room for me for the following day (it overlooked the water) and took me to another pension back in the middle of the city. The proprietor was gruff, intense, and probably on a bi-polar high when I checked into his place. Not my ideal, but close to town, I took the room and headed out to explore. The lateness of the evening left me time for dinner and a rest so that the following day I could explore the island more.
After settling into the original hotel for the second night the owner drove me to the bus station and I took a bus to the opposite side of the island where it had a rocky shoreline but wonderful winds. This became my day of rest. Renting a lounge and umbrella I slept, read my book, ate and drank by the water, and contemplated the joys of a beautiful location. When I walked back into the small town I found a beautiful little beach town with tons of beach bars, souvenir shops, and people windsurfing. It was a gorgeous location and one that reminded me a bit of Hawaii. Not a bad way to take a peaceful timeout. I found a cute little blue dress that I'll probably never find a place to wear back home but got anyway and headed back to my hotel and dinner. The following day would be about traveling back to Istanbul.
I can't say that Greece is particularly well organized. We were told to be at the port by 8:30 for a 9 a.m. ferry ride but they didn't even open up customs till 9:30. I met an interesting Swedish woman (retired or unemployed school teacher at the moment) who was heading home to her condo in Kusadasi after being in Crete and enjoyed the ferry ride back to Turkey. When I arrived back in Selcuk I went to the restaurant I'd been to several days previously and had some cool hummus, bread, and salad. He actually remembered seeing me the time before and recommended that I check out the train as my way to return to the airport. Apparently if you went by bus, they dropped you off in the middle of the freeway and you either walked or found a taxi to get into the airport.
This day included the following multiple transportation options -- car to the ferry, ferry from Greece to Turkey, small mini-bus from Kusadasi back to Selcuk, train from Selcuk to the airport, plane back to the Asian side of Istanbul, a large bus from the airport to the European side of Istanbul, and a taxi (later) to Marat's apartment. I was only missing a bike and a motorcycle. The most interesting was the local train. We crammed on -- standing in a non-air-conditioned ante room -- hoping to find a seat for the one hour ride. I was pleased to see the care of people. As a small baby cried from the heat of the situation, nearly everyone in the train tried to offer the mother their seat. Since she was getting off soon, she didn't take the seat so we all tried fanning the baby to help keep her temperature down in this sweltering heat. Luckily, she didn't have far to go but my belief in mankind was definitely reinforced.
Although a short venture, I was pleased I had gone to the Aegean Coast and that I had taken the time to go over to Greece. I would like to return to both of these areas (and go further down on the mediterranean coast and into the center of Turkey) as there is so much more to experience.
Kusadasi is a thriving port city where many cruise ships arrive so that folks can take the excursion up to Ephesus. The bazaar built around this port area was huge. Clearly, they know that many times folks are looking to buy something to remind them of Turkey so you could find almost anything there. I noticed that the scarfs I had bought in Istanbul for 5-10 Turkish lire were 20 here. I did see, however, that some of the ceramic items were less than I had found in Selcuk. I guess it serves one well to "shop" around. I headed for the ferry, got through customs, and enjoyed a cool breeze for the nearly 2 hour boat ride over to Samos.
This small island seemed to have everything that Greece is known for -- small, curvy, hilled pathways, beautiful water, and outdoor cafes everywhere. I almost landed a great room about 1/2 mile from city centre but the room was gone when I got there so the owner told me he'd save a room for me for the following day (it overlooked the water) and took me to another pension back in the middle of the city. The proprietor was gruff, intense, and probably on a bi-polar high when I checked into his place. Not my ideal, but close to town, I took the room and headed out to explore. The lateness of the evening left me time for dinner and a rest so that the following day I could explore the island more.
After settling into the original hotel for the second night the owner drove me to the bus station and I took a bus to the opposite side of the island where it had a rocky shoreline but wonderful winds. This became my day of rest. Renting a lounge and umbrella I slept, read my book, ate and drank by the water, and contemplated the joys of a beautiful location. When I walked back into the small town I found a beautiful little beach town with tons of beach bars, souvenir shops, and people windsurfing. It was a gorgeous location and one that reminded me a bit of Hawaii. Not a bad way to take a peaceful timeout. I found a cute little blue dress that I'll probably never find a place to wear back home but got anyway and headed back to my hotel and dinner. The following day would be about traveling back to Istanbul.
I can't say that Greece is particularly well organized. We were told to be at the port by 8:30 for a 9 a.m. ferry ride but they didn't even open up customs till 9:30. I met an interesting Swedish woman (retired or unemployed school teacher at the moment) who was heading home to her condo in Kusadasi after being in Crete and enjoyed the ferry ride back to Turkey. When I arrived back in Selcuk I went to the restaurant I'd been to several days previously and had some cool hummus, bread, and salad. He actually remembered seeing me the time before and recommended that I check out the train as my way to return to the airport. Apparently if you went by bus, they dropped you off in the middle of the freeway and you either walked or found a taxi to get into the airport.
This day included the following multiple transportation options -- car to the ferry, ferry from Greece to Turkey, small mini-bus from Kusadasi back to Selcuk, train from Selcuk to the airport, plane back to the Asian side of Istanbul, a large bus from the airport to the European side of Istanbul, and a taxi (later) to Marat's apartment. I was only missing a bike and a motorcycle. The most interesting was the local train. We crammed on -- standing in a non-air-conditioned ante room -- hoping to find a seat for the one hour ride. I was pleased to see the care of people. As a small baby cried from the heat of the situation, nearly everyone in the train tried to offer the mother their seat. Since she was getting off soon, she didn't take the seat so we all tried fanning the baby to help keep her temperature down in this sweltering heat. Luckily, she didn't have far to go but my belief in mankind was definitely reinforced.
Although a short venture, I was pleased I had gone to the Aegean Coast and that I had taken the time to go over to Greece. I would like to return to both of these areas (and go further down on the mediterranean coast and into the center of Turkey) as there is so much more to experience.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Turkey's Aegean Sea Coast & Ephesus
After such a wonderful time in Istanbul, I decided it was time to take off on an adventure -- giving Marat a break from company and giving me a chance to experience a different part of this diverse country. Tuesday, July 20, I took a plane to Izmir on the Aegean Sea coast. Once called Smyrna, Izmir is actually now the 3rd largest city in Turkey and the hub from which one can head out to see important archeological remains and beautiful parts of this important region of the world. Staying there one afternoon/evening was plenty. My sense of safety was challenged a bit as I tried walking to "Alexander the Great's Velvet Palace." It turned out to be a park with some ruins up on a hill where there were few people. I ultimately needed to access it via taxi and leave the same way. This was not my typical mode of transportation so it felt quite odd (and costly). Back down by the marina there were a few small city markers (a miniature mosque and small watch tower) and the wonderful ocean to explore. It clearly is a port city, but more for commerce than for tourists. I trusted my intuition and allowed a man who worked at the restaurant where I ate to walk me back to my hotel. The area seemed a bit questionable and he seemed sincere. I'm pleased to say my intuition was right on and we had a lovely conversation as we walked.
The next morning I finally decided which direction to go next. While Cesme (the windsurfing capital of the area) was beckoning, I finally decided to head south by bus to Selcuk, a small community near Ephesus. How could I actually come this close and not go to the 2nd largest ruins in the world? I met a young woman who teaches English Literature in a Manhattan High School and we found a reasonably priced pension to base the day out of. (By the way, her Lonely Planet book seemed much more useful for finding accommodations than the book that I was using.) The short bus ride to Ephesus was a local experience -- crowd as many people in as possible and find a way to deal with the heat -- but Ephesus itself was packed with tourists galore. I can certainly see why. What a historical site! To imagine this place as a bustling community was not difficult. The structures were magnificent, with frescas and huge columns, but the final two are the greatest. The library facade is nearly perfect--and a beautiful site--while you could almost hear music exploding from the large theatre. It, in fact, was last used in 2000 and had been the site for Ray Charles, Elton John, and others to bring their talent. The most important part, however, was that this is the theatre where the Apostle John spoke about Christianity in 57 AD. The silversmith were concerned that this new religion would hurt their trade for silver items with the images of gods (like Artemis) and were able to get the community to run John out of town.
This area has many biblical markers -- the house that Mary (mother Mary) lived the last years of her life after Jesus died, and the Bascilica to St. John. Apparently John returned to this area to write his apostle and found the area so appealing that he came back and died here at the age of 100. The Bascilica housed his tomb and was at one time a beautiful church. The ruins here were intermingled with flowers and the varying shapes and sizes made for wonderful pictures. The view of the surrounding area was 360 degrees and to imagine this community so many years ago was exciting. We saw from a distance the final remaining column of the Temple of Artemis--one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world. If it had not been so...... hot, this would have been a perfect time.
Unfortunately, there was no shade and I had no umbrella so I imagined my dermatologist screaming in my ear about "protection." I did get a terrible rash (heat or sun, who knows) and was able to find a small natureapathic store to get a salve that helped. Some day I hope to refind the name of it because it was terrific in healing my skin. Speaking of the heat, I'm so glad I bought two things in Spain -- a fan and something to hold my hair up off my neck. I've never been so hot and these items were life savers. Actually, I think Scottsdale and Las Vegas might be cool in comparison.
The other adventure in Selcuk was learning a bit about (some) Kurdish men. The flirtations from men half my age were humorous and the manner in which a carpet salesman attempts to "soften" you for the sale was really interesting. I had an hour long conversation with 2 cups of tea and a quart of water with one man who I'm sure was disappointed when my teacher friend showed up to whisk me away to dinner -- prior to his sales pitch. I must say, however, that I can see how this style, while irritating to some, could be very engaging and fun for others. They certainly knew how to charm and hold the conversation. Marat later told me that many times women are intriqued by the Kurdish men's attentiveness only to find it stifling after a relationship develops. For me, I enjoyed the conversations and found the lack of concern for time an interesting culture shift and exactly the type of thing that would remain a memory. This included the friendly proprietor of the restaurant where we had dinner. His style was charming and we enjoyed our time--and the food.
At the restaurant we also met a woman who was now a local. She had come from New Zealand and fell in love with the community and the country. She was working in an upscale hotel up the hill and shared her warm feelings about Turkey. The following morning she helped me plot out the next adventure -- a ferry ride to a Greek Island. That I will share in the next post.
The next morning I finally decided which direction to go next. While Cesme (the windsurfing capital of the area) was beckoning, I finally decided to head south by bus to Selcuk, a small community near Ephesus. How could I actually come this close and not go to the 2nd largest ruins in the world? I met a young woman who teaches English Literature in a Manhattan High School and we found a reasonably priced pension to base the day out of. (By the way, her Lonely Planet book seemed much more useful for finding accommodations than the book that I was using.) The short bus ride to Ephesus was a local experience -- crowd as many people in as possible and find a way to deal with the heat -- but Ephesus itself was packed with tourists galore. I can certainly see why. What a historical site! To imagine this place as a bustling community was not difficult. The structures were magnificent, with frescas and huge columns, but the final two are the greatest. The library facade is nearly perfect--and a beautiful site--while you could almost hear music exploding from the large theatre. It, in fact, was last used in 2000 and had been the site for Ray Charles, Elton John, and others to bring their talent. The most important part, however, was that this is the theatre where the Apostle John spoke about Christianity in 57 AD. The silversmith were concerned that this new religion would hurt their trade for silver items with the images of gods (like Artemis) and were able to get the community to run John out of town.
This area has many biblical markers -- the house that Mary (mother Mary) lived the last years of her life after Jesus died, and the Bascilica to St. John. Apparently John returned to this area to write his apostle and found the area so appealing that he came back and died here at the age of 100. The Bascilica housed his tomb and was at one time a beautiful church. The ruins here were intermingled with flowers and the varying shapes and sizes made for wonderful pictures. The view of the surrounding area was 360 degrees and to imagine this community so many years ago was exciting. We saw from a distance the final remaining column of the Temple of Artemis--one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world. If it had not been so...... hot, this would have been a perfect time.
Unfortunately, there was no shade and I had no umbrella so I imagined my dermatologist screaming in my ear about "protection." I did get a terrible rash (heat or sun, who knows) and was able to find a small natureapathic store to get a salve that helped. Some day I hope to refind the name of it because it was terrific in healing my skin. Speaking of the heat, I'm so glad I bought two things in Spain -- a fan and something to hold my hair up off my neck. I've never been so hot and these items were life savers. Actually, I think Scottsdale and Las Vegas might be cool in comparison.
The other adventure in Selcuk was learning a bit about (some) Kurdish men. The flirtations from men half my age were humorous and the manner in which a carpet salesman attempts to "soften" you for the sale was really interesting. I had an hour long conversation with 2 cups of tea and a quart of water with one man who I'm sure was disappointed when my teacher friend showed up to whisk me away to dinner -- prior to his sales pitch. I must say, however, that I can see how this style, while irritating to some, could be very engaging and fun for others. They certainly knew how to charm and hold the conversation. Marat later told me that many times women are intriqued by the Kurdish men's attentiveness only to find it stifling after a relationship develops. For me, I enjoyed the conversations and found the lack of concern for time an interesting culture shift and exactly the type of thing that would remain a memory. This included the friendly proprietor of the restaurant where we had dinner. His style was charming and we enjoyed our time--and the food.
At the restaurant we also met a woman who was now a local. She had come from New Zealand and fell in love with the community and the country. She was working in an upscale hotel up the hill and shared her warm feelings about Turkey. The following morning she helped me plot out the next adventure -- a ferry ride to a Greek Island. That I will share in the next post.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)