Today (Saturday 19 June) we were supposed to start early, but were delayed by a couple of the group ging missing (I assume overslept). Once finally underway we headed east out of Jerusalem at an altitude of 760m (2,500ft) towards to dead sea at -430m (-1,400ft). At intervals beside the road were ramshackle collections of shacks surrounded by apparent piles of rubbish and occasional sheep, horses and goats. These are Bedouin camps each apparently holding about 5 families. We were told how Israel has tried to domesticate them in settled accommodation by paying them for each day a child attends school, there by tying them to one location. Apparently when accommodation has been provided with running water and power the Bedouin have moved their animals indoors and continued to live in tents :-) We passed about 14 of these camps that we saw in the descent from Jerusalem.
First stop was at Qumran where there Dead Sea scrolls were discovered. The land here is unforgiving with no sign of green among the rocks and dust of the hillside. That the Bedouin manage to run sheep or goats in this environment is difficult to believe, but the scrolls were discovered when shepherds tried to locate missing stock.
We continued to a kibbutz selling Dead Sea products, presumeably made from mud, that promised instant rejunenvation, skin repair, hair replenishment and anything else you can think of.. Another member of the party turned over a pack of merchandise to see the price, got out his phone to work out the conversion and rapidly hid his credit card from his wife. In the end he relented and they bought a budget pack. The kibbutz is a real oasis in the arid landscape. The hills are totally barrren and the only green visible is an occasional small plant in the bottom of a dry stream bed.
Next we drove the south end of the Dead Sea to visit Masada, touted as the 3rd stronghold built by Herod on his escape route to Jordan should the populace finally decide to kick him out. He was apparently a great builder and architect, but an unpleasant individual and very unpopular. The fortress of Masada was constructed in 4 years on a hill overlooking the Dead Sea with 300m sheer cliffs on 3 sides. Oppulence was the order of the day with the local rock walls plastered to resemble limestone blocks, frescos, a large bath house with an ingenious sauna system and a water supply system designed to allow 3,000 people to survive a 6 month siege. In the end Herod never visited the fortress, but it was used by the revolutionaries during a revolt against the Romans in the 1st century. The Romans took this as an affront and built a wall around Masada with 8 large forts. When the locals refused toi surrender the Romans built am immense ramp 150 M high to allow their siege engines to approach and breach the walls. Once the wall was breached the revolutionaries realised they were on the way out so they committed mas suicide leaving only 3 survivors. We were told the Romans were so impressed they did not destroy the fortress and one of them fully documented what was there - a great aid to the archaeologists. In the end the buildings ere damaged by a couple of earthquakes and the site was deserted in the 8th century.
We returned to the other end of the Dead Sea and stopped at a "beach resort" to experience the water at close hand. To get to the water we clambered down a long stairway to the "beach" which was a clay bank with several sets of steps designed to enter the water, but all were well above the shoreline. We waded gingerly into the murky water (mainly due to other swimmers smearing them slves with mud) and found that we had picked the wrong spot when my foot sank to knee level in a hole of soft mud. It was not easy to retrieve the leg and we were a little more cautious after that but still found the underfoot conditions challenging. Once we were knne deep we lay back in the water and found, of course, that we floated with our arms legs and heads above water. Big deal. At least the water was at a pleasant temperature.
We were driven back to our hotel and said farewell to our tour guide and the other group members as they were at different hotels. The group was an interesting mix of people, mainly from the USA, but with us from NZ, 1 from Australia and 1 from India. 2 of the group were pastors at home and there was a delightful young woman who is attending a theological college in Washington. A source of "amusement"was the 4 children, 2 of which were constantly asking where we were, where we were going, why, when will we eat, etc, despite having been told exactly the information they were seeking 5 minutes before.
Tomorrow we have a free day in Jerusalem.
Sunday, 19 June 2016
Saturday, 18 June 2016
Around Jerusalem
For the record this is for Thursday 16th June
We started today by waiting. After 2 phone calls to our tour company and some concern the van finally arrived for us - the your guide had not been informed of our change of hotel and had bees searching for us.
With time tight and road closures for Ramadan looming we raced off to Bethlehem. As this is in the Palestinian Territories our Israeli guide was not allowed to drive us through the town or to accompany us. After a tortuoius route to use the least troublesome checkpoint we drove up a dismal back alley with dusty concrete waal and rubbish lying around the gutterrs. Here we transferred to 2 8 seater vans and travelled through a winding route that at time was up streets in the old town that were barely wide enough for the van between the buildings, let alone the pedetrians who squeezed to teh side. The shops here are mere cubbyholes with the front open side to side, or shut with metal shutters when closed, which mamny of them were for Ramadan. Most stores appeared to be about 2.5 m wide and 4 m deep and the merchandise display is across the street frontage. Much of the goods displayed are hung from the lintel meaning that access to the shop is difficult. However that is only my impression as we drove through these streets without pause.
Arriving at Bethlehem square we found the church of the nativity on one side wth the council offices and a mosque on the other. The church is a crusader church and was under major renovations. When we went in and headed for the crypt containing the reputed stable, we found that we had been delayed too long and an Armenian mass was in progress and access was blocked, so we were loaded back in the van and herded into a "christian"souvenir store where we were assured that all proceeds went to support the local christian community.. Later on, on the way out of Bethlehem the van driver stopped the van to collect an envelope that obviously contained the guides commission. Anyway we headed back to the church and our guide told the police that one of our party had an urgent toilet need so our group could duck in the exit to view the crypr which contained a 14 pointer star in the floor and a replica manger. The police were not impressed but didn't stop us.
After a trip through slightly more civilsed streets we met up with our usual guide and drove back into Jerusalem for a walk through the old city. Gillian opted out and spent the afternoon at the hotel where she caught up with some washing.
The walk started at the Jaffa gate where there is a large breech in the walls that was opened in the 1890's to allow the German Kaiser to enter the city in a coack with 6 horses. Just inside the gate are 2 graves reputed to be the engineers who designed the city wall who were executed by the Sultan at the time either because they left Temple Mount outside the walls or to signify that their work was perfect and he did not want them to build anything better. At least they were given pride of place foir their graves!
Once in the old town there are small narrow and slooping streets leading down towards the Temple Mount, but we followed a road just wide enough (and no more) for cars to the reputed site of King David's tomb. First we visited an upstairs room supposed to be the site of the last supper, a bare room with the ceiling supported by arches which our guide claimed were the oldest surviving examples of the gothic style./
Going downstairs we entered the area supposedly containng the stone over King David. The crypt has not been excavated due to religious sensibilities. The staone is about 3 m long and 2 metres high shrouded in a heavy embroided cloth. To see this we had to run the gauntlet of a group of Orthodox Jews praying in an antechamber - they were bobbing thei heads and dancing back and forth in their fervour, but each seemed to have their own idea of what was required. Access to the stone is segregated by gender with a cloth suspended over the middle of the stone. In models of the city in biblical times there is a large temonument built over this spot, but it is now part of a mediaeval urban area.
The old city is separated into sectors reflecting the religious affiliations of the majority of the occupants. These ones that were identified to us include the Moslem, Christian, Armenian and Jewish quarters, but it is difficult to figure out while in the citty as the maze of roads makes navigation difficult.
We walked down to the area along the Western Wall. I found that the wall that is so important to the Jews is actually the remains of a retaining wall built by Herod to suoort the second temple which was built over the site of the temple built by Abraham. Again access to the wall is segregated by gender, though I understand that there is an area for the reformed Jews who can pray together. However what we saw was several dozen orthodox all individually praying aloud and continually bobbing their heads. While it is obviously deeply moving for them, it does look slightly comical and similar to a bunch of penguins.
We dived into the narrow alleys of the Muslem Quarter which are lined with stalls full of colour and selling absolutely nothing I want to buy. On one unremarkable corner we stopped and our guide pointed up the side road to an archway which he explained is the location of stations 1&2 of the cross and we were standing at station 3.. We turned around and followed the Via Dolorosa past stations 4-10 to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. It is ironic that a tour of Israel chosen on the basis that it was not specifically religious turned out to be peopled by a variety of christians and focused largely on the places of importance to the christian community. This was not an issue for us - as after all this is the Holy Land.
The Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre has an unremarkable entrance with one of the two archways blocked up. On the second level up stands a ladder apparently placed there at one stage by the Sultan of Jerusalem to illustrate the only access available for one of the denominations involved with the church if they did not stop bickering about their rights and privileges while the church itself fell into disrepair. Each denomination now have sectors of the church under their control, but since divisions remain, the key of the door is held by a muslim family. The church starts with a climb to view the reputed rock of Golgotha followed by an endless series of passages and chapels until you reach the shrine of the tomb. Unfortunately the area was razed to build the church in the 4th century so it is difficult to determine the accuracy of the location. I failed to be convinced, but that does not matter.
We walked back to the Jaffa Gate through the bazaar with several stall holders trying to entice us in. While the stalls are colourful and inviting the constant attention of the sellers is off-putting.
Back to the hotel and hard decisions about the style of dinner for tonight.
We started today by waiting. After 2 phone calls to our tour company and some concern the van finally arrived for us - the your guide had not been informed of our change of hotel and had bees searching for us.
With time tight and road closures for Ramadan looming we raced off to Bethlehem. As this is in the Palestinian Territories our Israeli guide was not allowed to drive us through the town or to accompany us. After a tortuoius route to use the least troublesome checkpoint we drove up a dismal back alley with dusty concrete waal and rubbish lying around the gutterrs. Here we transferred to 2 8 seater vans and travelled through a winding route that at time was up streets in the old town that were barely wide enough for the van between the buildings, let alone the pedetrians who squeezed to teh side. The shops here are mere cubbyholes with the front open side to side, or shut with metal shutters when closed, which mamny of them were for Ramadan. Most stores appeared to be about 2.5 m wide and 4 m deep and the merchandise display is across the street frontage. Much of the goods displayed are hung from the lintel meaning that access to the shop is difficult. However that is only my impression as we drove through these streets without pause.
Arriving at Bethlehem square we found the church of the nativity on one side wth the council offices and a mosque on the other. The church is a crusader church and was under major renovations. When we went in and headed for the crypt containing the reputed stable, we found that we had been delayed too long and an Armenian mass was in progress and access was blocked, so we were loaded back in the van and herded into a "christian"souvenir store where we were assured that all proceeds went to support the local christian community.. Later on, on the way out of Bethlehem the van driver stopped the van to collect an envelope that obviously contained the guides commission. Anyway we headed back to the church and our guide told the police that one of our party had an urgent toilet need so our group could duck in the exit to view the crypr which contained a 14 pointer star in the floor and a replica manger. The police were not impressed but didn't stop us.
After a trip through slightly more civilsed streets we met up with our usual guide and drove back into Jerusalem for a walk through the old city. Gillian opted out and spent the afternoon at the hotel where she caught up with some washing.
The walk started at the Jaffa gate where there is a large breech in the walls that was opened in the 1890's to allow the German Kaiser to enter the city in a coack with 6 horses. Just inside the gate are 2 graves reputed to be the engineers who designed the city wall who were executed by the Sultan at the time either because they left Temple Mount outside the walls or to signify that their work was perfect and he did not want them to build anything better. At least they were given pride of place foir their graves!
Once in the old town there are small narrow and slooping streets leading down towards the Temple Mount, but we followed a road just wide enough (and no more) for cars to the reputed site of King David's tomb. First we visited an upstairs room supposed to be the site of the last supper, a bare room with the ceiling supported by arches which our guide claimed were the oldest surviving examples of the gothic style./
Going downstairs we entered the area supposedly containng the stone over King David. The crypt has not been excavated due to religious sensibilities. The staone is about 3 m long and 2 metres high shrouded in a heavy embroided cloth. To see this we had to run the gauntlet of a group of Orthodox Jews praying in an antechamber - they were bobbing thei heads and dancing back and forth in their fervour, but each seemed to have their own idea of what was required. Access to the stone is segregated by gender with a cloth suspended over the middle of the stone. In models of the city in biblical times there is a large temonument built over this spot, but it is now part of a mediaeval urban area.
The old city is separated into sectors reflecting the religious affiliations of the majority of the occupants. These ones that were identified to us include the Moslem, Christian, Armenian and Jewish quarters, but it is difficult to figure out while in the citty as the maze of roads makes navigation difficult.
We walked down to the area along the Western Wall. I found that the wall that is so important to the Jews is actually the remains of a retaining wall built by Herod to suoort the second temple which was built over the site of the temple built by Abraham. Again access to the wall is segregated by gender, though I understand that there is an area for the reformed Jews who can pray together. However what we saw was several dozen orthodox all individually praying aloud and continually bobbing their heads. While it is obviously deeply moving for them, it does look slightly comical and similar to a bunch of penguins.
We dived into the narrow alleys of the Muslem Quarter which are lined with stalls full of colour and selling absolutely nothing I want to buy. On one unremarkable corner we stopped and our guide pointed up the side road to an archway which he explained is the location of stations 1&2 of the cross and we were standing at station 3.. We turned around and followed the Via Dolorosa past stations 4-10 to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. It is ironic that a tour of Israel chosen on the basis that it was not specifically religious turned out to be peopled by a variety of christians and focused largely on the places of importance to the christian community. This was not an issue for us - as after all this is the Holy Land.
The Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre has an unremarkable entrance with one of the two archways blocked up. On the second level up stands a ladder apparently placed there at one stage by the Sultan of Jerusalem to illustrate the only access available for one of the denominations involved with the church if they did not stop bickering about their rights and privileges while the church itself fell into disrepair. Each denomination now have sectors of the church under their control, but since divisions remain, the key of the door is held by a muslim family. The church starts with a climb to view the reputed rock of Golgotha followed by an endless series of passages and chapels until you reach the shrine of the tomb. Unfortunately the area was razed to build the church in the 4th century so it is difficult to determine the accuracy of the location. I failed to be convinced, but that does not matter.
We walked back to the Jaffa Gate through the bazaar with several stall holders trying to entice us in. While the stalls are colourful and inviting the constant attention of the sellers is off-putting.
Back to the hotel and hard decisions about the style of dinner for tonight.
Friday, 17 June 2016
To Jerusalem
Leaving the kibbutz our first stop was at Nazareth to visit the Church of the Annunciation which is positiond over the reputed house of Joseph and Mary. The crypt contains the ground floor of a small dwelling with steps leading upwards, presumeablty to the roof or a second storey. The church itself is a beautiful modern building suspended over the crypt with a clear circle over the site and a huge dome.
On to Beith Shean to walk through the excavated ruins of a large Roman town with a well preserved theatre, shopping arcade, main street with stormwater drainage and much more. The town was destroyed by an earthquake and the digging has revealed several towns, most levelled by quakes. Only about 10% of the site has been excavated but what is visible is impressive.
After lunch we headed to Jerusalem and stopped on the Mount of Olives to look over to the old city, particularly the old temple site crowned with the Dome of the Rock whuch is on this side of the city. At the foot of this hill we visited the Garden of Gethseman which is a small olive grove with ancient trees leading to a small chapel.
After being dropped off at the hotel we were told that there was no reservation for us. After a long wait the tour company sent a driver to take us to the correct hotel on the other side of the city. However they did not tell our guide and he wasted a lot of time trying to find us the next day.
On to Beith Shean to walk through the excavated ruins of a large Roman town with a well preserved theatre, shopping arcade, main street with stormwater drainage and much more. The town was destroyed by an earthquake and the digging has revealed several towns, most levelled by quakes. Only about 10% of the site has been excavated but what is visible is impressive.
After lunch we headed to Jerusalem and stopped on the Mount of Olives to look over to the old city, particularly the old temple site crowned with the Dome of the Rock whuch is on this side of the city. At the foot of this hill we visited the Garden of Gethseman which is a small olive grove with ancient trees leading to a small chapel.
After being dropped off at the hotel we were told that there was no reservation for us. After a long wait the tour company sent a driver to take us to the correct hotel on the other side of the city. However they did not tell our guide and he wasted a lot of time trying to find us the next day.
Galilee
Meals in the hotels in Israel have been buffet style with a large range of foods. What has surprised us is the breakfast selection which includes quantities of pasta and salads.. Interestingly some of the hotels do not offer coffee at dinner, but the dessert selection is wide and good.
This morning (Tuesday 15 June) we headed down to the Sea of Galilee, the lowest frsh water lake in the world at 215m below seea level. Currently the lake level has dropped drastically and Israel is proposing to pump desalinated water is to revive the environment. Already they have separated mineral spring water which is pumped out into the desert to avoid increasing the sale level in the lake. At one time the lake was used as a water source, but the climate changes have reduced the inflow.
We passed though the town of Tiberias which we were assured that Jesus never set foot here as, being a good Jew, he would have avoided an impure city as the town had a cemetary within the city walls - a mistake made by the romans.
Our first stop was to view a boat that had been excavated from the lake bed around 2004. Although no hard dates were given it is an example of the type of boat likely to have been in use around 200 years ago. At 10m long it is substantial and the hull planking is cleanly cut, but the structural timber is rough and still in branch form. The boat was discovered during low water level and lifted our of the mud by encasing it in polystyrene. It is now weel preserved in wax and is in remarkedly good condition, though most of 1 side is missing.
We then walked out to a large boat and sailed a little way north on the lake looking up at ing up at the Mount of Beatitudes. The shoreline here is reputed to be where Jesus walked on the water - a feat we did not attempt to replicate. The boat was a broad and clad in wood to give an aged appearance. The 15 of us (the tour group)was lost as the deck could have taken 200+. We had an impromtu sermon from a pastor in the group and then he demonstrated hIs fishing skill by hauling in a net devoid of fish. The way the net was constructed gave me the impression that it looked good when thrown, but was not capable of holding anything.
Leaving the lake we drove up to the Mount of Beatitudes where reputedly the Sermon on the Mount was preached. The church here is set in pleasant gdens overlooking the lake.
Directly below on the lake shore at Tabgha is the Church of the Multiplication, the reputed site of the miracle of the loaves and fishes.. Obviously there is no residue from the feast, but the church
Next stop was Capurnaum where the ruins include houses, possibly of fishermen, and a synagogue. As this was the closest "pure" large town to Nazareth it is presumed the Jesus would have visited here with his father when young and used it as the centre of hs ministry.
Next was the source of the river Jordan at Banias Spring where a clear stream runs from a cliff that contains several caves, some of which are reputed to have been used for human sacrifices.
Up to the Golan Heights to view the border territory with Syria At a parking spot shared with the Israeli army. As we arrived the smoke of an explosion in a town not far over the border rose and slowly drifted away. Hard to believe you are standing watching over an active battlefield. On the way up the road we were stopped by police for some unknown reason, but U-turned and used a. back road through a volcanic crater to get to our viewing point.
Several of the tour group wanted to experience full immersion baptism in the Jordan so we headed to the south of the Sea of Galilee to an area set up for the purpose. The sight of dozens of people wading chest deep in the tepid green water with fish swimming around their legs is memorable. Some of the groups went for a quick dip, while others formed rings and sang movingly.
Back to the kibbutz for the night.
This morning (Tuesday 15 June) we headed down to the Sea of Galilee, the lowest frsh water lake in the world at 215m below seea level. Currently the lake level has dropped drastically and Israel is proposing to pump desalinated water is to revive the environment. Already they have separated mineral spring water which is pumped out into the desert to avoid increasing the sale level in the lake. At one time the lake was used as a water source, but the climate changes have reduced the inflow.
We passed though the town of Tiberias which we were assured that Jesus never set foot here as, being a good Jew, he would have avoided an impure city as the town had a cemetary within the city walls - a mistake made by the romans.
Our first stop was to view a boat that had been excavated from the lake bed around 2004. Although no hard dates were given it is an example of the type of boat likely to have been in use around 200 years ago. At 10m long it is substantial and the hull planking is cleanly cut, but the structural timber is rough and still in branch form. The boat was discovered during low water level and lifted our of the mud by encasing it in polystyrene. It is now weel preserved in wax and is in remarkedly good condition, though most of 1 side is missing.
We then walked out to a large boat and sailed a little way north on the lake looking up at ing up at the Mount of Beatitudes. The shoreline here is reputed to be where Jesus walked on the water - a feat we did not attempt to replicate. The boat was a broad and clad in wood to give an aged appearance. The 15 of us (the tour group)was lost as the deck could have taken 200+. We had an impromtu sermon from a pastor in the group and then he demonstrated hIs fishing skill by hauling in a net devoid of fish. The way the net was constructed gave me the impression that it looked good when thrown, but was not capable of holding anything.
Directly below on the lake shore at Tabgha is the Church of the Multiplication, the reputed site of the miracle of the loaves and fishes.. Obviously there is no residue from the feast, but the church
Next stop was Capurnaum where the ruins include houses, possibly of fishermen, and a synagogue. As this was the closest "pure" large town to Nazareth it is presumed the Jesus would have visited here with his father when young and used it as the centre of hs ministry.
Next was the source of the river Jordan at Banias Spring where a clear stream runs from a cliff that contains several caves, some of which are reputed to have been used for human sacrifices.
Up to the Golan Heights to view the border territory with Syria At a parking spot shared with the Israeli army. As we arrived the smoke of an explosion in a town not far over the border rose and slowly drifted away. Hard to believe you are standing watching over an active battlefield. On the way up the road we were stopped by police for some unknown reason, but U-turned and used a. back road through a volcanic crater to get to our viewing point.
Several of the tour group wanted to experience full immersion baptism in the Jordan so we headed to the south of the Sea of Galilee to an area set up for the purpose. The sight of dozens of people wading chest deep in the tepid green water with fish swimming around their legs is memorable. Some of the groups went for a quick dip, while others formed rings and sang movingly.
Back to the kibbutz for the night.
Thursday, 16 June 2016
Day one in Israel
Starting in Tel Aviv we headed north to Caesarium. The country is obviously dry, but a lot is irrigated and growing crops. Our guide commented that all the trees we saw had been planted. Caesaria, a roman town hosting a palace of Herod Agrippa, had been the site of the first recorded conversion of a gentile to Christianity. All that visibly remains of the town are the theatre, the foundations of the palace and the hippodrome, but it was a good break in the trip from Tel Aviv.
Next we stopped at Megiddo, a tel (a hill created by building towns on the ruins of previous towns) which dates back to prehistoric times and includes an altar dated around 3000BC, possibly used for humen sacrifice - our guide does like good stories. One sector of the tel has been excavated and clearly shows the layers. While we did not see it due to preservation efforts There is an interesting water supply system where a spring outside the town wall was accessed through a tunnel system to provde a secure supply during a seige.
Lunch was provided in a restaurant in a Druze village on Mt Carmel. The multiplicity and variety of religous sects and their various dress codes here are staggering. We continued to Haifa and looked down over the gardens of the Bahaii Temple. The gardens are set on a large acerage on the side of the steep hill above the town and are terraced. A little further north we visited Acre where we walked through the old town within the old crusader fort down to the port which is now only used for small boats.
That evening we stayed at a hotel on a kibbutz. The kibbutz was founded by a group mainly made up from the Jewish children smuggled to England before WWII. We were given a talk outlining how it was set up and how it has changed over the years, but still remains a community where there is no personal property and all needs are provided by the community.
Gallipoli
After an EARLY pickup we headed out of Istanbul with anther kiwi couple and a "minder", a delightful girl who looked after us for the trip down. The trip took us past a holiday home area for the Istanbulians, which our minder commented that they were built close together with no view and the sea along the coast is polluted so why bother. Once out in the country the land is generally cropped with some woodland areas. There were no signs of livestock. After a couple of potty stops we reached Eceabat for lunch. This is on the east coast directly opposite the ANZAC landing point and we joined our guide for the visit to the battlefields and Troy.
A short drive took us to the Gallipoli campaign museum which is an impessive modern facility with 2 floors below ground level filled with mementos, photos and explanatory panels. Obviously the focus is on the Turkish defence, but in general the depiction is evenhanded. We moved on to the landing beaches, first the intended landing point on Brighto Beach which is a long beach with easy access to the inland area but exposed to the local defensive gun battery, then to Anzac Cove, the actual pre-dawn landing site for the Australians. The cove is a short curved beach backed by a steep slope. At the time of landing there were only 160 Turkish troops in the area who quickly ran out of ammunition. We carried on to North Beach where the New Zealanders landed in the afternoon. There is now a commenorative site consisting of a wall and grassed area above the beach which is used for thr Anzac day service. The hills above the beaches are generally covered in scrub and low trees. At one point we stopped at a point known as "The Neck", a narrow point of the ridge leading to Chunuk Bair where a combination of bad timing and bad decissions lead to the death of hundreds in a matter of minutes. It is said that the Turkish machine gunners were calling for the Anzac troops to go back because there was no way for them to advance against their fire.
We moved on up the hill to stop at small cemetaries and the Australian an Turkish memorials before reaching the New Zealand memorial on Chunuk Bair. It is nice that the NZ memorial stands above the others with a statue of Mustafa (Ataturk) alongside.
We then retreated to the ferry across the Dardanelles to Canakkale to our hotel. In the morning we headed to Troy which turned out to be a lot more than we expected. Obviously there is a large wooden horse at the entrance for tourist photos, but once the excavations are reached the picture is much more interesting. Our guide had more of a passion for ancient history and the explanations were more detailed than for the Gallipoli battlefields. He was able to demonstrate the 10 distinct layers of building from the bronze age through to 600AD. Owing to its position at the southern end of the Dardanelles strait it was an important marine port. Whether the stories in the Illiad are accurate is doubtful, but much of the evidence fits.
Anyway, on to Israel.
A short drive took us to the Gallipoli campaign museum which is an impessive modern facility with 2 floors below ground level filled with mementos, photos and explanatory panels. Obviously the focus is on the Turkish defence, but in general the depiction is evenhanded. We moved on to the landing beaches, first the intended landing point on Brighto Beach which is a long beach with easy access to the inland area but exposed to the local defensive gun battery, then to Anzac Cove, the actual pre-dawn landing site for the Australians. The cove is a short curved beach backed by a steep slope. At the time of landing there were only 160 Turkish troops in the area who quickly ran out of ammunition. We carried on to North Beach where the New Zealanders landed in the afternoon. There is now a commenorative site consisting of a wall and grassed area above the beach which is used for thr Anzac day service. The hills above the beaches are generally covered in scrub and low trees. At one point we stopped at a point known as "The Neck", a narrow point of the ridge leading to Chunuk Bair where a combination of bad timing and bad decissions lead to the death of hundreds in a matter of minutes. It is said that the Turkish machine gunners were calling for the Anzac troops to go back because there was no way for them to advance against their fire.
We moved on up the hill to stop at small cemetaries and the Australian an Turkish memorials before reaching the New Zealand memorial on Chunuk Bair. It is nice that the NZ memorial stands above the others with a statue of Mustafa (Ataturk) alongside.
We then retreated to the ferry across the Dardanelles to Canakkale to our hotel. In the morning we headed to Troy which turned out to be a lot more than we expected. Obviously there is a large wooden horse at the entrance for tourist photos, but once the excavations are reached the picture is much more interesting. Our guide had more of a passion for ancient history and the explanations were more detailed than for the Gallipoli battlefields. He was able to demonstrate the 10 distinct layers of building from the bronze age through to 600AD. Owing to its position at the southern end of the Dardanelles strait it was an important marine port. Whether the stories in the Illiad are accurate is doubtful, but much of the evidence fits.
Anyway, on to Israel.
Thursday, 9 June 2016
Turkish taxi drivers
I'll start with a rant. This afternoon we returned from the cruise terminal to our hotel, a distance that would normally be 1.7 km and take 7 minutes. This ahould have cost around TL5-8 ($NZ4-5). We should have known better - not only did the driver not know the address, but the taxi windscreen was shattered with a star burst in front of the driver and he drove through busy traffic with his head down typing the adress into his cell phone. After several near misses and a roundabout route he dropped us off at the back of the Blue Mosque 1.3km from the hotel with a meter reading TL40. He then tried to say that the TL20 notes we had were "old money"and not acceptable and tried to give us a TL50 note with some vague suggestion that we should give him TL100 and go shopping to get "real money".
On the other hand his driving was no worse than the norm here with our tour driver this morning taking a route through a busy petrol station to improve his position by 3 places in the traffic. There seems to no requirement to avoid cell phones or pay attention to the traffic and the norm is to change lanes without signalling or waiting for a suitable space.
Rant over.
On Tuesday night we dined at a restaurant (Lekker) ,a block from the hotel after a talk with the hustler. He claimed that after only 8 months in usiness thay were #36 in Istanbul on Tripadvisor. When we checked they were #78 which is still good given that is out of over 1200 listed.. The food was a mix of Turish/Ottoman, Italian, French and seafood. I opted for a Testi Kebab which is cooked in a ceramic pot with a aluminium foil cap and delivered to the table over a flaming base. To serve aluminium foil is drawn tight, the pot is inverted and the side of the pot is tapped leading to the bottom of the pot blowing off with a burst of steam. Very spectacular and the dish was really nice. I could not understand how the vegetables were still fresh tasting and crisp while they appeared to have been cooked with the lamb which was tender. I assume the meat was precooked and the mixture was heated rapidly not too long before serving.
Wednesday we visited the Hagia Sophia, a cathedral originally built in roman time and added to over the years. The style is very different to the European model with an almost square shape. The nave is covered by an immense dome supported by 4 half domes that cover the aisles and sanctuary areas (if it was a church). However after the Ottoman conquest it was converted into a mosque and remained that until Attaturk declared it a museum in the 20s. Surprisingly much of the Bysantine christian decorations were still there, though covered over and there are a lot of christian mosaics. Even with a lot of the interior covered by scaffolding for renovations it is still impressive.
After a relaxing bus tour around the Golden Horn (an estuary that separates the old town from the more moder city centre to the north) we headed for the Blue Mosque expecting to spend some time there being wowed. After crossing a large courtyard and being supervised to take off shoes, cover hair, etc, we walked in and found little keep us there long. The building is large with a huge dome and entirely covered inside with mosaic tiles, mostly blue, but once seen there is nothing to do other than listen to the quaran being read in a high voice and watch the faithful coming and going. We left after 15 minutes and as it was still early afternoon decided to visit the Topkapi Palace which turned out to further away and larger than we expected leaving us tired by the time we finished. The palace grounds cover a large area, originally the whole end of the old town peninsular, and the palace itself was built in 3 courtyards with progressively les public access. For many years this was the seat of government for the Ottoman empire which seems to have been less than democratic. Some of the private rooms for the sultan and his women are opulent, but the general feeling is quite modest. We did not get to see the reputedly spartan and unheated rooms of the court concubines as there were many renovations in progress.
Dinner was at a seafood restaurant rated at #30 by Tripadvisor which again was close to the hotel. The reataurant is small with the ceiling covered in hanging glass lamps of differing style and colour. The menu was not extensive and the food was good but not outstanding. (Gillian has decided that we will go back to Lekker so she can try the Testi Kebab)
Thursday we took a tour around the city including a boat trip up the Bosphorus, narrow strait connecting Marmara Seaa with the Black Sea that is the border between Europe and Asia. The first thing apparent to me was that there is obviously no tides here as the roads and piers are all constructed low to the water, the second the huge number of day trip boats tied up along the piers with very few apparently in use. The boat we were on had around 40 onboard against a capacity of around 700. The hotel we're in has 2 - 3 rooms in use per night and it is obvious that tourist numbers are well down on normal, probably due to the bombings.
We have just returned from dinner at Lekker and are preparing to head for Gallipoli early tomorrow. Hope to blog our impressions of the battlefield tomorrow.
On the other hand his driving was no worse than the norm here with our tour driver this morning taking a route through a busy petrol station to improve his position by 3 places in the traffic. There seems to no requirement to avoid cell phones or pay attention to the traffic and the norm is to change lanes without signalling or waiting for a suitable space.
Rant over.
On Tuesday night we dined at a restaurant (Lekker) ,a block from the hotel after a talk with the hustler. He claimed that after only 8 months in usiness thay were #36 in Istanbul on Tripadvisor. When we checked they were #78 which is still good given that is out of over 1200 listed.. The food was a mix of Turish/Ottoman, Italian, French and seafood. I opted for a Testi Kebab which is cooked in a ceramic pot with a aluminium foil cap and delivered to the table over a flaming base. To serve aluminium foil is drawn tight, the pot is inverted and the side of the pot is tapped leading to the bottom of the pot blowing off with a burst of steam. Very spectacular and the dish was really nice. I could not understand how the vegetables were still fresh tasting and crisp while they appeared to have been cooked with the lamb which was tender. I assume the meat was precooked and the mixture was heated rapidly not too long before serving.
Wednesday we visited the Hagia Sophia, a cathedral originally built in roman time and added to over the years. The style is very different to the European model with an almost square shape. The nave is covered by an immense dome supported by 4 half domes that cover the aisles and sanctuary areas (if it was a church). However after the Ottoman conquest it was converted into a mosque and remained that until Attaturk declared it a museum in the 20s. Surprisingly much of the Bysantine christian decorations were still there, though covered over and there are a lot of christian mosaics. Even with a lot of the interior covered by scaffolding for renovations it is still impressive.
After a relaxing bus tour around the Golden Horn (an estuary that separates the old town from the more moder city centre to the north) we headed for the Blue Mosque expecting to spend some time there being wowed. After crossing a large courtyard and being supervised to take off shoes, cover hair, etc, we walked in and found little keep us there long. The building is large with a huge dome and entirely covered inside with mosaic tiles, mostly blue, but once seen there is nothing to do other than listen to the quaran being read in a high voice and watch the faithful coming and going. We left after 15 minutes and as it was still early afternoon decided to visit the Topkapi Palace which turned out to further away and larger than we expected leaving us tired by the time we finished. The palace grounds cover a large area, originally the whole end of the old town peninsular, and the palace itself was built in 3 courtyards with progressively les public access. For many years this was the seat of government for the Ottoman empire which seems to have been less than democratic. Some of the private rooms for the sultan and his women are opulent, but the general feeling is quite modest. We did not get to see the reputedly spartan and unheated rooms of the court concubines as there were many renovations in progress.
Dinner was at a seafood restaurant rated at #30 by Tripadvisor which again was close to the hotel. The reataurant is small with the ceiling covered in hanging glass lamps of differing style and colour. The menu was not extensive and the food was good but not outstanding. (Gillian has decided that we will go back to Lekker so she can try the Testi Kebab)
Thursday we took a tour around the city including a boat trip up the Bosphorus, narrow strait connecting Marmara Seaa with the Black Sea that is the border between Europe and Asia. The first thing apparent to me was that there is obviously no tides here as the roads and piers are all constructed low to the water, the second the huge number of day trip boats tied up along the piers with very few apparently in use. The boat we were on had around 40 onboard against a capacity of around 700. The hotel we're in has 2 - 3 rooms in use per night and it is obvious that tourist numbers are well down on normal, probably due to the bombings.
We have just returned from dinner at Lekker and are preparing to head for Gallipoli early tomorrow. Hope to blog our impressions of the battlefield tomorrow.
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