Turkey

Sequined Turkish slippers, glowing lanterns, and exquisite carpets define Istanbul at sunset in the local Grand Bazaar, world famous since first built by the Ottomans for all-weather merchant trading. We sailed along the southwest coast, and then I joined my mother for a tour around the country via bus to climb into and out of ancient ruins, and comb cultural handicraft markets where Turkish women with faces like treasure maps crocheted finely detailed lace in doorways of grottos.

According to myth, a grey wolf led Turkish tribes out of Central Asia. Today Armenians, Kurds, Greeks, Jews and Turks live in harmony throughout the country. In the east, the women are totally covered and have large families, according to the Anatolia tradition. Marriages are arranged, taking the bride’s view into consideration. Typically, when she marries, she not only marries her husband, but the entire village, as well. Honor killings are not unheard of, if a women steps out of line. However, it’s the opposite in western Turkey, which is much more European. (The line inches further east every year.) We visited places where not a headscarf could be seen.

Turkey became independent in 1923 under the leadership of Araturk, who sought to thrust Turkey into a strong, modern European state. Turk, insisting their country remain secular, drape huge Turkish flags of freedom from their windows, reminding government of their public views. The strong military supports secularism and it looks favorable that EU membership will be gained, which began to be sought for in 2004.

In Roosevelt Rhodes, south coast, we took a morning ramble into the countryside where we passed old men bent under the weight of large twig bundles on backs, and women shepherding their goats. We located the village ancient castle by following a foot path that was festooned with wildflowers – springtime in Turkey is marvelous. From atop the hill inside the castle walls, we were amazed to see sarcophagi half-submerged in the waters far below, when we took in the scenic view below us. Outside the crumbling walls, a confetti of them littered the castle grounds. Of the twenty sarcophagi that we studied on the castle grounds, all had been invaded by tomb robbers

Sarcophagi are tombs used by the ancient Greeks to bury their dead and are placed above the ground. They are carved from stone and decorated with friezes or garlands in relief around the sides. Before being placed inside the sarcophagus, a body was first mummified, and then placed in limestone coffins, which allegedly consumes the whole body, except for the teeth, within 40 days. Hence, sarcophagus means “flesh eating” in Greek.

Mosques were built by powerful Ottomans, believing they assisted their passage to paradise. Today, caravans of the pious begin their faithful haj to Mecca from here. The mosque serves as the main place of worship for Muslims, and faces towards Mecca. They are modeled after the courtyard of Muhammad's own house in Medina, Saudi Arabia. Istanbul and all cities, townships, and villages support a mosque of stunning architectural beauty.

After we’d slipped out of our shoes and donned headscarves (as respectful observers), my mother and I quietly stepped inside the Blue Mosque in Istanbul - named for the tens of thousands of Iznik tiles inside - to see men and women prostrate in prayer against the backdrop of stained-windows. Overhead, a hand-painted floral arabesque covered the wooden ceiling, and around us, wooden doors and shutters were inlaid with ivory, shell, and mother-of-pearl. A blue hue seemed to shimmer off the turrets, half-domes, and fountain outside, as we lingered in the vast courtyard, watching the locals come and go. Drifting over Istanbul, the repeated wail of the muezzin to the faithful to pray provided a constant symphony with the colorful chaos that ensued around us.

There are more ruins in Turkey than Greece, all well-preserved: Troy, Ephesus, Temple of Aphrodite. To amble inside the best preserved classical city in the Mediterranean – Ephesus! – is to truly get a feel for what life was like in Roman times. Ancient Ephesus was the Roman provincial capital and trading center where east (Asia) meets west (Europe). A fabulous temple was built for Artemis, goddess of the hunt and moon. An amphitheatre, baths, library, vast colonnade, and merchant stalls were still intact, even after the great earthquake of 1999 in Turkey, which leveled many great Roman ruins.

When trying to decide where to build Ephesus, Androclus (son of the King of Athens), consulted an oracle. “Choose the site indicated by the fish and the boar”, he said. So, Androclus then sat down with some fishermen at riverside. While grilling fish, one leapt out of the brazier, taking with it a hot coal, which ignited the bush nearby. A wild boar rushed out of the flames and the fishermen killed it on site. Today, that site is Ephesus, Temple of Artemis.

Deep into the country, my mother and I came upon a surreal lunar landscape of soft volcanic tuffs, sculpted into fantastic fairy chimneys against the looming backdrop of snow-capped Mt. Erciyes: Cappadocia. The tuffs are huge stone mushrooms, set in soft ridges and deep valleys. They were created from erosion that swept away the lava covering the consolidated volcanic ash from the nearby volcano, and are capped by harder rock, resting on pillars of softer rock. .In ancient times, they housed Christian who sought refuge from Muslim invaders. Magnificent frescoes decorate the walls inside the underground cave dwellings that resemble Swiss cheese with the numerous chambers and levels. The villagers call them castles and use them as homes. Some are 40m high, large enough to house a family on 3 levels. Being rich with mineral-laden volcanic soil, the area is surrounded by olive groves and vineyards.