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| Monday, March 29, 2004 |
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"Do you ever feel like we are playing fast and loose with our sanity?"
Who would have thought that 10 days with seven flights (total of about 30 hours on airplanes and five movies) and innumerable hours on a bus could be reinvigorating? Worn out but no longer as burned out. Turkey was amazing! The mix between ancient and modern in everyday life was almost spooky. Of course, that is coming from an American who's idea of old is the pre-computer age. In all of our sightseeing, we did not even look at anything that was younger than the 15th century. Once I figure out how to put pictures into this thing I am going to put some of the more entertaining ones up. The trip was full of highlights but some favorites sites included Pergamum and the Temple of Aesclepios, Ephesus, Temple of Apollo, and Priene. In each of these places it was easy to project yourself back two thousand years ago into the life of the royal or average person.
The male, with affected nonchalance, slipping into the brothel after telling his wife he was going to offer sacrifices at the altar of Zeus before stopping at the city gates to discuss the answer to the world's problems with the other elders. The priestess, after receiving her prophecy from the oracle of Delphi, rises to her feet, bows before the god and turns to meet the awaiting multitude. She stops for a moment at the sacred pool to look deep into its depths; slipping a strand of hair behind her ear, she smiles at her reflection then ascends the stairs to the platform. The young man, convinced that he is consumed with disease, offers a sacrifice to Aesclepios, then is directed by the priest to an underground sleeping chamber to await his healing dream. The new Christian slipping through the shadows of Ephesus to meet with the others, desperate for fellowship and teaching yet afraid of becoming a torch to light the street to the harbor. Helen of Troy, standing on the terrace of the Temple of Athena, looking over the grassy field towards the Aegean Sea, watching the Greek ships sail from the harbor leaving behind their infamous gift. Wow.
In Turkey:
* having a family camping trip, complete with a bonfire (not just a regular, yay-we-are-camping size fire) and chestnuts, on the street corner is not only acceptable, but common.
* street lanes are optional. Best course of action is just find a place where your vehicle will fit (relatively) and just lean on the horn, because that makes the gridlocked cars in front of you move faster.
* the exchange rate does wonders for your self-esteem.
* men still offer camels for women (I never could find out if camels were actually accepted for women though).
* playgrounds are made up of ancient ruins.
* there are over 20 political parties, including communism, and they all drive around the streets with loud speakers.
* I got to be a model. Oh-la-la.
* pastries are delicious. Even the ones in carts that have been pushed up and down the streets all day.
* despite my best efforts I never was able to try real Turkish coffee. Their tea is wonderful though! (and those cute little cups...)
* American music is popular - we are corrupting the world.
* Turkish guys are hot!! |
posted by Unknown @ 8:49 PM   |
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