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Cappadocia

- -Part of the Armenian heritage trip memory. - -

2019-09-24 Tuesday

- -

Traveling Erzincan to Cappadocia

- -

-The drive from Erzincan to Cappadocia was pleasant. -There were many little bridges over the road to allow water to cross without washing out the road itself. -The travelers saw animals, including a herd of sheep that crossed the road forcing a small delay. -Each town seemed centered around a mosque with tall minarets. -

- -

-Along the way, the travelers saw an excelent view of Mount Ericyes from the Kayseri side. -When the view is clear, it is obvious that the mountain is a volcano that has erupted before. -

- -

-A view of of Mount Ericyes from the Kayseri side. -
- -

Lunch at Sivas

- -

-Nancy, Jim, and Blaise stopped at the city of Sivas for lunch. -This was the birthplace of St. Blaise. -Sivas is a large city with a complex network of busy roads. -There are no parking meters, but individual workers make it their business to take a fee from each car that parks for more than one hour. -

- -

-Blaise poses in front of a hotel in central Sivas. -Sivas was the birthplace of St. Blaise, Blaise's namesake. -
- -

Cappadocia overview

- -

-Pronounced "cap a dough sha". -

- -

-Cappadocia, a semi-arid region in central Turkey, is known for its distinctive “fairy chimneys,” tall, cone-shaped rock formations clustered in Monks Valley, Göreme and elsewhere. -Other notables sites include Bronze Age homes carved into valley walls by troglodytes (cave dwellers) and later used as refuges by early Christians. -The 100m-deep Ihlara Canyon houses numerous rock-face churches. -

- -

-Although the travelers have no relatives in this area, they decided to visit Cappadocia anyway to take in the amazing geology. -It was well worth the visit. -

- -

night in Gorome

- -

-The travelers arrived in Cappadocia late afternoon, just before sunset. -They stayed in the town of Gorome, at the center of the Cappadocia region. -Gorome is a rock city with many buildings built into the walls and pillars -

- -

-An example hotel in Gorome. -Many hotels are built right into the rock walls and pillars that surround the town. -
- -

-Initially there was some confusion about which hotel was correct, as there are many hotels whose names contain some combination of "cave" and "suite". -The travelers stayed in the Ottoman Cave Suite hotels, which was right at the center of Gorome and afforded wonderful views of the surrounding town during sunset. -They had a honeymoon suite on the top floor, with a personal hot tub and a wonderful view of the surrounding city. -The travelers watched the sun set from the roof of their hotel. -

- -

-View from inside the hotel room. -
-
- -

-Sun setting over gorome, as viewed from the hotel roof. -
-
- -

-Jim, Nancy, and Blaise enjoying the sunset. -
-
- -

-The nearby castle at night, as viewed from the hotel. -
- -

-After unpacking and watching the sunset, the travelers enjoyed a nice Chinese dinner at a local restaurant. -

- -

2019-09-25 Wednesday

- -

waking up

- -

-The sunrise was also fantastic as viewed from the hotel roof. -

- -

-Sun rising over Gorome, as viewed from the hotel roof. -
-
- -

-Blaise poses on the hotel roof during the sunrise. -
- -

-During breakfast, the travelers finally tried the talum from Kemah. -One of the hotel empoyees shared her own talum, which is made with "black seed" (cumin) -

- -

Breakfast at Ottoman Cave Suite. - Note the talum on the table with Nancy and Blaise.

- -

hike

- -

-The travelers took a taxi to the top of the ridge (sun set point) and meandered their way down through the valleys and caves of Cappadocia. -Ultimately, they arrived at Çavuşin. -

- -

-A tree near sunset point that has been decorated with "evil eyes". -This symbol was common throughout the region. -
-
- -

-Blaise poses at the entrance to the red valley. -
-
- -

-Nancy poses near the door of one of the carved churches. -Note how thick the walls were made. -
-
- -

-View inside of one of the carved dwellings, showing painted roof detail. -
-
- -

-Nancy sits at the entrance to one of the red valley dwellings. -
- -

-At some point, the travelers hopped from the Red Valley to Rose Valley. -Rose valley contained many amazing carved rock structures. -

- -

-Rose valley rock formations. -
-
- -

-Nancy and jim pose at the entrance to Rose Valley. -
-
- -

-Nancy stands on the bridge into column church. -
-
- -

-Column church, interior. -
-
- -

-Blaise poses in front of some carved structures in Rose Valley. -
- -

-Foolishly, the travelers forgot water and food. -They were happy to discover an oasis cafe "StarBox" which offered refreshing fruit juice and water. -This cafe was located right under cross church, and the view into Rose Valley was amazing. -

- -

-Painting within cross church, next to StarBox. -
- -

-The travelers ultimately exited the valleys in a nearby town, and were able to catch a taxi back to their hotel. -

- -

Castle

- -

-As a last activity, the travelers visited the local castle. -They ate lunch near the top. -The view was amazing, even though it was raining that day. -Nancy and Blaise paid 9 TL each to go to the top of the castle. -It was a fairly tourist-centered area, but not many visitors were there. -Their were camel rides available. -

- - -

-Lunch. -
-
- -

- -

- - - - diff --git a/public/armenian-heritage-trip/cappadocia/index.html b/public/armenian-heritage-trip/cappadocia/index.html new file mode 100644 index 0000000..347fb73 --- /dev/null +++ b/public/armenian-heritage-trip/cappadocia/index.html @@ -0,0 +1,285 @@ + + + + + + Cappadocia + + + + +

Cappadocia

+ +Part of the Armenian heritage trip memory. + +

2019-09-24 Tuesday

+ +

Traveling Erzincan to Cappadocia

+ +

+The drive from Erzincan to Cappadocia was pleasant. +There were many little bridges over the road to allow water to cross without washing out the road itself. +The travelers saw animals, including a herd of sheep that crossed the road forcing a small delay. +Each town seemed centered around a mosque with tall minarets. +

+ +

+Along the way, the travelers saw an excelent view of Mount Ericyes from the Kayseri side. +When the view is clear, it is obvious that the mountain is a volcano that has erupted before. +

+ +

+A view of of Mount Ericyes from the Kayseri side. +
+ +

Lunch at Sivas

+ +

+Nancy, Jim, and Blaise stopped at the city of Sivas for lunch. +This was the birthplace of St. Blaise. +Sivas is a large city with a complex network of busy roads. +There are no parking meters, but individual workers make it their business to take a fee from each car that parks for more than one hour. +

+ +

+Blaise poses in front of a hotel in central Sivas. +Sivas was the birthplace of St. Blaise, Blaise's namesake. +
+ +

Cappadocia overview

+ +

+Pronounced "cap a dough sha". +

+ +

+Cappadocia, a semi-arid region in central Turkey, is known for its distinctive “fairy chimneys,” tall, cone-shaped rock formations clustered in Monks Valley, Göreme and elsewhere. +Other notables sites include Bronze Age homes carved into valley walls by troglodytes (cave dwellers) and later used as refuges by early Christians. +The 100m-deep Ihlara Canyon houses numerous rock-face churches. +

+ +

+Although the travelers have no relatives in this area, they decided to visit Cappadocia anyway to take in the amazing geology. +It was well worth the visit. +

+ +

night in Goreme

+ +

+The travelers arrived in Cappadocia late afternoon, just before sunset. +They stayed in the town of Goreme, at the center of the Cappadocia region. +Goreme is a rock city with many buildings built into the rock walls and pillars +

+ +

+An example hotel in Goreme. +
+ +

+Initially there was some confusion about which hotel was correct, as there are many hotels whose names contain some combination of "cave" and "suite". +The travelers stayed in the Ottoman Cave Suite hotels, which was right at the center of Goreme and afforded wonderful views of the surrounding town during sunset. +They had a honeymoon suite on the top floor, with a personal hot tub and a wonderful view of the surrounding city. +The travelers watched the sun set from the roof of their hotel. +

+ +

+View from inside the hotel room. +
+
+ +

+Sun setting over gorome, as viewed from the hotel roof. +
+
+ +

+Jim, Nancy, and Blaise enjoying the sunset. +
+
+ +

+The nearby castle at night, as viewed from the hotel. +
+ +

+After unpacking and watching the sunset, the travelers enjoyed a nice Chinese dinner at a local restaurant. +

+ +

2019-09-25 Wednesday

+ +

waking up

+ +

+The sunrise was also fantastic as viewed from the hotel roof. +

+ +

+Sun rising over Goreme, as viewed from the hotel roof. +
+
+ +

+Blaise poses on the hotel roof during the sunrise. +
+ +

+During breakfast, the travelers finally tried the tulum from Kemah. +One of the hotel empoyees shared her own tulum, which is made with "black seed" (cumin) +

+ +

Breakfast at Ottoman Cave Suite. + Note the tulum on the table with Nancy and Blaise.

+ +

hike

+ +

+The travelers took a taxi to the top of the ridge (sun set point) and meandered their way down through the valleys and caves of Cappadocia. +Ultimately, they arrived at Çavuşin. +

+ +

+A tree near sunset point that has been decorated with "evil eyes". +This symbol was common throughout the region. +
+
+ +

+Blaise poses at the entrance to the red valley. +
+
+ +

+Nancy poses near the door of one of the carved churches. +Note how thick the walls were made. +
+
+ +

+View inside Kizilcukur Church, showing painted roof detail. +
+
+ +

+Nancy sits at the entrance to one of the red valley dwellings. +
+ +

+At some point, the travelers hopped from the Red Valley to Rose Valley. +Rose valley contained many amazing carved rock structures. +

+ +

+Rose valley rock formations. +
+
+ +

+Nancy and jim pose at the entrance to Rose Valley. +
+
+ +

+Nancy stands on the bridge into column church. +
+
+ +

+Column church, interior. +
+
+ +

+Blaise poses in front of some carved structures in Rose Valley. +
+ +

+Foolishly, the travelers forgot water and food. +They were happy to discover an oasis cafe "StarBox" which offered refreshing fruit juice and water. +This cafe was located right under cross church, and the view into Rose Valley was amazing. +

+ +

+Painting within cross church, next to StarBox. +
+ +

+The travelers ultimately exited the valleys in a nearby town, and were able to catch a taxi back to their hotel. +

+ +

Castle

+ +

+As a last activity, the travelers visited the local castle. +They ate lunch near the top. +The view was amazing, even though it was raining that day. +Nancy and Blaise paid 9 TL each to go to the top of the castle. +It was a fairly tourist-centered area, but not many visitors were there. +Their were camel rides available. +

+ + +

+Lunch. +
+
+ +

+ +

+ + + + diff --git a/public/armenian-heritage-trip/erzincan.html b/public/armenian-heritage-trip/erzincan.html deleted file mode 100644 index afe6080..0000000 --- a/public/armenian-heritage-trip/erzincan.html +++ /dev/null @@ -1,453 +0,0 @@ - - - - - - Erzincan & Kemah - - - - -

Erzincan & Kemah

- -Part of the Armenian heritage trip memory. - -

- -

note: historical vs modern Erzincan

- -

-Erzindjan is now north of the location as of 1907. -When Azniv was born, Erzindjan and the surrounding area was part of Armenia. -It was made part of Turkey in 1920 after the conclusion of WW1. -Besides the genocide, Erzindjan is earthquake prone. -In 1254 William Rubruck said more than 10,000 people were killed by an earthquake. -In 1939 there was another earthquake which led to the death of 32,962. -The old site was entirely abandoned and the town was relocated to the north. -

- -

note: family connection with Erzindjan

- -

-The following photo was taken in 1906, four years after Stepan and his family arrived in the USi. -Standing from left to right in the back row are: Azniv/Agnes Torosian (born Shakargian, who is Nancy and Jim’s maternal grandmother), her brother Arshag and his wife, Nartouhi Pojojian (alternates Nartoo, Pazozian, Posozian). -The adults sitting from left to right in the front row are Nancy and Jim’s great-grandmother, Lucien Shakargian (born Donegian), and great-grandfather, Stepan Shakargian. -The family believes two of the children are Arshag's children but the third child may be one of the sister's, Eva Kapigian (born Shakargian) children. -The travelers think Azniv was born in Erzindjan proper rather than adjacent villages because: 1) they used the Turkish bath house which was a Roman ruin, 2) they had a shop where folks bought things- perhaps sugar, candy, coffee, 3) Azniv went to a school and the city had a school for girls (Chrisdinian). -

- -

- -

2019-09-22 Sunday

- -

arrival

- -

-The travelers took a 1.5 hour flight from Istanbul to Erzincan, arriving around 15:00. -Erzincan is a medium sized city, with an official population roughly 37,000. -The true population is twice that, with many of the undocumented being Roma. -The airport is quite modern and nice, funded extensively by Russians. -

- -

-Erzincan airport.
- -

-The city of Erzincan has been almost entirely rebuilt since the 1939 earthquake. -Unlike other cities visited by the travelers, the roads are clearly planned and the buildings seem quite modern. -

- -

-The hotel was quite nice, more like an apartment than a typical hotel room. -There were two small bedrooms, a bathroom including washing machine, kitchen complete with stove, and a very large living and dining room. -Jim and Nancy took the bedrooms, while Blaise slept on the living room couch. -Total cost of hotel was 480 TL for two nights. -

- -

-Living and dining room of Erzincan hotel.
- -

dinner

- -

-The travelers met their guide (Ahmed) and his driver. -The driver spoke only Turkish and was not very communicative for the entire trip. -All five enjoyed dinner at a local restaurant. -Credit cards were a problem, but the travelers were able to withdraw cash from nearby ATMs. -After dinner, all five visited a local bar to plan the trip. -At the bar, Nancy enjoyed drinking special Erzincan carbonated lemon drink (Kizilay). -

- -

Tevhit Karakaya

- -

-On the flight from Istanbul to Erzincan Nancy was placed in first class for some reason. -Nancy sat next to a local politician and business man Tevhit Karakaya. -Tehvit was interested in Nancy's historic photos of Erzincan. -Tevhit did not speak English, but a friend of his translated on the plane. -

- -

-Tevhit invited the travelers to stop by his hotel to obtain a book of historic Erzincan photos which he himself had compiled. -Once Ahmed heard of the Nancy's interactions with Tevhit, Ahmed called Tevhit and all were invited to meet Tevhit at his hotel. -

- -

-While at the hotel, Tevhit and his associates asked Nancy and Jim for more information regarding their Erzincan relatives. -All enjoyed tea and special Erzincan grapes. -The travelers needed to be instructed to eat the grape seeds, and indeed the seeds were easy to eat and even seemed to enhance the grape texture. -The grapes were very sweet and the seeds were not at all bitter. -

- -

-The travelers meet with Tevhit Karakaya (far right). -Picture taken in lobby of Karakaya hotel. -Note grapes held by Nancy.
- -

2019-09-23 Monday

- -

breakfast

- -

-At around 09:00, the travelers met with Ahmed and started their day with breakfast at a local restaurant, Siber Bilişim Sistemleri. -It was a typical middle eastern breakfast with a large variety of options. -The travelers enjoyed trying rose petal jam, similar to that made by Azniv Torosian and remembered as part of Nancy and Jim's childhood. -

- -

-Jim and Nancy enjoy breakfast.
- -

old Erzincan

- -

-Nancy and Jim's Grandmother (Azniv Torosian, nee Shakargian) was born in old Erzincan. -She left in 1902 with her parents, one brother, and the brother's wife and children. -An additional sister stayed behind as she was already married. -Azniv was roughly 16 years old at the time. -The travelers attempted to visit the place where Azniv and her family had lived. -

- -

-Nancy's notes contained a picture of old Erzincan (1907) behind which a particular view of the mountain range could be seen. -This was Mount Kazen Kaya. -It was also known that old Erzincan was next to the Euphrates river. -Since the earthquake and rebuilding, there are almost no remaining structures or clues about the position of old Erzincan. -Still, the travelers were able to find the mountain view as seen in the old pictures, and also where the Euphrates currently flows. -

- -

-Nancy and Jim pose in front of the mountain range from Nancy's notes. -Immediately behind the photographer is the Euphrates river. -[39.691N, 39.504E]
-
- -

-Detail of mount Kazen Kaya.
- -

cemetery

- -

-Visited Muslim cemetery. -Saw tomb of Turkish soldier that died as a suicide bomber. -

- -

-Tomb of a Turkish soldier. -[39.717N,39.498E]
- -

drive to Kemah

- -

-The travelers headed to Kemah, which is about 40 miles from Erzincan by car. -Along the way many military instillations were seen. -The car passed through a check point, which our guide was able to talk his way through without difficulty. -The Turkish government has military in this region due to fears of Kurdish and Syrian terrorist attacks from the south. -

- -

-Along the drive, the travelers stopped at Kemah gorge, which is now used as a point of recreation (base jumping, climbing etc.) -There is a turkish monument at this place which memorializes a truckload of soldiers that died here in a car accident on the bridge. -One Armenian story about this place is that 30 (?) unmarried young women committed mass suicide here to avoid having to convert from Christianity to Islam. -This gorge is 13 km from the town of Kemah. -

- -

-Kemah gorge. -[39.653N, 39.360E]
- -

Kemah

- -

-Nancy and Jim's Great Grandmother, Azniv's mother, Lucien Donegian is believed by the travelers to have grown up in the Kemah area. -Azniv's father, Stephan Shekargian, was living in Erzincan and traveled two days by horse to marry Lucien. -Azniv described trips to visit Lucien's family, where wonderful stones sparkled in the sun. -It's likely true that Lucien was from one of the several Kemah-associated villages. -

- -

-Arriving in Kemah, the travelers found the location of another photograph from Nancy's notes: the Kemah Fort. -They were able to find the exact point where the photograph was taken. -

- -

-Nancy and Jim pose in front of Kemah fort. -[39.603N, 39.0372E]
- -

-The fort was built into a mountain which gives a good view of modern Kemah. -There were also caves that had been fortified, and an ongoing archaeological excavation. -

- -

-Town of Kemah as seen from Kemah fort. [39.604N, 39.035E]
- -

-Beside Kemah, on the other side of the Euphrates river, is a large ridge which is currently occupied by a Turkish millitary outpost. -The travelers believe that this is the famous ridge from which 25,000 Armenians were thrown to their death between June 10 through 14, 1915. -Oral history describes the Euphrates filled with bodies and red with blood. -Before that time, many Armenians lived peacefully in this area. -In 2019 the city of Kemah contains just 2000 people, all Arab. -

- -

-Kemah ridge as seen from Kemah fort. [39.604N, 39.036E]
- -

-After visiting Kemah Fort, the travelers spent some time in the Kemah city center. -Once Ahmed suggested tea, it was remarkable how quickly the young friend was able to procure it. -Kemah seems like a nice city, with local cats dogs and chickens. -The town is clean and bustling with activity. -

- -

lunch

- -

-The travelers had lunch at a rustic outdoor restaurant called Kemah Alabalık Tesisleri. -Specialty was trout, and delicious shepard's salad. -The lunch featured special salt mined near Kemah. -There was a pomegranate sauce that was excellent on the salad: nar ekşisi kalori. -

- -

-Travelers enjoying lunch. [39.614N, 39.038E]
- -

Kemeryaka

- -

-The travelers were interested in trying to find the exact village where Lucien Donegian grew up. -In pursuit of this, Ahmed took them to the local village of Kemeryaka. -There they found many village men doing construction working together to build a new brick house in the center of town. -All shared tea and great conversation as translated by Ahmed. -In conversation, they recommended that the travelers visit Morik. -The crucial piece of information in recommending Morik was stories of Kurds storing their freshly caught meat in a special place near the village where Lucien lived. -

- -

-Travelers meet with men of Kemeryaka. [39.550N, 39.068E]
- -

stone khatchkar

- -

-It seems that local Arab people believe that Armenians were some kind of treasure keepers, rich magical people of old. -The people of Kemeryaka seem excited to show the travelers some local "mythical" signs of historic Armenian presence. -One of the village elders jokes that when the travelers find the Armenian treasure they can split it "50/50". -There are interesting parallels between stereotypes about Armenians and those about Jews. -

- -

-Joined by several teenage boys from Kemeryaka, the travelers drove to a place where khatchkar (crosses) have been carved into the stone by previous Armenian dwellers. -The valley that they visited was truly beautiful, and it was powerful to see sure signs of Armenian presence. -One of the two khatchkarkars had recently been destroyed by other treasure seekers. -The travelers theorize that these khatchkars were used as road markers for an old mountain pass. -

- -

-Khatchkar carved into stone. [39.546N,39.0648E]
-
- -

-Travelers discuss khatchkares. -Note two other khatchkars on the right hand side of the photo. -[39.544N, 39.063E]
-
- -

-Second khatchkar, destroyed. -[39.544N, 39.065E]
-
- -

-Second khatchkar, detail.Note crosses above, writing below, and star or flower. -[39.544N, 39.065E]
-
- -

-Mountains where khatchkars were carved. -[39.548N, 39.0648E]
- -

Morik

- -

-As mentioned earlier, one unique feature of Lucien's village was their unique storage facilities for meat and cheese. -These facilities were used by many local villages and nomadic Kurds as they were quite valuable. -When the travelers mentioned this to the men of Kemeryaka, those men instantly agreed that the village in question was likely Morik. -Morik's old name was Ayranpınar. -

- -

-On the way to Morik, the travelers dropped off the teenage boys from Kemeryaka and picked up an adult man Mehmet who seemed to be a local leader. -Mehmet sat on Ahmed's lap in the front seat for the trip between villages. -As the travelers arrived, the way into the village was blocked by cows. -The village director's son was moving them through the main street. -They drove to the village director's (Umit) home. -All enjoyed an active conversation sharing the reason for visiting and the history of Lucien Donegian. -

- -

-Cows on the way into Morik. -[39.634N, 38.998E]
-
- -

-Conversation on the deck of Umit, Morik's appointed director, home. -Left to right pictured Ahmed, Umit, Mehmet. -[39.634N, 38.998E]
-
- -

-Son of Umit (right), and his son grandson of Umit (left) during the conversation. -Grandson enjoying fresh tomato. -[39.634N, 38.998E]
- -

-From Umit's home all rode or hiked up to the storage cave. -Amhed's car couldn't make it all the way up because the mountain became too steep. -Umit shared that the cave is special because the mountain makes ice there all year round. -Currently it is mainly used for goat cheese (tulum), which develops in the cave for six months. -There are currently 40 tons of cheese inside. -Mehmet himself was storing cheese in the cave, despite the fact that he is from a different village. -

- -

-Jim and Mehmet riding a tractor up the mountain to visit the ice cave. -[39.631N, 38.997E]
-
- -

-Nancy, Ahmed, and Umit visit the ice cave. -[39.631N, 38.996E]
-
- -

-Umit showing off the key to the ice cave. -[39.631N, 38.996E]
- -

-Since the ice cave was higher up on the mountain, there was an excellent view of Morik and surroundings. -

- -

-View of Morik from near the ice cave. -[39.632N, 38.997E]
-
- -

-Nancy with Morik in the background. -[39.631N, 38.997E]
- -

return to Erzincan

- -

-The travelers went first to Kemeryaka to drop off Mehmet. -From Mehmet they bought a large amount of local goat cheese (tulum), totaling 630 TL. -Most of this was given to Ahmed and the driver, as there was way too much to take home. -

- -

-After all this the travelers returned to their hotel in Erzincan and slept well. -

- -

2019-09-24 Tuesday

- -

Euphrates

- -

-Tuesday morning Nancy washed her feet in the Euphrates river. -After this, and breakfast, the travelers set on their way to Cappadocia. -

- -

-View of the Euphrates as it was when Nancy washed her feet. -[39.701N, 39.519E]
- - - diff --git a/public/armenian-heritage-trip/erzincan/index.html b/public/armenian-heritage-trip/erzincan/index.html new file mode 100644 index 0000000..208859e --- /dev/null +++ b/public/armenian-heritage-trip/erzincan/index.html @@ -0,0 +1,455 @@ + + + + + + Erzincan & Kemah + + + + +

Erzincan & Kemah

+ +Part of the Armenian heritage trip memory. + +

+ +

note: historical vs modern Erzincan

+ +

+Erzindjan is now north of the location as of 1907. +When Azniv was born, Erzindjan and the surrounding area was part of Armenia. +It was made part of Turkey in 1920 after the conclusion of WW1. +Besides the genocide, Erzindjan is earthquake prone. +In 1254 William Rubruck said more than 10,000 people were killed by an earthquake. +In 1939 there was another earthquake which led to the death of 32,962. +The old site was entirely abandoned and the town was relocated to the north. +

+ +

note: family connection with Erzindjan

+ +

+The following photo was taken in 1906, four years after Stepan and his family arrived in the US. +Standing from left to right in the back row are: Azniv/Agnes Torosian (born Shakargian, who is Nancy and Jim’s maternal grandmother), her brother Arshag and his wife, Nartouhi Pojojian (alternates Nartoo, Pazozian, Posozian). +The adults sitting from left to right in the front row are Nancy and Jim’s great-grandmother, Lucien Shakargian (born Donegian), and great-grandfather, Stepan Shakargian. +The family believes two of the children are Arshag's children but the third child may be one of the sister's, Eva Kapigian (born Shakargian) children. +The travelers think Azniv was born in Erzindjan proper rather than adjacent villages because: 1) they used the Turkish bath house which was a Roman ruin, 2) they had a shop where folks bought things- perhaps sugar, candy, coffee, 3) Azniv went to a school and the city had a school for girls (Chrisdinian). +

+ +

2019-09-22 Sunday

+ +

arrival

+ +

+The travelers took a 1.5 hour flight from Istanbul to Erzincan, arriving around 15:00. +Erzincan is a medium sized city, with an official population roughly 37,000. +The true population is twice that, with many of the undocumented being Roma. +The airport is quite modern and nice, funded extensively by Russians. +

+ +

+Erzincan airport.
+ +

+The city of Erzincan has been almost entirely rebuilt since the 1939 earthquake. +Unlike other cities visited by the travelers, the roads are clearly planned and the buildings seem quite modern. +

+ +

+The travelers stayed at Hayat Home Suite in the center of town. +The hotel was quite nice, more like an apartment than a typical hotel room. +There were two small bedrooms, a bathroom including washing machine, kitchen complete with stove, and a very large living and dining room. +Jim and Nancy took the bedrooms, while Blaise slept on the living room couch. +Total cost of hotel was 480 TL for two nights. +

+ +

+Living and dining room of Erzincan hotel.
+ +

dinner

+ +

+The travelers met their guide (Ahmet Cetin) and his driver. +The driver spoke only Turkish and was not very communicative for the entire trip. +All five enjoyed dinner at a local restaurant. +Credit cards were a problem, but the travelers were able to withdraw cash from nearby ATMs. +After dinner, all five visited a local bar to plan the trip. +At the bar, Nancy enjoyed drinking special Erzincan carbonated lemon drink (Kizilay). +

+ +

Tevhit Karakaya

+ +

+On the flight from Istanbul to Erzincan Nancy was placed in first class for some reason. +Nancy sat next to a local politician and business man Tevhit Karakaya. +Tehvit was interested in Nancy's historic photos of Erzincan. +Tevhit did not speak English, but a friend of his translated on the plane. +

+ +

+Tevhit invited the travelers to stop by his hotel to obtain a book of historic Erzincan photos which he himself had compiled. +Once Ahmed heard of the Nancy's interactions with Tevhit, Ahmet called Tevhit and all were invited to meet Tevhit at his hotel. +

+ +

+While at the hotel, Tevhit and his associates asked Nancy and Jim for more information regarding their Erzincan relatives. +All enjoyed tea and special Erzincan grapes. +The travelers needed to be instructed to eat the grape seeds, and indeed the seeds were easy to eat and even seemed to enhance the grape texture. +The grapes were very sweet and the seeds were not at all bitter. +

+ +

+The travelers meet with Tevhit Karakaya (far right). +Picture taken in lobby of Karakaya hotel. +Note grapes held by Nancy.
+ +

2019-09-23 Monday

+ +

breakfast

+ +

+At around 09:00, the travelers met with Ahmet and started their day with breakfast at a local restaurant, Siber Bilişim Sistemleri. +It was a typical middle eastern breakfast with a large variety of options. +The travelers enjoyed trying rose petal jam, similar to that made by Azniv Torosian and remembered as part of Nancy and Jim's childhood. +

+ +

+Jim and Nancy enjoy breakfast.
+ +

old Erzincan

+ +

+Nancy and Jim's Grandmother (Azniv Torosian, nee Shakargian) was born in old Erzincan. +She left in 1902 with her parents, one brother, and the brother's wife and children. +An additional sister stayed behind as she was already married. +Azniv was roughly 16 years old at the time. +The travelers attempted to visit the place where Azniv and her family had lived. +

+ +

+Nancy's notes contained a picture of old Erzincan (1907) behind which a particular view of the mountain range could be seen. +This was Mount Kazen Kaya. +It was also known that old Erzincan was next to the Euphrates river. +Since the earthquake and rebuilding, there are almost no remaining structures or clues about the position of old Erzincan. +Still, the travelers were able to find the mountain view as seen in the old pictures, and also where the Euphrates currently flows. +

+ +

+Nancy and Jim pose in front of the mountain range from Nancy's notes. +Immediately behind the photographer is the Euphrates river. +[39.691N, 39.504E]
+
+ +

+Detail of foothills adjacent to Mount Kazen Kaya.
+ +

cemetery

+ +

+Travelers attempted to see the ruins of an Armenian cemetery, but were taken to a muslim cemetery instead. +Saw tomb of a female Turkish soldier that died as a suicide bomber. +

+ +

+Tomb of a Turkish soldier. +[39.717N,39.498E]
+ +

drive to Kemah

+ +

+The travelers headed to Kemah, which is about 40 miles from Erzincan by car. +Along the way many military instillations were seen. +The car passed through a check point, which our guide was able to talk his way through without difficulty. +The Turkish government has military in this region due to fears of Kurdish and Syrian terrorist attacks from the south. +

+ +

+Along the drive, the travelers stopped at Kemah gorge, which is now used as a point of recreation (base jumping, climbing etc.) +There is a turkish monument at this place which memorializes a truckload of soldiers that died here in a car accident on the bridge. +This was undoubtedly one of the many places between Erzincan and Kemah where 25,000 Armenians were thrown into the Euphrates river (1915). +This gorge is 13 km from the town of Kemah. +

+ +

+Kemah gorge. +[39.653N, 39.360E]
+ +

Kemah

+ +

+Nancy and Jim's Great Grandmother, Azniv's mother, Lucien Donegian is believed by the travelers to have grown up in the Kemah area. +Azniv's father, Stephan Shekargian, was living in Erzincan and traveled two days by horse to marry Lucien. +Azniv described trips to visit Lucien's family, where wonderful stones sparkled in the sun. +It's likely true that Lucien was from one of the several Kemah-associated villages. +

+ +

+Arriving in Kemah, the travelers found the location of another photograph from Nancy's notes: the Kemah Fort. +They were able to find the exact point where the photograph was taken. +

+ +

+Nancy and Jim pose in front of Kemah Fort. +[39.603N, 39.0372E]
+ +

+The Fort was built into a mountain which gives a good view of modern Kemah. +There were also caves that had been fortified, and an ongoing archaeological excavation. +

+ +

+Town of Kemah as seen from Kemah Fort. [39.604N, 39.035E]
+ +

+Beside Kemah, on the other side of the Euphrates river, is a large ridge which is currently occupied by a Turkish millitary outpost. +The travelers believe that this is the famous ridge from which 25,000 Armenians were thrown to their death between June 10 through 14, 1915. +Oral history describes the Euphrates filled with bodies and red with blood. +Before that time, many Armenians lived peacefully in this area. +In 2019 the city of Kemah contains just 2000 people, all Turkish. +

+ +

+Kemah ridge as seen from Kemah Fort. [39.604N, 39.036E]
+ +

+After visiting Kemah Fort, the travelers spent some time in the Kemah city center. +Once Ahmet suggested tea, it was remarkable how quickly the young friend was able to procure it. +Kemah seems like a nice city, with local cats, dogs, and chickens. +The town is clean and bustling with activity. +

+ +

lunch

+ +

+The travelers had lunch at a rustic outdoor restaurant called Kemah Alabalık Tesisleri. +Specialty was trout, and delicious Shepherd's Salad. +The lunch featured special salt mined near Kemah. +There was a pomegranate sauce that was excellent on the salad: nar ekşisi kalori. +

+ +

+Travelers enjoying lunch. [39.614N, 39.038E]
+ +

Kemeryaka

+ +

+The travelers were interested in trying to find the exact village where Lucien Donegian grew up. +In pursuit of this, Ahmet took them to the local village of Kemeryaka. +There they found many village men doing construction working together to build a new brick house in the center of town. +All shared tea and great conversation as translated by Ahmet. +In conversation, they recommended that the travelers visit Morik. +The crucial piece of information in recommending Morik was Nancy's remembering that Azniv had said the place where her mother grew up had a storage area where many (including Kurds) stored their freshly caught meat. +

+ +

+Travelers meet with men of Kemeryaka. [39.550N, 39.068E]
+ +

stone khachkar

+ +

+It seems that local Turkish people believe that Armenians were some kind of treasure keepers, rich magical people of old. +The people of Kemeryaka seem excited to show the travelers some local "mythical" signs of historic Armenian presence. +One of the village elders jokes that when the travelers find the Armenian treasure they can split it "50/50". +There are interesting parallels between stereotypes about Armenians and those about Jews. +

+ +

+Joined by several teenage boys from Kemeryaka, the travelers drove to a place where khachkars (crosses) had been carved into the stone by previous Armenian dwellers. +The valley that they visited was truly beautiful, and it was powerful to see sure signs of Armenian presence. +One of the two khachkars had recently been destroyed by other treasure seekers. +The travelers theorize that these khachkars were used as road markers for an old mountain pass. +

+ +

+Khachkar carved into stone. [39.546N,39.0648E]
+
+ +

+Travelers discuss khachkares. +Note two other khachkars on the right hand side of the photo. +[39.544N, 39.063E]
+
+ +

+Second khachkar, destroyed. +[39.544N, 39.065E]
+
+ +

+Second khachkar, detail.Note crosses above, writing below, and star or flower. +[39.544N, 39.065E]
+
+ +

+Mountains where khachkars were carved. +[39.548N, 39.0648E]
+ +

Morik

+ +

+As mentioned earlier, one unique feature of Lucien's village was their unique storage facilities for meat and cheese. +These facilities were used by many local villages and nomadic Kurds as they were quite valuable. +When the travelers mentioned this to the men of Kemeryaka, those men instantly agreed that the village in question was likely Morik. +Morik's old name was Ayranpınar. +

+ +

+On the way to Morik, the travelers dropped off the teenage boys from Kemeryaka and picked up an adult man Mehmet who seemed to be a local leader. +Mehmet sat on Ahmet's lap in the front seat for the trip between villages. +As the travelers arrived, the way into the village was blocked by cows. +The village director's son was moving them through the main street. +They drove to the village director's (Umit) home. +All enjoyed an active conversation sharing the reason for visiting and the history of Lucien Donegian. +

+ +

+Cows on the way into Morik. +[39.634N, 38.998E]
+
+ +

+Conversation on the deck of Umit, Morik's appointed director, home. +Left to right pictured Ahmet, Umit, Mehmet. +[39.634N, 38.998E]
+
+ +

+Son of Umit (right), and his son grandson of Umit (left) during the conversation. +Grandson enjoying fresh tomato. +[39.634N, 38.998E]
+ +

+From Umit's home all rode or hiked up to the storage cave. +Amhed's car couldn't make it all the way up because the mountain became too steep. +Umit shared that the cave is special because the mountain makes ice there all year round. +Currently it is mainly used for goat cheese (tulum), which develops in the cave for six months. +There are currently 40 tons of cheese inside. +Mehmet himself was storing cheese in the cave, despite the fact that he is from a different village. +

+ +

+Jim and Mehmet riding a tractor up the mountain to visit the ice cave. +[39.631N, 38.997E]
+
+ +

+Nancy, Ahmet, and Umit visit the ice cave. +[39.631N, 38.996E]
+
+ +

+Umit showing off the key to the ice cave. +[39.631N, 38.996E]
+ +

+Since the ice cave was higher up on the mountain, there was an excellent view of Morik and surroundings. +

+ +

+View of Morik from near the ice cave. +[39.632N, 38.997E]
+
+ +

+Nancy with Morik in the background. +[39.631N, 38.997E]
+ +

return to Erzincan

+ +

+The travelers went first to Kemeryaka to drop off Mehmet. +From Mehmet they bought a large amount of local goat cheese (tulum), totaling 630 TL. +Most of this was given to Ahmet and the driver, as there was way too much to take home. +

+ +

+After all this the travelers returned to their hotel in Erzincan and slept well. +

+ +

2019-09-24 Tuesday

+ +

Euphrates

+ +

+Tuesday morning Nancy placed her feet in the Euphrates river. +The place she chose was not far from the 1907 location of Erzincan. +After this, and breakfast, the travelers set on their way to Cappadocia. +

+ +

+View of the Euphrates as it was when Nancy placed her feet. +[39.701N, 39.519E]
+ + + diff --git a/public/armenian-heritage-trip/erzincan/morik-cows.jpg b/public/armenian-heritage-trip/erzincan/morik-cows.jpg index ab9129f..076fdae 100644 Binary files a/public/armenian-heritage-trip/erzincan/morik-cows.jpg and b/public/armenian-heritage-trip/erzincan/morik-cows.jpg differ diff --git a/public/armenian-heritage-trip/index.html b/public/armenian-heritage-trip/index.html new file mode 100644 index 0000000..07f887e --- /dev/null +++ b/public/armenian-heritage-trip/index.html @@ -0,0 +1,32 @@ + + + + + + Armenian heritage trip + + + + +

Armenian heritage trip

+ +

+In September 2019 Nancy, Jim, and Blaise took a vacation to explore their shared Armenian heritage. +The primary purpose of this trip was to explore the old family homesteads in what is now Turkey. +

+ +

+The exact trip of each traveler was a little bit different, as represented here. +

+ +Due to the extensive nature of this memory, it has been broken up into sections: +

+ + + diff --git a/public/armenian-heritage-trip/istanbul.html b/public/armenian-heritage-trip/istanbul.html deleted file mode 100644 index 64c29d9..0000000 --- a/public/armenian-heritage-trip/istanbul.html +++ /dev/null @@ -1,536 +0,0 @@ - - - - - - Armenian heritage trip - - - - -

Istanbul

- -Part of the Armenian heritage trip memory. - -

2019-09-18 Wednesday

- -

Nancy, James Jerusalem to Istanbul

- -

-The travelers met a cab at the Jaffa gate with their luggage and drove to Tel Aviv. -They drove through sections which showed the barriers between Palestine and Israel with long lines of people waiting to go to work on busses. -They flew to Istanbul and caught a cab driving to Istanbul. -This is a distance of about 60 miles. -

- -

-It is good that the airport has many moving sidewalks because the place is HUGE. -It took the travelers a long time to get from the place where they debarked the plane to the place where they collected their luggage, went through security and found a cab. -

- -

- -

Istanbul Overview

- -

-Istanbul is a popular place to visit with a long and important history. -The travelers wanted to experience this place and gain some understanding of what life may have been like for Yesia when he lived there. -Yesia began working in Istanbul when he was 13 and lived there until he was 17 when he immigrated to the US (1900) due to Turkish fear of Armenian revolutionaries. -

- -

Basileus Hotel

- -

-The travelers arrived at Basileus Hotel, their home away from home in Istanbul. -

- -

- -

- -

Istanbul first reactions

- -

-There seem to be lots of dogs and cats roaming the streets. -It appeared that they were all fed and perhaps even vaccinated. -

- -

- -

-The travelers enjoyed turkish delight candy. -

- -

Turkish delight being sold at a local shop.

- -

-Hagia Sophia at sunset was a special sight. -

- -

-The travelers took dinner at 3 Partners restaurant. -Both Jim and Nancy had an entire bowl (meant to be for dipping) of jajikh. -

- -

2019-09-19 Thursday

- -

breakfast

- -

-The travelers learned that Turkish breakfast is quite different from "continental style". -

- -

- -

Sultan's Palace

- -

-The travelers visited the Sultan's Palace. -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

Interesting wall detail at Sultan's Palace.

- -

Tile ceiling in one of the Kiosks on the property.

- -

The Harem building on the sultan’s property.

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

- -

Harant Dink foundation

- -

-After lunch the travelers undertook to find the offices of the Hrant Dink Organization located on the Asian side of Istanbul. -They had the address but had trouble finding it. -Finally they did find it with the help of Jim’s phone GPS and a hand drawn map by a tattoo artist who worked in a shop nearby. -Once there, they were given helpful information about visiting Istanbul, Kayseri and Erzindjan. -The staff were interested in the fact that the travelers were visiting Develi in an attempt to see where the property Yesia inherited may have been. -Evidently this organization is in the process of suing the Turkish government which claims that Armenians who left Turkey before the genocide as Turkish citizens should be entitled to reparations. -We do not intend to be part of this lawsuit, but we wonder if Turkish documents about Yesia might have indicated if he was a Turkish citizen when he left in 1900. -

- -

-After spending the afternoon in this way, the travelers enjoyed a nice dinner before bed. -

- -

- -

2019-09-20 Friday

- -

Basillica cistern

- -

-Jim and Nancy tour The Basilica Cistern- used by Romans to bring water via aquaducts to the city. -7000 slaves dug the hole (9 feet deep, 140 feet long and 70 feet wide) in 9 months. -

- -

Many columns, some reused from other places.

- -

The weeping column- dedicated to the many workers died in the process of constructing the place.

- -

Armenian district

- -

- -

- -

- -

Sweat shops are in the basements of various businesses.

- -

- -

Armenian Protestant Church interior. - Lit two candles for Azniv here.

- -

- -

Many, many shoe businesses, as there where when Yesia worked for his shoemaker uncle.

- -

Blaise travels Madison to Istanbul

- -

-Blaise left Madison mid-afternoon Wisconsin time, traveling to Istanbul to meet Nancy and Jim. -This involved a short flight Madison → Chicago, an ~11 hour flight Chicago → Istanbul, and a hour long bus ride to get downtown. -The most remarkable experience was the Turkish Airlines flight, which involved an unprecedented level of hospitality. -Every passenger was given two excellent meals, blanket, pillow, eye masks, slippers, headphones, and seemingly countless other little amenities. -It's easy to see how Turkish Airlines got its reputation. -

- -

-Turkish Airlines airplane that took Blaise from Chicago to Istanbul.
-
- -

-Dinner served to Blaise by Turkish Airlines: -

chicken breast, penne, zucchini, eggplant
fried eggplant and green pepper, tomato, white cheese
salad with prawn
lemonade with fresh mint

-
- -

-Breakfast served to Blaise by Turkish Airlines: -

fresh fruit salad
assorted cheese
salad with prawn
scrambled egg with cheese, mushrooms, potatoes, grilled tomato
fresh bread, butter, jam
coffee

- -

-Arriving in Istanbul (early evening Istanbul time), Blaise was greeted by Nancy and Jim at the bus stop. -Blaise was able to unpack before the three of them had a very nice meal at the restaurant across the street. -

- -

- -

Travelers enjoy dinner at a local restaraunt.

- -

2019-09-21 Saturday

- -

Morning Walk

- -

-Nancy and Blaise started the morning with a walk along the Sea of Marmara, near the hotel. -They saw divers with harpoons, fishermen, cats and dogs near the sea. -After walking along the water for roughly 30 minutes, they turned around and returned to the hotel through the city. -This included passing through the seafood restaurant area, several blocks worth of just seafood restaurants. -

- -

-View of the Marmara sea.
-
- -

-Seafood restaurant district. Early in the morning, so most restaurants are closed.
- -

Hagia Sophia

- -

-At 10:30 Nancy, Jim, and Blaise went on a guided tour of Hagia Sophia. -On the way, they explored the Hippodrome and saw the Alman Çeşmesi. -

- -

-Alman Çeşmesi, exterior.
-
- -

-Alman Çeşmesi, interior.
-
- -

-Hagia Sophia as seen from the Hippodrome.
-
- -

-Their guide was from Bulgaria, with a mother born in Erzincan. -There was a long line to enter into Hagia Sophia, but once inside it wasn't too crowded. -The entire building is under constant restoration, exterior and interior. -

- -

-Hagia Sophpia exterior, detail.
-
- -

-Outer corridor.
-
- -

-View of inner corridor, detail of main door only to be used by emperors.
-
- -

-Internal sanctuary of Hagia Sophia. -The top dome has 40 windows. -One of the triangular pendentives can be seen, a large architectural innovation at the time. -Much is under restoration.
-
- -

-Interior shot of Hagia Sophia, featuring stained glass windows. -The door-like structure is oriented towards Mecca for Muslim prayer. -The lamps were placed low to the ground so that they could be lit as candles.
-
- -

-Special stairway used by Muslims for delivering messages to congregation.
-
- -

-Interior of Hagia Sophia, featuring column detail and special lamp.
-
- -

-Interior of Hagia Sophia, focusing on angel artwork. -Muslims believe that all faces must be covered in worship areas. -The face of this angel was covered when Hagia Sophia became a mosque.
-
- -

-Looking out from Hagia Sophia. -In the distance, the minarets of the blue mosque can be seen.
-
- -

Bazaars of Istanbul

- -

-After Hagia Sophia Nancy, Jim, and Blaise toured the streets of Istanbul including several bazaars. -First, they visited the grand bazzar. -

- -

-One of the entrances to Istanbul's grand bazaar.
-
- -

-Jim and Blaise inside the grand bazaar.
-
- -

-Lighting store inside the grand bazaar.
-
- -

-Water closet of the grand bazaar. -All toilets were pay-to-enter. -They were squat toilets.
- -

-Then the spice market, a smaller bazaar near Galata Bridge with a focus on spices and food. -

- -

-The spice market.
-
- -

-Nancy and Blaise at the spice market.
-
- -

-Large chunks of turkish delight being displayed at the spice market.
- -

-There were even markets in unexpected places, such as this one which they stumbled upon in a tunnel underneath the interstate. -

- -

-A bazaar located in a tunnel under the interstate. -
- - -

Bosophorus boat tour

- -

-At 17:00 Nancy, Jim, and Blaise went on a guided boat tour of the Bosophorus straight. -

- -

-Bosophorus tour route.
-
- -

- -

Travelers pose during the Bosophorus boat tour.

- -

dinner

- -

Bridge with restaurants on, where travelers ate.

- - - diff --git a/public/armenian-heritage-trip/istanbul/index.html b/public/armenian-heritage-trip/istanbul/index.html new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b8e0b88 --- /dev/null +++ b/public/armenian-heritage-trip/istanbul/index.html @@ -0,0 +1,533 @@ + + + + + + Istanbul + + + + +

Istanbul

+ +Part of the Armenian heritage trip memory. + +

2019-09-18 Wednesday

+ +

Nancy, James Jerusalem to Istanbul

+ +

+The travelers flew from Telaviv to Istanbul and caught a cab. +The cab ride covered a distance of about 60 miles. +

+ +

+It is good that the airport has many moving sidewalks because the place is HUGE. +It took the travelers a long time to get from the places where they debarked the plane to the place where they collected their luggage, went through security and found a cab. +

+ +

Istanbul Overview

+ +

+Istanbul is a popular place to visit with a long and important history. +The travelers wanted to experience this place and gain some understanding of what life may have been like for Yesia when he lived there. +Yesia began working in Istanbul when he was 13 and lived there until he was 17 when he immigrated to the US (1900) due to Turkish fear of Armenian revolutionaries. +

+ +

Basileus Hotel

+ +

+The travelers arrived at Basileus Hotel, their home away from home in Istanbul. +

+ +

Istanbul first reactions

+ +

+There seem to be lots of dogs and cats roaming the streets. +It appeared that they were all fed and perhaps even vaccinated. +

+ +

+The travelers enjoyed turkish delight candy. +

+ +

+Hagia Sophia at sunset was a special sight. +

+ +

+The travelers had dinner at 3 Partners Restaurant. +Both Jim and Nancy had an entire bowl (meant to be for dipping) of jajikh. +

+ +

2019-09-19 Thursday

+ +

breakfast

+ +

+The travelers learned that Turkish breakfast is quite different from "continental style". +

+ +

Sultan's Palace

+ +

+The travelers visited the Sultan's Palace. +

+ +

Hrant Dink Foundation

+ +

+After lunch the travelers undertook to find the offices of the Hrant Dink Organization located on the Asian side of Istanbul. +They had the address but had trouble finding it. +Finally they did find it with the help of Jim’s phone GPS and a hand drawn map by a tattoo artist who worked in a shop nearby. +Once there, they were given helpful information about visiting Istanbul, Kayseri and Erzindjan. +The staff were interested in the fact that the travelers were visiting Develi in an attempt to see where the property Yesia inherited may have been. +Evidently this organization is in the process of suing the Turkish government which claims that Armenians who left Turkey before the genocide as Turkish citizens should be entitled to reparations. +They do not intend to be part of this lawsuit, but wonder if Turkish documents about Yesia might have indicated if he was a Turkish citizen when he left in 1900. +

+ +

+After spending the afternoon in this way, the travelers enjoyed a nice dinner before bed. +

+ +

2019-09-20 Friday

+ +

Basilica Cistern

+ +

+Jim and Nancy tour The Basilica Cistern- used by Romans to bring water via aquaducts to the city. +7000 slaves dug the hole (9 feet deep, 140 feet long and 70 feet wide) in 9 months. +

+ +

Armenian district

+ +

Blaise travels Madison to Istanbul

+ +

+Blaise left Madison mid-afternoon Wisconsin time, traveling to Istanbul to meet Nancy and Jim. +This involved a short flight Madison → Chicago, an ~11 hour flight Chicago → Istanbul, and a hour long bus ride to get downtown. +The most remarkable experience was the Turkish Airlines flight, which involved an unprecedented level of hospitality. +Every passenger was given two excellent meals, blanket, pillow, eye masks, slippers, headphones, and seemingly countless other little amenities. +It's easy to see how Turkish Airlines got its reputation. +

+ +

+Turkish Airlines airplane that took Blaise from Chicago to Istanbul.
+
+ +

+Dinner served to Blaise by Turkish Airlines: +

chicken breast, penne, zucchini, eggplant
fried eggplant and green pepper, tomato, white cheese
salad with prawn
lemonade with fresh mint

+
+ +

+Breakfast served to Blaise by Turkish Airlines: +

fresh fruit salad
assorted cheese
salad with prawn
scrambled egg with cheese, mushrooms, potatoes, grilled tomato
fresh bread, butter, jam
coffee

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+Arriving in Istanbul (early evening Istanbul time), Blaise was greeted by Nancy and Jim at the bus stop. +Blaise was able to unpack before the three of them had a very nice meal at the restaurant across the street. +

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2019-09-21 Saturday

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Morning Walk

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+Nancy and Blaise started the morning with a walk along the Sea of Marmara, near the hotel. +They saw divers with harpoons, fishermen, cats and dogs near the sea. +After walking along the water for roughly 30 minutes, they turned around and returned to the hotel through the city. +This included passing through the seafood restaurant area, several blocks worth of just seafood restaurants. +

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+View of the Marmara sea.
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+Seafood restaurant district. Early in the morning, so most restaurants are closed.
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Hagia Sophia

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+At 10:30 Nancy, Jim, and Blaise went on a guided tour of Hagia Sophia. +On the way, they explored the Hippodrome and saw the Alman Çeşmesi. +

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+Alman Çeşmesi, exterior.
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+Alman Çeşmesi, interior.
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+Hagia Sophia as seen from the Hippodrome.
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+Their guide was from Bulgaria, with a mother born in Erzincan. +There was a long line to enter into Hagia Sophia, but once inside it wasn't too crowded. +The entire building is under constant restoration, exterior and interior. +

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+Hagia Sophpia exterior, detail.
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+Outer corridor.
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+View of inner corridor, detail of main door only to be used by emperors.
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+Internal sanctuary of Hagia Sophia. +The top dome has 40 windows. +One of the triangular pendentives can be seen, a large architectural innovation to support heavy domes. +Much is under restoration.
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+Interior shot of Hagia Sophia, featuring stained glass windows. +The door-like structure is oriented towards Mecca for Muslim prayer. +The lamps were placed low to the ground so that they could be lit as candles.
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+Special stairway used by Muslim imans for delivering messages to congregation.
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+Interior of Hagia Sophia, featuring column detail and special lamp.
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+Interior of Hagia Sophia, focusing on angel artwork. +Muslims believe that all faces must be covered in worship areas. +The face of this angel was covered when Hagia Sophia became a mosque.
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+Looking out from Hagia Sophia. +In the distance, the minarets of the blue mosque can be seen.
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Bazaars of Istanbul

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+After Hagia Sophia Nancy, Jim, and Blaise toured the streets of Istanbul including several bazaars. +First, they visited the Grand Bazzar. +

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+One of the entrances to Istanbul's Grand Bazaar.
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+Jim and Blaise inside the Grand Bazaar.
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+Lighting store inside the Grand Bazaar.
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+Water closet at the Grand Bazaar. +All toilets were pay-to-enter. +They were squat toilets.
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+Then the spice market, a smaller bazaar near Galata Bridge with a focus on spices and food. +

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+The Spice Market.
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+Nancy and Blaise at the Spice Market.
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+Large chunks of turkish delight being displayed at the Spice Market.
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+There were even markets in unexpected places, such as this one which they stumbled upon in a tunnel underneath the interstate. +

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+A bazaar located in a tunnel under the interstate. +
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Bosphorus boat tour

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+At 17:00 Nancy, Jim, and Blaise went on a guided boat tour of the Bosphorus straight. +

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+Bosphorus tour route.
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View of Dolmabahce Palace from the Bosphorus.

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Travelers pose during the Bosphorus boat tour.

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dinner

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+ + + diff --git a/public/armenian-heritage-trip/jerusalem.html b/public/armenian-heritage-trip/jerusalem.html deleted file mode 100644 index aa2f8e6..0000000 --- a/public/armenian-heritage-trip/jerusalem.html +++ /dev/null @@ -1,521 +0,0 @@ - - - - - - Jerusalem - - - - -

Jerusalem

- -Part of the Armenian heritage trip memory. - -

2019-09-13 Friday

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-Nancy and Jim travel to Tel Aviv. -

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-Assistance of United Staff helped Nancy find how to get to Terminal 5 at O’Hare and reach the plane going to Istanbul. -On the plane, she had the assistance of Bosnian couple in knowing how to work the various technology at her seat. -Had wanted to watch the movie “The Guernsey Literary…” and it was available for free on this flight. -

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2019-09-14 Saturday

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-Arrive Istanbul, fly to TelAviv. -Arrive TelAviv, shuttle to Jerusalem. -The travelers avoided an accident when the shuttle bus was squeezed between a bluff and another bus. -

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-In the Istanbul airport, Nancy had the assistance of a couple from Pakistan living in Indiana in knowing how to read the departure board and establish phone and wifi connection in the airport so she could rendezvous with Jim. -

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The travelers take a selfie on the airplane from Istanbul to TelAviv.

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-Istanbul at night, from the airplane. -
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-As the travelers were entering Jerusalem, they were almost in an accident when the shuttle bus was squeezed between a bus and a bluff. -The shuttle bus dropped the travelers off in Jerusalem at midnight- Damascus gate- about 10 minutes away from the hotel. -The streets were dark and empty. -Use of global app and phone flashlight enabled them to walk to the hotel in the Old City in the dark with their luggage. -Nancy’s main suitcase was still to come. -

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-Damascus gate. -
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-Hotel doors. -
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-Hotel interior. -
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-A map of Jerusalem's old city. -
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2019-09-15 Sunday

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-Not having connected with the contact person, George Hintlian, the travelers explored the Old City on their own. -Many of the things they saw were seen again in more detail on Monday and Tuesday with George. -

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-Shop along the alleyways in Old City Jerusalem. -
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Church of the Holy Sepulchre

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-Church of the Holy Sepulchre - believed to be the site of Jesus’ crucifixion and tomb and resurrection. -Currently occupied by the main denominations sharing property of the church are the Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox and Armenian Apostolic, and to a lesser degree the Coptic Orthodox, Syriac Orthodox and Ethiopian Orthodox. -

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