30 September 2023
Emperor Constantine’s most lasting accomplishment was the establishment of Constantinople. This act shifted Roman power eastward making the city a center of Greek culture and Christianity. On 11 May 330, Constantinople was named to honor Constantine.
(more…)29 September 2023 It is a short, rather pleasant drive 140 miles north to Safranbolu located not far south of the Black Sea. The temperatures have cooled to below 90° and dark clouds are overhead. A few drops of rain has produced a small rainbow in the east. I read Read more
28 September 2023 I rejoice that I visited Ankara last year. Ankara possesses good museums, a 9th century citadel, old neighborhoods, Roman ruins, peaceful parks, and is home to the Anitkabir, the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemel Ataürk. Unfortunately, none of these sites will be visited this trip. But, the goats Read more
27 September 2023
Aurora, goddess of Dawn appears over My Nemrut. Zeus and the other heads witness a new day. After my Mediterranean breakfast and Turkish coffee, I am wired. I board our van to drive southeast to Urfa. We leave the province of Adiyaman and drive through the Fertile Crescent of the Euphrates Basin. Historically, this may be one of the most fascinating of the world.
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26 September 2023
The windy road to the royal sanctuary atop Mt Nemrut can be a scary experience. The van steers through stunning views of mountains, valleys, rocky gorges and forests. It, our route is narrow and rough. Up the rocky mountain, the road curves and twists. We climb to Mt Nemrut.
(more…)25 September 2023
Another long drive with views improved by the towering Taurus Mountains. Turkey is a mountainous country and the Taurus Mountains curve 350 miles through southern Turkey separating the Mediterranean coast from the central Anatolian Plateau.
It extends all the way to the Euphrates and Tigris rivers. Turkey’s highest peak is Mount Ararat in the east at 16,854’; peaks in the Taurus range are as high as 13,504. Snow skiing is a popular sport.
23-24 September 2023
The whole of Asia Minor is built on ancient, fascinating rocks. Those of the Cappadocia region of Turkey are especially so. After a very long day on good roads, I arrive in Mustafapasa, a major city of Cappadocia. I am surrounded by a unique landscape of caves, carved domiciles, and “fairy” images. My lodging for the next three nights is the Old Greek House, a massive stone structure built in 1879.
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