Efes (Ephesus)

Paris Marathon Training: Week 6 of 18
Today’s target run: 48 minutes
Today’s completed run: 48 minutes

One of the most amazing things we did while touring Turkey was to take a daytrip to Efes, otherwise known as Ephesus. Ephesus was a thriving city for many centuries, even before Paul’s journey to Ephesus or the spread of Christianity to that city (as read in Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians). Today, it is the site of much excavation of ruins and a fabulous way for history to come alive. I would highly recommend a visit if you are ever remotely in that part of the world.

The beginnings of the ruins at Ephesus…







The road leading down into Ephesus…





Sight of the former hospital in Ephesus.



Walking down to the center of town; originally, Ephesus was one of the major ports in Turkey, with the sea coming right up to the city walls. Today, the area originally known as sea is meadows.



Buddy holding up the columns of the Hercules Arch.



The bath and public toilet areas in Ephesus.



Buddy and Holly "sitting" on the some of the public toilets in the main bath house in Ephesus. Yes, the seat was cold.



The library of Ephesus...







Looking down onto the stage of the amphitheater in Ephesus - the site where Paul preached.



A view past the amphitheater out to the site of the former port.



Another view of the amphitheater....



Located nearby the ruins of Ephesus are a few other sites of importance. First, the site of the ancient site of the Temple of Artemis, one of the seven ancient wonders of the world. Today, only one column stands.



Secondly, the site of the house of Mary, Jesus's mother, supposedly built by the disciple John. Today, the foundations of the house are original but the structure above the ground is reconstructed based on writings found in later centuries.





Finally, you can also visit the site of St. John's Basilica, the site where John (of Revelations fame) preached, and



his remains are buried.



The baptistry in St. John's Basilica.



Ephesus at dusk.

We are nearing the finish line

Never underestimate the time it takes to get anything done…still, we have made major inroads into the expansion of TV viewing options in the Hachie Gal and Budman’s home. As noted in the title, while not all of the glitches have been worked out, we are quickly approaching the finish line where we can actually watch English-Language programming in our apartment.

Successes include:

* The new German flat screen works.

* The Swiss all-region DVD player works with the new German flat screen TV.

* The German flat screen will pick up both a PAL and an NTSC signal (needed for watching TV in the US) so when we return home, we can use the TV there (although a converter box will be required – minor issue).

* The Taiwan flat screen is now in the master bedroom – YES!

* The new satellite dish has been mounted on the tripod stand on the balcony, is fairly obscured from view, and is picking up a signal. The installation process was effortless and mostly painless.

So, what is the hitch? Well, we are only picking up about 20% of the programs we should be getting through satellite. We do see a number of viable US programs and sports that we will have access to, so the drought of TV is almost over….

A really long run

Paris Marathon Training: Week 5 of 18
Today’s target run: 2 hours, 23 minutes
Today’s completed run: no 2 hours, 23 minutes

Best of intentions, but the long training run just wore me out. More tomorrow.

Number 22

Paris Marathon Training: Week 5 of 18
Today’s target run: 48 minutes
Today’s completed run: no run today; feeling very fatigued

Yes, 22 years ago today the Budman and I were married. Looking back, it is hard to understand where the time has gone, but a great 22 years it has been.



As for celebrations, a new flat screen (German but supposedly can be used in the US…) and satellite dish (to be installed on Monday) are THE gifts this year. And a quiet dinner at our new favourite German restaurant.

The Blue Mosque

Paris Marathon Training: Week 5 of 18
Today’s target run: 48 minutes
Today’s completed run: no run today; feeing very fatigued.

My brief business trip to London kept me from posting a few of the remaining blog posts from Turkey…Humor me for just a few more days.

Besides the lovely Aya Sophya, the other main site in Sultanahmet (Old Istanbul) is the Blue Mosque (known as Sultan Ahmet Cami). Actually, this mosque is really THE mosque in Istanbul. Built in 1609, it gets its name from the thousands of blue tiles lining the walls inside the mosque. The mosque has over 260 stained glass windows and six minarets. We were able to tour the interior just as prayers were ending.

Holly enroute to the Blue Mosque…yes, the red jacket lives on (smile).

The main dome of the Blue Mosque.

Interior of the Blue Mosque.

The Blue Mosque at night…

It's a comin'!

Paris Marathon Training: Week 5 of 18
Today's target run: 36 minutes
Today's completed run: 36 minutes

January...the month of all things "home improvement" related, and this year is no exception. In addition to the cleaning of closets, removal and storage of Christmas decorations, commencement of apartment projects delayed since before Thanksgiving, and tax preparation (while technically not home improvement, it is a big chore just the same), the Budman and I will be purchasing...yes...drumroll please...tah-dah...a German TV set this weekend!

Why, you ask? Because the gods have looked down from Mt. Olympus and smiled on this mere mortal: a satellite TV system is being installed on Monday (US TV sets use NTSC not PAL technology, hence the need for a new TV). No small feat for those readers of the blog, but we have finally worked through all the issues and are emerging from the "darkness into the light". I can't tell you exactly what my viewing options will include in detail, but sports, news, and movies are all in the mix... in English. Anything would be a marked improvement.

And just in time for the Winter Olympics and the Academy Awards, if one could be so bold as to hope (smile). YES!

Quick trip to London

A quick business trip to London meant that the blog was a bit quiet the past 2 days. I wish I could say that I saw some interesting things while in London, but if it did not involve the airport or a conference room at work, then I did not see it.

One notable exception: Thanks to Cyn, I did get some good Mexican food close to Piccadilly Circus. “Us Texans” have to stick together.

On a somewhat separate note, I still have some Turkey photos to share, namely a daytrip to Ephesus…if you can humor me just a bit longer. Will post this weekend.

Aya Sophya

Paris Marathon Training: Week 5 of 18
Today’s target run: 60 minutes
Today’s completed run: 60 minutes

A couple of the more famous sights in Istanbul definitely require visits: Aya Sophya is one of those.

Aya Sophya (Church of the Divine Wisdom) was originally built as a Christian church in 360 AD, and then later rebuilt a couple of times after fire destroyed the church. The third church was on this site in 532 AD. Aya Sophya was the cathedral of Constantinople for 1000 years, until 1453 when it was converted into a mosque by Mehmet the Conqueror. In 1935, President Ataturk turned the mosque into a museum and the Christian mosaics that had been covered up were restored. Today, the museum is meant to serve as a symbol of how two religions can co-exist.

Aya Sophya from a distance,

as well as up close.

Originally, the interior of Aya Sophya had many Christian mosaics throughout the cathedral. At the time the church was turned into a mosque, these mosaics were covered over. Once the church became a museum, these mosaics were uncovered.

The interior of Aya Sophya with both Christian and Muslim symbols.

The Sultan's box in Aya Sophya.

Night at Aya Sophya…

All things “Grand Bazaar”

Paris Marathon Training: Week 5 of 18
Today’s target run: 45 minutes Cross Train
Today’s completed run: 45 minutes Cross Train

I had been waiting for quite some time to “be turned loose” in the Grand Bazaar and shop to my heart’s content. You see, I had been stockpiling my wish list with items such as Anatolian rugs, Turkish glassware, sidetables, and Turkish lanterns. I had seen the lanterns and tables prior to our trip and was prepared to “buy and ship”.

Before I even begin to regale you with stories of shopping successes and travesties, let me set the stage for what is known as the “Grand Bazaar”. It is a covered bazaar unlike anything I have ever seen…over 65 winding and maze-like covered streets hiding over 4000 shops, cafes, tables, etc. Supposedly, it is the largest covered marketplace anywhere in the world. It was originally built in 1450, and has been rebuilt time after time, mainly after fires. You can find about anything there, but the main items include rugs and carpets (yes, there is a difference), jewelry, leather (coats, bags, wallets, and belts) as well as lots of textiles (pillows, fabric, tablecloths, etc.).

One of several entrances to the Grand Bazaar.



One of the shopping alleys inside the Grand Bazaar. It is Saturday morning and the market is just opening and already the joint is jumping.



By the time we arrived for a day of shopping Mecca, we had already completed the rug purchases, having stumbled onto a lovely carpet weaving facility in Ephesus. Which was a good thing, because the rug and carpet salespeople in the Grand Bazaar were everywhere and I began to quickly suffer from serious shopping overload. Living in Korea cured me of needing anything made of leather and Taiwan of anything remotely connected with jewelry. So, we focused on other things….

I like to think I can compete with the “best of the shoppers”, but sadly I would have to disqualify myself after a day in Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar. There was simply too much to see, and too little time. Plus, I was ill equipped to handle the haggling required to make a purchase at a decent price. One look at Buddy and I, and it was clear who we were…the words “tourist” would stamped on our foreheads. And with that simple recognition on the part of the merchants, our negotiating power was seriously compromised.

Not to say that I was ever any good at this negotiation thing. I get really tense...always have…always will, most likely. So, Buddy and I went into the market with a strategy. As I found an item I was interested in, I would (1) not jump up and down like an idiot saying how much I LOVED the item, but rather (2) I would casually pick up and assess, and then walk away, but not before giving Budman the eye that said “haggle a while over this.

Now, we had read that you don’t start negotiating unless you are really serious about the item. It’s bad form to haggle and then when your price is met, you reply that you “are not really interested”. Also, expect the prices to be too high at the outset and start your haggling at roughly half of the initial price. I had already forewarned the Budman that the guide books instruct “not to offer a sinfully low price as the first offer”, though. Well, after initial purchase successes of textiles and pottery, we tried our hand again at some silk linens. Suffice to say, while I do not understand Turkish, I know enough about tone and body language that the guy was probably cussing us out. Ouch…

After that, and still not finding the glassware, lanterns, or tables I was looking for in the first place (they must be from Northern Africa instead of Turkey), we called it a day.

Still, an interesting experience, but we were worn out.

Impressions of Istanbul

Istanbul still feels a bit mysterious and exotic to me, even after my first visit. Yes, it is a large, bustling city, built on seven hills (very hilly and not a city easily traversed on foot), and connected by a series of bridges. The city is actually described as the European side and the Asian side. And those Sultans...such palaces, such wealth and opulence.

While it can feel a bit chaotic, I always felt safe (common question posed to the Hachie Gal). You just use need to use the same level of common sense you would use in any other large metropolitan city. Some of the taxi drivers try to pull one over on you (see the January 1st blog post), as long as you know what to look for, you are fine.

A couple of years ago, the Turks changed their money, so that has also helped in foreigners not being swindled. Most of the money in circulation is the new currency, although the old bills and coins will be in circulation for another year or so. For example: Today's 1 Turkish Lira bill (about US $1.40); the old currency equivalent: Turkish Lira 1,000,000. So, anyone could technically be as millionaire! Today, the new bills have dropped all the zeros, so now they read as "1". With all those zeros, people could get confused and be taken advantage of a bit.

Some Istanbul city landscapes and the Bosphorous Sea for your viewing pleasure.

How do you spell traffic? I-S-T-A-N-B-U-L

And I thought that Seoul traffic was mind boggling, jam-packed, frustrating, and basically organized chaos? True, but then again, I had never been to Istanbul.

Locals tell us the traffic can “be problematic” (minor understatement), but even the traffic witnessed over the last week was very unusual. Apparently, the Mayor of Istanbul is in the process of creating “60 traffic solutions”, including new tram lines, tram stations, road repair, highways, etc. Suffice to say, there are no traffic solutions at present, only traffic problems.

To make matters worse, there is no “queue concept” and pedestrians cross streets anywhere, regardless of whether there is a crosswalk, traffic signs telling the pedestrian to cross the street, and or crossing single lane roads or multi-lane highways. I closed my eyes shot on numerous occasions as our “taksi” raced down roads, coming within inches of people crossing the streets. I just knew we were going to take somebody out.

And then, there is the “dreaded” taksi driver negotiation feat. One of two issues await foreigners attempting to hail a taksi on the streets of Istanbul: (1) drivers who don’t want to use the meter, but instead try to charge you a flat (but higher) fee to take you to your hotel, and (2) drivers who change meters on you enroute. I am proud to say that the eagle eye of the Budman resulted in no taksi drivers taking advantage of this duo!

Don’t mistake the tone of this post. If you EVER get the chance to go to Istanbul…grab it and go. These are just some of the fabulous (and mostly fun) memories you will take away from your trip. You’ll never complain about a few potholes in the road ever again.

More turkey anecdotes and photos to come….

Mutlu Yillar!

Paris Marathon Training: Week 4 of 18
Today’s target run: 1 hour 50 minutes
Today’s completed run: 1 hour 50 minutes

Yes, we have had a “fan-tabulous” few days in Istanbul…what a great way to usher in 2006. Pictures and stories to follow, but to all the friends and family of the Budman and Hachie Gal,

Mutlu Yillar!

or Happy New Year as they say in Turkish.

PS - and yes, I actually did run my long run today, on New Year's Day morning, as I watched the ball drop in NYC on CNN, followed by the new year festivities in Chicago and Dallas. I was there with you in spirit....