** At this point, this site is reaching completion! Please read it throughly and be aware of the contents, as I will explain how everything will work by the end of this coming week!
This site was last updated on 1 OCTOBER 2001---FINAL ISSUE.
DISCLAIMERS AND LAST-SECOND INFORMATION:
** News Flash ** I have had to renegotiate our tour slightly as a result of cancellations and disruptions caused by the crisis. Thankfully, these have so far been minimal, but they have ensured that we will need to contract a smaller bus, as there will be less of us. Hopefully this will not affect our price too much, and it may even lower it somewhat! Since final costs and logistics will not be concluded until after you all are pretty much getting ready to go, I would suggest that you just write my father, John J. Curry, a check for $250.00 and give it to him while here (if you haven't sent money to him already). If I've underestimated any additional costs that come up, Suna and I can recoup them from you in either lira or dollars. But you can be assured that ALL SYSTEMS ARE GO!
Due to the economic crisis here, prices and logistics are fluctuating wildly at the moment. Since most of you will be on the strong dollar, this will not bother you financially. At present, the exchange rate is roughly US$1 = 1.550.000 TL. This increase, not helped by further economic collapse due to the political and military crisis, is playing havoc with the opening and closing of Turkish infrastructure and tourist industry sites, and any information here is conditional! One must also not rule out potentially disruptive political situations as the world economy continues its downward spiral over the course of this year. I don't expect trouble as things seem to remain stable, but as always I do advise travellers to be aware of the situation. I am not trying to discourage you, however! While Turkey is not a dangerous country by worldwide standards (quite frankly, you're safer here than in the U.S.), these are unstable and unusual times. Flexibility may be the watchword!
On September 11, 2001, a criminal act of unjustifiable mass murder and terror was perpetrated on the whole of humanity. Words do not do justice to the revulsion I am sure that we all feel. Some of you have expressed understandable concern about your travel plans as a result of this. I offer you the following thoughts.
1) The goal behind such attacks, as I have learned in other countries where this problem is far more common, is to make an entire population fear to carry out their daily lives in normality and enjoyment. By allowing these bastards to affect your life, you hand them a victory on a personal scale that they must not win. One only defeats such things with courage, not with fear, as I learned from the people of Egypt in the dark years of the terrorist bombing campaigns of 1992-93, some of which occurred mere blocks from where I was at the time. I respect the decision everyone makes on the matter, but strongly encourage you all not to back down.
2) International flights are considerably safer than domestic ones, and to boot, they will especially secured now! My suspicion is that you will find no safer time to be traveling in the world than right now. I don't feel apprehensive about any of you at the moment.
3) I feel obliged to add that the Turkish people, along with most of the rest of the peoples of the Near East and North Africa, are equally revolted by this act, and perhaps even more so, because it may have been carried out in the name of a religious faith that most of them revere and which does NOT justify the acts we witnessed. You will find a great deal of sadness and sympathy here, and almost no support for the acts that were committed, even among so-called "Muslim fundamentalists." The country is a member of NATO, and has committed itself under article 5 to the statement that the attack on America has constituted an attack on Turkey as well. Even radical political groups outside of Turkey seem to be backing away from this as being beyond the pale, and rightfully so. Opinions about the anti-terrorism action are mixed, however, as many political factions are questioning whether or not Turkey has anything to gain by throwing money after military action in the midst of a glaring economic crisis.
Of course, we will all have to monitor the situation in the next month or so carefully. But at present, it looks like any future conflicts/revenge attacks will be localized to areas which do not involve any of your travel plans. However, there is a small degree of risk due to the present situation that cannot be completely ignored. My contention is that the risk is not too much worse than it would have been previously, based on my latest observations as of September 28th. However, the decision must rest with all of you as to what you want to do in the end. I will be briefing you all upon arrival about certain security concerns that will include, but not be limited to, the ramifications of this month's dreadful events.
It has been brought to my attention that a newspaper article has appeared in some publications in the United States implying that a terrorist attack has taken place on a touristic site in Istanbul several weeks ago. This is an erroneous report in practice, if not even in theory. The event in question was a member of a radical-left wing group's suicide bombing of a police station in northern Istanbul, which could be heard in the tourist-visited area of Independence Boulevard. But the attack is part of a long tradition of tit-for-tat violence between police and these isolated mafia-style groups, and at no time was any tourist site in any danger, although several policemen were killed or wounded in the blast. I passed by the site the following day myself to see the damage, and aside from broken windows, things seemed back to normal, albeit with a heightened police presence. I also mention that most of us will probably never go near the area in question. I will mention any serious threats here in this space, should they develop.
A Confirmation Listing--FINAL:
Tamer Balcı
Arriving: October 2nd @ 11:45am Departing: December 3rd
David Brecheisen
Arriving: October 5th @ 2:50pm Departing: October 16th @ 8:45am
Nino Brunello
Arriving: October 5th @ 2:50pm Departing: October 17th @ 8:45am
Teresa Burns
Arriving: October 2nd @ 3:00pm Departing: October 26 @ 6:05am
John and Joan Curry
Arriving: October 3rd @ 2:05pm Departing: October 21st @ 6:00am
Jane Milosevic (no relation to the infamous Slobadan)
Arriving: October 5th @ 2:50pm Departing: October 17th @ 8:45am
Elaine Padilla
Arriving: October 3rd @ 10:25am Departing: October 22 @ 11:55am
Arnie Stux
Arriving: October 6th @ 10:25am Departing: October 15 @ 11:55am
Michael and Jane Trask
Arriving: October 3rd @ 2:05pm Departing: October 22nd @ 6:00am
Tony Yang
Arriving: October 6th @ 2:30pm Departing: October 13th @ 3:20pm
Ken Zarzeczny
Arriving: October 5th @ 2:50pm Departing: October 17th @ 8:45 am
IMPORTANT NOTE:
If there is anything wrong here, please let me know right away! Also, we are still one person short at present of a full 20-person tour, so if you know anyone who wants to come along for the tour, even if it is just for the October 9-16 part of it, please feel free to add them after letting me know. I can take up to 7-8 additional people without changing the status of the tour, and it would save all of you a little extra money in the process!
At this point, if you have not yet bought your ticket, you'd better get cracking right away. You may be able to score a last second deal, but there's no guarantees. Good luck!
A friend of mine recently found a roundtrip flight from Chicago from about $775. Other cheap cities seem to be Baltimore and New York, if you can get cheap connectors. Other people have suggested going to London or Frankfurt first on the cheap, and then trying to nail down the Istanbul leg.
You can keep an eye on the following sites, although I would recommend you get the best price you can from the World Wide Web, and then let your travel agent try to beat the low fare through manipulations of the system. Often, going through several travel agents is the best option, as some have inside information others don't:
www.expedia.com** By popular demand, here is a link to a page which will give some photos of people involved in Suna and I's nikah (government marriage) ceremony. It is sort of like a courthouse ceremony in the U.S., but a little more fancy and with a little more work involved.
** Some of you have told me that this page isn't working properly. It seems to be working for me, but because of the graphics there may be problems loading these and other pages on my site. This is not my fault, it seems to be dependent on the computer you're using, and whether or not the people at Yahoo are royally fouling up the system with so-called "improvements." If it doesn't work this time, try it again later or from a computer with more power.
* The Lonely Planet guide to Turkey (see www.lonelyplanet.com, or visit any bookstore with travel books) will give you a comprehensive and easily digestible view of the country and it's history. It is also known by those of us in the field as being excellent for logistics within the country itself. It has excellent maps of the important areas of every major city in the country. If you plan to strike off on your own, I highly recommend it.
* The Let's Go series of publications tend to be aimed at college students travelling, and have been known to make egregious errors in describing historical aspects or cultural practices, at least for this country. Unless you want to know where all the good bars and dance clubs are in a given place, I wouldn't put this first on the list.
* I have experience with the Rough Guide only for Cyprus, although I've been told it is good as well. My limited experience tells me it's good on the culture and history, bad on the logistics!
* Guides like Fodor's and the Blue Guide are excellent for viewing the historical and cultural sites in the country in great detail. The Blue Guide for Istanbul is especially impressive, and probably the best description of the historical and cultural sites in the city. However, my experience has been that unless you've got the wherewithal to stay in 4-5 star hotels all the time, and take taxis wherever you go, you're not going to get much logistical help.
Unfortunately, the deal is simple for Americans. You have to pay $45.00 in cash at the visa desk at the airport in Istanbul to get in. This is rumored to be rising to $50.00 in the near future, but I'm not sure whether or not this will actually come to pass or not. It is EXTREMELY advisable to have the exact amount, as the authorities are not known for keeping the proper change handy at times. Once you clear customs, we will try to have someone waiting for you at the airport to make sure you get into town okay! A friend of Suna's family may be able to arrange a transport to ferry you back and forth from the airport, but this may or may not come to pass.
A friend of mine who works for the INS claims that you can also get the visa from a Turkish consulate in the U.S. before coming, but I have never heard of anyone attempting to do it this way. However, if you are not a US citizen or are not carrying a US passport, you WILL have to contact the Turkish Embassy in Washington DC about making the necessary visa arrangements. A sad fact of life is that this can be a royal pain in the ass, as a friend of mine recently discovered. Unfortunately, you just have to be persistent in the fact of unhelpful officials, Byzantine bureaucratic regulations, and other manifold problems. Get started right away on this if it applies to you.
While some retail businesses dealing in souveneirs and some hotels will happily accept your dollars, the majority of institutions will work with the local currency, the ever-inflating Turkish lira. With the economic crisis being what it is, you can expect it to be around 1.4 million lira to the dollar when you arrive, and that's if things go well...It helps to have a pocket calculator if you are not accustomed to thinking in such ridiculous sums.
NOTE: Some of you may be accustomed to bringing travelers' checks with you on vacation. DO NOT BRING THEM HERE! The banks here tend not to like cashing them, and if they do, they may charge a nasty commission fee because they don't trust the medium all that much. So you may find yourself waiting on line for a half hour only to find that the bank will not cash your travelers' check unless you're willing to part with 10% of its value. It is much easier for you to bring your ATM card from your bank (preferably on the Cirrus or other such system, just look on the back of your card) and use the machines here. The fee is no more than $1.50 per transaction. In a last resort, you can withdraw money in liras using your credit card as well, but I don't recommend this either as your bank will probably try to steal $10.00 from you in service fees for every transaction.
Of course, good old American greenbacks are easily convertible back-and-forth just about everywhere in the country. But too much cash may make you a magnet for undesirables, so the ATM card is the best solution hands-down.
It seems that there will be at least 19 confirmed people coming at this point, although I still don't have final numbers quite yet, leaving us one short of a full tour of 20 people. This will mean that I will be renting a large tour bus with more seats than we will need, otherwise in a smaller bus we will have no room to put our luggage! The fee will be included as part of a package including our hotels, museum entry fees, and certain meals. I am completing negotiations on the final price as we speak, based on the number of people who finally join us in the end (there are still some fence-sitters, and in addition, I may try and add a few additional people from around here to bring the price down). Some of you will have special needs (i.e. leaving the tour early to catch a flight back), I will deal with you seperately when the time comes. See below under the itinerary section for further details on price!
The weather in Turkey from the beginning of October through about the third week, when most of you will be here, is unfortunately rather variable. We may still have summer style heat in most of the country upon your arrival, but have it be rather cool by the time we return to Istanbul to depart home again! The rule of thumb is simple: Be prepared for the cold, but hope to not have to deal with it!
ISTANBUL: In early to mid-October, temperatures during the day will probably be pleasant and warm, as long as there is no rain. In the evening, temperatures can fall into the 40s or 50s, so a light jacket may be advisable if you plan to be outside. If there is rain, temperatures can feel rather chilly (think San Francisco in fall, the comparison is appropriate).
THE AEGEAN COAST: You are unlikely to need winter clothing here at this time of year. However, it is worth noting that at night, wind gusts can pick up off the Aegean and Mediterranean which will make you wish that you hadn't left that jacket at home.
BURSA: Bursa's temperatures will be similar to Istanbul's and perhaps even a tad warmer. However, if we do make the trip up to the summit of Mt. Uludag, be warned that crisp cool air will probably be par for the course, although we will of course try to go up during the height of the day.
WEATHER REPORTS FOR SOME OF THE CITIES CLOSE TO OR ON THE ROUTE OF THE TOUR:
At present, it is more of a case of my HOPING it works, but that's another story! For you, the process is very simple. We will have a nice meal in a restaurant owned by a friend of mine near my home in West Istanbul, and then we will all (barring Suna and I, who will go by her brother's car most likely) take either the train or a taxi to the wedding party salon, which is basically a large gathering hall for the guests. Basically, the wedding party business is not difficult, you just go and observe the festivities! Suna and I will enter after most of you go in and get settled at a table, and it usually lacks the tight organization of American weddings (i.e. you won't have an assigned seat). Suna and I will be in special seats off to the side, and will be receiving every guest who comes to the wedding party at some point, most of whom will pin a token amount of money on Suna's dress for establishing a household. You can do this too in lieu of a wedding gift. Most of the time, a professional band will be covering the Turkish pop and traditional classics, if I'm understanding the situation correctly, and you may get sucked into dancing the traditional dances (which resemble those at a Greek or Jewish wedding perhaps? I'm not sure), which usually resemble forming big circles and rotating around in step. At some point cake and drinks will be served, although these events are generally non-alcoholic in line with local sensibilities in my area.
Present (very rough) Itinerary:
I have created this itinerary roughly from past visits and my prior experience with the country. I have based it on the general idea that most people will not be able to stay too much longer than two weeks, however, your tourist visa in Turkey will be good for up to 90 days if you prefer to stay beyond that!
I am at present rearranging the itinerary to reflect a slightly shorter trip, based on the suggestion that most of you will not be able to exceed 11-12 days abroad. Therefore, I have decided to put the farthest points out to visit first, after that, I will put closer points last. That way, if a few of you have to leave early, you will spend less time on the bus and more time having fun! However, I can't accommodate everyone. If you're leaving before we arrive in Bursa on the 14th or so, you might be in for a long bus ride back, and there's little I can do about that.
IN TERMS OF THE PRICE: IT LOOKS LIKE AT THE MOMENT EVERY PART OF THE TRIP THAT IS NOT IN ISTANBUL WILL COST SOMEWHERE IN THE VICINITY OF $290.00 PER PERSON. HOWEVER, I CAN POSSIBLY ADD UP TO 7-8 MORE PEOPLE, WHICH COULD THEORETICALLY GIVE US A PRICE OF $250.00 IN THE BEST CASE SCENARIO (DEPENDS ON FINAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE GOING). THIS WILL COVER FOR HOTELS, RENTAL OF BUS AND DRIVER, GUIDE FEES, AND CERTAIN KEY MEALS SET UP BY THE TOUR GROUP. IN OTHER WORDS, ONCE THIS IS COVERED YOU ONLY HAVE TO COVER YOUR DRINKS, CERTAIN MEALS OUTSIDE OF THE HOTEL, AND WHATEVER YOU DECIDE TO BUY FOR YOURSELF. AS A RESULT, IF YOU WANT TO ADD ANYONE AT THE LAST SECOND, LET ME OR MY FOLKS KNOW RIGHT AWAY, I DON'T CARE WHO THEY ARE!
ISTANBUL EXPENSES ARE ALSO NOT INCLUDED. THERE, YOUR HOTEL (THE SALDA, SEE BELOW) WILL BE NO MORE THAN $15/NIGHT IF ALL GOES WELL, PLUS WHATEVER ELSE YOU DO.
THIS FEE YOU WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO BE PAID TO MY FOLKS BY PERSONAL CHECK, PREFERABLY BEFORE YOU EVEN LEAVE THE COUNTRY! THE REASON IS BECAUSE I HAVE TO PAY EVERYONE'S FEES WITH MY CREDIT CARD TO THE TUNE OF OVER $4000 IN ORDER TO RESERVE THE TOUR. TO AVOID NASTY INTEREST PAYMENTS, I'LL NEED EVERYONE TO PAY UP FAIRLY PROMPTLY UPON ARRIVAL, IF NOT EARLIER. MAKE ALL CHECKS OUT TO JOHN CURRY. AT THIS POINT, MY NEGOTIATIONS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED, SO I CAN'T REALLY TAKE ANY MORE SUGGESTIONS. THIS IS THE BEST DEAL THAT WE COULD GET HANDS DOWN, AND WE ARE VERY VERY UPBEAT ABOUT ITS QUALITY!!! IT WILL BE A GOOD TIME!!!
October 1-5:
* People will be arriving in Istanbul, my family will have already arrived for other purposes by that point I hope. The major touristic sites in Istanbul will be within easy striking distance of the Hotel Salda, where I plan to put most of you (unless you prefer to make your own arrangements). If you like, those of you coming earlier than the 5th can work with me and my contacts to arrange a special tour to places not included below for the day, unless you want to go exploring on your own (which I recommend in most cases).
* Accommodations will be at the Hotel Salda in Fındıkzade, which is close to the wedding salon and our homes. You can check out their website (maybe, it isn't always working properly) at the following address: www.saldahotel.com. If this does not work (as seems to be fairly common), you can check out their brochure instead, at this link: Hotel Salda.
CLICK HERE FOR A DETAILED MAP OF OLD ISTANBUL, provided by the Hotel Salda on their brochure. This should help you to locate your place of residence in relation to the major sites.
October 5:
* While some of you will still be getting over your jet lag at this point, this is your chance to see one of the great cities of the world while I and family are trying to get this wedding off the ground!
* My wife has just informed me that on the evening of October 5th (Friday) her family will be hosted what is called a "kina gecesi", or "henna night", meaning that the women of the family all paint themselves up with a dark-colored dye for the wedding on Sunday. All are invited, it will be held at a salon close to my wife's home, a short taxi ride from the hotel, or you can probably even walk it if you don't mind going uphill most of the way there. Details and directions will be provided as everyone arrives, based on interest!
October 6:
* Historical walking Istanbul tour--this will cover the Aya Sofya museum, one of the world's greatest architectural achievements, the Blue mosque and its environs in the remnants of the Byzantine Hippodrome, the Yerebatan Saray, the Kapalıçarsı (covered bazaar) and environs, the Suleymaniye complex, and hopefully draw to an end at the mosque of Rüstem Paşa and the Mısır Çarşısı (Corn Market). This may prove too ambitious in the end, but we'll try...
* Attractions in Istanbul include the Sultanahmet district, home of the Blue Mosque (see photo) and the 1500-year old architectural masterpiece of Byzantium, the Aya Sofya museum. Mosaic and art museums, and an underground cistern littered with the refuse of the classical world also make for some good sightseeing.
* In addition, attractions such as the old city walls, the views around the Bosphorous, the 19th-century European district of Beyoglu, and the Kariye church complex will also keep everyone busy! Many people have spent months in Istanbul and still not seen everything, so you won't be lacking for options to strike out on your own.
October 7:
* Unfortunately, tradition dictates that I and certain members of my immediately family abandon you for today to spend most of the day doing wedding crap (getting haircuts, entertaining relatives on Suna's side from out of town, etc.). During the first half of the day, I encourage everyone to spend the day exploring the Topkapı Saray Museum, home of the infamous Ottoman harem, the treasures of the empire, some of the relics of the Islamic world, and other interesting stuff. You can easily spend 4-5 hours in here and still not see everything, so it would be a good way to pass your day before having to be back for the wedding. Or, do whatever you want, it's a big city!
* I may be having a pre-wedding dinner around 5pm or shortly thereafter, however, this is still in negotiation. You will probably have to get back to the hotel to change and be ready by late afternoon regardless of what happens.
* The wedding party will begin around 8pm. It will go on for at least 3-4 hours, but Suna informs me that the place will shut down at midnight. Will provide a taste of the local musical culture and hopefully a good time will be had by all.
October 8:
* Trip up the Bosphorous to the Black Sea by boat, departing at some time during the late morning from the docks near Sirkeci Station, terminus of the famed Orient Express. I should point out, however, that if the weather is simply awful, I may replace this option with a trip to Dolmabahçe Palace and sights in northern Istanbul in its place. Be sure to check your weather forecast before coming, as small packable umbrellas can be useful here!
* Visit by boat up the Bosphorous to the mouth of the Black Sea, which is capped by an ancient Genoese fortress designed to guard the medieval trade routes to Russian and Central Asia. The fish and seafood restaurants in the area are also outstanding if you don't want to hike up the hill to the fortress.
* The Bosphorous is littered with medieval remnants. Rumelihisar, a massive complex built by Mehmed the Conqueror in 1452, was a final chokehold that led to the fall of Constantinople to the Turkish Muslim armies in 1453 a year later. The size of the fortifications is a reminder of just how difficult that task proved to be, even with the weakened state of the Byzantine Empire by the 15th century.
October 9:
* Depart from Istanbul to Ephesus, ancient Greek city and one of the best-preserved in the Mediterranean world. However, the journey by bus will take most of the day, meaning that we will not see much upon our arrival besides getting something to eat and getting settled. Will stop along the way for a tasty meal or two, which will involve a ferry ride across the sea of Marmara.
* Accommodation will be at the Hotel Canberra, close to the city center of Selçuk and close to the ancient sites. I've scanned a copy of their brochure, you can see it at: Hotel Canberra
October 10:
* Tour through the ancient city of Ephesus. This will require a short minibus ride out to the site, some 2 km from the town of Selçuk where we will be staying.
* Time permitting, there are also other sites to visit in the town of Selçuk itself, including a 14th century beylik period mosque, the remnants of the Temple of Artemis (another Wonder of the World), and the Church of St. John the Baptist. There's also an old aquaduct there in town which seems to be home to a local stork community.
* In the evening, we will be departing for Bodrum (about 3-4 hour ride). This is to save time more than anything else.
* Inscription on the building thought to have housed the ancient library at Ephesus. Home to one of the seven wonders of the ancient world (the temple of Artemis), Ephesus today still remains one of the best preserved cities of the ancient world, rivaling Roman remnants in Italy.
October 11:
* Day in Bodrum. Will visit the underwater archaeology museum, almost unique in its field, which is house in a 15th century castle constructed by the Knights Templar of Rhodes from the blocks that used to be the temple of Lyceus, one of the seven wonders of the world! Also may visit the original temple site. Afterwards, depending on the weather and your preference, feel free to wander in the port or go back to the hotel for some beach/pool time and a well deserved rest from tourism.
* Accommodations will be at the Hotel Olea about 2-3km from the city center. I scanned their brochure as best I could at the following link: Hotel Olea
October 12:
* Boat tour. We will board a local boat and skip around to various local villages in the region by sea for the day. Lunch is included. Should be a nice relaxing day that will give your overtaxed feet a rest after Ephesus and the other museums!
* Bodrum is also renowned for its nightlife, so don't forget to enjoy a good Friday-night out on the town!
October 13:
* Beach or pool time in the morning and early afternoon, then the bus will take us to Pamukkale, about 4 hours drive to the north.
* Will check into our hotel in Pamukkale in the evening, relax in the courtyard with friends if the weather is not too cool. Accommodations will be at the Hotel Koray, close to the salt formations. We've stayed here before, and it's a fairly good place. You can check out their brochure that I scanned at the following link: Hotel Koray
October 14:
* Day-tour of Pamukkale. This old Roman spa-city is a wonder of nature, in addition to a wonder of archaeology. Will begin by walking up the travertine salt formations to the old Roman city at the top (or, if your feet are not made of tough stuff, you can take a cab or something instead). At the top, you will be greeted by an ancient Roman religious city, with temples, theaters, tombs and ruins galore. After exploring, swim in the underwater ruins of the sacred temple of Diana (I think?), and the nice hot 80 degree mineral water baths. Supposedly very healthy.
* Late afternoon, we will have to board the bus to go to Bursa, which is somewhat of a haul, but we have to make sure we get there in time for everyone to make their flights! Will be a late one, but hopefully not too harsh.
* An old Roman spa city, Pamukkale is home not only to a host of Roman period ruins and tombs, but also to spectacular salt formations caused by the flow of hot mineral water from below the site. Bring your bathing suit, as even in October you can swim in the hot healthy mineral baths among the remnants of an old Roman temple!
October 15:
* Historical tour of old Ottoman Bursa. A fascinating walk through what is essentially a perfectly preserved medieval city, dating from the 14th-16th centuries. The original capital of the Ottoman Empire, it is little visited by tourists. We'll be looking at the historical mosques and tombs, with perhaps a side trip to the Islamic arts museum assuming they've finished the restoration work there. Will finish the day in the historical silk markets, which once were the hub of the east-west luxury trade. Now is the time to shop for unique souveniers!
* Visit also to the historical Iskender restaurant for an unforgettable meal of Iskender Kebap. In the evening, those who desire can enjoy a trip to the historical baths of Suleyman the Magnificent, complete with swimming and cleaning! This will be a big help after walking around all day, believe me! * Hotel is still under negotiation, will either be the Çeşmeli, which some of you know, or the Diamond, both of which are close to the old city center (within walking distance). Unfortunately, no brochure/pictures available at this time.
* The Green Mosque, constructed during the "interim period" when the early Ottoman Empire was trying to recover from its defeat at the hand of Timur Leng (Tamerlaine)'s in 1410, is a masterpiece of architecture reflecting the Central Asian origins of the early Ottoman Turkish polity.
* The constructors of the tomb of Cem Sultan (right), who unsuccessfully contested his brother Bayezid II for the throne in 1481 and lived out much of the rest of his life on the island of Rhodes and in Italy in exile, nevertheless spared little expense in decoration, which has been restored recently.
* The tomb of Mehmed Chelebi (left), constructor of the Green Mosque complex and reestablisher of the Ottoman Empire in the second decade of the 15th century, is a masterpiece of Islamic art, made entirely in blue, yellow, and green tiles imported from Iran.
NOTE: Some of you at this point will have to begin returning to Istanbul to catch flights. I will be playing this by ear, solving the problem either by letting our transport take you back, or getting you the necessary arrangements to get home.
October 16:
* Mt. Uludag by cable car, for picnicking and if weather permits, hiking around a bit. However, if the weather is totally uncooperative, we may just have to leave for Istanbul early after exploring Bursa some more.
* In the evening or following morning, we will probably return to Istanbul, depending on how everything works out.
* Summit of Mt. Uludag in the background with ski slopes and national park forest. Views are spectular as long as there isn't too much cloud cover up there!
October 17-21:
* Arrive in Istanbul, depart at whatever time! If there are still folks hanging around, we can also set up some more impromptu visits to sites in the vicinity of Istanbul, perhaps Iznik or even Edirne if time permits.
In addition, if you would like to see pictures of the country, a friend of mine, David Brecheisen, was recently here and took over 100 photos with a digital camera. While he visited places different from this itinerary in many cases, you can have a look at his site:
And I also have a site with some pictures, but they are not all Turkey, but the Mideast as a whole:
www.geocities.com/curry_83/travel.html
This site, newly discovered by David Brecheisen, also is an excellent source of photos for various parts of Turkey. Worth a look....
www.math.umn.edu/~alayont/turkiye/turkiye.html
What do I eat and drink while there?
In general, most people do not have significant problems while in Turkey with the local fare. However, it is advisable to have some Immodium or other gut-paralyzing drugs on hand in case of a problem, especially seeing as we'll often be travelling! In general, the food in Turkey is excellent, although if you're a vegetarian you will have some trouble here. It is a very meat and fish-heavy diet for the most part.
Drinking the local water from the tap is not recommended, although you'll probably not have trouble brushing your teeth and the like. The problem is that it is overchlorinated by US standards, and not terribly tasty, especially in Istanbul. Bottled water is cheap, plentiful, and good. In addition, Turkey is chock-full of fruit juice, mineral waters, sodas, beer, wine, raki (an aniseed liquor similar to Greek Ouzo) to wash your meals down with.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (AT LEAST FROM OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE SEEN THIS SITE):
1. How much will rooms cost while I'm there? Answer: The rooms are included in the package deal mentioned above, with the exception of Istanbul. There, I think rooms will be about $15/night per person, assuming I can't haggle them down to something cheaper.
2. Will my room have its own bathroom? Answer: Yes.
3. Are we really not going to spend more than 2 days in any one place? Answer: With the exception of Istanbul, yes. People's schedules are too tight for me to hang around more than two days in any one place. Due to the wedding, Istanbul may be an exception for most of you, which is fine because you can spend 3 months there and still not explore everything.
4. Can I pay for the entry visa fee with something other than American cash? Do I have to get Turkish money before entering the country? Answer: NO and NO. If you bring anything but cash to pay the entry visa fee, you may have a lot of problems, although things do occasionally change here. It is easy to change money upon arrival at the airport so don't waste your time trying to find lira (you probably won't find any anyways).
5. What is a typical breakfast like? Answer: Generally the rough equivalent of European continental. You might get a hardboiled egg, some tomato and cucumber slices, olives, and bread and cheese with various kinds of jelly. Orange or cherry juice, along with water, are usually also present. Don't expect your scrambled eggs, bacon, and cereal though.
6. What do I wear for the wedding? Answer: As long as it isn't too casual, you'll be fine. Most of the Turks outside of the immediately family will probably be wearing slacks and a decent shirt. That will work just fine for most of you, depending on how much you want to "dress to impress". As for women, your typical Sunday dress or church clothes, or probably even your work outfit would work just fine. It's up to you beyond that.
7. How much money do we pin to Suna's dress? Answer: Lots. Lots and lots. No really, all joking aside, whatever you might have spent on a wedding gift in the US is probably appropriate here. The general point behind to whole thing is Suna will use the money to buy furnishings for the household at some point in the future, so essentially in lieu of the traditional wedding gifts, you're just turning the legwork over to her when she gets to the U.S., which is when we're really going to need it.
8. Do I need to bring water-purification tablets? Answer: No. The water here is not dangerous, and as I mentioned above, you can go with bottled the whole trip at a fairly cheap price, with easy availability anywhere. However, your stomach may not be accustomed to large quantities of tap water at first, as the chemical makeup may differ from the US standards. I would recommend bringing some Immodium or other such gut-paralysing drug, just in case we need to travel and something local doesn't sit well with you...
9. How many people are coming on this thing besides me/us? Answer: At present, you and 18 other people, including Suna and I. I am, however, trying to add a few more to bring costs down and keep the tour company happy (see note above).
10. How will I get in from the airport upon my/our arrival? Answer: IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT YOU MAKE SURE THAT I KNOW EXACTLY WHEN YOUR PLANE ARRIVES AND ON WHAT DAY SO I CAN ARRANGE WITH YOU HOW I OR SOMEONE ELSE WILL PICK YOU UP! PLEASE CHECK AND CONFIRM ITINERARIES ABOVE! If I have some 15-20 people to worry about, many of them on the same day, it will require some juggling. In any case, someone (probably me) will be on hand to extract you from the airport and bring you into town via either bus or taxi. That is, assuming you have let me know....
EMAIL ME YOUR QUESTIONS AND I WILL POST THEM FOR EVERYONE TO SEE...KEEP THEM COMING!
*** For the time being, that's all for now...as time goes by I may alter this or add new information. If you need to contact me directly, write to curry_83@yahoo.com , and I'll try to respond to questions, concerns, etc.!