Shabbat

Shabbat, literally meaning rest or cessation in Hebrew, is observed in Israel as a full day of rest beginning from sunday Friday until Saturday night. Stores shut down, restaurants close, and people celebrate this special day of the week differently in each family. For our Israeli hosts, this meant taking a day to visit older family members who they do not get to see everyday. So Saturday, Ruty and Ehud were going to spend the day visiting their parents and daughter and invited us to go with them. Wanting to see as much of the country and meet its people as we could, we of course said yes. They are able to visit their family members every week mostly, so we did not spend long in each place. Both Ehud's mother and Ruty's father proved to be incredibly interesting visits for us though!

I sometimes feel that many American people in their 20's often have grandparents in their 80's or 90's and many were soldiers in WWII (or were involved in some type of military service.) It is common for our grandfathers to have stories of his time at war either in Europe or the Pacific, and I think often we take that fact for granted. During the same period, citizens of a different population of people (Jews in Europe) were finding ways to escape the Nazis and move to the soon to be Israel (then Palestine.) In Israel, that same generation holds different stories of how they came to Israel before it was a state and how they took part in its creation.

Two people that belong to this group are the people we got to meet. Ehud's mother, now 97 years old, looks very healthy, is still walking, and even manages 2 languages still. We didn't find out much, but we know a little about how she came. Her family was originally from Austria and after she immigrated, she lived in a kibbutz back when they were really communal living areas. (We were told that nowadays they have changed drastically and the community ideal has disappeared basically.) Nevertheless, she now lives in another kibbutz south of Tel Aviv. One of the largest kibbutz with over 1,000 inhabitants, it was much larger than I imagined. To me it reminds me of summer camp, with different buildings where people live, the big dining hall, and of course the pool where everyone hangs out in the summer. I really enjoyed seeing this special part of Israeli life though. We took a walk around but it was pretty quiet because of Shabbat. We got to speak to Ehud's mother for just a few minutes, but she got to practice her English and we got to see the amazing shape of a 97 Israeli/Austrian woman.

Next we went a short distance to the neighboring city to visit Ruty's father. Only 94 , he has all the lovely charm and funny habits of a darling old man. Not speaking a word of English, he soon started speaking about how he first came to Palestine (Ruty translated for us.) Though he was only about 20 years old and over 70 more have now passed, he remembered the details as if it was yesterday. His family originally lived in Poland, and in 1939 the Zionist youth movement gave him a ticket to go to Palestine, yet only for him and not his family. He arrived, escaped from a British holding camp, and managed to start a kibbutz near the town where he currently lives. Nine years later the nation of Israel was created. Even though he had left his family in Poland, he was one of the first members and beginning founders of Israel.

Meeting him and hearing his story astounded me. Maybe it's just because I have learned about this period of history for so many years of my life and critically studied the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. So something like the youth movement brings me right back to my "History of the Modern Middle East" class from fall Senior year at GWU. It's an incredible feeling when a small piece of information you learned years ago comes to life! Of course I'm just a strong believer in the power of education, but still it was incredible to hear his story firsthand.

That afternoon after lunch and siesta, we went for a walk from their house to the beach in Herzliyya and watched the US/Ghana match, which sadly we lost (but deserved to win!)

Tel Aviv

A secret picture taken at the border crossing

We decided to start fresh Friday morning and take the day to tour Tel Aviv. We arrived downtown and were told we should go to Shouk Ha'Carmel (Carmel Market) first. It was Friday, and this meant that everything usually closes down around 3pm and doesn't open until late Saturday afternoon or Sunday because of Shabbat. We wandered through the Carmel Market, which is full of artisan crafts and vendors selling everything from jewelry to handmade soaps, and many other handmade beautiful items.

Due to my terrible allergic reaction that morning to something in the home we were staying in, we ventured to find a pharmacy. Luckily, on the way we spotted the sea and were excited to once again be on the Mediterranean. It's like home now! After walking by the sea we stumbled upon the fruit and vegetable market, as well as a huge other section that was selling touristy souvenirs, nuts, juice, and more knick knacks that one can possibly imagine.

We were also advised to walk down Sheinken Street, where we found delicious pizza and very chic looking shops and restaurants. Continuing our tour we strolled down Rothschild Boulevard (one of the most expensive streets in Tel Aviv) to see its famous Bauhaus buildings. By 3pm everything really did close, so we headed back, had dinner, and watched the Spain match that night. Thank goodness the World Cup is always on!

From what we have seen so far, Israel is a beautiful country. It is modern, has great infrastructure, its people are well educated and helpful, and in many areas it seems a lot like parts of the United States. Tel Aviv reminds me in many ways of New York City or California. People are out shopping, sitting at cafés, chatting with friends...just like in any other metropolitan city. It is hard to imagine that just a few kilometers to the south there are rockets being launched and missiles fired in Gaza, and to the east is Jerusalem, one of the most holiest sites in the world. I got the impression that perhaps Israelis focus on the good and try to block out reality sometimes, in order to live their lives as normally as possible. As a tourist only here for a few days I obviously cannot understand what it is like for them everyday, but it is amazing to me the combination of different worlds that exists here, and so very close together. I am excited to venture out and visit different parts of the country.

Trip to Israel

Last Thursday morning we set off to take the bus to Tel Aviv. With only one other girl from Russia making the journey, I had a feeling this was not a popular route. Since we were going to Tel Aviv and not Jerusalem, we had decided to take a bus that crossed to Israel via the Sheikh Hussein Bridge instead of the popular and very crowded King Hussein/Allenby Bridge.

After we left Jordanian borders and got our exit stamp, the bus crossed over the Jordan river and entered the Israeli checkpoint. We left the Jordanian bus behind and entered the security and passport check. No one but a few tourists and guards were there, so there were no lines! We had to get all of our bags checked as well as searched- they basically pulled everything out of my suitcase but mainly looked at papers and books. Then we went to the passport check, got asked a few questions, got a stamp on a separate piece of paper, and went on our way! No problems at all.

In Israel another driver was waiting to take Marissa and I and the other girl to Tel Aviv. We were actually traveling to Herzliyya, a suburb of Tel aviv founded by the creator of the Zionist movement, Theodore Herzl, to stay with a family friend named Ruty and her husband Ehud for the next couple of days. Through some negotiation, we managed to get let off near their house. We met Ruty at the bus stop on the side of the freeway! Her husband Ehud soon after pulled up in a small Toyota red truck to take us to their house.

Herzliyya is a very nice town, and really close to Tel Aviv. Their home is artsy, comfortable, and beautifully decorated, and we felt right at home! They welcomed us with a wonderful lunch and have been taking care of us ever since.

Our Last Days in Amman

Returning from Petra the day after took a while, and by the time we got back to Amman all we really could manage was eating (at City mall again!) and resting since our legs were still recovering. We picked up our stuff and found a hostel for our last 2 nights in downtown Amman. That night we went to Rainbow Street (in downtown, lined with cafés and restaurants and lots of expatriates) to eat falafel and reunited with our friends from the Dead Sea and Petra to watch Argentina play in the World Cup.

Our last day in Amman was pretty busy. First we had to go to the Italian Hospital to see a doctor about my ear infection (unfortunately no one actually spoke Italian.) Afterwards, we finally got to visit some of the sights in Amman like the Roman Theater and the Umayyad Palace, and finished with a trip to Subway! (the restaurant) That night out Couchsurfing host invited us to go out with some friends, so we got some take away hummus, pita, and falafel from the famous Hashem restaurant and spend our last hours in Amman with the same great people we spent our first hours in Jordan with.

Remnants from the Temple of Hercules, Amman

Petra

The next morning we woke up, had breakfast, and prepared for our journey to Petra. Also at the camp was an American guy named Zach who was on leave from his job in Afghanistan. He was also heading to Petra, so we shared a taxi with him to the site. The three of us, all being young American travelers, decided stay as a group and tour the ancient city together. Petra sits next to Wadi Musa, a tiny town now infiltrated with tourists who come for Petra but try to stay isolated from the real town as much as possible (and instead stay at their 4 or 5 start hotel on Tourist Street.) We, being poor and unemployed, chose the Orient "Hotel" in town for just 8 Euros a night.

The site at Petra is larger than it appears...I think we spent almost 6 hours there by the end! After paying a hefty 35 JD to enter (about $50), we headed down the beginning path and into the +40 degrees Celsius blistering heat. The real fun starts as you enter the Siq, a long winding path set between huge red rocks that was cut by an earthquake many years ago. The small shaded trail boasts some amazing shades of red and orange and leads you to the most photographed place: The Treasury. In Bedouin legend, the Treasury was thought to once hold the Pharaoh's treasure in the big urn on the top. What makes it so unique is the way it is carved right into the rock itself, so that the building goes in rather than juts out of the mountain.

(Left) The Siq pathway

(Right) The Treasury

There is so much to see and so many places to climb up to get great pictures of the area. On a whim we three decided to brave the 170m climb via stairs to see the High Place of Sacrifice. The stairs seemed endless and always on a slippery incline, but after about a half hour we reached the top, breathless and sweaty. The views were pretty amazing, and the sacrificial place was as strange as it sounds (though used only mainly for animals.) After a much easier return back down, we continued on and saw the Theater, caves cut into the rock, and more of the amazing colors of Petra.

From the High Place of Sacrifice

Almost making it to the end, the only remaining thing was another climb, this time longer and higher, to see the Monastery. Again we refused the easy way via camel or donkey and climbed the stairs until our legs couldn't handle any more. As we finally made it to the end and verged around the last corner, we saw another amazing facade carved into the mountain, similar to the Treasury. Not actually used as a Monastery but more as a court, it feels as if it is hidden up high and away from the rest of the city and is a treat to see when you finally make it there.

By this point we had had enough and our bodies were extremely tired, hungry, and unbelievably still thirsty after drinking 2 liters of water each, so we returned the way we came and left Petra behind us. After a much needed shower and dinner, we had planned to return to Petra that night for a special event only held 3 days a week: Petra by Night. It was recommended to me by a few people and I so was glad I listened to their advice! Marissa and I, and 100 or so other tourists, ventured back into Petra at 8:30 that night, under the stars and guided only by candle luminaries. It was a beautiful sight and felt like a really unique, special experience to be wandering back into the Siq all the way to the Treasury by candlelight. At the Treasury we sat down to tea and heard Bedouin music and stories of ancient Petra while sitting under the stars and lights- it was quite an event!

Luminaries in the sand

Unfortunately I had developed a very painful ear infection, probably due to the day at the Dead Sea, and I have been battling it for the last few days. I couldn't really enjoy everything pain free as I would have liked to, but they were still an unforgettable couple of days!

Wadi Rum Excursion

Another night of this trip was spent in the always quiet and ever beautiful desert. (The first was when I was in Morocco, before Marissa and I traveled to Turkey). It all started when a girl we had met our first night in Amman gave us the name and number of a Bedouin guide she knew that gave tours at Wadi Rum. She had such great things to say about her experience there that we started to think we should try it as well (even though it wasn't part of our original plan.) So when Sunday came around and we had to leave the apartment we were staying in, we decided it was a good time to get out of Amman and do some day trips. We called Freyes, the guide, and agreed on a time and (somewhat random) location to meet him at. We finally met him at the entrance to Rum village, and as Marissa and I were driving in his personal car and we past the empty Visitors Center I could already tell this was going to be a unique experience.

Wadi Rum and its famous red sand

Freyes took us to a house where we met our other guide, Abdullah, had lunch, and got prepared for our trip. Usually travelers get to tour the desert via jeep or camel and visit all of the special sites along the way. After a painful and quite recent experience on a camel in Morocco, I was quick to opt for the jeep. Our ride turned out to be something resembling a jeep, though looked more like a rusted and burned out 4x4 from 50 years ago. But, it worked! Or so we thought....

We quickly realized that it would just be Freyes, Abdullah, Marissa, and I for the next 12 hours, and it became a private tour through the desert. We headed out on the bumpy sand-paved trail and soon left all signs of civilization. It turned out great that it was only us on the trip, because we got to get out and stop whenever we wanted and take as many pictures as we liked...it was all up to us! We saw where the movie Lawrence of Arabia was filmed, as well as the site where T.E. Lawrence supposedly lived. We also got to scale up a huge rock formation and climb to a natural bridge formed by 2 smaller rocks- a big scary at the time but it made for a great picture!

From up close and far away!

Finally we headed to camp because the keep wasn't working right (it already had stopped a few times and had a flat tire). We pulled at a camp site with 15 cabin/bungalows, a main tent, and bathrooms with actual toilets! and a shower! The cabin even had real beds and blankets...this was definitely not roughing it. After drinking tea and going for a walk, we did the only thing 2 Bedouin guys and 2 normal American girls would do in the desert: played Jenga! After game time we ate a huge dinner of rice, chicken, and salad, and went to sleep under the stars (yet fully covered in our cabin, of course.)

5 star cabins in the desert

Headed to Israel/Palestine Today

Today we are crossing the border from Jordan to Israel/Palestine where we will be spending the next week, half in Tel Aviv and half in Jerusalem.

More posts to come from Wadi Rum, Petra, and our last days in Amman! A good internet connection (plus time) has been hard to find....

Touring Historic Sites in Jordan

Our second day in Jordan, Hala, a friend we were put in touch with, offered to take us to one of the most historic sites in Jordan: Jerash. Showing us the most amazing display of Jordanian hospitality, Hala and her friend got us lunch and drinks (great Jordanian falafel) and drove us about 1 hour north of Amman to the site. Mostly known for being one of the best preserved Roman cities along the Mediterranean, it covers a large area and has an impressive number of standing Roman columns. The area has been populated since prehistory and was even mentioned in the Old Testament of the Bible, but its Roman inhabitants are what gave it its fame.

We have now visited quite a few historical sites on this trip, especially Greek and Roman, and admittedly after so many they can lose their thrill. However, Jerash was a bit different for its size and therefore interesting to visit …and our Jordanian guides made it a lot more fun! One thing we have discovered is that Jordanians have a lot of pride for their country and are really helpful in answering any question you may have about it. They really want you to see everything and try everything, and of course have a wonderful time while doing it.

After Jerash we visited the Ajloun Castle, which is just a short distance from Jerash. Actually resembling more of a fortress, it sits atop a large hill and offers a view of the entire area, including over to neighboring Palestine.

After having spend the entire day sightseeing, we had the treat of going to the City Mall and more importantly, its food court! There was so many American restaurants, so we felt it was justified to indulge ourselves and eat Sbarro and maybe even a McDonalds’ McFlurry. We've been in Spain for a long time. Overall it was a great day in Jordan and we were fortunate enough to spend it with some really nice Jordanian people.

That night we decided we would leave Amman and take a 2 day excursion south to Wadi Rum (the desert) and Petra, the most famous site in Jordan! So the next morning we were up early to catch the bus south to Aqaba (a southern city on the Red Sea), and from there we took a taxi to meet our Bedouin guide Freyes who would be taking care of us for the next 24 hours while we were in the middle of the desert.

From Jordan- The Dead Sea Experience

We have now been in Jordan for about 2 1/2 days, and already I love this country. It is small and not overwhelming...hot but not unbearable....and the sites we have seen already are spectacular. The first night we arrived we got out of the airport and on a bus to the city. We found our Couchsurfing host's apartment with no real problems (for once!) and were welcomed with a barbeque party on the roof of the apartment, that also has an amazing view of Amman. Melanie and Adel, our hosts, were so friendly and welcoming and introduced us to their friends- we felt right at home!

One of their friends we met that night invited us to go to the Dead Sea with him the next day. It was definitely on the top of our list for things we wanted to do here, and it worked out perfectly going with our new friend Rami. It is easiest to go by car to the Dead Sea, and many of the hotels charge an entrance fee to use their pools and beach for the day. We went to the Dead Sea Spa Hotel and paid 20 JD (about $25) and spent the day hanging around the pool and floating on the sea.

The Dead Sea...it goes all the way to Israel/Palestine!

I have seen so many pictures of people from their Dead Sea Experience, and I must say- no picture can ever show the true experience of being in this water. The feeling is so strange! Your body really does naturally float on the top, and it is quite hard to get back down to standing. The water is also different, much more oily. It has an extremely high salt content, causing the floating. If you have a cut it will burn like crazy!

The other thing you have to do at the Dead Sea is put on the mud- they say it is a great skin treatment! So we treked over to the right area and covered ourselves up in slimy brown mud from the bottom of the sea, and had a great time while doing it. Our skin didn't get much softer like it is supposed to, but that was probably due to the chlorine from the pools we spent the day in.

There's the mud!

We are heading into the desert tomorrow at Wadi Rum and Monday will go to Petra (the number one thing to do in Jordan!). Updates from both places as well as today's trip to Jerash and Ajloun Castle to be up when we get back!

In Amman....with updates from Antalya!

Today we arrived in JORDAN!! We are currently in Amman Couchsurfing with a lovely American girl named Melanie and her Jordanian boyfriend, where they have a rooftop apartment with a view over the entire city. We took 2 flights today, the first from Antalya to Istanbul and then a wonderful flight on Royal Jordanian from Istanbul to Amman (we had our own personal televisions for a 2 hour flight!) Now to update from Antalya....

We spend 3 days in Antalya, a southern beach city on the Mediterranean, and Couchsurfed with our new friend Caglar. His apartment was a little far from the center and old city area, but the first day we ventured out and found our way to town. A blistering 35 degrees Celsius with a lot of humidity....Antalya was hot!! We walked through the old city and saw the beautiful marina, where the water is a lovely shade of blue and boats hang around offering tours in the sea.

The Marina in Antalya

After a long search for food that was anything but kebab, we headed to the nearest beach called Konyaalti where we slept the late afternoon heat away. Our host worked all day and had gone to the opera that night, so we had the apartment to ourselves. We decided it was time to cook a real meal- pasta and salad never tasted so delicious! We also got to watch another World Cup match....one thing you don't need Turkish to understand.

The second day we took advantage of some free time to visit ancient Olimpos. Though now it is just a small town for tourists, the area has been taken over by many ancient civilizations throughout history, including the Romans. Now only a few ruins survive, but this site is unique from the rest as it is hidden in the mountains and right on the coast. Though a big difficult to get to (2 minibuses and some walking is needed), the site is really unique. You arrive at the entrance gate, and for 3 Turkish Lira (about $2) you can pass through the old ruins. After about 1/4 mile the trees open up and there is a beautiful hidden pebble beach surrounded by rocks and huge mountains, and even still more ruins. We spent the day on the beach, but it again it must have been 40 degrees Celsius outside- over 100 degrees Fahrenheit! We could only last so long.

The ruins and the beach at Olimpos

Unfortunately our host got sick that day so we didn't see much of him for the rest of our time there. The last day we decided to relax before heading to Jordan, so we spent the day at the really nice new pool in the apartment complex and watched football matches. Sadly, Spain (our favorite to win) lost its first match. We are routing for them to come back next time though!!

For the next week we will be exploring Jordan- tales from Amman, Petra, Jesus' Baptism Site, the desert, and more to come soon!

Pamukkale

In the middle of Turkey lies one of the strangest sites in the world (and now one of my top 10 favorite things I have ever seen), and that is Pamukkale. In Turkish, it means "cotton castle", and literally looks like a mountain of snow from far away. As you get closer however, and you realize it is 90 degrees outside, you can see the water running down from the top and the pools of water that have been formed.

(Top)-Pamukkale, awaiting a huge storm (we have bad luck with weather!)

(Bottom)- Entrance to site. It actually is very slippery!

We arrived via a city nearby called Denizli, and stayed at a nice family-run hostel the night before visiting the site. From there (as it was raining again!) we ate a home-cooked dinner and watched from a fuzzy old TV screen the USA try its hardest to beat England in the World Cup. Most everyone else thought we were Australian or British and were confused on why we were routing for the USA. American is always the last guess people have for us- some have said I am Turkish before thinking I am American!

The following morning we headed out to visit Pamukkale and the ancient ruins of Hierapolis. After entering, you reach a point where the stone of the mountain becomes pure white and your shoes have to come off- the surprise to us was that you have to walk up through it barefoot! The white hardened surface, actually calcium carbonate, covers the whole area of the site and it is said there are hot springs as well. Though it looks soft, it is actually really hard and feels like smooth rock. Water flows down the whole way and visitors get to walk through the pools to move higher in the site. It is a strange and unique experience just to walk up the mountain, taking in the scenic view and beautiful formations from the calcium and water. (Unfortunately, there are also tourists half naked in speedos and bikinis taking ridiculous pictures, which kinds of ruins the unique historic feel.) Pamukkale was definitely the best thing we have seen in Turkey so far.

After we toured Hierapolis, an ancient Greek city and UNESCO World Heritage Site that sits atop Pamukkale. However, not much remains intact except for the Theater and ruins stored in the museum. Someone had recommended we travel 5km west to see the "Red Water Source" where it is said you can go swimming. To us it sounded interesting, so we walked the 5km in the dead afternoon heat, only to find after much searching that it was only a small hot spring. You definitely could not swim in it, as it was pretty small and the water near boiling temperature!

Our next and final stop was Antalya, and again we packed our stuff, got on a Dolmus (minibus) to Denizli and another bus to Antalya. Here we also planned to Couchsurf and..... finally! our host came through. We navigated our way through this new city to meet him and finally arrived at his big, new, modern apartment (with 2 big beds for us to sleep in!)

The ruins at Ephesus

After arriving 10 hours later in Izmir in our night bus from Istanbul, we stored our luggage and hopped on a minibus and then a taxi to arrive at the ruins of the ancient city of Efes (Ephesus). Extremely hot and sunny that day, we toured the site in only a few hours. The city was first Greek and later taken over by the Romans and converted into the second largest city in their Empire. Ephesus also has Christian importance and Biblical fame, as the Apostle Paul was said to have lived in Ephesus and written the books 1st Corinthians as well as Ephesians from this city.

Roman Library

Most impressive was definitely the enormous Roman Theater, which can seat over 25, 000 people! The large stone streets are still intact, as well as the front facade of the Roman Library. All in all it's great if you are interested in history because it is mixed with artifacts from multiple civilizations. And even if you are not, the ruins are right next to a mountain range, making the setting beautiful. I tend to enjoy sites like these, as it's neat to see how the Romans and other ancient civilizations were living over 2000 years ago. Also, after hearing about Ephesians and reading it myself, it is incredible to finally walk in its streets!

A Roman statue left intact?

First Couchsurfing Experience

After two days of sending messages to various people on Couchsurfing, we finally had one person accept to host us (though it would only be for one night since the next day we were to catch an overnight bus to Izmir).

**If you’re not familiar with Couchsurfing, it is a great invention for traveling! To put it simply, it is a website where people from all over the world offer their spare beds or couches to travelers visiting their city, for free! In reality, the purpose is to be able to stay with someone local in order to learn first hand what life is like in that country from your host. In return, you share your travel experiences or just information from your own country. It is a great tool for cross-cultural exchange, and great for traveling because it cuts down on cost! We had intended to Couchsurf a lot on this trip, but we have run into a few problems. Check it out: couchsurfing.org

We spent the morning of our second day touring the Topkapi Palace, the rooms and grounds where many Sultans have spent their ruling years during the Ottoman Empire. The architecture is again a beautiful mix of Ottoman and Islamic, and throughout the palace there are great examples of colorful mosaics and Islamic calligraphy. My two favorite parts were first the Treasury rooms of the Sultan- never have I seen so many emeralds, diamonds, and so much gold in one room! Second for me was the Harem, a separate area where you can tour the quarters where the Sultans kept their lovers. It is quite a strange and unique experience- they all seemed to live pretty comfortably in there.

That afternoon we took our bags and headed to our new host Zek’s apartment, way on the other side of the Bosphorus in Uskudar (Asian side.) We managed to figure out the tram and ferry systems and ventured to Asia. Zek had a nice student apartment with two flatmates, and they were all very nice guys. Our couch was also ironically in the kitchen.. it was a bit of a strange set up but everything worked out okay.

Our host Zek had to work nights at a hotel, but one of his flatmates offered to take us out to dinner in Taksim Square and Istiklal Street. Unfortuately he didn’t speak much English, but we managed to see this new modern are and eat some more kebab for dinner. (In Turkey, there are not many other choices than variations of the revolving kebab meat with bread- a bit of a struggle for a vegetarian like me!)

Mosaic tiling in the Topkapi Palace

Touring Istanbul

There is a lot to see in Istanbul and a large area to cover, but the day after we arrived Marissa and I braved the rain and headed a few streets over from our hostel to the Blue Mosque. Stunningly beautiful from the outside, the Blue Mosque is equally as breathtaking from the inside. It was built in the early 17^th century and its called the Blue Mosque for the blue tiles on the walls inside. It is still a functioning public mosque, and tourists can only enter through a separate entrance between prayer times.

Tourists also have to dress appropriately, which for women means loose pants or a skirt and a shirt that covers your shoulders and arms fully. They also require you to put a scarf over your head, out of respect. Marissa only had to put on a sweater and scarf, but apparently my t-shirt and leggings were not appropriate, and I had to put fabric over my legs, a sweater, and a scarf. A good note- though leggings cover you, they are not a good thing to wear in the Middle East as they are a little too form-fitting it seems.

Inside of the Blue Mosque the best thing to do is look up-there is beautiful Arabic calligraphy all over the ceiling. Also, the light coming in from the stained-glass windows brings all kinds of amazing colors into the mosque. I have always been a fan of Islamic architecture, and the Blue Mosque offers exceptional highlights of it. We had to just stop and look around for a few minutes, it requires a little time for your eyes to be able to take it all in!

After the Blue Mosque we headed next door to the Aya Sofia, or Hagia Sofia. There is some debate about which is nicer, but our vote was the outside of the Blue Mosque is best, but the inside of the Aya Sofia is truly unique. It was once a church, then transformed into a mosque, and now stands as a museum. Here it was amazing to see the mix of Muslim and Christian influences, as in the front of the building there is tiling of the Virgin Mary with the Christ Child, but below sits the minbar (or pulpit in a mosque) and mihrab (indicates direction of prayer, to Mecca), mixed with other essential parts of the mosque as well. The six huge circles in gold and black, each with a holy name in Islam, stand out among anything else though. They are what captured my attention as they are so beautiful, and I think became my favorite part.

In the afternoon we decided to venture to the Grand Bazaar only to have a look around, although not buying anything is pretty difficult among the hundreds of stands selling neat souvenirs. After a while it all seems to look the same, and we eventually left with only a few things, and decided it was better to spend our money on some delicious Turkish pastries.

Me in front of the Blue Mosque

Inside of the Aya Sofia- on the top is the mosaic of the Virgin and on each side sits a holy name in Islam: Allah (God) on the right, and Mohammed (the Prophet) on the left.

Turkish People

It is hard to go on talking about the beautiful sites and wonderful things we have seen before first mentioning the people of Turkey. Traveling through this country has not been an easy experience, but one thing that has really helped are the Turkish people themselves. They are always selling hello and welcoming you to their country, asking if you are lost or need help, and eventually (if they haven't already guessed) ask what country you are from. They also sometimes want you to buy a carpet from their store for a very cheap price, but I have found that they are not as pushy and aggressive as some salesmen in other countries. If you say no, they understand no.

They also will generally help you out with no ulterior motive or request for money. Men have helped carry my bags without asking, they will willingly try to answer our silly tourist questions, and definitely know when to help us when we look confused or just really lost. They are wonderful people who really want you as a tourist to enjoy your stay in their country. It is a refreshing feeling and something we have noticed throughout the country. We can't say enough good things about them!

Our Start in Istanbul

Istanbul

We entered Turkey on June 7th through Istanbul and spent about 4 days touring this fascinating city. I have to admit, I did not know what to expect coming to Istanbul. I read the guide books and listened to podcasts, but even still it was completely different than I imagined. First of all, the city is huge!, almost overwhelmingly so. It is split right down the middle by the Bosphorus strait, one half belonging to Europe and the other to Asia. In addition, the European side is split into two parts by the Golden Horn (which connects to the Sea of Marmara)-needless to say you can always see the water! It is almost impossible to see everything within all 3 sides of the city in only 4 days, but I think we did it.

After our Couchsurfing host canceled on us last minute, we headed from the airport to the center of the city with no real idea of where to go or where we were going to stay that night. We figured the Sultanahmet area, where the two famous mosques are located as well as a plethora of hostels/hotels, was the best place to start. Luckily, with the help of some nice Turkish men along the way, we found the area and a hostel pretty quickly.

The Sultanahmet is a bit touristy, its streets lined with hotels, bars, restaurants, and men outside calling and trying to get you to come eat at their restaurant, not so different than Little Italy in New York. However, the colors are beautiful and the cobblestone streets give it a nice historic feel.

We had a nice surprise upon arriving in Istanbul, in addition to finding out we had no place to stay, and that was rain! Who would have thought that it would be raining mid-June in Turkey. We found out it is not common, but the first three days we were there it poured...I don't think the Istanbul experience is the same in the rain. However, we got to buy these very chic clear plastic umbrellas which everyone has- including us in all of our pictures!

Turkey: The Beginning

Having now spent a full week in Turkey, I have decided to start a blog of my summer travels (and hopefully those to come as well). In just these seven days I have had some stories and adventures that I feel are definitely worth sharing.

I am traveling around the Middle East this summer with my friend Marissa Johnson. We met almost 3 years ago while studying abroad in Sevilla, Spain, and found ourselves back in Spain again this past year teaching English, myself in Malaga and Marissa in Granada. As our jobs finished and the summer was about to begin, we were both ready to leave Europe and travel to a new part of the world. Our itinerary is: Turkey, Jordan, Israel/Palestine, Egypt.

Currently we are in Antalya, a city on the Mediterranean coast of southern Turkey, but first I'll back up and talk about what we have seen and been through in the days leading up to now...