Turkish Mosaic circuit. Day 11. (200 Kilometre distance covered)

14th of October 2010
Selçuk - Denizli - Aphrodisias - Hierapolis - Pamukkale - Denizli

We left fairly early on our way to Aphrodisias, considered one of the finest archeological sites in Turkey inspite of still being partly undiscovered. Its name is said to have derived from the Goddess of Love - Aphrodite, who has her sanctuary here and whose temple precint was completed in the 2nd century.

As we got on some  farm tractors adapted to carry around 20 passengers, we thought the ride into the heart of the surrounding forest would last more than just a mere two minutes, which is the time it took to get to the starting  point of our visit.  We were all visibly disapointed ..., I felt that maybe even more disappointed  than with the fact that the it was raining again ... and it did not look like the weather would change in the following couple of hours (the duration of the visit).

The sight of the Tetrapylon (a gateway which supposedly greeted pilgrims as they approached the temple) impressed me, because there it was ... standing in its "imposing" like attitude in the middle of nowhere.

But I must say the Stadium  and Theatre were as impressive as the Tetrapylon, namely because of the capacity they are said to have had (for 30,000 and 8,000 spectators respectively), which is  almost unimaginable unless one actually looks at their real size.

Stadium

Theatre

As we were appreciating the theatre, some visitors ... (or performers) were putting on an act or ritual of some sort, which implied quite a lot of hugging and kissing, but none of us came up with the same opinion as to what was really happening ..., so we will never know, I guess ... and we might have missed some "important" issue ...

The next stop before we headed to Denizli was the site Museum, opened to the public in 1979 and which proved to be worth the visit, because it was particularly well organised. The artifacts, many of which were connected to Aphrodite deserve being seen.

Statue of the three Graces, in exhibit at the Museum.

By the time we reached Denizli, having headed directly to the Unesco Hierapolis of Phrygia site, it was not only raining heavily, but I was also not feeling physically very well, so despite the undisputable importance of this ancient Greek city, located on top of hot springs used as a spa since the 2nd century before Christ, I was not able to "admire" it the way I feel I should have had.  One of the many tombs, as well as the Frontinus street caught my attention, though.

Hierapolis tomb, dated 1st century AD (Left). The Frontinus street (Right).

Pamukkale ("Cotton Castle" in Turkish), which I had read a lot about and was looking really forward to, ended up being a disappointement and this time I felt that the rain was not the only one responsible, but possibly the fact that I had imagined its  travertines (terraces of carbonate minerals left by the flowing water) full of water, (as in accordance with every image and postcard I had seen) ... and they were almost dry ... not to say completely dry.

Pamukkale travertines

Just before sundown, as I was smoking out on the balcony of the little hotel we stayed at, overlooking Pamukkale,  I decided I had better keep its "illusive" image ... 

Tomorrow's programme "fare niente" (though associated to a boat trip to Kekova) sounds ideal ... At this moment in the circuit I feel we all need a little bit of that.

Turkish Mosaic circuit. Day 10 (180 Kilometre distance covered).

13th October 2010

Selçuk - Didyma - Priene - Ephesus - Selçuk

We left Selçuk on our way to the ancient Ionian sanctuary of Didyma, containing a temple to Apollon and an oracle, said to have been as important as the well known one of Delphy.

The first impression was one of deception, because there weren't but a few ruins, (which belong to a temple started in the late 4th century to replace the original one destroyed by the Persians in 494 B.C.)  but once we walked around and started thoroughly looking at some of the stone carving pedestals and columns, I must confess I changed my initial perception of the site.

Stone carved Medusas

The ruins of an ancient Greek city of Ionia, Priene was to follow and although we were left at our own mercy, in the sense that the guide "abandoned" us, we were lucky enough (at least some of us) to have listened in to the explanations provided by a French speaking guide, as we reached the remains of the Temple of Athena.

These certainly changed the perception of what we had in front of us, namely in regards to this Temple, funded by Alexander the Great, at the foot of an escarpment of Mycale.

The last visit of the day, before returning to Selçuk, was Ephesus, one of the best-preserved (the best according to many historians) classical city on the Aegean sea coast.

A notice at one of the many stalls at the entrance to the site called my attention ... the concept of "genuine fake" ... one thing I was sure ... what I was about to see afterwards was "genuinely genuine" ...

It started to rain and although it wasn't but light rain, I felt it did affect part of the visit.

The Library of Celsus (built in honour of Tiberius Julius Celsus Polemaneanus in 135 AD expected to store 12,000 scrolls and  serve as a monumental tomb for Celsus) and the Temple of Hadrian (built 138 AD having four Corinthian columns supporting a curved arch in the middle of which there is a relief of Tyche, Goddess of victory) did catch my attention more than the others, with the exception of one or two carved figures along the Curetes street or on the Domitian Temple. 

Two perspectives of the Library of Celsius

Library of Celsius façade details

Domitian Temple (Left).  Temple of Hadrian (Right).

We still managed to "squeeze" in three visits to different Turkish production and exhibiton halls of "Turkish delights" and dried fruits and sweets;  Turkish cotton and silk carpets and Turkish made leather goods ..., but I'll talk about those later, as I am fairly impressed with what I have seen today ... even if (historically speaking) the more I see the more I seem to become confused.

There is too much information and I haven't had the capacity to "absorb" it all ...

Madrid revisited and re-discovered ...

Madrid
30th October - 1st November 2010

I had been to Madrid several times before and consequently felt that not many things could impress me, possibly based on the fact that I had already visited most of the outstanding buildings, gardens and Museums that the city has to offer ... but the truth is that the weekend I recently spent there with my daughter  has shown me differently.

I don't know if it were the Autumn colours or just the light, but I found a different beauty in Parque del Buen Retiro ...

In trying to show her Plaza Mayor, I re-discovered its grandeur and the beauty of the Casa de la Panaderia painted murals ...

The  Royal Palace and some of the details of the Neo-Gothic Almudena Cathedral caught my attention again ...

Madrid Revisited ... Madrid re-discovered ...
A unique experience ...

Turkish Mosaic circuit. Day 9 (690 kilometre distance covered).

12th of October 2010
Istambul - Bursa - Selçuk

To reach Bursa we crossed the Sea of Marmara on a ferry boat, which was quite similar to the ones going across the Tagus ... and for moments, similarly to what had happened in many other circumstances along this circuit, it was as if I was back home ...

It didn't take long though, for me to realise I was, in fact, miles away from home (culturally) when we walked into the Yesil Cami, Bursa (known as the Green Mosque), completed in 1419 after having been commissioned by Sultan Mehmed I Celebi.

It was unfortunately undergoing restauration, though its entrance door, crowned by a half-dome with a cascade of cocárabe that ended in a star, really impressed me, as much as its outside windows and particularly its interior, decorated with blue-green tiles with blue, white and golden-yellow arabesques of tendrils and flowers.

Green Mosque turquoise decorated window (Left). Green Mosque entry façade (Right).

Green Mosque inner mosaic decorations.






We then walked onto the  Yesil Türbe (Green Mausoleum) under heavy rain, but which better place to seek protection than by this beautiful domed octogonal building clad externally with green tiles.

It was commissioned by the son of Sultan Mehmed I, Murad II, his successor following the death of the sovereign in 1421.

The Royal tomb (Right)), which is surrounded by seven other tombs, is richly decorated with scriptures and flower designs and white and blue glazed tiles. The Mausoleum  niches (Left) equally well decorated with tiles.

Our next stop was Selçuk, where we would be spending the next two nights. By the time we reached the hotel, I was physically tired and had developed a back ache, mostly for having been on the bus for such a long time. I hope tomorrow's visit to Ephesus, Priene and Didyma implies some walking, otherwise I'll get as restless as in today's last part of the circuit, not having been able able to find the adequate physical posture.

Street Art in Lisbon

Two  Lisbon street graffitis have been catching my attention for a while, though I haven't had time to photograph them, the reason being because every time I saw them I was inside a bus. I have finally taken the time to get off the bus and take their photo.

To be completely honest, I can't quite explain what has drawn me to these almost colourless graffitis ... (maybe) the expression on their faces ...,  or maybe the fact that one of them is only partly sketched and her hair just the rough texture of the wall ...

Other graffittis have been "colouring" the walls of old Lisbon buildings ... in a very powerful way ... the sequence of images speak for themselves ... and I am really happy to share them with those who have not been fortunate enough to see them (not even from inside a bus) ...

Christmas campaign to create a fund for the children of Calheta, Cape Verde

Christmas Campaign - 5th to 25thNovember 2010 

Following a conversation I had had with Sibylle some time ago, I have recently launched a Christmas campaign to collect second hand clothes and toys to ship out to Cape Verde (in a fairly complicated scheme). The toys will be distributed by  local kindergarten schools and the clothes will be sold  (also locally) at very reasonable prices, which will allow us to create a fund to help "our" children. Local people will  cooperate and play their part in ensuring we get some money for "their" children, by buying  those clothes.

Two more children of Calheta in need of some support ("Lola" and Ismael) have recently found themselves "godparents" (Carla Carreira and the couple Surama and Sérgio respectively), who will pay for their school fees and school material.

In fact, the number of Godparents has been increasing significantly and at the moment there are five people waiting for Sibylle to  further evaluate the situation locally regarding children who need the most, so that they may start colaborating. 

"Lola" (Left) and Ismael (Right).

I believe "godparents" will make a difference in these children's lives ... if it is going to be a small or a big difference, is irrelevant ... because I already know that this little girl from São Tomé, who has returned to Cape Verde, where her family is originally from in very hard conditions and Ismael, whose life has been as happy as it can, since his mother passed away at his birth, will certainly be brighter from this moment onwards, thanks  to these generous people.