‘Turkey: At the Crossroads’ Category

Finishing up in Istanbul

Today was one of those days that I didn’t want to start because I didn’t want it to end.  The experience we have shared as a group in Istanbul has been incredible. Since we had all day free to do whatever we chose.  I chose to go to the Grand Bazaar one last time to […]

Our Road Trip to an Ancient City

January 23rd was one of the more memorable days of our Turkish excursion.  We started the day by throwing off our inadequate bed sheets and stumbling down the darkened stairwell to the Palm Hotel lobby.  Despite Lei’s best efforts the hotel refused to turn on those lights so I took to carrying my insurance card […]

Return to Istanbul!

We have finally returned to our home away from home in Istanbul! As nice as Ephesus and Izmir were, not getting back to our hotel until 1 am definitely took the energy out of us. The bus ride from the airport to the hotel may have involved some tears and laughs of exhaustion…….or delirium….that matter […]

We Really Love Surprises…January 21st

Today was a fairly relaxed day that started off with a morning recap session. With about half the group (including me) being so sick the last few days, we had to rearrange plans a bit to include more time to rest. So today after the recap session we had most of the day to do […]

The Gang Leaves Istanbul

This morning we departed at 5:30 for Izmir[Iz-meer].  For some of us, that meant a scramble out of bed at 5:16 and hurried packing, exhausting all of the energy those 4-5 hours of sleep had provided.  After the world’s shortest flight, around 350 miles, we arrived.  Upon greeting our tour guide, we entered what we […]

Taksim Square, January 20th

Hello all, Yesterday the group was treated to a tour of the heart of modern Istanbul- Taksim Square and Beyoglu Street. The day began with viewing Independence monument. Located in the very center of Taksim Square, Independence monument depicts the foundation of the Republic under the governance of Ataürk and symbolizes Turkey’s victory in the […]

Istanbul: January 19

Today we woke up, boarded buses, and headed for a new part of Istanbul.  Our first stop was the Panorama 1453 Museum which is an amazing work of art depicting the siege and capture of what was then known as Constantinople by Sultan Mehmed II(the conquerer) in, who would have guessed it, 1453.  The siege […]

Meeting Constantine, Rufus and Brutus

Hey ya’ll, I’m coming at you with a writeup of our goings-on yesterday, Jan. 18th, in Istanbul, Turkey. Unfortunately, I shot all of my pictures of the day on film (that has yet to be developed), so I regret to inform you that there won’t be any pictures accompanying this entry.   We started the […]

Istanbul, January 17th from Emily

Greetings and salutations from a beautiful and snowy Istanbul! Our trip is in full swing now, as everyone is better adjusted to the newness of this wonderful city.  We started the day off with a stroll through Nisantasi Neighborhood, perhaps the most “Western” experience we have thus encountered.  Nisantasi is a beautiful quarter of Istanbul […]

Boating on the Bosporus!

After gazing out of our hotel balconies for days, today we were finally able to sail on the Bosporus. The body of water, which divides Europe from Asia, presented an unparalleled view of Istanbul. Although one of our classmates got sea sick (Cole was looking even more pale than usual), the faerie allowed us to view the […]