Pictures from Turkey

Turkish Journals

Led by:

Jim Draper

April 18 - 29, 2008

“Turkish Journals is a trip that rivals the journeys of the Romantic Era.  Along with visiting some of the most exotic and beautiful sites in the world, we will be recording our experiences in a hand made book much like the 19th century traveler.  Using ancient bookmaking techniques, workshop participants will assemble pages that are a record of their journey.  These pages may contain any combination of text, sketching, watercolor, tracings, rubbings, or even some novel printmaking and photography methods.  Skill levels are not important and each person will be guided from a comfortable level to produce the journal.  Our main goal on this trip is to capture a sense of investigative adventure and form a record of that particular place.  All materials will be provided and awaiting our arrival in Turkey.  The rewards include memories that will last a lifetime and a hand made personal journal that chronicles the adventure.”  Jim Draper

Trip map

DAY 1, Friday, April 18, 2008 - Depart the United States for our trans-Atlantic flight with superior in-flight service.  Dinner on board the aircraft. D

DAY 2: Saturday, April 19, 2008 - We will arrive in Izmir known in ancient times as Smyrna.  Here we will meet our guide and driver after collecting our luggage and a visa for Turkey.  {Visas are $20 and must be paid in cash.}  Please have $20 in US currency available upon landing. Then, eager to begin, we board our luxury motor coach and proceed to a point high above the city offering us a grand panoramic overview of Izmir.  We shall have a cup of Turkish tea as we sit in front of the “Velvet Castle”, the walls of which may have been partly constructed by the soldiers/builders of Alexander the Great.  We proceed to our hotel for overnight and a welcome dinner.  Overnight in Kusadasi. BLD

DAY 3: Sunday, April 20, 2008 - Today we will explore Ephesus, “The Most Excavated City in the World” and the showpiece of Aegean archaeology.  Ephesus was once an important port but silt has covered the former harbor and Ephesus now lies inland.  We will see the 1st centruy Stadium where chariot and horse races were held before 70,000 spectators.  We will visit the remains of the 25,000 seat theater.  We will follow the marble Arcadian Way, lined with columns, as it meanders through the remains of the city.  The Library of Celsius is one of the most recognizable of the ruins and we will also see the public toilet and what is thought to have been the local brothel.  We will visit the museum and the ruins of the Double Church of St. Mary.  We will return to Kusadasi for dinner and overnight. BD

DAY 4: Monday, April 21, 2008 - We travel further south to the seaside resort of Bodrum, known as Halicarnassus in antiquity.  Here we will visit the Petronion (Castle of St. Peter), one of the great showpieces of late medieval military architecture.  The castle looks as if it belongs in a fairy tale and we may see actors in costume wandering the halls of the castle or in its gorgeous gardens.  We will then take a half day private yacht cruise on the Aegean to see the beautiful shore line of this area of Turkey.  We will return to our hotel in Kusadasi for dinner and overnight. BD

DAY 5: Tuesday, April 22, 2008 - Today we depart from Kusadasi to the Greek Island of Samos located about 2 hours by boat.  Samos is a dramatically beautiful island with lacy shores, abundant colorful flowers, ancient ruins and picturesque houses perched on the many cliffs.  We will enjoy a relaxing day walking around the island, shopping for souvenirs or enjoying the beautiful beaches and clear waters.  In the afternoon, we will catch our return boat to Kusadasi where we will have dinner and overnight. BD

DAY 6: Wednesday, April 23, 2008 - This morning we will drive to Bergama, known as Pergamum in ancient times.  Here we will see the ruins of the Acropolis, the Altar of Zeus, the Temple of Dionysus and the Theater.  We visit the first “whole health center” called the Asclepion.  We will see the tunnel through which patients walked and from where the term “light at the end of the tunnel” may have originated.  We continue our travels to Bursa, one of Turkey’s most prosperous cities.  We will have dinner and overnight in Bursa. BD

DAY 7: Thursday, April 24, 2008 - We will visit Yesil Cami (green mosque) and Yesil Turbe (green tomb).  The Yesil Cami is considered by many to be the most beautiful mosque in Turkey.  It is covered with spectacular Iznik tiles and fine marble that is carved into intricate designs.  The mosque was begun in 1421 by Mehmet I. Across from the mosque is the Yesil Turbe, which contains the tomb of Mehmet as well as the tombs of his children.  We will take the short ride to Isnik, known as Nicaea in Biblical times.  It is here where the First Ecumenical Council of 325 A.D. which produced the Nicene Creed and the Seventh Ecumenical Council of 325 A.D., completing the division between Rome (the Roman Catholic Church) and Constantinople (the Eastern Orthodox Church) were held.  We will explore Iznik seeing ruins of the Church of the Holy Wisdom (Sancta Sophia) in the center of the town.  Here you will see fine fragments of Byzantine frescoes and mosaics.  We will visit the factory where the fine Iznik tiles are made and then return to Bursa for dinner and overnight. BD

DAY 8: Friday, April 25, 2008 - We will leave Bursa and travel across the Sea of Marmara by ferry to Istanbul.  Our first stop will be the famous Topkapi Palace, home of the Sultans and their harems during the Ottoman Empire.  We will see the museum with its antiquities and precious jewels and the harem with over 400 halls, terraces, rooms, wings, and apartments grouped around the private quarters of the sultan.  Topkapi Palace is located on Seraglio Point where the Bosporus meets the Golden Horn and the views from the terraces are magnificent.  We will have lunch at the palace.  Dinner and overnight in Istanbul. BLD

DAY 9: Saturday, April 26, 2008 - We begin our day with a visit to the Yerebatan Saray (Sunken Palace) also known as the Basilica Cistern where we will explore the underground network of waterways created at the behest of Emperor Constantine.  Then we continue to the world famous Hagia Sophia, once the largest church in all of Christendom, then converted to a mosque,and now a museum.  The mosaics and frescoes that have been uncovered are marvels.  We will visit the art school near the Hagia Sophia and overnight in Istanbul.  You are free for dinner on your own this evening. B

DAY 10: Sunday, April 27, 2008 - We begin our day with a visit to the famous Spice Market where we will have an hour or so for shopping.  Then we will take a private boat for a cruise on the Bosporus, one of the most beautiful parts of İstanbul, along which you can see the nicest houses in the city, including the old Ottoman style houses from the 18th and 19th centuries.  We will disembark our boat at the fishing village of Sariye where we will enjoy a fish lunch before returning to Istanbul on our coach.  Once in Istanbul, we will continue to Kariye Museum, also known as St. Saviour in Chora where we will find some of the most glorious frescoes and mosaics in all of Turkey.  You will be free for dinner on your own this evening.  Overnight Istanbul. BL

Day 11: Monday, April 28, 2008 - You will have a full day free to explore Istanbul on your own or to shop at the famous Grand Bazaar, a forerunner of the modern shopping mall.  The Grand Bazaar has over 4000 shops along its 65 winding streets.  We will have a “farewell to Turkey” dinner and overnight in Istanbul. BD

DAY 12: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 - We will depart from Istanbul this morning arriving back into the United States this afternoon BL

Price: $3,299.00.  Price is based on double occupancy without airline taxes and fuel surcharges.  Priced with air from Washington’s Dulles Airport.  Air transportation available from other cities.  Single supplement costs available on request.

*A $20.00 USD Cash Only Payment (Exact amount) due upon arrival into Turkey for your Visa. *Price for Turkish Visa subject to change without notice.

Final Payment due February 1, 2008

Cancellation Penalties
◊ Until January 1, 2008: $100 per person plus any unrecoverable fees.
◊ January 2 - February 1, 2008: $200 per person plus any unrecoverable fees.
◊ After February 1, 2008: NO REFUND

An application for travel insurance will be included with the receipt for your deposit.  We strongly recommend that you seriously consider this coverage.

Meals: B Breakfast, L Lunch, D Dinner, S Snack

The itinerary is subject to change due to local conditions or at the discretion and direction of the leader or guide.

This pilgrimage involves moderate physical activity, including the ability to walk a mile or two at a time, to climb a modest number of stairs, and to be “on one’s feet” for an hour or two at a time.