20190418 : T7 Instanbul Again/ Grand bazzar/ Taxim Square/ Turkish delights

These Turkish Delights - Fresh ones really brought much delight to our loved ones and friends back home! Oiishi!

I used to have a taste of some of this years back but never seemed to like it! But this time, at Grand Bazzar- we bought this in rolls and cut them out when back in spore were so well received! How we repacked them below!

We were stuck in the horrific jam towards Grand Bazzaar, so our guide immediately took out her tram card and shoved us all into the train instead!

Grand Bazzar Entrance- so many shops inside!

Arrived at Taxim Square

Very colonial kind of buildings in Taxim Square

Witness a live demonstration at Taxim Square!

As we ate our burgers from the second floor, observing the process:)

Went to Mall of Instanbul after Taxim Square and stayed there till we left for airport at 9pm to catch our midnite flight back to little Red Dot.  Bye to Byzantine era!

20190516: T6 Bergama/ Cannakale - Pergamon acropolis / TROY

Setting sun at Aegean sea, Kusadasi

Bergama - Pergamum or Peragamon

Another Acropolis ruins

Bus on ferry - across Gallipoli - Only shorter route back to Instanbul!

Beautiful Canolias...

 Aegean sea

Mamara sea

20190415- T5:Kusadasi/ Ephesus/ Artemis/ House of Virgin Mary

The Great Theater, Ephesus

Seating Capacity of nearly 24,000 - is the largest theater of Asia Minor

Building took 70 years ti complete due to modifications necessary at that time. When apostle Paul visited Ephesus at that time, this theatre was not yet completed.

The Artemis temple was in ruins today. In 1986, Artemision excavated revealed architectural fragments dated back 3000BC, the Hittite period! Very pre-historic.

In 8th BC, the Cimmerians attacked Ephesus and destroyed part of the city and the temple of Artemis. The excavations around Artemis Temple revealed to the Lidian era.  Croe-sus, King of Lydia. According to Herodotus, Croe-sus reigned for 14 yearw from 560BC until his defeat by Persian King Cyrus the Great in 546BC.

Behind us - The Celsius Library, Ephesus.

In 262AD, during th Goths invasion, the Celsius Library was set on fire, but the facade was rescued.  Like other Ephesus edifices, in the 6th BC, the library went through a restoration, but a violent earthquake destroyed it again.  Between 1972 and 1978, an Austrian archeaologist completed the facade restoration.

In front of House of Virgin Mary. Mary -Believed to be brought by St John to Ephesus in around AD42

St John built his church in Ephesus and stayed until death towards 1st Century. He also wrote his epistles here

20190414-T4: Konya-Pamukkale / Hieropolis & Cotton fields

Do you know that the national flower of Turkey is Tulips?!

Tulip is derived from the Turkish word tulbend or turban, which the flower represents.  It was in 16th century, they were brought to Holland from Turkey! This was quite a revelation in this trip!

And poppy flowers - widerly grown too in Turkey! Red ones!

And Sufi - the mystical Islam teaching to reach to Allah - the swirling dance in white - was seen in one of the mosques on the way to Pamukkale.

And our coach broke down when we almost reach our hotel that nite - Pammukale! Thank God a new coach was despatched quite quickly. A delay but we thank God for safety !

Visited this Hierapolis and Cotton Fields.  What a revelation to know that disciple Philip was martyred in this place!

WORLD OF POPPIES!

20190415- Cappadocia / Hot air balloon

First time on a hot air balloon! Good experience with great aerial view of Cappadocia - Semi-arid region in Turkey.

Cappadocia is well known for its distinctive "fairy chimneys", tall cone shaped rock formations, bronze-age homes or cave dwellers and later used as refuges by Christians.

Pigeon Valley

Flinstone Round Door!

 Underground City

Hand weaving Carpets

Goreme - Inside paintings of the churches...

Beautiful sceneries along the journey...windfarms, snow-capped mountains..

And the best of all, the Lord gave me 2 rainbow sightings !