Turkey: Istanbul & Beyond

Seagulls of Istanbul

culturaltrails — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 20:26:26 +0000

“Say Istanbul and a seagull comes to mind
Half silver and half foam, half fish and half bird”
Bedri Rahmi Eyuboglu
Turkish painter and poet (1913-75)

When ever I see the seagulls, they always remind me of Jonathan Livingston who sets out to discover the world beyond the horizon in quest for wisdom. When they come to Istanbul, they love living by bosphorus, flying over her currents, following the ferries and being fed by the people. Here below, there are some of their photos that I took last weekend.

From Delphi to Constantinople

culturaltrails — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:17:26 +0000

Last week, I joined an archaeological trip to Greece, and I was so excited to see the base of the Serpent Column at the temple of Apollo at Delphi, which is now at the Hippodrome (Sultanahmet Meydanı) of Istanbul.

A view of the temple of Apollo from the theatre of Delphi

Heredotus describes a golden tripod balanced on a three-headed bronze snake which was made for Apollo with a tithe of the spoils from the Greek victory at Plataia.

Pausanias notes that the Phokaians later removed the golden tripod but left the bronze Serpent Column itself. Later, it was removed to Constantinople in the fourth century A.D. A vertical inscription on the coils naming the Greek cities that fought at Plataia has not been easily discernible in recent years. In the late byzantine time only the three snakes remained that formerly had supported the bowl in the middle. The Column of the Snakes, as it was called now, survived until the Ottoman times, the heads of the snakes were broken off only around 1700. Upper jaw of one of the snake heads is now in Istanbul Archeology Museum.

The base of the Serpent Column & the Tripod

“When all the booty had been brought together, a tenth of the whole was set apart for the Delphian god (Apollo); and hence was made the golden tripod which stands on the bronze serpent with the three heads, quite close to the altar” Herodotus, The Histories (IX.81, also VIII.27)

The bronze Serpent Column, one of the head of the snakes and its reconstruction at the Hippodrome of Istanbul

The illustration is from “The Book of the Festival” (Surname-i Hümayun) and shows musicians performing in the Hippodrome at the circumcision festival of Prince Mehmed in 1582. The manuscript, itself, is in the Topkapi Palace Museum

Guilds in front of the Sultan in the Hippodrome

An ancient harbour town nearby Constantinople, Istanbul

culturaltrails — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:30:30 +0000

Bathonea, a substantial harbor town dating from the second century B.C was discovered in 2007 after a drought lowered the lake’s water table. It has been yielding a trove of relics from the fourth to the sixth centuries A.D., a period that parallels Istanbul’s founding and its rise as Constantinople, a seat of power for three successive empires — the Eastern Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman.

Please click below if you want to read more

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/24/science/istanbul-yields-a-treasure-trove-in-ancient-bathonea.html?_r=4&ref=science

A Story of the City: Constantinople, Istanbul

culturaltrails — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:58:18 +0000

A multi-instrumentalist and ethnomusicologist Mehmet Ali Sanlikol composed the colorful rhythms of Istanbul in his new cd called ” A story of the City: Constantinople, Istanbul”. If you want to watch the video please click http://www.theworld.org/2011/12/musical-history-of-byzantium/

Istanbul from Ara Güler’s eyes

culturaltrails — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 17:12:49 +0000

Ara Güler’s Istanbul

Turkey’s greatest photographer … Ara Güler’s work asks age-old questions about progress and innocence, and ultimately leaves it up to the viewer to decide which is more important to society’. His Istanbul is a unique record of daily life in the cultural capital of Turkey from the 1940s to the 1980s, captured by the award-winning photographer

If you want to see Istanbul from Güler’s eyes click the link below http://www.araguler.com.tr/istanbul.html

Traveling with Sevil, part 2

Negotiation Guidance Associates — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 17:52:19 +0000

We traveled to Turkey during Ramadan. Sevil was our guide and we had a wonderful time. One evening we walked up to the Hippodrome where there was a great celebration going on to break the fast. We took a video of candy-making. Click on “Read More” if you want to see the video.

View the video

Exploring the ancient past and living cultures of the Aegean

culturaltrails — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 08:03:24 +0000

Several years ago our family toured Turkey with Sevil for a week. We had a wonderful trip. Sevil had our trip planned carefully and to our directions, but she was also most willing to adapt to our desires and interests once we were in country. Her knowledge of the history and art of Turkey is impressive and she is a good teacher. Clearly, she loves what she does and is very good at it. I highly recommend Sevil and would never consider another tour guide in Turkey. Philip Dutton

An ancient New Year Festival in Anatolia

culturaltrails — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 21:14:10 +0000

The Hittite Rock Sanctuary of Yazılıkaya served as a place for the celebration of the arrival of the Hittite New Year each spring

The rock sanctuary of Yazılıkaya ( = rock with writing) lies nestled between rock outcroppings at the foot of the high ridge east of Hattusha. In contrast to the temples within the city, the two rooms of this sanctuary, hemmed in by natural rock faces up to 12 m high, lie open to the skies. Although the site has been in use since the 15th century BC at least, not until the 13th century did the long procession of gods and goddesses take their place here, chiseled onto the rock faces by Hittite sculptors.

It represents the “House of the New Year’s Celebration,” a House of the Weather God where festivities were held to honor all the pantheon at the coming of the New Year and the beginning of spring.

If you want to read an article about the Hittite Queens, please click below:

www.archaeology.org/online/features/iron_ladies/Copy%20of%20puduhepa.html

Hi, I am Sevil and this is my homepage. Please read the posts below to find out what people are saying about my tour guide services.”

culturaltrails — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 11:08:54 +0000

From Byzantium to Ephesus in five days

culturaltrails — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 18:33:21 +0000

From Byzantium to Ephesus in five days

Sevil ! Simply, The Best!

My husband and I have toured the world and have hired guides for most of our journeys. Sevil has been one of the best. Highly educated, informative, flexible and accommodating, warm and friendly, Sevil made our touring of Istanbul and Ephesus magical, easy and utterly fun. Her recommendations to restaurants were perfect. One of the most memorable restaurants that I have eaten in, in the world, was her recommendation! Going into villages and driving through unfamiliar areas, Sevil was organized and efficient and we never worried for our safety. From hotel, to restaurants, to tourist sites, to off-beat sites, to taking us to places that only a Turkish citizen would be familiar with, all were outstanding and made our trip to Turkey memorable and unforgettable. Sevil was a delight. We learned so much from her. There is no greater guide that I could recommend than Sevil.

Hallie Lerman November 2011