2012 Back to Turkey

A friend who promised to give me an all-expenses paid tour finally made good his promise. So I was back in Turkey in April 2012 to see the rest of Western Turkey.

It was a walk in ancient history.

Trojan Horse used by Brad Pitt in his movie "Troy"

These poppies provide a refreshing sight in the Turkish springtime.

A bird nesting on top of a ventilator.

First World map.

Father of modern Turkey, "Ataturk"

Roman Agora unearthed at Izmir (ancient name:"Smyrna".The Agora is a Roman market place. This Agora is said to be the largest of its kind in the world, established by Alexander the Great in 333 BC on the slopes of Mat. Pagos. It was said to have been destroyed by an earthquaje in 178 AD but the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius rebuilt it soon after. It was partially excavated in the 1932-1941. The excavation revealed an open square 140 x 140 square meters, bordered by porticoes and huge basilica on the north side.

This is the west portico

Ancient pieces of the Agora and Ottoman tombs

Kemeralti bazaar is a historical market. It was originally formed from a street that surrounded the shallow inner bay of the city. It covers a vast area, which extends from the Agora of Smyrna to the shoreline along Konak Square and is one of the busiest parts of Izmir. The walls surrounding the bazaar today showcases the traditional Ottoman architectural designs.

Izmir Clock Tower is a historical clock tower built in the Ottoman architectural style. It was opened in 1901, 25 m in height, located in Konak Square. It is the symbol of the city of Izmir and a favorite hang-out of the people. It must have command attention in those times due to its height and spectacular design. However, with the modern tall buildings that have sprouted around it, it is now slightly obscured save for the fact that the exotic design of the tower and the wide space of the park provides a welcome respite for locals and foreign tourists alike.

Reenactment of Roman times (Ephesus, Selcuk, Turkey)

 The Library of Celsus in Ephesus. 

Ephesus was a city buit in the 10th century BC on the site of the former Arzawan capital, by the Attic and Ionian Greek colonizers. It was one of the 12 cities of the Ionian League during the Classical Greek Era. Ephesus flourished after it came under the control of the Roman Republic in 129 BC and with an estimated population oif about 33,000 to 56,000 during the roman period, it was touted to be the largest city of Roman Asia Minor.

The Church of St. Mary near the gate of the Ephesus excavation site.

Family Trip to the U.S.

in May 2011, my family decided it was time to visit relatives in the US, especially my ailing mother-in-law (who died in August 2011). We arrived in the US and found that she was hospitalized but we thought nothing of it since it was just something like a stomach flu. So we went on a sightseeing tour in Washington, DC. Driving to Virginia to visit a friend was no mean feat. But driving to Washington, DC and then finding a parking lot is like going to the jungle and looking for a lost tribe for the first time. Few wrong turns, getting nowhere, getting lost, ending up at the Pentagon, backing up into the traffic, getting lost around the complex of the government center. But once there, we had a good time of looking into every building that stirred our interest. There are some things that would never change in that place such as the Washington monument, the
Congress Building and the White House. Seeing these places is like travelling through history. Our children had the greatest field trip in history.

Kinda lost. Looking at the maps. 

The Washington monument in the background.

Museum of Natural History. Several school children were having a field trip that day. This is the most visited part of the complex.

Wacthing a movie in 3D. The dinosaurs!

Biggest tree ever cut!

The Congress building.

We should have taken this BRT Tour.

Lost and finding some interesting sights.