All the clues in this post refer to one Ya’lla Tours destination: Bahrain, Cuba, Egypt, Greece, Israel, Jordan, Morocco, Oman, Turkey, or United Arab Emirates (Abu Dhabi and Dubai).
We’ll show you images of popular tourist sites in our mystery country, along with descriptions of those sites. Continue reading
HAGIA SOPHIA, ISTANBUL, TURKEY
Hagia Sophia (Holy Wisdom) rises like a rust-colored mountain near the end of Istanbul’s Historic Peninsula, overlooking the confluence of the Sea of Marmara, the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus Strait. The city originated on this peninsula and Hagia Sophia has been there almost since the beginning. OK, that’s not quite true, but it has been there for a very long time. The city originated, as Byzantium, in the 7th century BCE. In the 4th century, the Roman emperor Constantine claimed Byzantium as his capital and renamed the city Constantinople. Constantine was the first Christian emperor of Rome. The building we know as Hagia Sophia was built in 537 CE by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I, on the ruins of two previous cathedrals. Hagia Sophia stood as the largest cathedral for almost 1,000 years. The dome spans over 100 feet and is 180 feet high. Upon conquering the city in 1453, Sultan Mehmet II was so impressed with the building, he made it his imperial mosque. The design of many subsequent mosques built in the city was influenced by the Hagia Sophia.
It’s very impressive from the outside but, for me, the real WOW experience happens inside. It’s just so big and wide-open, you really feel like a speck of dust in there. Continue reading
PAMUKKALE, TURKEY
Pamukkale, Turkey
Pamukkale is located in southwestern Anatolia, a 4 to 5-hour drive inland from coastal attractions such as Ephesus, Bodrum, Marmaris and Antalya. The closest major attraction is Aphrodisias, roughly halfway between the coast and Pamukkale (less than 2 hours driving). Dramatic travertine terraces formed by hot spring deposits of calcium carbonate give Pamukkale its WOW-effect. The Romans built a thriving spa town here, Hieropolis. Spend a few hours wading in the pools and tramping through the Roman remains. Continue reading
Happy Friday. Some random shots of Ya’lla travelers:
at Ernest Hemingway’s house in Cuba, Finca Vigia
at Ernest Hemingway’s house in Cuba, Finca Vigia
in the Bastakiya district of old Dubai
at Karnak Temple in Luxor, Egypt
at Caesarea, Israel
at Caesarea, Israel
at Masada, Israel
at Bethany Beyond the Jordan in Jordan – likely baptism site of Jesus
a group on the tour bus in Oman
in Oman
at Pergamum, Turkey
Across the Muslim world, stories and anecdotes attributed to or about Nasreddin Hodja are as much a part of the collective consciousness as the Grimm’s Fairy Tales in Europe and North America.
Nasreddin was probably a real man who lived in Turkey in the 13th century. Some sources say he was born in Turkey, others that he moved there from Iran. In any case, it seems agreed that he lived and worked as a judge and teacher in Aksehir, near the city of Konya in central Turkey. He is known for his sly wit, appreciation of the absurd, optimism and genial nature. The honorific Hodja refers to a wise teacher.
For a Monday – The Hodja Looks on the Sunnyside Continue reading
Mt. Nemrut, Turkey
Among Ya’lla destinations, Nemrut Dagi (Mount Nemrut) ranks with Egypt’s pyramids and Petra for mysterious awesomeness. It’s often compared to Easter Island.
In the 1st century BCE, in what is today the Adiyaman province of south-central Turkey, the grandiose king of a tiny but rich kingdom built this mortuary temple complex and shrine to the gods 7,000 feet up in the eastern Taurus mountains. Antiochus I was the king and Commagene was the kingdom, a Greek/Armenian/Persian kingdom in the area between the Taurus mountains, the Euphrates river and Syria, after the Greek and Seleucid Empires fell apart and before the Romans took full control.
Visit late May-mid October, July-August if you want to be sure to avoid snow (pretty sure). Whenever you go, dress warmly. Travel from Adiyaman (about 2 hours), Kahta (about 1.5 hours), or the village of Karadut (about 30 minutes). Adiyaman and Kahta have more tourist infrastructure but if you can find a spot in Karadut, the proximity to the site is a big plus. The walk from the parking lot to the summit is about 1/3rd of a mile and gets pretty steep towards the end. Donkeys are available if needed. Most people visit at sunrise or sunset for the added drama. I would recommend either (or both!) If you have to choose, pick sunrise. Words can’t begin to convey the sight of the mountains and valleys materializing below and out to the horizon with the rising light, like the world is being created before your eyes. To find yourself witnessing the earth’s unfolding in the company of a bunch of giant, disembodied heads is spine-tingley good. If you’re sharing the sunrise mountain with a crowd, hang around, most people leave within the hour.
sunrise view from Mt. Nemrut, Turkey
What you’ll see in the light of day is a manmade conical peak, which is assumed to be the tomb of Antiochus I, although his body has not been located. Around this, colossal statues of Greek/Persian gods, Antiochus I, and a few lions and eagles. Most of the statues are seated and headless and range from about 25 to 30 feet tall. Heads loll about below, as if to escape the winds up top. Most likely they were toppled by earthquakes. They look pretty content there, gazing out at the view.
Nemrut Dagi (Nemrut Dag, Mt. Nemrut), Turkey
Nemrut Dagi, Turkey
Click here and here to see a tours that include a visit to Nemrut Dagi.
Bursa, Turkey
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