We are HOME at the Artemis! It is already relaxing to be back on familiar turf. Here are some reflections of the Turkey trip from HUGer Caleb:
Woah. It's a weird relief being "home" - even if it's only for a few days before heading out again for free travel. I'm still overloaded with information and sights and excitement.
The pure variety of things that we saw over a short 8 days was astounding: starting in biblical sights like Ephesus and Sardis, moving on to the legendary city of Troy, and ending in the city that I consider to be a mix of New Orleans and New York - Istanbul.
We started - and ended - today in Istanbul by taking a cruise along the Bosphorus. We traveled along while we heard some last few facts and figures of many of the buildings we had seen and even been inside. Then, for the last hour, we were able to simply enjoy the view; no more facts, no one pointing at each and every building to tell us what they were. We just got to sit back and enjoy the ride.
I consider Istanbul to be a mix of New Orleans and New York for a few reasons. New Orleans is a city that's been controlled by the English, Spanish, and the French, and walking through the different quarters, sometimes you can tell that by looking at just one building. Istanbul is very similar, being owned by the Greeks, Romans (Byzantines), Ottomans, and now is a part of the Republic of Turkey. My favorite sight, after walking past a Burger King on the corner of the street, was immediately having my eye caught by the Hagia Sophia. Istanbul is like New York in the sense that, well, any resident of Turkey will tell you that it's the Big Apple of Eastern Europe and Asia. It's a thriving metropolis with an elaborate history, which is evident at every street corner, even including the ones with a Burger King.
Glad to have a rest, but I'm already ready for the next adventure and the next incredible sight.
Woah. It's a weird relief being "home" - even if it's only for a few days before heading out again for free travel. I'm still overloaded with information and sights and excitement.
The pure variety of things that we saw over a short 8 days was astounding: starting in biblical sights like Ephesus and Sardis, moving on to the legendary city of Troy, and ending in the city that I consider to be a mix of New Orleans and New York - Istanbul.
We started - and ended - today in Istanbul by taking a cruise along the Bosphorus. We traveled along while we heard some last few facts and figures of many of the buildings we had seen and even been inside. Then, for the last hour, we were able to simply enjoy the view; no more facts, no one pointing at each and every building to tell us what they were. We just got to sit back and enjoy the ride.
I consider Istanbul to be a mix of New Orleans and New York for a few reasons. New Orleans is a city that's been controlled by the English, Spanish, and the French, and walking through the different quarters, sometimes you can tell that by looking at just one building. Istanbul is very similar, being owned by the Greeks, Romans (Byzantines), Ottomans, and now is a part of the Republic of Turkey. My favorite sight, after walking past a Burger King on the corner of the street, was immediately having my eye caught by the Hagia Sophia. Istanbul is like New York in the sense that, well, any resident of Turkey will tell you that it's the Big Apple of Eastern Europe and Asia. It's a thriving metropolis with an elaborate history, which is evident at every street corner, even including the ones with a Burger King.
Glad to have a rest, but I'm already ready for the next adventure and the next incredible sight.
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