Istanbul and the Turquoise Coast
Several years back, Vertis and I took a vacation to Turkey. We started in Istanbul, then flew to Izmir, where we picked up our car, and then drove down the Turquoise Coast to Antalya.
We arrived in Istanbul, took a taxi to our hotel, a former prison which is now a Four Seasons. The rooms were what you would expect a Four Seasons to have, but the highlight of the hotel was the center of the old prison, which was probably the assembly area for prisoners; it’s now a dazzling, mostly glass, restaurant.
The hotel is on the European side of Istanbul, which is divided by the Strait of Dardanelles. The Asian side of Istanbul has most of the historic must-see sights.
Our three day stay in Istanbul was too brief. Of course we visited St. Sophia, the once magnificent cathedral of ancient Constantinople, which is on the top of everyone’s list. It is now a museum.
The magnificent Blue Mosque was our next destination. It’s the most visited monument in Istanbul, but when you visit, remember — it’s headscarves for women, and no shoes for men.
The next day we spent most of the day in the Grand Bazaar of Istanbul, and ended up with several hand-woven rugs.
The next day we took a cruise, and we were enthralled as the boat slipped along the gorgeous coastline. That night we dined at a top restaurant, which hung out over the water. It turned out to be the best food of the trip, and it was highlighted by a visit by the Turkish President. Security included Coast Guard boats patrolling the waterfront.
The next morning we flew to Izmir, and after picking up our Renault rent car, we asked the hotel manager for a restaurant recommendation. He named a big hotel in the center of the city, which I had already passed on after seeing three tour busses lined up out front.
“Where would you eat?” I questioned.
I could tell the question surprised him, and I said, “We lived in Benghazi, Libya for a couple of years, and we don’t go to the touristy spots.”
“Oh… well, here’s my favorite place to have fresh seafood.”
He circled the restaurant on a map, and off we went. In a few minutes we drove up to a restaurant near the harbor, walked into a haze of cigarettes smoke and stopped to wait on the man who was seating customers. He looked us over and hesitated. I could tell we weren’t his average customer.
“A table for two please,” I said.
He paused, and looked at Vertis. That night Vertis had put on an all-white dress she had for special occasions, and with her long blond hair, I thought she looked great.
“Yes sir; just follow me,” he said. We walked into the main seating area of the restaurant, but as soon as I looked around, I took a deep breath. It was a sea of men all wearing black, and no women, in a very large restaurant room.
I was hoping for a table against the back wall, but no… We walked through the entire restaurant, and took a reserved table near the cabaret stage. Well, Turkish cabaret music can get a little loud, but one of the dancers leaned over and gave Vertis a rose. However, the food and service was outstanding, and as a special treat, a flambé desert, courtesy of
the restaurant, topped off our meal.
We left the hotel early the next morning, and soon we were winding down the coast. About 30 miles out of Izmir, we noticed a small brown sign with a picture of a column, and an arrow pointing to a side road. Our curiosity got the best of us; I turned off, and we drove about a mile to some wonderful Greek or Roman ruins which weren’t on any maps. We were the only ones to prowl the ruins, which made the numerous little brown signs a bonus. We didn’t miss a one. That made the drive down the coast a real adventure, and we saw at
least a dozen small to medium ancient ruins.
After an hour’s drive, we made a day long stop at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ephesus, which is one of the oldest and most complete ancient cities ever excavated. Standing in the middle of the broad Arcadian road, sometimes called the Marble Road, built of slabs of marble perfectly fitted and smooth from 2,000 years of use, it’s not hard to imagine chariots or gladiators heading to the enormous amphitheater that stair-steps up the hill.
As I walked into the amphitheater, the visits to the city by the apostle Paul crossed my mind. In nearby Kusadasi, the Basilica of Saint John the Apostle was built over the burial site of the Apostle.
According to some accounts of Christian church history, John brought Mary, the mother of Jesus, to Ephesus where John was leader of the Church. Later, when Christian persecution began, Mary moved to a small house about 20 miles north of the city in the foothills of the mountains. Today, the house, called Mary Mana, or the House of Mary, has seen thousands of pilgrims visit over the centuries, including the Pope, and Vertis and Richard.
The house, which is a simple, stone structure, is rather small and unassuming, but the adjacent baptistery is huge. It looked to be a 20-foot circular area with steps on either side. Many of the pilgrims who visited the site wanted to be baptized there. It will easily hold 30 adults.
The next day, we continued down the coast stopping at Myra, which claims to be the birthplace of Santa Claus. During the fourth century, Saint Nicholas was a Christian bishop who lived in Myra. There are many legends about Saint Nicholas of Myra. One story tells how he helped three poor sisters. Their father didn’t have enough money to pay their dowries, and was faced with selling them into servitude. Three times, Saint Nicholas secretly went to their house at night and dropped a bag of money through an open window. A midnight secret visit from old Saint Nick has been morphed into secret gifts at Christmas, and later Europeans added Christmas trees and lighted candles, and Americans placed the home of Santa at the North Pole, and he delivers the gifts in a sleigh pulled by reindeer. It all started in Myra.
The next day we continued on to Antalya, which is only 50 miles from Iran. The city boasts some amazing archaeological sites and a first-rate collection of antiquities at the Antalya Museum, which fills gallery after gallery with historic treasures, including one just for the gods from Aphrodite to Zeus.
There are many Roman theaters still standing in the area, but none are as perfect as the one at nearby Aspendos. It will seat 12,000, and it is still in use.
It was a great vacation! When we flew back from Antalya to connect with our overseas flight, we marveled at how much we had enjoyed it, and how beautiful the coast was. We came away wanting to return.
Richard Mason is an author and speaker. He can be reached at Richard@gibraltarenergy.com.