Home is where the heart is; is it?

 

Walking back to my dorm today from class I found myself thinking about my past two trips and the time that I've spent in Istanbul.  Being in Paris this past weekend and spending time in a very western state made me miss America so much more than I had since being in Istanbul.  You see while I've been in Istanbul everything here is so new and different to me that absolutely nothing reminds me of home.  Being in Paris all I could think about was Christmas, my mom, and home because every thing I saw reminded me of those things.  Walking back from class today I looked around me and thought about this but also about why we as human beings are constantly fighting and looking for a home- one place where we feel safe and at ease.  For centuries empires and states have been fighting for territory or a home for their people.  Most recently this is seen in the redevelopment of the Palestinian and Israeli conflict but I saw first hand the repercussions of this fighting on my first trip.

 From 1992 to 1995 it can be argued that Sarajevo was the largest Concentration Camp as every citizen and human being in that city was a moving target.  Sarajevo was the epicenter of the Bosnian and Serbian conflict in the '90s and today you can still see the bullet holes and bombed buildings even though there has been a huge movement to rebuild.  I learned a lot about this conflict in a Class on Genocide I took at Duke last semester.  We only got to discuss it briefly but I was fascinated by what happened and before I got to Istanbul said I wanted to go; so this trip meant a lot to me.  Flying into Eastern Europe and walking around the city it became clear that this was a place that had gone through a lot.  It's a beautiful city and was truly the perfect place for the Winter Olympics but there remains today a sense of quiet suffering which is best seen on the faces of the Bosnian people as you walk by.  Our group was immediately hit with that as the guy running our hostel took our bags even though we protested  he said, "Don't worry about it, we use to have to carry gallons of water up and down these stairs we are use to it, you probably are not."  The siege may have ended in 1995 but there is still clearly a struggle within the people and throughout the city to rebuild and get back to what was their normal life.

As we traveled to Mostar on Saturday this was even clearer.  Mostar is a beautiful picturesque townbut walk out of the old city where most of the rebuilding has taken place and you are surrounded by buildings with holes in the walls and others completely destroyed.  Living in the US we never have to encounter these kinds of constant reminders of atrocities that happened almost 20 years ago.  The largest catastrophe that has happened to us was 9/11 and today just ten years later the area around the World Trade Center is pretty much back to the way it was before 9/11- the towers have been replaced by a beautiful monument and park.  We have the economic means and the ability to fix and wipe away what happened.  For these Eastern European states it has been very difficult for them to do this and they will probably always have buildings with holes in them. 
What's the saddest part of this whole ordeal is that the fighting was all because both sides were looking for or trying to protect their home.  The central reason for state building and nationalism is to make people feel at home in their territory.  But how can we rationalize the destruction, terror, and blood shed that comes with that?

Being in Paris and a Western nation was a surreal experience for me mainly because I hadn't felt so comfortable in a place since leaving America.  If you think about my travels I have spent most of my time going to places I knew were going to be different and uncomfortable for me, but that's exactly why I wanted to go to them.  I am at a point in my life where I have the opportunity to go anywhere and see anything.  This was the main reason I chose Istanbul.

 Paris was absolutely beautiful, everything I had dreamed and more.  It was so nice to walk along the streets and the Champs Elysee and not feel people stare at you in wonder.  For the first time since being abroad I was able to blend in to the crowd and I felt at ease.  Don't get me wrong Istanbul is a beautiful city and I have absolutely loved being here and I do feel safe, but when you are so clearly not a Turk people stare and it makes you feel uneasy.  At first it doesn't really bother you but after 3 months of that, it gets old.  So Paris was a much needed break from this.  My favorite part of my trip besides getting to see my best friends from Duke was definitely the Palace of Versailles.  So much history has happened there and walking down the Hall of Mirrors picturing all the different meetings and signings of treaties that happened was an emotional moment for me.  In my Diplomatic history course we have learned all the different diplomatic affairs that have taken place since the beginning of the French Revolution so it was so cool to have learned about everything that has happened in Paris and in Europe and then go see where it happened.  Again I found myself stopping and really thinking about those treaties and events, and how yes at times they brought groups together but there was always a population left out or looked down upon.  The treaties and diplomacy of states are all tactics that nations use to declare what is theirs and where their home is.  But again what happens when the minority is trampled on and forced to assimilate.  Are they just suppose to try and forget who they are and turn into something else or do they fight for their land?
America is such a unique and young state that it is hard for us to understand the deep connections and ties that bind the different ethnic groups in Europe.  Human beings were nomadic people constantly moving around and as tribes developed their only real allegiance was to their immediate family and tribe.  This lasted for a long time until empires developed and began taking over lands and asking the nomads to bow down to their will.  So now the world was ruled by monarchs but then nationalism rises and the concept of freedom but a connection with a state becomes extremely important. Since this movement we have seen states expand their territory, force other cultures to practice their habits, and uprisings as the other cultures refuse to assimilate.  So why must we have states and boundaries?  I recognize that this is a lot of rambling and that there are many good things that come with being a part of a state.  I guess my main point is if everyone at the end of the day just wants a home and a place they feel at ease then why must we fight and bicker?  Why can we not all practice and live our lives the way we want to and not have to feel threatened or fear for our lives.  Home is where the heart is and as long as I'm surrounded by people I love and who care about me I can feel at ease; is that enough though?  Now I understand that being able to communicate and feel apart of the community is also so important.  I think we should all think about what it would be like to be the minority and what it would be like to fear losing your life every day.  This is not the answer to all of our problems, but it could be the start of a much better world.

Sending you All my Love from Turkey,
 Caroline <3

Oh and I knocked off Switzerland and Germany with our layovers to Paris.  So I may have missed Oktoberfest BUT I still got to try some Bratwurst and Beer 

Egyptian Pharaohs, Pyramids, and Parents

So as promised here is the next post that has long been due, EGYPT!  Unlike my very lucky parents though I only got to explore Cairo and then was sent back to Istanbul to face midterms.  But this post will probably not do justice to just how excited, overwhelmed, and amazed I was by Cairo and getting to see my parents.  Last night I talked with my parents for the first time since I left them at the airport over a week ago to come back to Istanbul and I can not express how happy I was to hear that they had an amazing adventure in the South of Egypt and how this trip really changed their lives.  For the past year it seems I've been on a roller coaster trying to understand myself and my relationship with my parents.  As we grow up and since I've been in college I recognize I'm no longer a child but I think we all go through this weird period of who are we especially when it comes to family dynamics.  Anyways, CAIRO the land of the Pharaohs, the Great Pyramids, and so much more. 

So I arrived into Cairo lat on Thursday Nov. 1.  And from my discussions with a diplomat on the plane I knew I was in for a really unique experience.  You see the way he described Egyptians made me feel immediately at ease because the main thing he stressed is they like to have fun and are a very relaxed culture.  He also explained that since the revolution the country has been in disarray but that it is working on rebuilding it's just a slow process.  Leaving the plane I immediately understood what he was talking about not only from my interactions with the people from the tour company and my discussions with them but also from just looking out the car window on my way to the hotel.  It was quit dark so I couldn't see much but when we got to the city I was first shocked at the amount of people and cars on the road. (Not to mention their driving was very scary and intense as they literally use every inch of the road)  But to be honest my thoughts were with my parents and getting to see them.  I have absolutely loved my time abroad but there have definitely been moments where I look up at my pictures of my family and get homesick.  So I was just a little excited to see them; totally being sarcastic, I was SO unbelievably pumped to see them. 
The next morning we woke up bright and early to begin our adventure in Cairo.  Our first stop was Memphis the first great Capital of the Egyptian empire which was founded around 3,000 BC.  There was not too much to see but that does not mean I was not impressed with the artifacts that were there.  The most amazing one was this huge and I mean HUGE statue of Ramses II that had been carved out of one piece of Limestone.  It was impressively preserved and I found myself amazed at the magnitude of it.  To be honest this was a running occurrence in my thoughts- I was constantly amazed at how well preserved and the massive quantity of artifacts still present today.  We next headed towards Giza area stopping at the Step Pyramid which was built by Imhotep during the third dynasty for the Pharaoh Djoser.  It was the earliest pyramid and the beginning of the pyramid phenomenon in Egypt.  It was a beautiful complex with an amazing entrance onto an open courtyard (of sand of course) with the Pyramid as the focal point.  On a good clear day you can see the Great Pyramids off in the distance but on our day it was fairly hazy and so we couldn't see them.  Next we headed to a nobleman's tomb and got to see the hieroglyphics and our tour guide Mamdouh explained how in all the temples the scenes depicted were of the persons wealth and contribution to society.  It was amazing to see the colors and scenes on the limestone walls still in amazing condition and easily readable.  Before we were eaten alive by the mosquitoes we headed to lunch and then on to the Great Pyramids of Giza.  First of all a clarification for everyone who thinks the pyramids are out in the middle of the dessert with nothing around them, this is so unbelievably false its not even funny.  Driving through Giza as I'm looking at the buildings and the people all of a sudden there the pyramids are, right off the main streets in Giza.  It was so surreal that now when I re-picture that moment it's hard for me to even believe it was real. 
But after making a few trips to Giza it became real, very real.  They are amazing, huge, magnificent, and just all around spectacular.  I can't even begin to explain them because there really are no words that would do them justice.  Then getting to walk inside of the Great Pyramid was not only a religious like experience for my mom but for me it was just too incredible to believe it happened.  To top off this amazing event we went out and rode camels around the area of the pyramids to the Sphinx.  Now that I look back at the pictures of our adventure that day I can't help but smile and remember thinking there's no place I'd rather be than right on this camel, in the Sahara Dessert, with my parents.  It was incredible and something I will never forget and I'm just so happy I got to spend it with the two people I know love me unconditionally.  Needless to say after seeing and doing all we did that day we were exhausted and ready for a good nights sleep.
The next morning we woke up and headed out to the Egyptian museum.  While the pyramids had been a religious experience for my mom, I knew going in to this day I was going to have that same experience.  Ever since I can remember I've loved learning about history and at some point became fascinated with the Egyptians.  Then up until about 7th grade I wanted to be an Archeologists and work in Egypt.  Needless to say King Tut was probably my favorite Pharaoh and Sekhmett is my favorite goddess.  So getting to go to the museum, see the amazing things that were in Tut's tomb, seeing his face mask, getting to see some amazing sculptures of Sekhmett, and all the other amazing artifacts left me speechless.  I had no words and all I could do was just think and wish that I could stay in that moment forever.  Something unexplainable happens in your mind when events that you have been thinking and dreaming about forever actually happen in real life.  It's an incredible experience and I hope everyone has those moments.  Needless to say the Museum and walking around, with seeing amazing artifact after artifact, for me that moment kept reoccurring.  To complete the day we went on a dinner cruise on the Nile.  And of course no trip to Egypt would be complete without seeing my father being pulled onto the stage to belly dance with the belly dancer.  It was a great day!

My final day in Cairo was filled with Mosques and Markets, some things I had become quit accustomed to.  First we headed to the Citadel where we saw the Muhammad Ali Mosque named after the very famous general of the Ottoman Empire and ruler over Egypt for the Ottomans.  The mosque was built to rival the Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque) in Istanbul but after seeing both of them I have to say I prefer the Blue Mosque.  The Muhammad Ali Mosque was dark and was very clearly built during the baroque period with the heavy gold ornamentation and dark colors.  It was not at all what I was use to seeing and it made me really appreciate the mosques I had seen in Turkey.  So I'm sorry Egypt but I prefer the Turkish mosques.  Then we headed to the El-Hussein Mosque where Mamdouh sat down with us and explained Islam and the many facets of living a life as a Muslim.  I had been taught a lot of what he explained so I mainly watched my parents and was really fascinated by their response and questions.  I could tell they really wanted to learn and understand, and that made me really happy.  It is hard having lived and grown up in the same southern town where only Christians really live to truly understand Islam.  I got my first taste of Islam when I became good friends with a number of Muslims at Duke, but even for me I didn't really understand until I lived in Turkey and was taught what the Islamic faith really is all about.  My parents did not have the same experience as I had so it has been really interesting to see them listen to the Imam sign and take in all of what Mamdouh had to say.  I new that this was just the beginning for them and from my conversation with them last night it seems I was right. 

Being in Egypt I knew I was going to be looked at differently and more so because I was a woman.  But what was really fascinating is I did not feel questioning looks from men but from the Egyptian women.  Now that I'm thinking back on this though it makes more sense to me.  You see something that stood out to me in our conversations with Mamdouh was the way women were treated in the Egyptian culture and the whole marriage process.  When a man and a woman want to get married much of the financial burden is on the man: he has to buy an apartment, pay a dowry, and get the apartment ready to be lived in all before they can marry.  When the father or mother dies and there is a son and a daughter, the son gets everything because for them they understand the daughter will be taken care of by her husband.  They take great pride in this fact and do not understand why someone would think it was bad.  But when I see the women questioning my outfit choice (which was never very revealing), I have to wonder if the way the men treat the women is not just to keep themselves in power and to keep the women from ever wondering what life would be like on their own.  But then again this is all they know, they don't understand western cultures and very much like the Ottomans they don't want to move forward.  They like their old customs and traditions, and that is how they want to live their lives.  But slowly a new generation is rising and the women of that generation are becoming more educated and more questionable about the traditions and their role in society.  So who knows what Egypt will be like in 10 years.  They have a lot of work to do but it seems they all are very excited and ready to make an Egypt that is theirs.  Now I have to go catch my plane to Sarajevo but look forward to more on my adventures abroad soon!


Sending you All my Love from Turkey,
 Caroline <3 

     

From the Hitites to the Trojans

So I know it has been a while since I last updated my blog but that does not mean I have not been up to some pretty amazing things.  In fact it means I've been so busy doing amazing things [and studying =/] that I haven't had time to update my blog.  BUT now before I begin my next journey I thought it appropriate to first let you know what I've been up to.

 I believe the last adventure was in Cappadocia.  So to stay in a chronological order the next place our group journeyed to was Catalhoyuk. We traveled way back in time to 7,400 and 6,200 BC or at least in our imaginations we traveled.  Catalhoyuk is a neolithic settlement spanning around 34 acres and it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its incredible wall paintings depicting the evolution of social organization and cultural practices as humans adapted to sedentary life (unesco.org).  Today all we have to see is the excavation sites and the remnants of walls and other parts of their village.  From there we visited some of the 13th century Seljuk Madreses in Konya.  The firts one we visited Karatay was famous for its tile work and the other Ince Minareli is famous for its impressive portal and stone carving.  After a good lunch we went on to the Museum of Mevlana, the spiritual leader of the 'Whirling Dervishes.'  Konya the town we were in is famous for being the capital of Sufism where the 'Whirling Dervishes' was a critical part.  The museum complex was built around the tomb of the Sufi mystic Rumi.  It was one of the best and well kept complexes I had seen. 

Our journey then took us to Pammukkale where we not only saw the famous white travertine terraces but also the remains of the ancient city of Hierapolis.  Both the Greco-Roman City and the hot springs are considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  The city was built around the natural hot springs around 2nd Century BC.  The Major remains that we saw were the Necropolis which is the most famous in Anatolia for holding around 1200 tombs, the Hadrian Bath, Triumphal Gate of Frontinus, Royal Road, the Theater, and Agora.  The necropolis was incredible to walk through and truly was the largest necropolis I had seen.  Then probably because it was our first true ruins site I was so impressed with the remains of the city and theater.  But the highlight of this day was definitely walking down the travertine terraces.  Over the years from the build up of calcium carbonate minerals on the terraces the whole area consists of white travertines.  From a distance and in pictures it looks like the side of the hill has been covered in snow that just won't melt but once you start walking in the water you find it is warm and the white travertine is a solid rock structure.  We started walking as Dusk started and the whole experience was very beautiful and very surreal.

The next day we visited Aphrodisias, the capital city of Lydia which was dedicated to Aphrodite.  This was probably my favorite ruins site mainly because of how well it was preserved.  They believe that only 1/10 of the ancient city has been excavated but it is already in the World Heritage list of UNESCO.  We would find that this was a common theme of ancient cities and I find it incredible that only 1/10 of the sites have been excavated, I guess just the time and money that goes into excavations is so much that governments have found that it isn't worth it.  But in talking with our tour guides it is mainly the money and with the current economic position our world is in I don't think governments are going to be focusing on excavating ancient cities for a while. Before we ended our day we stopped at the House of Virgin Mary in the Ephesus area.  It was incredible to see how many people travel there and how populations from every religion/ethnicity/and cultural background have come to accept her as a major figure in history and spiritually.  Up until this point the sites we had seen were pretty well off the beaten path so it was disappointing to see such an important spiritual site be turned in to such a tourist trap.  But that definitely didn't stop me from having a really meaningful experience. 

 The next day we are in Ephesus which was once the capital of Asia Minor.  The major remains we saw here were the Great Theater, the Celsius Library, Fountains of Domitian and Trajan, the Roman Bath, the Terrace House, and the Odeon and Commercial market.  What was most impressive about Ephesus is the size of it, and again only 1/10 of the site has been excavated so I can only imagine what the area must have looked like at the peak of its importance.  I was really disappointed in the restoration process and I think it was because the site has been worked on since 1863 when archeologists were more interested in discoveries than restoring what they discovered.  But the Terrace Houses and the work that they were doing on those was so impressive.  That same day we went to the tomb of St. John in the Basilica and also the remains of the Artemission or the Temple of Artemis which is considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.  Today all that remains of both sites is pretty sad at least compared with the work that has been done at the site of the city.  But yet there are still columns and outlines of the places and we are able to say for certain they are what they are and that is pretty incredible when you start to realize these sites have been here since the 1st century BC.

On Sunday Oct. 28 we began our trip back up to Istanbul.  We first stopped at Pergamum the ancient city that was first established by Lysimachus, a general under Alexander the Great.  Parchment was invented under the patronage of Eumenes of Pergamum, as a substitute to papyrus which was not being exported from Alexandria and in an effort to make the library of Pergamum grander than the Library in Alexandria.
The Hellenistic theater of the city with a capacity of 10,000 people had the steepest seating of any known theater in the ancient world. 
From here we traveled to Troy.  We contemplated whether Herod was telling the truth about the city and whether the Trojan War really occurred.  The site had been saved after a German archeologist came in digging for Gold and the Treasures of Troy (which he found and supposedly are now in Russia's possession).  It was a really incredible site but after seeing so many ruined ancient cities the past few days we were all exhausted and sadly the excited flame within all of us was waning. 

The next day we made our way back to Istanbul.  But before we could get to Istanbul our faithful bus broke down.  Hey, it wouldn't be Turkey or an real trip if there wasn't a little mishap here and there. Anyways, at the end of this 10-day journey we had covered 3,000 km on the road (more than 1850 miles).  We had visited 6 more sites inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage list and visited or driven by the sites of 3 of the 7 Churches of Revelation.  Over all we saw a lot of Turkey and truly were able to explain the amazing amount of history this country has. 

It made me realize how young America really is especially when you compare our history to the ancient history of these countries.  Of course with my constant thoughts of politics and state making it made me realize how stupid it is for us to try and group and make states of such ethnically diverse areas.  The fact that when the Middle East and Africa were divided into nation states based on their ties to the European powers instead of their ethnic allegiance it makes me so angry.  It is no wonder when you start to see the complex history and development of civilizations in this area that there are so many problems today.  I think American politicians should be more mindful of the history that lies within these countries, and think backwards before trying to move them forward.  Because more than likely the countries are either a. not ready or b. not willing to move forward yet and only when they want to change will they change.  This thought process of mine continued as I traveled to Egypt the next weekend.  But that will be in the next post SO stay tuned for more from me soon!

As always Sending you All my Love from Turkey,
Caroline <3

Goodbye Istanbul; Turkey is Calling!

 I will start out by apologizing for being a day late but I think you will understand when you read about all the amazing things I have been doing! Needless to say I started writing this blog last night but reached a point where words and sentences were just NOT formulating properly.  

At 6:30 AM on Saturday the gang headed out of Istanbul towards Safranbolu.  This was the first stop on our 10 day adventure!  Safranbolu is famous for the Ottoman style houses that remain in the old city today and the fact that it is an UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Arriving in the town we immediately went and had a good old Turkish Brunch and then hopped out of our bus and onto Golf Carts!  (That's right ladies and gentlemen Turkey has golf carts too)  There are so many houses, fountains, mosques, and other buildings that we had to see that doing it on foot would have been very difficult, so why not take golf carts.  The Old town is situated in a deep ravine and from several different points on our tour we got some awesome views of the entire town.  This was the start of me constantly thinking, "How has all of this survived so long?"  The houses that we were seeing had been there since the Ottoman era and that era lasted for over 600 years starting in 1453.  So you see these houses were old but amazingly well preserved.  After the golf cart trip we had the chance to explore the old town's market.  Safranbolu is also famous for Saffron and their Lokum (Turkish delight).  After sampling many pieces of Lokum and enjoying a nice cup of Saffron tea we headed out of Safranbolu and on towards Ankara.

Ankara is the capital of Turkey and if you talk to any of the natives that is about the only reason people know it.  We began our morning by learning about the different periods and civilizations who were living in Turkey or then Anatolia by visiting the Ankara Museum of Anatolian Civilizations.  This gave us some excellent background before we delved into seeing the actual capitals of many of the civilizations.  The most fascinating thing I think that we saw in the museum were statues of Mother Goddess.  The most impressive statue shows her taming two leopards while giving birth.  For the Hittites a major civilization living in Anatolia she was a major religious figure but then again they are also known for being the civilization with 1,000 Gods and Goddesses. 
Leaving the museum we headed to Ataturk's memorial that was built several years after his death.  Many people consider him a dictator and in looking at the definition of a dictator he kind of was, but the turkish people look to this memorial and do not look at him as one.  It was a really impressive complex filled with a lot of symbolism and nationalist pride.  It was kind of overwhelming how much many of the turks loved him and their love carries over to today. 
For those who do not know Ataturk was the creator of the Turkish Republic after the Turkish War for Independence at the end of World War II.  He created their government, their laws, everything that is Turkey today.  While many do love him still, there is a huge movement of conservatives to return Turkey to what it was like before the Republic and Ataturk.  Because of this there are many Turks who fear that within ten years the Turkey they know and love today will no longer exist.  I also walked away from the memorial with an unsettling feeling in terms of the power we allow leaders and our government.  Yea Ataturk was a great leader and loved by his people, but what if this wasn't the case.  All anybody needs to do is look at the upheavals in Syria and see the negative effects of allowing one person complete control. 

The rest of the day we traveled to the capital of the Hittites and had the opportunity to see the foundation of their city, center for worship, and the gates to the city.  Walking around the area I did my best to use my imagination and see what life must have been like for them.  It is crazy to think that the foundations still exist.  So many times throughout this trip I have been so overwhelmed by the history and artifacts that we still have today.  It makes me realize how young of a country America really is and makes me wonder what will be left from our day and age for people to see in the future.  We ended the day in Capadoccia exhausted from the long day of traveling but so excited for the day ahead. 
On Monday we woke up at 5 am, I know you must be thinking these people are wearing us out and while yes I am exhausted we were getting up so early to go HOT AIR BALLOONING!!! So needless to say getting up at 5 am was a small price to pay for the amazing adventure we had.  It truly was like a dream (especially since I am pretty sure we were all half asleep still).  Fitting all 22 of us into a basket our balloon took off and we sailed up into the clouds.  But it wasn't just us in the sky, there were about a hundred other balloons taking off and floating around the sky too.  It was amazing getting to see the sun rise above the most mystical landscape I have ever seen.
You see, the fairy chimneys and landscape that Capadoccia is famous for was created as a Volcano erupted spilling lava onto the Earth.  As the lava cooled into rock it was covered over the years by softer rock and earth but then as rain fell the softer rock was eroded away leaving the amazing rock formations that we see today.  The erosion remains a problem and is something historians and archeologists are constantly fighting against but just like the other historical sites we've seen there is an amazing amount of structures that they have been able to restore and protect.  Some of those are the churches and monasteries that ancient Christians built as they were fleeing Roman persecution.  Not only were the artwork incredible but the structures themselves and the time it must have taken to carve out the areas was astounding.  Walking around the area and seeing the fairy chimneys felt like we were on another planet uncovering an unknown civilization.  It was a really cool experience and all of that happened before lunch! 
After lunch, we headed to an old family run ceramics studio. It turns out that Capadoccia is famous for many things other than the fairy chimneys- their pottery and wine being just a few.  It was really cool to see the studio and then watch one of their masters work on the wheel.  After this we headed to watch Whirling Dervishes perform in an old Caravansary (trading post built by a sultan).  The whole performance was really fascinating and mesmerizing.  We were not allowed to take pictures or video as the Dervishes were performing for us but what they were actually doing was a very spiritual connection with Allah and prayer.  While they are spinning they are entering another mental state and transcending the worldly and enter a spiritual place.  After their performance they return to their own rooms and meditate.  For me the experience was really amazing but I also felt sad that they had taken this very personal and spiritual experience and made it into a tourist attraction.  I feel that religions pride themselves on being very traditional and personal but when it comes to making money religious institutes just like anybody else will do whatever it takes.  Every day I find myself sadden by how much our world and lives is run by money and the need to make and spend it.

Look forward to more exciting adventures as we continue our 10 day journey around Turkey/Anatolia.  Some major places coming up include Ephesus, Troy, Pamukkale, and Gallipoli!!

Sending you All my Love from Turkey <3