- Turkish airlines +6221 57957666, +6221 55916430, +6221 55916431
- or you may contact the embassy at +6221 5256250 or more detail info at Turkish Embassy, Jakarta
When you are traveling with tour, you must prepare the tip for tour leader, local guide, driver & porter. For each, at least EUR 2 per person per day.
Departing from Jakarta by EK 359 on June 5th (CGK-DBX) 00.40-05.30 connected from Dubai by EK 123 June 5th (DBX-IST) at 11.20-15.00
Checked in at Kent Hotel
Day 1 : Sun, June 6th - Istanbul
City tour to Sultan Ahmet camii or Blue mosque (17th century), the famous great architectural beauty Hagia Sophia, Hippodrome square & Grand Bazaar
 |
| On Monday, St. Shopia is closed |
The Hagia Sophia, Constantinople
(Istanbul)
Early in the reign of Justinian
(527-565) riots broke out in Constantinople, in the course of which several
important buildings were destroyed. They included the Church of Divine Wisdom
(Hagia Sophia) which was both the cathedral church of Constantinople & the
palace church of th emperor. Imperial prestige demanded rapid reconstruction
moreover the new church was expected to be far more magnificent than the one it
replaced, a building to astound the eye of the beholder. Justinian entrusted
the job to Anthemius of Tralles in Lydia, a scholar not known to have ever
produced another building & his nephew Isidorus of Miletus. In just 5 years
between 532 & 537 they had built what is universally regarded as the
supreme masterpiece of Byzantine architecture.
The crowning glory of Hagia
Sophia is the dome. Here Anthemius’ background in geometry was undoubtedly
useful. Built in brick & mesuring 106ft (32m) in diameter, it was an
extraordinary feat of engineering, though it collapsed after an earthquake in
568 & was rebuilt by another Isidorus. Of course the Romans had built dome
& they had also used brick though not for domes. But to build a dome in
circular walls as in Pantheon is comparatively simple compared with raising a
dome over a square. Anthemius overcame the problem by device of a pendentive, a
concave, triangular section with the point at the righ angle of 2 walls or
arches rising to form a quarter-circle at the height of the arches. Such a structure
transmits the weight of the dome evenly to the main supports at the corners.
Screened asiles & galleries were employed to conceal the supports so that
the dome appears to float miraculously heavenward, a mysterious effect enhanced
by the contrast between the well-lit central space & the dark surrounding
aisles.
The glittering mosaics carved capitals & colored marble helped to
justify Justinian’s boast when he first entered
the finished building tat he had ‘triumphed over Solomon’
The the Ottoman Turks took
Constantinople in 1453 Haga Sophia became a mosque & a model for other
mosques. Today its a museum.
You may find detail information at aya sofya/ hagiasophia website. Here are some pictures i took from the museum.
Please always remember not to take the picture with blitz, it will damage the mosaics 
Historic areas of Istanbul on World Heritage List
The Hippodrome
of Constantinople (Turkish: Sultanahmet Meydanı, At
Meydanı, Turkish pronunciation: [sulˌtanahˈmet]) was a circus
that was the sporting and social centre of Constantinople,
capital of the Byzantine Empire. Today it is a square named Sultanahmet
Meydanı (Sultan Ahmet Square) in the Turkish
city of Istanbul,
with a few fragments of the original structure surviving. It is sometimes also
called Atmeydanı (Horse Square) in Turkish.
The word hippodrome
comes from the Greek hippos ('ιππος), horse, and dromos
(δρομος), path or way. Horse racing and chariot
racing were popular pastimes in the ancient world and hippodromes
were common features of Greek cities in the Hellenistic,
Roman
and Byzantine eras.
Even i didn't have chance to visit the Basilica Cistern, but i made a quick snapshot under the direction board 'Yerebatan Sarnici' with the hope that there will be a next time to come here again & see inside the Basilica Cistern.
Day 2 : Mon, June 7th -Istanbul - Eceabat - Canakkale
From Istanbul 300km Heading to Canakale. from Eceabat crossing Turkish strait by ferry boat. Visited Troy. Stay in Tatlises
Archaeological site of Troy is registered on World Heritage List.
Day 3 : Tue, June 8th -Canakkale - Ephesus - Kusadasi
Heading to Ephesus,
House of the Virgin Mary located on Mt. Koressos (Turkish: Bülbüldağı, "Mount Nightingale") in the vicinity of Ephesus, 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) from Selçuk in Turkey,
we write the wishes on the paper and instead of folding in white fabric & hanging on the wall, we burn it on the pot near the virgin Mary statue. The statue was imported from Spain.
Day 4 : Wed, June 9th -Kusadasi - Pamukkale
visiting Hierapolis site (cotton castle) as one of world heritage by UNESCO World Heritage List
PAMUKKALE TRAVERTINES
In its spring the water is at 36 Celcius degrees & contains high concentrated Calcium Hydro Carbonate with the contact of Oxygen in the air, Calcium Carbonate precipitates which makes travertine while Carbon Monoxide is evaporating. The reaction is Ca(HCO3) + O2 CaCO+CO2+CO+H2O chemically. The travertines are not in contact with water as seen in postcards or brochures, they are usually photographed when they are full of water & seen beautiful so they are thought as full of water. Thermal water is released to travertine in a certain schedule. Much water in the same place causes moss & unfair view & dirt. It is necessary to dry the travertine in certain periods to prevent dirt to provide hardening of the jell density precipitation. Its not fair to walk in the travertines while they are being transformed into hard & white travertines. Only in some artificial pools near the old motorway & 5.000m2 artificial travertine area where the visitors may walk in the water.
Ancient Pool
Especially in The Roman Empire period, Hierapolis & its surroundings were an absolute health center. In those years, thousands of people used ti come to baths which were more than fifteen & they used to find their remedy in those baths. Today's antique pool was shaped by the earthquake which happened in the VII cent. AD. Thermal springs are natural. Pamukkale thermal water used to be 390liters/ second in the past. It's 260liters/second nowadays. The area of the thermal pool is one of the sources. The temperature is 36 Celcius degrees, Ph value is 5.8 & radon value is 1480 piccocuri/liter. The water is effective on rheumatism, disease of eye, derma, hearth & blood circulatory system, respiratory system, nerve & muscle system weariness, kidney & urinary system & post operation diseases. Thermal water has 2430 mg.liter solution mineral value.
THE SOUTHERN BYZANTINE GATE
(Beginning of the 5th century AD)
Built of travertine blocks & reused masonry, some in marble &
flanked by 2 square towers. Like the North Byzantine Gate, it is characterized
by a large arch resting on a monolithic architrave. However the actual height
of the door is somewhat lower than its northern twin. Recent work has led to
the removal of collapsed masonry & has reconstructed ample portions of the
wall.
Another interesting info for ladies, i visited the leather boutique Naturel2000 at Çamlık. Worth to visit.
Day 5 : Thur, June 10th -Pamukkale - Izmir - Istanbul
leaving Pamukkale to Izmir, Stay in Richmond Thermal hotel
proceed to Basilica of St. John
THE LIFE OF ST. JOHN
, EFESUS
There is no doubt that St. John was in Asia from 67 AD onward. St. Paul
came to Ephesus between 55-58 AD & added new congregations to the 1st ones
that had already been founded there by another apostles. St. John who started
to preach to gospel after 67 AD was twice threatened with death by the Emperor
Domitianus & he was able to rescue twice by miracles. St. John was later
exiled to Island of Patmos where he wrote the revelations & returned to
Ephesus in 95 AD. He spent the last years of his life on Ayasuluk Hill, in
Ephesus where he wrote his gospel & letters. When he died approximately at
the age of 100 he was buried there according to his last request. In the era
when Christianity began to spread (3rd to 4th century AD)
a martyrion (Monumental Tomb) was build over the grave. Later, a Basilica with
a wooden roof was built around the martyrion.
The Church Of St. John
According to the written sources, the basilica with wooden
roof which includes St. John’s grave was in poor situation in 6th century AD.
Emperor Justinian (527-565 AD) and Queen Theodora constructed instead the 6
domed church whose ruins are visible today. This church which is cruciform
& measures 130 x 65 m was one of the most impressive religious structures
built by Artemis Temple in Ephesus. Since it played an important role in the
Christian pilgrimages of the middle age, it attained the status of a “Church of
the cross”. According to literary sources, the structure was in need of repair
in the 12th century. When Ephesus fell into Turkish hands after 1304, part of
the church was converted into a mosque. A severe earthquake leveled it in
1365-70. Excavations of the church & its surrounding have continued since
1921-22 by Sotiriou. In 1927-30, Austrian Archaeological Institute finished the
excavations inside. Ephesus Museum Directorate of Ministry of Culture excavated
& restored the surrounding buildings & the fortification between
1960-2006. Excavation & restoration works are being conducted by a team
from Pamukkale University since 2007 with the permission of Ministry of
Cultural & Tourism.
Day 6 : Fri, June 11th -Istanbul
Enjoying Istanbul city from Bosphorus cruise. Continued Topkapi palace from 14th century.
 |
| On Tuesday, Topkapi Palace is closed |
TOPKAPI PALACE, Istanbul
The Topkapi palace of the Ottoman
Sultans now a museum was begun in 1462 & remained the residence of the
Sultans into the 19th century. Originally it was 2 palaces, a summer palace by
the water & a winter residence on the hill above, overlooking the city where
it occupies the northern tip of the peninsula south of the Golden Horn. The
buildings date from the 15th century onwards & some have disapeared in
recent times for instance to make room for a railway, Islamic buildings
especially palaces were seldom designed as a single coherent unit & the
original plan has been obscured by later changes. This is a site in which the
parts amount to more than the whole. There is certainly no statement of
imperial power & glory such as one would expect in the west.
The palace consists rather of a
series of comparatively small buildings not arranged in any particular pattern
but mostly ranged around 2 large courtyards, actually Second & Third
Courts. The Throne Room being situated in 3rd court opposite the handsome &
well named Gate of Felicity. Some of the quite small buildings are of exquisite
appearence & many contain furnishings & decorations of the richest kind
imaginable. A notable example is the domed bedroom of Murad III (1574-95) in
gold, white & blue with a beautiful Kufic inscription on a deep blue
background running in a band around the walls. Next door is the handsome
building known as “the Cage” with a central courtyard & iron grilles. It
was the residence of the Sultan’s
brothers, a dangerous class to belong to.
One of the most attractive
pavillions is the Chinili kiosk which altough dating 1473 is actually outside
the palace walls. Its square in plan with a dome & an elegant & refined
arcaded portico. Its form was influential on later Ottoman architecture but its
cheifly famous for the glazed earthenware tiles from Iznik with which its
covered. The open-sided Baghdad kiosk built by Murad IV to celebrate his
capture of that city in 1638 has its own pool & some fountains surrounded
by marble terrace. The women’s quarter (harem) a warren of small buildings &
chambers with small domes & pinnacles form a palace within a palace on the
north-east.
Unfortunately i didn't have chance to taste halva or baklava. Maybe next time together with the Turkish Hamami:)
but through this link you may see what kind of Turkish hamami is.
It's not much liberty when you have trip with a group tour.
Finally, besides some fridge magnets, prayer mat, i think Turkish delights is also a good souvenir for family & friends.
Definitely, this is my unforgettable experience & i was lucky to have a very good local guide, although he's a bit annoying when we were busy taking pictures rather than paying attention to what he explained us (it's advised that you must have a licensed tour guide in Turkiye) but he really mastered the details every historical places.
Finished Turkiye to continue with Dubai.
Fly to Dubai by EK 122 (IST-DBX) 19.25-00.40
Day 7 : Sat, June 12th -Dubai
City tour Dubai : Jumeirah Mosque, Dubai museum,
photo shot at Persian Gulf with beautiful background of Burj Al Arab. Evening program: Desert Safari Tour & enjoying Belly Dance
Day 8 : Sun, June 13th - Dubai
Going to Gold Souk - traditional spices & gold market by water taxi. Afternoon shopping at Mall of Emirates.
Fly back to Jakarta by EK 356 (DBX-CGK) 04.15-15.55
Just few weeks after i returned to Jakarta, new regulation applied. I don't know whether i should be happy reading this or ...Indonesia - Turkiye Free Visa
Geen opmerkings nie:
Plaas 'n opmerking