Turkey Trip Day 20

Wednesday July 04

Breakfast. I love that teapot. This is what they have everywhere here. The bottom part is just hot water and the top part is very strong tea.

You take first some tea and then you add water to your liking.

Off with the bus to Zeugma Mozaik Museum. It is the biggest mosaic museum on the world, containing 1700m² of mosaic. It opened to the public on 9 September, 2011. The museum's mosaics are focused on Zeugma, thought to have been founded by a general in Alexander the Great’s army. The treasures, including the mosaics, remained relatively unknown until 2000 when artifacts appeared in museums and when plans for new dams on the Euphrates meant that much of Zeugma would be forever flooded. A large number of the mosaics still remain uncovered (above the flood level) and teams of researchers continue to work on the project.

Antiochus Apollo Stel

From the balcony view down to the bath.

These are mosaics but they look almost 3 dimensional.

The Kidnapping of Europa Mosaic
2nd - 3rd Centuries A.D.

View down to the bath again. See the toilets?

Not much remained of this mosaic but it is the most important one because of the "face of the gipsy girl". On this wall is only a replica.

The real one (here) is in a room all by herself .. very protected. It is said that it is as important as Leonardo da Vinci's girl because the eyes follow you.

I know I got carried away with the photo taking. It was just so incredible. Each mosaic seems to have a story too. I will need to sort this out later. But for now ...

The Bust of Dionysus Mosaic

2nd - 3rd Centuries A.D.

The House of Oceanos

The Wedding of Dionysus and Ariadne

Of course all mosaics are floor mosaics. The reason why they are in the museum on the wall is for better view and saving space ... I am sure.

Sitting Woman Sculpture,
Man
Roman Period, Limestone

Outside the museum with sensory overload. So beautiful. And to think that some were rescued THE DAY of the flooding of the dam. They must have worked feverishly thank you!

Across the museum the statues of the camel caravan we saw from the bus. A photo opportunity now, ha-ha.

Love my photos.

Then we visit the city museum (which is not really in the program). It is interesting. Displays of all the major things in the area ... like pistachios and baklava making here.

Life-size mannequins.

He is weaving "kutnu" cloth.

We saw it later in the bazaar everywhere. Very nice.

A kutnu piece of clothing.

Have you ever seen a wooden light switch?

I should have taken the picture from the outside first but forgot.

Leaving the city museum.

Lunch. Christa, do not touch this (says an inner voice to me)! These things and bread are always put on the table without orderingthem and are complementary

The menu

A heap of bread .. almost like Indian naan.

I ordered Ali Nazik with lamb. It was very delicious. Got to find a recipe to imitate it at home.

The kitchen behind big glass windows.

Dessert. Guess what?

Turkish Baklava

Ringing the bell at our hotel door.

After a short rest James and I explore the bazaar ourselves. If you really want to shop you can't go with a big group.

We buy our pistachio coffee from her.

This bazaar is fun!

James found the court yard with the stair case down to some caves. It seems to be now a restaurant too.

Ihsanbey Kasteli

There is the entrance to it.

But we preferred to sit outside.

You can take your shoes off and sit in the middle on carpets and cushions or at tables next to it.

When you ask to pay they bring the bill in a box. But we sat there quite a while (two teas each). It was very nice.

They also offer water pipes to the smokers if they want

Another fair-well dinner.

It's the 4th of July! Stephanie thought we ought to celebrate and arranged to get some sparklers. It was an excellent idea.

We thought we shouldn't sing the anthem so we sang ... Happy Birthday, America. And Aykut sang it in Turkish. I did take a little video

Then the hotel staff really felt like celebrating.

Another video.

THE END!

Off to packing and bed. The others have to leave much earlier then we (at 1:45 am, before the Imam calls) but it is not so bad for us since our flight from Istanbul is later. James was able to change our inland flight to make it a shorter layover in Istanbul.

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From Aykut's CD:

Day 20 Wednesday 07.04.2012 (Gaziantep)

• Zeugma Museum Visit

• City Museum Visit (Not in the Program. Learning & Discovery)

• Lunch at İmam Çağdaş Restaurant (Ali Nazik & Baklava)

• Free afternoon

                                                               Overnight at Anadolu Evleri Hotel, Gaziantep