Imaginary arc joining the magical Istanbul with sunny Antalya, Turkey stabbing heart on the line Ankara-Konya, pulsating history, no doubt, from the creation. Hittites, Phrygians, Medes, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Seljuks, Ottomans, Turks – and what not tribes, subject or domineering – and immortalized there, palpable wonders today that delights the senses. Reading, please log of the trip fabulous
The Wonders of Turkey – YouTube
Sep 24, 2006 … There are many reasons to see one of the most beautiful lands in the world…. Turkey Azerbaijan music Alekber Tagiyev – Sen gelmez oldun.1. Istanbul – the city with cats and chestnuts first instant fixed on the retina when I think of Istanbul not far curves of the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sofia. No haughty silhouettes of minarets where breakthrough now only recorded voices, broken and whining of some electronic muezzin. Even Topkapi Palace, more than 400 years old residence of the sultans who gave His life and death as easily as elected their cadânele. Not! Thin seals of the city linking Europe with Asia not find dishonored by mosques grafted onto the body of basilicas, no museums wrapped in gold and jewels.
Inmost soul of ancient Byzantium, wrapped in silent walls of Constantinople, stroll down narrow streets, winding cobblestone questions like, to palm the Mediterranean. When I am not stumble ankle cats lounging in the sun, hampered only by the crack of dry chestnuts roasted on makeshift stalls. Dogs fatty stray blackbirds hungry after crumb scattered pigeons, old dry with mustaches twisted snow, smiling timeless and conqueror, battlements through the slot which bowed once Paleologi or Comneni manure now the high of a turntable secular. .. They are for me, intimate wings of Istanbul, closed permanently within him.
The other city currently grown on both sides of the Bosphorus and held on fast forward, push you in the eye with crane arms Siti slips away highways and bridges complicated suspended between civilizations. The city counts 18.6 million inhabitants, almost the entire population.This enhances the human anthill with two million daily commuters into and out of the old town, clogging (7.00 and 19.00 are infernal) retezând brooding smiles and calcined swearing.It seems that Asia is moving, imperceptibly to Europe. As does, in fact, for thousands of years.
2. Tale Cappadocia – cradle of Christianity I left behind Istanbul.14 hours of harrowing escape on four wheels catapulted me, then, in a reverie: Cappadocia.Action volcanoes seasons combined in millions of erosion by wind and rain executed, pampers your eyes and caress imagination. Here in the “Land of beautiful horses” as they labeled the ancient Hittites this plateau where early Christians dug and built churches and faith, the light is measured in simple joys. I flew over valleys falusurilor stone and lava, bewildered seized dozens of balloons sky high strength hot air pumped morning multicolored sails. Floating over Cappadocia is a fairy tale that will cost you 80 euros (negotiation went from 130 euros) and you borrow for 45 minutes, something of greatness and courage of Icarus.
3. Göreme – From Christian churches hidden in tuff horizons azure enveloping the earth unearthly, came down in the middle of soft tuff in Göreme, where people of the second century AD and had tidied up the beliefs, defending and bare chests churches persecution Roman centurions. “Mărului Church” Chapel of St. Catherine, the Holy Barbara, St. Onufrie … Splendide testimony of a Christian rock laced in welcoming Cappadocia.
4. Kaymakli – eight-story underground city From there, I wandered into the belly underground city – Kaymakli Yeralti Sehr. Kaymakli – gels in Turkish – was a haven vertically, the second largest in Anatolia. It has eight floors – which were allowed to visit only two – down to a depth of 130 meters and is very cleverly constructed and is equipped with ventilation shafts, boulders round the post by gates that close inside kitchens , stables, bedrooms, even a church. It is estimated that the city could accommodate up to 30,000 people in the narrow tunnels that interconnect via steep steps. He kneaded the soft flesh of the rock? Historians speak of a troglodyte people, very skillful. The data reveals that the quarrel between VII and X centuries Christians have sheltered here for fear invasions Oriental.
Skein with tales of Cappadocia rolls now. My journal aims instead Antalya road. It spread through the mountains where cumulonimbus clouds give you a sensation of floating. Beyond this ballet meteorological follows me something. Premonition that including, I will swallow chasm Asia. Seas and winds on one side, and on our side of the rocky trail. Turkey is a country of mountains, seas but a constantly lurking. Do not leave room to overflow. And then, Turkey deepens in its depth, it writhes in tradition Afu-mate of time, increasingly eroded by specious glitter of this.
The first city east in the way – Aksaray – the accolade open to Konya (former capital of the Empire Selgiuc, now a city almost mystical, with dervishes legendary knit daily prayers muttered the elderly sages of Mevlana. Here is the tomb of Sinan Pasha ). In Aksaray, Mercedes builds trucks, so the settlement is packed with new blocks. Some grazing sheep, is clear evidence of concerns-emblem. Small town is enlivened by 120,000 peasants, shepherds converted townspeople occasion. Mosques are discrete. Here, where flickering light crescent sign German group displays a polished grin …
5. Follow the Silk Road Caravanserai 170 kilometers to Konya on the right path in Turkey.Drivers despise. Mountains lines parted and their Aunt has discolored in a green fickle caught in small fields, poor. Only majestic clouds remained. The sun punctures, and then, with yellow rays are affected by anemia.
Going east, the highway is deteriorating. But wonders – everywhere. We stop at the gate oldest resting place of the famous Silk Road: Sultan Han Kervan Seray – a caravanserai on the Romanian – built in 1229. The merchants were paying 10% of the goods imported in exchange for protection in Anatolia, the territory controlled by the Seljuk Turks . Caravanserai had soldiers, doctor, imam. Under the Ottoman Turks, the inn has fallen … Now only pigeons splits in short flights, zigzazate, basalt silence that clung to the walls. Caravanserai fortress gate closes, umbrellas retezând delayed.
6. Aspendos, the ancient theater is Taurus mountains silhouette guess again. Soon, we imply by their reunion, to the transparent Antalya. History pulsates, is alive, simply close your eyes and choose when you want to roam – the Hittite, Phrygian, Mežica, Persian, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk, Ottoman Turkish. To my right, runs high fields, which extract heavy man mechanized straight, bread everyday. No tree plains covered with straw breaks the monotony. Brake … A turtle narrowly missed the afterlife. Put, forced the landscape.Probably he will try to cross again to fulfill his destiny hijacked. Appear small conifers, altitude increases … We cross the Taurus Mountains. Wood cut no car I saw in three hours.Mediterranean opens us up front, undulating, challenging lithe. Once past the barrier of the mountains, the air becomes warm, alluring. Aspendos Theater stop, a relic of antiquity superb. It’s here Greeks and Persians. They fought for supremacy on the river navigable in the area. The Romans and some quiet, others …
7. Antalya – a miracle that I leave you to discover not write down anything. I am trying to understand the wonder that is called Antalya. Crop up eyes on the sun, mountains and a whitish piece of heaven.
An ancient underground city, 5,000 years old, discovered in Turkey
An ancient underground city, about 5,000 years old, antique used by tens of thousands of people to hide from invaders, was recently discovered in Turkey, reports dailymail.co.uk. Turkish builders discovered by chance one of the largest and most complex underground cities in the world, in the region of Cappadocia in eastern … .
