09 September, 2014 TUESDAY
Submitted by Nancy Carroll  nancy.jus3@gmail.com



TURKEY 101
GROUP JOURNAL,
ANKARA - CAPPADOCIA
 TRANSFER TO THE AIRPORT, FLY TO ANKARA, VISIT ANATOLIAN CIVILIZATIONS MUSEUM, AFTER LUNCH,VISIT ATATURK'S MAUSOLEUM,DRIVE TO CAPPADOCIA, DINNER AND OVERNIGHT AT LALESARAY OTEL

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THE SONG


Early flight to Ankara


Ankara airport is quiet and well designed


THE BEST MUSEUM OF EUROPE 1997


THE MAUSOLEUM OF ATATURK

ON THE WAY TO CAPPADOCIA
 

  

 

Yikes! -Up at 4 am to catch an early flight to Ankara.  Goodbye Istanbul. Guile Guile (Go smiling).
Short flight via Anadolu Jet airlines and off to the Anatolian Civilization Museum. This museum was awarded the Best Archaeological Museum in Europe in 1997. Containing over 2,300,000 years of excavated artifacts from 28 civilizations from the Anatolia area,  the history of the evolution of mankind is showcased in superb exhibitions. From Catalhoyuk, the first known civilization, to the rise and fall of the Hittites, the concept of "control of nature" is documented.  The development of self sufficiency and self sustainment are illustrated via the adoration of one mother goddess, the use of polychromatic paint, written contracts documenting marriage, divorce, and sale of goods, to mention a few.  Other important artifacts illustrate war and destruction.

Lunch includes a sizzling lamb/veal dish covered in butter and tomato sauce. Some comments from our travel colleagues regarding our lunch meal include, "The meal was different and tasty", "that was the best bread I've had so far on this trip", "the waiters looked somewhat frazzled and were working very hard", and  "I mistook the hot pepper for asparagus".

Our next stop is to the Anitkabir Mausoleum dedicated to the Father of Turkey, Ataturk.  Born in 1881 and died in 1938, he is credited with passing many laws that provided the basis for modern Turkey society. He liberated women, changed the Arabic script to Latin script, increased literacy, and reorganized turkey from the ground up just to mention a few of his accomplishments.  Ataturk was Turkey's leader when it became a republic in 1939 believing that the sovereignty of the nation belonged to the people.  Melia shares a passionate, emotional and detailed story of Ataturk's life.

A 4-hour drive to Cappadocia awaits us. The landscape is covered with poplar trees.  We learn that upon the birth of a child, a poplar tree is planted.  After 20 years, the tree is full grown and can be cut and sold for lumber. The profits are then given to the child who is now a young adult. (The poorest people of Turkey lament that they do not have a poplar tree planted in their name.)

 During the night we finally arrive to the village of Neveshir where we will stay for the next 3 nights and awaken to the beauty of Cappadochia (Kapadokya) and it's mystifying landscape

    
              catalhoyuk : neolithic house                                              mother goddess                                    bronze age

       

  
                                                    MUSTAFA KEMAL ATATURK, THE FATHER OF THE TURKS, SLEEPS HERE


                   uludag restaurant

                       ISKENDER KEBAB

Recipes FOR THE DAY

 iskender kebab
 ingredients: Pide bread, 1 pound of lean filet (beef), a spoon of tomato paste,1 tomato,3 spoons of butter,1 cup yogurt, salt and black pepper,sun flower oil
 How to prepare Iskender kebab at home


  •  Slice the meat in thin strips. Saute them in sun flower oil.
  •  When the meat starts changinf color add salt and pepper and saute some more.
  • 
When the color of the meat is brouwn enough turn the heat down and simmer for 3-4 more minutes.
  • 
For the sauce, put 2 table spoon of sun flower in a little pot add the tomato paste add a pinch of salt and black pepper cook it until the consistency is thick 

  •  Slice the pide bread in cubes and heat them in an oven.
  • 
Put the hot pide breads in a plate. Spread half of the tomato sauce and a small amount of yogurt on the chunks of pide bread.
  • 
put the meat on what you have prepared in the plate, add the tomato sauce. Put the rest of the yogurt on the side of the plate.
  •  Sizzle butter add a pinch of salt pour over the meat.
     

 Click here                 
for Day  5 CAPPADOCIA   
melitour home page      
turkey 101 itinerary