My husband loves it too!

Thank you, dear Vineyards for very interesting reply.

A new organic walking and running group joins Turkey's 'foot power' groups. Running Istanbul is the product of two serious runners getting together for the love of running. They find themselves slowing the pace to walk and savor Istanbul.

http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=100808

I truly enjoyed my visit there!
“I am Azitawadda, the blessed of Baal, the servant of Baal, whom Awariku made powerful, king of the Daniuna. Baal made me a father and mother to the Daniuna. I have restored the Daniuna. I have expanded the country of the Plain of Adana from the rising of the sun to its setting. In my days the Daniuna had everything good and plenty to eat…”

These words, taken from a unique tablet (written in both Hittite and Phoenician), from the eighth century B.C. and found at Karatepe (near the Mediterranean coastal city of Adana), relate to the possible founder of the city that we know today as Aspendos. The tablet continues to inform us that Azitawadda (who was king of Adana) was of the Mopsus dynasty and Greek legend tells us that the city was founded by Argive and Thessalian colonists escaping from ill-fated Troy and led by the hero Mopsus. It is presumed that Azitawadda gave his own name to the city as a variant appears as Estwediiys on early Greek silver coins minted in the city.

Aspendos rarely plays any important political or historical role in antiquity and the tales, voices and names of its citizens are scant in what records exist today. However, we do know that it became a Persian vassal in 546 B.C., but it is understood that the Persian control over the city was fairly easy going. That is until 467 B.C. when the Greek military commander and statesman, Cimon, defeated the Persians in a sea and land battle on the banks of the river Eurymedon, which flows by Aspendos. After routing the Persian fleet, it is said by Diodorus Siculus, that Cimon had his troops disguised as Persian hostages. When they landed, they were able to enter the Persian camp unmolested, the Persians capitulating in the ensuing fighting. Aspendos now had become part of the Delian League.

Athens and Persia concluded a peace treaty in 449 B.C. and Persia was given back its control over Pamphylia (the region in which Aspendos resides). In 389 B.C. Thrasybulus, the Athenian commander, set out on a money making cruise around Asia Minor with the intent of rebuilding Athens' weak resources after her defeat in the Peloponnesian War. On arriving at Aspendos, he anchored on the Eurymedon and set about collecting tribute. His troops were, however, careless, and trampled many of the Aspendian fields, damaged crops and property. The irate Aspendians took revenge by murdering Thrasybulus in his tent.

http://www.turkey-now.org/Default.aspx?pgID=925

I would go there in a moment. This place has fascinated me for quite a while. Very close to the Syrian border. Now cautious of course reg. safety.

This is the ancient city of Antioch (of which we're told there are seven, we know there are two in Turkey) about a three-hour drive from our home. We leave at 7 a.m. and head east out of Adana on E-5 for probably an hour and then gradually make the swing south for the rest of the trip. It's a pretty rainy nasty day out, but we're off on one more adventure, so the rain is no deterrent. We were aware of the conditions before hand but refuse to pass up an opportunity when we're free to go. We're determined to do all and see all we can of this region of Turkey, as this is truly the source of Christianity, as we know it. Our ultimate destination today is where Paul began his mission trips.

We're on a full size Mercedes bus this time as opposed to our last ride, which was a small half size bus. The seats although quite hard are somewhat wider which is good for those of us who have substantially more to put down on the seat to begin with. Our trip immediately east is pretty routine by now and as we've done it a number of times already I won't bore you by discussing the highway again, simply remember it isn't very smooth, although with the larger bus the rough of it is easier on us old folks. The weather makes visibility very far distant less than desirable but one takes small inconvenience in stride when an adventure like this is made available.

Again as we make our turn south we are leaving the Cilicia region of the country and entering the Plain of Issos moving ever closer to the northeastern most coastline of the Mediterranean Sea. Interesting side note here; Alexander the Great defeated Emperor Darius on this plain in 333BC, the battle expended 20,000 lives! We've driven out of the rain now and are left with gray overcast skies.
e. http://www.turkey-now.org/Default.aspx?pgID=973

What is the meaning (a Turkish tradition) of giving sugar pieces to those who who visit Eyup?

Why are they not experimenting with some kind of sound pitches which humans cannot hear. As an example they use them for dogs on private properties.

Greek Member of the European Parliament Yiannis Glavakis caused a furor in Turkey this week by asking the EU to step in and pay for pigeon prevention measures at the Aya Sofya Museum in the heart of historic İstanbul.
According to the motion he put to the Parliament, during his last visit to the former Byzantine church Hagia Sophia -- as it was known until 1453 -- the aforementioned birds were damaging the structure of the building and creating a stink inside. He said that he had witnessed large numbers of pigeons around the building and some nesting inside the main dome. He explained the great spiritual importance of Hagia Sophia to the Greek people and tried to persuade the EU that, despite being outside their current borders, the mosque was “a work of art that constituted a bridge between civilizations -- Hagia Sophia belongs to all humanity.”
According to his research the building’s lifespan could be reduced by up to 50 percent if it continues to be a place where pigeons gather. He claimed that the windows, architraves and ground floor have already been left to the mercy of the feathered pests. Glavakis asked the EU to fund wire barriers, similar to those already used in London and Venice, to prevent the birds from nesting.

While these aims may be noble, the plea was soured for the Turkish population when he added that the building had sustained other “major damage during the Ottoman period.” An unnamed source on the staff at the museum admitted that there were two or three pairs of pigeons who had entered through broken windows, but said they posed no threat to the ornate internal decorations. He stated that Glavakis had exploited a legitimate problem for political ends. Whether or not his motivation in drawing attention to the plight of the Hagia Sophia is innocent of political motive, one cannot deny that pigeons and their mess pose problems all over Turkey. Doves may well be an international symbol of peace and goodwill, but pigeons droppings seem to create exactly the opposite atmosphere. In February of this year Nuray Güleç finally won a two-year case against her upstairs neighbors whereby they were ordered to pay her YTL 6,000 in reparations and to remove the basket that she claimed was a feeding box for the flying vermin within a period of five days.

The defendants, the Haraçcı family, protested their innocence insisting that the basket was a clothes peg holder and adding, “Our balcony is shuttered and closed off, we are not bird breeders but our local area is full of trees -- it is the seagulls and pigeons that perch on these trees and the roof that create the mess.” Güleç, who claims to have suffered at the hands of the family for 14 years, took exception to the excuses offered to her and sued them for damages. Despite having won the case, the basket at the heart of the dispute is still in place as the Haraçcı family are appealing the court decision against them.

Güleç should consider herself lucky that her neighbors are settling their differences through the legal system, Şaban Ölker from İstanbul was not so fortunate. In the same month that Güleç won her case, he lost his life after a fight over a pigeon. He had gone to visit his friend Adnan Sezgin and in an act of sadistic cruelty ripped the wings off of one of Adnan’s pigeons. The furious Adnan swung at him and punched him in the head. Şaban returned home with a bruised face and depressed spirits and told his wife about the argument over the bird. He went to bed shortly after eating his dinner and never rose from his bed again. His wife Nurhan found him dead the next morning and Sezgin was arrested pending a post mortem to ascertain cause of death. Sezgin is not the only Turkish person to hold pigeons in great esteem. In Konya in central Turkey, Sedat Koçak has recently set up the Şebap Pigeon Lovers Society, which already boasts 194 members. The tumbler pigeons they breed were first imported to Konya from Syria a few years ago and in auctions held by the society, the birds have fetched prices ranging between YTL 250 (around $18 and YTL 25,000 (the purchase price of a modest new car). Koçak claims there are 10,000 people breeding pigeons in Konya alone.

There are even those who claim that pigeons can be a tourist attraction rather than a repellent pest. In Giresun, Dursun Taşdemir is fighting to save the public toilet that he runs from demolition. Earmarked by the council for destruction since it was built on land designated as a green-belt site, the toilet is considered by Taşdemir to be an addition to the tourist attractions of the town. He has taken a building formerly in ruins, renovated it, kept it clean and neat as a pin, festooned the wash basin area with ivy and flowers, and installed two aquariums, 30 canaries, a pair of parrots and seven pigeons; no wonder tourists can’t miss this eccentric photo opportunity. With demo-lition imminent Taşdemir is asking the council to give him an alternative site to relocate his latrine menagerie. Perhaps the Hagia Sophia pigeons should ask for the same?


Zaman
09.06.2007