Istanbul and Ephesus, Turkey---March 2011

This was our view out the window of our hotel. There is a public square in the background and a McDonalds and a Pizza Hut across the street. We didn't eat at either one.
This is inside the Blue Mosque. It is huge! I liked the stained glass windows and the turkish carpets that covered the entire floor. At one time the places where you see electric lights held candles.
The dome of the Blue Mosque. It was named "blue" because of the blue tiles covering the inside walls.
A view from the outside of the Blue Mosque.
This is the Sophia. It was a Christian church built during the Roman Empire. The Ottomans conquered the people and changed it to a mosque. They painted over all the beautiful tile mosaics. Finally the Turkish government took it over for a museum and they are in the process of restoring the mosaics.
The only such building larger is St. Peter's in Rome. This was built 1,000 years before St. Peters. The size alone was amazing.
I couldn't take photos, but we also saw Moses' staff, David's sword, the arm and skull of John the Baptist and the footprint of Mohammed. (Real or not, who knows.)
The Grand Bazaar. We didn't buy much of anything. We just looked. Most of the mosques have a bazaar next to them. It helps to support the upkeep of the mosque.
This was the Spice Market. I was amazed at the colorful displays. I took way too many photos here.
One more spice photo.
The plates were very colorful. Turkey had a lot of tulip designs. Our guide told us they had tulips before anywhere else in the world. Some bulbs were taken to Holland and now Turkey buys their bulbs from the Netherlands.
Turkish delight. Looked delightful, but we didn't buy.
I was told these are not what the dancers here wear. These are simply for tourists.


We took a boat trip on the Bosphorus Strait. It connects the Black Sea to the Aegean Sea. It was a cold, misty day, but still a beautiful ride.
This is the "new" palace of the Sultan. It was built on the European side of the Bosphorus. It made Buckingham Palace look small. It was under renovation, so we didn't get to take a tour.
We got up one morning early and caught a plane to Ismir. This was for our tour of Ephesus. Our first stop was the shrine to Mary, mother of Jesus. She was said to have lived out here life here in Ephesus with John, who cared for her.
This rebuilt home was supposed to have been where she lived. The last three popes had visited here and left gifts for her which were in display cases inside. It was a peaceful place.
Down the hill from the house was a well where people collect water to take home for their baptisms. (Sprinkling, I suppose.) This interesting wall hanging was a collection of notes written on fabric to Mary and tied to wire. It is just left there as a permanent display.
Then we toured Ephesus. It must have been an amazing city at one time. The harbor silted up and the people finally abandoned the area. It was said to have had 250,000 residences. Only a very small portion of the city has been uncovered. You can see the covered area in the background where excavation work is taking place.
It is known as the biggest jigsaw puzzle in the world. It is amazing how many pieces they have been able to put together. This is Max with our guide.
I was interested in this goddess who is named Nike. She is the goddess of victory. I'll think of her when I buy some new running shoes. See the swoosh?
Temple of Hadrain.
The Library of Celsius.
The library of Celsius. Ephesus is truly a remarkable place. I wish we could have spent more time there.
But our guide had to get us to the fashion show of leather coats and the display of Turkish carpets. This lady was so much fun. I'd like to have gotten a rug just to make her happy, but when she'd quoted the prices I quickly changed my mind.
TURKEY WAS A GREAT PLACE TO VISIT. I'M SURE WE WOULD HAVE ENJOYED EGYPT, BUT THIS WAS A GOOD REPLACEMENT. THE COUNTRY IS VERY PROGRESSIVE AND THE FOOD WAS WONDERFUL! (My best meal was chopped lamb covered with tomato sauce and yogurt. It was delicious.)
We flew back to Istanbul that evening and then flew to Tel Aviv the next morning.

Petra, Jordan 2011

We flew from Istanbul to Tel Aviv and then on to Eilat in southern Israel. It is a tourist city on the Red Sea. It is located on the small strip of land belonging to Israel for a port. This was looking out our hotel window.
We got up the next morning and drove the short distance to the border with Jordan. We left the bus in Israel and walked across the no-man's-land to the check point in Jordan.
The landscape in Jordan began with flat, dry desert. Soon we reached the mountains and started climbing.
Soon we were high in the mountains. The weather was much colder and windy. The scenery was stark, but beautiful.
We arrived at Petra and began walking down into the monument area.
The scenery reminded us a lot of Southern Utah. We kept saying we wanted to go back to Utah and start carving our caves at Zion or Capitol Reef.
In many places the passage was very narrow. The wind would come whipping down the canyon. It was not a good hair day.
For those who didn't want to walk the distance there were horses and carriages for $30. We chose to walk both ways.
The Khazneh or Treasury is the most spectacular and best preserved. The size is amazing. It was thought to be a burial chamber for some important person. You may see the little "steps" carved on each side to enable the workers to get up to the top to do the carving.
We walked down farther where we saw more carving and some natural rock formations. Even the modern restrooms were in one of the carved-out areas.
I just kept thinking how much fun the grandchildren would have running around and hiding in the caves.
We could both hear and smell these carriages long before we could see them. :-)
Max on a camel. Thankfully we were smart enough to just pay for the photo and not for a ride.
This is a carving that is weathered away. It is of a man and a caravan of camels. If you look carefully along the wall, you can pick out some of the figures.
Just hangin' out in a cave.
More carriages or perhaps the same carriages again.
In case you wonder if we were there alone, this is just a photo of the buses on one side of the parking lot. It was a popular place. But it was so large that it didn't seem crowded. It was a great trip and well worth the time.

Israel, Part 1

We traveled from Eilat up toward Jerusalem. We passed the Dead Sea Works salt facility. Max was happy to get to see it in his lifetime. He'd heard so much about it over the years.
Once we met up with our tour group we spent the next day at Masada and the Dead Sea. As you can see, the weather was cool.
The ruins of Masada. It was originally a palace belonging to Herod. Some radical Jews took it over as a refuge, then died there rather than surrender.
The view of the Dead Sea from Masada. We took the tram. I wished afterwards we would have hiked to the top.
Always the beach comber. I found some interesting rocks.
Some people cover themselves with mud, let it dry and then go soak in the Dead Sea. It is supposed to be great for the skin.
Outside the BYU Jerusalem Center. Just inside the windows is the pulpit. The seats of the chapel slope up behind. The view of the old city was amazing. I'm sure the talks were good too, but the scene was a bit distracting.
The Schuenmans and the Bradys and Matt James.
Max trying out one of the displays at the BYU Jerusalem Center.
Max at the Mount of Transfiguration. Mount Tabor.
The chapel at Mount Tabor.
The view.
The farmland near the Sea of Galilee.
First view of the Sea of Galilee.
Our new favorite food, deep-fried pita bread. We had these one day along with falafel. The man is making the falafel in the background.
Our guide speaking about the place where Jesus cast the devils out of the man and into the pigs.
Our guide demonstrating some Jewish customs.
Religious clothing worn by the more conservative Jews.
View from our hotel near the Sea of Galilee.
Visiting the headwaters of the Jordan River.
Swift flowing water.
Calm, peaceful waters.
Capharnaum
Some of the ruins there.
I tried to take photos of signs because they would help me remember what I would quickly forget.
Fish dinner at the Sea of Galilee. One person was to find a coin in the mouth of their fish.
It wasn't me. We put our own coin in the mouth for the photo.
The Mount of Beatitudes.
Reading and discussing the scriptures.
Sunrise on the Sea of Galilee. I'd like to go back there and spend a week!
Just to show you Reyn made the trip.
Nazareth.
Open-air market in Nazareth. We bought some fruit that was delicious.
Haifa.
Haifa.
This is for Brian. Somewhere in this photo is says "Intel."
The Roman canal 0n the Mediterranean.
Max and the canal.
The trunk of a car is the best shopping place ever!
The ruins at Caesarea.
Caesarea
The rebuilt stadium.
Chariot races held here.
The stadium AGAIN. :-)
Jaffa, the oldest seaport in the world. This is where Jonah set sail before being swallowed by the BIG FISH.