Day Three: The Sites and Sounds of Istanbul

Our first discovery.....the discos in Istanbul open at midnight and stay open until almost sunrise!!!  Some of our group were awake earlier than the rest and enjoyed an early coffee in Istanbul.  Many of us awoke to the sound of the Call to Prayer. After a  breakfast of  assorted meats and cheeses, eggs, fresh tomatoes, cucumbers and olives, bread, yogurt, cereals and fruit we boarded the bus to the Grand Bazaar.  We stopped so some of the group could withdraw Turkish Lira from a bank machine and the rest of the group were able to observe the people of Istanbul as they hurried to work in this city of 16 million.

Suleyman started the day by teaching us  some Turkish greetings.  "Günaydın" means "Good Morning" and "Merhaba" means "Hello"  Then he took us on a short tour of the Grand Bazaar and then we split into groups and had some free time to explore the shops.  There was so much to see and everyone stuck close together for fear of getting lost in the maze of 61 covered streets and 3000 shops.  A few of the group bought some souvenirs and modelled them for the group!

These guys bought a Fez

Making a deal

 After we left the Grand Bazaar  we walked down the busy streets to the Hippodrome of Constantinople where chariot races and other sporting events took place.  We took photos of the obelisk that  was brought from Egypt and erected in the middle of the race track.

The Obelisk in the centre of the Hippodrome

Our next stop was the Blue Mosque.  The females were required to cover their hair, arms and bare legs.  Even Tyler was given a wrap to cover up since he was wearing shorts!!!  We all removed our shoes at the door and placed them in bags provided at the entrance.  Suleyman gave us a brief history of the Blue Mosque and then we had time for photos.

Waiting in line to enter the Blue Mosque

Wearing scarves to cover their hair

Some of the girls in front of the area where females are allowed to pray

Posing for a photo

Tiles that decorate the Blue Mosque

We left the Blue Mosque and stopped for a group photo with the Blue Mosque in the background.  Then we crossed the street and took another photo, this time with the Hagia Sophia  in the background.  We admired the hundreds of tulips surrounding the fountain and  in the beautiful park between the two amazing and historical buildings.

Students in front of the Blue Mosque

 Hagia Sophia in the background

After we entered the grounds of the Hagia Sophia we had a short bathroom break and time for a quick snack.  Suleyman passed out Whisper Headsets so that he could  tell us the history of the Hagia Sophia without disturbing other visitors.  All of us were amazed at the beauty of the former church built in 537, which was then converted to a mosque in 1453 and is now a museum.  The mosaics on the walls were fabulous!!

Beautiful mosaics  were covered with plaster when the Hagia Sophia was a mosque

Ornate ceilings

Beautiful marble at the entrance

Stained glass windows point the way to Mecca

A winding pathway to the upper gallery

Islamic Elements

Our bus picked us up and we had a short driving tour of Istanbul that ended at Taksim Square.  Taksim Square is the transportation hub for Istanbul and the location of the Monument of the Republic.  Suleyman pointed out Gezi Park where many of the demonstrations took place in 2013.  We walked down Istiklal Street, a very busy pedestrian shopping area and stopped for lunch.  Some of the more adventuresome  in our group tried doners and kebabs. After lunch, we continued our walk down the street. We stopped as the tram went by, filled with people taking part in the week long celebration of the birth of  the Prophet Muhammad.  Some of our group were given roses by the men in the tram.

Some of the group ate lunch at this restaurant

Suleyman, his wife and son with some of our group

Passing out roses

We walked to Galata Tower a medieval stone tower was built  in 1348.  Then we headed down the steep and narrow streets to the Galata Bridge.  The bridge spans the Golden Horn and connects the city of Istanbul.  We stopped to watch the boats and ferries on the  upper deck and checked out the fisherman along the way.  Then we went down to the lower level and saw restaurants and shops.  

Galata Tower

Steep, narrow streets

Fishermen on the Galata Bridge

The shopping corridor on the underground walkway 

Our next stop was the Spice Market.  This was a favourite with our group and many bought souvenirs such as evil eye bracelets d key chains, Turkish Delight candy, spices and tea, scarves and ceramics.  It was also very exciting to watch the locals shop for meat, fish, cheese and other food on their way home at the end of the day!!

Shopping in the Spice Market

Lots of shopping choices

Many different kinds of cheese

Dried fruits and nuts

Goat heads and other meat

Fresh fish

A large market with many varieties of meat, cheese and olives

We headed back to the hotel and enjoyed a relaxing dinner.  Many of the group caught up on emails and made contact with family and friends back home. It was a fabulous day and a great introduction to Turkey!!! 

Day One and Two: Departure and Istanbul

Our group of 44 travellers  met at the Calgary airport at 1:00 pm on Sunday, April 13 for our departure to Turkey Greece and Italy with EF Tours. Once all our bags were tagged and weighed we went through security and then practised getting into our "magnet groups", our fast and efficient way of ensuring we haven't lost anyone. We took our first group photo and then said goodbye to our families and we were off!!

Eatonia Marengo Europe 2014 Group

We boarded the plane earlier than expected and everyone settled into their seats for the 8 hour flight. Some people slept while others visited or watched movies. Some of our group were flying for their first time but all were excellent travellers. We arrived in Amsterdam ahead of schedule and made our way to our next departure gate. We had a 3 hour wait. There was time for some shopping, snacking and resting. Many of us were getting very sleepy by the time we boarded the next flight.

We caught up on some sleep during the 3 hour flight to Istanbul and were so excited to finally reach our destination and first stop on our European Tour. We were not prepared for how busy the airport was, the lineup to go through passport control seemed to go on forever. A lesson on being a more aggressive person in busy lines was learned as people cut into the lines and pushed their way in front of our group. Over an hour later we  finally picked up our luggage and went to meet our Suleyman, our Turkish guide.

On the drive to the hotel we saw beautiful tulips everywhere.  April is Tulip Festival month in Istanbul and we found out that although the Netherlands is known for its tulips, they were actually first cultivated by the Turks in about 1000 A.D. and later exported to the Netherlands.  We arrived at the Hotel Hamidiye and after we freshened up we went on a short walk before dinner.  Our first stop was the Sezade Mosque just across the street.  We entered the courtyard and Suleyman talked to us about Muslim culture.

Sezade Mosque

We walked a bit further and saw the Valens Aqueduct which was a built by the Romans in late 4th century  and remains one of the most important landmarks of the city.    Then we stopped at Fatih Anit Park.  It was a beautiful evening and there were many families at the park, children riding bikes and playing games and others sitting on the benches.  We could also see the Municipal House which houses the offices of the  Mayor of Istanbul.

Valens Aqueduct

Then we stopped at Fatih Anit Park.  It was a beautiful evening and there were many families at the park, children riding bikes and playing games and others sitting on the benches.  We could also see the Municipal House which houses the offices of the  Mayor of Istanbul.

Statues in Fatih Anit Park

We made our way back to the hotel and had dinner which included many salads, soup, chicken and fries and rice.  After dinner many of the group walked to the small market on the corner and bought water and snacks.  We were all very tired and headed for bed early since we had a full day ahead of us tomorrow!!

Hamidiye Hotel

Packing List

PACKING LIST FOR EUROPE 2014

Clothing
2 pairs of comfortable walking shoes (in case one pair gets wet)
Flip flops (to wear around hotels in evening etc)
Shirts (short- and long-sleeved)
Socks and Underwear

Jeans or pants/capris/shorts/skirts

Sleepwear

Bathing suit (optional, there may be opportunities in Turkey and Greece)

Raincoat and small umbrella

Hat/scarf /sunglasses

*We have booked the Greek Evening when we are in Athens.  You may want to pack an outfit that would be a bit dressier than what you would be wearing the rest of the tour.

Toiletries

Toothbrush/Toothpaste

Shampoo/conditioner

Soap

Deodorant

Hairbrush/comb

Sunscreen

Spare set of contact lenses/glasses (if applicable)

Personal hygiene products

Bandaids

If taking a blow dryer and/or curling iron it will be necessary to purchase a power converter ahead of time.

European hotels do not always supply facecloths.  You might consider bringing your own or packing disposable facecloths.


 Money

ATM card (call the bank prior to departure to alert them of the trip; foreign purchases sometimes result in a hold on bank accounts)

Personal credit card

Travel Pouch for storing money and passport under clothing

Electronics

An alarm clock (hotel rooms may not have one)

An adaptor/converter for ipod, camera etc (available at travel stores)

Camera with ample batteries (batteries can be expensive abroad)

Extra memory card

Wristwatch: It is very important to be on time.  Arriving late means the entire group is delayed!!

Documents

Passport—it is required on all EF Educational Tours. Remember to give one photocopy to Lenore and leave one copy at home

A copy of the tour itinerary and the hotel addresses and phone numbers  (will be given at a later date)

A list of important phone numbers and addresses to send postcards home

Copy of any prescriptions (Customs officials may want to verify that a container's contents match its label, so all medication should be carried in its original container.)

Carry-on bag 


The EF backpack is a perfect carry-on bag. Here’s a short list of things travelers might need on the first day of the trip. These should be packed in the carry-on in case the checked luggage is delayed. Be sure to put your name on your backpack or add some other identification method so that you can easily find your backpack.  Remember we will all be carrying the same bag!!!

Passport

Money

Toothbrush and toothpaste (remember, toothpaste needs to go in a one-quart Ziploc bag, and can't be bigger than 3 oz)

Other personal items you may want easy access to while traveling or when you arrive at destination

Hairbrush

Contact lens case/glasses (to sleep comfortably on the plane)

Raincoat/jacket for arrival (in case luggage is delayed)

Medication: Gravol, Advil, and prescription Meds

Deck of cards, small board games, dice games

Travel journal

   Any valuables such as cameras, ipads, etc

Is Your Suitcase Packed?

Our departure date is just a little over a week away and I'm sure many of you have started thinking about what you are going to take. I've been watching the long range forecast for the three countries we will be visiting as well as talking to our Tour Directors. The weather at this time of year can be very unpredictable therefore we should be prepared for rain and varying temperatures.  Hopefully we will see lots of sunshine and temperatures in the low 20s, however, we will need to be prepared for rain showers.  We will need rain gear such as  an umbrella and  hooded rain proof jacket. Plan to dress in layers because we won't be going back to our hotel during the day. An extra hoodie or long sleeved shirt can save the day if you get caught in an unexpected downpour, or rolled and stuffed in your backpack when you get too warm!  It might be a good idea to carry a hat and sunglasses, I understand it can get very hot when visiting some of the ruins such as Ephesus or the Acropolis.  We will have time to visit the beaches in Greece as well as go swimming on the cruise ship so you may want to pack a swim suit.

We will be attending a Greek Evening in Athens and Carol has also mentioned that there is a possibility of a Greek Dinner on the cruise ship.  She mentioned that they often suggest people wear blue and white to the dinner so you may want to pack something for the dinner.

Many  of the religious sites we will be visiting such as churches or mosques have very strict dress codes.  Please be prepared to dress accordingly, no shorts or short skirts, leggings  or sleeveless tops.  All females will need to cover their hair, arms and legs when we visit mosques so you might want to bring a scarf  to carry with you in your backpack and a sweater or jacket.  In Mosques you will also remove your shoes so you may want to carry a light pair of socks in your backpack when we are in Turkey. On  Patmos we may  be able to  be part of the Greek  Easter church celebrations and Carol has suggested that everyone might want to bring something nice to wear that night.

Have you packed a comfortable pair of  walking shoes? We will be doing lots of walking on our tour and most of the streets will be cobblestone. Flip flops are great when you are at the hotel, but aren't practical for our daily tours. 

I hope everyone will use the  EF backpack as their carry on luggage. We will all be carrying them as daypacks when we are with the group as they are a quick and very visible way for us to keep track of our group.  Anything you might want during the flight should be packed in your backpack. If you usually wear contacts, you will probably want to also have your glasses for the overnight flight. Liquids must fit into a small  1 litre ziplock bag (no more than 3.4 ounces per bottle) if you are going to carry them in your backpack. This includes items such as liquid makeup, mascara, lip gloss, toothpaste, lotions etc. if you are not sure about the size or item, it might be best to put them in your checked luggage and avoid having them confiscated at check-in. Any medication you need should be put in your carry on, in case your luggage is lost on the way.

I have had a few parents ask about "sea sickness" medication. I spoke with Janelle Ballard, a pharmacist and former student and she has suggested  that you can use Gravol or there are patches (transderm-v) that you wear behind your ear and shouldn't cause drowsiness.  Each patch  lasts 3 days and it is best to put the patch on 1 day before it is needed.  They are about $15  for 2 patches and kept behind the pharmacy.  Carol, our Tour Director, suggested pressure or sea bands.  I hope we will not need any kind of medication but it is better to be prepared.  

It has been suggested that we might want to carry a change of clothes and items such as a toothbrush etc in our carryon bag to freshen up when we reach Amsterdam. This also saves you some grief if your luggage is delayed among the way.  Please be sure to pack your rain gear in your carryon as we plan to go on a walk when we arrive in Istanbul and we may not have access to our luggage.  

And remember my words of advice......after your suitcase is packed, carry it up and down a few flights of stairs. Is it too heavy? Then it's time to reconsider what you have packed. Don't forget to leave room for the souvenirs you will be shopping for along the way.

Rome Video

Check out this video of Rome!!  That will soon be us!!

Athens video

I almost forgot!!  Here is a video produced by EF tours that will give you a taste of what we will see and do in Athens!!











On our final day in Greece we will be traveling to Delphi for a guided tour and a visit to the museum.  From there we will travel to Patras to catch the overnight ferry to Italy.

Rome: The Eternal City

Our final stop on our tour is Rome, which is  also known as the Eternal City. The Roman people believed that no matter what happened to the world, no matter how many other empires might rise and fall, Rome would go on forever. Rome is the capital city of Italy with a population of  2.7 million and 4.2 million people live in the Rome metropolitan area.  The city is located on the Tiber River and is the only city that has an independent country (Vatican City) within its city boundaries. Rome's history covers over 2500 years and is one of the oldest continuously occupied cities in Europe. There are numerous palaces, churches, ruins, fountains, monuments and statues found throughout the historical centre which has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  We will be visiting many of the popular tourist sites in Rome including:

1.  Vatican City, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica: The basilica is the burial site for Saint Peter, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus and one of the largest churches in the world.  We will be visiting this site just two days before the canonization of Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II, a very significant ceremony  that will be taking place at St. Peter's Square.  Both former popes will be declared saints by the present pope, Pope Francis.   The Sistine Chapel is the site of the Papal Conclave, which is the process by which the new pope is chosen.  It is most famous for the frescos that decorate the chapel ceiling, particularly The Last Judgement by Michelangelo.  And don't forget to get a photo of the Swiss Guards in their colourful uniforms!!

2. The Colosseum: The colosseum is the largest amphitheatre in the world, used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles.

3.  The Roman Forum: This was the centre of Roman public life and and now contains the ruins of many important architectural fragments. Many of the city's oldest and most important structures were located near the Forum.

4. Trevi Fountain: No tour of Rome would be complete without a visit to this fountain.  Legend states that if you throw a coin into the fountain you will return to the city.

5. Castel Sant Angelo: If you read the book Da Vinci Code or saw the movie you will recognize this historical building.  It was once a  mausoleum for Roman Emperor Hadrian, later it was used by popes as a castle and fortress and is now a museum.

6. Pantheon: This building was as a temple to the  gods of ancient Rome and the best preserved building of Ancient Rome. Almost two thousand years after being built, the Pantheon is still the largest unreinforced concrete dome.

7. Numerous Piazzas throughout Rome: We will also have time to do some people watching, shopping and enjoy the entertainment in some of the famous piazzas in Rome just like our tour group did in 2006!!!

8. Gelato: And no trip to Italy would be complete if you didn't try the gelato!!!  There are so many flavours to try, you may have to have more than one a day!!