Cairo

My introduction to Cairo was a traffic jam.  I think that's pretty representative of the city. 


Actually, that's not true.  I landed at the new terminal in Cairo and asked at information about buying a SIM card.  I was told there was no place because it was new.  So I walked outside, over to the other side of terminal 2, thinking that they might have them there.  No.  Then I tried to go back into the arrivals hall and found you weren't allowed to enter there.  I had to go through a security clearance.  While doing so, and getting my Altoids tin searched again, the guard told me that Terminal 3 had cell phone booths and gave me directions to walk there.  So I left terminal 2 arrivals, walked to Terminal 3, convinced the guards to let me in there by saying "Vodaphone"? and got in line for a SIM card.  Which I got, but not before a ton of men pushed past me in line and the woman behind the counter helped them first.  Once I had a phone, I called the transport company, moved up the pick up time, and waited outside.  See, I'd booked the pick up for 18, not 16, because I remembered the 4 from 14.  Yeah.  24 hour clock wins again.  Anyway, the transport guy called, but didn't speak English, so a few minutes later an airport employee called, said he was with the driver, and "I am standing with me arm over my head!  Yes, you see me!"  Moral of the story: men who work at Cairo airport are awesome and helpful.  Women, not so much. 


So, traffic.  It's everywhere in Cairo.  There are no lanes.  There are no rules.  There are no pauses or stops or reason.  It's just chaos.  And that chaos at rush hour is exceptionally slow.  So the ride from the airport was long, but the driver was awesome- he moved into the right lane when he saw me taking pictures of the Nile from the bridge, and he pointed out the tops of the pyramids seen from the road just as the sun was setting. 


The hotel was awesome, which was good, cause that stomach thing from Jordan returned in full force the night I arrived.  I was out of commission for the next day.  On Tuesday, though I had booked a pyramids tour, which turned out to be a private guide and driver.  I'm still not sure how that happened, I was sure I was getting a seat on a bus.  But it was nice.  We started in Memphis, with the remains of the great temple of the Old Kingdom, and then moved on to the Step Pyramids, the first of their kind.  While at the site we went into a tomb of a princess with amazingly well preserved artwork.  It made me think of the rooms at the MFA in Boston, only ten times bigger and with much better art.  I was also able to go into a Pyramid.  It was a long steep walk down, and you had to bend in half to walk through the tunnel.  The inside was hot from the lights and not large.  The ceiling was decorate with stars and hieroglyphics carved on the wall extolled the virtues of the dead king.


After that, we drove back to Giza to visit the pyramids.  We walked around the base of the Great Pyramid and visited the solar boat museum just beside.  I'm not sure how to describe the pyramids.  You lose the shape up close and they look like never ending stone staircases.  The stones were massive- bigger than me- and I wasn't surprised after seeing it to learn that they were not built by slaves.  Only a master craftsman could create structures that big and that everlasting.  The other two are a little distance away, so we drove to a viewpoint to take in the three, and then walked close to the third pyramid, which still has its granite exterior at the base.  Included in the entrance ticket was a camel ride, so I got to take some fun touristy photos riding a camel in front of the great pyramids.  The last stop of the day was the Sphinx, which was interesting but, well, not as cool as the pictures would lead you to believe.  Maybe it was because I got body checked by some Spanish tourists while there. 


I had a great lunch of salads and grilled meat with the guide, who let me pick his brain about life in Cairo.  He said the mood is very grim, because people are struggling.  They had so much faith after the revolution, but when the military took over again all hope was lost.  Most people can't pay the bills, the education system is a disaster, and the only concern of the government is keeping power, not helping the people.  He worked 2 jobs and his wife worked too- the first time I'd heard of a married woman working during my time in the Middle East.


That evening, I took a taxi to a row of restaurants opposite the pyramids.  I was able to watch some of the sound and light show from the rooftop terrace.  It was pretty but very hokey.


My last day in Cairo I went to the Egyptian Museum.  WOW.  The place was like a garage the night before a yard sale, just stacks and stacks of artifacts, some with signs, some mysterious.  It would take decades to study everything there.  The amount of time the artifacts were from was staggering, the quality of the preservation pristine in many cases, and the number of questions that I had afterward infinite.  I am now craving learning more about Egypt.  They also had mummies.  Lots of unwrapped mummies.  It was fascinating, creepy, morbid, enlightening, and just... overwhelming.  I've seen the dead preserved bodies of Mao and Ho Chi Minh, and it was sort of like that.  This is the actual person who was a great leader, and now they are in a glass box.  I don't know that there's an emotion for that.  But I usual settle on "thanks for all we've learned from you, sorry your eternal rest was disturbed".


So.  Cairo is loud and crazy.  The huge apartment buildings are made of concrete and brick, with satellite dishes, air conditioners, and laundry hanging off the edge.  Uber is awesome to get around.  The people were very friendly, though the taxi drivers are really aggressive.  The history here surpasses anything else in the world in terms of age and preservation.  I feel like I found the start of history in a dusty museum case with a typewritten label, like a secret that is open for the world but everyone is afraid to come find.

Jordan

Jordan, you tiny little country filled with amazingness.  How have you been hiding in that mess of the Middle East and not at the top of everyone's travel list? 

Everything about Jordan was awesome.  Ok, not the stomach bug, but everything ELSE about Jordan was awesome.  I loved the food, the people, the history, the natural beauty, everything.  I did more in Jordan than I thought I physically could, I was frequently surprised by the history, and I had great conversations with our driver, a devout Muslim man with wonderful perspectives into the lives of modern Muslims. 

My week started in Jordan, where I arrived in a nondescript street by bus from Israel.  The driver picked me up- yes, driver.  My friend had a coworker who frequently worked in Jordan and recommended hiring a driver.  It was a great decision- Yousef was more than transportation.  He was interpreter, guide, photographer, food critic, security, everything.  He helped me to get a SIM card for my phone and took me to the hotel and lunch (schwarma!) before getting Julie from the airport.  I was so happy to see my best friend!  No more traveling alone!

Our first night we ate falafel downtown and then walked around through the markets.  We saw the amazing Roman ampitheater and forum.  WOW.  I had no idea the impressive remains that are still scattered around Jordan.  Amman was the historic city of Philadelphia and the degree of preservation on their sites surpassed much of what I've seen in Europe. 

Roman Amphitheater, Amman

Day two we went to the biggest site, Jerash.  It was as good as Pompeii for imagining you actually lived in the city.  You could see the wagon ruts on the road and hear the echo in the theaters.  The massive central plaza with its huge colanade was as impressive today as it must have been in Rome.  Walking the streets that have been trod for thousands of years was humbling.  Climbing the steps to the Temple of Artemis and seeng the tiny studs of silver that once reflected on the walls was inspiring.  You could easily imagine how glamorous it was in its hayday. 

Jerash

But that wasn't the end- we also went to Umm Quays, a site waaaaay up north near the Lebanese/Syrian/Israeli border.  The museum there had beautifully preserved mosaics from the houses, and the view of the surrounding countryside showed by the temples and later churches there lasted so long.  Our final stop was Pellas, one of the oldest sites in Jordan.  Near the Jordan river, the remains are more simple but have yeilded more information about life and trade in the region than any of the other.  They dated from prehistoric occupation to Ottoman construction. 

On the third day, we headed south.  On the way to the Dead Sea we stopped in the city of Madaba, famous for its many preserved floor mosaics.  I love mosaics.  I love that they use patterns and themes still sold in rugs and tiles today.  Go to Pottery Barn or Home Depot and you'll find designs the same as on the ancient floors.  We saw beautiful florals, animals, myths, and even a map in churchs and museums throughout the city.  The colors were a little muted but still more lively than you usually think of ruins.

We stayed in a resort on the Dead Sea for one night, just to get a taste.  It really is a beautiful body of water and I can imagine the ancient traveler's disappointment when they found a rancid, salty, chemically tainted lake instead of refreshing drinkable water is appears to be.  You really do float!  It's hard to roll over even.  You can't even touch the bottom if you want to.  It also stings a lot if you get it in your eyes.  I don't recommend that.  The hotel had mud pits you could coat yourself with, since the mud is supposed to be restorative.  I did not like the mud. 

After a good night's sleep, it was on to Petra.  We stopped at Karnak castle on the way.  Built by Crusaders and later occupied by Ottoman rulers, the castle was pretty much in ruins- and we got to climb all over it!  Part of me feels guilty, like I was contributing to the erosion of a site.  The child in me was in heaven!  Duck through dark doorways, peer into mostly caved-in rooms looking for treasure, climb crumbling stairs until you emerge into sunlight on what was once a roof- then walk along a thin embankment to read an even higher point- SO MUCH FUN.  It was one of those "Americans wouldn't let you do this" kind of thing.   Did I learn much?  Well, even in daylight, castles were pretty dark.

We got to Petra at sunset so didn't get to go in until morning.  We stayed just outside the park in Wadi Musa.  The hotel was... fine.  Worn but convenient.  In the morning, we went early into the park to beat the bus rush.  We walked through the Siq to the Treasury, the famous Indiana Jones temple moment.  It's actually a mausoleum but whatever.  It was awesome.  Minus the bedouins trying to sell you donkey rides and the smell of camel poop. 

We decided to climb to the high sacred place, and man.  That was a lot of stairs.  It was exhausting.  And then we had to get down.  It took hours, and it was hot, and I think I might have died out there a few times.  Seriously, this was pushing the limits of what I can do physically.  I'm not in great shape.  But I did it!  And it was worth the sore muscles and sunburn.  We had lunch and then trudged out of the park to rest.  We returned that night for Petra at night, seeing the Siq and Treasury all lit up while Bedouin played music and told stories.  It was fine, but cold, and sitting on the group with tired muscles was unfun. 

Treasury at Petra

On the second day in Petra, I wasn't feeling great.  Julie wanted to do another climb and I just couldn't muster the energy, so she went while I chilled in Petra city. Then we did the Royal Tombs, another series of rock cut mausoleums dating from Roman times. 

Wadi Rum was our last destination- we went by taxi from Wadi Musa to the entrance and then were picked up by a guide.  Riding in the back of a pickup with benches on the sides, we rode through the desert.  The rock formations were beautiful.  There were several arches, massive boulders, a balancing rock (they called it a mushroom), and huge cliffs.  We climbed and scrambled up several, through a siq and onto an arch.  Sore muscles ached, I was braver than I could have imagined and jumped between boulders hundreds of feet off the ground.  I'm not sure where the courage came from! 

We stayed the night in the desert, at the RumStars camp.  Dinner had been cooked underground and was delicious.  We played cards and Uno with people from Italy, France, and Malaysia in the longhouse style tent with a fire in the middle.  We didn't see stars, but the huge full moon made it hard to mind.  After breakfast in the morning with yummy homebread crepe-like bread, they drove us back.

Sadly, our driver was late for pick up but he did get us back to Amman to see the Citadel and have dinner on Rainbow St at a place recommended by the Italians in our camping group. One last meal of falafel and hummus.  The next day Julie flew home and I left for Egypt.

Overall things in Jordan were fantastic.  It was a little more expensive than I'd anticipated but well worth the money for what we got.  I'm going to be advocating for people to visit for a long time.  If you're curious about the Middle East at all, go to Jordan. 

Making Tea in Wadi Rum

Jerusalem

I failed Jerusalem.  I fully admit that.  I had planned to have Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and part of Saturday in the city.  Howevever, I was so thrown off by the Hebrew in Tel Aviv (yes people spoke English, but little was written in Latin characters) that I decided to take a tour that would drop me in Jerusalem on Wednesday.  Then I booked a tour on Thursday that included the Temple Mount and Old City.  I expected to have Friday to visit the museums and then Saturday I'd head to Amman via the Sheik Hussein border crossing.

So the tour took all day Wednesday, in Nazareth and Galilee.  Then on Thursday, the tour was super crowded.  They had to add a second group.  And will all of that commotion, and confusion, we got in line for the Temple Mount at about 12:30... and didn't get in.  Two hours to move about 100 yards up the road, standing in the blazing sun, all wasted time.  Apparently there was a group in front of us who didn't know the security regulations and took a long time to search.  Either way, I was heartbroken.  The Temple Mount is closed on Friday and Saturday.  I'd lost my chance to see the Dome of the Rock, and wasted most of my day on a tour that I could have done on my own much faster and cheaper.  The only upside is that I met some great people in the group.  We had drinks after and then I went to the cool food markets by the hostel for dinner with one of the other travellers. The guide was really sweet and tried to make up for it by showing us other sites, like Mt Zion and an overlook so we could at least see the Dome.  I'm still bitter about this weeks later. 

As for the next day... transit in Israel shuts down midday on Friday until sunset on Saturday.  which meant no getting to Amman on Saturday from Jerusalem.  The only solution I could find was a bus from Nazareth on Saturday morning at 8:30, which meant I needed to be in Nazareth on Friday night.  There was only one bus, at 12:45.  So in the morning, I checked out of the hostel in Jerusalem and went to the bus station, to get my ticket to ensure I was on it! 

The whole thing was just sort of a bust all around.  In the end I had one day in the city and didn't get to see many of the sites.  I'm sure I'll be over the disappointment someday enough to go back and see the rest, but right now it's just a bitter pill that I failed so spectacularly at scheduling that I missed so much of this important historical city. 

as close as I got to the Dome of the Rock

Crusader signatures in Church of the Holy Sepulcher

symbolic tomb of Jesus, Church of the Holy Sepulcher

Tel Aviv

I got to Tel Aviv and I just crashed.  I think I slept for two days straight.   Tel Aviv was beautiful,  and my hotel over looked the beach.  The beach sand was like baby powder and the water the most beaitiful aqua gradient.  It was the perfect place to slow down for a while,  to get back to grocery shopping and eating cheap, to catch up on tv and emails.  There was real American tv. I was in heaven. 

That's not to say that I didn't see any sites.  Unfortunately the Museum on the Diaspora was undergoing renovations.  The Ha-Carmel market was fun to walk through,  but if you have seen one market you have seen them all.   The pomegranates were fresh and plentiful.  I also got to Rabin Square to see the memorials there,  and wandered through downtown.  It was really hot and humid so it was easier to stick to the beach.  

One day I got down to Jaffa, the old part of the city.  It is one of the oldest ports in the world.   I took a free walking tour that had a lot of people but good information about the history, from Biblical references to Greek myths to Ottoman and even Napoleonic times.    It was amazing to see the huge expanse of influences.  There were even Egyptian ruins.

Overall Tel Aviv was a perfect break.  I probably could have done more,  but the rest was well needed. 

An Unexpected Long Weekend in Italy

At least it was Milan.   If anything could have improved my last minute disappointment at being barred from Turkey, it was being in Italy.   From the moment I stepped up to the window at customs and greeted the officer in easy Italian, my whole body relaxed.  This was familiar.  I could do this.   Even missing the validation box on the train platform didn't phase me.  (I had looked.   I later realized it was by the up ramp,  not the down.  Go figure)

I arrived late,  but could walk to the hotel from the train station.   In the morning (breakfast included!) I walked to the metro and set off for my first destination: Sforza Castle.  I knew exactly what I wanted to see in Milan, and top of the list was Michelagelo.  I'd stopped at Sforza castle seven years ago,  but didn't know the Rondinini Pieta was there!  Getting to go back and see it was a real treat, and checked one more statue off of my life list of Michelagelos.  Only two more to go.  Beyond that,  the castle was fun to explore,  with diverse displays and just knowing the famous people who roamed the halls made it exciting.    I'm sure Da Vince once looked out the same windows.  

Second on my list was the La Brera Pinacoteca, Milan's greatest art museum.   Their Mantegna collection was phenomenal.   I got the last audio guide and really enjoyed wandering through the paintings.  

After that,  I indulged in a delicious pizza and Pelligrino lunch,  then just wandered through the Brera neighborhood for the afternoon.   Before returning to the hotel,  I bought a train ticket for the next day.

Because Sunday,  folks.   Sunday was for Florence.  There was no way I was going to be that close and not go.   No way.   And it was worth every ridiculous penny I spent in the ticket. My dome welcomed me to the city I think of as a second home.

The new Museo della Opera del Duomo is spectacular.  I loved the layout,  the touch panels, the video interspersed with the exhibits.   It was closed two years ago and I am just so impressed with the renovation.   I walked from there to the Bargello, for a quick visit with a few masterpieces,  then ate lunch nearby.  Pizza and wine, yum.  It wss so nice to walk freely, no maps or directions, just memory.  I went to Piazza della Signoria, then got in line for the Uffizi.  Oh,  Uffizi.  I missed you.   The renovated Botticelli room was great,  though I miss the benches.   The 16th century rooms are wonderful,  and the da Vinci restoration was eye-opening.  I'm glad I could see the special exhibit.  

The only thing left was gelato (Neri!) and free time to wander.  From the Arno banks to the Leather Markets, the city had changed a little.   You couldn't sit on the steps of the Duomo any longer (so sad, it was my favorite way to spend an evening) and the big flower pots were lovely in the street, disguising ptotection from runaway trucks.  But it was still teeming with life and tourists and art everywhere.  Leaving was hard, but my energy had returned from a day in my favorite place.  On to Israel.

Uzbekistan 3: Samarkand

My fascination with Samarkand began the first time I heard of it.  I was in college,  studying ancient trade routes,  and it sounded like the most exotic place in the world.  As I got older and learned more,  through teaching the Mongols and Timur,  Samarkand jumped to the top of my "someday I'll go there" list.  I even looked up plane tickets a few times- very expensive and long layovers from Boston!

However,  if I had a year to travel,  I was gong to go there.  It was the last stop on the Uzbekistan tour and did not disappoint.  We arrived by van from Bukhara at sunset,  just able to see the dome of Timur's  mausoleum peeking above the trees.  The large statue of him sat regally nearby. After dinner we walked over to see it lit up at night.  It was magical!  Like something out of a fairy tale.  

In the morning we returned,  to visit the tombs inside and walk through the complex.  I couldn't believe I was seeing the cursed tomb I teach about every year.   The tiles were so beautiful on the gate and on the done.  Standing at the grave of such an influential world leader was humbling.   This man shaped the world in the 1300s. 

Next up was the famous Registan, where three huge tiled madrassas faced a massive  open square. Each had its own unique tile patterns, with fantastical animals and floral motifs.  I could have stared at the tile for hours.  I took a lot of photos.   From there we walked to the Bibi Khanym mosque which has-- wait for it-- more tiles and turquoise domes. You'd think I would be sick of it,  but it was just too pretty. Much of this site was still unrestored, but some parts were cry impressive,  especially the huge dome. 

After lunch we went to the market, to see the dried fruit,  nuts,  cheese,  candy,  and fresh produce available.   It was fun to walk around.   Our last stop of the day was a necropolis, the Shah-i-Zinda.  The guide promised the ultimate example of tiles,  and he was not wrong.  Huge mausoleums lined the street up the hill in dazzling walls of blue and teal.  Every time you thought you had  seen the best,  another corner led to more beauty.  In the late afternoon sun,  it was spectacular. 

That evening,  we walked up to see the Registan at night.  It was lit beautifully.  They also had a short light show about the history of the region.  It was really well done,  Disney quality!  It highlighted a lot of the themes I teach. 

Our last day in Samarkand we saw some smaller sites.   We visited the history museum with incredible frescoes showing foreign visitors to the city.   We walked up to the old city,  now a deserted field since the Mongol invasions.   We went to the site of the astrological observatory and saw the small museum there.   After lunch,  it was just shopping and then boarding the train back to Tashkent.

Overall I loved my time in Uzbekistan.  I had a great group and guide,  which helped,  but everywhere people were friendly and helpful.  The food was delicious,  the sites powerful and pretty,  and the accommodations much better than expected.  It was a dream come true to go, and my trip will be a treasured memory forever. 

Uzbekistan 2: Bukhara

We arrived late in Bukhara and checked into this old palace hjotel.  The rooms were decorated like a 19th century Ottoman home, full of fancy plaster and carving.  The beds were so comfortable!  The next day we set out early to see the sites.  Bukhara has preserved or restored much of its trading history.  We entered the city through a trade gate, walking past caravan sarais that onced houses horses and camela.  The domed trade gates are still trader centers but now thwy sell souvenirs. 

We saw some of the madrasses on that end of town, then rode across town ro one of the oldeat buildings, a place with simple terra cotta decor, no color.  It was a mausoleum from the 11th century.  Then we walked across a park to a mosque and the old palace.  This was once the capital of the city.  It's now mostly a museum.   Only part of the palace is restored from the Bolshevik era destruction.  I loved seeing the old clothing on display there, and the photos of what it looked like with a  huge market outside in the past.  We heard a lot about early European contacts that occurred here.  

Next we walked to the grand madrassas nearby.  They faced each other  imposingly, with the towering minaret in between.   It was breathtaking.  Inside the tiles just kept getting more and more beautiful.  I leaned about the different Arabic scripts used and started being able to spot the difference.   I can inky read two words in Arabic-Muhammad and Allah- so finding them in the decor made a fun game.   Inside there was still an active school,  which was pretty cool.  I want to go to school in a half millenia old building!

After a lunch of shashik (meat on skewers), we went to another trade dome to see local crafts in a historical setting.  The embroidered fabrics were beautiful, as were the scissors that looked like storks.  In the afternoon we saw the Jewish synagogue near our hotel,  a reminder of the city's diverse past.  In the evening we saw some traditional dancing.  

Day two began at the Chor Minor mosque (the cover of Lonely Planet Central Asia) and continued to the Summer Palace, a 19th century residence of the Khan. It was still being restored but the plasterwork was beautifully detailed.  They used mirrors to reflect light in the rooms.  

That was the end of our time in Bukhara.  Off to Samarkand!

Uzbekistan 1: Tashkent and Khiva

I don't evenknow where to begin.  I'm wiring this on a bullet train,  racing from Samarkand to Tashkent at the end of the most amazing week.  It's always been a dream to see the cities of the Silk Road.  This week had seen that dream come true.

I decided to use Advantour for this journey, because l  knew this was not a trip to take alone. I couldn't have been happier with my small tour (5-7) total, amazing guide, easy transit, lovely accommodations,  and a superb office staff who made the entire trip so smooth. 

I arrived in the evening on Thursday,  and was met by a tour rep.  He helped with customs,  and then the driver stopped at the bank so I could get local currency.  Last month the government devalued the money to match the black market rate,  stabilizing the economy.  I checked into the hotel,  which was basic but fine.   The next day I'd planned to exile in my own a bit,  but it rained.  A lot.  So I caught I up on work instead.

I met the tour on Saturday morning,  and we set off around Tashkent.  The city was nothing like what I'd expected.  Wide boulevards stretched through the city,  connecting a mix of Soviet era brutalist style buildings with modern ones.   There were shiny monuments to the 1991 independence of Uzbekistan, commanding to Timur, and somber memorials to those lost in war.  Their tomb of the unknown soldier has a statue of a grieving mother rather than a symbol of war.   I find it very powerful.  We also got our first taste of Timurid tile work and saw the oldest Qu'ran in existence.  Lunch was a traditional meal of plov, a mix between stew and fried rice.  I feel in love,  it was so good and filling.   I can't wait to make it at home.   Our last stop was a museum of applied crafts where we learned about making traditional embroidered fabric called suzani.  It is really cool to see how a people who had been forced to give up their traditions while under Soviet rule are now making efforts to revive and celebrate those crafts. 

We took and evening flight to Urgench and then drove through the night to Kiva.  The hotel was just outside the city wall, a cute little inn with a central dining room. 

In the morning,  we started our tour at the gate.   There's so much more from this area than I realized! Many of the scientists from the Golden Age of Islam were from this part of the world.  It was so surprising to see statues and pictures of them in museums! Kiva is a small city,  still wrapped in is city walls.  It was not raised by the Mongols so many old buildings remain.   The palace looks like simple mud brick,  but when you turn the corner you are in a courtyard decorated with the most beautiful blue and aqua tile.  Kiva tile is majolica, different colors applied with glaze.   I could have stared for hours and still not seen all of the details.   We walked from site to site,  from the half finished but fully decorated minaret to the old mosque with wooden columns to the mausoleum across town.   For lunch I had gumma, a kind of fried dumpling, and pumpkin soup.  In the afternoon we had free time to climb the city walls.  Scary! Crumbly mud walls, no railing, no hope of you lose your balance. But,  man,  the views! We ended the day by climbing the tower to see  whole city bathed in golden sunset.   Then it was a race to the airport for a night flight to Bhukara.

The long story

So,  last week while having a fantastic time in Uzbekistan, my cousin texted me a link to a BBC article about the US and Turkey suspending visa support for each other.  "How does this affect you?" She asked.  She knew that I was flying back to Istanbul on Friday. I thought it didn't.  I already had a visa. 

But the more I read, I started seeing phrases like "essentially suspends all travel" in other articles.  There was nothing on the state department site, nothing on the embassy site, just a lot of unclear speculation in the news and a refund announcement from Turkish Airlines.  I started to think that I might NOT be ok to return to Turkey.

I thought I'd just extend my time in Tashkent, but my visa was expiring.  I thought I'd just go to Tel Aviv early, but the price of that started with $2000 and went scary high from there.  I realized there was going to be a big change of plans in order, and started looking at options.  There were basically three possibilities out of Tashkent on Friday to places I could go without a visa: Paris, Milan, and New York.  Milan was cheapest, and closest, so I booked that.   Then I found a flight from Milan to Tel Aviv.   That one was more expensive.... but necessary.  

I managed to get a hotel through my sister's  connection,  and then set about canceling Turkey.  Some was easy.  Some required having my very wonderful cousin in the US call pretending to be me to cancel flights since I couldn't do it online and I didn't have a phone.   Some was refundable.   Some wasn't.  Nothing was covered by travel insurance.  

So I flew to Milan instead of Istanbul, and saw Renaissance art instead of Roman ruins.  I'll get to Ephesus someday.   In the meantime,  I'm trying not to think about how much this unexpected adventure cost and just enjoy it.  It's better than being stick in limbo at the Istanbul airport. 

And that's the long version of why I'm in Italy today.  

Delphi

One thing I got in Greece was a terrible cold.  It knocked me out for a day mid week.  So I figured a three hour ride to Delphi would be a good excuse for an easy day,  and still check off one of the big sites.

Delphi was awesome. I loved being able to walk up the hill in the path of so many poodle before me- the ancients and the tourists.  :)  the site was well preserved and arranged did you could feel a bit of how it was.  Pictures in the museum helped imagine it even more.   There was the "navel" stone,  the serpentine column,  the impressive columns,  and above it all,  the stadium.  I'm so glad I climbed all the way up! Nearby was the picturesque temple to Athena and Olympic training grounds.  It was a beautiful day,  though windy,  perfect for walking in the mountains.  This might have been my favorite stop in Greece.

On the way home I had a delightful conversation with a man from Michigan who was in Greece on holiday.  It was so nice to have someone to talk to! It does get lonely on the road. 

Athens

Athens is not an easy city.  All of the smooth connections and quick settling in ended here.  Athens is crowded,  with lots of graffiti and little personal space.  It's loud and confusing,  easy to get lost in.   My apartment was much further away than I'd anticipated,  creating an extra expense in transit.

Still,  Athens was worth the trouble. From the pretty churches to the awe inspiring ruins to the impressive museums,  Athens had everything I'd expected and more.  The good was cheap and delicious.  I loved the chicken souvlaki at Thasonos, and the gyros from just about everywhere.   I loved finding ruins around the corner, just little preserved pieces of the past.  I loved climbing to the Acropolis- twice!- because of that sense of amazement upon arrival at the gate.  

I was incredibly impressed with the Acropolis museum.  It had some great uses of technology along with artifacts to bring them to life, some wonderful examples of polychrome statutes,  and such a huge collection of art.   I was giddy too see Kritios   Boy, the work we compare to Michelangelo's when studying the Renaissance.   And yes,  the selection of Parthenon marbles was stunning.  The Elgin marbles belong here,  hands down,  no question.   England needs to send them home.  

The museum of archeology was a great contrast to the Acropolis museum.  It was far more stodgy,  but equally interesting because of the depth of its collection.  I've never seen such great Greek statutes.  I hadn't realized how much funeral stones told about daily life.   I was blown away by the bronzes.  I would have bought the replicas in the gift shop if I had infinite space and money. 

I haven't studied much ancient Greece before,  not since Mr. Smelstor's 9th grade ancient civ  class.   I'm a little hooked now though!

Budapest

I feel like I'm playing a game of "No, I love YOU more with European cities.  Copenhagen was great, loved Prague, rocked Salzburg, was ready to move to Vienna, and then I got to Budapest.  The bus ride from the train station showed me a worn city, a little gritty, a little tired, a little pretty under the grime.  That matched what I'd heard about it.

But the next day, with the sun shining, I started walkikng around, and oh, Budapest.  You are none of those things. You're amazing.

Most of the buildings here are a style called historicism, aka, neo-everything.  Mix up all the fancy stuff and make it look pretty. It worked.  A little Baroque, a little Gothic, a little Rococo... even a little Moorish. I really liked it! It was just pretty.  The city underwent a major revival in 1896, their millennium,  so it is highly influenced by Hapsburg Vienna.   It was, after all, a capital of the Austro- Hungarian empire!

The city is full of art, modern statues and fountains.  Some are memorials,  some are just for fun.   It made walking around always interesting.   I loved the fountain of the book turning a page! 

I did the Rick Steve's walking tours of Leopold town and Old City of Pest on the first day.  I was fascinated by the controversy of the monuments to communism and related to Hungarian activity during WWII.  It's not a topic I've studied much about but there is so much there to examine.   I think there are some great lessons using these examples,  especially given the flare up on controversy about Confederate monuments in the US this summer.  

In day 2, I went to the Jewish quarter and toured the Great Synagogue.  I've purposefully avoided holocaust sites because I find them really upsetting,  but there was so much other history here,  and I didn't realize how much horror was here too.  It was moving,  shocking,  painful, and I think necessary to understanding the city.   After,  I went through the Jewish quarter,  seeing the other synagogues,  art,  and ruin bars.  It led back to Deak Ferenc Ter, from where I walked down the broad street past the opera house and theaters to the Museum of Terror.  It's a retelling of the horrors of 20th century life in Hungary under the Double Occupation of the Nazis and the Soviets.  I found it informative and a little bizarre.  It was definitely terrifying. 
Day 2 ended at heroes square, with the Hungarian history in statues leading into city park.  

Day 3 I was ready for something different,  so I went to the baths to experience a unique part of life in Budapest. It was heavenly.   Hot water,  lounging, quiet mediation... I loved it!   After a leisurely day,  I took the bus to Castle Hill to see the sites in Buda.  The cathedral was beautiful. 

After three days in the city,  I ventured a bit north by train to Szentendre, the beginning of a region called the Danube Bend.  Full of Serbian Orthodox influences,  it was a little touristy but had an inviting row of restaurants by the river that proved to be the perfect place to send the lunch hour.  Lunch on the Danube,  pretty awesome.

I ended up spending the rest of my time just wandering around the city.   Really, Budapest was just a delight to visit,  so much life,  so much controversy.   I'm so happy I came.