November 9th
Today we went to CRAC DES CHEVALIERS! Apparently it's the best preserved castle in the world! It was hugemungous and ginormous put together. I could spend days in there and I wouldn't find all the passageways. In the castle they had baths, a moat, four big towers, storage space for wine, olives, grain and other stuff. They also had a keep and the keep's walls were really thick. They had the outer castle (for protection) and inner castle (for keeping the King, generals, cooks and everybody else that wasn't fighting). Oh, and I forgot there was also a prayer hall. Jonas and I climbed up the minbar.
After that we went to Apamea. Apamea is a ruined city. Pretty much all that was left was the main street. There were a few archeological digs. When we got to the end, Apamea wasn't even done!
November 12th
Today we went to Palmyra. It is a ruined city like Apamea only there's a lot more stuff. There is the Temple of Bel, the archway, the theatre. The theatre was really cool and the acoustics were good. There were also some tombs that were six stories high. Inside it was like an apartment block for graves.
I really liked Palmyra.
November 15th
Damascus
Yesterday we looked in the souq for Christmas presents. (CENSORED) and I got it for (CENSORED). I am sure that (CENSORED) a lot. We went to an amazing restaurant that had a fountain. After we ate we looked around in the souq some more.
Matthew
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Aleppo
November 4th
Today we went on a thirty hour train ride to Syria! It was really fun. We met a Jordanian guy who was going to Jordan to visit his family. We also met some Swiss, Scottish, British, and Irish people. Jonas and I made a pulley system from his bunk bed to mine. We got cups and attached them so we could put stuff in them and send it across. The views from the train were great.
November 6th, Aleppo
Today we went to the souq and Mama bought some (CENSORED) for presents. We saw a donkey and lots of cool other stuff. There was one guy that lied to us. He said, "My shop is just down here, not left or right." So we went down straight and turned left and turned right and OUT of the souq! We said "No, we want to go in here" but he kept on saying "No my shop just down here. Finally, Papa said "We're going in here." We went in and then he popped up again and said "This my shop."
We also saw people we saw in Ephesus and in Istanbul!! Today we also saw everybody we met on the train except for the Jordanian guy:( but he was going to Jordan right away.
It was a fun day.
November 7th
Today Papa asked people for directions. One of them touched my cheek and then...KISSED ME! (At least it wasn't a girl.) We went a little way and had to ask again. This guy tried to help us but then he took us to his house, brought us in and gave us some water and mandarin oranges. He was very nice. Then he took us to the citadel!
Inside it was cool (until the school group came). There was a room with a really good echo. The throne room was absolutely AMAZING! Marble floor, fountain in the middle, mother of pearl inlay chandeliers! The castle probably took 15 years to build without the throne room! It would have taken a long, long, long (well, you get the point). After that we went to the mental hospital. There were different areas for people depending on how ill they were, and another area for women.
Of course it is not in use but it was very peaceful.
Matthew
Today we went on a thirty hour train ride to Syria! It was really fun. We met a Jordanian guy who was going to Jordan to visit his family. We also met some Swiss, Scottish, British, and Irish people. Jonas and I made a pulley system from his bunk bed to mine. We got cups and attached them so we could put stuff in them and send it across. The views from the train were great.
November 6th, Aleppo
Today we went to the souq and Mama bought some (CENSORED) for presents. We saw a donkey and lots of cool other stuff. There was one guy that lied to us. He said, "My shop is just down here, not left or right." So we went down straight and turned left and turned right and OUT of the souq! We said "No, we want to go in here" but he kept on saying "No my shop just down here. Finally, Papa said "We're going in here." We went in and then he popped up again and said "This my shop."
We also saw people we saw in Ephesus and in Istanbul!! Today we also saw everybody we met on the train except for the Jordanian guy:( but he was going to Jordan right away.
It was a fun day.
November 7th
Today Papa asked people for directions. One of them touched my cheek and then...KISSED ME! (At least it wasn't a girl.) We went a little way and had to ask again. This guy tried to help us but then he took us to his house, brought us in and gave us some water and mandarin oranges. He was very nice. Then he took us to the citadel!
Inside it was cool (until the school group came). There was a room with a really good echo. The throne room was absolutely AMAZING! Marble floor, fountain in the middle, mother of pearl inlay chandeliers! The castle probably took 15 years to build without the throne room! It would have taken a long, long, long (well, you get the point). After that we went to the mental hospital. There were different areas for people depending on how ill they were, and another area for women.
Of course it is not in use but it was very peaceful.
Matthew
Saturday, November 3, 2007
Halloween
October 31
Halloween!!!!!!!! For Halloween I was Paper Airplane Man!! I had three paper airplanes, goggles and I wore my mama's tights, bikini bottom and tank top. I stuck a P.A.P.M. sign into the top neck part of the shirt. Unfortunately, Turkey doesn't celebrate Halloween, so I only trick or treated at our apartment. Turkey doesn't have the same brands of candy that Canada has. For candy I got things like smarties, Tic tacs, strawberry and cola flavoured gummies and wildberry and strawberry flavoured chewy candy thingies that were like Starburst. After we ate some we showed our costumes on Skype to our grandma. It was fun and after some more candies we went to bed.
Halloween!!!!!!!! For Halloween I was Paper Airplane Man!! I had three paper airplanes, goggles and I wore my mama's tights, bikini bottom and tank top. I stuck a P.A.P.M. sign into the top neck part of the shirt. Unfortunately, Turkey doesn't celebrate Halloween, so I only trick or treated at our apartment. Turkey doesn't have the same brands of candy that Canada has. For candy I got things like smarties, Tic tacs, strawberry and cola flavoured gummies and wildberry and strawberry flavoured chewy candy thingies that were like Starburst. After we ate some we showed our costumes on Skype to our grandma. It was fun and after some more candies we went to bed.
Bosphorus Cruise
October 30
Today we went for a cruise on the Bosphorus Strait, the strait that separates Europe from Asia.
We stopped at a castle for lunch. It had beautiful views of the Black Sea. Many different countries touch the Black Sea and later my grandma told me that my ancestors came from near the Black Sea in Russia. The castle also had super cute doggies.
I made a paper airplane from a pamphlet we got on the boat, so I threw it around. It was fun. When we got down I found a kitty and a stick. Put them together and voila, entertainment.
The kitty started to wrestle with the stick. It was funny. In Turkey it is very different from Canada because there are so many stray animals. While we were going back there was a beautiful sunset behind an old mosque and everybody was snapping pictures like crazy.
That was a fun day.
Today we went for a cruise on the Bosphorus Strait, the strait that separates Europe from Asia.
We stopped at a castle for lunch. It had beautiful views of the Black Sea. Many different countries touch the Black Sea and later my grandma told me that my ancestors came from near the Black Sea in Russia. The castle also had super cute doggies.
I made a paper airplane from a pamphlet we got on the boat, so I threw it around. It was fun. When we got down I found a kitty and a stick. Put them together and voila, entertainment.
The kitty started to wrestle with the stick. It was funny. In Turkey it is very different from Canada because there are so many stray animals. While we were going back there was a beautiful sunset behind an old mosque and everybody was snapping pictures like crazy.
That was a fun day.
Mosque and Bazaar
October 27
Today we went to see the "New Mosque." Only in Istanbul would you call a 400 year old mosque "new."
I asked Papa if I could count the tiles and he said, "If you can." I counted 5,288 tiles!! That was just on the huge pillars. In the Blue Mosque there are over 20,000 tiles!!!! We went to another mosque
and then we went to the Grand Bazaar. It really lives up to it's name. I was looking for a Turkish rug money pouch thingy. I got one for 1 lira. I also got some apple tea (tourist tea) that carpet sellers give you while you are looking at their carpets. It's really good. Mama got a new purse. There was one guy whose slogan wasn't the best. When we walked by he asked us, "Do you want to spend some money?" There was a carpet seller who asked us, "Do you want some carpets?" We said we didn't need them and he said, "Let me sell you something you don't need." We laughed. And, that was our trip to the bazaar.
Today we went to see the "New Mosque." Only in Istanbul would you call a 400 year old mosque "new."
I asked Papa if I could count the tiles and he said, "If you can." I counted 5,288 tiles!! That was just on the huge pillars. In the Blue Mosque there are over 20,000 tiles!!!! We went to another mosque
and then we went to the Grand Bazaar. It really lives up to it's name. I was looking for a Turkish rug money pouch thingy. I got one for 1 lira. I also got some apple tea (tourist tea) that carpet sellers give you while you are looking at their carpets. It's really good. Mama got a new purse. There was one guy whose slogan wasn't the best. When we walked by he asked us, "Do you want to spend some money?" There was a carpet seller who asked us, "Do you want some carpets?" We said we didn't need them and he said, "Let me sell you something you don't need." We laughed. And, that was our trip to the bazaar.
The MUSEUM!!!!!!!
October 26
Today we saw an amazing palace.
It was big and had lots of green space around the buildings in the palace.
We also saw a museum.
We went in and looked around. There was an Egyptian mummy. It was cool. When we got out, I was (to my sorrow) informed that it was the first out of three buildings. Then we went to the second building. At first it was good. We saw some cool sarcophagi. They are fancy coffins made out of stone. There were some really big ones, taller than me!!! After a while I kind of got tired though. It seemed like as soon as we finished one room, another room popped up!!! When we finally finished we got out and there was a bunch of kitties!! They were sooooooooooooooo cute!!! If you threw leaves at them they thought it was food so they pulled it closer and took a nibble and thought, "Yuck!!!"
Today we saw an amazing palace.
It was big and had lots of green space around the buildings in the palace.
We also saw a museum.
We went in and looked around. There was an Egyptian mummy. It was cool. When we got out, I was (to my sorrow) informed that it was the first out of three buildings. Then we went to the second building. At first it was good. We saw some cool sarcophagi. They are fancy coffins made out of stone. There were some really big ones, taller than me!!! After a while I kind of got tired though. It seemed like as soon as we finished one room, another room popped up!!! When we finally finished we got out and there was a bunch of kitties!! They were sooooooooooooooo cute!!! If you threw leaves at them they thought it was food so they pulled it closer and took a nibble and thought, "Yuck!!!"
Tricked!
October 23
Today we got tricked. When we came out of the Aya Sofya (a museum in Istanbul) somebody asked if we wanted to see a bazar where there used to be horse stables. I was interested but Mama and Papa didn't show much interest until he said he could show us how the famous Turkish carpets are made. He said he had a shop where 30 women worked. So we agreed to go with him. We were at the horse stables for about 5 seconds and then he showed us to his carpet shop. While we where talking another guy came. We didn't see the carpet factory he promised only a big sales room. When Mama asked again if we could see the women working he said there were nine women working there, but instead of taking us to them he just tried to sell us carpets. It was then we learned it was a trick because when we asked again he said that "she" not "they" get two days off because "she" not "they" finished a carpet. We think that if we come in two days "she" will be "sick" or something. So we are not going back. Today we also saw the Blue Mosque and 'blue' is the exact right word unless you were thinking 'HUGE!' The pillars
are so big that not even five of me could stretch our arms all the way around.
Today we got tricked. When we came out of the Aya Sofya (a museum in Istanbul) somebody asked if we wanted to see a bazar where there used to be horse stables. I was interested but Mama and Papa didn't show much interest until he said he could show us how the famous Turkish carpets are made. He said he had a shop where 30 women worked. So we agreed to go with him. We were at the horse stables for about 5 seconds and then he showed us to his carpet shop. While we where talking another guy came. We didn't see the carpet factory he promised only a big sales room. When Mama asked again if we could see the women working he said there were nine women working there, but instead of taking us to them he just tried to sell us carpets. It was then we learned it was a trick because when we asked again he said that "she" not "they" get two days off because "she" not "they" finished a carpet. We think that if we come in two days "she" will be "sick" or something. So we are not going back. Today we also saw the Blue Mosque and 'blue' is the exact right word unless you were thinking 'HUGE!' The pillars
are so big that not even five of me could stretch our arms all the way around.
Goreme
October 19
Now we are in Goreme, a town in Cappadocia. Today, Papa and I went on a wonderful walk through Pigeon Valley. This area is full of "fairy chimneys."
There was a volcano that spewed out two different kinds of rock. The hard rock was on top and the soft rock was on the bottom. When the rain comes it goes through the cracks in the hard rock to erode away the soft rock underneath so it looks like a chimney. We climbed through lots of holes in the rock. We met some people gathering sticks for fire. Papa talked to them in French, so I don't know what they were saying. We climbed up and we had a great view of the volcano, but now it is not active.
Matthew
Now we are in Goreme, a town in Cappadocia. Today, Papa and I went on a wonderful walk through Pigeon Valley. This area is full of "fairy chimneys."
There was a volcano that spewed out two different kinds of rock. The hard rock was on top and the soft rock was on the bottom. When the rain comes it goes through the cracks in the hard rock to erode away the soft rock underneath so it looks like a chimney. We climbed through lots of holes in the rock. We met some people gathering sticks for fire. Papa talked to them in French, so I don't know what they were saying. We climbed up and we had a great view of the volcano, but now it is not active.
Matthew
October 8-11
October 8th
Carpet Salesmen We Didn't Buy From
We were walking down the street when Mama stopped to look at a beautiful backgammon board and a guy came out and asked us if we wanted to look at some carpets. They showed us a lot of carpets and pillow cases but most of all they showed us how short their breaths between sentences could be so that we couldn't say something like, sorry we have to go, but finally we got away.
Escape.
Part II
Today we got ushered into a carpet shop and while he was showing us carpets somebody brought in a cup of nice apple tea. We saw a loom that they could've used to do a carpet. Finally, after a while (Turks like to show lots of carpets) we went to look for more carpets.
October 10th
Yesterday we saw some really cool ruins called Ephesus but it's too bad because it was jam packed. The library part was so packed that you could hardly get a picture. When we got out somebody told us that there were ELEVEN cruise ships that were supposed to go to Greece but the harbour in Greece was full so they had to go to Turkey!
October 11th
Today I played checkers with Jonas in our hotel. Jonas won.
Then we went to the bus station to get our bus tickets to Bodrum but the bus was so late because Ramadan was ending soon so we had to get another bus. That bus was packed so we had to go where the extra bus driver sleeps while the other one drives. It was kind of cozy too.
Lily the Carpet Seller
The first time we met Lily was at the hotel. She was going to give us a ride to Ephesus and she asked us if we wanted to look at her carpets. We said sure so when we were done at Ephesus we went to her shop. The way she sells carpets is she shows you a bunch of carpets then you say which ones you like and you keep eliminating until you have one or two carpets left. After we did that she told us the price including shipping. We said we'd think about it but when we were walking away, Mama said "I think we should buy it" so we ate supper then we went to her shop again and we gave her part of the money. I asked her how much much this
2 by 2 foot carpet was but she didn't tell me the price. All she said was, "A little gift." A GIFT! I was in so much shock I couldn't get the words 'Thank you thank you thank you' out. Neither could Mama or Papa, so Jonas had to do that for us!
And we didn't even have to pay shipping. I was very happy.
Matthew
Carpet Salesmen We Didn't Buy From
We were walking down the street when Mama stopped to look at a beautiful backgammon board and a guy came out and asked us if we wanted to look at some carpets. They showed us a lot of carpets and pillow cases but most of all they showed us how short their breaths between sentences could be so that we couldn't say something like, sorry we have to go, but finally we got away.
Escape.
Part II
Today we got ushered into a carpet shop and while he was showing us carpets somebody brought in a cup of nice apple tea. We saw a loom that they could've used to do a carpet. Finally, after a while (Turks like to show lots of carpets) we went to look for more carpets.
October 10th
Yesterday we saw some really cool ruins called Ephesus but it's too bad because it was jam packed. The library part was so packed that you could hardly get a picture. When we got out somebody told us that there were ELEVEN cruise ships that were supposed to go to Greece but the harbour in Greece was full so they had to go to Turkey!
October 11th
Today I played checkers with Jonas in our hotel. Jonas won.
Then we went to the bus station to get our bus tickets to Bodrum but the bus was so late because Ramadan was ending soon so we had to get another bus. That bus was packed so we had to go where the extra bus driver sleeps while the other one drives. It was kind of cozy too.
Lily the Carpet Seller
The first time we met Lily was at the hotel. She was going to give us a ride to Ephesus and she asked us if we wanted to look at her carpets. We said sure so when we were done at Ephesus we went to her shop. The way she sells carpets is she shows you a bunch of carpets then you say which ones you like and you keep eliminating until you have one or two carpets left. After we did that she told us the price including shipping. We said we'd think about it but when we were walking away, Mama said "I think we should buy it" so we ate supper then we went to her shop again and we gave her part of the money. I asked her how much much this
2 by 2 foot carpet was but she didn't tell me the price. All she said was, "A little gift." A GIFT! I was in so much shock I couldn't get the words 'Thank you thank you thank you' out. Neither could Mama or Papa, so Jonas had to do that for us!
And we didn't even have to pay shipping. I was very happy.
Matthew
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