| These last six months in Turkey have definitely been special. We�ve enjoyed so much the Turkish people. We feel so safe and comfortable around them. They are friendly, easygoing, industrious people, with most working long hours. Some even work seven days a week at the height of the tourist season. It is part of their nature to be open, gracious, and helpful. To be in Turkey is to partake in tea, an intrinsic part of the Turkish hospitality. It�s the sign of courtesy. Everywhere we went, we�d see tea boys bringing tea to different businesses. One day we asked how the system worked, as the tea seemed to always magically arrive. Basically, there were buzzers linking a tea room to different shops, and when called the tea boys came. |
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| Wednesday, October 31, we flew from Marmaris to Istanbul. Before departing for home, we enjoyed some more of Istanbul�s sights. Two of the places we visited were Chora Church and the Military Museum. The present Chora Church dated back to the late 11th century. In the Ottoman period, it had been turned into a mosque. Now, it was a museum. The special attraction of this church were its incredible 14th century mosaics. The inlaid pieces were so minute that the pictures looked painted. At the Military Museum, we watched the routine of the Ottoman Mehter Military Band. In Ottoman battles, this band had been used by the sultan as a psychological battle weapon. The band�s purpose was to terrify the enemy while inspiring the troops. As we listened, we could feel profoundly that terrifying fear through the band�s loud war cry. On exhibit inside the museum was a section of the chain used by the Byzantines to block the entrance to the Golden Horn, plus some excellent dioramas depicting the fall of Constantinople in 1453. |
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| Friday, November 2, we departed Istanbul for home. Our plan is to return to Turkey on March 10. We will be living in an apartment for about six weeks while we replace our fuel tank and work on the boat�s bottom. This coming cruising season we will depart the Mediterranean, arriving in the Canary Islands in September and either Brazil or Barbados in January. |
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