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DAY 1
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20.04.2000
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| Afternoon departure from Melbourne at 15:40 hours with Malaysian Airlines. | ||
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DAY 2
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21.04.2000
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| Early morning arrival in Istanbul at 0740 hours. Transfer
to hotel. Breakfast at hotel, and rest of morning free to rest and settle
in. Afternoon cruise on the Bosporus, for some panoramic views of the city.
visit to the look-out at Camlica Gardens. Dinner at the hotel. Orientation
by Henk after dinner Overnight: Istanbul |
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DAY 3
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22.04.2000
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| Well before Ottoman times, Istanbul was for over a thousand
years the centre of the Christian Orthodox Church, and a serious rival to
Rome as centre of the Christian universe. The church at Chora, now a museum,
which we will visit in the morning, has some of the most impressive mosaics
to be found anywhere in the Christian world. The series of New Testament
scenes is truly outstanding. The afternoon will be spent in less lofty surroundings.
We will explore the throbbing life of the Grand Bazaar and of the Egyptian
Spice Market. Overnight: Istanbul |
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DAY 4
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23.04.2000
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| Full day walking tour of the district of Sultanahmet, the
traditional quarter of Istanbul. The visit will start at the old Roman Hippodrome,
with its obelisk and the twisted column. The highlights of the morning will
follow, a visit to the Aya Sophia, once the greatest building of Christendom,
and the Blue Mosque of Su~ltanahmet, with its six minarets. The afternoon
will be spent in the Topkapi complex, seat of the famous harem, from where
the sultans once ruled the Ottoman world. The museum will bring us face
to face with some of the most impressive relics of the Muslim world, including
a number of artifacts associated with the Prophet Muhammad himself. Overnight: Istanbul |
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DAY 5
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24.04.2000
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| Departure from Istanbul by coach. We will travel along the
sea of Marmara to Gallipoli. The peninsula where the Australian nation gained
its maturity boasts a number of famous sites which have entered Australian
folklore: Anzac Beach, the trenches, the Lone Pine Cemetery, the military
museum. We will spend the afternoon visiting them, so that tomorrow we can
concentrate on the Anzac Day ceremony. We cross the Dardanelles by ferry
to make our way to Assos. Overnight: Assos |
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DAY 6
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25.04.2000
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| ANZAC Day. This will be a very long day packed with interest. We leave the hotel very early, cross the Dardanelles again, and attend the official Wreath Laying Service at Lone Pine will take place at 11 a.m. The service will be concluded about midday when we will leave the Peninsula. After again crossing the Dardanelles, we will visit the major archaeological site of Troy, famous for Helen of Troy and the wooden horse. Overnight: Assos | ||
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DAY 7
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26.04.2000
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| It is now time to go south along the Aegean coast of Turkey,
with visits to some major sites along the way. Not far from Assos is Bergama,
or Pergamon: the medical centre of the ancient Greek world, stunningly situated
on a hill overlooking the sea. The theatre and temple at Pergamon offer
wide views over the Aegean coast. A little further along, we will walk the
corridors of the Aesclepion, where in ancient times the sick were expected
to be cured by meditating in its ancient vaults. Overnight: Kusadasi |
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DAY 8
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27.04.2000
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| Kusadasi brings us close to the ancient world, but to the
earliest Christian times as well. We will visit the charming town of Selcuk,
with the shrine of the Virgin Mary. Legend tells us that John the apostle
and Luke the Evangelist brought the Virgin Mary to this spot, and this is
where she died. We will also call into the Seljuk Museum, whose exhibits
include the famous Artemis with the multiple breasts, goddess of fertility,
to which the whole region was dedicated in ancient times. Our tour along
the coast will then continue southward to the city of Ephesus, marvel of
the Ancient World, where our walk will include visits to the Library, the
Roman baths, the theatre, and Arcadian Way. Overnight: Kusadasi |
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DAY 9
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28.04.2000
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| Today's tour will bring us to Miletus, situated on a peninsula
jutting out into the Aegean Sea, with its ancient theatre. Some 20 kilometres
further offers us Didyma, once the proud site of the enormous temple to
Apollo. The courtyard still gives a good idea of the size of the complex,
whilst the two columns which are still intact are gigantic. Also look out
for the carved head of the Medusa, the mythological monster who had snakes
instead of hair, and who had the power to turn to stone anyone who looked
at her. Overnight; Kusadasi |
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DAY 10
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29.04.2000
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| We will leave Kusadasi to go inland for the first time, through
the valley to Pamukkale, well known and popular since ancient times for
its natural hot sulphur springs. This is the region where in ancient time
the cult of Aphrodite was so strong. For most of the way we will follow
the Meander River, detouring into the country to visit Aphrodisias, arguably
the prettiest ancient Greek site in Turkey. Its vast hippodrome, still in
excellent condition, is one of the wonders of the ancient world. Overnight: Pamukkale |
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DAY 11
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30.04.2000
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| We will make the short trip to the vast necropolis at Hierapolis,
and will also spend some time around the salt pans for which the region
is so famous. But this will be a day of relaxation, with plenty of time
to take the waters in the pools in the hotel at Pamukkale. Overnight: Pamukkale |
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