Patmos: the Holy Island

Patmos is a beautiful Aegean island off the coast of Turkey. Although by all means worth a visit in its own right, nowadays the island of Patmos is primarily famous throughout the world because of one of its former residents - St. John the Apostle (St. John the Theologian), who was banished to the island in 95 A.D. from Ephesus and supposedly wrote the last book of the New Testament, the Book of Revelation, in a cave somewhere up the hill of this small rocky Aegean island. Because of this, Patmos is now home to an impressive hilltop monastery and a popular place of holy pilgrimage to Christians. Even secular tourists are drawn in hordes to Patmos in order to visit the holy grotto and the beautiful religious relics and art treasures housed in the museum of the Monastery of St. John the Theologian.

Picturesque Suburbs of Istanbul (Part 5): Bebek

Of all the suburbs on the European side of Istanbul, Bebek is probably my favourite. It is one of the most affluent seaside residential neighbourhoods in all of Istanbul, with beautiful tree-lined streets along the Bosphorus and pretty wooden houses, exclusive villas and modern penthouse apartment with balconies which offer splenid views of the Bosphorus Straits.   

Like all other exclusive leafy suburbs of Istanbul, Bebek is devoid of foreign tourists, but its marina is full of expensive yachts, while its elegant streets are a good place for some serious shopping for fashion-conscious visitors. 

The House Cafe, Bebek: Central European Flaire in the Middle of Istanbul

The House Cafe is a fairly well-known bistro-cafe chain in Istanbul. Aimed at the city's affluent middle-class consumers, the House Cafe has opened up shop in some of the most fashionable shopping malls (e.g. Istinye Park, Canyon Shopping Mall) and exclusive residential districts of Istanbul (Bebek, Etiler, Sisli). 

Prices are not cheap, almost on par with major cities in western Europe, but when compared to similar establishments in other parts of Istanbul or major coastal resort towns such as Antalya, the House Cafe actually offers quite decent fares at comparatively reasonable prices.

One of my favourite House Cafe venues is the one in Bebek, a petite yet elegant leafy suburb of Istanbul. The decor reminds me of those stately fin-de-siecle Kaffeehaeuser in Central Europe, notably Vienna.

Picturesque Suburbs of Istanbul (Part 4): Istinye

The neighbourhood of Istinye is not very well-known amongst foreign visitors, but locals flock to the little waterside village, about 40 minutes by car on the European side of the Bosphorus, for its restaurants and views.

Picturesque Suburbs of Istanbul (Part 3): Rumeli

Most people know about the famous Rumeli Hisari (Rumeli Castle) on the European shore of the Bosphorus, but few have bothered to spend more than just an hour in this scenic little quarter and enjoy the pleasant atmosphere of its traditional waterfront tea gardens and European-style roadside cafes.

Just like in the neighbouring suburb of Arnavutköy, there are also many beautiful Ottman wooden mansions in Rumeli. Rents in this part of Istanbul are certainly not cheap, but the elegant apartments and houses which dotted the hills and slopes overlooking the Bosphorus are among some of the most sought-after real estates in the country.

Picturesque Suburbs of Istanbul (Part 2): Arnavutköy

Arnavutköy, 'Albanian Village' in Turkish, is a small suburb in the European shore of Istanbul, famous for its colourful wooden houses that lined the waterfront of the Bosphorus.

Before the great fire of 1877, Arnavutköy was predominantly inhabited by Jews, followed by ethnic Greeks and Muslims. Nowadays Arnavutköy is a chic district with many up-market fish restaurants and bars frequented by affluent Istanbulites.

Along the open marina that lined the waterfront promenade, one could spend a leisurely afternoon strolling along the Bosphorus and admire the beautiful sceneries along the way.

Picturesque suburbs of Istanbul (Part 1): Beşiktaş

It is a pity that most of the foreign visitors to Istanbul choose to stay within the tourist ghettos in and around Sultanahmet; as a result of which, few of them have actually managed to venture outside of the  Holy Golden Tourist Triangle of  Sultanahmet - Taksim - Eminonu. Being a city that straddles both Europe and Asia and surrounded by water on almost all sides, the city of Istanbul has so much more to offer  in terms of tourist attractions than just oriental bazaars, Ottoman mosques and museums. Both on the European and the Asian shores are plenty of beautiful leafy suburbs, full of tree-lined streets, picturesque marinas with lighthouses, waterfront promenade, 19th century European-style villas, mansions, and grand public buildings, which remain relatively unknown to foreign visitors. Be it Kadikoy and Fenerbahce on the Anatolian side, or Istinye and Bebek on the European side, these marvellous little neighbourhoods of Istanbul, with its diverse architectural, cultural and historical heritage and offering postcard-perfect views of the Bosphorus, are worth at least one full days' visit.  Virtually all of them are easily accessible by bus or boat from downtown Istanbul.  

Hotel Hellenis, Patmos

When I was on Patmos, I stayed at the small en-suite rooms operated by the owners of Hotel Hellenis. The place is right next to the hotel itself, is brand new, clean and has everything one needs for a short stay on the island. The owners are friendly and they also have several self-catering units for rent.

In total there are four apartments, each unit has a double bed, shower/toilet attached, 24 hours hot water, air-conditioning, refrigerator in room, TV, kettle for making tea and coffee, as well as table and chairs for occupants of each unit on the patio outside the rooms. The patio is a common area shared by all occupants.

The whole house is painted in the tradmark Greek white-and-blue colours, with the exception of the chairs.

Colmar: Picturesque Little Village in Alsace

Bordering River Rhine and sandwiched between France and Germany, the historic region of Alsace has had a very turbulent past. During the 19th and the 20th century, Alsace was the region fought over first by Prussia and France during the Franco-Prussian War, followed by Germany and France during the two world wars.

After 1945, Alsace became once more part of France, but the region has maintained its distinctive historical and cultural characteristics. To a large extent, Alsace has the best of both worlds: the region's towns and villages display an orderliness and efficiency usually known to the Teutonic world, yet they still have that inherent sereneness and colourful celebration of life, which are trademarks of French towns and cities.

Colmar, about an hour by train south of the regional capital, Strasbourg, is a picturesque little town with lots of pretty medieval timber-framed houses and countless tourists throughout the year. Most of the visitors are from across the Rhine, as it is an ideal day-trip destination for those who live across the border in Germany.

Kini: Sunset in the Cyclades

The island of Syros has a regular municipal inter-village bus service that connects the main town, Ermoupolis, with the various outlying coastal villages of Syros. Although the network only covers half of the island, it is a good and cheap way for travellers who are short of time to explore the island within a few hours. The bus departs from the municipal bus station near the harbour; one round around half of the island would take about one and a half hour.

There are several villages on Syros, both inland and coastal, which are worth a visit. The owner of the guest house in Ermoupolis recommends Kini, as it is the place, she said, 'with the most impressive sunset on the whole Syros'. 

Darmstadt: Modern City with a Pretty Touch

Although barely 20 minutes by train from Frankfurt am Main, many visitors to Germany simply look past Darmstadt in favour of her more famous neighbours such as Heidelberg. But Darmstadt is a city with lots of attractions, especially the array of pretty 18th century architectures, such as the grand Ducal Palace in the city centre, as well as the visually stimulating Jugendstil buildings in the affluent suburbs, just a short walk away from Darmstadt's city centre.

Darmstadt is well-known in Germany for its excellent technical university, as well as being the centre of high-tech research in the fields of chemical engineering and material sciences. Thanks to the presence of a sizeable student and researcher population, the city has many good cafes where people from difficult areas of study could sit down together and exchange ideas.

Syros: Capital of the Cyclades

Although it is the capital of the Cyclades Islands, the island of Syros is not as widely known as its more illuminous neighbours of Mykonos and Santorini. Most visitors to either Mykonos or Santorini would have passed by Syros on their way to the islands, but few have bothered to spend a few hours on Syros.

Actually Syros is quite a pretty island, and is a good place for shopping and dining. As I was just arriving just from Ikaria, Samos and Patmos, Syros did not impress me at the first sight, but its attraction lies elsewhere. One does not go to Syros to look for quaint villages or pristine beaches or holistic atmosphere, but for night lifes, shopping and going out with friends. Of all the Greek islands I have visited, Syros has some of the most interesting and lively restaurant scenes. Given that Syros is not a big island, the choices available are actually quite bewildering.

Evdilos: Isolated Fishing Village on the 'Red Island'

Ikaria is different from most of the Greek islands I have visited. It is not reliant on tourism at all. In fact, tourists are such a rarity on this island that locals would cast an extra look or two when one appears in the town square of Evdilos, the island's second port.

The island of Ikaria also has an unusual social composition. Once the place where Greek communists were exiled by the Junta government following their defeat in the bloody Greek civil war, the islanders of Ikaria came under the intellectual influence of communist exiles and struck up a close friendship with communism. Even now, the communists could still obtain about 30% of the votes in Ikaria when their national average is less than 3%. Hence Ikaria is known as the 'Red Island' in Greece.

Kokkari: Picturesque Little Village on Samos

Kokkari is my favourite village on the Greek island of Samos. I came across this little village by sheer coincidence. When I visited Samos for the first time a few years ago,the one-day island tour which I participated in stopped at Kokkari for half an hour on the way back from Karlovasi to Samos Town. I spent this half an hour walking around the pretty little harbour of Kokkari, now a haven of beachfront small bars, taverns, restaurants and shops. For some reason, I was impressed by that blissful blend of noise and colours on that hot, sunny June afternoon, and this impression of Kokkari has left its imprint in my mind ever since.

In terms of popularity, Kokkari is a rather 'posh' place amongst the resorts on Samos. There are no high rise package holidays hotels or grand resorts here. Most of the accommodations available are either small, family-run hotels or self-catering apartments. Prices are not cheap in Kokkari, but this seaside village has a unique, intimate atmosphere which makes it all the more special.

Jerash: Ancient Roman City and the Best Preserved Roman Ruins outside of Italy

In addition to Petra, Jordan also has a wealth of other world-class attractions, most notable the Roman ruin of Jerash, and the medieval fortress-castles which scattered around the hills and deserts of northern Jordan.

The best time to visit Jerash is early in the year or from November onwards. The ruins of Jerash is situated right in the centre of modern Jerash. Frequent buses connect Jerash to Amman. Alternatively, all hotels and guest houses in Jordan will be able to offer visitors private tours to Jerash at a reasonable price.

The ruins of Jerash are considered by many as the most extensive and best preserved Roman ruins in the world outside of Rome. In terms of size and scale of the already excavated site, Jerash is probably bigger than Ephesus in Turkey.

In Memory of the 95th Anniversary of ANZAC Day, 2010: Visiting the Gallipoli Battlefields on a Cold, Rainy February Day

                                     "Those heroes that shed their blood 
                                                    And lost their lives. 
                  You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country.                                                      
                                                Therefore rest in peace. 
                        There is no difference between the Johnnies 
                And the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side 
                                               Here in this country of ours. 
                                                     You, the mothers, 
                            Who sent their sons from far away countries 
                                                 Wipe away your tears, 
                                    Your sons are now lying in our bosom 
                                                   And are in peace 
                   After having lost their lives on this land they have 
                                           Become our sons as well."
                
                                                                       Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, 1934

Iznik: the City of Tiles

Iznik is a historical town with lots of medieval mosques and Byzantine monuments. Once called Nicaea, the small town on the shore of Lake Iznik is famous for its glazed porcelain, tiles and china wares. Together with Kutahya, they formed the core of Turkey's tile and porcelain industry. Nowadays, most of the decorative ceramic and glazed tiles production activities have been shifted to Kutahya; only a few independent workshops selling hand-painted Iznik tiles remain in the centre of Iznik. There is a small museum set up by the Iznik Tiles Foundation, near the shore of the Lake of Iznik, dedicated to the preservation and development of the art of tile painting in the area. 
Iznik has had a glorious past. It was one of the most important cities of the Byzantine Empire. It was also an important religious centre, the seat of the First and Second Councils of Nicaea, the birthplace of the Nicene Creed, and a former interim capital of the Byzantine Empire between 1204 and 1261 during the upheaval caused by the Fourth Crusade.

A short trip to Jordan Part 2: The Baptism Site and the Jordan River

In international news headlines, the name 'West Bank' appears at such alarming frequency that one could be forgiven for thinking that the Jordan is a huge and mighty river, much like the legendary Euphrates and Tigris. In fact, this could not have been further away from the truth.

The small muddy stream in the photo above is the internationally renown Jordan River. To the left of the muddy pool of water is the notorious West Bank, currently occupied by Israel. To the right of the river is the East Bank, which lies within Jordan. Hence this small stream also serves as de facto international border between the two states.

It was dry season when I visited the Baptism Site. I was not impressed at all at the first sight. The more I look at it, the more I come to realise that a large part of the Middle East conflict is about  nothing but ideology.

Short Trip to Jordan Part 1: On the Other Side of the Holy Land - Mount Nebo

The trip to Jordan was a last-minute decision. A visit to Petra has long been on the agenda, but I did not rank it as a top priority until I came across a special offer by Turkish Airlines from Istanbul to Amman. 

As I had only 10 day's time to visit the country, I decided to stay in Madaba instead of Amman, to give myself one whole day's time to visit the holy sites and tourist attractions in the East Bank of the Jordan River - Mount Nebo, the Baptism Site, the Mozaic City of Madaba, and the Dead Sea. Every guesthouse in Madaba will be able to provide their guests with convenient day trips to nearby sights. The guesthouse I stayed at in Madaba help me find two other travellers from a nearby hotel to share a car with me, which allowed me to save up quite a bit of money.

 

 

Going up Mount Nebo

This ridge is about 20 minutes away by car from Madaba. According to the Bible, Mount Nebo is the place where Moses was allowed by God to take a look at the Promised Land. It is also the place where it is believed that Moses had been buried. 

Nowadays Mount Nebo is a huge tourist attraction in Jordan, drawing millions of pilgrims and secular visitors like me every year. The place has been declared a Holy Site by Christians, although pilgrims of all faith, including Muslims, flock to the site to pay their respect as well.

There is no official ticket booth on Mount Nebo. Instead some middle-age men sitting near the entrance chat away in the shade while tearing out a ticket from the booklet. Each person pays 1JD (about 1 Euro) for entrance to the Holy Place. it is very cheap when the entrance fee to the fabled lost city down in the south is more than 23 JD for a one-day pass.

Cesme: the Town of Fountain on the Aegean Coast

The word 'Cesme' means 'spring' or 'fountain' in English, and the resort town on the Aegean Sea does indeed have a rejuvenating feel about it. Located on the western most tip of Turkey, just a few miles across the Aegean from the Greek island of Chios, Cesme and the surrounding townships such as Alacati, Ilica and Dalyankoy are famous for their long white sany beaches, beautiful Greek Sakiz-style houses, and wind-surfing facilities.