Turkiye

Sorry it been almost a month since I have been back and I haven't said one word about my AWESOME trip. I blame that on being pregnant I have been feeling awful. Well the Turkiye went way over my expectations. I got to stand in some old places where lots of important people stood. Like the great Julius Caesar boast in Turkey "Veni. Vidi. Vici." (I came. I saw. I conquered.) We saw the city of Troy and I got in a wooden horse. We saw the great city of Ephesus, well what's left of it. Where the great Apostle Paul preached to the people. We saw Didyma, Pergamon, Cappadocia and these cool churches in these caves, you wouldn't believe it. We went into the underground cities where the first Christians lived to get away from the Romans. Magical Pamukkale which is limestone hot springs and they are white like our snowy peeks. We drove on the silk road where Marco Polo traveled. We saw Istanbul by road and water. Istanbul is a cool place very old. They have the grand Bazaar which is a labyrinth of shops that only men work in. They would call out to you "hey pretty lady come in for some tea and buy a rug from me, we have scarves for your mother-in or if you like we have poison." We saw the Blue Mosque and learned a lot about the Muslim faith. Did you know they believe in the bible and try to be good people. Nothing like you see on TV or in the news. Those extremist Muslims are crazy, thank goodness I didn't meet any of those kind. We went to the great Hagia Sophia all I can say is wow that was big. We went to an underground cistern where they keep fresh water and put Medusa's head upside down in. We went to the Topkapi Palace where the Ottoman empire ruled for a long time and now its a museum for old cool and very shinny things from the sultans' time, like a 86-carat diamond. My Mom and I saw a lot of cool things I am so glad I went and I would love to go back some day when my boys are grown. I to feel like Caesar I came and I saw and in my own way I conquered. This isn't much of a post for my 12 day trip but it has to do for now if you would like to read more, my mom has blogged it day by day on travelpansies.blogspot.com but here are some pictures.