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| Thursday, 8-Jul-2010 08:12 |
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...Turkey's delights...6 - Denizli / Pamukkale
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view from our room
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...dead family members would be placed on d shelves
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...part of Hierapolis drainage system
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We ceq-in into a family-run hotel in Pamukkale yesterday evening...n there r many such hotels near-by catering to d tourists wanting to see d famous hot spring. This white hot spring terrace can usually found on Turkey's tourist guide/brochure n claimed to have healing properties. Our itinerary today is to have a tour of another Greek-Roman ancient city of Hierapolis, experience d hot springs n later on make our way to Cappadocia.
this is our base while in Pamukkale: Koray Hotel...it is even equipped with a pool but didn't see anybody using it...too busy ronda2 elsewhere kott
n this is our 'Turkish' breakfast...very healthy ehh...no nasi lemak/roti canai/teh tarik!!
our tour starts with a visit to this hot spring [forgot d actual name of d place]...d Brazilian guy above is one members of our tour group...must be very a good footballer gamaknye...
next stop is Hierapolis, believed to be established close to the 4th century BC, currently a World Heritage Site and popular tourist destination. In addition to interesting classical ruins, the site offers a thermal 'Sacred Pool' in which visitors can swim with ancient artifacts, n a view of the spectacular white terraces of Pamukkale.
n how did we explore this ancient city...what else......with a walk of about a few kilometres...n in hot sun I like to add. I think if we do this on a daily basis we can qualify to run in Boston marathon. BTW...d dude in d cowboy hat is Suleyman, our tour guide. He proudly told us that he was raised in Canada n was introduced to drinking beer since in his early teen..hhmm
as we were coming from d west of d city, we encountered d necropolis 1st...basically d place for d deads...in another word...kubur. D above is one example of a kubur for a family. N interestingly in those days...occupying d kubur is on lease-basis...with those unable or can't afford to continue d lease would be relocated elsewhere.
after d necropolis, we stopped by for a breather @ this gate...probably used previously as a security ceq-point or for toll/tax collection
as in other ancient Greek-Roman cities, d road is made of marble n in some areas u can see deep marks/scars carved by d wheels of d many carriages that used to ply d route
n of course it has its own theatre...n read somewhere that it could even catered to a water-based events as its staging area can be flooded with H2O.
BTW...there were quite a few 'model-looking' photo-shoots while we were there...probably from Eastern Europe
some views of d Pamukkale white-terrace hot springs...
after d end of our hike...we had our lunch...n later on visited this onyx factory...where they shaped d natural green stones into various contraptions.
n in d evening we were on d road again...this time on an over-nite bus...with Cappadocia as our next destination.
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| Wednesday, 7-Jul-2010 12:00 |
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...Turkey's delights...5 - Izmir / Ephesus / Seljuk
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this 2-snakes design...now used as a medical symbol
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in front of Library of Celsus
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Isabey Masjid...but beers can be bought right outside it
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D tour that we hopped on will take us to visit some of d western as well as d central parts of Turkey. It is a tailor-made 5-day tour that will take us on a flight from Istanbul [1] to Izmir [2], then a bus to Denizli [3], followed by an overnite bus to Cappadocia [4] and finally a flight back to Istanbul. Interestingly d buses used in transporting us between d cities are normal public transportation bus...n not a tour bus. Our tour started early today @ 5.15am with a transfer service from Nippon Hotel to d airport
this is Izmir, our 1st stop after our flight from Istanbul...a nice town situated right next to d Aegean Sea...but no time to frolicking on d beach as we have a full day ahead of us to visit a number of historical attractions...
we 1st headed to d House of Virgin Mary [Maryam] located in a nature park between Ephesus and Seljuk...believed to be the last residence of the Virgin Mary. A Christian shrine can be found attached to d house n this is considered as a sacred site for them.
U can see d 'prayer wall' behind us on the way to the House of the Virgin...basically they write down their doa on a white paper n stick it onto d wall
d house is located @ d top of a hill n on d way there a statute has been erected...probably as another tourist attractions...or for a foto op
our next stop is d ancient Greeks/Roman city of Ephesus established in 3rd/4th century. As u can see...there r many many tourists on site so u really need to manoeuvre nimbly between d bodies. We r on d former Main Street of d city n in d olde days they must be lots of businesses operating along d road...kalau ada kedai mamak kan best!! BTW...d streets r made of marble as this material can be found in abundance locally n it is long-lasting.
another advanced feature of d city was d availability of d proper drainage n sewer system. D above is a common public toilet...where businessmen, politicians n whats not would discuss contemporary issues and gossips while buang air...hhmm...must be one smelly meeting...huhu
one of d main features of Ephesus is d facade of the Library of Celsus...this could be an example of ancient green building as it faces east so the reading rooms receive the morning light
in addition, they also some sort of planning guidelines...as each city must have a theatre that can accommodate at least 10% of d city's population...n d one above served d people of Ephesus
it was quite a walk from one end of d city to another...penat gak la n must be lots of calories burned. Anyway, as in any well-known tourist attractions world wide, u can also find d above right after exiting d ancient city of Ephesus. But...at least they r thinking green by using low-energy bulbs...hihi
after a lunch break @ a local restaurant [included in d tour package...yey!!], we went to visit Artemis temple next...but most parts of d building has been destroyed in one of d wars many centuries ago...n now only 1 column left intact [in d background]
then we visited a silk carpet factory...with a demo by a local girl on how to weave d carpet...
...n later to a pottery factory...everything was hand-made...including individually painting each piece of d pottery
our final stop on d tour was d Isabey Masjid.. a beautiful example of Seljuk Turkish architecture in an atmospheric location n oldest known example of a Turkish masjid with a courtyard. D masjid was built in 1375 at the direction of the Emir of Aydin with columns and stones from the ruins of the city of Ephesus and the Temple of Artemis were incorporated into the building...talk about recycle!! D lady in red was our guide, Gonja, who was quite lively n has done her homework well on facts of d sites we visited
n d dewan solat of d masjid...u may notice that d top of d columns r of different designs as they were recycled from elsewhere. Afterwards both of us were taken to a bus station for our onward journey onto Denizli. Unfortunately d bus was air-condless n only small top windows r openable...paneh den.
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| Tuesday, 6-Jul-2010 12:00 |
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...Turkey's delights...4
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would u believe that is is a tanah perkuburan...
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3D scanning by some local uni students
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Since d bazaar that we visited yesterday was very grand...we decided to have another round ronda-ing d site today. Additionally, we also managed to make a reservation to tour other sites within Turkey at a very attractive price involving 2 domestic flights from tomorrow. How? Our advice is for those interested to try n avoid travel agents on d main n busy streets n go to those slightly hidden from major thoroughfares.
...Turkish pretzels?
d bazaar...plenty of people as usual
n d nyopping goes on...d carpet guy below is d one married to a Malaysian mentioned before
info aplenty about d significance of d place historically
n we also paid a visit to d antique corner...tapi tak beli ape2 pun...
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| Monday, 5-Jul-2010 12:00 |
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...Turkey's delights...3
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...a very laid-back conference it seems
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...presentation time
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Our Istanbul adventure continued after d paper presentations were done n over with. Our main agenda today is to visit d Grand Bazaar or known locally as Kapalı Çarşı, which is translated to 'Covered Market'. For this trip we were joined by additonal delegates from d UM team...with me as d 'unofficial' guide
this is one of d entrances for d Grand Bazaar...n how grand is d bazaar...well, some claims that there r as many as 4000 shops within it. BTW...took d above when it was closing time...that is why d door was not wide open.
a seen above, there r variety of wares on offer n some of them were zoned together...such as jewelery zone, antique zone, etc.
this shop needs special mention...did u notice d Malaysian flag behind d display glass. It turned out that d owner of d business is married to a Malaysian lady n his mom-in-law is a lecturer in IIUM Kuantan...hhmm
n FYI d bazaar closed at 7pm...yeahh...quite early hah...but fret not...there r many other things to see in d surrounding area...
...including Istanbul Universitesi
n of course...it is alfresco chow time near d bazaar before we headed home to Taksim
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| Sunday, 4-Jul-2010 12:00 |
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...Turkey's delights...2
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d opening ceremony
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in front of Galatasaray
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@ Masjid Sultan Ahmet I
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D conference proper starts today with d opening ceremony being held @ Harbiye Muhsin Ertuğrul Stage, a theatre reachable after a walk of about 10 minutes from ITU n next to Hilton. Upon entering d hall, heard my name being called n it turned out to be Syafiee, a colleague of mine currently studying in Cardiff who is also a participant. Later, after a brief pit stop @ Nippon Hotel, we continue to further explore Istanbul.
Foto op in front of d Stage
some of d participants @ d opening...there's Syafiee
While checking into our hotel yesterday, we noticed that a production was being shot near by...n it continues today...with some fast action sequences
...later...@ Taksim Square while on d way to ronda2 in other parts of Istanbul
this is another example of Istanbul's excellent public transportation system...a heritage tram ride @ Taksim Square
view outside d tram's window while traveling along Istiklal Street n its many outlets n people
next we took d funicular underground train to go downhill...
...in order to get to d main tram line connecting to Istanbul on d Asian continent side
n how did we pay for all these rides....simple...u just need to buy d relevant jeton [token] available at each stop of d tram
our 1st destination was Masjid Sultan Ahmet I (Sultan Ahmet Camii)...or also called as the Blue Mosque. Here we r @ d park surrounding d masjid...n looks like manual power is still in high demand here...
some views of d masjid...
it was Asr when we arrived there...so I took d opportunity to solat along with d other jemaah there. This is d interior of d masjid near its mihrab...n u can see how it got its 'Blue Masjid' name
next we spent some time @ a bazaar near d masjid...n it is not uncommon for d traders to offer u mint tea while u r rummaging thru d wares on display
not far from d Blue Masjid, u can find Hagia Sophia...currently a museum.
on d way back...we took another funicular train route to go uphill to Taksim...
n here we r back to d familiar scenes of Taksim...exciting after experiencing some of what Istanbul is offering...n at d same time tired n ready for a good nite rest...til tmrw then
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| Saturday, 3-Jul-2010 12:00 |
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...Turkey's delights...1
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dah register dah...
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...outside Istanbul Technical University
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We landed safely in Istanbul this morning, alhamdullillah. We are here to participate in European Network for Housing Research (ENHR) 2010 22nd Conference ...with the theme of Urban Dynamics & Housing Change. As the venue of d conference is at Istanbul Technical University's Faculty of Architecture in Taksim part of the city, we decided to stay within walking distance of d uni. Taksim is actually a 'slightly' posh area of Istanbul on its European side...so d cost of d hotel is quite high. For d 1st day, we just ceq-in, register at d conference venue [a 20-minute walk] n tried to ronda2 to Topkapi Palace...but ended up in Topkapi cemetary...huhu
here we r...@ Ataturk Airport...after a MAS flight from KLIA
took a van from d airport to our hotel...actually u need to haggle d price of d van n it is pricier if u go to d 'official' counter. We were joined by a group of Korean girls, stopping in Istanbul for just 1 day, b4 going off to Brazil for a year...in order to learn Portuguese...tabik spring kat bebudak ni
waiting for d conference registration counter to open @ d uni...n accompanied by a Turkish cat
d uni is quite old...but still usable n looks structurally strong
while walking to d uni we noticed d word Topkapi on d bus...n decided to hop on one. BTW, public transport is very much in use here...with various type of rides available...
...including this long bus...using d bus lane along d hiway
...n it turned out that we were in Topkapi cemetery area...with d above wall-city is located nearby
headed back to hotel later n decided to dine al fresco not far from our hotel
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| Tuesday, 29-Jun-2010 12:00 |
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...a few fathers n a Focus
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fathers in Selangor...
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...n fathers in KL
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Recently we celebrated Fathers Day twice...one in Kg Kubu Gajah n another in downtown KL. While today I accompanied Chemi to test drive a Ford...a diesel Focus to be exact. So, how was d drive. It was quite fun...travelling on d newly-completed LKSA hiway. But after seeing d Fiesta not too long ago, me think that Chemi is more Fiesta inclined...
19th June...somewhere in Kg BaKubu Gajah...
n on 20th June, we went downtown...here we r looking for some tudung for Awateef
aduhh yaa ampunn...kepala lu sakittt
n later meet up with d rest @ Insaf...another round of Fathers Day celebration
so...we've been fotoing in many many cities in d seantero dunia...n now its KL's turn...hihi.
today...went for a pit stop in S3 after a spin in d Focus...quite torquee this one
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| Monday, 14-Jun-2010 12:00 |
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...onwards to d land of hornbills...plus Cat too
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we travelled as far as Santubong
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old DUN...
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... n d new one in d background
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Landed in Kuching yerterday morning after an early flight from LCCT. This trip was a part of our dept's activities in monitoring students undergoing their practical training...as well as to be in touch with those in d industry. Met up with Hanif n Azizi upon landing in d ct of the Cat and our 'ride' was at our disposal...courtesy of Hanif's aunty. Thanks guys...
We stayed in Grand Magherita...n since our room is not ready, we lepak at d lobby 1st
n of course there many many things to see, touch n smell in Kuching...
today...conducted d official visit to d Planning Branch...n learnt about how things r done differently here as compared to Semenanjung
n afterward...we continue to explore various pockets of Kuching
later in d afternoon...prior to boarding our flight...Hanif took us to an 'ais kacang' pit stop. Thanks to both Hanif n Azizi for a great hospitality...
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| Sunday, 6-Jun-2010 12:00 |
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...a wedding in Kepong
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Made a dash to Kepong today for a wedding kenduri @ Bang Cik/Kak Cik's place. It is d wedding of Sofia...whose husband hails from Kelantan. Semoga dipanjangkan jodoh n dimurahkan rezki, insyaAllah.
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| Saturday, 22-May-2010 12:00 |
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...Awateef's journey...Gopeng...PJ...Nilai
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saying final good-bye to friend n teacher
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new home...Nilai...b4 shifting to Gombak later, insyaAllah
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Alhamdulliah Awateef got accepted into IIUM's CFS recently n as a preparation for her enrolment, we brought her out from her PLKN stint in Gopeng last Monday, 22/5/2010.
n today is d registration day for her programme in CFS PJ campus. They'll be here for ta'aruf til d end of d week...when they'll ship out to CFS Nilai
here we r in front of good 'ole Al Malik Faisal Hall...with Awateef's schoolmate from S7, Diyanah. While there I met many familiar faces, including Uteh n family, Jamal n his entourage...n Tok Wae from my USA days as well...long time no see
I got d above foto from Tok Wae's blog...wah dah pangkat besar rupenye kawan we all tu...he is a 'Major' n quite active in Askar Wataniah!! Tabik spriinngg to u Tok Wae.
Anyway...to our dear Awateef...study smart...take d opportunities n rezki that He has granted...n make us proud. U'll do alright, insyaAllah.
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