Gallipoli and Troy

We arrived just in time for the end of Kurban Bayram, which is the Islamic holiday that commemorates how Isaac was nearly sacrificed by Abraham. It is celebrated by sacrificing sheep and other animals that are then given to the poor. We missed the beginning of the holiday (and thankfully the sacrifices), but I'm told in some places the slaughtering actually takes place on the streets.

We decided to celebrate the end of Kurban Bayram by taking a mini vacation to Gallipoli and Troy, which are both about six hours from Istanbul.

Gallipoli is a sort of pilgrimage for Austrailians and New Zealanders and is commemorated every April 25th (ANZAC day). It was definitely the off-season so we were able to have a tour that included only six other people. It is a sobering place, and hard to see so many cemetaries for fighting that didn't really accomplish anything.

Troy was a happier outing, and I really enjoyed the site. I had expected to be underwhelmed by the ruins, but they were actually quite impressive. You need to use your imagination, because there were 9 different "Troys" throughout history and they were built on top of one another, but it is fascinating to think about how long ago people inhabited the site.

Back in Istanbul

I've returned to Istanbul and promised myself to keep a better log of the goings on around here. I had a great time in the US, spending Christmas in Massachussetts and week in Colorado with incredible skiing conditions.



We're in a new aparment now and it is a great little place with brand new appliances and a view of the Galata Tower. We are excited have our visitors in March, April, and June before returning to the states. Anyone else who wants to brave the bird flu is welcome...

On the subject of bird flu, people here (in Istanbul) don't seem too concerned. It is indeed scary, but the instances of the virus have occurred mainly in Eastern Turkey, some 2000 miles from Istanbul. Additionally, no person has contracted the virus by actually eating poultry. There have been 21 cases in a country of 70 million people. Courtney and I do have our Tamiflu just in case...

The most difficult thing about bird flu is the economic implications it has for families in eastern Turkey. Often poultry is the main source of income (and food) for these extremely poor families. Although the government is offering receipts of 5, 10, and 15 Lira (roughly $4, $8, and $12) for chickens, turkeys, and geese, respectively, people don't trust they will receive their money. Also, these animals are often the pets of children making it that much more difficult to give up the birds. Close to one million birds have been culled thus far.