Field Report
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Circumnavigation of the Black Sea September 4 - 18, 2013 Thursday & Friday, September 5 & 6, 2013 Istanbul, Turkey / Embark Island Sky Welcome to Istanbul! On arrival at the historic Pera Palace Hotel, some of us opted to unwind in the luxury of this newly renovated landmark. Others chose to relax at a nearby hamman, the ultimate Turkish bath experience, or to set out to explore the city. In the eve- ning we gathered to meet our fellow travelers, some arriving from a pre-extension to Cappadocia in central Turkey, and our expedition staff over welcome cocktails. During our elegant welcome dinner, Expedition Leader, Lia Oprea, introduced Cruise Director Lynda Murphy and the rest of the expedition team. With a day of travel behind us and a full day tomorrow, most of us turned in early. The next morning, we visited the Topkapi Palace complex, built in 1459. We arrived as it opened to take advantage of the morning peace, light, and birds. The latter did not disappoint with rose-ringed parakeets squawking and swirling around. We set off to explore the stunning jewels of the Treasury and the museums of sacred objects, regal garments, and the royal portrait gallery. After a banquet of manmade beauty, lunch on the palace grounds, overlooking the sparkling Bosporus was the perfect break. In the afternoon, some of us chose to visit the city’s most famous icon, the former church and mosque, Aya Sofya. Nearby, we ventured to the 17th-century Blue Mosque, with its eponymous predominant- ly blue interior tiles and six graceful minarets. Those of us seeking smaller jewels made our way to the Chora Church, gorgeous with both frescoes and mosaics dating to 1312. The Rüstem Paşa Mosque is another hidden gem in the busy Tahtakale District, as is the nearby Spice Bazaar. This market is a riot of scents and colors including tastes of lokum, better known to us as Turkish Delight, hazelnuts, freshly grilled ears of corn, and roasted chest- nuts. We soon crossed back over the Golden Horn to make our way to the port of Karaköy to board the Island Sky. After enjoying refresh- ments, we gathered on deck to watch our transit through the Bospo- rus, as the sun set and the shore sparked alive with lights. Saturday, September 7 Bartin / Amasra Docking in the largely military port of Bartin afforded an opportunity to view the country- side, as we headed inland before returning to the small coastal city of Amasra. Those of us who elected to hike to the end of town and climb a small headland for scenic views of Rabbit Island, the coastline, and the open sea, passed under gateways and over bridges where fragments of previous Greek, Roman, and Byzantine occupations were in evidence. A few of us were lucky enough to spot dol- phins far below, while flocks of alpine swifts – among the world’s fastest-flying birds – zoomed by. Some brave souls took a brisk dip while others settled for watching fishermen or joined Lia and Lynda at a local restaurant to sample cheese bread with sweet cherry sauce and to people-watch. All too soon it was time to return to the ship for a sunny lunch on deck and to weigh anchor for our next port of call. In the afternoon we were able to attend our first presentation by our historian, Roger Crowley, entitled The Greeks in the Black Sea: Three Thousand Years of History. After tea we joined Ron Wixman, our political geographer, for his lively presentation, The Ottomans. Sunset found us meeting our captain, Håkon Gustafsson, and his officers at the captain’s welcome cocktail party followed by an exceptional dinner. Afterwards some of us enjoyed the piano music of Diego Lacre while others drifted off to bed as we steamed through the night. Sunday, September 8 Samsun / Amasya Another glorious day greeted us as we came alongside in the industrial city of Samsun. From here we drove inland to the picturesque city of Amasya, birthplace of Strabo and site of Caesar’s famous “Veni, vidi vici,” proclamation. On the more modern southern side, we visited the Beyazit Paşa Camil mosque complex and the Amasya Archaeological Museum before winding through the streets to the riverwalk for panoramic views of the northern side with rows of black-trimmed white houses and wooden waterwheels lazily turning in the river. Above, the rock cut tombs of the Pontic Kings, now empty, studded the cliff face. The energetic among our number climbed to the tombs, made even more dramatic by the eerie descending trills of the rock nuthatches that clambered over the rocky cliffs, and the harsh squawks of red-billed choughs chasing each other far overhead. The rest of us were able to experience home life for the well-to-do at the Hazeranlar Konaği Mansion Ethnographic Museum before a ‘shopportunity’ at a women’s cooperative specializing in local silver jewelry. Lunch was an absolute feast at the open-air Ali Kaya Restaurant overlooking the town and river. The long clay barbecue ovens with spits of various meats and vegetables hanging on a rod running its length drew us, cameras in hand, into the kitchen area. After lunch there was a chance to peruse a variety of local rugs and mats laid out for our viewing before we had to wend our way down from the hills to our floating home. At teatime the Hotel Department had set up a waffles and ice cream treat onboard as we set sail for our final port in Turkey. We then joined our architectural historian, Allan Langdale, for his presentation, Sailing Through Byzantium: Empires, Monasteries, and Icons. Monday, September 9 Trabzon / Sumela Monastery We were greeted this morning by a troupe of dancers and musicians on the quay when we came alongside. The infectious music lured both guests and Ron, who was once a professional folkdancer, to join the fun. Then it was time to head into the interior to visit the iconic Sumela Monastery clinging to the face of Karadag Mountain overlooking the Altindere Valley. The climb to the complex was well worth the stairs as it is more extensive than it appears from the exterior and is liberally covered with paintings on the walls and ceilings of the chapels. A few of us walked the hairpin path to the base of the mountain through a beautiful forest of fir, chestnut, and beech, and the birders were rewarded with fine views of Eurasian jays, blue tits, European robins, and other birds of these lush mountains. Others opted for vans but we all met up for a snack of molten cheese, bread, and tea. Returning to the ship for lunch, we set off in the afternoon to explore Trabzon. Of particular interest was Aya Sofya which was built in the 13th century as a church, then converted to a mosque. While some of the frescoes were covered, most were still evident; of even more interest was the graffiti—a sailors’ church for centuries, there are images of ships inside and out, scratched into plaster, including into some of the religious art. After last minute shopping or a brisk walk around the town, we returned to the Island Sky and departed for Georgia. We joined Susan Langley, our mari- time archaeologist, for her presentation, Maritime Archaeology of the Marmara and Black Seas. Most of us couldn’t resist another dinner under the stars but nearly everyone turned in early after a day of fresh air in the mountains. Tuesday, September 10 Batumi, Georgia Although a Greek trading colony in the second century, Batumi remained a small fishing village until it was industrialized in the 19th century. Now independent, the town is becoming a fash- ionable vacation destination as well as a com- mercial center. We first visited the two-story farmers’ market where our presence brought out curiosity and puzzlement as everyone wanted to communicate with us and every purchase was a source of delight. We followed this with a more placid venue as we strolled through the extensive and diverse Batumi Botanical Gardens situated on a promontory rising directly from the Black Sea and providing some breathtaking vistas. We were very grateful for the appetites we had worked up when we arrived at Megru Lazuri for a lunch that could only be called a feast. This was followed by an astounding performance by the world class Ajara Dance Troupe. These young people flew across the floor and were clearly enjoying themselves as much as we enjoyed watching them. After lunch, we continued south to the Gonio-Apsarus Fortress, one of the finest surviving examples of Roman-Byzantine military architecture. Its history is well documented in the small museum in the center of the ruins. Returning to central Batumi, there was ample time to stroll the parks and waterfront, explore the picturesque streets, and satisfy both shutterbugs and shoppers. Back on board we joined John Dobson, our MIT historian for his presentation, The Road to Yalta, 1939-1945, as we bade fare- well to Georgia and turned toward Russia. Wednesday, September 11 Sochi, Russia Although currently best known as the venue for the upcoming Winter Olympics, Sochi has been a Russian tourist destination since the 19th century. Its subtropical climate earned it the soubriquet of the Russian Riviera, and it still boasts numerous sanatoria (therapeutic hotels) and rest houses, as well as modern high-end hotels and private dachas. This morning, some of us opted for a three-hour hike through a relict forest, a highlight of the trip for the birders and nature-lovers.