In Istanbul

We left Boston without any problems and arrived in Istanbul where we took a taxi to Kabatas to take the ferry to Halki = Heybelida in Turkish = one of the Princes Islands. What a difference 30 years make ... When folks used to take this ferry to the islands they were mostly Greek, Armenians, Jews, and a rich Turks who had homes here. All the languages were vividly spoken ... to my surprise ... we heard a few Greek voices and were stunned ... the Greeks were well dressed and my mom asked them where they were going .... You are not going to believe this ... but our Patriarch ... Bartholomew was going to be in the same island to commemorate the 150 years of St. Nicholas. So we got home .... and tired or not ... one does not miss the opportunity to be blessed by the Patriarch ... our Patriarch is sort of like the Catholic Pope ... I of think of him as one amongst equals lets say the top archbishop. What just happened in Turkey just a couple weeks ago is that a Turkish court said that he can not keep the title Ecumenical Patriarch ... which makes him the patriarch ... the leader of all Orthodox Christians ... and instead he is the archbishop of Constantinople ... the leader of 1500 Greek Orthodox Christians .... as opposed to millions and millions or Orthodox Christians around the world... why they did this .... I do not know... but again politics is at play here... I read in one Greek newspaper that the foreign minister met with the Pope in the Vatican right after this. Proudly I say that the foreign minister ... our Condi Rice ... is a woman who was the mayor of Athens during the Olympics .... anyway I digress ...

so I put on a skirt and a nice shirt and off we went to the church. I failed to say that we had all this luggage with us and we had forgotten where the apt. was .... and did I mention that there are a lot of uphills here .. anyway ... we went to the short service ...I video taped and took pictures of our Patriach and then was blessed by him .... the church is quaint and gorgeous. there are more churches on these islands than mosques although how many Greeks are here to take care of them...

After the service we went by the seaside and enjoyed a delicious dinner of fried mussels with skorthalia (garlic sauce), kefta kabobs, ayran (my favorite yogurt drink) and a delicious salad.

I was in pain ... and took one muscle relaxant .... I still have a few left from my accident and slept till 1 p.m. the next day .... we were all very very tired.

We decided to go to the biggest island ... Pringipo in Greek Buyukada in Turkish. I have not mentioned that on these islands there are no cars except for police and gov't cars ... so people rely on their feet, bikes, and horse carriages which can be expensive.... so we knew where we were going and we went to the half way point where we took what seemed like the longest mile ever uphill to climb to St. George's monastery. Many many people climb up this hill as a tama in Greek ... like if you are really sick you go make the trip so you can heal... we went up and the view from the top is phenomenal .... we went inside ... and my mom was able to get some agiasma ... blessed water ... even though the boy that was helping said that it was under construction... we met a young Greek couple there so that was fun ... but a lot of Turks make this trip as well....they truly believe in the healing powers of St. George. The Turkish flag was flying right there on top of the church ....

We ate there at the small restaurant and the view is unbelievable .... you can see across the sea of Marmara to Istanbul .... we then went down hill ... which was a bit tricky as well....the road is cobble stone .... but my mom said that when they used to climb it was a dirt road with stones and that made it even harder. I think this may be the last time my mom and dad climbed the hill... so we got down and then on the opposite hill sits the orphanage where my dad spent at least five years. He wanted to climb up .... but my mom got in the middle and hired another horse carriage .... for 30 liras .... about 24 dollars ... but it was worth it because I am not sure that we could have made it.... another long hill... the orphanage was and still is the biggest and tallest wooden structure in Europe ....except now it is falling apart. we saw sheep and a few dogs there and a couple of Turkish folks live there....my dad told them that he lived there ...but they did not offer for him to come in....

the story goes.... my grandfather was taken in 1941 to work in some hard labor camp.... a rich Greek man paid some cash and my grandfather along with many many Greeks were let go.... except that my granfather Ignatios was sick with typhus.... so he dies and in 23 days his wife Evangelia dies .... so my father's grandmother on his mom's side now has to take care of my dad who is 7 and his brother who is 2... so my dad ends up in the orphanage and around the time he gets out my uncle goes... my dad's grandma Triantafilia was a strong strong lady.... she had a little grocery store and she would go to visit my dad often with his brother...how she went up those hills with my uncle, a few toys is beyond my comprehension...

The orphanage was built by the French in the 1899 and then was bought by the church here....in 1964 the government took over and it has been falling apart since then.... funny thing...we bought a little pamplet on the islands and it does not mention that it was a Greek Orthodox Orphanage....things that make you hmmmm...

On the other side is the monastery of Christos.... my mom spent many summers there ... she started working quite young and the church had a camp there for girls who worked ... she met some of her closest friends there .... it was fun to hear how much fun they had.... going to the beach....doing the work that needed to be done....cooking, etc...then they had to go down the hill to go to the beach .... and how they came back up .... God bless them....

So a good time was had by all ... it was fun remembering the good times they each shared before they knew each other....

We took the boat home and as if we did not have enough fun .... we could not open the door.... I made the mistake of double locking the door and it was stuck...in a Seinfeld type of episode...9:30 on Sunday night.... we need a key person....I am forgetting my English....believe it or not...my mom finds the only one on the island and he comes...charges us 80 liras.....about 60 bucks....the most money he has make in the week .... but we get in and try to rest....

July 22
We decide to go to town to figure out what we are doing for the next few days....to keep this short we are flying to Trabzon where we are looking forward in visiting the monastery of Panagia Sumela on Wednesday.... we will then along the Black Sea and then get back by air from Samsun....on Monday afternoon...come back here for a night and then we are going to take the overnight bus to Goreme to see Cappadokia....

On the way back we stopped at the first island....Proti in Greek, Kinaliada in Turkish and took a well deserved swim... these islands are wonderful.... but the beaches not so great .... this island has pebbles and let me tell you....your feet hurt by the time you are in the water.... but the cold water of the Sea of Marmara felt good ... It was 34 degrees Celcius in Instanbul today... with that let me say good night ... there is much more to say.... but I will wait till another day.