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                                      Last Day in  Istanbul

5/14/2016

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PictureOne of the three suspension bridges over the Bosphorus (and one of the longest single span bridges in the world)
Our second day  in Istanbul took  us to the  Bosphorus for a leisurely boat ride on this waterway connector that separates Europe from Asia and provides the  passage from the  Black Sea to the Aegean Sea and on to the Mediterranean Sea.  Our private guide Can (pronounced "John") made the trip with us and pointed out the many reasons this waterway is so important to the region.  Over 50,000 container ships ply these waters every year, together with ferries that take both passengers and cars from one side to the other.  Many Turks prefer to live on either the Asian side of the city and work on the European side (or vice-versa) and use  these "commuters" to get to work and back each day.  Add to that the tourist boats, the yachts, sailboats, and all kinds of personal watercraft and you can see this is very busy waterway.  They are now in the process of building a car tunnel under the Bosphorus.

The next adventure was a trip to the Egyptian Spice Market.  We have a daughter and son who love to cook and use  all kinds of flavorings to create their delightful meals, and spices were on their list for us to bring back to them.  The owner of one of the shops was more than willing to take us through his entire collection of spices for use  in almost everything that is edible.  I think my sense of smell will never be the same again!  

After pausing for lunch in a place that served Turkish Pizza (cheese on pita bread.....really!) we drove to the St. Chora Museum which is an old 14th Century chapel covered with mosaics and frescoes from the Bible.  They actually told the  whole ministry of Jesus in wall paintings and decorations. This, by the  way, is what many of the old European churches did with their stained glass windows.  A parent could come in with his  child and tell the whole Christian story by  going from  window to window.  

We finally  said goodbye to  our guide, John, as he delivered us to the airport for our flight to Izmir, the  site of our next adventure.  So next we will  tell you  about Pergamum and Ephesus, two of the seven churches to whom Jesus wrote letters as mentioned in  the first three chapters of the Book of Revelation.  

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Our guide "John" taking us through the Topkapi Palace.
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Taking a lunch break by the Bosphorus.
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A floating restaurant on the Bosphorus.
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A display in the Spice Market.
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Wall and ceiling mosaics in the old St. Chora chapel.
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Bud drinking Turkish tea in a cafe.
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       Bud & Kathy

    Bud and Kathy Downs are making another trip to the Lands of the Bible-- first Turkey and Greece (from May 11 to 22) and then to Israel (from May 22 to June 8).  We invite you to join us through our travel blog.  We intend to post regular updates and pictures of Bible sites.

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2401 E. Cactus Road, Phoenix, AZ 85032  
  • About Us
    • Mission Statement
    • Staff
    • Elders
    • Weekly Newsletter >
      • Offering & Attendance
    • Church Directory
    • Bible Reading Plans
    • Contact Us
  • Ministries
    • Cactus Care
    • Pastoral Care
    • Prayer Ministry
    • Missions
    • Men's Ministry
    • Women's Ministry
    • Teens
    • Small Groups >
      • Tuesday
      • Wednesday
      • Thursday
    • Service Opportunities
  • 9am Bible Classes
    • Adults
    • Teens
    • K - 6th grade
    • Nursery
  • Sermons
  • Calendar