Exploring the Ruins of Arsameia, Turkey

After watching the sunrise at Mount Nemrut, we headed down to the village of Karadut for an early breakfast of gözleme and unlimited glasses of Turkish tea.

There are several pansiyons here that cater to tourists wishing to explore Mount Nemrut and serve simple breakfasts. After surviving our chilly climb, we were cold and quite hungry. Karadut made for a great rest stop.

At 6 a.m., I found this scene quite comical. Chickens literally crossing the road in the village of Karadut, Turkey.

Once our bellies were satisfied and hands were thawed out, I plunked in the new GPS directions and headed for the 2nd century BC ruins of Arsameia (also spelled Arsemia). The road was a bit rough, and we drove past several herds of sheep, goats and cattle being led along the road to better pastures.

According to inscriptions by King Antiochus I, Arsameia was the summer capital and administrative center of the Commagene kingdom, founded at the beginning of the 2nd century BC, near the Kahta River.

After climbing a gravel-strewn, dusty path up the hill, we encountered an impressive stone relief depicting the Greek god Hercules shaking hands with King Mithridates, who founded Commagene and was the father of Antiochus.

To the right of the relief is a long inscription in Greek, known as the largest inscription discovered in Anatolia. This inscription describes the founding of Arsameia. (We didn't buy the guide book, so that's all I know.)

Up-close view of the Greek inscription above the cave at Arsameia.

Below the inscription is a cave that descends 158 meters, possibly leading to an underground room that was used for worshiping rites. My husband climbed down the steps in the tunnel as far as he could, but reported that it was steep and dark so he couldn't see much.

Entrance to the cave at Arsameia, Turkey

At the very top of the hill, you will find remains of the palace of Arsameia that once stood here. There's little to see except a few marble pillars and rock foundations, but the view of the countryside is magnificent. You can see why a ruler would want to build a palace here.

The remains of the ancient site of Arsameia. Where did all the stones go?

View from the hilltop at the site of Arsameia, Turkey

During our trips in Turkey, we try to explore as much history as possible. The ruins of Arsameia, on their own, aren't that impressive, but are definitely a must-see when you visit Mount Nemrut.

How to get there:

After you descend Mount Nemrut, the main road will fork to the right, follow this road to reach the ruins of Arsameia, about 20 km away. Or if you stop in Karadut like we did, you will have to follow the road out of the village and then you will see a brown sign for Arsameia, which is near the village of Kocahisar.

Save your entrance ticket from Mount Nemrut because you will need it to access the ruins of Arsameia. Or you will have to pay another 8 tl.

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Sunrise at Mount Nemrut: Photo Post

Looking back through my photos, now I can truly marvel at the vast beauty of the brilliant sun rising over the top of the Taurus Mountains in eastern Turkey.

But when I was actually there on top of Nemrut Dağı (Mount Nemrut) all I could think about was the bitter cold. My teeth chattered, and I huddled closer to my husband for warmth. Seriously, bring a winter parka, gloves and a hat if you brave the pre-dawn morning trek – even in the middle of July!

Hubby and me on top of Mount Nemrut in SE Turkey.

Nemrut, a 2,134-meter-high (7,001 ft) mountain in southeastern Turkey, is topped with an unusual tumulus believed to be the burial grounds of King Antiochus I (64-38 B.C.), the ruler of the small Commagene kingdom.

During the Hellenistic and Roman periods, the region that lies between the Taurus Mountains and the Euphrates River was called Commagene, originally established as an independent kingdom in 162 BC by Mithridates Kalinikos I. The kingdom was at the height of its splendor during the period of King Antiochos I, who succeeded Mithridates.

The burial site, topped with man-made crushed rock, is surrounded by three spectacular terraces and a temple. The site was adorned with huge statues of various Greek, Armenian and Iranian gods, which were toppled to the ground by later earthquakes. The statues’ heads have become some of Turkey’s most iconic images, used heavily in tourism marketing, and are now secured behind a chained-off area on the site.

Unfortunately, I had a difficult time capturing any photos of these statues and beheaded heads without other tourists and their shadows being in them as well. Also, our hands felt nearly frostbitten and the wind gusts were so strong that it was hard to hold the camera steady.

Here's a good view of the other tourists huddled under blankets on top of Mount Nemrut.

Despite these difficulties, I thought it was remarkable to watch the sunrise surrounded by thousands of years of history on top of Mount Nemrut. A site not to be missed when traveling in southeast Turkey!

Few words are needed once you see these sunrise photos below.

Hiking down from Mount Nemrut.

Just surrounded by mountains everywhere!

After our summer trip to Mount Nemrut, we have visited eight out of 11 of Turkey’s UNESECO Heritage Sites. We still have left to visit:

• The archaeological site of Hattusha, former capital of the Hittite Empire, located near modern Boğazkale, about 200 km. east of Ankara.
•  The Great Mosque of Sivas and the Hospital of Divriği, 200 km. northeast of Kayseri.
• The ancient ruins of Xanthos and Letoon near Antalya. These are two cities that made up the ancient federation of Lycia and provide excellent examples of Lycian tombs. 

Getting there:

We stayed at the Hotel Grand Iskender in Adıyaman, which was an 1.5 hour drive away from Mt. Nemrut (GPS coordinates 37.981281, 38.740797). There also are several pansiyon located in the small town of Kahta and the village of Karadut which are closer to the site. British writer, Pat Yale, provides more info in this helpful article about how to explore Mount Nemrut.

Where to stay:

Looking back, I’d recommend staying in the quiet village of Karadut, only 12 km. from the summit, just to save yourself from getting up so early.

Another option, recommended by my friend, is to do a homestay with a Kurdish family in the village of Yuvacali. This can be done by booking a tour through Nomad Tours Turkey. I had looked into this appealing option, but the timing didn’t work out with our schedule.

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Celebrating 4th of July Abroad - Year 2 in Istanbul

Yesterday was just a normal day in Istanbul.

While friends and family members in the U.S. celebrated 4th of July with fireworks and BBQs, my husband worked a 12-hour day, and I hosted a patriotic lunch with several American friends at our apartment.

As with every holiday abroad as an expat, we make the most of it. Thanksgiving, my favorite holiday, is the only one where I really miss being in the U.S. But I've learned to adapt and I enjoy spending time celebrating American traditions with my new friends abroad. (Here is last year's post about celebrating 4th of July in Istanbul.)

So yesterday, I prepared hamburgers with all the fixings, a ranch dip with yogurt, sangria and an old-fashioned Jell-O "poke cake." (I also shared my treasured baklava from Gaziantep.)  My friends, met through the American Women of Istanbul group, brought deviled eggs, a carrot salad, three kinds of potato salad, chicken salad and chocolate chip bars.

Our 4th of July buffet spread at my apartment yesterday.

I've had pudding poke cakes while growing up in the U.S., but I've never had a Jell-O poke cake. Apparently, this type of cake was invented in 1969 as a way to increase Jell-O sales. The basic recipe usually entails baking a boxed cake mix in a 9"x13"cake pan, poking holes in the baked cake, pouring a Jell-O mixture on top, and later topping it with whipped cream.

Well, I'd been saving my imported blueberries for this holiday and decided to make a patriotic poke cake with a bit of Turkish flair of course. The cake layers ended up looking more pinkish and purplish with white frosting versus red, white and blue, but we ate it anyway!

(NOTE: Blueberries are nearly impossible to come by in Turkey without paying an arm and a leg for a pint. Feel free to substitute another fruit to make a colorful layer.)

Luckily, I saved a piece of cake for hubby and grilled a fresh burger for him when he finally got home from work.

Burgers at home in Istanbul. 

Being with friends and loved ones is all that really matters when you celebrate a holiday abroad.

Did any other expats celebrate 4th of July yesterday?

Afiyet olsun!

I quickly took a photo of my Red, White and Blue Poke Cake before it got devoured.
The "pokes" didn't quite turn out as nice as I had hoped, but you get the general idea of the colored layers.

Red, White and Blue Poke Cake (Turkish Style)

Ingredients:

2          (9-inch/22 cm.)            baked, round white cakes, completely cooled and still in pans (I made my cake from scratch, but a boxed cake mix would work as well.)

4          c.                     lightly sweetened whipped cream (I whipped up 2 packages of Dr. Oetker Krem Santi with whole milk to keep it simple.)

1          pkg.                 Turkish or regular strawberry-flavored Jello-O (made according to boxed directions)

For Blueberry Syrup Layer:

1          c.                     blueberries

3/4       c.                     water

2          T.                     sugar

In a small saucepan, cook above ingredients together over medium low heat until blueberries are softened.

Stain the fruit, if you desire, discarding the solids. I didn't because I wanted the blueberries.

Then, add 2 Tablespoons of prepared gelatin. Let the mixture cool down slightly.

For Strawberry or Cherry Syrup Layer:

1 1/2    c.                     strawberries or cherries (I couldn't find strawberries so I used frozen sour cherries instead.)

1/2       c.                     water

2          T.                     sugar

In a small saucepan, cook above ingredients together over medium low heat until strawberries/cherries are softened.

Stain the fruit, discarding the solids.

Then, add 2 Tablespoons of prepared gelatin. Let the mixture cool down slightly.

Fruit syrups and Turkish gelatin ready to be used for the cake.

To assemble:

Using a skewer or kebab stick, poke 25 holes in the top of each cake, twisting slightly to make the holes bigger.

Pour the cooled blueberry syrup over one cake and the red fruit syrup over the second cake. Cover cakes with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the gelatin is set, about 3 hours or overnight.

Run a knife along the interior of the cakes. Flip the cakes over onto a wire rack or plate.

Place the blueberry layer on the bottom of a plate/cardboard cake circle, top with whipped cream. Place the strawberry/cherry layer on top. Spread remaining whipped cream over the top and sides of cake.

Let the cake set up for a bit in the refrigerator and then serve.

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Sunrise at Mount Nemrut

After a short, restless night, our alarm clock rang at 2 a.m. signaling us to get up.

We left our hotel in Adiyaman, with backpacks in tow, about 30 minutes later. Along the winding road, we could actually see thousands of stars ablaze in the black velvet sky.

We arrived at the base of Mt. Nemrut about 4 a.m. and the winds howled by our rental car. We both had on two layers of clothing plus jackets, but we really needed winter parkas!

Just for the record at 4 and 5 a.m. it's very frigid at Mt. Nemrut! I wanted my winter hat and woollen mittens!

In fact, it was so windy climbing up the mountain that I could hardly see and held onto my husband's hand as he pulled me along. After a 15-minute climb, we took refuge (with about 50 Turks) by some of the "temple" stones.

The sunrise was worth freezing my butt off for, but I didn't get to take the time to take really good photos. I could barely feel my fingers so that's when we knew it was time to go.

More photos coming soon. Now, back on the road to Gaziantep.

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The Cats of Büyükada

Istanbul's island of Büyükada is known for its ornamental mansions, horse-drawn faytons and abundant fish restaurants.

It's not necessarily known for the hundreds of cats that call Büyükada home, but I couldn't help but take tons of photos of these furry felines yesterday.

The day started out with cloudy skies and patches of drizzly rain, so my desire to lay out on beach was crushed. Instead, my girlfriend and I strolled around the friendly island; or as I like to say "Let's do some gezmek-ing." (Gezmek is the Turkish word for to stroll.)

If you are  lucky enough to get away from the crowds on Büyükada, you suddenly feel like you're transported to a different era far away from the hustle and bustle of Istanbul.

Here's a couple photos of the island's cats that captured my attention. Enjoy!

Please see related photo post: The  Cats of Çukurcuma.

Eavesdropping Cats of  Büyükada.

Smart Cat - waiting by a fish restaurant on  Büyükada.

Chilling Cat

Bucket Cat - all curled up.

Behind Bars Cat

Motorbike Cat

Lap Cat - We found this cat curled up on a local resident's lap.

Flower Cat

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Istanbul Gay Pride Parade: Photo Post

Sometimes you just happen to be in the right place at the right time.


Last night, we had just sat down at a restaurant in the Asmalı Mescit neighborhood of Beyoğlu. I ordered a glass of white wine, then suddenly heard whistles, drums and lots of people nearby. What was going on?


Of course, I wanted to find out so I grabbed my purse and told our waiter in my best Turkish that I'd be back in a minute. I'm sure he thought I was some crazy yabancı, but that's nothing new.


Once on Istiklal Caddesi, I saw the rainbow flags and LGBTT banners and realized I 
was in the midst of a gay pride parade in Istanbul.

June 24, 2012 Gay Pride Parade in Istanbul

I was surprised to see thousands of demonstrators chanting about gay rights in 
Turkish. I'm sure standing up for gay rights in a predominantly Muslim world 
isn't easy. So huge kudos to everyone who had the courage to do so yesterday!

I actually didn't find anything about this event in the Turkish news this morning. 

However, here is a link to a YouTube video "Kicking off Gay Pride Week in Istanbul."

I watched the crowd pass by for a few minutes, took a few photos and then 

rushed back to the restaurant. My husband didn't know where I was. Oops!

Note to self: you never know when might get that perfect photograph so ALWAYS bring

 the good camera with you.

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DIY Cherry-Lemonade Cocktail

Using Turkish Kiraz to make Limonata

Cherries, from bright red to sunset orange, are everywhere right now in Istanbul.

I love cherries, but sometimes I forget I have them in the fridge. So the other day, I came across a bunch of kinda mushy kiraz and decided to cook them in a simple syrup.

Mountains of cherries at the pazar and manav in Istanbul. 

At first, I was thinking of making a refreshing lemonade or limonata as the drink is called here in Turkey. Restaurants charge as much as 12 tl for this drink, but I made enough limonata mix for 4 drinks for about half that price.

Making this cherry-lemonade mix from scratch is fairly easy - a similar method to my Homemade Ginger Ale recipe.

If you want a fun summer cocktail instead, just replace some of the sparkling water or soda water with vodka (which you have stored in the freezer, of course).

What's your favorite way to use summer's bounty of cherries?

Afiyet olsun!

Sipping my pretty cherry-lemonade cocktail at home.

Cherry-Lemonade Cocktail

Ingredients:

1          c.         (210 g.)            granulated sugar

1          c.         (240 ml.)          water

About 1 lb. or 500 g.               fresh cherries, rinsed but not pitted

Juice                                        half a lemon

As needed:      Sparkling water (I used Uludağ Doğal Zengin Mineralli Su) or soda water

                        Chilled vodka

                        Ice cubes

                        Lime wedges

In a medium-sized pot, add the sugar, water, cherries and lemon juice. Cook over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves, stirring often. I let my mixture come to a boil and then pulled the pot off the heat.

Let the mixture cool until it is room temperature.

Then, strain the mixture, pressing down on the cherries to extract as much liquid as possible; or strain the mixture through cheesecloth. The cherry syrup can be used now or stored in a clean container in the refrigerator for later use. I prefer to have a chilled syrup.

To make a glass of Cherry-Lemonade Cocktail:

1/4       c.         (60 ml.)            cherry syrup

1/4       c.         (60 ml.)            fresh lemon juice

1/4       c.         (60 ml.)            chilled vodka

Fill a cocktail shaker with these ingredients and a couple of  ice cubes. Shake together. Pour into a glass.

Then top off your glass with 1/4 c. (60 ml.) sparkling water or soda water.

(HINT: do not add the fizzy water to your martini shaker like I did at first because it will make a HUGE mess! That's why hubby is generally the bartender.)

Garnish with a lime wedge.

To make a non-alcoholic drink, substitute 1/2 c. (120 ml.) sparkling water or soda water for the vodka.

Now, take your cocktail or normal limonata and imagine you are on the beach. At least, that's what I did.

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