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MELITOUR
Sept.27,2003 Saturday - Oct.05,2003 Sunday
Group Leader
VIC ALLEN
STEAM TRAIN TOUR HANDBOOK
DAY 01
Sept.27,2003 Saturday Istanbul
Full day
Istanbul Tour
Our day will start with an astonishing site, the
underground Basilica Cistern, built 1,500 years before our time. The
Turkish Islamic Art Museum will be our first exposure to the crafts of a
Muslim Culture.Carpets, woodwork, copper, gold, mother of pearl engraved
works of art will give a different dimension to esthetics.The role of
women in different socio-economic groups of Anatolia will come alive in
the displays of the ethnographic part of this museum which was given the
Best Museum of Europe Award.After lunch visit St. Sophia, the 6th century
church dedicated to the wisdom of Jesus.
Dinner on the Asian side of
Istanbul.
Overnight train to Ankara leaving from Haydar Pasa at 22.30 (10.30
PM)
Day 02 Sept.28,2003 Sunday Cappadocia
Breakfast
on the train. In Ankara, visit the most beautiful museum of Turkey, the
Anatolian Civilization Museum. The 15th century building houses the museum
which was given the "Best Museum Of Europe Award." It contains the displays of
23 civilizations of Anatolia going back 2,300,000 years before our time.
After lunch visit the Mausoleum of Ataturk, the father of the Turks.
4.5 hrs bus ride to Cappadocia.
Dinner & Overnight at Irmak Hotel in
Cappadocia
Day 03 Sept.29,2003 Monday
Cappadocia/ Special Train From Kayseri Kayseri / Nigde /
Ulukisla
In
Cappadocia the Creator and man competed in creating the most unusual and the
most beautiful. Enjoy the moon-like terrain of Cappadocia with endless forms of
work of art. The colors of the frescoes of the twelve hundred year old churches
are just as fresh as the colors of the carpets woven in the region. The rock
formations are just as striking as the local pottery made of the clay obtained
from the old river beds. In the morning easy hike to Zelve to see the 10-11th
century churches, monasteries and houses carved in the rocks. Visit villagers
at their rock dwellings. Visit the astonishing GOREME monastary to see how each
monk had interpreted in their wall paintings the history of Christianity St
Paul had visited the region, Ceaseria, to pass the word of God in his 1st
Missionary Journey. As one visits the colorful
"churches" of
Cappadocia, he/she will have no doubt in his/her mind that what is surrounding
you in forms of thrilling art form buried in nature, is the ideas and teachings
of St. Paul that had sproughted into the life style of the Cappadocians for two
thousand years.
Late afternoon Transfer to Kayseri for
Special sleeping and restaurant car train Our private train
will be waiting for us in Kayseri 90 km away from Cappadocia. By the time we
get over the excitement of settling in our compartments we will
Ulukisla,at the foot of the Toros Mountains.
Day 04 Sept.30,2003 Tuesday Cumra (Catalhoyuk) / Konya
The
grandeur of the mountains explains why they are called "toro" the bull the
Anatolian symbol of power.
In
our "MIDNIGHT BLUE EXPRESS", we will slowly savoir the grandeur of
the mountains. When we finally descend to the endless valley of Central
Anatolia ,we will get a chance to visit the oldest city on earth, CATALHOYUK,
where the neolithic people of Anatolia had worshiped in Mother goddess
Cyble.
Our journey today will end in
Konya, the home of the 13th
century philosopher RUMI.
Dinner and overnight at Sifa hotel in
Konya
Day 05 Oct. 01,2003 Wednesday
Leave Konya behind the much waitied steam loco.46052 a
1937 Henschel 2-8-2 . Konya /Afyon is 270Km and all day today, we will
have the opportunity of taking pictures of our ''Black Train". The meals,lunch
and dinner will be served on the train .Overnight will also be
on our special train behind deisel
Day
06 Oct. 02,2003 Thursday
Arrive
Burdur around mid-day.Depot Visit. We will take on another steam
loco 44071 a 0-8-0 1907 ex-Prussian State Railways
) to Egridir for the classic shot of the viaduct and the fabulous
view of the mountains and the lake behind it.
We will take our bus to
Pamukkale to spend the evening at Yoruk Hotel
Day
07 Oct. 03,2003
Friday Alasehir/ Esme /Usak
Visit
the site of Magical Pamukkale and Hierrapolis.Drive to Alasehir.The steam loco
will be anxiously waiting for us.( 56508 "Krieglok" of 1943) climb the
mountains of Esme letting the loco be proud of it self to be climbing the steep
hills. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Usak
Day
08 Oct. 04,2003
Saturday
Sardes /Selcuk
Visit Sardes,one of the 7 Churches of Revelation and the
capital of Lydia on the way to Selcuk Overnight at Selcuk, HOTEL
KALEHAN
Day
09 Oct. 05 ,2003
Sunday
Ephesus Camlik Loco Museum
We will start the day with our special
train British Robert Stephenson 2-8-2 No 46105 of 1932 ( Izmir -
Selcuk) Half day excursion to Ephesus . Certainly the climax of the
day will be at the city of Ephesus. Sitting in the theater visualizing 24,000
Ephesians, following the silversmith Dimitrius shouting "Great is Artemis of
Ephesians" in reaction to St. Paul's preaching, "there should be no man made
gods.".
Apprx. at 17: 30 board our cruise ship by Royal Olympic for
overnight sailing with cabins and dinner to Pireaus, Greece
TOUR
PRICE
GBP 790 perperson in a double
room
Single room supplement GBP 120
Included
in the price
- accommodations
( hotel & train)
- All the expenses of
the Special Train
- Transfer from the
Istanbul airport upon arrival.
- Breakfast, lunch and
dinner each day
- A guide throughout
the tour
- All entrance fees at
the ancient sites and Museums
- All tips at hotels
and resturants( The tips on the train are not included)
Not
included in the price
- Drinks
- cancellation
insurance
- Flight back to
Istanbul
Optional
Expenses
-
Flights in and out Turkey
-
We strongly recommend that you buy cancellation
insurance.
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