Uc Serefeli Cami in Edirne

Perhaps the mosque I related to most is the Uc Serefeli Cami. I got there just as the evening ezan was about to begin. There were about 35 - 40  men attending. I happened to have sat down and leaned against the muezzin's loge where 4 muezzins appeared - one from the loge and the other four from the streets - for the service. It was very quiet and peaceful. Nobody seemed to mind me at all. It was one of the most moving experiences. I was also able to chat to ask a few questions about the mosque of one who attended the service.

Eski Cami in Edirne

Eski Cami is not as elegant as the Selimiye, but the large cold calligraphy is very interesting.

The Selimiye

The Selimiye is a very elegant mosque.

Edirne mosques

Edirne was the second capital city of the Ottoman Empire after Bursa and before Istanbul. There are a lot of mosques, and I saw three of them: the Selimiye, Eski Cami, and Uc Serefeli. It is true what they say about the Selimiye being the most elegant building in the country. It is stunning. I went in time to the noon ezan, when a large group of imams and their wives arrived for a special service. Just before they arrived, one woman was sitting in meditation.

From Kirklareli, I went to Edirne and stayed at Saban Acikgoz Hotel at Tahmis Meydan No 9 in order to visit the Selimiye, Uc Serefeli and Eski mosques. The Muradiye is for another visit.

Kirklareli and Edirne

This week I am in Kirklareli and Edirne to visit ETA Dara. I took Ismail Ayaz Bus from Eskisheir to Istanbul (about 4 hrs) because apparently no bus line goes direct to Kirklareli, and not many go there at all. From Istanbul, I took Metro Bus line (about another 3 hrs).

Kirklareli is a small town very near the Bulgarian and Greek borders. It apparently used to be called "40 churches." Dara showed me a shambles of a very old synagogue in the very old Jewish quarter. I could not get a photo of it. We walked around town a lot and had some good meals. I stayed at Akkus Kaya Hotel at Turist Yolu No 1. Very small room with a cold wind whipping through the windows all night - a big windy, rainy time. Dara is at Kirklareli Kavakli campus, small and remote from town in an area that reminds me of driving through the midwest - lots of farms and crops - buguday and grapes mostly.

Baklava feast in Isparta

Last night Brad, Aycan, Christa. Martha, Neil and I had a crazy baklava feast - we tried soooo many kinds of it!!

Visiting Burdur

ELO Brad and I drove from Isparta to Burdur to pay a visit to ETAs Elizabeth and Rachel, who are doing really well there. A very nice town, lovely campus, good program. Great day,

Zulal and Suheyla toss water

On Wednesday, we left Eskisehir to go to Isparta. It is a Turkish custom to toss water after the people who are leaving - "su gibi git, su gibi gel" - it is a very nice custom.

With Zulal and Suheyla

That's me on the left. In the middle is Zulal, the head of the department, and Suheyla, the great research assistant.

Dr. Neil Anderson's talk at Anadolu U

Dr. Neil Anderson is here in Turkey right now. He spoke this morning to a group of 3rd and 4th year students at Anadolu University about teachers as motivators.

Planning ETA training in Ankara and Fethiye (Ovacik)

I left Maryland on August 28 and flew through Munich, where I met up with two other English Language Fellows (yes - ELFs!). We remained in very close contact for the next month as we planned a two week teacher training program for 55 English Teaching Assistants (ETAs) coming to Turkey. We were hopeful as tow other Senior ELFs waited for their visas back home. The first week we spent planning in Ankara at Tunali Oteli and going between there and Starbucks. The second week was Bayram, a significant holiday, and so we moved down to Fethiye, traveling with our ELO, his wife and two daughters, and two cars. At this point, some of us were getting the grumbly stomach, but it all passed soon enough, and nothing could take away from the incredible beauty of Fethiye.