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2002 - A Tourist VisitThe First Tour (See
Slideshow) Before descending on Merzifon on September 16, we seven (John Blake, Peggy Blake, Jean Hambleton, Oliver Holmes, Rachel Holmes, Linda Rupp, and Shirley Schwartz) had first relished a three-day stay in Istanbul and a one-day visit to Ankara. In Istanbul, we stayed at the Sari Konak Oteli (Yellow House Hotel), a boutique residence that we fell in love with, especially its rooftop lounge with its magnificent views of the Sultanahmet (Blue) Mosque to the west and the Sea of Marmara to the east. Our Istanbul adventures included a boat ride to the historic and lovely Princes' Islands, a ferry cruise up the scenic Bosphorus, and a notable drenching…soaking…sopping dash through a sudden downpour to our hotel in a brave effort to catch a ride to the airport in time to make our flight to Ankara! In Ankara, two locals--one of them a professional tour guide--gave us a memorable introduction to the capital of Turkey. We ate in fancy restaurants, rambled through open-air markets, and spent several fascinating hours studying the newly expanded additions to Atatürk's mausoleum. Our hotel, the Angora House, is a traditional Turkish home situated inside the city walls of old Ankara. It has been recently restored and now combines tradition with modern comfort--an unforgettable combination! It rivaled the Sari Konak in appeal! Our three days in Merzifon were packed with activity. The Amasya Folklore Association put on a dazzling dance performance during our first evening's dinner. The newly built Community Center displayed fifty groupings of woodcarvings by Cevat Coskun representing life from Ottoman times to the present. We dropped in on a preschool, an elementary school, and a high school. We visited the campus of the former American Girls' School. Around town, we toured the clock tower and its accompanying theological school. We paid a visit to Merzifon's principal mosque as well as to the former Armenian Church. We ambled through the covered bazaar, looked in on an underwear factory, and examined an ancient caravanserai that used to serve traffic on the historic Silk Road. We were served breakfast by the Sarigöz family, another breakfast by Mayor Cahit Toprak and his wife, and high tea by the wife and daughters of Cihat Aytaç, the chief administrator of the state hospital. One of our dinners was at the Officers' Club, which was attended by 25 officers and their spouses from the Main Jet Airbase just outside of town. On the evening preceding our final day, we made the 45-minute trip to Amasya, the provincial capital and one of the loveliest and most historic towns in all of Turkey. Hüseyin Poroy, the Governor of the Province of Amasya, treated our group to a fabulous meal at the town's premier restaurant and sent us home with many gifts, adding to the nearly unmanageable quantity that the Mayor and citizens of Merzifon had given us. Perhaps the highlight of our stay in Merzifon was saved for last. On our final day, we were driven to Pleasant Hill Park, 15 miles up the side of a mountain overlooking Merzifon in the valley below. A year and a half ago, our 12 official sister city delegates had each planted a tree. Now those trees were flourishing, and each had a plaque next to it indicating the "owner" of that lovely, healthy tree! We were told that the newcomers on this trip (the Holmeses, Jean Hambleton, and Shirley Schwartz) would be having trees planted in their honor as well! Pleasant Hill Park is still as breathtaking as it was when we dedicated it in May 2001. Picnic areas, trails, lodges, tea houses, and children's play areas are spread over a huge forested land, and the awesome 4' x 9' beaten copper sign at the entrance still beckons one and all to come, relax, and enjoy nature's peace and beauty. (See Slideshow) John Blake, 2002 |
"To support and encourage mutual visits by the citizens of both cities" |
