Wednesday, April 21, 2010 – TRABZON, TURKEY
Largest port in the Turkish Black Sea – from here goods are trucked to Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Iran. Cloudy beginning and then hard rain made for a magical day at the Sumela Monastery.
Our EZOP Tours guide, Mr. Taner, met us in a 31 passenger van and we ventured off to the Sumela Monastery, one of the highlights of the Black Sea coast. It is a Greek Orthodox Monastery of the Virgin Mary begun in the 6th century, continued through Byzantine times (14th century) and abandoned in 1923. The road winds through dense evergreen forest, following the course of a rushing mountain stream interrupted by commercial trout fisheries. Village houses reminiscent of those in the alpine area of central Europe are interspersed with more modern brick block of homes. You can hike to the monastery or take a smaller shuttle van but even after the short drive, there is still a hike to the entrance.
From below, you see the monastery columns flat-faced into the sides of the cliff and it is SO HIGH on the cliff you wonder how anyone could have built it, let along lived there and transported all their goods up to there. It looks like it has been pasted on the side of the hill at 3900 feet above sea level. The final road leading to the walking path had no shoulders, had 180 degree switchbacks and proved again it was another good time to NOT have a front seat, or even a window seat.
As you begin to walk up you soon realize you are not in the safety-conscious USA, as you going to be walking through the roots of huge trees where no concrete or brick can be used and you will not have a safety guardrail or handrail to which to cling. And you then find steep stone steps, worn from years of use and soft earth, as this is the wettest region and rain is expected daily.
You reach the final steps and see a jewel of a monastery beneath you with frescoes from the 9th century, but they are not in perfect condition. Many have holes in them and are falling off the walls. The church of the Assumption of the Virgin and the large monastery complex had five floors and a total of 72 rooms. The upper floor was used as a gallery and a lookout post.
The walk-out from the monastery was just as time consuming as it was sprinkling rain now and the roots and slippery stone steps were to be calculated with every step.
We drove back to town and had an informative review of Turkey:
- Iran is 360 miles away and Iranians use this port of Trabzon
- Gasoline is $8 a gallon which includes a 75% tax
- They export vegetables to Russia
- They are the world’s largest producer of hazel nuts
- Many live and work in Germany and send money back to their families members in Trabzon – one family member remains to keep a residence in the village – village land is valuable and hard to get – you don’t want to give up your family homestead
- University is free (meaning the government – their taxes pay for it) –
Drive to the top of Bozetepe Hill for a supposed panoramic view but it was pouring rain by now. There were many cafes and you could imagine how nice it would be to sit there on a clear day.
St. Sophia church – decorated in Byzantine and Seljuk styles is probably the town’s most important tourist attraction. Built in the 13th century as a church, it was converted to a mosque in 1670 and served as a storage and hospital during WWI. There were beautiful icons and frescoes on the walls and floor showing Biblical stories in great detail and outside was a rose garden.
Internet cafés seem to be full of locals playing games! War and hunting and search-type games. We can see all their screens as we try to be serious and get work accomplished!
McDonalds and Burger King are here – it is amazing where you find them. The rain continued, but in a soft downfall.
Ms. Robin Fellows was the American singer this evening – she gave a powerful performance of classic songs from Broadway and the ‘40-‘50s.
“All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.” - Walt Disney
