2024
CONNECTING SPIRITS COMMUNITY TOUR: The Journey of Remembrance continues.
Twenty-three years ago, a group
of students and staff from Mount Barker High School, took part in an overseas
WW1 commemorative trip to Europe to travel to the graves and memorials of World
War One soldiers who the group had a connection to. ‘Remembrance 2001’ and a
second tour, R2004 evolved into a new project known as ‘Connecting Spirits’ and
its twenty-year narrative has been well documented and is outlined on the Connecting
Spirits website at www.connectingspirits.com.au
In the very first tour in 2001,
our group ventured overseas starting our journey in Turkey with Macit Saszade as
our guide. Twenty-three years on Macit would once more be our guide. Meeting up
with Macit once more seemed like those two decades were only moments from
yesterday and it was a joy to be working with him again after the passing of so
many years.
Our group of 14 weary travellers
arrived in Istanbul after the rigors of long-haul flights plus a lengthy
stayover at Changi airport in Singapore but we hit the ground running! Istanbul’s
largest city with a population of over 16 million people: Macit says the figure
is closer to 18 million but officially that is debated. We arrived at the end
of the Holy month of Ramadan and preparations for the end of the fasting period
would see many celebrations in the next few days. Added to this was the visit
of important political figures to Istanbul in the area of the Hagia Sofia and
the Blue Mosque, so security was evident everywhere as we navigated our way
through massive crowds.
We walked around the Sultan
Ahmet Square located in the heart of historical and cultural centre of Istanbul
and learnt about ancient Hippodrome, the stadium of ancient Byzantium. Nearly
two thousand years ago, over 100,000 spectators would attend sporting events
and horse racing at this stadium and today the square features objects from the
parts of the Byzantine empire. The most significant are the Egyptian obelisk and
the bronze sculpture of three entwined serpents from the Greek island of Delphi.
As we moved around the square Macit told us about the dogs and cats of Istanbul
that freely roam the city. They are friendly and well fed as the city and its people
see that the care of the animals is a community responsibility and a civic
duty. Water and food bowls are
everywhere.
From there we went underground
to the fabulous Basilica Cistern …the largest of several hundred ancient
cisterns that lie beneath the city of Istanbul. Water was pumped into these storage
systems via the viaducts built in Byzantine times and recently this heritage
site has undergone significant restoration. It was just superb.
From then it was lunch was at
the Pudding Shop, and I had fond memories of eating here in 2001…it did not disappoint!
Our final adventure was to battle with the crowds and sellers at the Grand Bazaar,
the covered markets including over 3,500 shops. A final coffee stop and then it
was time to head for our hotel the lovely Movenpick Hotel. Showers/dinner and
SLEEP awaited us. What a start to the tour!
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