The Kindness of Strangers

From “The Pilgrimage” by Paulo Coelho:

            “When you travel, you experience, in a very practical way, the act of rebirth.  You confront completely new situations, the day passes more slowly, and on most journeys you don’t even understand the language the people speak.  So you are like a child just out of the womb.  You begin to attach much more importance to the things around you because your survival depends on them.  You begin to be more accessible to others because they may be able to help you in difficult situations.  And you accept any small favor from the gods with great delight, as if it were an episode you would remember for the rest of your life.”

            In the past week, we have had two different individuals totally extend themselves to help us out.  In both situations, the help was unsolicited yet invaluable.  Both situations are examples of small “favors from the gods” that we will remember for the rest of our lives.

            The first occurred just after we had crossed the border into Jordan.  We were haggling with a taxi driver, trying to negotiate a fare for the 2 hour drive to Petra.  Unfortunately for us, it was a slow time, and he was the only driver.  Thus, he would barely budge from his initial price that was nearly double what we had been prepped to pay based on our research and talking with other travelers.  At that moment, another cab pulled up and from it poured 4 dudes with beefy backpacks and climbing ropes.  At that moment, we were in a bit of a stand-off with the driver.  We wanted to hold our ground, yet the circumstances of having just entered a new country, and standing in an empty parking lot with only this less than friendly cabbie and his crony, had us feeling just a bit vulnerable.  The newly arrived climbers must have sensed this as one of them, Oren as we would soon learn, walked over and asked us if we needed any help.  We briefly explained the situation.  He then brought down the ire of the cab driver as he calmly suggested perhaps we should contact the tourist police.  The 4 Israeli guys then proceeded to make it rather clear that they were not leaving to enter the border station until we had resolved our situation.  In only a moment or two, the driver agreed to a price that was much closer to the appropriate rate.  Before leaving, Oren handed us his card and offered that we could contact him should we have any questions or need any assistance once we were back in Israel. 

            The act in and of itself was impressive.  But even more-so was the genuine nature in which the help was offered.  We did take Oren up on his offer and emailed to inquire about hikes that he would recommend around the Sea of Galilee.  He responded quickly with detailed descriptions of two hikes and some kind words about Pacific North-Westerners. 

            The second situation occurred just yesterday as we struggled to negotiate the chaotic streets of Tel Aviv in our fly ride from Budget.  This city is rife with one way streets and quite interestingly, many of actual street names don’t seem to match the names that are printed on our map.  After about an hour of trying to find a hostel (we actually finally did locate the one we sought only to learn they were full), we had pulled off the road to get our heads together and figure out how to get back to the part of Tel Aviv where many of the budget hotels are located.  At first, we didn’t notice the young, bald-headed guy that was gearing up his motorcycle on the curb next to us.  As we looked over he gestured questioningly if we needed help.  Against our cynical “this guy must want something in exchange” preprogramming, we humbly said, yes, we could really use some help.  He then showed us on the map where we needed to go, and offered for us to follow him as he explained the one-way streets would make the crossing difficult at best if we were not familiar with the city.  True to his word, ten minutes later he pulled off in front of a row of guest houses.  He graciously declined with a smile our offers to pay him in money or beer, and then off he went.  Yet another situation of unsolicited, genuine assistance with no strings attached.  If we have too many more of these, that cynicism I alluded to above may be vanquished for good.

            Before signing off, I would like to offer a contrast to the taxi driver in the first anecdote.  So as not to leave the door open for assumptions about Jordanians, or more specifically, Jordanian cab drivers, it must be said that for the most part the people of Jordan that we met were absolutely lovely.  We felt very safe and very welcome throughout our time there.  And, we had a delightful cab experience upon returning to Aqaba from Petra.  As we got off the bus we were immediately approached by a gentleman who offered to drive us to our hotel.  On learning that we needed a bathroom first, he called his buddy at a nearby hotel to obtain clearance for us to make a detour on our way to our hotel which was about 15 minutes away. 

            After his initial kindness and fair price, we decided to contact him to drive us from the hotel to the border the next morning.  For the length of the drive, he gave us a guided tour of Aqaba and spoke with great pride of all of the new construction and the gigantic Jordanian flag that flies over the city center.  After we thanked him and commented on how much we appreciated his country, he sang us a beautiful song of gratitude.  This was especially pleasing as the man had a fantastic voice.  He then explained that he often sings his four children to sleep at night.  After exiting his car and exchanging farewells, we headed back to Israel with wide smiles and warm hearts as a result of the kindness of strangers.

Happy Birthday JoJo!!!

     This year, Johanna had the choice to spend her birthday anywhere in the world.  She chose Petra, the ancient city in Jordan.  We spent our first day here yesterday exploring the magnificent facades, tombs and other architectural wonders that were carved out of the colorful rock more than two centuries ago.  There is so much to see!  We saved some of the most brilliant relics for today, and in a few minutes we will head back for another day of  hiking, climbing and being awed by this incredible place.  We filled an entire memory card in our camera yesterday alone, and today promises just as many great photo ops, so check back for some fun filled pics of the birthday girl in action! 

Welcome to Israel

            We are in Israel!  Last night we stayed in a quiet town near the southern part of the Dead Sea.  We indulged ourselves with breathtaking views of the rolling dessert, a fantastic Chris & Jo home-cooked meal (we have a kitchenette!) and…ping pong!

            Getting into Israel was anticlimactic for the most part.  We had been prepped by our guide book and the U.S. State Department Travel Page to expect thorough searches and potentially lengthy questioning as to our itinerary and intentions while in country.  Thus, we both carried neatly printed out itineraries with our planned destination for each day as well as relevant confirmation numbers.  Indeed, everything was going swimmingly until we got off the plane at Ben Gurion International Airport.  As we crested the escalator leaving the gate, a no-nonsense looking, dark-suited gentleman signaled for me to step out of the procession of travelers, and then proceeded to ask for my passport.  My heart started pounding as I thrust my hand into my pocket and produced the requested item in what I imagine was record time.  He scrutinized my passport for a moment, and then, with a drawl that sounded both sinister and understated (think James Bond villain), he said, “Why you come to Israel?”  Now, it probably does not need to be mentioned, but Johanna and I have the most innocent and harmless intentions imaginable for visiting Israel.  Indeed, we have absolutely nothing to hide.  Didn’t matter…. If you’ve seen “The Goonies”, you may remember the scene where Chunk, with fingers being pressed near the blender confesses to everything he’s ever done…to the point that his questioner’s give up.  I hope you can recall this scene because that was on par with my performance.  Before he even finished the question, I was singing like it was choir practice.  “We’re going to go here and then here and while we’re there we’re going to see this and stay there…and…when I was ten I got in trouble in art class because….”  And on, and on and on.  He fairly quickly dismissed us with a wave of his hand, probably more for the reason that he didn’t want to hear about the middle school years than because he felt we were not in any way a threat to Israel.

            And so here we are.  We’ve rented a car, and we are so appreciating the flexibility that gives us to move around and explore this beautiful landscape.  Stay tuned…

Off the beaten path in Safranbolu

      Safranbolu, set in the hills about 2 hours from Turkey's Black Sea coast, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage City in 1994 due to its well preserved historic buildings and traditional Ottoman architecture.  We have been relaxing and soaking up the beauty and small town vibe in Safranbolu for a few days now.  This is the deep breath before the plunge.  In a couple of days we embark on our homestretch run through Israel, Jordan and Egypt.  So much to see in such little time. 

     For anyone who may feel concern for our safety as we travel deeper into the Middle East, rest assured that we are keeping well abreast of current events.  In an effort to do so, we have caught up on all of the Daily Shows and Colbert Reports from the past two weeks :)  Together with my wife,we will tread lightly with open hearts and minds and we will, to quote some other sage advice we've been given, "trust the hair on the back of our necks" (Thanks Uncle Bud).

    

Cappadocia

 

     Enchanting canyons, underground cities, cave dwellings, fairy chimneys, large rock phalluses and the first Star Wars movie.  “What do these things have in common?” you ask.  Well, you’ve come to the right place.  Step into my cave-office…

     Cappadocia (kap-a-do-kya) is located in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey.  At just over 1000 meters elevation, it is an area of high desert distinguished by its plethora of beautiful rock canyons and quaint towns nestled within the labyrinth of rocky gorges.  Early inhabitants discovered that the soft rock was quite amenable to the building of cave houses, cave churches, cave villages, you name it.  If it was a structure that a human could inhabit, it was a cave.  For centuries (even as recently as the 1950s), some of these original cave dwellings were occupied by descendants of the first inhabitants.  In fact, many of the hotels and restaurants of modern Cappadocia are built into the rock walls and towers.  It is in Cappadocia where we have found ourselves for the past four days.  Imagine if you will a Flintstones family vacation to a mini-Yosemite valley meets mini-Grand Canyon which happens to be located near Bend, Oregon….or just check out some of our pictures below.

     We arrived in the town of Goreme, in central Cappadocia in the evening and checked into the “cave” where we stayed for that first night.  We then set about splurging on a couple of drinks and dinner at an outdoor café that we stumbled upon (figure of speech – not drunk stumbled upon).  The café was playing a U.S. internet radio station that seemed to prefer Shakira, Pink and Lady Gaga (with just a touch of Eminem and Dr. Dre for good measure), and it was quite an interesting cultural collision to be chair dancing to Gaga while the call to nightly prayer was being projected in the background from the minarets of the surrounding mosques. 

     The next morning after breakfast, we set out on our first hike to explore the surrounding wonders of nature.  Our trek on this particular day would take us through Pigeon Valley to a neighboring town, where we would traverse the ridge and then descend into White Valley which would then lead us into Love Valley.  The hike was stunning…almost as stunning as the directions we were given by our helpful hotelier.  The pension that we stayed in that first night is owned by an amiable couple, Kamel and Barbara.  Both seem to enjoy whipping out their highlighters to demonstrate on the crude walking maps the best routes to hike.  On this morning, Barbara, highlighter in hand, was describing the hike to me down to the last tunnel and turn.  “As you come out of White Valley and enter Love Valley, you’ll see all the penises.  Just keep going, weaving your way in and out of the penises.  Once you pass the last one, you’ll come to a path that will lead you to the road…”  Yes.  I would testify in court that that is exactly what she said…with a perfectly straight face.  I managed to stifle my school boy chuckle and left to inform Johanna that I now understood how “Love Valley” got its name.

     After several hours of hiking, we returned to town and moved our belongings to Kose Pension where we would stay for the next three nights.  Hot showers, hot food and early bedtimes were on the menu as we set about resting up for the next day’s adventure:  the underground city.

     Cappadocia is home to numerous underground cities, the largest of which is located underneath a town about 30 minutes away from Goreme.  After yet another pleasant Turkish public transport experience, we descended upon (descended upon….get it?) the underground city.  This particular underground city is 10 stories deep and includes multiple dwellings, a school, a church, a “disco”, a winery, stables, wells, and multiple air ventilation shafts.   The first 2 levels were excavated between 2000 and 1200 B.C.  Later, in the first few centuries A.D., the remaining levels were developed.  In those later years, the city was utilized by the area's Christian inhabitants who would retreat to the underground city during times of siege.  Currently, only about 10% of the original city is open to tourists.  Even so, it took us nearly an hour to see that 10%...even with the aid of our impromptu tour guide. 

     As we approached the top of the stairs to enter the city, we assumed the security guard standing there was waiting to check our tickets.  We realized otherwise as he waved off our tickets and proceeded to lead us down into the city.  With child-like excitement, he led us around and showed us each tunnel and room.  Using hand gestures, sounds and an infrequent word of English, he managed to “explain” to us the function of each room.  A personal favorite was when he made horns on his head with his index fingers, made the sound “bahhh” and then pointed to an eye-let carved out of the wall to show us where the livestock were tied up.  I will refrain from attempting to describe the gestures used to illustrate where the livestock went to the bathroom.

     In order to explain to us that we were in the winery, he hopped in a rock basin and proceeded to simulate the motion of mashing grapes with his feet.  He then mimed the universal sign for chugging and then mock-stumbled around a bit.  In the picture below, I did my best to illustrate for Johanna and our guide the “party room”. 

      It is truly amazing the degree of accuracy and engineering that must have gone into constructing such a vast structure.  After our hour was up, we were awed, educated and satiated.  Happy little tourists, we returned to Goreme and to what we had determined by this time to be the best shower of the trip.

      Day 3: Red Valley, Rose Valley and some quasi spelunking.  After a relatively short walk, we were headed into the rose-hued rock of Red Valley.  The rock formations and the contours of the ridges and valley were other worldly.  That alone could have made for an exciting day.  But this was not to be a garden variety hike.  This was an exploration.  This particular region of the park is dotted with abandoned cave houses and a handful of notable churches, all carved out of towering rock domes and the walls of cliffs.  We were thrilled to find most doors and windows without barricade, thus allowing us more opportunities to play Indiana  Jones.  The first of such dwellings that we entered ended up being 3 and ½ stories high with small portholes between the floors that we were able to climb through.  As well, we found the churches to be particularly amazing for the ornate carvings and frescoes that, though faded, still adorne many a wall and ceiling. 

     Cappadocia is such an enjoyable place to hike for three reasons.  First, the scenery is amazing.  Second, you would have to really work hard to get lost.  It is easy to just pick a canyon, hike in, crest a ridge and then drop down into another canyon that will deposit you near where you started.  Third, it provided the backdrop for some of the Tattoine scenes from the first Star Wars movie ("Episode IV: A New Hope..for all my fellow Star Wars nerds out there).  Anyway, back to the ridges and valleys and the beautiful nature theme: as we crested the ridge of Red Valley, we found ourselves in front of yet another church with an abandoned tea stand in front.  Luckily for us, the table and chairs that remained provided quite a picturesque spot for our lunch break.  After dining on bread, cheese and salami sammies, we lingered awhile to take in the view.  And this was when yet another cool “right place at the right time” experience occurred.  A delightful older couple strolled up a few minutes later and we quickly struck up a conversation. 

     And now a quick pause for some background information.  When we leave Turkey we will head to Israel, Jordan and Egypt.  As excited as we are, both of us have been carrying varying degrees of concern about traveling to these countries in light of current events.  As fate would have it, our new friends, Dorothea and Jeff from New Zealand, had just arrived in Turkey after spending 3 weeks in Israel and a couple of days in Jordan.  Not only did they allay many of our concerns about safety in Israel and Jordan, they were also able to provide us with some very useful information that had there-to-for been illusive in both guide books and on the web.  After some more very pleasant conversation, we snapped pictures of each other and parted ways.  “You can be in our blog if we can be in yours”, were Jeff’s parting words. 

    

     What an incredible journey.  We feel like we are learning so much: about ourselves, each other and the world.  This opportunity to travel continues to be a gift in so many ways.  I believe that “aha moments” are around us all the time.  However, there is something about traveling – stepping out of your comfort zone and figuring it out as you go – that seems to accelerate and enhance these abundant opportunities to learn what we all inherently know: that the Universe will always give you exactly what you need exactly when you are ready for it.  Currently, we are ready for a few days of R&R.  Thus we are headed to Safranbolu, a quaint old Ottoman town near the Black Sea.  Great friends recently advised, “enjoy the nectar” (thanks Burke & Meara).  I believe we are doing just that! 



Konya and the Mevlana Museum

     We travelled through the city of Konya a few days back en route to Cappadocia.  It is in Konya where the great Sufi teacher, poet and spiritual seeker Jalāl ad-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī (best known as "Rumi") lived  much of his life.  The Mevlana Museum includes Rumi's Tomb, the tombs of other Sufi masters, early copies of some of Rumi's works as well as many other historic relics.  The museum is a beautiful architectural structure.  Its most iconic feature is the turquoise tiled spire that towers over the sarcophagus in which Rumi's remains are entombed. 

     As is the case with millions of people around the globe for centuries, the poetry of Rumi resonates deeply with Johanna and I.  Thus, the opportunity to visit this sacred place had aspects of pilgrimage.  As I stood, surrounded by many others gazing at Rumi's tomb, I was filled with a sense of connection, both to the man that created these amazing works, as well as with the other beings around us whose hearts have also been inspired by Rumi.

The Guest House

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they're a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.

Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.

 ~ Rumi ~

 

 

The Beauty of the Heart

 

The beauty of the heart

is the lasting beauty:

its lips give to drink

of the water of life.
Truly it is the water,

that which pours,

and the one who drinks.

All three become one when 

your talisman is shattered.

That oneness you can't know

by reasoning.

From: Mathnawi II, 716-718

- Rumi

One Swaying Being

Love is not condescension, never
that, nor books, nor any marking

on paper, nor what people say of
each other. Love is a tree with

branches reaching into eternity
and roots set deep in eternity,

and no trunk! Have you seen it?

The mind cannot. Your desiring

cannot. The longing you feel for
this loves comes from inside you.

When you become the Friend, your
longing will be as the man in

the ocean who holds to a piece of
wood. Eventually, wood, man, and

oceans become one swaying being,

shams Tabriz, the secret of God.

-Rumi

 

Nothing But Flowers

 

           Olympos, Turkey:  what was once the city of dreams is now nothing but flowers.  As far as I know, that’s the first time a sentence has been made from the titles of two Talking Heads songs.  Where is this headed? 

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZuuxcm513c 

Let me back up for a minute.  We LOVE it here!  We feel as if we have settled into a small slice of paradise.  We arrived in Olympos on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey 4 days ago and have been soaking up this amazing place ever since.  We are staying in a tree house in a beautiful, laid back pension.  The tree house is a simple 10x10 foot structure on stilts.  The frame is built of solid wood 4x4’s and the siding is comprised of planks of tree bark, likely from the same tree as the studs.  Our mattress sits on a wooden floor which is covered by a beautiful Persian rug.  That’s it and it’s perfect.  The showers are about 50 feet away and are piping hot.  The price of our accommodation includes breakfast and dinner and thus, we have been feasting on two delicious, home cooked meals per day.  The family that owns the pension is friendly and warm.  The valley that we are in is surrounded by jagged, rocky cliffs covered with green trees and wild flowers.  The clear blue waters of the Mediterranean are about ½ mile walk from our door.  In between here and there lies the ancient city of Olympos.        

The past two days we have split our time between exploring the ancient ruins and chillaxing on the beach (yes, I said chillaxing…just trying out some new lingo...yes I'm sober).  Where was I…the ruins, yes, the ruins.  They are everywhere:  buried in the trees and bushes, poking out from hillsides, standing tall against the hands of time…at least for now.  The Roman Empire has long since vanished from the earth as it was conquered and absorbed by various other empires.  The architectural remnants the Romans left behind are still holding out against one final and ultimate invader:  Mother Nature.  Though the remains of the colossal architectural structures left behind are sights to behold, and have managed to survive for nearly two centuries, when it comes to the final score, my money’s on Mom Nature. 

It has been quite unique to have the opportunity to literally climb all over these ruins.  Normally, stuff like this has either been restored to something resembling its original state, or it exists behind a glass case in a museum.  In Olympos, what you see is what you get.  No fences and no restoration.  It is as it is, and as tourists we are free to roam, explore and climb.  Suffice to say, my wife is in heaven.  A little known fact about Johanna is that once upon a time she seriously considered pursuing a career in archeology.  If you find this hard to believe, check out her ear to ear grin in some of these pictures. 

Today we took a long walk to the neighboring town of Cirali, where we hiked up to the  Chimera: a spot on the side of Mount Olympos where open flames shoot out of cracks in the rock.  Thank God this wonder of nature was not located in any of the towns we visited in Nepal, as the GI challenges we were both experiencing, upon exposure to these open flames would have undoubtedly led to a mass casualty event. 

Have I mentioned that we love it here?  We have met some of the nicest people.  Turkish people in general seem very friendly.  Very easy going and welcoming to travelers, they also seem to have quite a bit of national pride, as the Turkish flag is displayed all over the place.  They are fun-loving too.  The sounds of laughter filled the air around the groups of vacationing Turks that we saw on the beach.  However, of our new acquaintances, our favorites by far are Maureen and Larry from Ireland.  They are easily in their 70s, yet seem to have more energy than we do.  They travel for a month or more every year.  Eight years ago they trekked in Nepal, and I believe covered more mileage and elevation than we did.  They arrived in Turkey by way of Jordan (they had planned to travel through Syria, but had to change their plans at the last minute).  Yesterday, they did the same 15 kilometer walk to Chimera that we did today.  I imagine they did it in less time.

Maureen and Larry are the type of couple that we hope to be in another 30 or 40 years.  They possess such a joyful air and passion for life.  In story after story, they recounted tales of their adventure travels.  In one hilarious bit, they revealed that for their 25^th wedding anniversary, they decided to try something new and booked a “package” (as in a pre-arranged travel package, ie; something you would book through a travel agent).  I wish you could hear the sound of Maureens’s delightful accent as she said, “After one day we had to leave the package.  We bought a tent and camped for the rest of the week.”  At this, we knew they were truly more hardcore than we may ever be.  They have however set the bar that we will strive for, and we will carry their joyful energy and good nature with us as inspiration.

       So, that about covers it for us and our activities of the last few days.  No, wait, I’m forgetting something:  ping pong.  There is a table in front of our pension and we have been giving it a workout.  We have not let poor lighting at night or wind and sun glare during the day deter us.  We have probably played an average of 12 games per day.  After the first day, I was actually sore from chasing the ball around and bending and squatting to pick it up.  Now, another little known fact regarding my wife is that she has never before competed at ping pong.  In what can only be described as one of the great athletic achievements of the 21^st century thus far, she has improved steadily with each game and has started to beat me from time to time.  This is in fact quite an achievement due to the fact that a little known fact about yours truly is that I am AWESOME at ping pong.

In summary, Olympos has mountains, trees, tree houses, friendly people who make delicious food, a beautiful stretch of beach, ancient ruins, and ping pong.  Up until this point we were fully planning on returning home.  If we don’t, and you wish to find us, I’d recommend starting your search here.