Thursday, April 5, 2012

Circuit in Turcia 8. Bodrum / Roundtrip in Turkey 8. Bodrum

Bodrum is one of the most cosmopolite resort at the Aegean Sea. It has a long history which vanished into legend but it seems that the founders were Dorians, a tribe from Peloponesse. If you want more details, please read here: http://www.livius.org/ha-hd/halicarnassus/halicarnassus.html

We visited the resort in a one day trip from Marmaris. When one approach Bodrum, it appears like a white town, cuddled in two bays of a wonderful blue sea. Ataturk's statue (the father of the modern Turkey) is also present, like in every town in Turkey.

The first place we visited was one of the 7 wonders of the antique world: the Mausoleum from Halicarnas. Unfortunately we met here only the legend, because the monument which resisited 19 centuries was destroyed by a strong earthquake, on 1304. The mausoleum was a 50 m heigh tomb, built as a classic Greek temple, for the Maussolus, the satrat of Caria (a kind of king). Ordered by him, the tomb was finish by his wife and sister Artemisia II, after his death on 353.

The Greek theatre had a capacity of 13000 places and was also built during Maussolo reign.

We went to the port, passing on little streets with shops and restaurants, and a park, which allreminded us that we are in a resort after all. The old castle Sf. Peter of the hospitaliere order from the Rhodos island, was buil beteween 1476-1593 by Pierre d'Abusson.

A small bazaar and a bar-street could not be overlooked. Before we left, we bought some fruits in a wonderful market, where the name of our appraised football player Hagi caused great joy. He is loved in Turkey, as he used to be a player for Galatasaray (but also for F.C.Barcelona and Real Madrid), and his nickname is "The Maradona of the Carpathians".

Bodrum, una dintre cele mai cautate statiuni cosmopolite de la Marea Egee, are o istorie indepartata si pierduta in legende, despre care puteti afla detalii aici: http://www.livius.org/ha-hd/halicarnassus/halicarnassus.html  Se spune ca intemeietorii sai au fost dorienii, un trib grec din Peloponez, refugiat aici dupa razboiul troian.

Veniti intr-o excursie de o zi, de la Marmaris, am vazut si noi obiectivele sale cele mai importante, fara a putea hoinari prea mult prin oras. Cand te apropii de Bodrum, el iti apare ca un oras alb, cuibarit in doua golfuri ale unei mari albastre care se ia la intrecere cu cerul. Nu lipseste nici statuia lui Ataturk, parintele patriei, nelipsita din nici un oras turcesc.
 in fundal, castelul Sf.Petru
 statuia lui Ataturk
Primul loc in care ne-am oprit a fost una dintre cele 7 minuni ale lumii antice, Mausoleul din Halicarnas. Din pacate, aici ne-am intalnit mai mult cu legenda decat cu ceva palpabil. Desi constructia mausoleului a rezistat intacta 19 secole, un cutremur a distrus-o complet in 1304. Ce a mai ramas se vede in curtea micului muzeu. Ce este insa acest mausoleu? Un imens mormant din marmura alba de 50 m inaltime, care prezenta mai multe coloane dorice aranjate in forma unui templu clasic grec. Aici a fost inmormantat, in 353, satrapul Maussolus din Caria. Mormantul a fost construit la porunca sa dar terminat de sora si sotia sa Artemisia II dupa moartea satrapului.
macheta Mausoleului
In imediata apropiere se afla si ruinele teatrului grec, construit tot in timpul lui Maussolus si largit de romani in sec. 2 i.e.n. El eva o capacitate de cca. 13000 d elocuri, ceea ce ne da o idee si despre marimea asezarii Halicarnas. Din 1973 a fost transformat in muzeu in aer liber, unde se organizeaza spectacole de teatru si concerte.
Ne indreptam spre port, trecand pe langa case alb-albastre, pline de flori. Mici pravalioare, restaurante, un parc, ne trag de maneca sa ne spuna ca suntem, totusi, intr-o statiune.
 veche cisterna de apa
Zidurile de aparare, cu 5 turnuri, ale castelului au fost proiectate de catre arhitectul german Schlegelholt, iar restul a fost finisat de Pierre d'Abusson intre 1476-1593. Fortareata a cavalerilor ospitalieri din insula Rhodos, castelul a fost capturat de catre otomani in 1522. Acum el adaposteste si un interesant muzeu de arheologie subacvatica.
 Castelul Sf. Petru
Desigur ca un mic bazar cu de toate nu poate lipsi din peisaj. Suveniruri diverse, haine dar si cafenele si restaurante, pe o "strada a barurilor".
Am aruncat o privire si pe plaja care e destul de lunga dar ingusta si cu pietris sau nisip (depinde unde vrei sa stai) si n-am rezistat nici tentatiei unei bai scurte in apa calda a Marii Egee.
Inainte de a ne duce spre locul de adunare al grupului am facut un scurt popas si intr-o minunata piata de legume si fructe, unde numele lui Hagi starneste mare agitatie intre vanzatori (ca peste tot in Turcia). pretutindeni este intrebat, in diverse limbi, de unde esti si cand spui Romania fetel lise lumineaza a zambet si numele lui apare imediat pe buzele tuturor. Ma bucur intotdeauna cand vad ca un romana este iubit undeva, in afara hotarelor tarii sale.





19 comments:

VP said...

Always an interesting place to visit...

Traveling Hawk said...

...and nice, VP!

黄清华 Wong Ching Wah said...

Seems such relaxing place ! Thank you for the tour !

Traveling Hawk said...

You are welcome, Wong!

Joop Zand said...

Nice place , i have never been there....i like the houses, sea and colored fruit.....it's a lovely serie from Turkey.

warm greetings, Joop

joo said...

Beautiful and interesting place, and I love vegetable and fruit stalls!

Traveling Hawk said...

Thanks! Greetings to you too, Joop!

Traveling Hawk said...

It was one of the vacations I loved, Joo!

cartim said...

Este foarte frumos locul . Imi place foarte mult acel castel , Sf Petru, estye deosebit cum se afla pe apa ....Arata foarte maiestos .

Traveling Hawk said...

Ma bucur ca iti place, cartim! Bodrum este o statiune foarte cautata.

Randy said...

Looks like a wonderful place and I really want to visit that fruit stand.

Phivos Nicolaides said...

Bodrum, the ancient Greek city of Alikarnassos, full of history and beauties!!!

Traveling Hawk said...

I bet you want this, Randy:)

Traveling Hawk said...

Yes, Phivos, you are right - the whole place there is full of history.

magda said...

Very nice colorful photos my dear friend!!!
The places are wonderful!!!
Many greetings

LifeRamblings said...

such an amazing place. the Turkish culture is so alive and colourful. there are so many things to see and experience.

LifeRamblings said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Traveling Hawk said...

Thanks for the visit, Magda!

Traveling Hawk said...

Your observation is correct, Life Ramblings!