Intercultural Trip to Turkey – July 7 - July 17, 2008

Another traditional IDC intercultural trip to Turkey took place between July 7th and 17th, 2008. This time IDC hosted a group from law enforcement. The group had opportunity to meet several officials, visit foundations, see many historical sites and have dinner with local families. They got to know the Turkish culture very closely. Some of the important sites visited included Hagia Sophia, Ephesus, Blue Mosque, House of Virgin Mary, underground city and carved chapels in Cappadocia. The cities that were included on the trip were Istanbul, Izmir, Antalya, Konya, Cappadocia and Ankara.

Some pictures of this wonderful experience:


At the gate of Dolmabahce Palace


A small but old mosque among the houses in Asian side of Istanbul


One of the doors of Dolmabahce Palace


Inside Hagia Sophia


Hagia Sophia


Blue Mosque


Inside Blue Mosque


Interior Blue Mosque


Ortakoy Mosque from the boat on Bosphorus


An old mosque by Bosphorus


Yeni Mosque in the evening


On the Byzantine walls with mayor of Fatih District of Istanbul


Breakfast with mayor of Fatih District of Istanbul


Our group visited Msgr. Yusuf Sag, Vicar General, Syrian Catholic Church in Turkey


Bosphorus Bridge


Our group hosted by Attorney General, Uskudar District of Istanbul


One of our stops was Samanyolu TV


Ephesus


Ephesus with the theatre behind


After the dinner with some families in Izmir


Aspendos Theatre in Antalya

Dinner with a family in Antalya – three generations together


After visiting tomb of great sufi master Rumi


Traditional pizza in the city of Konya


Cappadocia


Our group visited Religious Affairs Directorate in Ankara


At the Turkish History Society in Ankara


Dinner with Congressmen in Ankara


At the Authors and Journalists Foundation


Our group was also hosted by the Police Director of
Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality


Dinner with a family last night in Istanbul


An old mosque and church in Istanbul, seen from the hotel terrace