Ankara

Kocatepe Mosque: I have traveled quite a bit in Christian countries and frequently visited churches and cathedrals. Having visited mosques in Morocco, Egypt, and now Turkey, I find them every bit as inspirational as a Christian cathedral.

Kocatepe Mosque: Because of their domed architecture, there is a huge space inside for worshippers.

Kocatepe Mosque: The walls, ceilings and domes are richly decorated.

Kocatepe Mosque: The detail and design are truly impressive.

Kocatepe Mosque: I was talking with a Turk who was less than impressed with this new Mosque. He said, "They've been designing mosques the same way for 400 years. You'd think after spending all this money on a new one, it could be a newer more modern design."

Constitutional Crisis: As we were walking to the Mosque above from the center of Ankara, we began seeing riot police. At the time of our visit, women had been banned from wearing headscarves while attendig the University. This appears to have prompted the protests.

Constitutional Crisis: The ban had been challenged in the Turkish supreme court. Although head scarves seem trivial to me, they had become a lightning rod for a larger issue. Should the government move away from a secular democracy toward an inslamist democracy (symbolized by women's head scarves?)

Ataturk's Mausoleum: Before the second world war, Ataturk came to power in Turkey and formed what would become a secular democracy. He is revered for this accomplishment and for setting the stage for Turkey to emerge into the modern world. His place would be roughly equivelent to Thomas Jefferson in American history.

Ataturk's Mausoleum: And like Jefferson, Ataturk has an impressive Mausoleum in Ankara.

Ataturk's Mausoleum: It is a place of pilgrimage no less than the Jefferson Memorial in Washington DC.

Ataturk's Mausoleum: And it is of similarly grand scale although more modern in design.

Museum of Anatolian Civilizations: The Turkish Penninsula is known as the Anatolian Peninsula. And over the millenia, various civilizations have called the peninsula home. This great museum is dedicated to their history and artifacts. Great museum! Recommended!

Museum of Anatolian Civilizations: As with all great museums, the museum itself is part of the exhibit. I love this wonderful vaulted roof

Museum of Anatolian Civilizations: A document made of metal and inscribed with ancient text.

Museum of Anatolian Civilizations:

Museum of Anatolian Civilizations: Outside the museum there was a sculpture garden. I liked the lines on this pot and its texture.

Museum of Anatolian Civilizations: I guess the snail liked the lines on this pot and its texture, too.

Ankara at night: We arrived Ankara in late afternoon. I don't recall what we did for dinner, but afterwords we walked around the city for awhile waiting for our jet lag to wear off.

Ankara at night: Ankara makes a good first impression and Ankara at night feels friendly, interesting, safe, exotic and familiar ... all at the same time.

Ankara at night: It is modern with modern conveniences (e.g. cell phones, internet, transportation and such).

Ankara at night: Many many of the store fronts had wedding dresses on display. Maybe it was the season. Or maybe this is a place young people come to marry. I don't know.

Ankara at night: Part of the wedding cerimony, I learned later, involves carrying these involved flower arrangements. As i was returning to the hotel from my night time photo safari, there were dozens of these lined up by the front door and many wedding receptions underway inside the hotel.

My National Geographic Photo: When I travel someplace exotic, I try to pretend I am a national Geographic Photographer and take photos that are out of the main stream. For this trip ... this is the one.

As we neared the end of our stay in Ankara, we visited a hilltop neighborhood that had been there for centuries. The previous photo and this one were taken there.