A day to explore Gaziantep!

Saturday, May 17, 2014

Hello!

Up this morning about 6, after a wonderful night’s sleep!  (Do you think stress could have had something to do with that?)  Went down for breakfast, and ran into what seemed like a lobby-full of luggage!  Obviously lots of people visiting the area.  Breakfast as usual, although they did have a really nice variety of fresh fruit sliced and presented (and of course, the ever present Tang…)

 

Out the door about 8:30 a.m. as I wanted to be at the   As our hotel is right off highway D400, and the Zeugma Museum is also right off the D400, not hard to find! 

Stunning new museum!

Our old friend from Nemrut Dagi!

Zeugma Mosaic Museum when it opened at 9 a.m.

We parked right next to the museum and found that we were – surprise! – first in line for tickets! 

The most famous - Gypsy Girl!

(Although there were quite a few people milling about the area, no one was queuing for some reason.) The ticket office opened promptly at 9, and we were the first ones in the museum.  And, as Robert suggested when we saw Otzi in Bolzano last year, this time I suggested we head straight to the Gaziantep “Gypsy Girl” , a mosaic that seems to have become a symbol of Gaziantep (second floor, main building) and we had her to ourselves!  (This time, we were allowed to photograph her.  Two years ago, photography was prohibited, probably so they could sell more post cards featuring this marvelous mosaic.)  In fact, we had the top floor to ourselves for at least another 20 minutes or so!  It was wonderful!  

They also brought some columns with them!

A public bathroom...notice plumbing?

The Zeugma Museum is the largest mosaic museum in the world, built specifically to house the mosaics from the emergency excavations in Zeugma, Turkey before the Bilicek dam was completed.  They are Roman/Eastern Roman (Byzantine) from the 2^nd to the 5^th centuries A.D.  Many of the mosaics were saved as the water was literally covering the sites.  And, as Gaziantep obviously specializes in moving, protecting and restoring mosaics, whenever mosaics were found – sometimes in farmers’ fields,   Apparently mosaics are a big business for looters and antique thieves – it was sad to see some of the damage they had done by removing usually central portions of big mosaic panels.  In fact, one panel, which was missing the center tiles, was reunited with its pieces that had been sold to a museum in Houston, TX and then returned to Turkey! 

Some wonderful wall frescos

sometimes in ancient buildings in other places, the Gaziantep museum people were contacted.

The museum has added a few new features since our visit two years ago.  There are some wonderful computer programs that explain in detail in English or Turkish the details of the mosaic’s acquisition, repair and story.  Quite good and fun to use!

A photograph of Zeugma before mosaics rescued!

We finally finished the mosaics about 11 a.m., and had a nice sit-down in the café/shop area to recover ourselves.  Then, on to the Archeological Museum, which was only about 1 km away.

Well…drove up, and the instant we saw it, we knew there was something going on!  Scaffolding everywhere!  As it turns out, the museum is closed up tight, for a huge renovation project!  Bummer, but not a lot that we could do about it!  We’re always happy to see money being spent on preserving and presenting artifacts; will just have to put it on the list for “next time!”

Robert then directed us toward the shopping area (because I wanted to shop...) – and UGH! Suddenly there we were, BACK in the same area from yesterday!  I recognized the streets!!  By this point, I just wanted OUT, so Robert guided us to a local shopping mall where we thought we might be able to find lunch.  AND, they had underground parking, which was free and very convenient! 

Wonderful camel caravan heading into town!

Parked the car and headed up … and up…I think the mall probably has four floors, with food (of course) at the top!  Well…saw the usual – McDonald’s, Burger King, Popeye’s – and then all of a sudden, my heart literally skipped a beat – ARBY’S in TURKEY?!  

Some things you just can't resist!

So yes, Dear Readers, I had found what I wanted for lunch…can’t help it, sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do!  

Enjoyed our lunch tremendously, and then decided to walk through the mall and see what was there.  They do have a tendency to group like shops together, which really makes sense!  There was an entire baby corner – including a Carter’s, Mothercare and multiple others.   We did stroll through the kitchen/china shops (and I am STILL regretting the Kutahya porcelain!) which was fun.

What??  More dishes?!

Our escape hotel!

Then, back to the hotel for late afternoon naps and regrouping.  I still have to find the pool here, just to see.  Tonight we have found several restaurants near the hotel to try, so will report more on that later.  Tomorrow the plan is to head out of town to three or four Hittite sites in the area…as Robert says, we’ll see if we can find them!

So take care, and more later!

m

xxx