Out and About Ankara 2

I took a guided Ankara day tour last week with a group of Bechtel wives.

Natural History Museum 

Yes, that is snow on the grass and dinosaur!  We had a light dusting the night before. 

 Changing of the guard at the Anitkabir (literally meaning 'memorial tomb') at the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, first president of the Republic of Turkey.  More about him later.  Yes, I know I keep saying that!

Brief snow flurries at Peace Park (Anitkabir)

Our guide, Nicolas, and a lunch of long skinny thin crust pizza-like things that were delicious!  Sorry, I don't remember the Turkish name, much less how to spell it!  (those green things are peppers, not too hot, very yummy.)  We also had okra soup, with small okra that looked like tiny acorns, which was very tasty.   I also don't remember the name of the two desserts we sampled but they were heavenly.  Have I mentioned I am definitely not losing weight here?  Too many new foods to sample.

 

A political demonstration downtown that I was actually very unhappy our driver had driven us too close to - we got through just as the crowd was overflowing into the street.  

Nicolas, me, Petra, Whitney, Marguerite, and shop keepers

Ulus is a popular shopping area in Ankara, maybe a mile square with hundreds of small shops selling everything under the sun - always treasures to discover while exploring the backstreets and small doorways.






There are also other treasurers to be discovered there....

A small mosque built in 1290 AD (note the heads of the columns borrowed from Roman columns).

minibar where the sermon is given

Beautiful mihrab that always points to Mecca

This is the most beautiful mihrab I've seen in Turkey yet.

a display in a small restaurant 

 A 180 year old felted woolen wall hanging.  The embroidery was absolutely stunning!  

The Column of Julian or Julianus, now in the Ulus district, was erected in honor of the Roman Emperor Julian's visit to Ancyra (modern day Ankara) in 362 AD.  Complete with stork's next on the top.

Last Saturday afternoon Roy and I wandered through more of Ulus.

scarf shopping

Coppersmith 

These coppersmiths can fashion anything you want out of copper or can transfer anything you want onto a copper plate - just show them a picture and they work without a plan.  The shops are full of large and small pots, tea kettles, urns, cups, and pitchers of all shapes and sizes.  The shape could be indicative what region the pitcher was made in.  Beautiful things and reasonably priced by weight.   Of course, we were offered tea (politely refused) as we shopped.  Turks are extremely hospitable; they consider a visitor 'a gift from God'.