Hi All!

Yesterday, I set foot on the continent of Asia for the first time. And, I did it like the ancients did -- I went by boat! I took an all day cruise up and down the Bosphorus Strait, which divides the European and Asian continents, and which also divides the European and Asian sides of the city of Istanbul. There were some great sights along the way, and we ended at the mouth of the Black Sea, where I climbed up to the remains of what's probably a Crusader era fortress. There are photos on the photo links to the left. (By the way, this "cruise" was on one of the public ferries, and cost the equivalent of about $13.50 round trip. If you're ever here, it's a great deal!)

Today, I decided to go to the Archaeological Museum of Istanbul. That museum is on the grounds of the Topkapi Palace, and within the old Byzantine city walls. The museum has three parts, including the Museum of Archaeology (which focuses on the history and pre-history in Turkey), the Tiled Kiosk (an early Ottoman building which focuses on pottery) and the Museum of the Ancient Orient (which includes objects throughout the middle east dating back to the 15th century BC). Among the objects there are a cuneiform record of the acts of King Nebuchadnezzer (remember him from the last reading from the Easter Vigil?); a Hebrew inscription from the completion of Hezekiah's tunnel (cf. 2 Kings 20:20); and friezes which once adorned the Ishitar Gate of the ancient city of Babylon. There are photos of all of these and more in the link on the left.

Today, I also took another trip on the public ferries (which are very fast and efficient) to scout out where I'll need to go later in my travels. Tomorrow, I head back to the airport in Istanbul, this time to pick up a rental car. I'll be heading south to Izmir (biblical Smyrna), and using that city as a base for the next week as I visit places like Ephesus and the Island of Patmos.