The Amber Fort in Jaipur is an incredible place full of history, beauty and Indian customs. The energy from the moment we arrived was contagious. The excitement started with an elephant ride up the hill to the fort. The salesmen chasing us and yelling out prices of their items startled my teenage son but I told him to focus on the view.The tour of the fort was packed with knowledge and details. We were mesmerized with the architecture and the stories of the residents of the fort. We turned a corner and found a delightful duo of snake charmers! …and local ladies in their vibrant attire who loved to pose for pictures.Being at the fort and participating in the customs of the snake charmers and the elephant ride made me feel like we were touching history. The amber tone of the fort had a regal aura to it. photos by Gina Kingsley
more info in the book, A Magic Carpet Ride by Gina Michalopulos Kingsley on Amazon
A fond memory I have of a day in Crete is when my 8 year old son and I discussed Greek mythology. I asked him if he knew that the father of all gods, Zeus, was from the island of Crete (according to mythology). My son then went into a long story about “Muthaw Ewth” (Mother Earth) and Kronos, etc. He told me about all of the murders of Zeus’s siblings and the goat who suckled Zeus as a baby on Crete. We also talked about King Minos and the minotaur. We went to see the Palace of Knossos which is on Crete.
I was impressed at his ability to recall long lessons of mythology. He thought he was teaching me and I let him think so. I used to teach Greek mythology to my third graders—but he doesn’t know that. It must be very tangible for the boys to apply their knowledge of Greek mythology to the environment here. www.explorecrete.com/archaeology/dikteon-andron-cave.html When we visited Ancient Olympia on the peninsula of Peloponnesos, we saw the Temple of Zeus (one of the 7 wonders of the Ancient World).
That, too, must’ve been beyond impressive to the boys because Olympia was the site of the first Olympic games done in honor of Zeus. They had to decipher that the games were real; while Zeus was not. Yet, the ancient Greeks’ mythology was their belief system for an era.Seeing the Palace of Knossos in Crete connected us to the mythology of King Minos, the minotaur, Theseus, Ariadne, the ball of string, etc. It helps to know historic facts ahead of time and/or have a tour guide while there because otherwise, it is possible you’ll be walking through this site thinking “it’s just a pile of rocks”. The latter is true for many tourists. But when you realize the incredible history of Knossos and the advancement of this place for it’s ancient time, it is spectacular! Flushing toilets back then!? a sewer system? Minoan plumbing? hundreds of residents?
On a trip in Colorado, we stopped in Colorado Springs. What a wonderful city!! Besides all of the things to do there, we enjoyed Manitou Springs even more! We discovered a place called the Ghost Town Museumand loved it so much, we actually went back another year to see it again! Our kids were at the perfect age for this museum! But, honestly, it’s even better for adults who can really comprehend this walk back through history.
The displays were so lifelike and detailed. You felt like you were truly living in Pioneer and Victorian times. The exhibit depicted a day in the life of families who lived during this era. It showed their home life and customs….
Their dress, lifestyle and customs….Their businesses, livelihoods….their handicrafts and hobbies….and many, many other details….After touring the inside, doing the shooting gallery, etc…we walked outside and did the panning for gold!It was a very valuable experience and the gift shop was great! This was the best hands-on museum for understanding the pioneer/Victorian era in the U.S. If it wasn’t so far away from our hometown, it would be a perfect field trip for students or a youth group.
A friend of mine, a 1st generation Turkish American, recently took a trip to Turkey to show her 12 year old daughter their ancestral homeland. Her daughter was curious about her heritage and her grandfather wanted to treat her to this opportunity. I interviewed this Turkish beauty about her very meaningful summer trip.
Why did you visit Turkey this summer and had you ever been before?
I have been to Cyprus and Turkey before. My dad lives in Turkey half the year. He has a summer home in Cesme which is a seasonal place for Turkish people. It’s in the Aegean Sea. My daughter is 12 years old and we wanted her to see the place of her heritage. 12 years old is a good age for this because I think if she had gone any earlier, she wouldn’t be able to appreciate it.
What were your itinerary highlights? What do you recommend that people do and see in Turkey?
Cesme is a wonderful place. There’s a variety of things to do there from windsurfing to seeing historical places. Cesme is one of the top two places in the world for windsurfing! There is a place on the bay where they served good food. Bodrum was also one of my favorite places. It’s beautiful and reminds me of the pictures you see of Greece. We hired a driver (which is a common thing to do in Turkey) to take us to Bodrum and Ephesus. In Ephesus, we went up a winding road to the house of the Virgin Mary. We lit candles to make a prayer. It was a very spiritual experience.
Istanbul was my #1 favorite place. The Blue Mosque is impressive. The Basilica Cistern, near the Blue Mosque, is an ancient water system where they have found two columns held up by Medusa heads.
Medusa head column
Topkapi Palace was wonderful. Istanbul had the grand bazaar which had approximately 4,000 stores. Purses, gold, silver, home decor, clothes, etc……There were back stores that they took us, too. It was interesting to see how they spoke to us once they knew we were Turkish. They suddenly offered us discounts.
Bosphorus, which is the strait that divides Asia and Europe, is a recommended place to go. It connects the two continents. We ate a meal there at nice restaurant. It is especially nice at night. Bosphorus is pretty amazing. A lot of weddings happen at a restaurant on the Bosphorus, next to the river. There was a Mosque next to us and every few minutes, they let out these pretty lanterns that had a candlelight flame in the air that would fly up and then disintegrate. The restaurant is called Feriye Lokantasi.
If you could describe the perfect Turkish meal, what would it be?
Doner kebab which is the Turkish “gyro”. The fish is prepared differently there and it was very good. They always serve Turkish coffee after every meal and they also serve Raki (a Turkish alcoholic drink). Turkish meals are big. Borek is a pastry with cheese that we had at a darling garden restaurant that we enjoyed. They had it at the bazaar in an adorable outside garden restaurant where they are made fresh!
Describe your Turkish heritage and what it means to you?Are you fluent in Turkish and are you full-Turkish?
I am 100% Turkish….my whole family is. Yes, I’m fluent. I was so impressed with the hospitality in Turkey. For example, a friend of my parents, who didn’t even know me, was so hospitable to me and my daughter! She took us to the Izmir textiles and treated us so well, simply because she was friends with my parents! We drove to Bodrum to see my 90 year old great uncle and his daughter (my cousin). He is the only one alive on my grandfather’s side of the family. They were so open and generous…..so excited to see us.
Are there any Turkish customs you learned on your trip that you’ve incorporated in your routine back home?
The breakfast every day consisted of bread, cheese, tomatoes, olives and a hard boiled egg and I’ve found myself eating more cheese now.
What was the flight like to Turkey?
It was 12-14 hours I think. We flew to Houston, Istanbul, Izmir and then took a car to Cesme.
Any hotel recommendations?
Conrad Hotel in Istanbul had great security! They even checked under the car!
The Four Seasons by the Blue Mosque has a rooftop view that is beautiful!
How did this trip enrich your life?
The hospitality was impressive. I was very proud of the palaces and mosques there. We don’t have the roots here where I live and many of my ancestors are no longer alive so it was important for me to show my daughter how amazing her culture is.
The tour of the fort was packed with knowledge and details. We were mesmerized with the architecture and the stories of the residents of the fort.
We turned a corner and found a delightful duo of snake charmers!
…and local ladies in their vibrant attire who loved to pose for pictures.
Being at the fort and participating in the customs of the snake charmers and the elephant ride made me feel like we were touching history. The amber tone of the fort had a regal aura to it. 
photos by Gina Kingsley
