One More Day of Travel Takes Me Home

Friday — April 30

2,118 miles (~3,389 km), one airline meal, and two movies later, I’m 4½ hours into the 8½-hour flight that is taking me from Munich to DC. Below us is a bed of clouds, so I have to trust the moving map that we are indeed flying just south of Greenland and Iceland. I’m grateful that there’s no volcanic activity this time to impact the usual routing. It’s enough that the headwinds we’re bucking are adding to the flight time.

When I overnighted in Freising in April 2004, I woke up to snowflakes gently falling from gray skies. Though it was overcast this morning with some foreboding clouds in the distance, there was no precipitation to cause concern. At 8:30a, I went down to the lobby to catch the Marriott shuttle to the airport.  Another 11€/person; complimentary shuttle service seems to have gone the way of the dinosaurs!  Can’t quibble though; I knew about the cost in advance (less expensive than a taxi, by the way).

My ride to the airport is here.
(the picture was pixilated while saving to the flash card; the watercolor filter saves the day)

Whizzing by the airport; just a few more minutes and I'll be at the terminal.

By 8:45a, I was limping through a surprisingly quiet Terminal 2. A quick check of the departures board showed my flight to be on-time.  Good!  Still favoring my right foot, I headed off slowly to take care of the formalities — passport control was swift; security was very (very) thorough, but not too time consuming.

The terminal outside the passengers-only area is very quiet this morning.

UA Flight 903 is on the departures board; that's a good thing.

As I had skipped breakfast at the hotel, the first item of business once I was through security was to get a bite to eat.  There are several deli-style places at Terminal 2, but after checking the menus, I gravitated back to Wiener’s.  With a ciabatta calebrese and a small coke (I don’t do coffee), I sat down to pass the time people-watching for a while.

Around 10:30a, I headed to the far end of the concourse to find my departure gate, stopping along the way to check out an option for future long layovers.  As has become the norm since 9/11, I went through the additional security check required for flights departing Europe for the US. My carry-on was once again thoroughly disassembled — I even had to turn on my Canon 50D; something I haven’t had to do in quite some time.  No problem.  Besides, unlike the security agent I encountered coming into Germany two weeks ago, this one was much friendlier and helped me put everything back in the bag again.

Don’t need a NapCab this time, but looks like a good option for long layovers.

At the gate, I was greeted with the news that the flight was delayed 20 minutes due to late arriving aircraft.  As it turns out, they confiscated the Chicago equipment to get us out as close to our original departure time as possible. Even then, the delay ended up being more like an hour by the time the plane was wheels up at 12:30p. I didn’t have a connecting flight to worry about, so I wasn’t concerned.  But, I did lose my special seat with the extra legroom because this equipment is configured differently. I’m still seated in Economy Plus, however, so I have 5 inches (12½ cm) more legroom than I did on the flight to Munich two weeks ago — believe me, it makes a difference!

Our confiscated equipment arrives at Gate 44.

In case you don’t believe me about the delay; I have proof.

I ate the delicious (not!!!) lunch the attendants served while watching “Young Victoria” (starring Emily Brunt, Rupert Friend, and Paul Bettany). Once that movie was over, I switched over to “Did You Hear About the Morgans?” (starring Hugh Grant, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Sam Elliott). Both movies were enjoyable; both helped pass the time quite quickly.

And so we come to the here and now. Another hour of the flight has passed writing this post. How to entertain myself for the next three hours is the dilemma. I’ll figure something out; more when I get home …

Later … 5:30p at Home

The downside to a mid-day departure from Europe is that the flight arrives right in the middle of the international arrivals rush hour at Dulles International.  Today was no different, though the wait for the shuttle to customs was brief, so it seemed like things moved along a little faster.  By the time I was through passport control, my bag was on the baggage carousel.  I think that was a first!

On the way home, Mui made a detour to Artie’s for an early dinner.  Part of the Great American Restaurants chain, this is one of our favorite dining venues — it doesn’t hurt that it’s conveniently located to where we live either.  The food here never disappoints and today was no exception.  We started out with a seasonal appetizer — grilled artichokes with a buttery dipping sauce.  It’s messy to eat, but it’s “oh so good,” and the wet napkins the server brings with it helps with the clean up afterwards.  Another seasonal favorite was also on the menu — grilled halibut served on a bed of cauliflower mash.  Mui and I split an order so that we’d have room for dessert.  This time we ordered the carrot cake and had enough left over to bring home with us for dessert tomorrow night!

And so, I’m home and another trip is now in the completed column!

All Good Trips Must Come to an End

Thursday — April 29

Did you know that a Lufthansa aircraft receives six layers of paint that add a mere .2 mm of thickness to the skin of the plane? That’s the information I gleaned from the in-flight magazine I was reading earlier. The article was about the new flagship — the Airbus 380 — but the process that was described probably applies to the entire fleet.

For all intents and purposes, my trip to Turkey is wrapped up. At the moment, I am on Lufthansa Flight 3371, flying from İzmir to Munich on the first leg of my trip back home. By this time tomorrow, I’ll be in DC.

First, a flashback to April 28.  There’s no separate blog post for yesterday, because I took a break from sightseeing to rest my right foot a bit. I’ve been walking with a slight limp, favoring that foot since my outing to the Agora on the 26th. Not sure what I did to it, but I needed a reason to stay home and pack anyway, so the day wasn’t a total loss. Mid-day, I took a break from the dreaded packing chore to limp to Amore Café for lunch with mom and Aylin. Good home-style cooking, as always — the creamy tomato soup was the perfect warmer-upper on a breezy, cool spring day; the pasta and zucchini frittata was light and tasty.

OK, let’s get on with today.

I didn’t go anywhere this morning either, giving my foot a bit more time to heal from whatever damage I’d done to it (the sharp pain when I step on it is all but gone). The morning flew by with last minute travel preparations and farewell calls to friends and family. Murat arrived shortly after 2:00p and we headed to the airport for my 4:25p flight.

Normally, I’d be concerned about cutting it so close for an international flight, but Adnan Menderes Airport doesn’t see much in the way of international air traffic this time of the year. As expected, the Lufthansa counter was devoid of lines. The agent efficiently processed my boarding passes for today’s flight as well the next leg to the US tomorrow, and checked my luggage through to Dulles International (yay!). Saying farewell to family is never easy, so rather than prolong the agony, I bid mom and A&M a slightly-tearful goodbye, hurried through passport control, and made my way into the nearly deserted passengers-only area.

A shame that such a nice international departures salon sees so little action.

I arrived at Gate 34 just as the inbound flight from Munich touched down — the same one that brought mom and me to İzmir 14 days ago. Boarding commenced on time and was reasonably fast for an almost-full flight. As soon as the aircraft door was closed, I jumped into the aisle seat in front of my assigned one, giving myself room to spread out for the 2½ hour flight.

I’m so glad Lufthansa still has a direct flight between İzmir and Munich.

And that brings me to the here and now. The flight attendants are collecting the last of the meal service items in preparation for landing at Flughafen München-Franz Josef Strauß.  Time to stow the laptop; more from my hotel in Freising …

Later … 9:30p in Freising

The flight from İzmir landed 15 minutes ahead of the scheduled 6:05p arrival. We deplaned onto the tarmac and were shuttled to Terminal 2. The usual queue at passport control was non-existent; not that I’m complaining. Within a few minutes, I was on my way to find the shuttle for the Marriott Munich Airport Hotel.  Luckily, the instructions I’d received from the hotel mentioned that on occasion they use the Freising taxi service, otherwise I would not have known to ask the cabbie that showed up if he was the ride I had arranged in advance (11€/person).

The hotel’s name is a bit of a misnomer as it is not located at the airport. Rather, it is in nearby Freising, about 15 minutes away. The town, which dates back to the 8th Century, has always been considered the “spiritual center of Bavaria.” In fact, my arrival at the hotel coincided with the tolling of the bells of the nearby Dom (cathedral); nice welcome.  Check-in was speedy and within minutes I was settling into my room.  (By the way, Mui booked the hotel for me by bidding on Priceline; got it for about half the going rate.)

A quiet room at the Marriott, which is conveniently near downtown Freising.

From my 2004 overnight stay in Freising, I knew that Marienplatz (Mary’s Square), was an easy 5-minute walk from the hotel. I still had some daylight left, so I grabbed my point & shoot camera and headed off to explore the town for a bit. (You’ll find a copy of the 2010 Freising Visitor Guide here.)

Wandering around cobblestone streets, I enjoyed the sights and sounds of the charming Bavarian town. Spying an internet café not far from the town square, I took advantage of the reasonable rates (1€ for 30 minutes) to let family and friends know of my safe arrival in Germany.

The bears that delighted us in 2004 are still on the streets of Freising.
Legend has it that Saint Corbinian, who settled at a shrine here in 724, ordered
a bear to carry his luggage over the Alps after it had killed his packhorse.
The saddled bear is still the symbol of the city, displayed in the coat of arms.

Left: The bell tower of the Church of St George peeks out from between buildings.
Right: Downtown Freising; not far from Marienplatz.

Glimpse of downtown Freising.

Marienplatz

A closer look at the mural decorating the Rathaus (Town Hall).

Left: The Pillar of Mary and St George’s Church on Marienplatz.
Right: The Statue of St George (of dragon-slaying fame) decorates the façade of the church.
(for extra bonus points, find the dragon in the picture)

As the time was getting on towards 8:00p, I decided to grab a bite to eat at one of the cafés on Marienplatz. Planning to partake of the featured Bavarian menu, I settled on Sepp & Soda. Once seated, however, I realized that I wasn’t that hungry, so I just ordered the “Leberknödelsuppe mit frischem Schnittlauch” (traditional soup with dumplings and fresh chives) and the “Kleiner Salat” (small salad with tomatoes and roasted pumpkin seeds). I washed it all down with a Becks Pils (it was the only beer on the menu that came in a small size).

A warm evening in Freising + an ice cold beer = a perfect al fresco meal.

A post-dinner stroll to buy bottled water did not yield what I was looking for, but all was not lost.  I found an excellent creamy treat at the “eisdiele” (ice cream parlor): a scoop of chocolate ice cream topped with a scoop of orange … yummy!

Now, it’s time to get a good night’s rest before resuming my trip to the US tomorrow.

Up Next: One More Day of Travel Takes Me Home

Agora — a Gathering Place and a Market of Yesteryear

Tuesday — April 27: Part II

With a vague idea of its location, I set off to find the Agora — the marketplace of ancient Smyrna.  Walking down Fevzi Paşa Bulvarı, I took a right onto Gazi Osman Paşa Bulvarı, asked for directions from a helpful shopkeeper, and before I knew it, I was showing my MüzeKart to the attendant at the entrance to the ruins.  (Entrance fee for non-card holders is 3TL, or about $2.)

Legend has it that Smyrna (now İzmir) was founded after Alexander the Great, King of Macedonia, dreamt that he was to build a city near Old Smyrna.  Hearing of his dream, the people of Old Smyrna went to the oracles to see if the gods indeed wanted a new city built.  Apollo was consulted and he deemed that “those who settle on Mount Pagos [Kadifekale] beyond the Sacred Meles will be four times times happier than before.” And so, at the end of the 4th Century BC, a new city was born.

Plan of Smyrna
(at one time, you could see the current city grid laid out beneath the plan)

As was usual with most coastal cities of the Hellenistic Period, Smyrna had two agoras.  One was located near the harbor and served as a trade center.  The second one was near the city center and had a more official function.  It was the latter that I visited today.  The brochure I received from the attendant describes the Agora as follows:

… The Agora served as the administrative, political, judicial and commercial center for the city.  The gradient of the terrain where the Agora was built was eliminated with basements constructed on the west and north. … The Agora area was transformed into an elevated terrace filled up to the upper level of the basements.  The courtyard was surrounded by porticos.  The Agora functioned as a cemetery during the Byzantine and Ottoman Periods after the Late Ancient Age.  The existing ruins and probing [dig] activities indicate that the Agora was first used in the Hellenistic Period after the eastern campaign of Alexander the Great.

Plan of the Agora

It was a quiet day at the Agora.  A few school groups showed up, but they didn’t stay long, so I had the place to myself most of the time.  Unfortunately, most of the ruins were closed off today.  Oh well; it is an active archaeological dig after all.  I made do with what was available for exploration.

Looking down the West Stoa.

Gate of Faustina and the West Stoa.
(the original gate was double-arched)

This bust of Faustina, wife of Marcus Aurelius, honors her efforts to restore the Agora,
which was heavily damaged by an earthquake in 178 AD.

Artist's rendering of the West Stoa and the double-arched gate.

Columns of the West Stoa.

Exploring the basement of the West Stoa.

Glimpse of the columns from the basement of the West Stoa.

When the Agora was restored after the earthquake of 178 AD,
these arches were added to strengthen the building.

Ahh! Yes; I have a table-top tripod with me!

An archaeological dig is like a puzzle waiting for its pieces to be put together.

During the Ottoman Period, a cemetery was established upon the ruins of the Agora.

Ottoman era headstones.

From the Agora I headed home, taking the long way back by walking to Basmane and then cutting through Kültür Park (the fairgrounds).  In hindsight, I should have just jumped in a cab and gone straight home as my right foot was in considerable pain at this point.  Sightseeing trumped common sense and I’m paying for it now.  Might as well share a few photos from the Basmane Garı (Basmane Train Terminal) since I made the effort to go there.

The Basmane Train Terminal was built in 1876 by the Smyrna Cassaba Railway,
which operated rail service in Western Anatolia from 1863 to 1934.
(sorry about the vehicles; the traffic just wouldn’t let up)

At this time of the day, the waiting area is nearly deserted.

These modern trains are quite a change from the coal-fueled ones I rode as a kid.

   One of several entrances to the fairgrounds, the 9 Eylül (9 September) gate commemorates
the city’s liberation from foreign occupation in 1922.

Here’s the silver lining to taking the long way back home.  As I was passing by the History & Art Museum in Kültür Park, I recalled that some of the artifacts excavated from the Agora were on display there.  No; I didn’t stop to check the premises, but I did check my online gallery when I got home, and there was the photograph of …

Poseidon & Demeter — Antonine Period
(thought to be from the altar dedicated to Zeus that once stood in the courtyard of the Agora)

There are quite a few more places I had hoped to visit on this trip to İzmir, but I’ve run out of time.  They’ll just have to wait until next time.  Tomorrow, I pack for the trip back home; and it’s probably a good idea if I rest my foot, too.

Next Up: All Good Trips Must Come to an End