 Head of Medusa | Cascoly Travelspecializes in Turkey & the Greek IslandsNational Geographic Maps |  Hercules, Nemrut Dag |
| Newport boasts beautiful beaches and rock formations to its north and south, rivaling the better known coast of California near Monterrey and Big Sur. Several lighthouses such as Yaquina Head dot the often foggy headlands, marking safe passage to protected harbors. Drawn by the Yaquina Bay oysters and other plentiful seafood, California sea lions (pinnipeds) gather most days on sunny wharfs or offshore rocks. Their fur dries from slick browns to soft plush. Newport appears about half way down Highway 101 on the Oregon coast. It boasts beautiful beaches and rock formations to its north and south, rivaling the better known coast of California near Monterrey and Big Sur. Several lighthouses such as Yaquina Head dot the often foggy headlands, marking safe passage to protected harbors. The sea lions (Zalophus californianus) are the major draw though – you can’t miss them, as you’ll hear their barking several blocks before you arrive at the pier that provides a balcony view. On several anchored wharf platforms, old bull sea lions hoist themselves out and enjoy the sun when it is present. Newport’s weather is mild but it does get almost 70” of rain each year, mostly in the winter months. Drawn by the Yaquina Bay oysters and other plentiful seafood, California sea lions gather most days on sunny wharfs or offshore rocks. Their fur dries from slick browns to soft plush. Smaller males circle the floating platforms, looking for a space to claim. It can be tense, and noisy as some bulls value their personal space, while others form huddles of furry duvets. Across the way, other sea lions haul out on the rocks below navigation markers. A marker notes that female sea lions do not come north of California, only males. |
| The Oregon Coast Aquarium is best known for having housed Keiko, the orca from the movie Free Willy , until 1998, when he decided to relocate to Iceland. Even without Keiko, the aquarium remains an excellent adventure for all ages, featuring sea otters, seals, and an enclosed coastal bird aviary including puffins. “Passages of the Deep” is a walkthrough gallery underwater where you can watch sharks, rays and halibut swim overhead. The old Bay Boulevard hosts various restaurants and tourist sites such as an underwater garden, trinket shops and a good selection of Seafood restaurants, many serving the famous Yaquina Bay oysters. The street is marked by several murals of maritime life, including Moby Dick. The Rogue brewery offers its fine selection of micro brews. Try their fish & chips! While there are plenty of attractions that charge admission, our favorite Newport offerings are free – the large and active fishing marina, and as a consequence the abundance of California sea lions. You can wander among the fishing fleet, picking out gill netters, purse seiners, trawlers and a variety of other fishing boats. In a large public parking lot, piles of colorful crab pots and floats beckon to any passing photographer. The backdrop includes the distinctive Yaquina Bay Bridge designed by Conde McCullough and finished in 1936. |
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The Dardanelles has been a strategic water route and an object of conquest throughout history. The city of Troy was placed strategically to dominate the straits, the site for Homer’s epic tales. Troy Tours The Dardanelles take their name from Dardanus, the mythical ancestral founder of nearby Troy – He was born, according to our guide, when Zeus was‘naughty’ with Electra, the local king’s daughter.. Also, according to ancient writers, it’s the place where Helle fell from the back of the golden-fleeced ram while passing through the strait on the way to Colchis in the Black Sea, setting the scene for Jason’s quest of the Golden Fleece. Further it’s the setting for the fatal attraction of Hero to Leander, leading to his drowning while trying to swim across to meet her. Such sacrifice, however foolhardy, naturally led later romantic poets to idealize and even try to imitate them. The Dardanelles has been a strategic water route and an object of conquest throughout history. The city of Troy was placed strategically to dominate the straits, the site for Homer’s epic tales. Then in the 5 BCE the Persian king Xerxes built a pontoon bridge for his army on his invasion of the Greek city states. It was later fought over by Alcibiades in the Peloponnesian War and Alexander used it on his invasion of Asia. A thousand years later the Rumeli Turks crossed here, establishing their first European beachhead, which culminated in the capture of Constantinople a hundred years later. Their castle today benignly observes the European-side ferry landing. In World War I it lured yet another over-confident invader when the British made their landings. Troy (Troia, or "Wilusa" in the Hittite language) is an ancient settlement located in the province of Canakkale, Turkey. Troy is well-known because the events told in Homer's epic, "The Iliad", took place at Troy. The drama of the Trojan War lies at the heart of the Iliad, which is one of two epic poems attributed to Homer. "Trojan" refers to the inhabitants and culture of Troy. Today Troy is the name of an ancient site, the location of Homeric Troy in Hisarlık, Anatolia, close to the coast in Canakkale province in northwest Turkey. It is also slightly southwest of the Dardanelles near to Mount Ida. Troyas has existed for over 4,000 years and is known as a center of ancient civilizations. For many years people believed that it was a city mentioned only in tales and never actually existed until it was re-discovered in the 19th century. Troy ("Truva" or "Troya" in Turkish) is located at Hisarlik hill near the village of Tevfikiye in Canakkale province, where the remains of this once-great city can be visited. In 1865 an English archaeologist nameed Frank Calvert carried out the first trial excavations at Hisarlık. Later, in 1868, a German businessman, Heinrich Schliemann, began excavating on a much larger scale and at his own expense. From this it was discovered that the city had nine distinct layers and that Homeric Troy was probably what we now call Troy VI. What is left are the remains from the destructive dig carried out by Schliemann. Today, an international team of German and American archaeologists bring the Troy of the Bronze Age back to life under a sponsored project . A Turkish legal team is work negotiating with Russia and Germany to retrieve stolen Trojan treasures. The site of Troy was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1998. A walking tour of Troy is both rewarding and easy; just be sure to bring sun protection and water, as it can be hot and exposed. Homer immortalized Troy in his stories of King Priam, Hector, Paris and beautiful Helen. Archeological excavations have revealed nine separate levels of cities. A symbolic wooden Trojan horse commemorates the legendary war. There’s more to see here than we were led to expect, though it’s not as dramatic as some other sites. The walls of Troy VI and I are easiest to discern. Then we got a better view of Troy I looking across Schliemann’s Trench, the deep gash early archaeologists cut thru the midden. Continuing around we passed the ramp and gate of Troy II, then remains of Troy VII and IX, including the Odeon, South Gate. As we returned, we were reminded that this area is still a military crossroads – overhead, US jet fighters flew back to their Turkish base after sorties over Kosovo. [1999] Troy tours include the following:
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