The Aegean Sea, lying between modern Greece and Turkey, was perhaps the most important stretch of water in all of the ancient world. The Greeks arrived on the western shores at the beginning of the second millennium BCE and were firmly settled in fortified citadels like Athens and Mycenae by the time they ventured east across the Aegean to lay siege to the city of Troy. Two centuries later they began migrating across the islands and to what is now the west coast of Turkey, where they established colonies to exploit the agricultural and mineral riches of the area. These settlements became some of the most important Greek cities: Miletos, the centre of philosophy and learning in the 6th century BCE; the island of Kos, home to the 4th-century physician Hippocrates; and Ephesos, re-founded by one of Alexander the Great’s generals and destined to become the capital of the Roman Empire’s province of Asia. Here were located two of the seven ancient wonders of the world — the Temple of Artemis at Ephesos and the Mausoleum of Halicarnassos — and three cities, all within a few miles of each other, that boasted the three largest temples of the ancient world.

The Aegean was also at the very centre of early Christianity: both the Apostle John and Jesus’ mother Mary lived in Ephesos, and the former wrote the last book of the New Testament — Revelations — in a cave on Samos; St Paul’s Seven Churches of Asia flourished here. The Emperor Constantine’s new capital on the Bosporus became one of the great cities of the world and the preserver of the classical heritage of Greece and Rome; and the Crusaders passed through on their way to the Holy Land, and subsequently built formidable castles at Bodrum and Kos to try to limit the westward expansion of the Ottoman Turks.

Our tour through the southeastern quadrant of the Aegean will take us to these historic places, as well as to remote islands, villages of white-washed houses, and sandy beaches and isolated coves for swimming. We’ll eat in typical tavernas and elegant restaurants, and taste

the regional wines. We have allowed plenty of time to shop in bazaars and markets for Turkish carpets, leather jackets, bronze utensils, and local delicacies. Most of our travelling will be on a private motor-sailer, called a gulet by the Turks: the comfortable twin and double cabins have portholes, air conditioning, and private toilets and showers; there is a large salon with a bar, but most of our time on board is spent under the awnings of an immense outdoor lounge, where we will also have our meals.

For those who have never visited Istanbul, and for those who cannot visit it too often, we have designed an optional three - day advance program to give you the experience of one of the world’s greatest cities, bridging the traditions of Europe and Asia.

SEPTEMBER 2 – 21, 2016

Turkey and Greece: Exploring the Eastern Aegean

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OrientationThe orientation course will consist of five Wednesday evenings, August 3 - 31, 2016, 7 - 9:30 pm held at the University of Calgary campus. Topics for discussion will include the history and culture of the regions we will be visiting, and background information on the sites we will be visiting. The itinerary, travel arrangements and health matters will be discussed in detail.

ItineraryIncluded meals are shown following the daily itinerary. B: breakfast, L: Lunch, D: dinner.

3-Day Istanbul OptionSEPT 2-3 Flight from Calgary to Istanbul. Time to relax and explore the neighbourhood before dinner in the hotel’s panoramic roof-top restaurant overlooking the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia. (D)

SEPT 4-5 Istanbul has a long and colourful history. Founded in the 6th century BCE as the Greek colony of Byzantium, re-founded by the Emperor Constantine in 330 CE as the new Rome (Constantinople), and captured in 1453 by the Ottoman Turks, whose capital it was until the 1920s. Straddling the Bosporus, with one foot in Europe and the other in Asia, it is one of the great cities of the world, a combination of east and west that is unique. Our two full days of touring will include Byzantine Churches (the famous 6th-century Hagia Sophia and the tiny Chora Church with gold mosaics), Ottoman mosques (especially the Blue Mosque), museums of archaeology and of mosaics, Topkapı Palace with its Ottoman treasures, and even a Byzantine water cistern. You’ll have time on your own to shop in the Grand Bazaar before we take a scenic cruise along the shores of the Bosporus. Most of the sights, and dozens of restaurants, are within an easy walk of our hotel. (BL, BD)

SEPT 6 Short flight to Izmir.

Without Istanbul ExtensionSEPT 5-6 Flight from Calgary to Istanbul; transfer to domestic terminal where we’ll join our companions, who have been in Istanbul, for a one-hour flight to Izmir; then by coach [90 min] to our hotel in Kusadasi. Time for a swim in the pool or a raki at the bar, before we have dinner in the hotel’s garden. (BD).

SEPT 7 Today we will tour ancient Ephesos and its environs. The city, once the capital of the Roman province of Asia, now rivals Italian Pompeii in the extent of its excavated buildings. We will explore its theatre (where St. Paul once preached), its public baths, temples, and shops, and the recently opened private houses with their breath-taking wall paintings. Near the ancient city are the remains of the Temple of Artemis (Diana), one of the seven ancient wonders, an attractive local museum, the 6th-century Basilica of St. John,

and the House of Mary, where the mother of Jesus is thought to have spent her last years. (BL)

SEPT 8 This will be our longest day of the trip. We’ll check out after breakfast and take a short drive [45 km = 40 min] south through the fertile coastal plain of Ionia to Priene, a 4th-century Greek city clinging to the steep slopes of a mountain; then across the Maeander River [29 km = 30 min] to Miletos, where western philosophy began and regular urban planning was first applied, and particularly famous for its theatre. We will have time to explore at least the Roman baths as well. Another short ride [14 km = 15 min] brings us to Didyma, where we’ll have a modest lunch before visiting the Temple of Apollo. This was the third largest temple in all of Greek and Roman antiquity, after the now pathetic remains of the Artemision in Ephesos and Hera’s sanctuary that we will visit on Samos. It was so huge that the building could not be roofed. We’ll continue on to Bodrum in the late afternoon, arriving at our hotel in time for dinner by the pool. (BLD)

SEPT 9 A relaxing day today. In the morning we’ll walk to the meagre remains of the massive tomb erected in the 4th century by the Persian satrap of Halicarnassos (as Bodrum was known in antiquity); his name was Mausolus, and his tomb was one of the seven wonders of antiquity. Another short downhill walk brings us to Bodrum’s busy and colourful harbour, and the castle erected by the Knights of St. John as they were being pushed out of Turkey by the Ottomans; it’s now a museum of underwater archaeology, with lots of well-preserved artefacts (like whole, blown glass vessels) pulled from the seabed in the area. We’ll have lunch in a waterfront restaurant before setting you free to explore the shops of Bodrum (or the comfort of our hotel’s pool). Dinner on your own in town. (BL)

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SEPT 10-20 After breakfast we’ll return to the harbour to board our private gulet (the Turkish name for the traditional fishing boat design) and settle into our cabins before we head out into the Aegean Sea. We’ll cruise south at first, towards the ancient city of Knidos on the Turkish coast, site of a famous sanctuary to the goddess Aphrodite; then we’ll explore the Greek islands of the Dodecanese, motoring along as the spirit moves us (and the weather allows). We’ll spend most nights moored in harbours, which will give you the opportunity to explore each island and perhaps find the perfect taverna for dinner. (B; L or D)

A few of the islands we might visit, from south to north: Kos is one of the most significant islands of the Dodecanese, in antiquity as well as today. The island is the second largest of the archipelago, after Rhodes, and its 17,000 inhabitants depend on agriculture (there are some wonderful local red and white wines), fishing, and tourism for their comfortable way of life. In antiquity, you might have been drawn to this island because of its famous light silk dresses, an early form of see-through clothing for women; today, you will be delighted by Kos’ happy combination of historical sites and a beautiful natural setting, its seductive climate, good restaurants, and its mixture of ethnic Turkish and Greek inhabitants. We’ll visit the excavations in town and the Knights’ Castle, and then the Sanctuary of Asklepios, the healing god, largely restored by the Italians when they ruled the Dodecanese between the two World Wars.

Kalymnos is a rocky and mountainous island with deep gorges but blessed with two very fertile valleys. Many of the 12,000 inhabitants are sponge-fishers: the island is remarkably quiet when they are away from Easter to

early October. The capital is the relatively large city of Kalymnos (or Pothia), with architecture that will remind you of Italy: notice the 19th-century neoclassical houses typical of the Dodecanese. It is a brightly coloured and lively place, if not conforming to the style most tourists expect of the “Greek Isles” experience.

Patmos is a small island, even by Greek standards. Its 2500 inhabitants live mostly in two towns, the port of Skala on a narrow isthmus and the quaint

town of Chora on a hill to the south, The island is fairly barren — it may actually be part of the rim of a volcanic caldera — with little agriculture possible on its hills separated by deep indentations of the sea. It is a delightful place, my favourite Aegean island (when the cruise ships are not in port). Skala is a pleasant little town, with some attractive architecture that looks more Italian than Greek, and with some good tavernas along the quayside. To make our way up to the monastery in Chora, we’ll climb the old stone path [1hr] , so on the way we can visit the Convent of the Apocalypse, built over the cave where St John is said to have dictated Revelations to his scribe. Chora is a delight: small, cubical whitewashed houses with bright blue doors, separated by narrow, winding streets with no cars; motorbikes, unfortunately, are allowed. While there we’ll explore the fortified Monastery of St John, originally built in 1088, whose Treasury holds a variety of monastic items: icons, chalices, crosses, and mitres, furniture, and embroidered vestments.

When we arrive in Samos we’ll be very close to the Turkish coast, between Kusadasi and Miletos. It’s a well-watered island, and prospers from its agriculture. The main town of Vathi contains an archaeological museum housing artefacts from the island’s Sanctuary of Hera, which lies near the attractive coastal village of Pythagoreio (named after the 6th-century-BCE philosopher); if we’re lucky, we’ll be able to follow the nearby 1000m-long subterranean aqueduct from the same period. Samian wine, by the way, was much prized in antiquity; I’ll try to arrange a wine-tasting of the modern variety while we’re there.

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And then there is tiny Symi, Lipsi with its riotously coloured houses, remote Ikaria, and Tilos and Nisyros….

SEPT 20 We end our voyage of discovery at the ancient city of Teos on the Turkish mainland, where a coach will be waiting to take us to the Izmir airport for our short flight to Istanbul. We’ll stay at the Airport Hotel to more easily catch our early-morning flight home. (BL)

SEPT 21 Flights to Canada. (B)

Accompanying Resource Person John Humphrey did his first travel study trip, to Greece and Turkey, in 1977. Since then he has led trips to such locations as France, Tunisia, Libya, Italy, Egypt, Cyprus, Syria, Jordan, and especially Turkey. John retired from the University of Calgary in 2014 and is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Classics and Religion. This trip to the southeastern Aegean will be the last in his long career.

Costs Airfare International and domestic $1,800Sept 2-21 Land. Tuition and other costs $8,500 Single supplement $3,100 Sept 5-21*Land. Tuition and other costs $7,700 Single supplement $2,900 *Does not include 3 nights in Istanbul Single supplement is available only on the land portion

GST $75TOTAL: SEPT 2-21 $10,375 TOTAL: SEPT 5-21 $9,575

Cost includes: Tuition and five-week orientation course, airfare, accommodation, transfers, all surface travel, and meals as listed in the itinerary. A deposit of $500 is required with the registration form. There is a $200 withdrawal fee prior to the final payment date. Final payment is due on February 1, 2016. Please see the Refund Policy section for withdrawal/refund procedures and liabilities. Fees are based on the information available at the time of print and are subject to change to reflect any changes in currency rates, airfares, or land costs. There are possibilities of decreases or increases, and any changes will be reflected on the final payment and passed on to the participant. All fees are based on double occupancy.

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University of Calgary Continuing EducationEducation Tower 11202500 University Drive NWCalgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4

Fax: 403.284.9242

Choose your adventure:■ Bali and Singapore John Gilchrist February 14 - 28, 2016 TRA 177-001

■ Yellowknife: Aurora Borealis at Its Best Dr. Wayne Lynch March 20 - 25, 2016 TRA 153-005

■ Portugal: An Historical and Gastronomic Journey Dr. John Humphrey April 7 - 24, 2016 TRA 184-001

■ Historical and Cultural Perspectives of Northern Greece and Turkey Dr. Geoff Jackson April 18 - May 1, 2016 TRA 178-001

■ Central Asia and Its Treasures Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan Dr. Valery Efimenko April 21 - May 8, 2016 TRA 147-002

■ Turkey and Greece: Exploring the Eastern Aegean Dr. John Humphrey Sept 2 - 21, 2016 TRA 183-001

■ The First World War in Words and Walks Harry Vandervlist Sept 9 - 22, 2016 TRA 181-001

■ Mountain Moose and Autumn Colour Dr. Wayne Lynch Sept 16 - 18, 2016 TRA 180-001

■ The Great Bear Rainforest Dr. Wayne Lynch Sept 26 - Oct 1, 2016 TRA 175-003

■ Wild Argentina and Chile with Optional Extension to Easter Island Dr. Wayne Lynch Nov 14 - 29, 2016 Extension: Nov 29 - Dec 5, 2016 TRA 165-002

■ Harp Seal Helicopter Adventure Dr. Wayne Lynch March 1 - 8, 2017 TRA 179-001

■ Tanzania and the Serengeti Plains Dr. Wayne Lynch March 23 - April 8, 2017 TRA 161-002

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