Two Fathers, Two Nations

Comparing Gandhi and Ataturk

Raising the flag in front of the statue of Gandhi at the Gandhi Museum in Madurai

The statue of Ataturk in Taksim Square, Istanbul

Mohandas Gandhi and Mustafa Kemal. Both have so much in common. They both liberated their home country (both from the British… funny), and both received a name meaning Father (Ataturk actually means Father of the Turks, but whatever). To compare these two figures, one must first know a bit about them. And I learned a lot about each as we travelled through both India and Turkey.

Images of Istanbul

We spent three weeks in Istanbul. Like every other place we have been, we could have spent much more time digging deeper and exploring the innumerable hidden corners of this enchanting city.

Finding Santa

Originally published in Alternatives Journal blog, Think Global

It’s December 6, and we are on the island of Kos in Greece. The stores are closed for the celebration of St. Nicholas, the patron saint of sailors, but the sun is out and the cafes are doing a brisk trade. A band approaches and then a procession bearing the icon of St. Nicholas sweeps through the square on its way to the church where the service is being held. The procession passes, and the square is empty again, save for the Christmas tree and Santa Claus display.

We Stay in Pamukkale

An iconic image that appears in all the travel magazines for Turkey is the white terraces of Pamukkale, or the “cotton castle” in Turkish. Over the ages, hot water springs have deposited calcium carbonate down the hillside, thus creating pools in which people have bathed for thousands of years. In fact, at the top of Pamukkale lie the Greco-Roman and Byzantine ruins of the city of Hierapolis; beginning in the 2nd century BC, the Romans used the hot springs as a spa as the waters were believed to cure all sorts of ailments. Clearly the Romans knew a good thing when they had it!

Aran’s Wayback Machine: Ephesus

Let me take you back 2,000 years.

So, Why Are You Here?

Turks sure are friendly. Everywhere we go, they call out to greet us, enquire how we are, and then invite us into their shop or restaurant, the finest in town. But look past the obvious tourist traps, and our first impressions are that Turks are indeed very friendly and that the country is bustling.

Bodrum, our first stop