Category: Uncategorized

March 31, 2019

Welcome back for a new episode of Robert’s Fulbright Award Travel and Lecture Tour blog! I appreciate those of you among my readers who have made my blog as popular at Bonanza! on TV in the United States in 1969! That quality is hard to live up to but I will try my damnedest to be as compelling as Hoss, Little Joe, and Adam. Today we will begin with a capsule history of Budapest and, more generally, Hungary. Given that humans have lived in these areas for several thousand years – and that I am not principally a historian of Central Europe and that my interest (and knowledge base) was only recently inspired by a visit to the Budapest City Museum – my summary will strike some as only glancing and superficial. Still, there’s at least half a chance I know more than you do presently about this history. So, let’s begin.

The modern history of Hungary may perhaps be said to start somewhere around 850 A.D when Magyars – the ethnic group that became Hungarians – began to settle more permanently on the eastern side of the Danube River. Previously, the Magyars among several central European peoples had over-run this area and resided there briefly but by 900 the Magyar “invasion” – which was slow and incremental – had spread beyond the Danube to the west and an identifiable level of cultural control was established in the region. This entire central European region has long been a place of conquest, counter-conquest, and re-conquest so that Magyar descendants today are spread over a vast area with only about 2/3 of ethnic Hungarians actually living in modern day Hungary. Those who have been displaced live predominantly in the neighboring countries of Slovakia, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Ukraine, and Austria.

A Hungarian kingdom was first established sometime around the year 1000 A.D. under the Arpad dynasty which lasted for two and half centuries. Population growth was slow but eventually Germans, French, and Walloon settlers from western Europe increasingly saw the importance of the lower Danube River as a trading site and the towns of Buda, and later Pest, were established although they remained small. In 1241-2 the Mongol hordes, led by grandsons of Genghis Khan, over-ran much of Europe and destroyed these cities. Subsequent to the withdrawal of the Mongols, who sacked and burned but did not linger to control and administer the region, Charles I, made king of the Capetian House of Anjou by his brother the king of France in 1226, invaded the Hungarian basin from the south where his principal seat of power was the Kingdom of Naples and southern Italy. The House of Angevin ruled Hungary until 1435. During this period a succession of fortress palaces were built on the Castle Hill site we toured in Buda during our previous blog post.

Angevin rule came to end when two competing lines within the dynasty fought over control of the Kingdom of Naples allowing John Hunyadi, a warrior noble of Romanian ancestry, to gradually acquire control in parts of the region surrounding the Danube. He was able to install his son, King Matthias Corvinus, on the throne of Hungary from 1458 -90. Matthias spent most of his reign warring with the Ottoman Empire who had established control over Serbia and Bosnia. Wars with the Turks continued long past Matthias’s reign until, in 1526, the Ottomans crushed the Hungarians by killing as many as 50,000 of their soldiers in a battle at Mohacs. King Louis II of Hungary, Bohemia, and Croatia died in the battle, without issue, and Hungary was annexed by the Ottomans as a tributary state. By now, however, the Habsburgs had established a monarchy based in Vienna and were intent on incorporating Hungary into their empire. This soon led to a contest with the Ottomans wherein the Habsburgs laid claim to the Royal Kingdom of Hungary (that is, the northern par of Hungary) and the Ottomans receded to control the eastern and southern regions (i.e., Transylvania). However, this area included the cities of Buda and Pest which suffered continually during the early middle ages from their constant immersion in conflicts between warring sovereigns over control of the region.

The uneasy state of divided control of Hungary lasted for a century and a half until the Habsburgs decisively defeated the Ottomans in the Great Turkish War, also called the War of Holy League, as the Habsburgs were joined by other Christian forces from Poland, Lithuania, Russia, and Venice. The series of conflicts lasted from 1683-99. The Habsburgs quickly incorporated Hungary into their empire but given its scale and weak hold on many of its subordinate states, Hungary retained a fair amount of independence within the overarching structure. In 1848-9, like many European nations, Hungary experienced a revolution and sought to throw off Austrian dominance but Emperor Franz Josef received assistance from Russia and quashed the rebellion. Short of twenty years later, in 1867 Hungary’s influence and desire for authonomy was acknowledged with a new constitution which established the Austro-Hungarian Empire, with each kingdom on an equal footing. The Austro-Hungarian empire lasted until 1918 at the end of World War I when the multinational form was broken apart into several independent nations. World War I, of course, started with the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, the archduke, in Sarajevo, and much of the fighting in Central Europe eventually took place on lands belonging to the Empire.

Between the World Wars Hungary was first a short-lived “People’s Republic” but then revered to a monarchy. The regime was largely engaged in trying to restore historical lands that were in dispute with neighboring countries formed after the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian empire at the close of World War I. Hungary’s success in doing so did not last, however, as Hungary came under German occupation in 1944. At the close of the war, Russian troops entered Hungary and placed it under Soviet domination as a “People’s Republic” controlled by the USSR. This lasted from 1949 – 89 when the Soviet Union collapsed. On October 23, 1956 students, as part of a protest in Budapest, pressed 16 demands on city officials for political reform and change. The protesters were fired upon at one point, and teargas used in an attempt to break up what had started as a peaceful demonstration, inspiring what has come to be called the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. That night, however, some commissioned officers and troops joined the students and Stalin’s statue in the capital was brought down, events which motivated the existing government’s leader to call for Soviet intervention. Soviet tanks and troops arrived on October 25, 1956 and fired on resisters in Parliament Square, killing a dozen and injuring as many as 170. The existing government leader was deposed and replaced by Janos Kadar but the Hungarian leadership split into two faction with Imre Nagy, the people’s choice, declaring himself in charge of a new government. The Soviets, under Nikita Khrushchev’s leadership, became increasingly concerned about the direction of events and sent in more troops on November 4, 1956. The Soviets quickly overwhelmed the Hungarian military and although the defeat was swift as many as 20,000 Hungarians were killed within the few days of fighting. Nagy was arrested and later executed.

This all-too-brief summary of Hungary’s history is offered as a prelude to my walking tour of Parliament Square in Pest. I hope you enjoy the following visual narrative.

My walk to Pest’ Parliament Square too place on a lovely, mildly sunny day in March. This is a photo of a bronze statue near the Danube on the way to Parliament Square.
A man playing water glasses like a xylophone in downtown Pest on my way to Parliament Square.
Spring flowers blooming in Pest on the way to Parliament Square.
One of many, many statues to historical figures (all men) in Budapest (on my way to Parliament Square).
Another magnificently grand building in Pest (on the way to Parliament Square).
Another imposing building in Pest, near the one pictured above.
Another example of grandiose architecture in Pest (on the way to Parliament Square).
View of one of the buildings that surround Parliament Square in Pest.
Satue of another historical figure in Pest – at Parliament Square with a construction crane over-shadowing the city.
Photo of Parliament Square in Pest and one of the buildings abutting it.
A photo of one modest part of the Parliament, a massive building, in Pest.
Statue of another famous historical figure in Pest, in Parliament Square. The inscription reads, in part, “Pro patria in libertate” (roughly, “for the country and freedom”)
A view of another massive government building at Parliament Square, Pest.
A different view of one aspect of the mammoth Parliament building in Pest.
And still another view of a different aspect of the monumental Parliament building in Pest.
A memorial to a national hero, Istvan Tisza (1861-1918), in Parliament Square, Pest. Tisza was twice Prime Minister of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the early 20th century. Four attempts were made on his life, the last one fatal at the end of WWI.
Another memorial in Parliament Square, Pest.
Memorial in Parliament Square, Pest to Lajos Kossuth (1802-94), Governor-President of Hungary during the period of the 1848-9 Revolution.
Photo of the Supreme Court building in Parliament Square, Pest.
Close-up photo of the statue atop the Supreme Court building, Parliament Square, Pest.
Part of a monument to the events of October 25, 1956 when Soviet troops fired on Hungarians protesting here in Parliament Square, Pest.
Part of the October 25, 1956 monument showing where Soviet armaments have pierced armored plate.
A photo of part of a memorial on the Pest side of the Danube River to honor the Jews killed by Fascist militia during WW II. The victims were told to take off their shoes and were then shot so they would fall into the river, leaving their shoes on the bank.
A second photo of the “Shoes on the Danube” memorial in Pest.

Thanks for joining me today for a brief history lesson and then a tour of Pest with special emphasis on Parliament Square. Next time I will return you to Buda for a continuing tour of the area near Castle Hill. So long til next time.

March 28, 2019

Welcome back to the newest addition to Robert’s Fulbright Award Lecture Tour and Travel blog! I’m glad you are here! Today we will tour Buda’s Castle Hill area which includes many prominent buildings either as part of the Buda Castle complex or situated nearby. I will provide you brief accounts of Budapest history gleaned from my visit to the Budapest Historical Musem and other general sources. I hope you enjoy your visit to Buda.

We will start our tour from a place with which you are already familiar – the Liberty Bridge over the Danube near the Gellert Hill area. We will then walk along the Danube on the Buda side to the next bridge to the north, the Elizabeth Bridge, a suspension bridge that is a critical contemporary gateway to Pest for vehicular traffic. There, we will be able to see many more adornments and statuary to the northern slope of Gellert Hill.

A shot of the Liberty Bridge near Gellert Square, the Gellert Hotel, and the Gellert Hill area of Buda. This photo shows some of the ornate ironwork of the bridge, so characteristic of late 19th century adornment in Hungary.
A photo of the Elizabeth Bridge, but one taken from the Pest side of the Danube River.
A photo of a portion of the Elizabeth Bridge taken from the Buda side of the Danube showing two structures on the northern slope of the Gellert Hill as it descends to a neighborhood area of Buda known as Taban.
A photo showing a closer view of some of the structures on the north slope of Gellert Hill. Stone stairs – the stone balustrade may be seen descending/ascending toward the bottom of the photo – run all the way up the hill connecting these three sites and others, above, which are not shown in the photo. I did not climb them.

As we continue north on our walking tour beyond the Elizabeth Bridge, a ridge line runs north from the Gellert Hill area (shown in the photo just above) parallel to the Danube. This ridge line includes “Castle Hill” and the Buda Castle complex on it, as well as a number of other important buildings. Thus, the following photos show you the area a few blocks to the right of the above photo.

As you walk north from the Elizabeth Bridge your next geographical anchor along the Danube will be the Chain Bridge.
This photo – taken from the Pest side of the Danube river – shows you the 18th century baroque palace buildings which were re-built on top of the site of the ancient Buda Castle. As you can see, the scale of this palace is substantial, with over 200 rooms. Several wings have been dedicated to contemporary purposes as a result. You will hear more about these shortly.
The buildings you see pictured here are (on the left) the Presidential Palace and (on the right) what has become the the site of the Prime Minister’s Offices (as of 2014). As you can see, the buildings share the same ridge line as the Buda Castle Complex, which is just to the left (that is, south) of what is shown in this photo. Behind these buildings is a large plaza and behind the plaza is an excavated area showing foundations for what would have been an earlier, iteration of the ancient Buda castle and nearby buildings, all dating from before the 11th or 12th c. This photo is again taken from the Pest side of the river using a telephoto lens.
Continuing north in Buda (the structures shown in the previous photo would be to the viewer’s left), one comes to the Matthias Church, also known as the Church of Our Lady, completed in 1269. This is a major tourist draw with so many people taking photographs when I was there that one could hardly get a clear shot of the church. This photo is taken from the Pest side of the Danube with a telephoto lens.

Now that we have situated ourselves in Buda in the area between the Elizabeth Bridge and the Chain Bridge we can tour Buda Castle.

A photo of the structure that marks the official entry to the Buda Castle gardens, which can be entered by stone stairways to the right of this photo. This structure is at “street level” (you can see the street in front of it) which is also the level of the riverside esplanade (where the photographer is standing).
A photo showing a very similar structure (but not the same structure) which is to the right of the scene shown in the previous photo. The stairs lead up to the Buda Castle garden to the right behind the pedestal supporting the lion figure. A small portion of the Buda Castle wall can be seen in the far upper right corner of the photo.
Photo of the Danube River from Buda Castle garden steps. Note the tram tracks along the river in the foreground and the wide esplanade for walking and biking. A somewhat cold, dark March day in Budapest.
A fountain statue in the Buda Castle gardens. As you will hear more about later, Budapest is filled with (bronze) statuary, as are many capitals including Washington, D.C., but there certainly seemed to be a lot of it.
A photo of a portion of the Buda Castle wall from midway up the Castle garden steps. Note the steep incline.
View of the Danube looking north with Chain Bridge crossing over it to the left. Taken from a parapet of Buda Castle with a portion of the gardens pictured below in the foreground.
Another view of the Danube River from Buda Castle, this time looking more directly across the river. Note the descending castle wall to the right of the photo.
A photo taken inside the first exterior wall of Buda Castle (not visible to the right) showing a second “interior” wall (to the left in the photo and fully visible). Buda Castle as it now exists and as it likely existed at many points historically is built in stages that descend/ascend the Castle Hill. This method both responded to the natural topography of the hill and likely suggested the scheme would provide multiple “layers” of protection. Of course, given the number of times Buda and Budapest were overrun by their enemies over the centuries, the method was certainly not infallible.(Figure to the left in the foreground of the photo is not a historical enactor bur rather a woman on a cell phone.)
Photo of portion of Buda Castle walls. Even here, ornate statuary and sculpture is required.
An aperture in the wall of Buda Castle – like those shown for Ljubljana Castle – for marksmen to shoot out at enemies while remaining protected. Apparently often ineffective at Buda Castle which was sacked many times.
A portion of the “long and winding road” the Beatles sang about in the late 1960’s. (Hah! No, it isn’t. It is part of the uphill slog through one stage of Buda Castle. Tower to the left. North side of Gellert Hill in the background.
Another arched entry through another massive wall. We are getting closer to the actual interior of the Castle though. Just a few more photos.
Another Castle tower (but a different one).
See that small arched door in the wall with steps leading up to it? We still need to go through it.
Looking out the back of Buda Castle (that is, to the west away from the Danube River).
Another photo of the Danube and Chain Bridge from slightly higher up atop one of the Castle walls. Earlier photos were taken from the level where you see the group standing in this photo.
Photo taken from Buda Castle showing Danube River to the south with (first) the Elizabeth Bridge and then the Liberty Bridge. To the right is Gellert Hill.
Statue depicting some heroic personage that stands in front of the central portion of Buda Castle.
A photo showing one small aspect of the central portion of the contemporary Buda Castle with the statute shown in the previous photo pictured to the right. This portion of the Castle now houses the Hungarian National Gallery, an art museum focusing on 19th and 20th century works. I was there on a Monday when the museums are closed.
A strange internal tower room showing the various levels of Castle history through its foundations.
Photo showing various stone balls in Buda Castle that would be either hurled by catapults (most likely) or shot out of cannons. No information provided at the site.

That concludes our photographic tour of the Buda Castle complex. I will tell more of the history of Buda and Budapest next time when I will also show you photos taken in front of the Presidential Palace, the building in which the Prime Minister’s office is located, the Matthias Church, and the area known as the Fisherman’s Bastion. Arrivederci!

March 26, 2019

Welcome back! In case you are just returning to my blog after some absence, so am I! As I related yesterday in an entry here, I just returned from my travels to Budapest, Hungary and Joensuu, Finland on Sunday, March 24, 2019. Yesterday I described the itinerary and logistics of that trip with a few photos to illustrate the narrative. Today I will post a number of photos of Buda and Pest that I took during my couple of days there. I hope you enjoy them.

Buda and Pest, as you may know, are twin cities on either side of the Danube River. I stayed on the Buda side at Ujbuda Kozpont but that area was close enough for me to walk to the river, across one of the bridges, and walk into and around Pest. Along the way I took many photos.

Two things become apparent about Budapest right away. First, Hungarian architecture tends to be grand in conception – often to the point of being grandiose. Second, Budapest – like many capital cities – is monumental in the most literate meaning of the term: that is, it is a city filled with monuments. Photos of both architectural style and the wide array of different monuments in the city will illustrate these points.

A photo of the Liberty Bridge, built between 1894-96, over the Danube River in Budapest. The Buda entrance to the bridge is near the Gellert Hill area within walking distance of my first Airbnb. Notice the ornate decoration on the bridge spires, so typical of the 19th and early 20th century approach to building in Hungary. A source says the bridge is about 335 meters in length.
Another photo of the Liberty Bridge. Depending on which side of the river, and at exactly which point, there are roads (show here), sidewalks or walkways (also shown), an esplanade/promenade, a bike trail, and a tram line that run along the river.
A photo of the Gellert Hotel in Buda which sits in an open plaza directly across from the entrance to the Liberty Bridge just picture. In the foreground, one of the city’s trams which run on an extensive above ground rail system. Behind the photographer is an entrance to the Budapest metro system for the M4 Line.
A photo of Gellert Hill in Buda. The Gellert Hotel is to the photographer’s left; the Danube River and the Liberty Bridge are to the photographer’s right.
A telephoto shot of the lower portion of Gellert Hill, Budapest.
What were once important fortifications built into the base of Gellert Hill, Buda.
A second photo showing a more direct, head on view of these fortifications.
Photo of the statute atop the highest point of Gellert Hill, Buda.
Photo of the Danube River and Pest taken from the Buda side near Gellert Hill and Liberty Bridge.
A second photo of the same area of Pest from the Buda side of the Danube using telephoto lens. Budapest is a city of bridges; in the left background you can see a portion of a white cable bridge, the Elizabeth Bridge, which crosses the Danube at its narrowest point in the city. The bridge is about 290 meters long.
A church located in Pest next to the road and walkway that descend into the city from the Liberty Bridge. The bridge and the Danube are to the left and behind the photographer generally. The entrance to the church is “below street level” which you can just make out if the look very carefully at the man striding along the sidewalk in the foreground.
The main door to the church picture above. We are now below street level as the roadway descends in to the city. The sidewalks/walkways and other roads pass under the bridge overpass parallel to the river here. The river and the pedestrian walkway and roads are behind the photographer.
The entry to a building that houses a massive marketplace in Pest on the road that crosses over the Liberty Bridge from Buda. The space is cavernous but because I was there on a Sunday only the grocery store in the lower level was open. All of the small boutiques and shops that constitute the commercial heart of the market were closed and the area closed off.
One of many examples of the grandiose, rococo style of architecture/building that dominates Budapest (but particularly the Pest side). What is this building and those that follow? Nothing in particular. The buildings sometimes have a bank on the ground floor but many are just apartment buildings or ground floor retail and apartments above.
Another example. Note the retail spaces that dominate street level. Otherwise, it is an apartment building.
A local church in the same neighborhood of Pest as the last two photos and next two or three photos forthcoming.
I wold describe this as an opulent apartment building except for the fact that it would give you, the reader and viewer, the idea that it is in some way unusual or exceptional. To the contrary, buildings like this one are everywhere in Budapest, especially on the Pest side where this photo was taken.
More of the same, all in the same neighborhood of Pest. Indeed, all of these photos are within about two blocks of each other.
Had enough of this sort of thing? There’s more! Budapest is filled with these buildings.
The Cathedral in Pest viewed down a pedestrian walkway that was no doubt created in part to showcase this church at one end of it.

This concludes our Day 1 tour of Buda and Pest but we are hardly finished. Our next installment will take up a separate walking tour that focuses primarily on the Castle Hill area of Buda with its towering views of the Danube. Yes, there is a castle on Castle Hill and you will be treated to photos of it along with photos of a number of other majestic buildings that run in a line along the hills next to the Danube there on the Buda side.

Adios, amigos!

March 25, 2019

Welcome back to Robert’s Fulbright Award Lecture Tour and Travel blog after a one week hiatus. To remind you of where we are – and where I have recently been – I returned yesterday from a trip to Budapest, Hungary followed by (or, actually in the middle of the first trip) travel to Joensuu, Finland to visit my colleague, Sirpa Salenius, at the University of Eastern Finland. Here’s a reprise of the itinerary for you:

Saturday, March 16, 2019: I took the Flixbus to Budapest, Hungary; 6 hours, ten minutes; price: 15.31 euros (about $ 17 US). Here is a photo of my Flixbus.

Flixbus is a fantastically inexpensive, and very professionally run, way to travel for a few hundred miles. As the length of a journey grows, however, so do the number of stops and therefore the length of the trip can become oppressive at some point. Then it is time to fly.
Flixbuses make periodic stops (about every two hours on some routes) at Marche franchised restaurants in Slovenia. Marche apparently has a green cow mascot (or something).
A close-up photo of the Marche green cow.

From there I took M4 metro two stops from Kelenfold Bus Station to Ujbuda Kozport to reach my Airbnb. There were some snags to overcome for this initial leg of the trip. First, the bus was to arrive at Kelenfold bus station at 6:55 p.m. However, there was a section of the freeway in Slovenia shut down; this required a detour on a two lane, rural, perambulating highway following all of the other traffic diverted from the freeway on a Saturday afternoon. This meant that our arrival time was delayed until 8:05. While I knew that Kelenfold was the smaller of the two bus stations (in Buda; the larger bus station – Nepliget – is in Pest) I didn’t think it would be closed up tight at 7 p.m. (or 8 p.m.) on a Saturday night – but it was closed with no official presence, just a spectral waiting room open with a handful of weary patrons, waiting. This became a problem because I had no local currency (the Hungarian Forint) and needed to buy a metro ticket. I knew the machines would accept bank cards (debit cards) but I do not have a debit card, only credit cards. The ticket machine would not accept my one credit card, believing I needed to insert a PIN number to authorize it. However, lucky beyond all luck, the machine would accept my other credit card and I was able to buy a ticket (although I did not learn how to use the ticket properly until my next metro ride in Budapest).

March 16 – 19, 2019: Stay in an Airbnb in Budapest; three nights for $ 37.53 USD. (Shared bath.) Accommodations in Budapest Airbnb’s are very inexpensive. Here is a photo of my room.

A photo of my Airbnb room in Budapest near Ujbuda Kozpont the morning after my arrival the night before. This apartment had five small rooms which could accommodate up to ten people (two per room), one shared toilet, one shared combination lavatory and shower, and one shared kitchen. The facility was kept clean and the guests I met with congenial and conversational (although one of them ate one of my bananas!) For the price of about $ 12.50 US per night a pretty good deal (although the decor was, admittedly, a little underdeveloped).

March 19, 2019: Flew Finnair to Helsinki and on to Joenssu, Finland (home of University of Eastern Finland in Karelia region, almost in Russia). Round trip airfare to Joenssu from Budapest was $ 270 USD. (One reason I decided to go to Budapest as part of this trip is that a flight from Ljubljana to Joenssu, Finland was several hundred dollars more. So I decided to spend less than “several hundred dollars” and go via a few days spent in Budapest.) Took M4 metro to Deak Ferenc station and then walked about 3-4 minutes to catch bus to Budapest airport. Bus costs 900 HUF (equivalent to roughly 3 euros or about $ 3.21 USD) (HUF is shorthand for Hugarian forint).

Upon arrival in Joenssu, took the airport shuttle bus (#6) to the city center and what I was told would be the “bus station” (which just turned out to be a turn-around in a parking lot). The shuttle bus into town cost 5 euros (about $ 5.60 U.S.). I then walked about 3 blocks to my Airbnb, a room in an apartment about 3 blocks south of the city center of Joensuu. Here is a photo of the apartment building where my Airbnb was located on the 2nd floor.

Apartment building in Joensuu, Finland where my Airbnb was located on the 2nd floor.

March 19 – 22, 2019: Stayed in Airbnb in Joenssu, Finland. Three nights for about $ 70 USD. Gave my public lecture on Wednesday, March 20, 2019 to about a dozen people (3 faculty members and perhaps 9 students, as well as my Airbnb hostess, Olga, who wanted to come hear me speak). Current temperature in Joenssu when I first wrote this itinerary about two weeks ago: 15 degrees F (feels like 7 degrees F); that evening the forecast read – “potential disruption due to snow and ice!” I observed at the time, “It is unlikely to be Spring in Joenssu when I arrive,” and true to form, it wasn’t – as you can see. (More photos of late March in Joenssu forthcoming.)

Friday, March 22, 2019: I walked to the city center and had dinner at the Local Bistro (Lamb meatball sandwich and French fries plus a cappuccino) I then took the airport shuttle bus (only 3 euros for the trip out) to the Joenssu airport for a 9:30 p.m. evening flight. The incoming flight to Joensuu was late so we were also late outgoing. We did not arrive at Helsinki airport at 10:40 p.m. as scheduled but rather at about 11:30 p.m. I worried the train would not be running but those concerns were groundless. I only had to wait about 5 minutes for a train. Took the train 10 minutes (2 stops) to Vantaa where I had reserved a room overnight for $ 55 USD. Train ticket cost 2.90 euros. (That is an incredibly cheap price for a hotel room in Helsinki or near the Helsinki Airport, btw. Most rooms were well over $ 100 US and many were $ 200 or even $ 300 USD.)

Saturday, March 23, 2019: Took 9:30 a.m. flight to Budapest, Hungary. Knowing now that Finnair (unlike Turkish Air) would not serve a meal on an international flight, I ate in a Helsinki airport restaurant modeled after a gentrified Irish pub. Here is a photo of the ultra-modern Helsinki airport environs from the pub.

Arrived on time at 10:50 a.m. Made arrangements for a room for one night near the Gellert Hill area of Buda so took the bus from airport for 900 HUF to near city center at Kalvin Ter where I would then take the M4 metro (or the above ground tram, #’s 47 or 49) two stops to the Zte. Gellert stop near the Danube. The room cost $ 11.64 USD total for one night; private bath). It took me about ten-twelve minutes to walk from the metro to the apartment building where my Airbnb was located.

Sunday, March 24, 2019: Today I took the Flixbus again from Kelenfold Bus Station, Budapest to Ljubljana. The bus departed a little late from its scheduled at 9:30 a.m., but arrived pretty much on schedule in Ljubljana at 3:55 p.m. Price for this return trip was higher: 27.55 euros (or about $ 31 USD). Kelenfold is 4 stops from the Gellert M4 metro stop but I rose early, walked toward the next M4 metro stop where I knew there was a McDonald’s, and had something to eat before the bus trip. An egg McMuffin in Budapest costs 360 Forints (about 1 euro, or $ 1.15-1.25 U.S.) If you buy food, the cost of a cappuccino is only 200 Forints; otherwise, 340 Forints. Metro tickets cost 350 HUF or $ 1.25 USD. Between the food and metro ticket I spent every Forint I had. Here’s a photo of the Buda McDonald’s near M4!

A photo of the Buda McDonalds on Bartok Bela street. Note the outdated advertising slogan for McDonalds still in prominent use in Hungary.

By now I was right back near the first Airbnb where I stayed in Buda near Ujbuda Kozpont. Here are some photos all taken near this McDonalds or a couple blocks away near my earlier Airbnb.

A photo of the series of buildings in which my first Airbnb in Budapest was located. The Ujbuda Kozpont metro station is across the street to the photographer’s right.
An interesting cupola on a building near the McDonald’s. Hungarian architecture of a certain era adored cupola’s like this one.

This is just a brief reminder of the travels I just completed. Next up on Robert’s Travel and Lecture Tour blog: a day or two in Budapest with dozens of photos and commentary. See you soon.

March 17, 2019

Greetings from Budapest, Hungary! If you have been following my Fulbright Award Travel and Lecture Blog (and I’m sure you are!) you know that I am visiting Budapest for a few days before flying out on Tuesday to see my friend and colleague, Sirpa Salenius, and speak at her school, the University of Eastern Finland in Joensuu, Finland, near the Russian border. However, today’s edition will not discuss Buda, nor Pest, but rather a topic that I know you have been waiting for me to address: cemeteries! Yes, today I will give you a visual tour of cemeteries from my travels, with commentary. I hope you enjoy it!

My interest in cemeteries is long standing. I will not go into all the details here but during college breaks (and perhaps even early graduate school) a number of my friends and I would often visit cemeteries at night. (This would have all taken place in St. Louis, Missouri or south St. Louis County – a separate political jurisdiction that surrounds the city of St. Louis, which like Washington, D.C., is its own entity and thus not a part of any county). These visits were often inspired by (or maybe it was the cemeteries that acted as the inspiration for) the ingestion of medicinal dosages of some popular recreational drugs of the early 1970’s. Generally, cemetery visiting at night was solely for the purpose of playing hide and seek while stoned and then, as the effects wore off and the game petered out, for talking and drinking alcohol. Similar trips to public parks were carried out at night as well. On a number of occasions we became the subject of interest of the local police for cavorting around in one of these venues; sometimes the police rousted us; other times we disappeared into the cemetery and were not found.

The event that inspired the series of photographs I am going to show you was much more mundane, however. Briefly, visiting Slovenia for up to 90 days does not require a visa for Americans. However, to stay beyond 90 days (which I will be doing) requires a residency certificate. Obtaining a residency certificate requires an appearance at a government office (Office for Foreign Visitors) where one must present a series of documents that show one’s purpose, one’s livelihood and source for health care (so that one does not become a public charge), and related papers, as well as one’s passport obviously. One of the documents I was told to obtain was a Slovenian Tax ID number. This is obtained at a different office. (It is not really clear to me whether this document is needed for the residency permit or is really only needed to open a bank account but I obtained a Tax ID number in any event and presented it in my stack of documents seeking a residency certificate.) The day I journeyed to the government office that would issue me a Slovenian Tax ID number I saw a columned building in a park like setting on the far side of a large traffic circle. I was taking photographs then, as I have continued to do, of pretty much anything that is photograph-able. However, I decided that to get a good photo I needed to get closer and eliminate some of the clutter in the foreground (a bus stop; signs; trees; vehicles in the traffic circle) that would intrude into the photo. So when I left the government office I walked over and took some photos.

After the initial photo or two I saw that one could go inside the iron fence surrounding the building and located an entry to the grounds and did so. It then became evident that the building was really just a grand facade, sort of a massive shrine and entry point, to a cemetery. I then explored and took photos of the cemetery. Here are my initial photos.

Looks like a pretty good sized building of some consequence, doesn’t it? Yet on close inspection much of it turns out to be facade. The wing to the right certainly has some offices in it (or other rooms that might have some use in a cemetery) but the left and center are purely there for effect – and, of course, they produce a pretty impressive effect!
A photo that provides a closer view. If you look at the center arch, you can now see that there is open space behind it with large trees visible. The structure is principally a massive entry way.
Windows and small, mural-like motifs on what seems to be a small chapel in the cemetery complex.
A memorial situated directly next to the side of the chapel building just shown.
One of the panels of the memorial pictured above. It is obviously a WWII memorial to the Slovenian war dead.
A derelict remnant left standing from the war years as another form of memorial.
A church at the cemetery’s edge. The cemetery is largely behind the church. The building I showed you first is to my right as I took this photo and a little behind me. There is a continual string of mausoleums and memorials in between the building/structure I originally showed you and the bulk of the cemetery proper.
One of many rather grand mausoleums behind the structure I initially showed you. Each of these is situated in its own little landscaped courtyard with benches, decorative statuary or urns, hedges, so forth.
Another rather imposing mausoleum at the cemetery in Ljubljana near the government tax office. This one is open because there was a ceremony associated it with it conducted on the day I was there.
Distance shot of a truly impressive mausoleum at this cemetery.
And another.
This photo, and those that follow, show you images from the “regular” cemetery behind the church.
Graves with rather nice markers at the cemetery near the government tax office, Ljubljana.
A “small” mausoleum in the regular cemetery behind the church.
An ornate little memorial in the “regular” cemetery behind the church.
This photo and the next one show you a pretty grandiose memorial in the cemetery behind the church.
This guy really earned his place in death. A “Dr.” after all.
A somewhat more down to earth (Get it?) memorial display. Lack of attention to routine grounds maintenance evident. Apparently the deceased did not leave a large enough endowment.
Photo taken inside the church pictured earlier.

Earlier I mentioned a ceremony that was being conducted on February 18, 2019 when I was visiting this cemetery. A procession, led by three august looking gentlemen wearing full black tailcoats and bowler hats, with colorful sashes wrapped around their waists and across their chests, led a solemn group of about 45-50 behind them into the cemetery. The lead gentleman was the flag bearer while the next two gentlemen pulled a caisson-like cart laden with flowers. Naturally the followers were all dressed in somber colors. Many were older but there were a surprising number of middle-aged and younger members of the troupe. Apparently it was a service for a particular individual, perhaps the patriarch or matriarch of an extended clan. I thought initially there might be a connection to some national day but I could not confirm that speculation.

In addition to my exploration of this rather imposing cemetery, a few days earlier I had photographed a modest church – not too different than the one pictured above – but the cemetery associate with it was much more mundane. The grave markers were modest, the grave areas small, and the cemetery lacked any mausoleums I could see. Here are the photos I took.

The church, just off Dunajska Cesta north of my residence in Ljubljana, with a portion of the graveyard shown.
A second photo of the same church taken from the opposite side.
A better photo of the graveyard associated with this church. These are the “impressive” graves and grave markers Many graves and markers were much more modest at this cemetery. Still, in comparison to many American cemeteries the Slovenians expend a good deal of money and energy interring the deceased.
Another photo of the graves and grave markers at this cemetery in Ljubljana.
Finally, two photos from a cemetery overlooking the Bosporous in Bebek, Istanbul, Turkey. Less well tended overall. One must admit the dead have a great view from this cemetery!
A second photo from the cemetery overlooking the Bosporous in Bebek, Istanbul, Turkey

And thus we must come to an end of this special segment of Robert’s Fulbright Award Travel and Lecture Tour blog where we’ve visited several cemeteries. I think we can conclude that status and conspicuous consumption remains as important in death as it is in life! So long til next time. And a hearty “Hi-Yo Silver, and away!”

March 14, 2019

Welcome back to Robert’s Fulbright Award Travel and Lecture Tour blog. Today we take up the balance of my visit to the “old town” area of Nicosia, Cyprus. As you have learned (or been reminded of) already, Nicosia is a divided city (and Cyprus a divided island). In our last installment, we toured some of the “old city” on the Greek side of the divide in Nicosia. Today, we will walk down Ledras Street – the principal shopping street on the Greek side – until we reach the busiest border crossing and checkpoint between the Greek and Turkish sides of Nicosia. Then we will wait in line at the Greek side checkpoint, wait in line at the Turkish side checkpoint, and finally – in a rush of adrenaline and flushed with blood vigorously pumping – we will step across the disputed border, where we will find better prices! Yes, that’s right folks, the Turkish Cypriots will sell you all that stuff you want for less! They’re not so bad after all! (So long as they stay on their own side.)

Here we are on Ledras Street, a pedestrian shopping mall kind of a street on the Greek side of Nicosia, Cyprus, walking toward the border with Turkish Cyprus.
Northern Cyprus, officially known as the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, is a de facto state that comprises the northeastern portion of the island of Cyprus. It recognized by Turkey but not by most other countries. The Greek side is known as The Republic of Cyprus.
Another view of the pedestrian walkway that Ledras Street has become on the Greek side of Nicosia, Cyprus.
A photo of the Passpoart/ID Control hut on the Greek side of “old town” in Nicosia, Cyprus, looking back. (The photographer has just cleared passport control and now stands in “no man’s land.” Next stop: Turkish Cypriot Passport Control. (Sorry for the poor photography!)
Photograph taken from “no man’s land” between the Grek side and Turkish sides of “old town” Nicosia looking toward the Turkish Cypriot Passport Control checkpoint. (Sorry! I couldn’t get the light right in the descending shadow of late afternoon.)
Photo taken “looking back” at the Turkish side Passport Control operation (to the right – in the darkness – Sorry! – with the Turkish flag flying overhead).
Photo taken from the Turkish side, looking back toward Passport Control, showing some of the people waiting in queue to present their credentials to Turkish Cypriot border officials.
Part of the Turkish side of “old town’s” shopping district, Nicosia, Cyprus.
In the shopping district just past the Republic of Cyprus/Northern Republic of Cyprus border in “old town” Nicosia, Cyprus. There were some people actively shopping but it was a Wednesday, late afternoon and many were simply leisurely sitting at small cafes with a handful of tourists like myself wandering around and taking photos.
The exterior wall of an old fortress that is now a cultural arts and crafts center, Turkish side of “old town” Nicosia.
A photo taken inside the cultural and crafts center on the Turkish side of “old town,” Nicosia, Cyprus. Yes, there are crafts there, some more traditional than others. It is one more opportunity to sell stuff.
A sign identifying the subject of my next several photos (“old town,” Nicosia, Northern Cyprus)
The streets are narrow, the cathedral is enclosed by a walled courtyard, and Saint Sophia Cathedral is tall. Thus, it is difficult to get a good photo.
A photo of the bell tower, Saint Sophia Cathedral, Turkish side of Nicosia, Cyprus.
More shopping, Turkish side of “old town,” Nicosia, Cyprus. (Finally! Some good light for a photo.)
Shopping in the “old town” section of Turkish Nicosia.
A photo showing the border barrier at the end of one street between the Northern (Turkish) Republic of Cyprus and the Republic of Cyprus. The sign reads: ……Well, you get the idea.
A portion of the border wall dividing Turkish from Greek “old town” in Nicosia, Cyprus. Concrete block, topped by chain link fencing, topped by a few strands of barbed wire. Although there is a minimalist check of passports and identification I saw no indication anyone, or their many packages and bags, was going to be searched at either the Greek or Turkish checkpoints.

So that’s about all the excitement for today, kids! The disputed border in Cyprus turns out to just be another opportunity to buy more cheap stuff that you don’t need! I will leave you with a couple of better – and more attractive – photos. Until next time.

A rose growing in a small mosque in “old town,” Greek side, Nicosia. Early March, 2019.
Photo of local vegetation in Aglantzia neighborhood, Nicosia, Cyprus.
Suburban Greek Orthodox Church in Anglantzia, Cyprus.
How you get to the Larnaca Airport, 45 km away from Nicosia.
Inside the Larnaca Airport, Greek side of Cyprus.
Another photo inside the Larnaca Airport, Greek side of Cyprus.
Third photo showing the expansive interior of the Larnaca Airport, Greek side of Cyprus.

That-that-tht’s all, folks!

March 12, 2019

Welcome back! We are in the midst of my lecture tour to Istanbul and then Cyprus. On Monday, March 4, 2019 I spoke at the University of Cyprus in Nicosia, Cyprus. The University of Cyprus has two campuses – a brand “new campus” in the Nicosia suburb of Aglantzia and the “old campus” in the heart of dense, urban Greek Nicosia. In my preceding blog entry I showed you photographs of the “old campus” of the University of Cyprus. My lecture was held on the “old campus” in a small seminar room. As it turned out, calling it a “lecture” is somewhat – but not entirely – a misnomer. The word suggests a more formal presentation to a larger audience than was the case. Although I did present much of the same material I delivered in Istanbul to an audience of perhaps 60 listeners, at the University of Cyprus only a handful of faculty members showed up, along with my host from the University of Nicosia, Rossitsa Terzieva-Artemis (“Rossie”). Consequently, I shortened my formal remarks a bit and then we held a seminar-like discussion between those of us in the group.

The following day, Tuesday, March 5, 2019, I visited the University of Nicosia, a private institution, where my friend and colleague Rossie Artemis teaches. Here is a photo of Rossie and I standing on a sidewalk in the midst of the somewhat scattered/fragmented urban campus of the University of Nicosia.

Yours truly and Professor Rossisa Artemis, University of Nicosia.
The entrance to one of the principal classroom buildings at the University of Nicosia, Cyprus.
Steps leading up to one of the principal undergraduate classroom building at the University of Nicosia, Cyprus. A nice design that permits the steps to be used as an amphitheater as well.
Some dormitory buildings at the urban campus of the University of Nicosia, Cyprus.
A dormitory under construction at the University of Nicosia, Cyprus. The University, which has only been in existence since 2003, has been undergoing rapid expansion, which is not all to the good unless you are perhaps in the administration. The University has a nearby small medical school but otherwise is primarily an undergraduate institution.
My friend and colleague, Rossie, took me to the Cyprus Archaeological Museum on Tuesday afternoon after my talk that morning at the University of Nicosia.

My talk at the University of Nicosia took place in a conference room with U-shaped seating for about thirty persons. The audience consisted of 16-18 members of Professor Artemis’s class on drama, where the students would be later reading Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman. Since I was speaking in substantial part on the American Dream, certainly Death of a Salesman is germane. This is an upper division class so these students were juniors and seniors. Two of the students were Americans. One of those two, a young woman from North Carolina, asked two of the better questions posed to me after the lecture. The lecture went well, as have each of the lectures on my first little tour. Afterwards, Rossie took me to lunch with two colleagues and then later that day she took me to the Cyprus Archaeological Museum. Photos from the museum follow.

Hand-tooled wooden ceiling in the entry foyer to the Archaeological Museum, Nicosia, Cyprus.
Stone carvings in the Cyprus Archaeological Museum, Nicosia. The museum had an extensive collection, in part due to the history of British rule in the 19th century when British archaeology was in its heyday. The British conducted many “digs” and explorations on the island and correspondingly found innumerable relics, many in excellent condition.
Statue in the Cyprus Archaeological Museum. Note the generally good condition.
Another stone statue in the Cyprus Archaeological Museum also in good condition.
A photo of a third statue from the Cyprus Archaeological Museum, Nicosia. The collection of unbroken pots and ceramics from 3,000 years prior, many of them sizable and with intact handles and flourishes, was impressive. Roman and other coins also formed a substantial part of the exhibition.

On Wednesday I took the #150 bus from RIK Avenue in Aglantzia to Salomou Square, often considered the heart of the city, to take a walking tour of the “old town.” As I discussed in my last blog entry, Nicosia – and Cyprus generally – is divided in two since 1974 by what has come to be called the “Green Line” with Greek Cypriots on one side (about 2/3 of the island and 80% of its population) and Turk Cypriots on the other (about 1/3 of the island and 20% of its population). “Old town” Nicosia is accessible at a number of points from the Greek side although construction around the old city wall makes some areas more easily accessible than others. To reach the Turkish side, however, there are only a handful of checkpoints through what is otherwise a barricaded border of walls, gates, and barbed wire. The old city walls as they presently exist were built by the Venetians. The wall is circular in shape, about 5 km in total circumference, and has eleven bastions to serve as fortresses.

A part of the ancient city wall near Salomou Square, Nicosia, Cyprus that separates the “old town” area from the rest of the modern city. Parts of the wall date from different periods and certain parts have been extensively restored in the modern era. There has also been substantial work on the park-like areas developed around the wall and on pedestrian plazas and walkways inside the wall or that connect the modern city and “old town.”
Photo take from atop a wide pedestrian walkway/plaza that has been developed connecting the Greek side “old town” to the modern city, seen to the right. As this photo and the following photo show, there is a great deal of building and urban revitalization going on within the Greek side of Nicosia.
A closer view of a monumental new office tower being built in Nicosia on the Greek side.
New retail and residential building in the “old town” part of Greek Nicosia along side the pedestrian promenade that has been built inside the ancient city wall. See next photo.
The new pedestrian promenade atop the ancient city wall in the “old town” section of Greek Nicosia.
Another section of the ancient city wall, Nicosia, Cyprus with construction work going on down below to gentrify a park-like area near the wall.
Vegetation along the principal auto-route that rings around the inside of the ancient city wall in the “old town” section of Greek Nicosia, Cyprus.
A landscaped traffic circle in the “old town” area of Greek Nicosia where you can exit (to the right) and re-emerge in the modern part of the city.
Another section of the ancient city wall showing typical Cypriot vegetation with the modern city in the background.
A photo showing in closer view examples of typical Cypriot vegetation.
A small mosque, with minaret to the left, in the “old town” area of Greek Nicosia.
Open air market (primarily fruit and produce) in the “old town’ area of Greek Nicosia.
Patriotic memorial celebrating the release from the oppression of war of the Cypriot people (located in the “old town” section of Greek Nicosia, Cyprus).
A photo showing detail of Cypriots being released from servitude as prisoners of war.
An example of small apartment and retail buildings – many of these empty – on the Greek side of “old town” Nicosia.
Administration complex of the Greek Cypriot Orthodox Church, in “old town” Nicosia.
Cypriot Greek Orthodox Cathedral located next to the church’s administrative complex in “old town” Nicosia.
Mosque and minaret located about three blocks from the administrative complex and cathedral for the Cypriot Greek Orthodox Church in “old town” Nicosia.

Thanks for joining me to see the University of Nicosia campus, hear about my lectures at the University of Cyprus and the University of Nicosia, and take a short walking tour with me of the “old town” area on the Greek side of Nicosia, Cyprus. Next time I will take you across the disputed border to the Turkish side of “old town” Nicosia.

March 10, 2019

I arrived back from my trip to Istanbul and then to Cyprus on Friday evening, March 8, 2019 at a little before 7:00 p.m. at Ljubljana Airport. There was a delay at Passport Control where a man was turned back that took about fifteen minutes. As a result, I was ten minutes late to catch the 7:00 p.m. bus #28 to the city. I caught the 8:00 p.m. bus (the last one until morning) and it dropped me off at the Stadium stop on Dunajska Cesta, about 2 1/2 blocks from my residence.

Although I have the Cyprus part of my trip to write about in this issue of my blog (and perhaps the next one as well), I’ve already completed planning for my next trip, which is coming up soon – in a week. Here is a brief summary of the itinerary:

Saturday, March 16, 2019: Take Flixbus to Budapest, Hungary; 6 hours, ten minutes; price: 15.31 euros (about $ 17 US). Take M4 metro two stops from Kelenfold Bus Station to Ujbuda Kozport to reach my Airbnb.

March 16 – 19, 2019: Stay in an Airbnb in Budapest; three nights for $ 37.53 USD. (Shared bath.) Accommodations in Budapest Airbnb’s are very inexpensive.

March 19, 2019: Fly Finnair to Helsinki and on to Joenssu, Finland (home of University of Eastern Finland in Karelia region, almost in Russia). Round trip airfare to Joenssu from Budapest was $ 270 USD. (One reason I decided to go to Budapest as part of this trip is that a flight from Ljubljana to Joenssu, Finland was several hundred dollars more. So I decided to spend less than “several hundred dollars” and go via a few days in Budapest.) Walk about 6-8 minutes to catch bus to Budapest airport. Bus costs 900 HUF (equivalent to roughly 3 euros or about $ 3.21 USD) (HUF is shorthand for Hugarian forint). Upon arrival in Joenssu, take bus No. 2 or 3 to my Airbnb (and then walk 5 minutes).

March 19 – 22, 2019: Stay in Airbnb in Joenssu, Finland. Three nights for $ 58 USD. Give public lecture on Wednesday, March 20, 2019. (Current temperature in Joenssu: 15 degrees F (feels like 7 degrees F); this evening – “potential disruption due to snow and ice!”) It is unlikely to be Spring in Joenssu when I arrive.

Friday, March 22, 2019; Take Bus No. 2 or 3 to city center and then take free shuttle bus to the Joenssu airport for evening flight. Arrive Helsinki airport at 10:40 p.m. Take train 10 minutes to Vantaa where I have a room overnight for $ 55 USD. (That is an incredibly cheap price for Helsinki, btw.)

Saturday, March 23, 2019: Take 9:30 a.m. flight to Budapest, Hungary. Arrive 10:50 a.m. Making arrangements now for a room for one night near same metro station/area so take bus from airport to near city center at Kalvin Ter then take the M4 metro two stops to the Gellert Hill area of Budapest. The room I am looking at, pending a message back from the host: $ 11 USD total for one night; private bath).

Sunday, March 24, 2019: Take Flixbus from Kelenfold Bus Station, Budapest to Ljubljana at 9:30 a.m., arrive in Ljubljana at 3:55 p.m. Price: 27.55 euros (or about $ 31 USD). Kelenfold is 4 stops from the Gellert M4 metro stop. Metro tickets cost 350 HUF or $ 1.25 USD.

Today, however, we will retrace my experience in Nicosia, Cyprus. We can begin with where I stayed at an Airbnb in Aglantzia, a neighborhood in suburban Nicosia.

This is a photo of where I stayed in Aglanzia, a part of the suburban ring on the Greek side of Nicosia, Cyprus. Demetris, perhaps in his late twenties, lives with his mother, Anna, on the first floor and lists an extra bedroom on Airbnb. I had a private bath for $ 19.20/night for four nights. The little car to the right is Anna’s car. (The other car belongs to the folks who live on the second floor.)
A view of the walk to the patio, and rear door, of my Airbnb rental in Aglantzia, Nicosia, Cyprus.
A photo of part of the patio and “back yard” of my Airbnb rental in suburban Nicosia.
An outdoor fireplace for cooking at my Airbnb rental in Cyprus.
Some of the potted greenery that Anna keeps at my Airbnb rental in Nicosia, Cyrpus.

Cyprus is an interesting place to visit for many reasons. I will detail those here. A map and guide put out by the Greek side equivalent of the Chamber of Commerce intones, tongue in cheek, “Act like a local: thou shalt not walk anywhere or catch the bus ever!” The text goes on to gleefully lampoon Greek Cypriots as using their cars to go “5 km or 200 meters.” The fact is, however, when I asked Anna and Demetris, my Airbnb hosts for help in figuring out public transportation, they had to look it up online! Neither of them used public transportation even though it is very easy from their neighborhood. Likewise, when I asked my colleague at the University of Nicosia, Rossie Artemis, who was hosting my visit there, for the same help, she said: “I’ve lived here 17 years and I’ve never taken a bus. I will need to find out for you.”

To catch the bus on RIK avenue, whether to the University of Nicosia (#214) or to the University of Cyprus (either the “new” campus in one direction or the “old” campus in the other direction; # 150), I only needed to walk 2 1/2 blocks along the street on which my Airbnb was located, turn left and walk 1/2 block, and then turn right and walk another 1/2 block. The bus cost 1.5 euros. The #150 bus to the “old campus” at the University of Cyprus would also take me past the University to Salomou Square as well, a major bus station hub that is adjacent to the wall to the “old city.” (Photographs to follow shortly in my next blog post.) First, however, photos of the suburban neighborhood of Aglantzia where my Airbnb was located.

A house across the street from my Airbnb rental in Aglantzia, Nicosia, Cyprus.
A view of another house on the same street as my Airbnb rental showing typical vegetation in this residential area.
Another view down the street from my Airbnb rental in Aglantzia, Nicosia, Cypus.
Another view down the street that I would walk to reach the bus stop on RIK Avenue, Aglantzia.
A small apartment building on the street where my Airbnb rental was located in Aglantzia, Nicosia, Cyprus.
The bus stop (to the right of the photo) in front of the local elementary school (pictured) on RIK Avenue in Aglantzia. Note the wonderful, two way bike lanes, separate from the sidewalk and the street. Consistent with the spoof put out by the Tourist Board, I saw perhaps two bicyclists the entire four days I was in Nicosia.
Photo taken from the bus stop on the other side of RIK Avenue showing the side of a commercial building with apartments on the second floor.
Another view of RIK Avenue taken from the vicinity of the bus stop.

My purpose (or at least one of my purposes) in making these trips to Istanbul and Cyprus was to give public lectures at universities. My first public lecture in Nicosia was at the “old campus” of the University of Cyprus. Here are a handful of photos of the “old campus” which is little used today. Presently, only the programs associated with the Department of Comparative Literature and Linguistics (an undergraduate curriculum; four master’s degree programs; and a doctoral program in comparative literature) remain housed there. Those programs will be transferred to the “new campus” as well but the timetable is uncertain a present.

Photo of one of the buildings at the “old campus,” University of Cyprus, in Nicosia, Cyprus.
Photo of a building at the “old campus,” University of Cyprus.
Photo showing part of the “old campus,” University of Cyprus.
Students gathered in small groups on an outdoor plaza at the “old campus,” University of Cyprus.
The front of the chapel at the “old campus,” University of Cyprus.
A classroom and lab building on the “old campus,” University of Cyprus.
A classroom at the “old campus,” University of Cyprus, Nicosia, from the instructor’s point of view.
Photo of the same classroom from the students’ point of view.

The “old campus” of the University of Cyprus is located in a dense, urban part of the Greek side of the city of Nicosia. Here are some photos of the immediate area near the campus.

Photo of an area near the University of Cyprus “old campus.”
The front of the Hilton Hotel, Nicosia (Greek side), located about 1 1/2 blocks from the University of Cyprus “old campus.”
Landscaped greenery around the parking lot of the Hilton Hotel, Nicosia (Greek side).
Residents advised me that this has been an especially cool and wet winter. One result has been an explosion of greenery and – as here – flowers much earlier than usual. This photo was taken in an open lot in the immediate vicinity of the University of Cyprus “old campus.” These same yellow daisies were virtually everywhere in profusion, thickly concentrated, as you see them here.
An older apartment building in downtown Nicosia (Greek side).
While new buildings were going up everywhere on the Greek side of Nicosia, there were also many signs of existing space for rent.
Feng Shui apparently did not catch on sufficiently in Cyprus as this space is empty and available.
Culture is strange, however. Here, as you can see, is the Arthur Murray Dance Center in Nicosia, Cyprus (Greek side). Difficult to say whether the center is thriving, or not, but there was no “for rent” sign and the space looked clean and suitable for ballroom dancing. (The car parked out front even has a smiley face!)
Naturally, Nicosia has a Burger King (and a McDonald’s, and a Starbucks) (Greek side, downtown).
A rather phallic piece of statuary in downtown Nicosia, Cyprus (Greek side).

I’ve made repeated mention that the photos you have been viewing are from the “Greek side” of Nicosia. That observation probably requires a little explanation for some readers. The history of Cyprus is one of recurrent conquest by outsiders. According to local lore, Nicosia was founded as a small city-state by Greek warriors on their way back to Greece from the Trojan war although there was human occupation of the island since about 3,000 B.C. During Roman and Byzantine times, Cyprus was ostensibly under control of those regimes but was constantly forced to repulse attempts at conquest by the Persians, Assyrians, Ptolomies (Macedonian rulers of Egypt), and Arabs. Between 1187 – 1570, Cyprus was overtaken by Richard the Lionheart on his way to Jerusalem for the Third Crusade, gave it to the Knights Templar, who eventually abandoned it to the French, followed in due course by the Genoese, the Mamelukes of Egypt (who ruled Syria and Egypt from circa 1250 – 1516), and – finally – the Venetians. The Venetians made a lasting impression by building the lengthy wall around the old city with its 11 bastions which still exists today. In 1570, however, the Ottomans managed to break through the fortified city walls and take control of the island. They ruled for over 200 years until in 1878 the British conquer the island. The British controlled it until the Cypriots waged a civil war of independence from 1955-59. In 1960 Cyprus installed its first government with Archbishop of the Orthodox Church Makarios III as president.

The unified Cypriot independent nation did not last. In 1963-64 the two ethnic communities that dominate the island – those of Greek heritage and those of Turkish heritage – clashed. (The Greek Cypriots form the larger faction, about 80% of the island’s total population, thereby dominating the Turkish people.) The United Nations intervened and Peter Young, the principal UN peacekeeper, drew a line through Nicosia, called the “Green Line,” to keep the warring groups apart. In 1974 the Greek military junta then in power attempted to institute a coup d’etat of the island’s governance, which failed. The Turks, fearing a Cypriot union with Greece would eventually succeed, invaded the island five days later. There are famous photos of Turkish tanks rolling through the streets of Nicosia to protect Turkish citizens.

One of the very famous photos of Turkish tanks invading Cyprus (1974).

The Turks secured control over 36% of the island’s territory. The “Green Line” was extended across the entire island to simply maintain the peace. The border was closed and remained closed until 2003: for nearly 30 years residents of one side of the “Green Line” could not cross over to the other side. Beginning in 2003, those restrictions were lifted although checkpoints (and barbed wire and other barriers and fencing) remain. I traveled over to the Turkish side easily but had to wait in a queue, along with dozens of others, at both the Greek passport control hut and the Turkish passport control hut. That is why I keep referring to the “Greek side.”

This division of the island into two has naturally had quite an impact on life here. When I inquired to my friend and colleague, Rossie Artemis, about possibly staying on the Turkish side, she expressed hesitation and reservations. She has lived here 17 years and never once, since 2003, crossed over to the Turkish side. (Rossie is not Greek – she is Bulgarian – but she is married to a Cypriot Greek, Nikos, whose entire extended family of Cypriot Greeks has lived in Nicosia from time immemorial.) Here is a picture of Rossie and I.

Here I am in Nicosia, Cyprus with my friend and colleague, Dr. Rossitsa Terzieva-Artemis, professor of comparative literature at the University of Nicosia.

Thank you once again for joining me. I look forward to continuing the story of my visit to Cyprus and two of the universities there when I take up the next entry to my blog. See you then.

March 8, 2019

Today I will continue with photos and narrative about my walking tour of “old town” Istanbul. You will recall that I took the metro from my small hotel near Levent metro to the Venciler metro and began walking along the perimeter of the old city. I introduced readers to the Sultan Ahmed mosque complex, the ancient market area (still a vibrant market of small shops today), and other urban scenes along the way. As it turns out, I am back in Istanbul on a one day lay-over from my flight yesterday from Cyprus. I do not depart Istanbul until early this evening and – due to time zone changes – arrive back in Ljubljana at about the same (clock) time as my flight l takes off.

Topkapi

If you are as steeped in western popular culture as I am, you may believe that Topkapi refers to a 1964 movie directed by Jules Dassin and starring Melina Mercouri, Peter Ustinov, Maximilian Schell, and Robert Morley. The story of a group of thieves attempting to steal a jeweled dagger from an Istanbul museum, the movie is filled with breathtaking shots of the Bosporous and exotic locales in the city. It is a “tongue in cheek” spoof of a caper movie but no less riveting than the real thing since Dassin executes all of the expected suspense filled scenes and chases with masterly aplomb. But, no, that is not the Topkapi we will discuss for today’s session.

https://www.google.com/search?ei=_kyCXKOENeLhmwWft4aAAg&q=photos+of+topkapi+palace+turkey&oq=photos+of+Topkapi+palace&gs_l=psy-ab.1.0.0i22i30l6.2695773.2706421..2708312…0.0..2.806.5235.0j24j0j3j6-1……0….1..gws-wiz…..0..0i71j0i67j0j0i13j0i13i5i30j0i13i30.12JFoI644tE
Photos of the Topkapi Palace from a Google search.

Rather, Topkapi is the name of the royal grounds and the royal palace, now a museum, that was constructed by the reigning sultans beginning in 1465 and was the seat for the sultans’ rule through 1853. (Beginning in 1853, you will recall that the sultan and his wife, besotted with the coastal area of Bebek, also in Istanbul, moved their administration to a palace by the sea and largely abandoned Topkapi.) The Topkapi Palace is world famous for its opulence; it is possible to describe it as an even more “over the top” grand palace than Versailles, home to the French royal line, outside of Paris. Here are photos of the Topkapi Palace to give you the idea.

The thing is, the Topkapi Palace is perhaps the favorite mass tourist site in Turkey and was likely to be jammed with sightseers on a Saturday, even one in early March. Further, I have already been to Versailles, and the royal palace in Madrid, and I have a limited palate when it comes to enjoying endless rooms of splendor and excess. Moreover, I only have one day for the tour that is already taking two blog posts just to recount. In short, I decided to go to the grounds of Topkapi, now a spacious park, which houses other exhibitions, an open market, and extended green space. The grounds are separated from the city proper by a series of colossal stone walls that extend for miles across the city, far longer than the contemporary size of Topkapi, dividing the city’s neighborhoods in many areas. Here is the first photo I took of one of the anchor monuments of the ancient wall.

One portion of the ancient city wall in Istanbul.According to historical accounts, the first wall was built by the Greeks; a second wall – 300 meters outside the first wall – was built by the Romans. Original walls were demolished first in 1204 by western Crusaders intent on reaching the Holy Land and then again in 1453 by the Ottoman Turks trying to seize Constantinople. (They were repulsed.) One sources says the walls run 22 km across the city, a little more than 13 miles.
Another view of the same portion of the old city wall, Istanbul.
A monument commemorating the heroism of Turkish fighters in protecting the city. Located across a major roadway from the ancient city wall.
Another section of the ancient city wall, Istanbul, showing multiple castle-like battlements.

I walked for several miles along the ancient city wall to reach the contemporary grounds of Topkapi. Therefore I have many photos of different sections of the wall. I will limit myself to only showing you a few.

A 25+ foot high arched gate in the ancient city wall, Istanbul. There is nothing on the other wise of the gate/wall except protected green space today. Yet, the gate remains in use as a good way to get from one place to another.
The Topkapi grounds are a large public park today. Due to its historic importance as palace grounds, there are many spaces for permanent and temporary exhibitions of one sort of another. This is a ceremonial tent that is one part of a museum dedicated to permitting Turkey and its western Asia neighbors to display their cultural heritage. The museum consists of multiple buildings and half a dozen of these very large tents. Admission was free.
Two of the half dozen or so small buildings that housed the cultural museum honoring Turkey’s geographic neighbors.
One of the cultural heritage displays honoring Turkey’s neighboring countries.
A large ceremonial “couch” for cross-legged sitting on display.
Items in a glass case honoring one of the region’s historically distinct cultures on display at the museum exhibit at Topkapi Park, Istanbul
Inside the cultural museum display for Uzbekistan in Topkapi Park, Istanbul.
Inside the cultural museum display dedicated to Turkmenistan. Figures robed in traditional garments were a focal point of each display, as were neatly framed photos of each country’s current political leaders.

This cultural museum was interesting for a couple a reasons over and above its content. First, it was completely unattended. There were no security guards or other official representatives there. A guard in a small security hut about 150 meters away pointed me toward it and told me what it was but otherwise it was wide open, just set out in the park. Second, I was the only visitor there for over an hour. As I was leaving a man and a very small child wandered into the small open plaza between some of the buildings.

An open air amphitheater in Topkapi Park, Istanbul. Early March, 2019.
Still another section of the old city wall showcased by a roadway and surrounded by the modern city.
Part of the old city wall (right) and a distance shot of another mammoth mosque (left) on a dreary afternoon in early March, 2019.
A closer view of the mosque shown above. Even with the human figure in the foreground, this photo does not do justice to the scale of the building.
Domes visible from some smaller buildings like the one pictured in the background and a small cemetery at the mosque shown in the two photos above.
Under the portico on the opposite side of the mosque shown in the above photos.
Structure for ritual cleansing in the center of the mosque courtyard. Note the multiple domes on the portico that forms the courtyard wall.

This just about brings us to the end of my walking tour of the old city in Istanbul. It is a city of endless fascination because of the constantly jarring effect of the old (indeed, ancient) juxtaposed with the new, modern, and contemporary.

Istanbul street scene: photo of a very wizened and bent over old man dragging belongings behnid him toward a historic stone gate across a new pedestrian area.
City street sweeper using a handmade “stick” bristle broom to pick up pebbles and dist. Istanbul, early March, 2019.
Statue of a lion-like animal killing an antelope. City park, Istanbul.

Thanks again for joining me as I experience my Fulbright award adventure. Next time I will write about my visits to the University of Cyprus and the University of Nicosia. I will show you photos of Nicosia, my Airbnb, and the Larnaca, Cyprus airport.

March 7, 2019

Today’s feature on Robert’s Fulbright Award Travel and Lecture Tour Blog focuses on a walking tour of the “old town” area which is often described as the “heart of the city.” To begin my tour, I took the M2 metro line from Levent, near my small hotel, to the Venciler Station. When I emerged from the Venciler metro station, this site was directly behind the small metro plaza.

Arched gate in the “old town” part of Istanbul, directly behind the Venciler metro station, M2 Line. (Note the tourist in the foreground taking much the same photo as I am. We are in ab active tourist distinct although not a gentrified area in every respect; this is a very active living and shopping area for everyday residents as well.
A photo of a mosque and minaret taken from the same spot as the preceding photo, which showed an arched gate that would be immediately to the right of this image. I did not carry a notepad and pen with me to write down the details and names of every mosque I photographed and that you will see: there are just too many! Although this is not a historically significant mosque, nor one of the largest, this photo does not do justice to its size and scale. Indeed, virtually all of the mosques I photographed, as distinguished from small ancillary “chapels” attached to mosques, were rather sizable and impressive.
A photo take near the Venciler metro station showing the active modern city nature of the area immediately adjacent to “old town” Istanbul. The bus pictured is an example of a city bus, like the metro they are modern and far the most part seem in good condition. (I did not ride a bus but exclusively used the metro while in Istanbul.) Note the two types of trees as of March 2, 2019. It is a Mediterranean climate so there are various types of palm trees and succulents but there are also deciduous trees, like the one in the foreground, that announce that Spring has not yet arrived. High temperature was around 50 degrees F on this day.
This is the photo of the short “green pillar” (seen to the right) that marks the center of the Ancient City. The sign to the left tells the visitor the story. Briefly, the pillar was installed with peg extensions at either end that permitted the pillar to be rotated. The reason for this construction is somewhat obscure. In any event, at some point the pillar was stabilized permanently to prevent damage so that it can no longer be rotated on its spindle.
A photo taken looking out of the one of the many gates to the Sultan Ahmed mosque complex, part of a large UNESCO World Heritage Site in the “old town” part of Istanbul. This mosque complex is within the same 1-2 block area of the site of the “green pillar” that marks the center of the old city.
A photograph showing one of the many small structures that form a part of this massive mosque complex. Due to the walled nature of the complex it was not possible to take a single photo of the mosque from ground level that showed its immensity.
A photo take through an arched doorway of this massive mosque that shows one of about a half dozen entrances. The entrances are overhung with thickly padded, rubberized vinyl coverings that can be raised or lowered to: (1) keep out the cold in winter months and (2) indicate the start of the ritualized prayers and therefore alert late-comers (or tourists) that the religious ceremony has begun. Visitors are encouraged not to enter a mosque for the 90 minute period following the call to prayer. (Calls to prayer are five times per day.) Here, for example, the prayer service has started so I did not go in the mosque.
About the best photo I could take of this massive complex (from across the street). This photo does not show the many smaller, ancillary buildings to the right and several acres of historic, smaller domed buildings that are behind the principal mosque plaza behind the edifice you see. This photo, like the photo of the first mosque I showed you, does not do justice to the size and scale of mosque building, which is truly massive.
A photo taken from outside the Sultan Ahmed mosque complex that shows a handful of the many smaller domed structures that surround the main mosque.
Photo that shows an ancient viaduct in the background taken from one of the major modern thoroughfares that today forms the perimeter of the “old Istanbul” area.
A photo taken from the same place as the preceding photo showing a man (not visible) pulling a two wheeled hand cart (by the use of heavy shoulder straps) laden with a massive canvas style bag filled with cardboard. Thus, here in the modern city, with constant traffic furiously passing, poor people strive to make a living through this ancient means of transport.
Muslim women covered head to toe in black with only their eyes visible through a small aperture.
A modern street level “strip mall” of retail shops built to mimic historic buildings with arched entries. This building is adjacent to the actual historic wall shown in the following photo.
An ancient mall along a principal motorway that runs alongside the “old town” part of Istanbul. This massive wall marks the perimeter of another massive mosque complex. Photos of the interior of the mosque complex follow.
A very distorted photo of this mosque. Even though I am back well over one hundred and fifty feet with my lens opened to its widest aperture, I still cannot obtain a photo of this massive edifice that realistically shows its height, depth, and width. Please note, going forward, the number of these massive mosques in this area of Istanbul.
A photo of a smaller domed “chapel” next to the main mosque just pictured (which towers over this chapel to the left of the photo).
A photo of a different, smaller domed “chapel” within this mosque complex, this at the entry to a cemetery within the mosque grounds.
A photo taken inside one of the smaller domed “chapels” at this mosque complex. Many of the principal mosques discourage/prohibit the taking of photographs inside. However, after I took off my shoes and entered this smaller type of mosque structure on the grounds, I noted that many of the observant Muslims were taking photographs with their telephones, either before or after they prayed. Consequently I stood quietly and unobtrusively along the back perimeter and took this photo and the next three. No one seemed to mind.
A photo of the domed ceiling of this small mosque/chapel.
A photo showing some of the interior of this small mosque/chapel.
Inside the same small mosque/chapel which is apparently the site of the consecrated remains of a church/religious leader.
A photo of an elaborately detailed overhang that is one part of a portico outside an entry arch to the main mosque in this complex.
Photo of an interior courtyard next to this principal mosque in this complex showing an area built around a well (historic), now a plumbed water source, that is used for ritual ablution/cleansing.
A photo provided to give the viewer a better idea of the scale of the mosque in this complex (and that of many others). I’ve noted several times that the photos of the mosques have not realistically conveyed the sheer size of the mosques. Here, you can see a better comparison between the many images of full-size adults standing near the principal mosque, which is only very partially depicted in the photo even though the arched portico is perhaps 50+ feet high.
Just outside the walled mosque complex I have just shown you is the ancient market area of the city which continues to this day to be a (largely) pedestrian area of narrow streets and (according to tourist information sites) about 1500 small shops like those depicted here. I spent very little time exploring here but rather walked along one of the principal avenues that is the border to this market area to reach other heritage sites.
A photo of a shop window taken along one of the principal avenues bordering the ancient market square shopping area of small stands/stores. There are dozens of bridal shops here, many of them side by side for a couple of blocks. While you can see that gowns are available in different (pastel) colors, white overwhelmingly predominates; some shops apparently offer nothing but white gowns based on the many displayed on mannequins or hung against walls and on racks for visible display. All seem to mimic western styles.
A two story shop (on the 2nd and 3rd stories of a retail building) offering bridal wear (all white) and (somewhat conventional in style) haute couture, apparently for the more “mature” and conservative female consumer. Although I do not have a photo of it, one bridal shop was four stories high and had four or five large display windows like those you see here on each level, all filled with (white only) bridal gowns.
Photo showing a street scene in this area of Istanbul with examples of the different styles of attire, some more traditional then others, worn by the (predominantly) Muslim men and women who live and shop here every day.
Photo of the side of a building covered with a massive political advertisement for municipal elections. There is a three week window prior to elections in which candidates can politically compete (which just opened). Dozens and dozens and hundreds of posters have gone up in the last two days prior to taking this photo. Trucks drive around the city blaring political endorsements and playing music loudly that is associated with each candidates’ party. Candidates appear at public events constantly and party colors are hung everywhere via banners, balloons, so forth.
An advertising display 40+ feet high along the commercial avenue that bounds the ancient market and the historic mosque complexes I’ve shown you (which are on the other side of this street within the bounded UNESCO Heritage area.
Another advertising display, several stories high, and virtually “next door” to the one just shown. This display targets the contemporary Muslim woman who wishes to reflect and honor her heritage to a certain degree (note the head covering and longer, non-revealing couture with no legs, neck, or other skin displayed except for hands and the darker color – although not black – for the principal garment).
Not to be outdone, a popular restaurant chain and food purveyor – Saray – also seems to believe that multi-story advertising displays are good for business. I’ve also seen Burger King building advertisements of this scale but did not take a photo of one.
Muslim women shopping at the outdoor racks of a clothing store on a main commercial avenue just outside the “old town” area of Istanbul on Saturday, March 2, 2019. Just like in the U.S., this is a time for aggressive discounting with sales advertised from 30 – 70% off regular prices.
A shoe store next to the clothing store just depicted. Modern merchandising competes with the low rent market square establishments just behind them.
A scrolled metal entry gate to a municipal park next to a modern plaza just outside “old town” Istanbul.

I have many, many more photos of mosques and from the Topkapi grounds area of Istanbul to show you. However, this segment feels long enough at this juncture so I think I will close today and you can look forward to those photographs and descriptions within a day or two. Thanks again for joining me as I use my Fulbright experience to travel to see colleagues around Europe and lecture at their respective universities.