CHAPTER 3: NORTHERN EUROPE EXPERIENCE WITH EYOBUS/ LETONIA - RIGA (ENG EDITION)

Welcome back to the third part of my article series on Eyobus and the Northern Europe experience. In this article, we'll explore Riga, the capital of Latvia. While I'm here with you in writing, I would like to share a video of my travels like "Cok Gezenti", but perhaps with your support, we can make that happen too. As you may know, Latvia was once under Soviet influence, but it has a unique history and texture that make it a recommended destination, especially the city of Riga. Latvia is located in the north, bordering Estonia, and in the south, bordering Lithuania, while Russia and Belarus are to the east. A beautiful bonus of this country is that it has a sea border with Sweden, allowing visitors to explore Sweden.

As we explored the city of Riga, we couldn't help but notice the Daugava River, which divides the city in half, giving it a special and mystical atmosphere. Our ancestors knew the importance of water, as it brings life to any place. The historical buildings in the city take you on a journey back to the Middle Ages, making it an unforgettable experience.

During our visit, we had the opportunity to see some of the most iconic landmarks in the city, such as St. Peter's Church, the Bremen Town Musicians statue, the Freedom Monument, the 3 Brothers buildings, the Black Brothers Merchant's House (Guild), the Riga Cathedral and Castle, the Swedish Church, the Cat's House, the Dome Square, and the Lithuanian National Library. We also took the time to explore the charming streets and alleys of Riga, which were paved with cobblestones. If you plan on visiting Riga, make sure to grab a city map from any information centre or your hotel, and explore the main themed sightseeing and must-see places. Let me take you on a journey as I describe the places we visited.

We visited St. Peter's Church, which offers a 360-degree panoramic view of the city, we proceeded to our next stop. For a certain fee, you can go up to the 72-meter tower of the church by elevator and enjoy the breathtaking view of Riga. When we went, we were fortunate enough to have beautiful weather, making it the perfect time to visit St. Peter's Church. The beautiful terrace of the church allowed us to determine the streets of Riga and all the places we would visit from the top and determine how to get there. The terrace also offered an opportunity to witness the atmosphere and texture of the city along with the beautiful photo frames captured there.

Our next stop was the Bremen Town Musicians statue, which is within walking distance of the church. The statue is built almost identically to the one in Bremen, offering you a glimpse of what it would be like to visit Bremen.

Our adventure in Riga started with a visit to the Bremen Musicians statue where we snapped some souvenir photos. Armed with a map from the hotel, we ventured into the city's unique alleyways and made our way to the Riga cathedral and castle. Also known as Dome Cathedral, the medieval church is the largest in the Baltic countries and sits right next to the river. Inside the cathedral, you can find the city museum and the Museum of Navigation History, as well as a personal collection of Nikolas von Himzel's scientific and artistic works. If you have some time, these places are definitely worth a quick visit. Next, we visited the Riga Castle, located on the banks of the Daugava River. Unfortunately, the castle was under renovation, so we couldn't go inside. However, this castle is not your typical castle. Unlike other castles that are located at higher positions for strategic defence, Riga Castle is on the same level as the river. It is still an important structure in the city as it serves as the entrance and exit point of Riga. The castle is also unique in terms of its building structure. Unlike other castles, Riga Castle was built in a rectangular shape and has three floors with four rectangular towers, one on each corner.

After our castle visit, we took a leisurely coastal walk by the river and made our way to the House of the Blackheads, one of the most iconic buildings in Riga. Built in the 19th century, this structure is a guild. It was called the Black Heads Building because merchants were generally dark-skinned at that time. In the large square in front of the building, there is a small statue where the tradition of decorating glass trees originated in 1550. You can also find many souvenir shops in this square, as well as relax in the seating area and take beautiful photos.

We had a great time exploring some of Riga's most iconic and historic buildings. Three Brothers Houses is definitely a must-visit spot, especially if you're interested in the architectural structure of cities. The three buildings built in different time periods are located side by side and showcase how the architectural features have changed over time. We were particularly impressed by building number 17, which is the oldest building in the old town and has Gothic-Renaissance architecture from the 15th century. Building number 19, with its Dutch architecture, was also fascinating to see. 

Our next stops were the Swedish Church and the Cat House. The Swedish Church is an old church located in an old historical cave and has a unique story of its own. We tried to listen to the rumoured voice of a girl living in the church wall but unfortunately couldn't hear anything. After that, we visited the Cat House, which is a yellow building with medieval architecture and cat miniatures on each roof in the form of a tower. The entrance gate also reflected the characteristics of the age. Overall, it was an enjoyable and educational experience.

It should not be quite challenging to find the popular landmarks of Riga while exploring the city. However, thanks to the map with the documents we had, our journey became much easier. As we strolled around the streets of the city, we visited Dome Square and a cathedral inspired by the Riga cathedral, located near the square, which had a unique historical beauty. Although it is possible to climb the tower of this cathedral and enjoy the beautiful view of the city by paying a certain fee, we opted to use this right at St. Peter's Church, which was a better option. Therefore, we only wandered around this beautiful square, took a quick tour of the places near the war museum, and took souvenir photos in front of the yellow building with the logos of the Lithuanian municipality.

If you have time, you can also visit Riga Central Market, which is one of the largest neighbourhood markets in Europe, for shopping. Besides, you can also join the 1-hour canal tours if you are interested in canal tours. You can witness the beauty of the city from the river and water during this tour. After spending a lot of energy travelling, we headed to Lido/Vermanitis Restaurant, which is one of Riga's important local restaurants, to rest and regain our energy. Here, local delicacies are served in the open buffet/tradesman restaurant concept and we had the opportunity to taste delicious local foods. I highly recommend you take note of the name of this restaurant and visit it if you go to Riga. Although it is a popular place, it has enough seating area. We sat in the outdoor section, but I suggest sitting in the upper floor section to enjoy your food better. Although we couldn't finish sightseeing in Riga, we efficiently used our time and visited most of the must-see places. Unfortunately, we had to leave this city and head to Tallinn, another one of the Baltic countries. See you in our Estonia/Tallinn travel article.

BOLUM 3: EYOBUS ILE KUZEY AVRUPA DENEYIMI/ LETONYA- RIGA (TR VERSIYON)

Eyobus ile Kuzey Avrupa deneyimi yazi dizisinin ucuncu bolumu ve ikinci sehri olan Letonya'nın başkenti Riga yazi dizisi ile yine karsinizdayim. Karsinizdayim derken tabi yazi olarak :) gonul isterdi ki Cok gezenti gibi bir video ile karsinizda olmayi ama kim bilir belki onu da yapariz tabi sizlerin de destegi cok onemli. Bildiginiz uzrere Letonya Sovyet ulkelerinin etkisinde kalan baltik ulkelerinden bir tanesidir. Kendince bir tarihi ve ozel dokusu olan Letonya'nin Riga sehrini eger bir gun firsatiniz olursa gelip gezmenizi tavsiye ederim. Letonya cografi konum olarak kuzeyinde Estonya, güneyinde Litvanya; doğusunda Rusya Federasyonu ve Belarus ile komsu bir ulkedir. Bu guzel ulkenin bonusu olarak İsveç ile deniz sınırınin olmasi gelen ziyatertcilerinin Isvec'e ziyaret etme firsati da sunmaktadir. 

Riga sehrini ortadan ikiye bolen Daugava Nehri, sehre daha ozel ve mıstık bır hava katmasında yardımcı olmustur. Ayrıca atalarımız bosa dememısler, suyun oldugu yerde hayat vardır diye. Elbet hayat her yerde ancak suyun oldugu yerde hayat daha bir baskadir.  Kentte yer alan tarihi yapilar sizi Ortacag zamanlarina kisa bir zaman yolculugu yapmaniza neden olabilir. 

Bizler gezi ziyaretimiz boyunca Aziz Peter Kilisesi, Bremen mizikacilari heykelini, Ozgurluk aniti, 3 Kardesler binalarini, Siyah kafadarlar Tuccar evini (Lonca), Riga Katedral ve Kalesini, Swedish Kilisesi, Kedi evini, Dome Meydanini ve kapali olmasina ragmen uzaktan da olsa  Litvanya Ulusal kutuphanesini ziyaret ettik. Tabi bu gecis aralarinda Riganin arnavut kaldirimlarini aratmaycak sokak aralarini da kesfettik.  Riga sehrini gezerken herhangi bir bilgilendirme bolumunden veya kaldiginiz otelden Riga sehir haritasini temin ederek ana temali gezilip, gorulmesi gereken yerleri yuruyerek gezebilirisiniz. Hadi simdi baslayalim gezdigimiz yerleri size anlatmaya. 

Ilk duragimiz sehri 360 derecelik panoramik manzarasiyla gorebilecegimiz Aziz Peter Kilisesidir. Belirli bir ucret karsiliginda kilisenin 72 metrelik kulesine asansor ile cikmaniz mumkundur. Emin olun vereceginiz ucrete degecek ve Riga'nin 360 derecelik manzarasiyla tum sehiri ayaklarinizi altinda hissedeceksiniz.  Biz gittimizde sansimizdan cok guzel bir hava bizleri karsiladi ve gezimizin ilk noktasi olarak Aziz Peter Kilisesini tercih etmek cok yerinde oldu cunku Riga sokaklarini ve gezecegimiz butun yerleri tepeden belirleyip, oralara nasil ulasacagimizi bu kilisenin guzel teras bolumunde belirledik. Aslinda kilisenin teras kismina ciktiginizda yakalayacaginiz guzel fotograf kareleri ile birlikte, sehrin atmosfer ve dokusunun fragmanina burada sahit olma firsatini yakaliyorsunuz desem fazla abartmis olmam. 

Aziz Peter Kilisesinden sonraki rotamiz, hemen kiliseye yurume mesafesinde olan Bremen mizikacilari heykelini ziyaret ettik. Eger Bremen'e gitmediyseniz burada hemen hemen ayni sekilde yapilmis olan heykeli burada gorerek, kendinizi Bremen'e kadar gitmis gibi hissedebilirsiniz.

Bremen Mizikacilar heykeli onunde hatira fotograflarimizi cektikten sonra elimizde otelden aldigimiz harita ile kendimizi Riga sehrinin essiz sokak aralarina attik ve once Riga katedrali ve kalesini ziyaret ettik. Riga katedrali, Dome katedrali olarak da adlandirilmaktadir. Hemen nehrin yakininda insa edilen katedral, Baltik ulkeleri icerisindeki en buyuk Orta Cag kilisesi olarak bilinmektedir. Buyuk bir yapi olan Riga katedrali icerisinde sehir muzesi ve navigasyon tarihi muzesi ile birlikte Nikolas von Himzel'in bilimsel ve sanatsal eserlerinin bulundugu bir kisisel koleksiyonda yer almaktadir. Eger vaktiniz olursa buralarida hizlica ziyaret edebilirsiniz. Katedral sonrasi duragimiz Daugava Nehri kiyisinda yer alan Riga Kalesini ziyaret ettik. Tadilatta olmasindan dolayi icerisine girme firsatimiz olmadi ancak kale aklinizda canladirabileceginiz kaleler gibi degil. Bildiginiz uzere genelde kaleler jeopolitik oneme sahip olan yapilar oldugu ve savunma acisindan sehri daha rahat mudafa edebilmek icin yuksek konumlarda bulunan kalelerin aksine Riga Kalesi nehri seviyesi ile ayni konumda olmasiyla Dunya'daki orneklerinden farkli bir ozellige sahiptir. Evet konum olarak sehrin giris ve cikisinin oldugu onemli bir bolgededir ancak bina yapisi olarakta farklidir. Bildiginiz kalelerden farkli olarak dikdortgen sekilde insa edilmis olan bu kale uc kattan olusmaktadir. Her kosesinde birer tane olmak uzere dort dikdortgen kulesi mevcuttur. 

Nehir kenarinda guzel bir sahil yuruyusu yaparak rotamizi Riga sehrinin ikoniklesmis yapilarindan olan House of the Blackheads yani Kara kafalilar binasina cevirdik. Bu yapi 19. yuzyilda yapilmis bir loncadir. Kara kafalilar denilmesinin sebebi ise, genelde tuccarlarin o zamanlarda esmer olmasi nedeniyle bu binaya kara kafalilar binasi denilmistir. Ayrica yapinin onunde bulunan buyuk meydanda, 1550 yilinda baslatilan cam agaci susleme geleneginin basladigi ufak bir heykel bulunmaktadir.  Bu meydanda bircok hediyelik esya magazasi bulabileceginiz gibi oturma alaninda dinlenip, guzel fotograflar cekebilirsiniz. 

Riga'nin diger ikoniklesmis ve populer yapilarindan olan 3 Brothers Houses'i ziyaret ettik. Ozellikle sehirlerin mimari yapisiyla ilgileniyorsaniz burayi kesinllikle ziyaret etmelisiniz. 3 House denilmesinin sebebi, uc farkli zaman diliminde yapilan yapilarin yan yana bulunmasiyla zamanla mimari ozelliklerin nasil degistigini yakindan sahit olabiliyorsunuz.  Uc tarihi binadan birisi olan 17 numarali bina, old town'in en eski binasidir ve 15.yy'dan kalma gotik ronesans mimarisine sahiptir. 19 numarali bina ise 16.yy'dan kalma ve Hollanda mimarisine sahiptir.  

Sonraki duragimiz sirasiyla Swedish Kilisesi ve Kedi evidir. Bu iki yapida mimari acidan kendine has bir yapisi ve kendine has ozel bir hikayesi vardir. Once Swedish kilisesinden bahsedecek olursak, eski tarihi kabaaltinda yer alan eski bir kilisedir. Edilen rivayete gore bu kilise duvarinda bir kizin yasadigi ve sevdiginiz insanla bu kaba altindan gectiginizde, onun sesini duydugunuz soyleniyor. Biz denedik ama herhangi bir ses duyamadik. Umarim sizler duyabilirisiniz. Swedish Kilisesinden sonra Cat House'i ziyaret ettik. Orta cag mimarisine sahip sari renkli bu bina, catisinda daha dogrusu kule seklinde olan her bir cati ucunda kedi minyaturleri oldugu icin binaya kedi binasi denilmis ve bu isim ile populer olmustur. Ayrica cagin ozelligini yansitan bir giris kapisi da vardir. 

Riga sehrini dolasirken, sehrin populer yapilarini bulmak cok zor olmadi. Tabi burada elimizde bulunan harita ile isimiz daha da kolay oldu ve sehrin kendine ozgu tarihi guzellige sahip olan sokaklarini dolasirken bir diger meydan olan Dome Meydani ve o meydanin yakininda bulunan Riga katedralinden esinlenen bir katedrali ziyaret ettik. Bu katedralin kulesine belirli bir ucret karsiliginda cikabiliyor ve sehir manzarasinin guzelligine sahit olabiliyorsunuz. Biz bu hakkimizi daha iyi bir secenek olan Aziz Peter kilisesinde kullandigimiz icin burada sadece bu guzel meydani dolastik ve savas muzesine yakin olan yerleri hizlica bir gezdik ve gezerken Litvanya belediye bina logolarinin yer aldigi sari renkli bina onunde hatira fotograflarimizi da cektik. 

Bizim zamanimiz olmadi ancak eger sizlerin zamani olursa, Avrupa'nun en buyuk semt marketlerinden biri olan Riga Central Market'i gezip alisveris yapabilirsiniz. Ayrica kanal turu seviyorsaniz (tabi bir Venedik turu olamaz) 1 saatlik olan kanal turlarina katilip, nehir uzerinden bu sehrin guzelligine bir de su uzerinden tanik olabilirisiniz. O kadar gezip, enerjimizi tukettikten sonra hem dinlenmek hemde yeniden enerji elde edebilmek icin Riga'nin onemli lokal restoranlarindan biri olan Lido/Vermanitis Restorana gittik. Burada yerel lezzetler acik bufe/esnaf lokantasi konseptinde sunulmaktadir ve bizlerde bu mekanda leziz lokal yiyecekleri tatma firsati bulduk. Eger sizde giderseniz bu restoran ismini kesinllikle not alip, gitmenizi tavsiye ederim. Populer bir yer oldugu icin cok kalabalik olabilir simdiden benden soylemesi. Ancak yeteri kadar oturma bolumu bulunmaktadir. Bizler disardaki bolumde oturduk ama sizlere ust katta yer alan bolumde oturmanizi tavsiye eder ve sectiginiz yiyeceklerin tadini cikarmanizi oneririm. Elbet Riga sehrini gez gez bitiremeyiz ancak, bizler bize verilen zamani verimli kullanip, gorulmesi gereken yerlerin buyuk bir kismini gezme firsatini yakaladik. Hic istemesekte bu sehirden ayrilarak, Baltik ulkelerinin bir digeri olan Estonya'nin Talinn sehrine dogru yola koyulduk.  Estonya/Talinn gezi yazimizda gorusmek uzere. 

CHAPTER 2: NORTHERN EUROPE EXPERIENCE WITH EYOBUS/ LITHUANIA - VILNIUS (ENG EDITION)

Dear blog readers, thank you for joining me for the second part of the Northern Europe experience with Eyobus article, where we’ll be exploring Lithuania – the first country on our trip. As I share my travel experiences and all the information I gather, I hope to take you on this adventurous journey with me once again and create unforgettable memories. It makes me happy and proud to have you along for the ride. Let's start with Vilnius, the capital and most developed city of Lithuania. It's also the second-largest city in the Baltic countries. Vilnius' historical city, which was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1994, was chosen as the European capital in 2009. Interestingly, the name of the city of Vilnius comes from the Vilnia River flowing from Lithuania to Belarus.

I completely understand and appreciate your desire to focus on the more fun aspects of the trip. When it comes to visiting Vilnius, there are plenty of exciting places to explore. If you're interested in learning about the city's culture and history, then I would definitely recommend visiting the Lithuanian National Museum, Genocide Victims Museum, and Mickiewicz Museum. On the other hand, if you want to understand the architectural and religious structure of the city, then the Church of All Saints and Vilnius Cathedral are must-visit spots. The Republic of Uzupis is also a fascinating place to explore with its unique structure. Additionally, Trakai Town, Gediminas Castle, and Three Cross Hill are other must-see places to visit while you're in Vilnius.

It's understandable that due to the duration of the tour program, you may not have been able to visit all the places. However, it's great to hear that you were able to visit some of the must-see places in Vilnius, such as the Church of All Saints, Vilnius Cathedral, Gediminas Castle, Three Pilgrims Hill, Uzupis Republic, and the beautiful alleys of the city. It must have been an amazing experience to witness the atmosphere of the city up close and personal.

The Church of All Saints is a stunning Catholic church located in the heart of Vilnius, with its unique kitten-colored exterior. It's considered one of the most beautiful cathedrals in Vilnius. During the Second World War, the cathedral played a significant role in helping Lithuanian Jews survive. As the Baltic countries were under Soviet rule for a long time, the cathedral was converted into a museum. However, with the dissolution of the Soviet Union and Lithuania regaining its independence in 1990, the church was restored to its former function.

Vilnius Cathedral is a prominent landmark located in the large square at the very centre of the city. It's white colour and simple architecture makes it easily noticeable when walking in the square. It has an important and large structure for Catholics and is considered one of the most significant structures in Vilnius. Although it is known by different names, the white cathedral or Vilnius Cathedral is the most common. The tombs of the most important figures in Lithuanian history can be found within the cathedral, and coronation ceremonies have been held here over the years. Today, on special days, large crowds come to the cathedral to worship. There is also an observation tower located right next to the cathedral, and although there is no charge to enter the church, a fee is charged for entering the observation tower. A special pavement section can be found in the square between the observation tower and the Cathedral, where it's rumoured that if you turn a full circle on the point on the sidewalk without lifting your foot, your wish will come true. You can also spot Gedimina Castle on the high hill just above the cathedral. While it's within walking distance, you will need to climb a little to get to this place. However, if you prefer, you can also go up by funicular for a small fee. If you're lucky enough to have a sunny day, you can take advantage of this and do a little trekking.

Gediminas Castle is a defensive castle that overlooks the city of Vilnius and offers breathtaking panoramic views of the city. Although the climb to the top may be a bit tiring, the view from the top makes it all worth it. The castle is the country's first defensive castle and can be seen from all over Vilnius. The national flag was first hoisted over the castle in 1919, and then it remained under Soviet occupation. Finally, with the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the flag of independent Lithuania was hoisted in the 1990s. While there is no entrance fee to the main square of the castle, which offers a view of Lithuania from above, there is a fee to enter Gediminas Castle, which has three floors and is 48 meters high. It contains sections explaining the history of Lithuania. Visitors can either enter the castle or enjoy the view in the castle square. It's especially recommended to visit at sunrise or sunset. As mentioned before, the name of the capital comes from the Vilna River, and from this section of the castle, you can easily see the river from which the city's name comes.

The Three Crosses, which were built in the Kalnai Park at the top of Vilnius in the 17th century, have become one of the symbols of the city over time. According to legend, the site was used to crucify seven people. Since the belief in paganism was widespread in Lithuania at that time, these corpses were dedicated to God and thrown into the cold waters of the Vilnia River. The original structure of the Three Pilgrims, which survived with this story, was made of wood. However, it was destroyed in a fire and rebuilt using concrete. The three white crosses can be easily seen from Gediminas Castle. Visitors can go to the site if they want, but we heard that the road might be a bit tiring. Therefore, we took photos of the crosses from Gediminas Castle. We also heard that visitors can examine the details of the city using binoculars in the small observatory located in the same place.

Our last stop in Vilnius was the Uzupis Republic, which is an independent neighbourhood with its own rules. On the way to the Uzupis Republic, we visited the red-brick St. Petersburg church, which is one of the most important churches in Vilnius. We highly recommend visiting the Mother Church and capturing the memories. The Republic of Uzupis is an autonomous neighbourhood that was founded by a group of artists in the middle of Vilnius. On April 1, 1997, this neighbourhood declared its independence with an army of only 12 people. They have their own constitution that includes articles such as “It is a natural right to be happy” and “It is a natural right to be unhappy”. The real story behind this neighbourhood autonomy is as follows: In the 1990s, a group of artists were still searching for an identity for Lithuania, which had just declared its independence from Soviet Russia. They felt that this was not enough and announced that this neighbourhood was separated from Vilnius and declared their autonomy. Various art activities have been held in the autonomous neighbourhood since then. Even the mayor, who is tolerant of these activities and neighbourhood autonomy, is also a member of this community. We highly recommend that you immediately go to the street where the rules in all languages are available and find the Uzupis Republic law in your language.

If you have some additional time, we highly recommend visiting the town of Trakai, which is just 45 minutes away by car from the city and has traces of the Turkish tribe. Unfortunately, we couldn't visit Trakai during our trip, but we'll definitely try to go on our next visit. In the meantime, we recommend exploring the beautiful streets of the city and trying local dishes in local restaurants. We hope you enjoyed our Vilnius tour and we look forward to seeing you in our next stop, Riga, Latvia, in the article series.

BOLUM 2: EYOBUS ILE KUZEY AVRUPA DENEYIMI/ LITVANYA - VILNIUS (TR VERSIYON)

Eyobus ile Kuzey Avrupa deneyimi yazi dizisinin ikinci bolumu ve gezimizin ilk ulkesi olan Litvanya yazi bolumune hosgeldiniz sevgili blog okuyucularim. Umarim bundan sonra paylasacagim tum bilgiler ile sizlere gezi tecrubelerimi anlatirken, bende sizlerle yeniden gezmis ve sizlerin sayesinde bu macera dolu gunlerimi yeniden hatirlamis olacagim. Butun bu rotaya sizleri de dahil etmenin mutlulugunu ve gururunu yasiyorum. Artik baslayalim baltik ulkelerinin guzel ulkelerinden biri olan Litvanya'nin Vilnius sehri hakkinda bilgi vermeye.  Vilnius, Litvanya’nın başkenti ve en gelişmiş şehri olmasının yanı sıra Baltık ülkelerinin de ikinci en büyük şehridir. Tarihî şehri 1994 yılında UNESCO Dünya Mirasları Listesi’ne giren Vilnius 2009 yılında Avrupa başkenti seçilmiştir. Vilnius sehrinin ismi ise Litvanya’dan Beyaz Rusya’ya doğru akan Vilnia Nehri’nden ortaya cikmistir. 

Sizleri bu yazi dizisinde cok fazla tarihi bilgilerle kafanizi sisirmek istemiyorum isin daha eglenceli kismi olan gezilip, gorulecek yerler hakkında daha fazla bilgi paylasiminda bulunmak istiyorum. Litvanya Ulusal Müzesi, Soykırım Kurbanları Müzesi ve Mickiewicz Müzesi şehrin kültürünü ve tarihini anlamak için mutlaka ziyaret edilmesi gereken müzeler arasında bulunuyor. Tüm Azizler Kilisesi ve Vilnius Katedrali şehrin mimari ve dini yapısını anlamak için uğranması gereken noktalar arasında. Uzupis Cumhuriyeti ise kendine has yapısıyla dikkat çekici. Trakai Kasabası, Gediminas Kalesi ve Üç Haç Tepesi ise gidip görülmesi gereken diğer yerler arasindadir.

Tur programi ve suresini goz onune aldigimizda tabi bazi yerleri goremedik ama gorulmesi gereken yerler arasinda olan Tüm Azizler Kilisesi, Vilnius Katedrali, Gediminas Kalesi, Uc Hac Tepesi, Uzupis Cumhuriyeti ve Vilnius sehrinin guzel sokak aralarini gezme ve sehrin atmosferine yakindan sahit olma firsatimiz oldu.  

Tum Azizler kilisesi hemen sehrin merkezinde bulunan yavruağzı rengine sahip Katolik kilisesi, Vilnius'un en guzel katedrallerinden birisidir. İkinci dünya savasi sirasinda katedral Litvanya Musevilerine yardimci olarak, hayatta kalmalari saglanmisitir. Baltik ulkelerinin uzun bir sure Sovyetler hakimiyeti altindan olmasindan dolayi, bu katedral muzeye donusuturulmus daha sonra Sovyetlerin dagilmasi ve 1990 yilinda Litvanya'nin yeniden bagimsizligini kazanmasiyla kilise eski gorevine kavusmustur. 

Vilnius Katedrali, sehrin tam merkezinde bulunan buyuk meydanda yer almaktadir. Katedral, meydanda yururken beyaz rengi ve sade mimarisi ile hemen farkedilmektedir. Katolikler icin onemli ve buyuk bir yapiya sahip olan katedral Vilnius serinin ozel yapilari icierisinde ilk siralarda kendisine yer bulmaktadir. Farkli isimler adi altinda anilsa da beyaz katedral veya Vilnius katedrali olarak daha cok bilinmektedir. Katedral icerisinde yer alan bolumler icerisinde Litvanya tarihinin en önemli figürlerinin mezarı bulunur. Ayrica yillar boyunca tac giydirme torenleri bu katedral icerisinde yapilmistir. Gunumuzde, ozel gunlerde buyuk kalabaliklar bu katedrale gelip, ibadetlerini gerceklestirmektedirler. Bu katedralin hemen yaninda gozlem kulesi de yer almaktadir ancak kiliseye giris icin ucret talep edilmezken, gozlem kulesi icin iceriye giriste ucret alinmaktadir. Tam gozlem kulesi ile Katedral arasinda meydanda bulunan bir noktada ozel bir kaldirim bolumu goreceksiniz. Kaldirimda yer alan nokta uzerinde ayaginizi kaldirmadan tam tur donerseniz dileginizin gerceklesecegi rivayet edilmektedir. Katedralin hemen yukarisinda fark edeceginiz yuksek tepelikte Gediminas kalesini fark edebilirsiniz. Yurume mesafesinde olan bu yere cikarken biraz tirmanmaniz gerecek ancak isterseniz kucuk bir miktar ucret ile yukariya funikuler ile de cikabiliyorsunuz. Biz yurumeyi tercih ettik ve havaninda sansimiza gunesli bir gune denk gelmesi ile bunu firsata cevirerek ufak bir trekking yapmis olduk.

Gediminas Kalesi, sehri tepeden goren ve savunma amacli yapilmis bir kaledir. Tepeye cikmak biraz yorucu olabilir ancak, ciktiginizda manzarayi gordugunuz zaman buraya cikip, yorulduguma degdi diyeceksiniz. Gediminas Kalesi Vilnius’un her yerinden görülebilen ve ülkenin ilk savunma amaçlı kalesidir. Kalenin gönderine ilk kez 1919 yılında millî bayrak çekilmiştir daha sonra Sovyet isagali altinda kalmis ve en sonunda Sovyetlerin dagilmasiyla 1990'li yillarda bagimsiz Litvanya bayragi, bayrak gonderine cekilmistir. Litvanya'yi tepeden goren manzaraya sahip olan kale ana meydana giris ucreti yok iken,  3 katli ve 48 metre yuksekliginde olan Gediminas kalesi icerisine girmek ucretlidir. Icerisinde Litvanya tarihini anlatan bolumler yer almaktadir. Ister kale icerisine girin, isterseniz de kale meydaninda manzaranin tadini cikartin. Ozellikle gun dogumu veya gun batimi icin ziyaretcilere tavsiye edilmektedir. Baskent isminin Vilna Nehri'nden geldigini daha once bahsetmistik. Bu bolumden sehrin isminin geldigi nehri de rahatlikla gorebileceksiniz. 

Uc Hac Tepesi, 17. yüzyılda Vilnius’un tepe noktasındaki Kalnai Parkı’na inşa edilen 3 haç zamanla şehrin sembollerinden olmuştur. Rivayete gore 7 kisi carmiha gerilir, o  zamanlarda Litvanya'da paganizm inanci yaygin oldugu icin bu cesetler tanriya adanmis ve Vilnia nehrinin soguk sularina atilmistir, Gunumuze bu hikaye ile gelen Üç hac'in orijinal yapisi ahsaptir ancak gecirdigi yangin ve tahribatlar sonrasi beton olarak insa edilmistir. Beyaz renkli üç hac, Gediminas kalaesinden rahatlikla gorulmektedir. Ziyaretciler isterlerse buraya gidebilmektedir ancak yolu biraz yorucu olabilecegini duyduk ve bizler Gediminda kalesi tarafindan fotograflarini cektik. Aynı yerde bulunan minik gözlem evindeki dürbünleri kullanarak şehrin detaylarını da inceleneilecigini duyduk. 

Vilnius sehrinde son duragi olan kendilerince bagimsiz olan ve kendi yasalari bulunan Uzupis Cumhuriyetini ziyaret ediyoruz. Uzupis Cumhuriyetine giderken yolda Vilnius'un onemli kiliselerinden olan kirmizi tuglali St. Anne kilisesini de ziyaret etmenizi ve hatira kareleri yakalamanizi oneriyoruz. Uzupis Cumhuriyeti Vilnius’un ortasına bir grup sanatçı tarafından kurulmuş özerk bir mahalledir. 1997 yılının 1 Nisan günü 12 kişilik ordusuyla bu mahalle bağımsızlığını ilan eder. “Mutlu olmak doğal bir haktır” ve “Mutsuz olmak doğal bir haktır” gibi maddeleri olan bir anayasaları vardır. Bu mahalle ozerkliginin asil temel hikayesi ise soyledir; Mahalenin kuruculari, 1990'li yillarda, Sovyet Rusya'dan bagimsizligini yeni ilan eden Litvanya'nin henuz kimlik arayasinda bulunan ve bunun yeterli olmadigini goren birkac kisilik sanatci grubu bu mahalle'nin Vilnius'tan ayrildigini ve ozerkliklerini ilan ettiklerini aciklarlar. O gunden bugune ozerk olan mahalle de cesitli sanat etkinlikleri yapilmaktadir. Hatta ve hatta bu etkinliklere bu mahalle ozerkligine toleransli davranan belediye baskani da katilmaktadir. Hemen hemen butun dillerde yasalarinin yer aldigi sokaga gidip, kendi dilinize ait olan Uzupis Cumhuriyeti yasasini bulmanizi tavsiye ediyoruz.  

Vaktiniz varsa Turk boyu izlerinin bulundugu sehre 45 dakika araba mesefesi uzakliginda bulunan Trakai kasabasina gitmenizi oneririm. Biz gidemedik ama bir daha ki ziyaretimizde kesinliklie gitmeye calisacagiz. Kalan vakitlerinizde de sehrin o guzel sokaklarini kesfetmenizi ve yerel restoranlarinda yerel yemeklerini denemenizi tavsiye ederim. Bir sonraki duragimiz olan Letonya'nin Riga sehri yazi dizisinde gorusmek uzere.

BOLUM 1: EYOBUS ILE KUZEY AVRUPA DENEYIMI VE YENI BIR HAYALE YOLCULUK… (TR VERSIYON)

Merhaba sevgili blog takipçilerim, biliyorum belirli bir sure sizlerle yazi paylasamadim ama uzun bir aradan sonra yeni bir yazi dizisi ile yeniden buradayim. Ancak sizlerle bu blog sayfamda artik hem Turkce hem de Ingilizce versiyonlari ile sizlere paylasimda bulunacagim bu sayede hem Turk okurlarim hem de yabanci okurlarim kendilerini bu sayfanin birer parcasi olarak daha rahat hissedebilirler. Daha önceki yazimda da paylastigim uzere 2017 yilinda Eyobus firmasi ile orta ve guney avrupa turuna ağabeyimle katilmistim. Kisa da olsa bu geziden edindiğim hatiralari ve tecrübeleri kaleme alip, sizlerle hatirlayacaginiz uzere paylasmistim. Yeni okurlarim veya yeniden okumak isteyenler, blog sayfasinin arşiv kismindan bu yazima ulaşabilirler. Neyse uzun lafin kisasi, sizlere bu yazi dizimde 12 Agustos ile 23 Agustos 2023 tarihleri arasinda katildigim Eyobus’un ikinci tur paketi olan yine yol arkadasim ağabeyimle katildigim Kuzey Avrupa turundan elde ettiğim harika anilari ve gezi deneyimlerini siz sevgili okurlarimla paylasacagim.

Oncellikle sizlere kisa bir tur icerigi hakkinda bilgi vermek isterim. Tur yine Eyobus firmasinin kalitesiyle 12 gun, birbirinden eğlenceli ve bir o kadar kendilerince ozgun 9 ulke ve 12 sehirden olusmaktadir. Durust olmam gerekirse günler o kadar cabuk geçiyor ki 12 gun bile sizlere yeterli gelmeyebilir. Bu 12 gun içerisinde ulasim, konaklama (kahvalti dahil) hizmetleri firmaya aittir. Turda rehberlik hizmeti yok ama tur koordinatoru sizlere gerekli gezi bilgilerini her ülkeye varmadan once sizlerle paylaşıyor ama bana kalirsa siz siz olun kendi gezi listenizi ve rotanizi olusturmanizi tavsiye ederim. Bu ulkeler içerisinde sirasiyla Litvanya (Vilnius), Letonya (Riga), Estonya (Talinn), Finlandiya (Helsinki), Isvec (Stockholm), Norvec (Flam, Bergen ve Stavenger), Danimarka (Kopenhag), Almanya (Hamburg) ve son olarak Hollanda (Giethoorn ve Amsterdam) yer aliyor. Tur içeriğinden de anlasilacagi uzere once Baltik ulkelerini daha sonra Viking esintilerinin bariz hissedildigi Iskandinav ulkelerini ve kapanisi Hamburg ve Amsterdam ile yapiyorsunuz. Tura katılmadan once bu ulkeler ve sehirler ile ilgili gerekli belgeselleri izelemeniz ve o ulkelerin kismen de olsa gerekli bilgilerini edinmeniz gezinizin daha anlamli ve akilda kalici olmasini saglayacaktir.  Umarim bu yazi dizim ile sizlere de hayaliniz olan ülkelere bir adim atar ve buna az da olsa bu yazilarim ile sizleri teşvik edebilirsem ne mutlu bana. Gelin ilk cikis noktamiz Istanbul’dan baltiklarin inci ulkerinden olan Litvanya’ya dogru yolculuğumuza cikalim.

Kuzey Avrupa gezimizin ilk gunu Istanbul Havalimanindan sabah erken saatlerinde TK1407 sefer sayili ucagi ile Istanbul’dan Litvanya’nin başkenti Vilnius’a dogru yola cikiyoruz. Ucus ortalama 3 saat sürmekte ve Turkiye ile Vilnius arasindaki 1 saatlik farki ve ulke giriş prosedürlerini goz onune alarak aksam 19:00 saatlerinde otobüs ile Vilnius sehir merkezine ulaşıyoruz. Yazinin bundan sonrasindan daha cok zevk alacaginizi umarak, ilk ziyaret ettiğimiz ulke ve detaylarini bir sonraki bolumde anlatmaya başlayabiliriz. Bir sonraki bölüm olan Litvanya – Vilnius yazi bolumunde görüşmek uzere…
 
Tur ile ilgili gerekli bilgiler: Eyobus - Kuzey Avrupa turu detayli bilgi icin tikayiniz.

CHAPTER 1: NORTHERN EUROPE EXPERIENCE AND A NEW DREAM JOURNEY WITH EYOBUS… (ENG EDITION)

Greetings, my beloved blog followers. I apologize for my absence but I am now back with a new article series after a long break. I am excited to announce that from now on, I will be sharing both Turkish and English versions of my blog page so that all my readers can feel included. As you may remember, I went on a Central and Southern Europe tour with Eyobus company in 2017 alongside my brother. Although brief, I wrote about the memories and experiences I gained from that trip and shared them with you. New readers or those who wish to revisit the article can find it in the blog page's archive. In this article series, I will be sharing my wonderful memories and travel experiences from the Northern Europe tour, which was Eyobus's second tour package that I participated in with my brother from August 12th to August 23rd, 2023.

To begin with, I would like to provide you with some information about the tour. The tour lasts for 12 days, covers 9 countries, and includes visits to 12 cities, each with its own unique and entertaining qualities, all organized by the high-quality Eyobus company. In all honesty, the days on the tour pass by so quickly that even 12 days may not be enough. During this 12-day tour, transportation and accommodation (including breakfast) services are provided by the company. There is no guided service on the tour, but the tour coordinator shares necessary travel information with you before you arrive in each country. However, I recommend that you create your own travel list and route. The countries that are visited on this tour are Lithuania (Vilnius), Latvia (Riga), Estonia (Tallinn), Finland (Helsinki), Sweden (Stockholm), Norway (Flam, Bergen and Stavanger), Denmark (Copenhagen), Germany (Hamburg), and finally the Netherlands (Giethoorn and Amsterdam). As can be understood from the tour content, the tour starts with the Baltic countries, then proceeds to the Scandinavian countries where the Viking influence is clearly felt and ends with Hamburg and Amsterdam. Before joining the tour, I suggest watching documentaries about these countries and cities and obtaining as much information as possible about each country in order to make your trip more meaningful and memorable. I hope that through this series of articles, I can help you take a step towards visiting the countries of your dreams, and I would be delighted if I could encourage you, even just a little, with these articles. Let us start our journey from Istanbul, our first departure point, to Lithuania, one of the pearl countries of the Baltics.

On the first day of our Northern Europe tour, we departed from Istanbul Airport early in the morning with flight number TK1407 to Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. The flight took approximately 3 hours, and after taking into account the 1-hour time difference between Turkey and Vilnius, as well as the country's entry procedures, we arrived at Vilnius city centre by bus at 7:00 pm in the evening. I hope that you will enjoy the upcoming articles more, as we will be discussing the details and experiences of the first country we visited, Lithuania, and its capital city, Vilnius, in the next section. See you in the next article, Lithuania - Vilnius.

For detailed information about the Eyobus - Northern Europe tour, click on the following link: Link for Eyobus - Northern Europe Tour Details. This will provide you with all the necessary information you may need, including the itinerary, accommodation, transportation, and tour package details.

SPECIAL ARTICLE ON THE 100th ANNIVERSARY OF THE REPUBLIC OF TURKIYE : "FATHER OF THE TURKS"

FATHER OF THE TURKS 

"Biography of ATATURK"

  “My people are going to learn the principles of democracy the dictates of truth and the teachings of science. Superstition must go.”

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was a Turkish nationalist leader and founder and first president of the Republic of Turkey.

Atatürk had an ordinary childhood, during his childhood and youth success, it became clear that he would be a good soldier and politician. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was born in Salonika in 1881, in what was then the Ottoman Empire (Nowadays his birthplace is now known as Thessaloniki, in Greece). His father was Ali Riza Efendi and his mother was Zübeyde Hanim. Ali Riza Efendi worked in various occupations such, a military officer, a deed officer and for some time a timber merchant. Zübeyde Hanım was a housewife. Atatürk had five siblings, but four siblings died at an early age. Only his sister Makbule Atadan survived and lived until 1956. He started to study at “Hafız Mehmet Efendi” Local School. Then, he transferred to “Şemsi Efendi” School at his father’s instigation. He lost his father in 1888 due to intestinal cancer. He started his military life with a military school at the age of twelve at “Askeri Rüştiye” Secondary School. He graduated from secondary school and then, he attended “Manastır Askeri İdadisi” Military High School in 1893. After he graduated from the Military High Scool, he went to Military Academy and he graduated from the Military Academy in 1905 as a captain (Turkish News, 2012; Wikipedia, 2017).

Atatürk performed various missions in the army and he became a successful soldier and commander until the end of his life. Ataturk, who spent most of his fighting life in wars, was always successful in these missions and wars. During the First World War (WWI), he served as the Division Commander in the Battle of Çanakkale (Gallipoli). From 1916, he served as an Army Commander on the East and South fronts. He was one of the forces that saved Bitlis and Muş from enemy invasion. He served on the Palestinian and Syrian fronts. Following the Moudros Armistice, upon the occupation of a large part of the Anatolian lands by allied powers according to the provisions of the Treaty of Sevres, the last Ottoman Sultan Vahdettin sent him to Ankara, which was not occupied (Itzkowitz, 2020).

Atatürk went to Samsun on May 19, 1919, and started the Turkish national struggle. The Amasya Circular gathered the Sivas and Erzurum Congresses. He resigned from the military mission in Ankara, Turkey. On April 23, 1920 convened the Grand National Assembly and he was elected the President of the Turkish Grand National Assembly (Republic of Turkey Ministry of Culture and Tourism, 2014). In 1921, He assumed the post of Commander-in-Chief and fought for the liberation of Anatolia from the Greek occupation. He won the battle of Sakarya. On September 19, 1921, the Turkish Grand National Assembly gave him the title of “Marshal” and “Ghazi”. On August 26, 1922, the invaders launched the Great Offensive against Greek forces. Five days later, he won the Commander-in-Field Battle on August 30, 1922. After the Lausanne Peace Conference, he was re-elected as president by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey and then he led the Turkish War of Independence and signed the Treaty of Lausanne on July 24, 1923, which made Turkey a Republic. He founded the Republic of Turkey on October 29, 1923 (New World Encyclopedia, 2016).

Atatürk was elected its first president in 1923 and ushered in reforms and politics that modernized Turkey. He made political reforms, economic reforms, social reforms, legal reforms, and educational reforms and policies for the development of the Republic of Turkey. These reforms were a series of political, legal, religious, cultural, social, and economic policy changes designed to be a secular, modern nation-state by Atatürk. Many other changes were made by Atatürk and his administration. For example; the transition to multi-party political life in parliament, women's rights, surname law, co-education and education of girls, the assent of the new Latin alphabet, establishment of banking and industry system, gender equality, civil independence, Republic (representative democracy), abolition of Sultanate, etc. (Wikipedia, 2018).

Atatürk lived an ordinary life as in his childhood. He spent most of his life in wars and government affairs. In his personal life, he always engaged in state affairs and devoted his life to the development of his country. He was briefly married to Latife Uşaklıgil between 1923 and 1925 (The Biography.com, 2019). During his lifetime, Atatürk adopted thirteen children: a boy and twelve girls. Of these, the most famous is Sabiha Gökçen, Turkey's first female pilot and the world's first female fighter pilot. In 1934, he introduced surnames in Turkey, and he took the last name Ataturk, which means "Father of the Turks." He died on November 10, 1938, from cirrhosis of the liver (BBC History, 2015).

Mustafa Kemal Ataturk was a revolutionary who helped establish the Republic of Turkey. He was Turkey's first president and his reforms modernized the country (Wikipedia, 2018). He laid the foundations of modern Turkey and he left a legacy of the Republic of Turkey to the Turkish youth.

This article was written for the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Turkey, especially for the founder of the Republic of Turkey, Gazi Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, and for all those who sacrificed their lives for Turkey. 

With endless gratitude and respect...

NOTE: The last photo was taken in front of the Sydney Ataturk monument, which was built in memory of the love of the Australian government and people towards Ataturk and the great revolutions made by Ataturk.

HAPPY 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE REPUBLIC OF TURKIYE
29.10.2023