TeacherBeacon: Day 35, July 11, 2011 (an official Bursa tour)

Vids 299-307 (go over these)

Came to collect bees. We did not do experiments today, Dr. Abramson took over from us for that job. We went on a tour of Bursa courtesy of the mayors office. Great bus good guide he really tried to make this a great trip. He was a little bit at ease, kept asking us if his english was okay. It was and we were all grateful for his enthusiasm and knowledge. We went to the place of burial of 2 of the 5 Sultans that were here in Bursa. Sultans ruled a greater part of the world from 1299 to 1922, there were 36 Sultans. The 5 in Bursa were buried in family areas. Each one Sultan has a memorial where he is buried, either beside him or in a close by room is his family. We went up part of the side of Uludag to a small village with a very interesting tree Platanus orientalis, Oriental Plane tree. It was very wide at the base and its branches low to the ground. The branches were so long and wid e in diameter that they had to be supported by metal supports. There was a stream running through the outdoor restaurant directed in a man made culvert. We then visited a 700 year old town, steep streets with stones for the road. Cumalikizik is made of various unorganized homes mostly old some in good condition many were very worn. A stream of water ran down the middle of the street. I can imagine that when it rained or when there was a major snow melt te road must become rivers. There were small shops along the road. All selling similar things. We had an absolutely great breakfast. They put out plates of olives, cheese, spices, fresh baked flat bread, honey and jelly and eggs. I bought some honey and pollen at one of the shops after we ate. Slept all the way back to the bee building, fed the bees then went home. I spent an hour talking to a Turkish student about the world, Turkey and the USA.

Graveyard in one of the Sultans compound