Tuesday, June 10, 2025

Blogger, Carson Dobos and Grace Bramer

Carson’s perspective is in blue

Grace’s perspective is in green

Day’s highlights:

• Bozcaada Castle
• Beach time!
• Group Dinner #3 with Helen

Bozcaada Castle:

I (Carson) was able to catch up on sleep last night, as we had a later start this morning, and I was feeling particularly well rested. After our breakfast out on the hotel terrace, we made our way to the castle located by the ferry port of Bozcaada. We crossed a small wooden bridge over a moat to the entrance of the castle, which was small and unassuming. The signage appeared to be very dated and provided little information on the history of the structure. 

The castle was built in 1455 by Mehmet II of the Ottoman Empire. He was inspired by a previous castle built by the Romans in Bozcaada in the 14th century that had since been demolished. The castle played a role in the Cretan War, where Venice captured the castle for a little over a year. The castle had been most recently repaired in 1815 by Mahmut II and is no longer in use. 

Once we were inside the structure, we were amazed by the scale and all the small nooks and crevices in the walls. There was an amazing view of the ocean from the castle walls. Inside the castle walls there was a large patch of gravestones that had been moved from their original place, now lined up in a row. When it came to climbing the walls, some of us were more eager than others, as the staircases were very uneven and narrow (with no railings). I was particularly uneasy walking along the castle walls, but I made it up on multiple occasions and held on closely to the walls while walking! 

We also saw some empty pits in the structure that likely had wooden fixtures, which had decayed over time. Luckily, we were all able to find the courage to make it up to the main citadel, where we sat for a while and looked out at the view. I found exploring the castle thrilling but also strenuous, so I enjoyed sitting and relaxing in such a cool spot.

Beach Time!:

When we finished our exploration of Bozcaada Castle, it was time for the beach! Some of us peeled off and went to the grocery store for snacks while everyone else went to get into beach attire. I got a cantaloupe soda that ended up being quite delicious. 

The swimmable beach was a few miles from our hotel. I was unsure of how we would get there, given I hadn’t really seen any taxis or marked public transportation. It turns out that there are buses (called dolmuş in Turkish) that aren’t public transportation but large private vans. It cost 70 TL (a little less than $2 USD) for a one-way trip.

The views of the landscape from the dolmuş were beautiful. There were not many houses that I saw on the route, but lots of trees and grassy fields. The roads were a little twisty, but I closed my eyes and tried not to feel too motion sick before the beach, and that worked just fine. Finally, we arrived at the beach!

There were many chairs and umbrellas laid out, available for rent, so as a group we got an area for homebase. Nearly everyone went for a quick swim. The water was refreshing but very cold. While everyone was inching their way into the water, some people went for the plunge. I did this option, and I think it worked quite well—a rip-off of the band-aid scenario. 

Our specific location was the Ayazma Plajı in the northern Aegean Sea. The high salt content of the water made it easy to float. It was also so clear. İt was named Ayazma Plajı, meaning “holy spring” in Greek, because of how clear the water is, which Orthodox Greeks believed to be associated with healing properties. 

Ana, Gabby, and I saw some rocks in the distance. We walked over and very carefully climbed over them and found a great secluded spot overlooking the water. 

There was a cycle of swimming and sitting in the sun to dry and then swimming again. This went on until around 5:30, when Sophie and I headed back a little early on our own to catch a few winks before group dinner. We rode the dolmuş back down without any hiccups. Back at the hotel, I tracked sand all over my room (sorry, Carson), but I did get in a nap before dinner (yippee!). 

I (Carson) was feeling energized by the ocean water and stayed a little longer at the beach. Throughout the day I had enjoyed swimming in the water and watching the medium-sized silver fish swimming close to the sand. I had brought some tasty snacks to eat on the beach, including chips, cookies, and Powerade. I enjoyed sitting on my towel partially in the shade, and thankfully I didn’t burn at all.

Dr. Pitamber returned later in the afternoon with her friend and colleague, Helen Human, who had just arrived on the ferry with her daughter, Rosemary, and niece, Ellie. It was nice to have an initial introduction by meeting Dr. Human on the beach. Ellie and Rosemary swam for a while; we sat on the beach chatting and enjoying the lower sun in the evening sky. Shortly thereafter, I took a dolmuş back to the hotel with the rest of the students so we had time to shower before dinner.

Group Dinner:

For the third of the four group dinners of the trip, we went to a restaurant in the neighborhood near our hotel called Biz Meyhane. We sat outside at a big table, now with Helen and company. 

We ordered a variety of appetizers (cold meze) like pickles, squash blossoms, and calamari. For the main dishes, Ana and Gabby split sea bass, which came out first on a giant plate. Dr. Pitamber took the liberty of taking out the bones. Wen Ting and Sydney had the same fish, as it was an enormous portion!

I (Grace) ordered meatballs, a familiar choice that was tasty and filling. Just what I needed after a big day of climbing and swimming. For dessert we had a local cheese halva with ice cream. It was a warm and gooey pastry filled with equally warm cheese. Topped with ice cream. This was one of my favorite foods of the trip; we even ordered a second one. 

I (Carson) ordered lamb skewers, which were grilled very crunchy and came with a small side of rice. During this dinner we were accompanied by many friendly cats who lived on the island. They seemed hungry, and several were begging for food. For dessert at the restaurant, I got a large tray of fruit, and I particularly enjoyed eating the nectarines.

When dinner was over, some people went to look for ice cream, but unfortunately my favorite ice cream spot, By Cevahir, was closed. Yesterday, I tried their lavender ice cream, and I was blown away by the flavor. I didn’t want anything else, so I headed back to the hotel. I was so sleepy after the long day in the sun I was happy to get to bed early.