2009 Tours

Students at Hattusas, Capital of the Hittite Empire - May 2009.

Enjoying the sunrise at Mt Sinai

Celebrating Communion at Ephesus

Before a Meditation and Worship service at Cappadocia

Admiring the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia at Istanbul

Egyptian Adventurers at Giza

"Mold me O Lord," -- A spiritual demonstration of God's patience with us
The Potter's House at Zarephath - Lebanon.

ITINERARY

May 10-31, 2009

For reservations contact: Rubén Muñoz-Larrondo, PhD (Tour director) and Professor Susan Zork in the Department of Religion and Biblical Languages
Tour Company in Turkey: Tutku Tours and The Ephesus Meeting
Tour Company in Egypt: National Travel Service Group

- Sunday, May 10: Depart Chicago: Depart Chicago by TK 6 at 5:00pm– Fly Adana (via Istanbul)
- Monday, May 11: Arrive Antioch
  Arrive Istanbul at 12:05 pm– Take connection TK 464 14:15/15:50 flight to Adana. Drive to Antioch (approx. 2 and half hours drive). Overnight Antioch (D)
- Tuesday, May 12: Antioch
  Full Day Tour in Antioch (Acts 11:19-27; 13:1; 14:26, 15:22-35, Gal. 2:11, II Tim. 3:11) . Antioch was the headquarters of St. Paul’s Missionary Journeys. It was the third largest city of the Roman Empire, rivaled only by Rome and Alexandria. St. Peter, St. Paul, St. Barnabas and St. Timothy all preached in this place where Jesus’ followers were first called Christians. Visit the cave church where St. Peter first celebrated Mass. South of the church, the Iron Gate was one of the actual entrances of Biblical Antioch; strolling through the old part of the city, you cannot help recalling the saints who walked these old streets, for little has changed since that time. After lunch, drive to Seleucia Peria mentioned in the New Testament as the port from which St. Paul and St. Barnabas set sail for Anatolia on their first missionary journey (45-46 AD). Visit the Temple of Zeus for a bird’s eye view of the harbor, and then visit the famous Titus water tunnel. Return to hotel for overnight. (B,D)
- Wednesday, May 13: Tarsus – Cilician Gate –Cappadocia
  Drive to Tarsus; visit the birthplace of St. Paul (10 AD) and drink from the well of the blessed water. Continue on to Cappadocia, land of unique landscapes and the unusual rock formations called “Fairy Chimneys”. Early inhabitants carved the soft volcanic rock to create underground dwellings that eventually grew to become entire cities where as many as six thousand Christians hid to escape persecution. Elaborate churches-by some counts over a thousand of them-were also carved of the porous rock, and lavishly decorated with frescoes; many of these 9th to 11th century art works still remain. Transfer to hotel for overnight. (B,D)
- Thursday, May 14: Cappadocia
  Full day exploring Cappadocia. Visit Goreme Open Air Museum with rock Churches, Underground City, the natural Citadel of Uchisar and the monastic Zelve Valley. (B,D)
- Friday, May 15: Hattusas – Yazilikaya – Cappadocia (B,D)
  Departure in the early morning. Drive to Hattusas that was the capital of the Hittite Kingdom for a long time. Before visiting the main capital proceed to Yazılıkaya to see the open air sanctuary as the sun light comes on the bas-reliefs direct in the morning. Then lunch in a small restaurant in the town nearby. After lunch visit to the capital of Hattusas with Lion’s Gate, Tunnel, King’s Gate, Citadel and Grand Temple. Then drive back to Cappadocia. (B,L,D).
- Saturday, May 16: Iconium – Lystra – Perga –Antalya
  Early departure to Iconium (Acts 13:51; 14:1-21; 16:2, II Tim. 3:11). Visit the Mevlana Museum and the 13th century Whirling Dervish Monastery (Sabbath Worship at the Monastery). After lunch, visit Lystra (Acts 14:6-21; 16:1-2, II Tim. 3:11) and drive to Perga. Overnight Antalya (B,D)
- Sunday, May 17: Colossae - Laodicea - Aphrodisias - Pamukkale
  Drive to unexcavated site of Colossae (Col. 1:2) . Then see the ruins of Laodicea (Col 2:1; 4:13-16, Rev. 1:11; 3:14) and Aphrodisias. Continue to Pamukkale for dinner and overnight. (B,D)
- Monday, May 18: Bodrum - Didyma – Miletus – Priene –Kusadasi
  Drive to Bodrum to visit the Crusaders Castle. Then visit the Temple of Apollo in Didyma, theater of Miletus where Paul preached, and the Greco-Roman site of Priene. Overnight in Kusadasi. (B,D)
- Tuesday, May 19: Ephesus-Kusadasi
  Full day tour in Ephesus (Acts 18:19-24; 19:1-35; 20:16-17; 21:29, 1 Cor. 15:32; 16:8, I Tim. 1:3 II Tim. 1:18; 4:12, Rev. 1:11, 2:1) and Terrace Houses. Then visit the Basilica of St. John and the Archaelogical Museum. Return to Kusadasi. Dinner and overnight. (B,D)
- Wednesday, May 20: Sardis – Philadelphia – Smyrna – Izmir
  Drive to Alasehir to see the 1st century Philadelphia (Rev. 1:11; 3:7) Church. Then visit Sardis (Rev. 1:11; 3:1-4) ; the Gymnasium, the 3rd century Synagogue, the Temple of Diana and the remaining of the 1st century Church. Drive to Smyrna (Rev. 1:11; 2:8) for dinner and overnight. Evening meeting with SDA Church Planting Missionaries (B,D)
- Thursday, May 21: Pergamum – Assos – Troas – Canakkale (B,D)
  Drive North to Pergamon (Rev. 1:11; 2:12). Visit the Acropolis and the remaining of the 1st century Church called Red Basilica. Continue to Alexander Troas (Acts 16:8-11; 20:5, 6, II Tim. 4:13 II Cor. 2:12) to see only few stones covered by water today. Then visit Assos. Dinner and overnight in Çanakkale. (B,D)
- Friday, May 22: Canakkale – Istanbul
  Take the car ferry to cross the Dardanelles strait. Drive to Istanbul. Visit St.Chora Church, famous for its beautiful mosaics and the Spice Bazaar in the afternoon. Afternoon visit to the Grand Bazaar Dinner and overnight. (B,D)
- Saturday, May 23: Istanbul
  Full day Istanbul tour; visit to the Hippodrome Square, St Sophia Church Museum, Sabbath Worship, and the Archaeological Museum containing important biblical artifacts.. Overnight in Istanbul (B,D)
- Sunday, May 24: Istanbul – Fly to Cairo
  Transfer to Istanbul Airport - Fly from ISTANBUL to CAIRO TK 1144 10:25am/12:40pm flight. Arrive Cairo by TK 1144 at 12:40- meet & assist at the airport - Transfer to Lunch - Visit Old Cairo-Transfer to hotel & overnight; Evening meeting with Egyptian SDA Church Officials & Visit Nile Union Academy . (B,L)
- Monday, May 25: Cairo – Overnight Train to Luxor
  Full Day Cairo tour. Visit Pyramids & Egyptian museum. Then transfer to train station. Sleeping train to Luxor. Overnight on board. (B,L,D)
- Tuesday, May 26: Luxor West bank
  Arrive Luxor - Visit West Bank: Valley of Kings,Hatshibsut temple,Clossi of Memnon - Lunch - Transfer to hotel -Dinner & Over night. (B,L,D)
- Wednesday, May 27: East Bank – Overnight train to Cairo
  Breakfast at hotel - Visit East Bank (Luxor & Karnak temples) - Lunch at L/R - transfer to station - sleeping train to Cairo- Overnight on board. (B,L,D)
- Thursday, May 28: Cairo – Bus to St Catherine
  Arrive Cairo - Day use at hotel - Visit Memphis & Sakkara - Lunch - Transfer to St.Catherine by coach - Arrive St.Catherine - Climb the mountain. Worship Experience (B,L)
- Friday, May 29: St Catherine – Bus to Cairo
  After breakfast - Visit the monetary- Back to Cairo by coach - Visit Khan El Khalili Bazar - Dinner at L/R - Transfer to hotel & overnight. (B,D)
- Saturday, May 30: Alexandria – Cairo Airport
  Transfer to Alexandria by Coach - visit the catacomb - Pompey's Pillar, Library, Sabbath Worship, National Museum, Quid Bay Citadel from outside - Lunch - Back to Cairo by coach - Transfer to Cairo Airport in the late evening for flight to Istanbul. (B,D)
- Sunday, May 31: Fly Cairo-Istanbul-Chicago
  TK 1143 03:30/05:45 am flight to Istanbul to connect the TK 5 09:45am flight to Chicago. Arrive Chicago same day at 3 pm.