ON THE TRAIL OF THE GREAT GODDESS

March 2006 TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE SUN IN TURKEY

Travel with AnaTours

After several years in hibernation, AnaTours has re-awakened! We will be going to Turkey for the solar eclipse in March 2006, and hope you'd like to come along on a journey to the land of the Great Goddess.

We will visit the cradle of the ancient religion of the Great Mother, focusing on The Goddess in Anatolia (Asia Minor). Meet Cybele, Kubaba, Anna, Aphrodite, Artemis, Mari, and many other aspects of the Great Goddess, whose names and faces are without number. Come to Turkey with AnaTours, the first and best of goddess tours in Anatolia.

Our groups will travel through Anatolia, the homeland of numerous civilizations throughout history, and location of early matriarchal, agricultural societies. The Great Goddess made her first appearance in her triple aspect (she who creates life, preserves life, and brings death) in Anatolia, at Çatal Höyük , at 6500 BCE. We will visit this sacred site, as well as other Goddess temples including Ephesus and Aphrodisias. We will create opportunities to connect through dance to the spirit within, and honoring the ancient focal points of Goddess power.

If you are interested in women's spirituality, ancient religions, the role of women in history and in society, and traditional music and dance, this tour is for you. AnaTours encourages a welcoming attitude towards all sincere seekers and persons of good will, and recognizes we must work together to heal ourselves and our world, hence both women and men are invited to enroll. Tour lecturer will be Dr. Rashid Ergener, author of Anatolia, Land of the Mother Goddess, professional tour guide, and Professor Emeritus of Economics at Bosporus University in Istanbul. U.S. liaison provided by Melissa Miller of AnaTours (Oriental dancer Ghanima).

There will be a wealth of opportunities to meet the Goddess in her many forms and in her many homes. We will visit magnificent archaeological sites, fabled cities famous in ancient legends and modern books. The tour will include the following sites: Istanbul, Troy, Pergamon, Ephesus, Aphrodisias, Pamukkale, Antalya, Sagalassos, Perge, Aspendos, Konya, Çatal Höyük, Cappadocia, and Ankara. Tour members find that as they interact with one another, and also meet the Turkish people, they further enrich their memories and expand their future connections.

The tour emphasizes the rich experiences to be had in Turkey: We'll stay in elegant hotels, enjoy delicious Turkish cuisine, shop in the bazaars, and learn to bargain in the Turkish way. The spectacular natural scenery of Turkey plays a major role in the tour; you'll marvel at the varied environments and magnificent landscapes of Anatolia. We learn about the numerous historical periods and cultures, from Stone Age villages through the development of the first cities, the rise and fall of the Greek, Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman Empires, and the creation of the modern Turkish secular republic. We enjoy visits to superb museums filled with ancient treasures; replicas of Goddess images are available for purchase at many of the museum shops. Time is also allowed for tour members to create their own rituals; experience music, movement, and traditional culture; explore in the bazaars and old neighborhoods, and swim and visit the Turkish baths.

You will see the Sufi dervishes perform their turning ritual, rarely seen outside Turkey. Our group plans to go to Çatal Höyük for the Total Solar Eclipse; seeing conditions are expected to be good in that area, and there's a special resonance to seeing an eclipse at this very ancient site. If the weather forecast for Çatal Höyük on the day of the eclipse indicates we should go elsewhere to view the eclipse, we have a variety of other options available.

During our visit to the dig at Çatal Höyük, clients may elect to make a donation to the Friends of  Çatal Höyük  Association. AnaTours contributions have already helped build an on-site shelter. The area of active excavation is thus protected from the elements throughout the year, resulting in improved working conditions and increased effectiveness in bringing out new finds.

Land package price is per person, double occupancy in luxury hotels, including two meals per day, all fees, portage, restaurant tips, taxes and all transportation in Turkey. Single supplement available (may be required if you are a solo). The tour includes a physically active daily program, including climbing stairs (which often lack railings) and walking on uneven surfaces. The tour starts and ends in Istanbul.

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