SYED ALBAKRI
My family and I, total of 16 persons including 1 infant, 3 children traveled to Istanbul, Turkey in early February 2013. The ground arrangements were coordinated by Pomegranate Tour, which included travel to Cappodocia and Kartepe, stay in Old Town Istanbul and New Town Istanbul.We found the tours a...

Ahtamara Church: The origin and meaning of the island's name is based on an old Armenian legend. According to the tale, an Armenian princess named Tamar lived on the island and was in love with a commoner. This boy would swim from the mainland to the island each night, guided by a light she lit for him. Her father learned of the boy's visits. One night, as she waited for her lover to arrive, he smashed her light, leaving the boy in the middle of the lake without a guide to indicate which direction to swim. His body washed ashore and, as the legend concludes, it appeared as if the words "Akh, Tamar" (Oh, Tamar) were frozen on his lips. The legend was the inspiration for a famous Armenian poem by Hovhannes Tumanyan.

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