Our 2008 Walk has ended

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Day 39 – Halab, Syria to Hims, Syria – 104 mi.

“Homs (or Hims) is an ancient city dating back to the year 2300 B.C and was known in Roman times as Emesa, which contained a great temple to the sun god El Gebal (Aramaic; Latin: Elagabalus; Greek: Heliogabalus). Emesa was ruled by a line of priest-kings throughout the Roman Empire, and two of its nobility rose to become emperor, Elagabalus and Severus Alexande who ruled Rome from 193 to 211. Four Homs women became Roman Empresses -Julia Domma, Julia Maesa, Julia Mammea and Julia Soemia.”

Day 38 – Adana, Turkey to Halab, Syria – 116 mi.

“Syria has a population of 19 million. The majority are Arabic-speaking Sunni Muslims, as well as 16% other Muslim groups, including the Alawi, Shi'a, and Druze, and 10% Christian. Since 1963 the country has been governed by the Baath Party; the head of state since 1970 has been a member of the Assad family. Syria's current President is Bashar al-Assad, son of Hafez al-Assad, who held office from 1970 until his death in 2000.
Historically, Syria has often included the territories of Lebanon, Israel, the Palestinian territories, and parts of Jordan.”

Day 37 – Kayseri, Turkey to Adana, Turkey – 118 mi.

“One of the largest and most dynamic cities in Turkey and situated thirty kilometres (nineteen miles) inland, Adana is the gateway to the Cilician plain, now known as the Çukurova plain, the large stretch of flat and fertile land which lies to the south-east of the Taurus Mountains. This is possibly the most productive area in this part of the world.

From Adana, crossing the Çukurova going west, the road from Tarsus enters the foothills of the Taurus Mountains. The temperature decreases with every foot of ascent; the road reaches an altitude of nearly 4000 feet. It goes through the famous Cilician or Çukurova Gates, the rocky pass through which armies have coursed since the dawn of history, and continues to the Anatolian plain.”

Day 36 – Kirikkale, Turkey to Kayseri, Turkey – 130 mi.

We have now completed 5 full weeks of walking together. Today we begin our 6th and final week on our virtual trek to Jerusalem. Please take a couple of minutes to complete the WALK SURVEY to advise us on possible future virtual walks.

Day 36 – Kirikkale, Turkey to Kayseri, Turkey – 130 mi.

We have now completed 5 full weeks of walking together. Today we begin our 6th and final week on our virtual trek to Jerusalem. Please take a couple of minutes to complete the WALK SURVEY to advise us on possible future virtual walks.

Day 34 – Adapazari, Turkey to Beypazari, Turkey – 95 mi.

Turkey is a Muslim country and it has an abundance of beautiful Mosques throughout the region. “All visitors to mosques—Muslim and non-Muslim—remove their shoes before stepping onto the mosque's carpets. This is a practical, not a religious, requirement: Muslim worshippers kneel and touch their heads to the carpets as they pray, so they'd like to keep the carpets clean.”