District 6250 just completed the outbound part of an exchange with District 2440 in Southwest Turkey. New friends were made as we lived with Turkish Rotarians and learned about their cuisine, history, nature and Rotary activities.
It's a beautiful part of the world, with Biblical and other ancient stories to be experienced. Our hosts graciously fed us, drove us around and shared their culture with us. We expect to host as many as twelve visitors from September 2-12. If you are interested in hosting, let one of our group members know. We can guarantee that the experience will enrich your life.
Exchange Participants: Dean and Nancy McHugh-Onalaska, Greg and Mary Clark, Valley View, Susan and Tan Pham, LaCrosse After Hours, Dave and Inger Clemens, Dells, John Holevoet, Sun Prairie and Margaret Murphy, Madison Downtown.
ITINERARY:
ISTANBUL: Three days in Istanbul, seeing all the famous sites, Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi, Grand Bazaar and a cruise on the Bosporus Strait.
BURSA: We were met by our first hosts, and they made sure we had a wonderful time. Uludag mountain was gained by gondola, dinners included dancing and great food. Meses, much like Tapas, are a specialty of the country, and Raki(anise flavored liqueur) were shared with us. Nicea (Iznik), where the first Council was held and the Nicean Creed was created. We had boat rides, great parties and delightful hosts who included us in their homes. This is where the magic of RFEs occurs. We live in their homes and experience their lives with them.
IZMIR: The second largest city in Turkey, where the international flavor of the country is experienced. We had another set of great hosts, who took us wine tasting, shopping in the central bazaar, on boat rides, and for a full day in Ephesus (Sts. Paul, Mary and John all have history there). We met Mariuz, a Polish Rotarian, who happened to be in town when we were there. The markets and a Michelin ranked restaurant were a hit. We attended a Rotary meeting in each city.
BODRUM: This coastal tourist area is very close to Kos, Greece. With this group of hosts we saw another side of Turkey. Theirs is a beach resort city, with great food, ice cream, culture and a wonderful castle museum. We toured the castle, where the oldest salvaged ship ever recovered was featured. And we were able to spend some relaxing time on the beaches of the Mediterranean Sea.
ON ANOTHER NOTE:
The trip to Newfoundland has been cancelled for September due to hosting problems. The new date is scheduled for June 22 - July 2, 2026, allowing us to be there for Canada Day and in the season where you can see the sunrise from the farthest east point in North America! Plan to join us for this breath-taking opportunity!