Trip to Turkey Blog
Here are some of the thoughts of our players and staff about their experience in Turkey
Bruiser Flint
It was an unbelievable trip. We had a great time touring Turkey and learning about its culture and its past. Jason Taylor and Basketball Travelers did a great job of taking care of us and showing us around both Cesme and Istanbul.
Ronald “Riz”Colbert
It was an amazing experience. It was my first time out of country and something I will never forget.
Samme Givens
The trip was a once in a life time experience. You don’t often get the opportunity to play against top-notch teams overseas where you can guage how good you are and get the professional experience. Turkey is totally different from the U.S…the food, the people, everything...coming over here and seeing the people was really good for my way of life.
Dartaye Ruffin
It was a great experience and I’d do it again. I liked playing against the teams we did and playing with our team for the first time.
Michael Rankin, Director of Strength and Conditioning
It was a once in a lifetime chance to share with colleagues and student athletes and people around the world. You see these people every day in a work environment, and even though it was work, it was fabulous. Every day had a new adventure. I got to meet up with one of my best friends just by chance since we were both in Turkey which made it even better.
Jamie Lindsay, Compliance Coordinator
Going to Turkey and exploring new cultures was really intriguing for us. It was extra special for me because my husband was able to join me on the trip and celebrate our anniversary.
Last Days in Turkey
The final full day in Turkey started off with a few options. We were invited to go to a Turkish Bath and massage in town with Jason, our host, and his wife. The second option was taking the bus and heading back to the spice bazaar. And the other choice was just hanging out in the hotel and local area. Most of the coaching staff went to the Turkish Bath, while most of the players slept in a little and enjoyed the hotel for one more day.
For lunch the team didn’t get adventurous as it went back to the Gourmet Burger place. A few of us finished up our shopping and skipped the team meal, heading out into Istanbul one last time. It was a pretty calm day as our group had really gotten the most out of this trip so far.
Today was an early start time as the Dragons drove over to a gymnasium to face the Efes “B” team. The gymnasium was right at the brewery (Efes is the only Turkish beer brewed in Istanbul, and maybe even the country). Our bus driver took the scenic route to the game as we got a little lost before the start. We got there a little later than we usually do, but no one seemed to mind. The driver, once we got on to the site, had to maneuver around hundreds of crates, probably 15-20 feet high, filled with empty beer bottles. It was pretty impressive, although it would have been more exciting if he knocked one down.
This gymnasium was tucked away with just a few seats. There were photos of former Efes’ championship teams and jerseys throughout the building. We saw former college greats like Preston Shumpert and Conrad McRae from Syracuse, Bootsy Thornton from St. John’s and Scoonie Penn, from Boston College and Ohio State just to name a few.
Former Temple star Lynn Greer was in attendance for our contest as well as Jason and his family. Other than our travel party, that was it, as there were very few seats and the game wasn’t publicized locally. You knew we were in an old gym when Steve Graber, our manager who did a great job on the trip, had to climb up something that looked like a fire escape to a platform to film the game.
The game itself started off pretty close, but the Dragons extended the lead each period. By the time it was over, Drexel rolled to an easy win. The defense held Efes without a point for the first eight minutes of the first quarter and Drexel was victorious, 78-57. Samme Givens played real well, leading the team with 20 points and 15 rebounds. Derrick Thomas chipped in with 17 points. Dartaye Ruffin had a nice game off the bench with 11 rebounds. It was really a good way to end the trip in terms of basketball.
We got back on the bus and went to a real nice meal at a restaurant overlooking the Bosphoros. The meal was an authentic Turkish dinner. Many of the items we were served (we did not order) were new to us. Most of us got daring and tried a little bit of everything. The lamb kabobs were really good and a hit with most of us.
When dinner was over we went back to the hotel. It was now 10 p.m. and we had a wakeup call at 2 a.m. in order to get to the Istanbul Airport for an early flight. Some of the group tried to get to bed a little earlier, some decided to stay awake and others took a brief nap. We checked into the airport and said our goodbyes to our host. Jason did a nice job of showing us Turkey and introducing us to the local culture. We all really appreciate what he did for us.
After checking in at around 4:30, our Lufthansa flight took off for Frankfurt, Germany, where we had a six hour lay-over before the final leg of our flight that would take us back to Philadelphia. The flight came in on time, our Drexel bus picked us up and it was back to the DAC for the guys. Tomorrow they will head home for their semester break after a special 10-day trip that they will never forget.
Saturday
It was another hot day here in Istanbul on Saturday. We had a few free hours in the morning, but not much as we loaded the bus to head into Old City. That is the part of town that is across the Bosphoros.
We started the tour with a really outstanding lunch not far from the Blue Mosque, one of the places we were touring today. One thing we have realized is that almost all of us really like the food over here. The only one who really doesn’t is our trainer, Mike Westerfer, but he gets by since there is a Burger King up the street. This meal had a bunch of choices of food from all over Turkey, not just the Istanbul area.
The group then walked over to the Blue Mosque. This is one impressive building. The Mosque, which is enormous, has enough room for 5,000 Muslims to pray. Our guide gave us a brief background of the religion and why certain things were in certain areas of the Mosque. It was built in 1616, four years before the Pilgrims reached Plymouth.
When we finished at the Blue Mosque, we took a short walk across the street to the Hagia Sophia Museum. This building, which looks similar to a mosque, was first one of the biggest churches in the world and then became a mosque after the city was conquered. Now it is a museum that has the distinction of having both Christian and Muslim artifacts. There are impressive mosaics that were covered by plaster for years after the take over.
Everyone was pretty tired by the time the tour had ended. Istanbul is hot this time of year. It regularly reaches the upper 90s, although it is not nearly as humid as Philadelphia. But today it was real hot, especially with all the walking we did. However, the players were revived a little when we jumped back on the bus and drove to the arena, where the USA Men’s Basketball National Team played its first game at FIBA. The US faced Croatia, and it really wasn’t a game as the US won easily. We had seats up near the back of the arena, but most of the players were able to move down fairly close to the court to see the players up close.
After the game, we were on our own for dinner, so everyone pretty much headed back into the Tashik Square area to get some food and have some fun on a Saturday night in Istanbul. Tomorrow is our last day in Turkey and we have a game against Efes “B” at 5 p.m.
Istanbul Day Two
Friday was a good day for everyone to do what they wanted to do in the morning. Most of the guys slept in and most of the staff hit the workout room, the pool and the spa. It was a nice relaxing morning, especially after the chaos of the previous night seeing Istanbul up close.
The big excursion today was a two-hour cruise on the Bosphorus River. This body of water separates Europe from Asia. The European side is where we stayed in Istanbul. This river also connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara. Our tour guide gave us a real detailed history of the area. The city of Istanbul seems to go on forever on both sides of the Bosphorus. The guys also learned that Bosphorus means cow crossing. That dates back to mythological times, when Zeus turned a young woman into a cow to conceal her from his wife, and she swam across to the other side.
Most of us really enjoyed the relaxing cruise. A few of the players used the cruise as a nap. The trip thus far has been really good, but it is tiring. We have been going pretty much non-stop all week. When we got back it was almost time for pregame meal. The team went to Gourmet Burger Kitchen, a burger place in what resembles Rodeo Drive in California. From what the players and coaches say, the burgers were outstanding…some even called them the best they ha
ve ever had.
After lunch we loaded up a drove through the shadiest part of the country we had seen yet. Our driver didn’t know which way to get into the place, so he pulled over and asked. Then four old men discussed which way we should go as the rest of us sat in the bus. It was a little unnerving.
The gym was set back from the street, so we had to walk a few hundred yards the gym. Many of the locals were staring at us from their balconies, wondering why all these Americans were in this part of town. The gym itself was really warm and humid. It was an old building that had no air conditioning and the lighting was poor as well. The bathrooms were, let's just say classic Turkish bathrooms prior to the Westernization of the country. Toilet tissue had not quite been introduced to this gym as of yet.
On the court, we faced the Under 20 National Team from Egypt. The Dragons overmatched the Egyptians and won handily, 103-41. Derrick Thomas scored 29 points to lead Drexel, while Samme Givens added 22 points and 13 rebounds. Dartaye Ruffin grabbed 10 boards and Gerald Colds picked up six assists off the bench. The most unique thing about the game was that the Egyptians didn’t drink any water during the game. The team consisted of devout Muslims, and during Ramadan, which is going on right now, Muslims do not eat or drink from sunrise to sunset. It is hard to imagine playing a high level contest without eating the previous 12 hours or so, but they did it and played hard until the end.
Welcome to Istanbul
Thursday was a travel day for the team. The wake-up call came at 7:00 and by 8:00 we were back in the bus on our way to Izmir’s airport. We had an 11 a.m. flight to Istanbul. The airport is a little different than Philly International. We had to run our bags through security before we even got in the airport. Then we had to carry them over to check in, where the woman who took care of us was extremely helpful, especially if you consider we had probably 40 or so bags that had to be checked. After getting our tickets, we had to pass through another security gate, where there was no line. Can’t imagine that will happen on the team’s flight to Boston in December.
We landed in Istanbul in the early afternoon and it was everything we heard about. Traffic was everywhere and there is no way you would want to rent a car in this city. We stayed at the Ceylon Inter Continental Hotel. This hotel is a five-star in the Taksim part of the city, and it is an unbelievable place. There was a metal detector on the way in and the security at the entrance of the driveway had a mirror on a pole and checked underneath vehicles before allowing them to enter.
Our host JT brought us down to Istiklal Avenue for lunch. This bustling street had everything from Starbucks to traditional Turkish food. We went to Hacibaba and most of the group had some sort of kabob. This was in most opinions the best meal of the week. After eating, we walked back to the hotel and didn’t have a whole lot of time before we had to get ready for a reception. This took place at the Richmond hotel, also on Istiklal Street. Dr. Zillmer had the group of us take a San Francisco style trolley down the street. We all paid our $1.10 in Turkish Liras. Not all the locals do what we did. Some of them hop on the back of the trolley and sneak in the sides, avoiding the fare.
The reception was a very nice event, put on by Cristina Geso, the Associate Vice President of Alumni Relations, and her department. There were about 50 or so people there, most with ties to Drexel. We met up with two of our former swimmers, a few incoming freshman and a couple of present day students. There were about 10 Drexel grads, a few professors and a Dean of a department, among others. The players enjoyed some good food, a breathtaking view of the city and the Bosphorus River and meeting up with fellow Dragons. We really appreciated the reception.
On the way out, you would have thought Daryl McCoy was Shaquille O’Neal. Daryl was mobbed, as were his teammates, by locals wanting photos and autographs. FIBA is in town this week so it is a little basketball crazy here, so everywhere the guys go, people stare and want photos.
Everyone had some time after the reception to walk through Istanbul at night and see the night life. There are restaurants and shops everywhere. This was a good chance for the guys to get some time on their own. Day one in Istanbul was a success. Tomorrow, the Dragons are back on the court and face the Under 20 National Team from Egypt.
Day Four
Wednesday we got to sleep in until 9 a.m. We had the morning to ourselves before we headed out to the ancient city of Ephesus. Some of the group used the morning to play tennis, others went for a run and many hit the resort’s beach for the final time.
After breakfast it was back in the bus for a two hour drive to Epehesus. The drive was long, but it was worth it once we got there. The ruins of this historical city were amazing. We learned that the city was founded in the seventh century Before Christ. It changed hands during wars on a number of occasions. It really was fascinating to see how the city was still preserved. The remains of the library were huge and that was the place where our team met for a group photo. The guys seemed to enjoy the Grand Theater the best. That was an arena that in its day held more than 23,000 people. Many of the players and staff wandered through the arena, some running to the top as far as they were allowed. We also saw the inspiration for the Nike Swoosh. Nike was the wing messenger of the gods who took victory everywhere she went. Despite the temperature nearing 100 degrees, everyone really enjoyed this part of the trip.
When the tour ended we drove just a few minutes and went to a local restaurant for lunch, which turned into our pregame meal. It was a local authentic meal, which had some unique choices such as eggplant yogurt. I passed on that one, but the meal itself featured kabobs, rice and salad. As always bread was plentiful. If you like bread, Turkey is the place to be. It is at every meal and it is really good.
We went back to the bus for another pretty long ride to our game against Karsiyaka. It was about an hour and a half, which gave everyone time to nap. The atmosphere at this game was much more intense than our first game. From what the locals say, this is one of the top teams in the area and they showed it early, jumping out to a double digit lead early in the second half. The Dragons rallied in the second half and made it a game. Drexel went on a 17-2 in the third quarter and took the lead on a Derrick Thomas three-point play at 50-48. KSK rallied and led by four after three quarters. The game was tight down the stretch, but the Dragons were unable to retake the lead and lost by a score of 75-67. Chris Fouch led the way with 19 points. Thomas added 15 points and eight rebounds, but did commit seven turnovers. Samme Givens had his second straight double-double with 15 points and 16 rebounds. Sophomore Daryl McCoy played real well defensively against some real big bodies and finished with 12 boards.
The adventures continued after the game as we went on a search for some food. JT, our guide, found a mall for us to go to and the guys grabbed a bit of Americana at KFC and Burger King. A few of us, including Strength and Conditioning Coach Mike Rankin, the picture of health, didn’t want the fried stuff. We went to Pizza Tomato for what appeared to be pizza. Let’s just say that New York City pizza has nothing to worry about. We finished up and drove the 90 minutes or so back to the hotel and called it a night. This would be our last night in Cesme as we had an early bus to the airport for a flight to Istanbul. Cesme was a nice place to visit. The hotel was beautiful. The Sir Winston Tea House right on the property was a nice place for the staff to spend some time together. while the team had a great experience both on and off the court during the first half of our trip.
Day Three
Tuesday was the first real day to catch up with our surroundings. Saturday and Sunday were travel days and Monday the team had a game, so Tuesday was a needed break. The players and staff took advantage of it.
After breakfast, the travel party walked out the back door down to the dock. Waiting for us was a sailboat in excess of 70 feet. We all climbed aboard and set sail for Donkey Island on our private boat. For many of the guys it was their first time on a sailboat and it did not disappoint. The ride took about an hour. There were a few waves but all in all just another beautiful day here in this Mediterranean paradise.
We pulled up to Donkey Island and didn’t really know what was going on. The captain anchored us to the island, and then told us we were ok to jump into the sea, which almost everyone who can swim did. One after another, players, coaches and staff launched themselves over the side of the boat into the Aegean Sea.
A few other tour boats were in the area, including one that docked not far from us. A few of the people on that boat decided to come to our boat and check it out. They spoke no English which made it interesting. Some of our staff decided turnabout was fair play and swam over to the other boat. It was there that Chris Fouch climbed to the top of the boat, approximately 25-30 feet above the water and leaped off. It was not a work of art by any means, but it made for some good photos and laughs among the guys.
The crew prepared lunch for us on the boat. We had salad with that minty flavor which we have grown accustomed to over here, pasta and grilled fish. After we ate, we sailed past the part of Donkey Island with the native donkeys. We could see them from afar and that was as close as we got. We made one last stop near another part of the island, where a bunch of us jumped in and some of us made the swim to shore.
It was a nice relaxing sail back to Altin Yunus as we pulled into the dock a few hours before dinner. We again ate at the huge buffet and after dinner, took the bus into the city of Cesme. The group had a few hours to get some shopping in, grab a snack and just spend some time walking around the ancient city. It was a really good way to end a really good day here in Turkey. Tomorrow, it’s back to business after a day of sightseeing in Ephesus. The Dragons face Karisyaka on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. local time. There are signs posted around town, so it should have more of a feel of a real game with hopefully a lot of fans.
Day Two in Turkey
The new week started with a breakfast at the hotel. The plan for the day consisted of sight seeing in three different Turkish towns. The first stop was Alacati. Our tour guide Sadat explained the history of Turkey and how the country was established more than 8000 years ago. The guys wandered around town for an hour before heading back into the bus. The next stop was Cesme, a local town on the water just minutes from our hotel. Cesme has a little bit of everything. There are shops, restaurants as well as historical sites. Unfortunately the castle was closed on Monday so we didn’t get a chance to go in it. We did however have time to shop around town. A few of the players purchased gifts for their families and learned some of the negotiation skills needed to shop in this part of the world. Derrick Thomas learned the word dur means stop in Turkish, Gerald Colds realized that they sell things to you that sometimes don’t work just like back in New York, while assistant coach Ashley Howard was trying to learn as many Turkish words as possible. He said hello to many of the locals in their native tongue. A group of the players and coaches went to a Turkish carpet store and learned how Turkish carpets were made. They received complimentary tea, which is a custom here. They also realized how expensive they were and made sure not to drop any of the tea on the carpets which go for about 8,000 Turkish Lira.
After we finished our sight seeing for the day, it was time for lunch. Our hosts lined us up for a meal in Dalyan, another nearby town. As with all of our meals, we ate outdoors right on the water. Since we have been here we have yet to see a cloud in the sky, and with the humidity much lower than back home, eating outside is the thing to do here.
Our meal started with a fried appetizer, which had a claw sticking out the side. It was crab, and it was pretty good. We also had some calimari and salad. The main entrée was also the main discussion for the next few minutes. Fish is one of the main delicacies in Turkey…however, most of the guys not only on the team but in the travel party hadn’t had sea bass like this. The waiter brought the whole sea bass over, head, eyes and all. It was a little intimidating, but once JT, our host from Basketball Travelers, explained how to get to the part of the fish you eat, everything was ok. But the look on some of the players’ faces when they saw the meal for the first time was priceless.
We headed back to the hotel for a few free hours before getting back on the bus and driving an hour plus back up to Izmir for the team’s first game of the trip. The Dragons faced Bornova, a professional team from the area. This is the same team that former Dragon Frank Elegar played for last year. The Bornova team jumped out to an early lead, but Drexel rallied to take a one-point lead after one quarter, 20-19 (the game had four 10 minute quarters). Bornova came back and ended up defeating the Dragons, 80-72. Chris Fouch and Samme Givens each scored 19 points, and Givens added 10 rebounds. It was the first Drexel appearance for Frantz Massenat, who had seven points, and Dartaye Ruffin, who chipped in with six points. It was a good first test for the Dragons. Bornova played 13 players, which really tested the Dragons’ depth. Overall, it was a very positive first game, a game the Dragons were in all the way to the end.
We left the building late and the guys were really hungry so we stopped for dinner. Even in Izmir, they have McDonalds and I think most of the guys were pretty happy with eating something that didn’t have eyes after the game.
Tuesday is a day off before heading back north to Izmir to face Karisyaka. It should be a fun day for the players as a private sailboat will be taking the team out on the Aegean Sea tomorrow.
On Saturday, August 21, the Drexel men’s basketball traveling party loaded a bus and headed to Newark en route to Izmir, Turkey. It was a long day of travel, as we flew overnight into Munich. The flight went as well as an eight hour flight can go. We waited a few hours for a connecting fligt. During that time we ate some pretzels and croissants before boarding a flight south to Izmir. After we landed, the team climbed aboard a bus for a 100 kilometer trip to Cesme, where we officially started our Turkish Tour, seven hours ahead of Philadelphia time.
We arrived on Sunday evening to our hotel in Cesme, which is located right on the Aegean Sea. Upon arrival, many in the party took a quick dip in the Aegean, while others scouted out the resort and its surrounding area. We met for our first meal on the hotel grounds and it was an impressive buffet that had enough selections and more than enough food to please everyone.
The first night in town was an early night for most, as fatigue was clearly a factor. This was the first international trip for about half of the group, so the change in times and cultures was a little difficult. Some of us wandered into town, while others hung out on the grounds of the hotel. Tomorrow (Monday night in Turkey) we are scheduled to see some of the sights in this part of Turkey, before playing our first game against a local professional team. There should be a lot more to talk about after we all get our first sleep in a bed in a few days.
Bruiser Flint
It was an unbelievable trip. We had a great time touring Turkey and learning about its culture and its past. Jason Taylor and Basketball Travelers did a great job of taking care of us and showing us around both Cesme and Istanbul.
Ronald “Riz”Colbert
It was an amazing experience. It was my first time out of country and something I will never forget.
Samme Givens
The trip was a once in a life time experience. You don’t often get the opportunity to play against top-notch teams overseas where you can guage how good you are and get the professional experience. Turkey is totally different from the U.S…the food, the people, everything...coming over here and seeing the people was really good for my way of life.
Dartaye Ruffin
It was a great experience and I’d do it again. I liked playing against the teams we did and playing with our team for the first time.
Michael Rankin, Director of Strength and Conditioning
It was a once in a lifetime chance to share with colleagues and student athletes and people around the world. You see these people every day in a work environment, and even though it was work, it was fabulous. Every day had a new adventure. I got to meet up with one of my best friends just by chance since we were both in Turkey which made it even better.
Jamie Lindsay, Compliance Coordinator
Going to Turkey and exploring new cultures was really intriguing for us. It was extra special for me because my husband was able to join me on the trip and celebrate our anniversary.
Last Days in Turkey
The final full day in Turkey started off with a few options. We were invited to go to a Turkish Bath and massage in town with Jason, our host, and his wife. The second option was taking the bus and heading back to the spice bazaar. And the other choice was just hanging out in the hotel and local area. Most of the coaching staff went to the Turkish Bath, while most of the players slept in a little and enjoyed the hotel for one more day.
For lunch the team didn’t get adventurous as it went back to the Gourmet Burger place. A few of us finished up our shopping and skipped the team meal, heading out into Istanbul one last time. It was a pretty calm day as our group had really gotten the most out of this trip so far.
Today was an early start time as the Dragons drove over to a gymnasium to face the Efes “B” team. The gymnasium was right at the brewery (Efes is the only Turkish beer brewed in Istanbul, and maybe even the country). Our bus driver took the scenic route to the game as we got a little lost before the start. We got there a little later than we usually do, but no one seemed to mind. The driver, once we got on to the site, had to maneuver around hundreds of crates, probably 15-20 feet high, filled with empty beer bottles. It was pretty impressive, although it would have been more exciting if he knocked one down.
This gymnasium was tucked away with just a few seats. There were photos of former Efes’ championship teams and jerseys throughout the building. We saw former college greats like Preston Shumpert and Conrad McRae from Syracuse, Bootsy Thornton from St. John’s and Scoonie Penn, from Boston College and Ohio State just to name a few.
Former Temple star Lynn Greer was in attendance for our contest as well as Jason and his family. Other than our travel party, that was it, as there were very few seats and the game wasn’t publicized locally. You knew we were in an old gym when Steve Graber, our manager who did a great job on the trip, had to climb up something that looked like a fire escape to a platform to film the game.
The game itself started off pretty close, but the Dragons extended the lead each period. By the time it was over, Drexel rolled to an easy win. The defense held Efes without a point for the first eight minutes of the first quarter and Drexel was victorious, 78-57. Samme Givens played real well, leading the team with 20 points and 15 rebounds. Derrick Thomas chipped in with 17 points. Dartaye Ruffin had a nice game off the bench with 11 rebounds. It was really a good way to end the trip in terms of basketball.
We got back on the bus and went to a real nice meal at a restaurant overlooking the Bosphoros. The meal was an authentic Turkish dinner. Many of the items we were served (we did not order) were new to us. Most of us got daring and tried a little bit of everything. The lamb kabobs were really good and a hit with most of us.
When dinner was over we went back to the hotel. It was now 10 p.m. and we had a wakeup call at 2 a.m. in order to get to the Istanbul Airport for an early flight. Some of the group tried to get to bed a little earlier, some decided to stay awake and others took a brief nap. We checked into the airport and said our goodbyes to our host. Jason did a nice job of showing us Turkey and introducing us to the local culture. We all really appreciate what he did for us.
After checking in at around 4:30, our Lufthansa flight took off for Frankfurt, Germany, where we had a six hour lay-over before the final leg of our flight that would take us back to Philadelphia. The flight came in on time, our Drexel bus picked us up and it was back to the DAC for the guys. Tomorrow they will head home for their semester break after a special 10-day trip that they will never forget.
Saturday
It was another hot day here in Istanbul on Saturday. We had a few free hours in the morning, but not much as we loaded the bus to head into Old City. That is the part of town that is across the Bosphoros.
We started the tour with a really outstanding lunch not far from the Blue Mosque, one of the places we were touring today. One thing we have realized is that almost all of us really like the food over here. The only one who really doesn’t is our trainer, Mike Westerfer, but he gets by since there is a Burger King up the street. This meal had a bunch of choices of food from all over Turkey, not just the Istanbul area. The group then walked over to the Blue Mosque. This is one impressive building. The Mosque, which is enormous, has enough room for 5,000 Muslims to pray. Our guide gave us a brief background of the religion and why certain things were in certain areas of the Mosque. It was built in 1616, four years before the Pilgrims reached Plymouth.
When we finished at the Blue Mosque, we took a short walk across the street to the Hagia Sophia Museum. This building, which looks similar to a mosque, was first one of the biggest churches in the world and then became a mosque after the city was conquered. Now it is a museum that has the distinction of having both Christian and Muslim artifacts. There are impressive mosaics that were covered by plaster for years after the take over.
Everyone was pretty tired by the time the tour had ended. Istanbul is hot this time of year. It regularly reaches the upper 90s, although it is not nearly as humid as Philadelphia. But today it was real hot, especially with all the walking we did. However, the players were revived a little when we jumped back on the bus and drove to the arena, where the USA Men’s Basketball National Team played its first game at FIBA. The US faced Croatia, and it really wasn’t a game as the US won easily. We had seats up near the back of the arena, but most of the players were able to move down fairly close to the court to see the players up close.
After the game, we were on our own for dinner, so everyone pretty much headed back into the Tashik Square area to get some food and have some fun on a Saturday night in Istanbul. Tomorrow is our last day in Turkey and we have a game against Efes “B” at 5 p.m.
Istanbul Day Two
Friday was a good day for everyone to do what they wanted to do in the morning. Most of the guys slept in and most of the staff hit the workout room, the pool and the spa. It was a nice relaxing morning, especially after the chaos of the previous night seeing Istanbul up close.
The big excursion today was a two-hour cruise on the Bosphorus River. This body of water separates Europe from Asia. The European side is where we stayed in Istanbul. This river also connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara. Our tour guide gave us a real detailed history of the area. The city of Istanbul seems to go on forever on both sides of the Bosphorus. The guys also learned that Bosphorus means cow crossing. That dates back to mythological times, when Zeus turned a young woman into a cow to conceal her from his wife, and she swam across to the other side.
Most of us really enjoyed the relaxing cruise. A few of the players used the cruise as a nap. The trip thus far has been really good, but it is tiring. We have been going pretty much non-stop all week. When we got back it was almost time for pregame meal. The team went to Gourmet Burger Kitchen, a burger place in what resembles Rodeo Drive in California. From what the players and coaches say, the burgers were outstanding…some even called them the best they ha
ve ever had. After lunch we loaded up a drove through the shadiest part of the country we had seen yet. Our driver didn’t know which way to get into the place, so he pulled over and asked. Then four old men discussed which way we should go as the rest of us sat in the bus. It was a little unnerving.
The gym was set back from the street, so we had to walk a few hundred yards the gym. Many of the locals were staring at us from their balconies, wondering why all these Americans were in this part of town. The gym itself was really warm and humid. It was an old building that had no air conditioning and the lighting was poor as well. The bathrooms were, let's just say classic Turkish bathrooms prior to the Westernization of the country. Toilet tissue had not quite been introduced to this gym as of yet.
On the court, we faced the Under 20 National Team from Egypt. The Dragons overmatched the Egyptians and won handily, 103-41. Derrick Thomas scored 29 points to lead Drexel, while Samme Givens added 22 points and 13 rebounds. Dartaye Ruffin grabbed 10 boards and Gerald Colds picked up six assists off the bench. The most unique thing about the game was that the Egyptians didn’t drink any water during the game. The team consisted of devout Muslims, and during Ramadan, which is going on right now, Muslims do not eat or drink from sunrise to sunset. It is hard to imagine playing a high level contest without eating the previous 12 hours or so, but they did it and played hard until the end.
Welcome to Istanbul
Thursday was a travel day for the team. The wake-up call came at 7:00 and by 8:00 we were back in the bus on our way to Izmir’s airport. We had an 11 a.m. flight to Istanbul. The airport is a little different than Philly International. We had to run our bags through security before we even got in the airport. Then we had to carry them over to check in, where the woman who took care of us was extremely helpful, especially if you consider we had probably 40 or so bags that had to be checked. After getting our tickets, we had to pass through another security gate, where there was no line. Can’t imagine that will happen on the team’s flight to Boston in December.
We landed in Istanbul in the early afternoon and it was everything we heard about. Traffic was everywhere and there is no way you would want to rent a car in this city. We stayed at the Ceylon Inter Continental Hotel. This hotel is a five-star in the Taksim part of the city, and it is an unbelievable place. There was a metal detector on the way in and the security at the entrance of the driveway had a mirror on a pole and checked underneath vehicles before allowing them to enter.
Our host JT brought us down to Istiklal Avenue for lunch. This bustling street had everything from Starbucks to traditional Turkish food. We went to Hacibaba and most of the group had some sort of kabob. This was in most opinions the best meal of the week. After eating, we walked back to the hotel and didn’t have a whole lot of time before we had to get ready for a reception. This took place at the Richmond hotel, also on Istiklal Street. Dr. Zillmer had the group of us take a San Francisco style trolley down the street. We all paid our $1.10 in Turkish Liras. Not all the locals do what we did. Some of them hop on the back of the trolley and sneak in the sides, avoiding the fare.
The reception was a very nice event, put on by Cristina Geso, the Associate Vice President of Alumni Relations, and her department. There were about 50 or so people there, most with ties to Drexel. We met up with two of our former swimmers, a few incoming freshman and a couple of present day students. There were about 10 Drexel grads, a few professors and a Dean of a department, among others. The players enjoyed some good food, a breathtaking view of the city and the Bosphorus River and meeting up with fellow Dragons. We really appreciated the reception.
On the way out, you would have thought Daryl McCoy was Shaquille O’Neal. Daryl was mobbed, as were his teammates, by locals wanting photos and autographs. FIBA is in town this week so it is a little basketball crazy here, so everywhere the guys go, people stare and want photos.
Everyone had some time after the reception to walk through Istanbul at night and see the night life. There are restaurants and shops everywhere. This was a good chance for the guys to get some time on their own. Day one in Istanbul was a success. Tomorrow, the Dragons are back on the court and face the Under 20 National Team from Egypt.
Day Four
Wednesday we got to sleep in until 9 a.m. We had the morning to ourselves before we headed out to the ancient city of Ephesus. Some of the group used the morning to play tennis, others went for a run and many hit the resort’s beach for the final time.
After breakfast it was back in the bus for a two hour drive to Epehesus. The drive was long, but it was worth it once we got there. The ruins of this historical city were amazing. We learned that the city was founded in the seventh century Before Christ. It changed hands during wars on a number of occasions. It really was fascinating to see how the city was still preserved. The remains of the library were huge and that was the place where our team met for a group photo. The guys seemed to enjoy the Grand Theater the best. That was an arena that in its day held more than 23,000 people. Many of the players and staff wandered through the arena, some running to the top as far as they were allowed. We also saw the inspiration for the Nike Swoosh. Nike was the wing messenger of the gods who took victory everywhere she went. Despite the temperature nearing 100 degrees, everyone really enjoyed this part of the trip.
When the tour ended we drove just a few minutes and went to a local restaurant for lunch, which turned into our pregame meal. It was a local authentic meal, which had some unique choices such as eggplant yogurt. I passed on that one, but the meal itself featured kabobs, rice and salad. As always bread was plentiful. If you like bread, Turkey is the place to be. It is at every meal and it is really good.
We went back to the bus for another pretty long ride to our game against Karsiyaka. It was about an hour and a half, which gave everyone time to nap. The atmosphere at this game was much more intense than our first game. From what the locals say, this is one of the top teams in the area and they showed it early, jumping out to a double digit lead early in the second half. The Dragons rallied in the second half and made it a game. Drexel went on a 17-2 in the third quarter and took the lead on a Derrick Thomas three-point play at 50-48. KSK rallied and led by four after three quarters. The game was tight down the stretch, but the Dragons were unable to retake the lead and lost by a score of 75-67. Chris Fouch led the way with 19 points. Thomas added 15 points and eight rebounds, but did commit seven turnovers. Samme Givens had his second straight double-double with 15 points and 16 rebounds. Sophomore Daryl McCoy played real well defensively against some real big bodies and finished with 12 boards.
The adventures continued after the game as we went on a search for some food. JT, our guide, found a mall for us to go to and the guys grabbed a bit of Americana at KFC and Burger King. A few of us, including Strength and Conditioning Coach Mike Rankin, the picture of health, didn’t want the fried stuff. We went to Pizza Tomato for what appeared to be pizza. Let’s just say that New York City pizza has nothing to worry about. We finished up and drove the 90 minutes or so back to the hotel and called it a night. This would be our last night in Cesme as we had an early bus to the airport for a flight to Istanbul. Cesme was a nice place to visit. The hotel was beautiful. The Sir Winston Tea House right on the property was a nice place for the staff to spend some time together. while the team had a great experience both on and off the court during the first half of our trip.
Day Three
Tuesday was the first real day to catch up with our surroundings. Saturday and Sunday were travel days and Monday the team had a game, so Tuesday was a needed break. The players and staff took advantage of it.
After breakfast, the travel party walked out the back door down to the dock. Waiting for us was a sailboat in excess of 70 feet. We all climbed aboard and set sail for Donkey Island on our private boat. For many of the guys it was their first time on a sailboat and it did not disappoint. The ride took about an hour. There were a few waves but all in all just another beautiful day here in this Mediterranean paradise.
We pulled up to Donkey Island and didn’t really know what was going on. The captain anchored us to the island, and then told us we were ok to jump into the sea, which almost everyone who can swim did. One after another, players, coaches and staff launched themselves over the side of the boat into the Aegean Sea.
A few other tour boats were in the area, including one that docked not far from us. A few of the people on that boat decided to come to our boat and check it out. They spoke no English which made it interesting. Some of our staff decided turnabout was fair play and swam over to the other boat. It was there that Chris Fouch climbed to the top of the boat, approximately 25-30 feet above the water and leaped off. It was not a work of art by any means, but it made for some good photos and laughs among the guys.
The crew prepared lunch for us on the boat. We had salad with that minty flavor which we have grown accustomed to over here, pasta and grilled fish. After we ate, we sailed past the part of Donkey Island with the native donkeys. We could see them from afar and that was as close as we got. We made one last stop near another part of the island, where a bunch of us jumped in and some of us made the swim to shore.
It was a nice relaxing sail back to Altin Yunus as we pulled into the dock a few hours before dinner. We again ate at the huge buffet and after dinner, took the bus into the city of Cesme. The group had a few hours to get some shopping in, grab a snack and just spend some time walking around the ancient city. It was a really good way to end a really good day here in Turkey. Tomorrow, it’s back to business after a day of sightseeing in Ephesus. The Dragons face Karisyaka on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. local time. There are signs posted around town, so it should have more of a feel of a real game with hopefully a lot of fans.
Day Two in Turkey
The new week started with a breakfast at the hotel. The plan for the day consisted of sight seeing in three different Turkish towns. The first stop was Alacati. Our tour guide Sadat explained the history of Turkey and how the country was established more than 8000 years ago. The guys wandered around town for an hour before heading back into the bus. The next stop was Cesme, a local town on the water just minutes from our hotel. Cesme has a little bit of everything. There are shops, restaurants as well as historical sites. Unfortunately the castle was closed on Monday so we didn’t get a chance to go in it. We did however have time to shop around town. A few of the players purchased gifts for their families and learned some of the negotiation skills needed to shop in this part of the world. Derrick Thomas learned the word dur means stop in Turkish, Gerald Colds realized that they sell things to you that sometimes don’t work just like back in New York, while assistant coach Ashley Howard was trying to learn as many Turkish words as possible. He said hello to many of the locals in their native tongue. A group of the players and coaches went to a Turkish carpet store and learned how Turkish carpets were made. They received complimentary tea, which is a custom here. They also realized how expensive they were and made sure not to drop any of the tea on the carpets which go for about 8,000 Turkish Lira.
After we finished our sight seeing for the day, it was time for lunch. Our hosts lined us up for a meal in Dalyan, another nearby town. As with all of our meals, we ate outdoors right on the water. Since we have been here we have yet to see a cloud in the sky, and with the humidity much lower than back home, eating outside is the thing to do here.
Our meal started with a fried appetizer, which had a claw sticking out the side. It was crab, and it was pretty good. We also had some calimari and salad. The main entrée was also the main discussion for the next few minutes. Fish is one of the main delicacies in Turkey…however, most of the guys not only on the team but in the travel party hadn’t had sea bass like this. The waiter brought the whole sea bass over, head, eyes and all. It was a little intimidating, but once JT, our host from Basketball Travelers, explained how to get to the part of the fish you eat, everything was ok. But the look on some of the players’ faces when they saw the meal for the first time was priceless.
We headed back to the hotel for a few free hours before getting back on the bus and driving an hour plus back up to Izmir for the team’s first game of the trip. The Dragons faced Bornova, a professional team from the area. This is the same team that former Dragon Frank Elegar played for last year. The Bornova team jumped out to an early lead, but Drexel rallied to take a one-point lead after one quarter, 20-19 (the game had four 10 minute quarters). Bornova came back and ended up defeating the Dragons, 80-72. Chris Fouch and Samme Givens each scored 19 points, and Givens added 10 rebounds. It was the first Drexel appearance for Frantz Massenat, who had seven points, and Dartaye Ruffin, who chipped in with six points. It was a good first test for the Dragons. Bornova played 13 players, which really tested the Dragons’ depth. Overall, it was a very positive first game, a game the Dragons were in all the way to the end.
We left the building late and the guys were really hungry so we stopped for dinner. Even in Izmir, they have McDonalds and I think most of the guys were pretty happy with eating something that didn’t have eyes after the game.
Tuesday is a day off before heading back north to Izmir to face Karisyaka. It should be a fun day for the players as a private sailboat will be taking the team out on the Aegean Sea tomorrow.
On Saturday, August 21, the Drexel men’s basketball traveling party loaded a bus and headed to Newark en route to Izmir, Turkey. It was a long day of travel, as we flew overnight into Munich. The flight went as well as an eight hour flight can go. We waited a few hours for a connecting fligt. During that time we ate some pretzels and croissants before boarding a flight south to Izmir. After we landed, the team climbed aboard a bus for a 100 kilometer trip to Cesme, where we officially started our Turkish Tour, seven hours ahead of Philadelphia time.
We arrived on Sunday evening to our hotel in Cesme, which is located right on the Aegean Sea. Upon arrival, many in the party took a quick dip in the Aegean, while others scouted out the resort and its surrounding area. We met for our first meal on the hotel grounds and it was an impressive buffet that had enough selections and more than enough food to please everyone.
The first night in town was an early night for most, as fatigue was clearly a factor. This was the first international trip for about half of the group, so the change in times and cultures was a little difficult. Some of us wandered into town, while others hung out on the grounds of the hotel. Tomorrow (Monday night in Turkey) we are scheduled to see some of the sights in this part of Turkey, before playing our first game against a local professional team. There should be a lot more to talk about after we all get our first sleep in a bed in a few days.
