During April, Affinity held another study tour of Turkey under the auspices of the ANZAC spirit where 7 invited guests were treated to sights, hospitality and tradition.
As per previous occasions, the group was escorted to the VIP section of the ANZAC dawn service, one of the highlights of the tour, to remember the valiant efforts of the ANZAC and Turkish soldiers during those turbulent times. The rendition of the Last Post at dawn was as chilling as the cold breeze that came in from the sea to hug us. The Lone Pine service was equally haunting, for during the one minute silence you could imagine how this place would have erupted with rapid crossfire, bullets whisking pass each other only to race across the field to the other side. It truly was an amazing experience.
Other notable highlights were the visits to Ephesus, the Virgin Mary’s House in Izmir, the monumental Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Mosque) and the grand Hagia Sofia in the heart of Istanbul with the tulips high and mighty greeting us. After walking through Topkapi & Dolmabahce palaces, the Bosphorous was dazzling under a blue sky as we enjoyed a cruise around the 
harbour.
Some people even tried their hand in painting a tulip using the traditional Ebru painting technique. Some were like seasoned artists as they found the practice both soothing and enjoyable.
The evenings were pleasant as it allowed our tired legs to rest and allow our taste buds to be treated to the traditional yet fine & tasty cuisine. We tried different dishes at the different homes we visited. Apart from the meal, the conversations were delightful & meaningful as it provided a candid insight to the life of a typical family and what it means for them to live in modern day Turkey.
The main theme of the discussions were centred around the willingness of everyone to remove ignorance, bigotry, racism and every kind of division and work towards uniting the hearts, helping their fellow human leap forward into a state of well being, both physically, mentally & spirituality. This was exemplified by the institutions we had visited whether it was an education institution, media, dialogue or faith based institution.
These tours highlight the importance of obtaining & spreading harmony…..together.
