Max.

I everybody,
We had a good return in france and it's good to know that everybody is
find..I HOPE...

we keep in contact
cynthia

I heard from ole he survived.  we missed our rendezvous though.

havent heard from cigdem and the phones have been really screwy... will try again today... slowly slowly the telecom gets rebuilt, and then it's jammed up from everyone trying to call.

i'll let y'all know what I find out... but something tells me that cigdem is fine... she's a survivor.

Has anybody heard from Ole or from Chedam?

Max 

I sent an email saying that we were ok.
It got throught to Rebecca's brother, but
apparently not to everybody else.

Guy, 13, Rebecca, and I were all in Ankara during the quake,
Rebeccas slept through the quake.

Max.

Guy, Max (and by inference rebecca and eric):

Someone from KBA says they got an email that you're all ok, but I haven't seen it, and no one else seems to have received the email, and Rebecca's brothers haven't heard anything, and I personally am therefore
concerned.  If one or both of you get this message, could you *please* email me directly and let me know the situation?

Also, everyone wants to know whether Rebecca is coming home saturday as planned, or whether transportation is in chaos.

Please advise, hope your're all drunk on a beach somewhere (what I suspect <grin>).

neil verplank
dovetail
http://www.dove-tail.com
http://www.dove-tail.com/neil

Hi

despite our optimistic belief that you guys were all down south...

are you OK?

just send us a quick note so we know.

BW & YW

OK, apparently Max emailed someone at KBA (where Rebecca works) that they're all OK.  I don't know why no one emailed eclipse99@1e6.org or me, and Max (or anyone else over in Turkey), if you get this message, please feel free to confirm that you *are* all four OK, but that's what I heard.

neil

This is rumor control, these are the facts

-Aliens 3

Everybody is o.k.
We were in Ankara when the eclipse hit this morning at 3 A.M.
The bed shook a bit.
Rebecca slept throught the entire thing, but says she had a very scary dream about the buildings turning sideways.

Guy, 13, and Rebecca are off to gorem or gorum or however you spell it to find a haman and look at some old cave houses.  My guess is that they will have Internet access as this is a heavily travelled area for backpackers, but I could be wrong, so please do not be surprise or concerned if you do not hear from them for a couple of days.

Istanbul is rather quiet and somber.  The first sign that something was up was the people sleeping in the park along highway from the Airport.  The second sign that something was up was the lack of carpet salesmen haranguing one to buy a carpet.  People lack the familiar smiles; they walk slowly with the shoulder depressing hunched.

Guy-I made it Istanbul without major problems, except the fact they changed my flight, then delayed my flight, and they boarded my flight without updating the flight information board.  I made my flight, but I was the last on board.  I also got word from Ole via from the brothers at the Nayla Palace last night.  He called last night before the quake.  Ole is in a town near Ismir, which does not have Internet access which is why he has not been responding to our various emails.

I also found out that Bradden bought a carpet.

Peace,

See y'all in NYC.

Max

Yes, a number of people who went (all on this account) have raised concerns, we're all waiting to here. Chances are that roads, electricity, phones, etc. are not good, it may take a while for us to hear anything.  Although it was close to where they were, they would never have been in IZMIT, which is an industrial center.  They're probably drunk on the beach as we speak, but I'll make sure your hear if I hear (I also called Reba's brothers, so if she calls them....).

neil

If anyone checks this account, please let me know if you hae any word about the folks in Turkey. I work with Rebecca and a bunch of us here are worried.

thank you,

joshua peters
312.660.5338

hi,

micheline, thanks for the news. I'd been not so communicative with the outside world since I got back, just back at work, and I just saw the cnn headlines....
last I got was news from ankara....i think max was to be travelling today back to nyc today.
pls update anyone who knows something!

cidem (how do you spell your name?) I wanted to thank you again for being such an amazing you. I am so happy to have met you.

awaiting news.
alisa

From: Neil Verplank <neil@dove-tail.com>
To: micheline dore <martinican@yahoo.fr>
Cc: <eclipse99@1e6.org>; <crocus69@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re:
Date: Tuesday, August 17, 1999 9:04 AM

Micheline:

I got a message from Guy on Friday, and at that point, he, Eric, Rebecca and a fourth person were still there -- I don't have the email, so I can't remember who that was.  They didn't say anything about their plans, though I know that both Rebecca and Eric were planning on being in Turkey through this coming weekend, the 22nd or so.

Thanks for letting us know - I hadn't heard.  If I hear anything directly, I'll post it to all.   I'm trying to get Rebecca's brother's phone number, which is who she'd call if she could, though I imagine even if they're all OK, the phones, etc. are in chaos.

neil

I have just heard about the earthquake in Turkey and it seems like it was a pretty serious one. Does anybody know about those who are still over there? I am quite concerned.

Cidem, I hope everything is o.k. with you. Let me know about yourself as soon as possible.

Micheline

Hope all went well with you, and you saw the eye of god.

I was in the moors of Southern England, and though it was cloudy, I was  up on a mountain just on the edge of totality, and the effect was absolutely incredible -- we could see the darkness sweep across the land, projected on top the clouds, and the hazy orange light lit the Northern clouds on fire.  It was stunning.  If any of the photos turned out, I'll pass them along.

I must make my way home again, and be the busy worker bee.

Just a reminder of what to look forward to for next time, may we all meet:

    http://umbra.nascom.nasa.gov/eclipse/990811/figures/figure_26.gif

Enjoy your trip all, travel safe.

neil

Hey - just found your posting on

http://www.1e6.org/eclipse99/archive.html

I'm planning to be in that area too for the eclipse! (I'm coming from Ireland...)

 - daev

_______________________________
 Dave 'daev' Walsh, daev@hellshaw.com
Home:  http://www.hellshaw.com
Weekly Rant: http://www.blather.net
CFI:  http://www.forteana.org
CIA:  http://www.thecia.ie
_______________________________
'Is it about a bicycle?'-Sgt.Pluck,
'The Third Policeman', by Flann O'Brien
________________________________
Owl Worrier, Snark Hunter, Gentleman Cynic
________________________________

Recon:
Sorry, but I haven't had my coffe yet....
If you have a better plan for our afternoon rendezvous in Istanbul, let me know fast via e-mail here at <lucid@ enteract.com> or a message at Hotel Kybele, 35 Yerebatan Caddessi .  Telephone (90-212) 511-7766.  I
just tried calling the hotel from here to cancel my room but got no answer. Harumph! I'll e-mail them now.  Otherwise I will be at the Orient hostel  around 2-3pm jet-lagged and stupid, but never-the-less looking for smiling faces and orioles caps. I want to be on the bus to Bartin with you all!

Neil:
Give me quick call today wihen you have a minute. I'm at work till noon. Then on the cell 773-251-8815 running errands before the flight. I need to tell you about the back yard and the hole in the fence.

Rebecca

Recon:
I land at Istanbul at 11:15am. I will take the taxi from the airport with the little man with the sign and go to my Hotel (Kybele) to deliver some photos to the nice folks there. I'll cancel my room and get over to Orient hostel to meet up with....

Micheline:
Since you get in earlier, why don't we meet at the Orient hostel in the afternoon  (2-3pm?) after I stop by Hotel Kybele? I'm not sure you will get this message. I will only be able to check for e-mail here for 5-6 more hours. I will check for messages at Hotel Kybele as we discussed. This will work itself out...now I just have to figure out wether to ditch the sleeping bag...

See ya'll soon
Rebecca

 OK.

Camping equipment is not necessary unless $3 per night is too much for you. That's for sharing a double.

For anyone who is unexpected, and also for Cynthia, who is arriving after team recon has left the building, here's how to get there:

Go to the travel agent at the orient youth hostel in Sultanamet and get a bus ticket to Bartin.  It'll cost 5,500,000 including a shuttle to the bus station (or thereabouts).  There are several busses per day, travel time 6 hours.  From Bartin, catch a microbus to Kurucasile, which is pronounced ku-ru-CHA-shi-lay... and then ask the driver to bring you to the next village, 2 miles further, called Kapisuyu (which means "water of the door")... if you can't find us in that town which has maybe 10 buildings in it altogether, please enjoy your eclipse.  We'll be on the beach.

Also Rebecca and Miche, since the last of you arrives before noon on the 7th, there's no reason to tarry in Istanbul while paradise awaits, unless you feel strongly about resting before continuing your journey.  Please advise.  We'd save a night's accomodation by bussing that evening, and have more time in Eden... let us know or we'll talk about it in person.

Miche the taxi from the airport here is about 5 million.

I hope everyone likes fish.

see you in Istanbul.

hi everyone.

im in berlin for a few hrs to pick up my ticket and sleep and notice that i have very little roughing it supplies. winging it is also exciting i guess! due to airport delays, I have not had time to do much of anything at all except repack before I leave tomorrow morning before all the shops open oh well.

as i said on the phone alyosha Ill be coming into istanbul on friday 6 august at 1445 (stupidly i dont have the exact time in front of me at the moment) but its malev 200 leaving budapest at 1200. (I leave berlin at 945 on malev 671 to budapest)  leaving friday 13 at 1530 from istanbul.

alyosh I got extra health insurance just in case the embassy is tied up in the worst case scenario!

am psyched to meet fellower eclipser named crocus.

Rebecca: the place nayla palas pension sounds great to me, so that#s where I'll be staying. I'll give a call to your place or see you there on saturday. I dont know what the group will be doing on saturday, or how much of a group it will be, depending on the recon team's plan, so i think its best to touch base like that, before setting strict dinner plans, etc. you know what i mean?

hope its not too cold!

I dont know about kretek but I have doc. bronners

Has anyone heard from Frank?

hope to find you all easily. am psyched.

a toute'/ dooie (how do you spell that in dutch?)

Hi there,

The Malaysia Airlines flight MH30 from Kuala Lumpur is now descending on Istanbul. Our arrival is scheduled at 7.40am.The date is august 7th and the temperature outside is ... fantastic.

Since I don`t have anything booked yet, I guess I will zoom to the pension with whoever will be waiting for me, Julie McCoy, the Messiah or Kurtz.Who is it going to be? Surprise,surprise!!!

My heart is beating so fast now that it has trouble staying in my chest. Viva el sol, viva la luna!!

Might be able to get some Kretek supplies.

A bientot,
Micheline.

Hey RECON,

Looks like I'm the last little sheep.... arriving in Istanbul Sat. Aug. 7 flight #1482 Turkish Air at 11:15am. I have already conveniently booked a taxi (probably a bizillion lira!) from my hotel. A little man with a sign will be waiting for me just like in the movies. And I now know just how harrowing the ride will be, Alyosha. I am at Hotel Kybele, 35 Yerebatan Caddessi which is supposed to be near to the Basillca Cistern. I want to stay there for night #1. I have booked two nights, but will gladly join the group at the hostel of choice after Night #1. (I told 'em my plans were fluid.) The hotel phone # is (90-212) 511-7766.

Thirteen said you all would be coming back to Istanbul to meet the second wave of revelers and seekers. I hope so....sounds as though you are all having rip-roaring fun already and I want to play. I am sooooo ready to hit the road and join the ever-pulsating organism that is this group. Please let me know where Alissa, Micheline and I can hook up with the rest. I am hoping that someone can call me at my hotel Sat. afternoon or leave a message so we can meet somewhere. I just want to drop my stuff and find you.

Do I need to bring more than a sleeping bag? I'm backpacking and don't have one of those lightweight, high tech tents. Please advise.

I just bought welder's glass this morning, but I will go back for more tomorrow. Micheline:  I will get yours. I will be checking my e-mail up to noon on Friday, Aug. 6 Chicago time so all requests for last minute forgotten items will need to arrive soon.

You are tomenting me...but I will keep checking for messages! I'm wondering about the messages at end of Tuesday's e-mail from Alyosha..The Messiah? Julie McCoy? Who?

rebecca

Well, I just found a $600 r/t to london, and I leave on friday.  I'm planning on hopping the channel, making my way to northern france (cornwall will be a nuthouse), and seeing what I can see.  I won't be where you are (buy you can call me if you want to...), but I'm a-goin'. Next time, we'll try for the same place and time, eh, and promise to swap stories.   Sorry I can't make Turkey - too far and too much for 5 days (all I have now, alas).

Have good fun, make good stories, and we'll compare pictures.

neil verplank
dovetail
http://www.dove-tail.com
http://www.dove-tail.com/neil

hi team recon

thanks for the exciting mail. as if the crazy Germans running around talking about the SONNENFINSTERNIS coming their way wasn't enough, now I'm getting really excited.

Al E Osha: I got your voice mail and will do my best tonight to find what you're looking for. I like this adventure better than running around looking for Kreteks. But if I run into any of those...

SR 326 ZURICH to ISTANBUL Departs: 6 Aug 20:35 Arrives: 7 Aug 00:25

If Julie's not at the airport, we'll proceed to the hostel as instructed.

See y'all soon!

Well, so far so fun.

My plane landed only an hour late, but I appreciated the pilot's slow caution in not impaling the whole lot of us on any of the incredibly tall, sharp, ballistic-looking minarets which thrust themslves menacingly (or is it inspiringly) upward throughout the city landscape like Mohammedean punji-stakes, including but not limited to a tiger-pit-style sharpened goal-post affair just at the foot of the runway we were assigned to touch down upon.

I got a visa, changed 100 of one kind of money into 43 million of another, and breezed into town in a cab whose driver accelerated and braked with equal suddenness and enthusiasm every alternate 8-10 seconds.  My first view of Istanbul:  clean and organized, old and new, with writing on all the signs and buildings whose words' familiar orthography belies their intractable unpronouncability: a nice ride.

He got me where i needed to go, the Sultans Pub, where sat Max and 13 drinking tiny cups of very black coffee at a sidewalk table.  What more could I hope to see?  Well, Ole, I guess; but the meeting spot he had suggested turned out to be in a town 230 km away (he's Dutch; let's face it: if they were any good at choosing locations, they'd be living ABOVE sea level), so we chose to ignore his instructions and hoped that it would all work itself out.

But as if in compensation for Ole's absence, Crocus, a turkish woman who found us through the net and contacted us only a few days before we left the country, showed up at the same time as I.  Max and 13'd called her, and there she was, perfect timing, perfect coffee, welcome to Istanbul, perfect.  No Ole but perfect enough.

Crocus turned out to be very compatibly cool, a university lecturer in communications studies, relaxed into the summer holiday, fun, and warm-spirited.  We talked and met and eventually set off for dinner, first dropping my stuff at the hostel which 13 and Max had already organized earlier in the afternoon.

Where lo and behold, at the obligatory hostel net-cafe, we found mail from Ole who, recognizing the error of his ways, had NOT gone to meet us at the Greek border, but had instead gotten a room two blocks away.  (This is why net-cafes are obligatory at travellers' hostels.)  We found him there (a nice place and cheap; we now have reservations for the group as it trickles into the country), drinking local anise alcohol with a compatriot he'd met in the Amsterdam airport.  The introductions flew fast and thick, the bottle drained easily, and, now 6, we again set off in search of food.

Nice quick dinner.  Then we relaxed across from a park in an outdoor cafe complete with coffee, backgammon, nargile (apple tobacco in a beautiful huge waterpipe with a hose).  We finished up with drinking and dancing at the pub behind our hostel... we'd been led by a flyer to expect belly-dancing there, but instead found only a dim cave sparsely populated and full of DJ'd Janet Jackson and Supertramp... not that the difference bothered us... and at 4 am all went our ways home and to sleep.  nice intro to istanbul, full of present-tense fun, future-tense optimism, old faces, new faces, talking, and planning, the long and short of which is as follows:

Today, if we all wake up, we will head into the umbral zone to scout out the territory, check out the lodging sitch, try to find a boat in case of clouds on day 0, and generally feel the vibe of the place.  This means that one of three scenarios will occur for you all when you arrive:

JULIE MCCOY:  you will be met by some or all of us in Istanbul as you arrive and shown to your lodging, and then to the eclipse;

THE MESSIAH:  you will be left on your own for a while, but we'll collect you and bring you to the eclipse after you've had some time to yourselves in town;

KURTZ:  you will not be met in Istanbul at all, but will receive instructions via email how and where to find us in the umbral zone.

The first two are far more likely than the third.  That would only happen if we needed to all remain up north for some reason due to planning problems.  Otherwise, you will be met in Istanbul for sure.

Some details for you:  If you are not met at the airport, we suggest that you stay at NAYLA PALAS PENSION, Kutlugun Sk. #22 (near the 4 Seasons Hotel).  We have rooms booked, breakfast included is $10 per person for a double room.  Very cool, nice building.  the cab ride from the airport is about 5 million lire.  (The current conversion rate is 426,000 per dollar, or about $2.2 per million.)

If you can, bring #14 welders glass.  We have several sheets, but too many is better than not enough... we can share that way with local people.

We will explore all the accomodation options in the umbral zone, but at the moment, we assembled here are feeling that camping would be more fun if convenient and feasible.  It's a big beautiful beach, after all.

We need your flight information (most importantly your airline and flight number).  This will make it easy for us to find you at the airport, if we can be there.

If we don't meet you at the airport, once you get here, check your mail, and tell us where you are... and check your mail frequently until then anyway in case we find access where we're going.

Kretek cigarettes are accepted and welcome.

This is so much fun.

See you soon.

Hello haý hee,
(19:45)
It's Monday the second of August, only 1,5 hours laters than we were supposed to catch up ýn Instanbul. Great; because the restaurant I put on the sýte, doesn't exýst anymore...
I just put my adress here now, ýt's a nýce place to stay, and then I hope 13, Max or Guy wýll show up here.
I'm stayýng ýn Nayla Palas Pensýon, Kutlugun sk. n. 22, ýn the Sultanamet-area (close to four seasons hotel). The phone-number ýs 516 35 67. They know I,m stayýng here.

See you guys.  Daag dag.  Ole

yes

Bradden and Yo-wei

August 7, 00.35 arrive Istanbul

(shortly after midnight of friday the 6th)

depart

August 15, 15.00

see y'all soon

Hi guys,
fun time is getting closer and things are getting kind of organised.

13,you mentioned a few things about accomodation. You can check www.hostels.com/orienthostel, it sounds like a cool place but you can always check it out to know if what they say is what there is. I was thinking of staying there myself but I was also told that there are a lot of hostels in the area. I haven`t booked anything myself so I am open to options and since you guys are going to be there first, give tips to those who will be there later. And please don`t say 'no' if we can get a royal suite with jacuzzi if it is not for more than US$10 each. I trust you, guys, for any decision you will make.

Do you know if there is a good map of Istanbul somewhere on the net?

Rebecca, Alisa, I am on for any of what we have decided for 7 August or any change of plan. Only just one week away now.

Micheline

Hello hai hee,

Only 14 days to go.
Surprisingly I'm the first and only one to arrive in Turkey on the first of August. I'll make sure I know the way (...) The RECON team is getting together at the second of August at 18.00 o'clock in a nice restaurant. It can't be hard to find. Just follow the smell of kretek. I'm really looking forward to it, but I have one problem. I don't have a tent. Are there enough places to sleep, or should I try to arrange one anyway? I do have an inflateble cow with me (typical Dutch), so I hope somebody wants to swop their tent with me. Anyway, see you all in the heart of European & Asian History.

From: thirteen <thirteen@xsite.net>
To: <eclipse99@1e6.org>
Subject: RECON
Date: Thursday, July 29, 1999 4:36 AM

After Ole, Max, 47 & I arrive in Istanbul, I figure it would be good to rendezvous at some point... maybe have lunch... maybe dinner... maybe several cocktails...
Our flights our timed very close in most circumstances, in which case, I am willing to wait out the flight after me or meet at the central postal station (which I have spied out as an option) or anywhere. In any case, I guess we should meet up since we have sorta planned to do so.

I land on MONDAY at 12:35 pm.

Max can wait an hour & a half for me or...

I can wait for Alyosha at 6:00pm or..

I can meet Alyosha, Max & Ole at a certain location.

In any case, we should hook up. Where???????
Where???????Where???????Where???????Where???????Where???????Where???????Wher
e???????

I have no accommodations, and I figured we could save some cash by renting
together. Doubles and triples can be had for $14-25/35 a night. GOOD DEAL,
with a shower even in some cases.

We are seven...
What are the requirements of these to be assembled seven.
Can we sleep in a doorway in Sultanahmet or out by the wharfs on the Bosphorus?
Do we require 2-3-4 star lodgings?
Can we settle with $10-15/night for a basic room with or without a private bath?
What are the requirements?

If anyone has any ideas about how we could maintain the integrity of the
group through lodging, let us know.

Today is July 29, I leave in 3 days. All I know is our arrival times. I
hope we will find each other. If you people only had individual homing
beacons implanted in your skulls, I would be able to track you anywhere in
this sector of the galaxy. I wish you would agree to them...

!!!!!!

wing

Rev 13

ps      32š 46.230'E   41š 51.687N

...a good place to be

Micheline
Arrive 7 August 7.40am
Depart 14 August 13.30
Am meeting Rebecca and Alisa on the same day.

Ole
Arrive 1 August 5.00 PM
Depart ???

Max
Arrive 2 August 10.45 AM
Depart 18 August 10.45 AM

1 hour 50 minutes later
Thirteen
Arrive 2 August 12.35 PM
Depart 24 August 6.00 AM

5 hours 25 minutes later
47
Arrive 2 August 6.00 PM
Depart ???

Max, 13 & 47 arrive within 8 hours of each other.
Where shall we meet?
 

Alisa
Arrive 6 August ???time
Depart ???

Rebecca
Arrive 6 August ???time
Depart ???

Micheline
Arrive 7 August ???time
Depart ???

How shall we all meet?????

13

Ole,

I could not get a ticket to arrive on 1 August.  I will be arriving on 2
August.
The plan to meet at the restaurant sound fine to me.  What do you think Guy
& 13?

Max.

----- Original Message -----
From: O.T. Chavannes <O.T.Chavannes@let.rug.nl>
To: <mister@jalanjalan.com>
Sent: Wednesday, July 28, 1999 11:53 AM
Subject: Istanbul plans from Ole
 

> Hello hai hee,
>
> Nice to see the eclipsesite, but because of our 486 comp's I'm not
> able to get anything on there my self. I hope you read this soon
> enough. I'll be in Istanbul on august the 1st at 17:00.
> Since that's only 4 days to go, I just give you an adress to meet on
> monday. Near the central postoffice (Yeni postane Caddesi) there is
> supposed to be an nice restaurant, called Balkan Pilic, close to a
> market, a hundred meters away from Aile Restaurants, that's on
> Saraclar Caddesi. If we don't meet, I'll leave a message on poste
> restante, as usual...What about 18.00 o'clock?
> Hope to see you there. I have no idea where I'm gonna stay yet. Max
> is in town also the first, but he doesn't reply my emails
> either...Sucks a bit, but we'll meet in Instanbul. There live only
> 7.4 million people I guess.
>
> See you then. (all the eclipse-glasses are sold out here...)
>
> Daag dag. @le

Arrive 2 August 10.45 AM
Depart 18 August 10.45 AM

From Astronomy picture of the day:

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html

neil

http://abone.superonline.com/~user0001/sounds-of-specialty-turkish.html

"Forty-five years ago, French physicist Maurice Allais discovered that the swing of a pendulum will change during an eclipse, a phenomenon which has never been explained by established physics theory. Advocates of autodynamics -- a theory that claims to debunk Einstein's theory of special relativity -– believe they can explain the anomaly. "

Whole article:
http://www.wired.com/news/news/technology/story/20663.html

Also, rebecca, 13 and I reconoitered last night, and concluded: beer is good.

pi

Greetings:

My schedule is as follows: arrival in Istanbul on Saturday, Aug. 7 at 11:15am. I depart from Istanbul on Sunday, Aug. 22 in the am. Micheline, I am staying Saturday night at the Kybele Hotel, #35 Yerbatan Caddessi in the Sultanamet area. The phone # is (90-212) 513-4303 and they are on the web at . I booked for 2 nights but may blow off the second night to get to ground zero earlier. I will meet Alisa for dinner, etc. that evening. If you'd like to hook up on Saturday, let me know and we can rendezvous for food foraging and female bonding.

Thanks to Thirteen for all of the recent travel info. The bus sounds good for me. As I recall, the Turkish truckstops are a real trip.

Later.

Rebecca

My ticket is now booked and confirmed. I am leaving Taipei on august 6th and will be in Istanbul on the 7th at 7.40 am. Leaving Istanbul on August 14th.

Alisa and Rebecca, you are going to be in Istanbul ahead of me so we should try to meet up then. What do you think about that?

I will let you know some more as things get closer. I have this large grin on my face everytime I think about the eclipse and moon and my heart beats a little faster.

Micheline

Some drinking quotes for you.
* AA stands for Alcoholic Appreciation - naturally!
A few quotes .............

I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day.
--Frank Sinatra

The problem with some people is that when they aren't drunk, they're sober.
--William Butler Yeats

An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools.
--Ernest Hemingway

Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut.
--Ernest Hemingway

You're not drunk if you can lie on the floor without holding on.
--Dean Martin

Drunk is feeling sophisticated when you can't say it.
--Anonymous

No animal ever invented anything as bad as drunkenness - or as good as drink.
--G.K. Chesterton

Time is never wasted when you're wasted all the time.
--Catherine Zandonella

Abstainer: a weak person who yields to the temptation of denying himself a pleasure.
--Ambrose Bierce

Reality is an illusion that occurs due to lack of alcohol.
--Anonymous

Drinking provides a beautiful excuse to pursue the one activity that truely gives me pleasure, hooking up with fat hairy girls.
-- Ross Levy

A woman drove me to drink and I didn't even have the decency to thank her.

What contemptible scoundrel has stolen the cork to my lunch?
--W.C. Fields

Beauty lies in the hands of the beer holder.
--Anonymous

If God had intended us to drink beer, He would have given us stomachs.
--David Daye

Work is the curse of the drinking classes.
--Oscar Wilde

When I read about the evils of drinking, I gave up reading.
--Henny Youngman

Life is a waste of time, time is a waste of life, so get wasted all of the time and have the time of your life.
--Michelle Mastrolacasa

I'd rather have a bottle in front of me, than a frontal lobotomy.
--Tom Waits

24 hours in a day, 24 beers in a case. Coincidence?
-Stephen Wright

When we drink, we get drunk. When we get drunk, we fall asleep. When we fall asleep, we commit no sin. When we commit no sin, we go to heaven. Sooooo, let's all get drunk, and go to heaven...
--Brian O'Rourke

You can't be a real country unless you have a beer and an airline - it helps if you have some kind of a football team, or some nuclear weapons, but at the very least you need a beer.
--Frank Zappa

Always remember that I have taken more out of alcohol than alcohol has taken out of me.
--Winston Churchill

He was a wise man who invented beer
--Plato

Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.
--Benjamin Franklin

If you ever reach total enlightenment while drinking beer, I bet it makes beer shoot out your nose.
--Deep Thoughts, Jack Handy

Without question, the greatest invention in the history of mankind is beer. Oh, I grant you that the wheel was also a fine invention, but the wheel does not go nearly as well with pizza.
--Dave Barry

The problem with the world is that everyone is a few drinks behind.
--Humphrey Bogart

Why is American beer served cold? So you can tell it from urine.
--David Moulton

Give me a woman who loves beer and I will conquer the world.
--Kaiser Wilhelm

I would kill everyone in this room for a drop of sweet beer.
--Homer Simpson

Not all chemicals are bad. Without chemicals such as hydrogen and oxygen, for example, there would be no way to make water, a vital ingredient in beer.
--Dave Barry

I drink to make other people interesting.
--George Jean Nathan

All right, brain, I don't like you and you don't like me - so let's just do this and I'll get back to killing you with beer.
--Homer Simpson

Merhaba!

Thirteen will arrive in Istanbul Monday, August 2nd at 12:35pm & leave Istanbul August 24th at 6am!!

It appears that I will be arriving 5 hours 25 minutes before Alyosha. Nice timing!!

Max, do you arrive on the 1st or leave NY on the 1st? Also, my last email is not displayed in its entirety on the website. It has travel info. I'm resending.

How long is everyone staying? Can we display arrival AND departure dates on the site?
Pamukkale!
665km south of Istanbul
13 hour bus ride
$13-24
480km southwest of Ankara
7 hour bus ride
$15

Pamukkale is a series of huge white calcium travertine formations. The travertines fill with hot water from the springs which created them. It's been a resort since Roman times. Sounds Cool!
...and not far away is Aphrodisias and the Temple of Aphrodite

Yes, lodging will not be as cheap as we might like. We will probably pay $10-15 minimum/each at most places. Camping I am definitely prepared for. As often as necessary.

Alisa,

I will be arriving Istanbul around 2pm on Saturday Aug. 7. I've booked a single for 2 nights at the Hotel Kybeli, located in the Sultanamet area (near Santa Sophia ) at #35 Yerebatan Tad. The phone # is 90-212-511-7766, fax # 90-212-513-4393.

Two different friends visiting Istanbul gave it high marks. A funky and friendly place owned by three brothers, one of whom owns a restaurant across the street. I am faxing my reservation info today. The man I spoke with said there was plenty of room (now). I'm not sure when we will need to head to the meeting place for the eclipse so I went ahead and took it for two nights. I figure I can blow off the second night if there's a need to depart to the site earlier.

Let's do try to meet for dinner. Please let me know if this sounds good for you. My excitement builds daily!

Rebecca

http://www.cdc.gov/travel/mideast.htm

Hi,
I have my pass to Turkey now. I am supposed to fly on aug. 6th from
Taipei and i will be in Istanbul on aug. 7th. Back in taipei on aug.
15th. I say I am supposed because I have been put on a waiting list
almost everywhere:they only have flights with Malaysia airlines, which
is the cheapest, twice a week. It is a good thing I did it early
enough. In case there is a problem, can you tell me if you have already
chosen a deadline for people to be at the eclipse spot?

I have two questions for the recon team:
1. Is it possible to walk on the Bosphorus bridge? I know that there
are some ferry connections to take you to both sides of the Bosphorus
bridge but I thought it would be cool to say that I walked from Europe
to Asia or vice versa in about an hour. The Bosphorus bridge seems to
be less than 3 kilometres long which is walkable even with a lot of
turkish wine in your veins.

2. How big is the Big Bazaar? I feel like getting lost in there for a
couple of hours before looking for a quieter place for relaxation. I
think it would be a warm turkish welcome if I went there as soon as I
got off the plane.

Now that I am sure to come, I want to tell Alyosha, Max and 13 that I
will be glad to see them again under another warm sky. As for the
others, I don`t know you yet but I will be as happy to meet you. For
the newcomers, I think that I must tell you something important that
nobody has told you yet: you must come because the eclipse is the time
for you to get a refill of youth. That will allow you to enter the next
millenium with a new you.

In the meantime, if you get bored at night, you will see the moon
shining back at you and if you are patient enough she will open her
eyes and start telling you a spellbinding story that you won`t forget
for the rest of your life.And please don`t forget to enjoy life.

Micheline

some info about the area:

http://www.focusmm.com.au/~focus/blk_002.htm

satellite photo of the area on 11.aug.1998:

http://www.holeinthesky.com/EUSATBIG.gif

An eclipse tour comapny's plans:

http://www.holeinthesky.com/99tours.htm

What happens when you dissect a magic 8-ball:

http://ofb.net/8ball/

stuff about geurilla activity in the black sea region:

http://www.ozgurluk.org/dhkc/pub/revleft/feb98/blacksea.html

52 days aint so long now.

13 I am overyjoyed to learn of your impending reconness.... BENJ! ARE YOU
LISTENING!?

I'm in Jerusalem now, and today wandered into a bookshop (ah it's all so
modern here) and took a look at the rough guide for turkey.... looks like
accomodation might be sort of expensive, around $10 a night minimum.
Another thing for team recon to tackle:  cheap digs.  But its description
of Cide was excellent... tiny village a km or two from the water, and a
pebble beach that streches on and on with no people on it.  Sounds OK to
me.  Have to explore the camping option.

And Rebecca, you bought a ticket..... wow.

This keyboard has its keys all marked in english, hebrew and arabic.
Looks scribbliomaniac to me.

OK no other news.  13 you rock.

Rev 13 reporting for duty

Boat Service to target area:
Turkish Maritime Lines has car ferries to Sinop, which overshoots Cide near the target area. It leaves Istanbul every Monday, calling at Sinop on Tuesday. $10/seat $12/cabin $22/deluxe cabin. There's also Deck Class, if they're sold out. Meals cost $7-15 each!! Tickets sell out fast - well in advance in summer. After that it's bus service back down the coast to Cide-Kurucasile/Aydincik, which may entail a few minibuses between towns instead of one bus. Sounds nice, but I'd rather see the countryside using...

Bus Service to target area:
The buses go literally everywhere, very very cheap (average US$2.50 per 100km). They do allow smoking on buses, as Turks are great lovers of tobacco. The buses are frequent and fast. The buses were faster than our car in Costa Rica (especially in dense fog)!

If anyone has better info, let it out. I'm only using Lonely Planet, NASA, a pretty good road map of Turkey & a trusty ruler. I'm sure there's more info out there. Once Team Recon has entered the country, we can probably find a good map of the target area. Then we can more precisely estimate Umbral Landfall.

47, I should be in Istanbul on the 2nd or 3rd, so include me for Team Recon. It seems we can survey the area in just a couple days. Plenty of time to meet everyone else upon their arrivals.

My heart's beating faster as each day passes, bringing us closer and closer to Eclipse Zero...

All y'all,
I booked my ticket ysterday. Leaving Chicago Friday, Aug.6 - arriving
Istanbul Saturday, Aug. 7, 2pm. I'll be staying in Turkey until my
departure on Aug. 22. Gosh darnnit, looks like I'm gonna miss the
company picnic...
Rebecca

On Wed, 16 Jun 1999, frank joerdens wrote:

> does anyone know if there is a ferry service
> from istanbul to any of the touristy places near the eclipse path?

when I get there, I will email back if possible  about how to get to where
we need to be.

hello everyone,

thanks to alisa for the introduction. i'd love to come along - i've never seen an eclipse and always wanted to and your crowd sounds like a fun way of going about it. having looked through the archive, this looks like it's going to be a blast! my probability though is only 90% due to moving-house, lots of work and skintness constraints. if i manage to come, i'll be flying in via istanbul on the 7th or 8th and then try to get a boat (i think it would be the best option, if available) or bus to get to the target area. does anyone know if there is a ferry service from istanbul to any of the touristy places near the eclipse path? anyway, as rebecca put it, can i come and play with you too (but where would i get baltimore orioles basball caps in berlin)?

frank

black glass: #14 weldersglass. no weaker will do. NASA has some stuff about this and about the other solar filters that are safe, but the glass is the surest. I'll pick some up in chicago.... there's a welding supply place on western between north and fullerton.

13 you are the master of navigation. remind me to canonize you when I'm pope... which may not be too far off now given JP2's present condition. Of course I'll have to beatify you first, but that's just a matter of paperwork.... maybe ulc.org would be easier though.

yes there is a cybertent set up in the sands of dahab. which means, as far as I can tell that I'll be able to contact you guys from turkey.... if its here, its there.

ok time to find the sea.

I am coming to the celestial summit for sure.I will try to be there on the 6th if I can get an afternoon flight from here on the 6th but it looks more like I will be in Turkey on the 7th. I will definitely have bought my ticket by the end of this month so I will let you know by then.

I am still going through the travel guides here for a choice of sightseeing but the choice of books here in Taiwan is pretty limited.

It looks like the eclipse this year is going to be a good one. I wave my hat really low to the recon team.

Don`t forget that the moon changes but she is always there.

Micheline

All the destinations sound perfect - the fact they aren't in the guide books is probably good news, not bad. Although when I was in Venezuela last year, I went to maracaibo because I found a local guy on the internet who was willing to put me up (anyone know anyone in turkey?). Turns out that's the same exact spot NASA picked, and they flew in mountains of trailers and equipments a month and a half before hand. They took up more real estate than the locals. There were practically no tourists (it was "off the maps", but people lined up along the beach for miles, which was cool - especially the "ooooohhhhhahhhhhhh" at the moment of totality. (It's always cool to here 10,000 people same the same thing at the same time for some reason...). And I like the Diogenes connection.

As to the black glass - you can get welding goggles from any industrial supply store for about 5 bucks - you need a # uh, I don't remember - the highest, basically, to look directly at the sun. Black glass very definitely does not cut it - doesn't block UV and infrared. Even if it doesn't "seem" to hurt your eyes, you'll fry your retinas that way. Since everyone's scattered about (and possibly not close to an industrial supply store), I could pick up a bunch and send them with rebecca (if I don't make it, which of course, I will, but if I don't).

Oh yeah - I've heard that if you're up on mountain or very tall hill, you can see gravity's rainbow as the shadow cruises up on you. nearby mountains could make that possible.

neil

Okay

Agent 13 reporting for navagational duty.

Using the maps and NASA info at hand, I have determined shadow landfall to occur approximately 4-5 km east (along the coast) of a small fishing village called Kurucasile. This location is 23 km west of Cide which I have no info on. Lonely Planet has very little info on this region of the Black Sea coast since it's not a tourist destination. Apparently, tourism mostly happens west of Sinop. Kurucasile is right between Amasra and Cide.

Amasra (pop 6700) appears to the only point of interest between Istanbul and Sinop. It's a quaint fishing village built in and around an ancient citadel on a promontory. Some small hotels...but known for good fish restaurants. This coastal area has very limited accomadations due to lack of tourism. This could be a major problem for us if the area get overrun with Eclipsers. Camping may be an important option for us. I'm coming prepared.

Cide seems to be about the same size as Amasra (not to be confused with Amasya inland). Lonely Planet doesn't even mention it, or any coastal town west until Sinop, which sounds like a cool place with a rich ancient history (but not central eclipse land). The only info on Cide comes from NASA mentioned in 47's email. Pebble beach?

The Black Sea waters are a little chilly but can be refreshing. There may be some nice beaches to sleep on!

This is the basics for now. I have to go get people drunk now.

Over and out
13

According to the always-helpful NASA bulletin,

The eclipse comes ashore at a remote part of the Turkish coastline near the town of Cide. To the east of the shadow path is Sinop, an ancient city of Greek and Byzantine origins. Its most famous native son was Diogenes the Cynic, who is reputed to have replied to Alexander the Great when asked what Alexander could do for him, "Yes, stand aside, you're blocking my light," a perfect quotation (though not sentiment) to go with a solar eclipse [Ayliffe et al. 1994]. The scenic road to the center line winds closely along the coast, forced to the edge of the sea by a range of 2000 meter mountains which line the Black Sea coast. Cide, a few kilometers inland from the sea, has a 10 km long pebbly beach nearby which could provide a site to watch the eclipse. Travel time from Sinop to Cide is about two hours. West of the center line is the regional capital Zonguldak, slightly closer than Sinop, and with good transportation connections to Ankara.

So it looks like Cide would be a nice spot, pebbly beach and all... unless there are too many tourists about and such. This is something for team recon to determine. I will be in the area on or about the first to check it all out. It seems like I may be the only one... any other team recon people? It's a fun pre-adventure to the adventure, and minimizes the rush-feeling of hitting the beach just before the shadow does. I don't need it, but company would be fun, and helpful in making decisions that might affect the entire group. Also, rebecca, you mentioned wanting to see ruins... sounds like we'll be in a good spot for it.

And I was just kidding about the orioles caps... we'll be wearing beanies with propellers and mickey mouse ears. If you happen to see other people with the same hats who aren't us, by all means ask them to join us: our kind of people. By the way, if you're using last year's photos to identify us this year, beware: Daedelus is not, as far as I am aware, coming this year. Make sure you have the Daedelus effect turned off, and look for non-bald people with non-goofy moustaches (and beanies).

So our group is now 9 100% people. that's cool. It will surely grow toward the date.

As far as camping goes, I'm not sure. Best to come prepared if possible, although last year we were ready for it and ended up sleeping on the beach. My fantasy is to rent (for almost no money at all) a massive mansion right in the umbral path with three staff members for each of us and a helicopter fleet in case of a cloudy day (did I just use the C-word?)... but again this is something for team recon to examine. I imagine we'll be able to find some kind of formal accomodation, but who knows what the combination of a resort coast and an eclipse can do to the local hotel industry?

Also, everybody keep in mind that we need to bring lots of black glass. I'll have a coupla sheets, but people should bring their own, and extras can only serve to prevent locals from going blind, which can only help the turkish economy (412,230 lire to the dollar today!), besides spreading goodwill among nations. (when we someday conquer, we want them to SEE it happenning).

Also, Rebecca, you asked how we all met. The answer is simple and can be expressed in one word: prison. Excellent place for meeting just the right sorts of people. Ever been there? Ah, then you know all about it.

Treice, any map analysis yet? We don't want to go bombing the Chinese Embassy or anything. That would be bad. Also you mentioned the possibility of 3 weeks.... team recon.... again? you can't say it wasn't fun. I wonder what kind of bars there are in Cide?

Ok enough. The shadow nears.

Here's my deal:

I'd love to spend 3 months in turkey, and a goodly chunk w/ y'all. I just started a company - a minor conflict. If I can make it, I will. If you give me a longitude and latitude on the surface of this planet, I will find you at the event horizon. Best however not to specifically plan around me. Fortunately, there's an eclipse every two years if worse comes to worse. And, I am sending my emissary Rebecca....

neil
neil verplank

Max,

I am still trying to book my flight to Istanbul. It now looks like I will arrive either on the 5th or the 7th due to the wacky Turkish Air schedule. I hope to plunk down the money today and be done with it. I am 100% committed to meeting you.

Meeting in Istanbul does sound convenient. The map I have been looking at seems to show the cities Zonguldak and Kozlu to be in the path and both look to be right on the coast. Also, there's a smaller town, Hisaronü also. I am looking at an old National Geographic map though, not a proper road map by any stretch.

Do you plan on camping? If so, keep my informed as to what I'll need to bring. I hear the mosquitoes can be bad up there. But I suppose you had 'em bad in the jungle, too!

I will post my arrival time in Istanbul as soon as I can. If I arrive later, I'll depart later. I would like to see some ruins and stuff.

Later,

Rebecca

Ok everybody it is time to get serious.

August 11 is less than two months away. It is time to get serious.

Who is going? When do you think you will arrive? Where are we going to meet? Istanbul seems convenient if unexciting? 13 you are the map expert....where should we be watching the eclipse from? Guy mentioned to me that there is a fairly large city on the eclipse path in Turkey...

The following people are on the synergistic bus
Max Abramowitz 7.Aug.1999 (tentative)
Guy Petzall 1.Aug.1999
13
O.T. Chavannes
Alisa
Michelline Dore
Rebecca Ahlberg 6.Aug.1999

Anybody not on this list is less then 100%? If you are not on the list and you want to come then make up your mind baby. For those on the list let me know (let everybody know) when you plan to arrive.

I do not think we are going to need as much camping equipment as we did last time...the black sea is a little more civilized than the Darien....

Max.

don't worry about being able to find us in Turkey.... we'll all be wearing huge stars and stripes jerseys, baltimore orioles baseball caps, and singing "take me out to the ball game" at the top of our lungs. You can't miss us.

By the way, I'm in Cairo now, and there is such a nice feeling in this plaxce, the air, the people... my first taste of the middle east... Turkey is gonna be excellent.

I was just diving for 3 days in the red sea.... anybody know if there's diving in the black sea? That would be a cool way to see an eclipse.

i have a colleague, Frank Joerdens, who is very nice and who is keen on checking out the eclipse etc. i said i'd mention him to the group before he does it himself.

that's all for now.

alisa

I had to open another account because I cannot get access to my hotmail account and that is rather strange because I checked it yesterday and there was no problem.

I will be in Turkey from aug. 7th because I will be at university on the 6th in the morning so I want to catch my plane in the afternoon. Since I only have a week I will stay in Istanbul for a few days -I want to do a little bit of sightseeing and get in the groove of the place- before the eclipse.

Alyosha, is Bradden still in Taiwan?

I will be there for the eclipse but if you have tight plans and I cannot meet up with you, I will arrange my own plans because I really do not want to miss the eclipse.

Micheline

Hello again,
Thanks to those who responded...
I'm proceeding with my plan, which is to leave Chicago for Istanbul late Thursday, Aug. 5th or early on the 6th to arrive sometime on the 6th. >From there I don't know where I'm going but once a site is picked, I'll find a way to get there by bus (train?) Is anyone gonna be in Istranbul on Friday or Saturday? Could we hook up? I like the idea of the Black Sea, water is good. Can't wait to hit the hammam. I wish I knew more about that part of Turkey, but will be reading up on it in the meantime. Having never tried to meet up with a group of people I've never met before, I will defer to your experience and judgement on how this gets accomplished. I have been going back to your old web pages and am heartily impressed with the forethought and planning that go into these journeys. I'll keep checking daily to see what developes with the group. Thanks again for the welcome.

Rebecca

Neil,

These are the entry requirements for Turkey. This is from the U.S. State Department website, which is linked to from the Links page on the our website.
Max.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: A passport and visa are required. Holders of tourist passports can purchase a sticker visa at the port of entry for $45. For further information, travelers in the U.S. may contact the Embassy of the Republic of Turkey at 1714 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20036, telephone: (202) 659-8200, or the nearest Turkish Consulate in Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, or New York. Overseas, travelers may contact the Turkish Embassy or Consulate. Holders of official and diplomatic passports must obtain a visa prior to arrival in Turkey from an Embassy of Turkey. All travelers are advised to obtain entry stamps at the first port of entry on the passport page containing their visas prior to transferring to domestic flights. Failure to obtain entry stamps at the port of entry has occasionally resulted in serious difficulties for travelers when attempting to depart the country.

Hey - does anyone know off hand if US citizens need a visa for Turkey?
--

neil verplank

Transfer interrupted!

Rebecca

From: micheline dore <cyberpoodle@hotmail.com>
To: <eclipse99@1e6.org>
Subject: Date of possible arrival
Date: Thursday, May 27, 1999 1:00 AM

I am planning on arriving wherever we decide to go on Aug. 7th. I am on a scholarship here in Taiwan until the end of november so I am stealing a week off my schedule for the eclipse. I will also want to do some sightseeing while I am there but nothing is planned yet, there is still plenty of time to decide.
 

Micheline

From: micheline dore <cyberpoodle@hotmail.com>
To: <eclipse99@1e6.org>
Subject: I can't wait to see the sun slipping away
Date: Tuesday, May 25, 1999 3:32 PM

The idea of being by the Black Sea for the eclipse is a blast. I have never been on the turkish side of the Black Sea but a few years ago, I was on the bulgarian side in Burgas and Varna. It was winter then and the sight was gloomy. There were pieces of metal poking out of the water and I was told that the bulgarian used this part of the Black Sea to dump their used army ships. Just thinking that it could be the same thing on the turkish side makes me want to say 'hurrah'because it will almost be apocalyptic. It will be like having peeked into secret documents advertising the end of the world.

Another thing about being there is that for a few minutes of darkness, the Black Sea will really deserve its name.

For all these reasons I will be there so you count me in the bunch. I will keep an eye on the site.

From: Ceren Gurol <ceren@primary.net>,
To: Alyosha <alyosha@jalanjalan.com>
Subject: turkey
Date: Sunday, May 09, 1999 5:03 AM

Hi Guy,
I am finally done with my finals but I've got even more stuff to do now. I will be leaving this friday for Turkey. I thought it would be easier for me to gather information for you when I'll be in Istanbul. So what I would need you to do is tell me all that you want to know. I will gather information about sinop, zonguldak, cide, internet, treveling conditions, camping, transportation, supplies, shelter, crowdedness in august......If there is anything else just let me know. Hopefully I will have access to this e-mail address in Turkey (not everywhere and anytime though), I mean if I can remember my password. But if not I have your e-mail anyway so I'll contact you. Send me this information if possible before friday but if you can't that's fine. until than enjoy your journey in India and I will do the same in turkey. Bye. Ceren

From: Alisa Kottmair <alisalieu@hotmail.com>
To: eclipse99@1e6.org <eclipse99@1e6.org>
Subject: how funny
Date: Friday, April 23, 1999 11:25 AM
 

so the following for the club heads. where not to go in august...

http://www.solipse.com

From: Alyosha <alyosha@jalanjalan.com>
To: <eclipse99@1e6.org>
Subject: some recent reading
Date: Sunday, April 18, 1999 5:32 AM
in the nasa eclipse bulletin makres the area we are headed for in turkey look awfully cool. there are lots of historical sights and ruins and beaches nearby... that could be really sweet, or it could e far too crowded. Also, it seems that the weather prospects are pretty good there, but are actually the same on the other side of the black sea... the elipse hits land not on the romanian coast as I had thought, but rather in bulgaria. the whole things looks pretty excellent to me. As far as flying to greece, though I'd love to go there, it seems like sort of a long way, looking at the map... almost every other capital city in the area is closer to where we want to be. So unless it's super cheap to go to athens, let's keep our eyes open.

 cool.

From: Max Abramowitz <max@1e6.org>
To: eclipse99@1e6.org <eclipse99@1e6.org>
Subject: This time I think it is working
Date: Friday, April 16, 1999 10:27 AM

Hello everybody,

I think I finally got the !@#$%^&* mailling list working.

Hopefully, this will encourage us to discuss our trip to see the eclipse a bit more.  I for one am getting excited.  I still feel that Turkey is the best place to be.  Thirteen has suggested flying to Athens and taking the bus.  A twenty hour bus ride in the middle of August will certainly get us into the mood if not the smell of the country.

so send mail to everybody email: eclipse99@1e6.org if you want to add someone to the list have them email me: max@1e6.org if you want off the list have them email me.

max
max@1e6.org

From: jalan@web1.prometeus.net <alyosha@jalanjalan.com>
To: eclipse99@1e6.org <eclipse99@1e6.org>
Date: Tuesday, April 13, 1999 10:14 AM

I figure we should just explore multiple options, and then team recon can make a determination on-site.  But I'm truly not worried about Turkey being unfriendly at this point.  The population is NOT the goverment, nor is it the Kurdish IRA.  But if being on the water is desirable (I think seconds are more important, but we need to make a decision about that (and we get both anyway), Romania is still on the water and gets longer duration too.  It might be a bit rougher travelling, but that's no big deal, and our only real concern is the weather. (and rising-star caucesceu wannabes).

Ideally, we could find an affordable boat that could hold us all and we'd have the option of one coast or the other, or the middle... 13 will have his gps after all.

Max also keep in mind that when we get there, if we wanna email back to everyone else (if we can get online from where we are) you'll need someone to manage the listserver for you.

ok enough.  my mom has a friend whose family has a villa on the turkish coast we're talking about (they're diplomats I think) and I'm trying to get in touch with her for more info.  I'll post that when it comes.

From: Alyosha <alyosha@jalanjalan.com>
To: eclipse99@1e6.org <eclipse99@1e6.org>
Subject: war zones
Date: Monday, April 12, 1999 11:14 AM

I just spent a month in Sri Lanka, and as long as you don't wander into the acctual war zone, it's hard to know that a war is even happening, and Sri Lanka is WAY smaller than Turkey.  Of course they bombed the Colombo bus station while i was there, but hey, shit happens...

From: Max Abramowitz <max@1e6.org>
To: neil@dove-tail.com <neil@dove-tail.com>
Cc: eclipse99@1e6.org <eclipse99@1e6.org>
Subject: Re: yer site
Date: Monday, April 12, 1999 11:11 AM

I think Neil's idea of picking a drop dead date for Turkey is a good idea. Guy, Thirteen and myself were thinking of flying to Greece and then taking the bus to istambul. Also, last time around we saw the Eclipse on the coast.  This was a good thing.  Part of the appeal of Turkey is we can be on the Black Sea for the eclipse.

max

From: Neil Verplank <neil@dove-tail.com>
Subject: yer site
Date: Monday, April 12, 1999 11:02 AM

Hey this is great - nice work, and thanks for collecting everything.

I don't know what my probability is - it was 100%, but I'm negotiating with some clients, which, alas, could drop me to 0%.  Work, dammit. Turns out that's how you get money, so....  Plus, just got back from Portugal <grin> (will post pix soon...), so there goes some time and money.  Put me down for 75%.

Anyhoo, as to Turkey (vs. elsewhere) -- I usually book my tix moments before I leave, so changing locations is not a big thang for me.  And yeah, things could settle dramatically before we leave.  And I've been in civil wars that looked mighty peaceful...  My guess is western turkey will be ok.  Maybe we should pick a "drop dead" date <chortle> to pick a destination so we can all plan?  June 1st?  2 months before?....Whatcha thinkin?

--

neil verplank

From: Max Abramowitz <max@1e6.org>
Subject: Re: turkish delight
Date: Sunday, April 11, 1999 12:01 PM

I heard a report on the radio National Public Radio.  Interviews with tourists (mostly English tourists).  Also, I believe we are going to be in western Turkey.  Most of the Kurdish action is in the East.  I will also talk to the turks I work with about it.

From: Alyosha <alyosha@jalanjalan.com>
To: eclipse99@1e6.org <eclipse99@1e6.org>
Subject: turkish delight
Date: Sunday, April 11, 1999 4:47 AM

Hey ole, you're a lot closer, geographically at least, to the action...what do you see happening that would prevent us from making the trip there?

Max, you said you had heard something about that part of the country being safe.  What was the source of that?

Until I hear anything really bad, like Dayak-level bad, I'm still up for it, with the possibility of heading over to the other side of the black sea if necessary or something.

From: O.T. Chavannes <O.T.Chavannes@let.rug.nl>
Subject: Is Turkey final?
Date: Thursday, April 08, 1999 3:44 PM

Hello hai,

I don't know what Ocalan is gonna cause in Turkey and if the Turkey army is gonna send ground troops to Kosovo, I don't know how pleasant Turkey will be for the eclipse-adventure. But if these crisises will be solved by August, Turkey is the place we are gonna watch the miracle, right? Hope so, I'm looking forward to it (together with 2 other cheese-heads until now).

Ole Chavannes
(Netherlands)

From: thirteen <thirteen@xsite.net>
To: Alyosha <alyosha@jalanjalan.com>; Wm. Max Abramowitz <max@1e6.org>; mr.13 <thirteen@xsite.com>; The lovely & talented Michelle Rae <likmyfish@hotmail.com>; O.T. Chavannes <S0941786@let.rug.nl>; melissa@thelookinglass.com <melissa@thelookinglass.com>; geoff reisch <greisch@previewmedia.com>; Lee Schneider <leeschneider@hotmail.com>; Janaki  Lund Jensen <jehjan@mail1.stofanet.dk>; neil@dove-tail.com <neil@dove-tail.com>; adrian stather <adystather@hotmail.com>; catherine gunning <catherinegunning@hotmail.com>; Bradden Wondra <bpwondra@well.com>; Alisa Kotmair <alisalieu@hotmail.com>; LXS & Samira <samira@interport.com>; Benj Gallander <gall@pathcom.com>
Date: Thursday, April 08, 1999 11:43 AM

47

I'll call Yanni in Greece. Hope to contact him. Maybe he can see the eclipse with us. Maybe he can fly us to it!!! ...or fly us under it!!! I put my planning on hold because my friend Patrick and I are going to fly to San Diego and drive a rented convertible from the Mex border to the Canadian border using the the Pacific Coast Highway! We're flying back from Seattle. We're gone 5/8 - 5/16, Nine days of Mental Health Holiday.

If you think we could stay at anyone's home along the way, please let me know ASAP.

I like the idea of Greece first, but my time is limited this year. This trip is going to be more expensive than the last. I'm thinking 3 weeks maybe. Which does leave time to fly to Athens and travel around the Agean Sea to Istanbul, then Eclipse it from there. We'll see...

Pacific Coast first then resave cash!

Get back to me soon. If we can crash a night at someone's home and hang with cool people along the way it would be very cool.

Talk soon
13

From: Max Abramowitz <max@1e6.org>
Subject: Eclipse 99
Date: Monday, April 05, 1999 10:24 AM

I am send this message, because it seems the that eclipse99 mailing list I setup has been acting a bit flakey.  Most of the time it would work for me, but nobody else, so I am resorting to the old tried and true method.

If you do not know what I am talking about or you do not know who I am well go to www.1e6.org/eclipse99 and try and figure it out.

Max
max@1e6.org

From: Max Abramowitz <max@1e6.org>
To: eclipse99@1e6.org <eclipse99@1e6.org>
Subject: The eclipse, the black sea, and maps
Date: Wednesday, February 24, 1999 11:29 AM

It is now the end of February.  The eclipse will be upon us soon.  Has anybody been thinking about where we are going to be in Turkey?  I think along the coast of the Black Sea is the best place to see the eclipse in Turkey.

Some reasons I think the Black Sea would be cool

1. Clear weather
2. Longer eclipse
3. I like water and I like fish.  Fish swim in water.

Anybody know where to get good maps of Turkey?  Thirteen have you done anything in this area yet?

Also, I got a call from Guy today.  He suggested that we put a "people" page on the website.  Basically, a list of who even remotely thinking of coming and the probablity that they will come.  I started the list, but ran out of time.  Please send me an email indicating your likelyhood of being in Turkey.

max.
max@1e6.org

From: Max Abramowitz <max@1e6.org>
To: eclipse99@1e6.org <eclipse99@1e6.org>
Subject: Visas
Date: Monday, February 22, 1999 6:35 PM

Just a bit of warning for those of use whom will need visas...

Visas: Citizens of Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand and virtually all the countries of Western Europe need only a valid passport for stays of up to 3 months. UK and US citizens do need visas, obtainable in advance at a Turkish consulate, or upon entry to Turkey.

From: Samira Shah <samira@interport.net>
To: neil@dove-tail.com <neil@dove-tail.com>
Subject: Re: Eclipse weather
Date: Friday, February 05, 1999 9:12 PM

Samira spent a year in syria on a Fulbright scholarship. I visited her and even crossed the syria-Turkey border with her on foot. Unfortunately, although fantastically cheap, syria does not have much infrastructure.  Moreover, I am a little concerned about the loss of seconds travelling that far east. Lastly, if you have a stamp in your passport from Israel, you will be denied entry into syria.  Getting a visa takes some planning, and they might not actually accept eclipse viewing as a valid reason for a visit. Having said all that, the Syrians are kind, generous, and eager to meet westerners, especially Americans.

Alexis

From: Neil Verplank <neil@dove-tail.com>
To: Neil Verplank <neil@dove-tail.com>
Cc: O.T. Chavannes <O.T.Chavannes@let.rug.nl>; Alyosha <alyosha@jalanjalan.com>; Wm. Max Abramowitz <max@1e6.org>; mr.13 <thirteen@xsite.com>; The lovely & talented Michelle Rae <likmyfish@hotmail.com>; O.T. Chavannes <S0941786@let.rug.nl>; melissa@thelookinglass.com <melissa@thelookinglass.com>; geoff reisch <greisch@previewmedia.com>; Lee Schneider <leeschneider@hotmail.com>; Janaki Lund Jensen <jehjan@mail1.stofanet.dk>; adrian stather <adystather@hotmail.com>; catherine gunning <catherinegunning@hotmail.com>; Bradden Wondra <bpwondra@well.com>; Alisa Kotmair <alisalieu@hotmail.com>; LXS & Samira <samira@interport.com>; Benj Gallander <gall@pathcom.com>
Subject: Re: Eclipse weather
Date: Friday, February 05, 1999 3:29 PM

I talked to a friend who's been to Turkey several times, and he suggested that we might consider Syria, including (sp?) Aleppo in the west, and Pamira in the east.  He also mentioned Kapodocia? as good town.

Bout all I know.

neil

Aleppo, Syria (1 hour from Turkey), Pamira ? , Syria (eastern border, architecture, desert),

From: "Max Abramowitz" <max@1e6.org>
To: <eclipse99@1e6.org>
Subject: Driving Safe in Turkey
Date: Wed, 20 Jan 1999 17:09:18 -0500

I thought this was funny

http://travel.state.gov/turkdrv.html

I have install image flip on the webpage (oooh cool)

Max.

From: Samira Shah <samira@interport.net>
To: eclipse99@1e6.org <eclipse99@1e6.org>
Subject: Turkey eclipse august 11, 1999
Date: Friday, December 25, 1998 1:22 AM

Back in 1994-5 I bought a euro-travel atlas of Turkey at 1:800,000 I'll scan in some images later for poosible posting at the site. Inebolu lies at the northernmost edge of the path, 2m19s, however, there is a major road (or was in 1994-95) up to Inebolu on the black sea coast, and then a smaller road travelling west along the coast.  With a GPS, we should be able to get into the centre path and hopefully find some nice coastline to watch.  The area looks pretty, lots of mountains, etc.

Hume, ever heard of Inebolu?

Lonely Planet (1993) says:

" Travelling along the scenic coastal road from Amasra eastward to Sinop is slow going, with mostly local point-to-point minibus services.  If you have your own transport it's enjoyable to explore this relatively untouristed part of the coast, stopping for a swim at Bozkoy beach west of Cakraz, to see the boatwrights at work in the town of Kurucasile, or for a rest in the pretty village of Kapisuyu.

 Inebolu (population 8000) reminds one of Amasra in its splendid isolation, but has several hotels, pensions and restaurants to serve travellers.

 West of Inebolu, Abana is a modest resort which, in a decade, will no doubt be utterly changed, but is now sleepy and pleasant, with a decent beach.  At Ayancik the road divides, with the left (nothern) fork being the more scenic route to Sinop."

Sounds quiet.

Alexis

From: thirteen <thirteen@xsite.net>
Date: Tuesday, December 22, 1998 2:49 PM

Turkey!!!!!

From: Neil Verplank <neil@dove-tail.com>
Subject: Re: Eclipse weather
Date: Monday, December 21, 1998 10:37 AM

all and sundry:

I patched together and modified nasa's maps to create this one - obviously, the dark band is where we want to be.   I passed it on to a friend who's been to turkey to see what he thinks, haven't heard back, but I thought it might help...

neil

From: Samira Shah <samira@interport.net>
Subject: Re: Eclipse weather
Date: Monday, December 14, 1998 6:03 PM

To all,

I have a good friend from Ankara who is now a neuropathologist in New York,  I'll call him up and see.  I was in Turkey some years ago, cheap, comfortable, excellent infrastructure, and damn good food.

I like the idea of going to Turkey, anyone speak Turkish?

Alexis

From max@1e6.org Sun Dec 13 09:03:14 1998

 Date: Sun, 13 Dec 1998 09:48:24 -0500
From: Max Abramowitz
To: eclipse99@1e6.org
Subject: "Website"

 I have made a first attempt at "organizing" a website.

 www.1e6.org/eclipse99

I had a bit of difficult gathering together the emails already sent to the group, so if an email is missing from the archive please let me know.

Max.

From: O.T. Chavannes <O.T.Chavannes@let.rug.nl>
Subject: Re: Eclipse weather
Date: Friday, December 11, 1998 7:43 AM

So the eclipse weather looks good in Turkey - now we have to find a place...I heard Pamukkale is nice -a hot soldwater spring near the Black Sea, close to where the eclipse is going to be. Does anyone know more about Pamukkale or other good places to go to?

@le

From: Neil Verplank <neil@dove-tail.com>
Subject: Eclipse weather
Date: Tuesday, December 08, 1998 11:10 AM

Personally, I think I'm going to Turkey - make the eclipse an excuse to spend a month there, always wanted to go; and I'm with OT - much less desire to see romania, probably way more Tourists. Also Nasa has a very sporty graph showing the likelihood of sunshine and percentage cloud cover along the path (based on past weather, of course):

http://umbra.nascom.nasa.gov/eclipse/990811/figures/figure_23.gif

Although peak viewing would be Esfahan (Iran), the probability of clear skies is way better in eastern Turkey than in Romania. Also, max viewing time is 2'23" in bucharest, but you get 2'13" in some spots in turkey - 10 seconds difference. Considering we had ~4 minutes in '98, I'd go for atmosphere (to say nothing of atmospheric ;-)

By the by, all this data is coming from Nasa's site on the 99 eclipse, table of contents to be found here:

http://umbra.nascom.nasa.gov/eclipse/990811/text/toc.html

neil

pix of 98 eclipse in Venezuela:
http://www.dove-tail.com/Eclipse/

From O.T.Chavannes@let.rug.nl
Date: Tue, 8 Dec 1998 10:47:17 +0200
From: "O.T. Chavannes" <O.T.Chavannes@let.rug.nl>
Subject: Some Rumanian info...

The eclipse in Rumania..

Pretty cool idea, about going to Rumania: the coutry that gets her identity completly from the Roman Empire, since the Romans (and Greek before that) used to have their wineyards overthere. Like the USA would call itself Europia, because we used to get cotton from your farms....Right.

But I have been there 2 years ago with my brothers. Rumania has fucked up area's due to lunatic and president Caucescu (for example the 'Death-channel' where thousands of Rumanians died, digging a channel from the Black Sea to the innerlands, but it turned out to be a pretty impossible plan because they had to cut through a mountainrange; they did it anyway and now the channel isn't used at all), but there is still beautiful nature in Transylvania and in the North-East Delta (where a Russian 'tribe' lives -bright blue eyes and beards- in the swomps, fishing and drinking vodka like water).

Traininfrastructure is good, but slow. The train stops every ones in a while, because the conductor wants to buy a sheep in a nearby village for example. You need to have an Rumanian friend to get the real price for a ticket by the way. Otherwise you pay triple prices.

It was a cool holiday, but the country has quite a lot of minors: the language is impossible to understand (but since that's a problem in a dozen countries -the eclipse is also in Iran right?- its no argument I suppose), people are generally nice and like to talk with you...but they expect you to speak fluently Rumanian. By the way: if you look a bit like a gipsy (or "Roma" like they call themselves) you will get discriminated. Rumanians are complete rascists, just like they hate Hungarians. They seemed to me after a month people with a hugh inferiority complex.

But for the eclipse-adventure probably the biggest minor: the castle from Dracula is fuck'n touristy (especially German families go there), Rumanians don't like it at all, because they don't want there coutry to be known for a blood-sucking flying count created by homofobic Bram Stooker (who has never been in Transylvania). Rumanians prefer the idea of warlord Vlad (the character Bram used for his book) who fought the Turks and liked to put heads from the enemy on sticks-nice guy> Rumania's national hero.

So IF the eclipse-thing is gonna be in Rumania, we'll better don't get to close to the castle. I also have my worst toilet-experience in Rumania. I don't know if I should share this with all of you. But I can tell you that most toilets on campsites / beaches don't have water, paper, light or a door. That's fun if you have diarea! Only a hole with walls around it, where about 500 men and women went to every day. I never felt so terrible. It is said that you can messure the level of civilisation of a country by looking at the toilet.

So you will understand: I have very sweet memories with Rumania. I can get some adresses -for example from a very nice girl "Rodica" who speaks good English and lives in Bukarest.

But to me, Turkey seems more tempting. I have a strange love for the Mosque-prayer in the mornings and I have never been there. And the Turks brought coffee to Europe, so I have to love these people. But we have to see what everybody wants to do. The eclipse also goes just under Istanbul and it supposed to be even cheaper than Rumania (especially if the EU is gonna put economic sanctions on Turkey because of the PKK-leader Ocalan-affair).

Whatever. See you.

Ole Chavannes
Groningen, Holland

From max@1e6.org Sun Dec 13 08:36:23 1998
Date: Wed, 9 Dec 1998 09:34:43 -0500
From: Max Abramowitz <max@1e6.org>
To: eclipse99@1e6.org
Subject: Another welcome message

Hello everybody,

I apologize if this email repeats information I have already sent you. However, I realized that the original email might not have reached everybody in our little group.

Welcome to Eclipse99!

I have setup a mailing list in order to facilitate our communications concerning the '99 Eclipse. I believe I have added everybody that was in Guy's original email, so theoretically if I have done everything correctly you all should be receiving this email.

If you would like to send email to the group, then all you must do is email:

eclipse99@1e6.org

If you would like to be removed from the list just email me directly (max@1e6.org). Please indicate that you want to be removed from the list. Something like, "Get me the F*CK off the list" will suffice.

If you know someone whom would like to be *on* the mailing list, have them email me. I will be happy to add them to the list.

I will handle all request as quickly as possible.

Just to make sure that everything is setup correctly, please email me if you received this email.

Max
max@1e6.org

From: Alyosha <alyosha@jalanjalan.com>
Subject: Here we go again
Date: Wednesday, December 1, 1998 4:45 AM

I know it seems early, especially for as accessible an eclipse as this one promises to be, but might as well do some preliminary investigation, ok?

So. It starts over the Atlantic, grazes the southern tip of Cornwall in England, crosses France, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania, the Black Sea, Turkey, a bunch of Middle-Eastern countries like Iraq that we're not allowed to go to, India, and ends itself somewhere in the Indian Ocean before it can reach Burma. And yes, it just barely touches Belgium and Luxembourg, Yugoslavia, and Syria, but who's counting? Well -- I guess I am -- but anyway you get the picture. To REALLY get the picture, check out http://umbra.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/990811/figures/figure_2.gif