MY FABULOUS DIARY

Dear Diary, 8th May

Today we celebrated Mary' s

birthday. We organized a surprised birthday party for her. We worked really hard. We decorated the house, prepared sandwiches and bought beverages.Her mother also helped us., she ordered a huge chocolate cake. 

On top of it , it was writing 'Happy Birthday Mary'. Jack also arranged some music.Mary got so happy when she saw her party. She thanked us for this big organization. We had lots of fun! It was a wonderful day both for her and us. We are good friends ! Happy Birthday Mary! Wish you a happy new age!

Dear diary, 10th May

After a tiring year, now I am going on a holiday for about three months. I planned a travel round the World. I am going to start my holiday with Turkey. Next week I am going to go to Turkey for my holiday.  I am very happy and excited for the trip. I will see new places and experience many different things. 

I will relate every detail of my trip after it. Now, I must pack my suitcase, so take care. See you till then !

Dear diary,

It's been so long that I haven't written you. I missed you a lot. This year I had a three months holiday. I collected so much memories and now I want to share with you. During this time, I saw many different countries and

met new cultures and traditions. I learned many new things , saw beautiful landmarks, tasted wonderful traditional meals , visited many tourist attractions, tried different folk dances and finally bought lots of souvenirs. You must see them they are great! 

I also learned many interesting things about countries; such as superstitions. Some countries have really interesting superstitions.

I am sure you will also get surprised when you hear them. I also met wonderful people and made new friends. 

I went first to Turkey, Bursa where I wondered a lot for so long. I travelled by plane. 

I was so excited for my new cultural trip. The plane arrived in İstanbul and by bus I travelled to Bursa. I preferred bus because I wanted to see the cultural beauty on the way to Bursa. 

I passed from Bosphorus Bridge. The landscape was amazing!

Finally I was in Bursa. I heard and read a lot of things about this beautiful city. It is a historical city with many tourist attractions. 

On my first day, I wanted to visit Ulu Mosque. It was huge with twenty domes. Inside of the mosque was also amazing. 

Muslim people come to pray here. The Ulu Mosque was built by Yıldırım Bayezıd from 1395 to 1399. It’s the biggest mosque in Bursa.

In Bursa, Green Mosque and Green Tomb were another beautiful tourist attractions. Its colour attracted me first. Its tiles looked great in turquise color. 

Bursa is famous for its tiles and ceramics which I also bought as souvenirs. 

The Green mosque is in the area of Yeşil.It was built by Çelebi Mehmet in 1939. Green mosque is famous with its colour.It is the most beautiful and glamorous mosque in Bursa.Its architect is Hacı Ivaz Ağa.

In Bursa, my next stop was Tophane. There was a clock tower and you could look over the city from this place. It had an eyecatching scenery. 

Here were also the tombs of the first Ottoman Emporeres. Bursa had an important place in Ottoman History. Bursa was the first capital city of Ottoman Empire. 

On my second day, I went to Cumalıkızık which is a village with many historical and natural beauties. Cumalıkızık is also in the list of UNESCO. There were old Turkish traditional houses there. 

Women cooked 'gözleme' , a kind of dough with cheese or potato. It was delicious. I highly recommend you to taste it.



Its history goes back to the Ottoman Empire's foundation period.  The historical texture of the village has been well protected and the civilian countryside architectural structures of the early Ottoman period are still intact. Because of this, Cumalıkızık has become a popular but still unspoiled center for tourists.

Another place, I visited was Irgandı Bridge. There was a river under the bridge. It looked wonderful!

You should definetely see this place!

On my third day, I went to Koza Inn. Bursa is famous for silk industry and textile. They produce silk from silkworm and make wonderful fabrics.

 

Towels are also very famous in Bursa. You can find many kinds of towels with lace. I also bought towels and silk fabric as souvenirs. 

 Koza Inn has maintained its importance as the inn that was used by the government officials who carried out duties related to commerce and trade. 

Today, at the inn, silk scarves are sold to domestic and international tourists and the Internal Koza Inn is now being used for eating and drinking purposes.

On my last day, I went to Ulu Mountain by cable car.Bursa is a city with a mountain and and a sea.  

So you can both swim at sea in summer and ski at mountain in winter. People living in Bursa are very lucky! 

 It is a popular center for winter sports such as skiing, and a national park of rich flora and fauna. Summer activities, such as trekking and camping, also are popular.

In Bursa I also had a chance to watch 'Karagöz and Hacivat Shadow Puppet'. It was funny and I laughed a lot. 

According to a legend, they were working as construction workers in a mosque in Bursa. Although their satiric jokes entertained other workers it also held up the building of the mosque by their constant joking together. As a result it made the sultan very angry and anxious about whether Karagoz and Hacivat could encourage rebellion in others, so they were executed. The construction of the mosque was completed without them, but their comrades did not forget them and kept their jokes alive, telling them over and over. In time, the adventures of Karagoz and Hacivat gained a new dimension and the traditional Turkish shadow puppet theatre was born. Their monumental tomb stands in Bursa today.

As for meals, I had a chance to try many delicious meals. City of Bursa is famous for its peach. There are many varieties of peaches in Bursa and it is one of the most popular fruits during the summer months.

Bursa is also famous for its chestnut. It is mostly eaten in winter by toasting on the stove. 

Candied chestnut made from the famous chestnuts of the skirts of Uludag is prepared with the chestnuts that are boiled inside the sweetened juice. Varieties of candied chestnuts are the characteristic sweets of Bursa. 

The first meal people recommended me to try was İskender Kebap.It is a meal made of meat, bread and tomato sauce. It is served with yoghurt and şıra , a special kind of beverage in Bursa. 

Cantık and lahmacun were also very tasty.  

 It is the most well known food of Bursa. Actually it is first prepared in 1867 in Kayhan Çarşısı. Though Its main ingredient is Döner, a kind of fried meat,what gives its taste is the butter and tomato sauce over it and the yoghurt with a special bread called pide under the meat.

Turkey, folk dances are very famous. They wear traditional clothes according to their regions. 

I learned that in Turkey, there are different kind of folk dances such as, Horon, İzmir, Zeybek, Halay.

I bought many souvenirs from Turkey. Each item has a meaning.

In Bursa, I had a great time, I experienced many things about ist culture and traditions. I will definitely visit again!

Dear Diary ,

After such amazing days in Turkey , I had the chance to go to Romania. I have got a friend there who invited me last year and I couldn't say no. Now, here I am , in Ataturk airport again , waiting to embark to Bucharest . It is going to be a short flight, less than 2 hours!

Arch of Triumph, Bucharest

The Palace Of Parliament is the seat of the Parliament of Romania. It is situated in the capital, Bucharest , and it is the second largest administrative building in the world .

My friend gave me a lift from the airport to Giurgiu . It was a one and a half hour trip. A blink of an eye and we were at home.

The coat of arms represents the image of Saint George , the protector of the town, the Clock Tower which is the symbol of the town and the Danube River.

There are some old houses with an interesting architecture on the street where Alex, my friend , lives .

His house is on the first floor, above a shop called " Dreams " . It was built in 1906. Unbelievable !

The street is in the old part of the town which now is a pedestrian area.

At the end of the street there is the railway station , more than 100 years old.

Day 2 ,

I overslept today . I got up around 11, at my friend's insistence. Sunny day, a bit windy , good enough for a stroll .

The cathedral .

This is an orthodox cathedral built in 1840 It has a basilical plan, with spires above the nave and entrance, and Byzanthine forms.

The Clock Tower has been guarding Giurgiu for more than two centuries. Built at the end of the Russian-Austro-Turkish War as a point of observation of the entrances to the fortified fortress, it was later used as a fireplace, due to the high frequency of fires at that time.

On the left there is the history museum of the town, located vis-a-vis the " Alley Park ".

Town Hall

The port on the Danube.

The port statue.

Day 3,

Time to go back to the airport for my journey to Poland . I also have friends waiting for me there !

It was not a long stay but I enjoyed every moment ! Thank you , Alex , for your invitation !

Dear Diary,

Today I started on a virtual journey. The Journey began in my village Hărău. Hărău is located in Hunedoara County.

Secondary School Hărău, Romania

About 35 km from our village is the famous Corvins's Castle. The castle is a large and imposing building made of stone with towers, bastions, and many halls.

I read the castle legends and other historical information. Any tourist may wish to visit this castle.

Dear Diary,

Every country has a capital city. The capital of Romania is Bucharest. It is a very nice city.

I read the legend of the city and gathered photos for the album.

December 1st

The National Day of Romania has arrived. This year 100 years from the Great Union. At school, we all learned about how the Great Union was made in 1918. We sing patriotic songs and read about the history of the Romanian flag.

January 15th

It is winter. It is cold. Today is a big day. Born Mihai Eminescu, our most famous poet. At school, we read poems and warmed our soul.

Dear Diary,

Do you have any superstition? Today I've been telling my colleagues about all sort of supertitions. We have learned that our superstitions resemble to those of our friends in partner countries.

We had fun. Nothing scientifically proven.

Hi, my dear Diary!

Today we talked about souvenirs. We brought souvenirs from our trips around the country.

Dear Diary,

How do you greet the host of other countries that visit you? I thought of traditional Romanian dishes.

March 1st

Dear Diary,

Is the first day of spring. I'll choose my"baba". "Baba" means old lady. I choose a day and how the weather will be that day, so it will be the year> beatiful, ugly, rich or poor, fortunate or unlucky etc.

Dear Diary,

People are very inventive. Today I learned that in the past they used all sort of materials to make household objects or decorations: wood, clay, twigs, wicker, rope etc. I decorated a polystyrene egg. I used rope.

My colleagues made decorative drawings with traditional motifs.

ROMANIA

CLASS I

Romania is situed in Central Europe, in the northern part of the Balkan Peninsula and its territory is marked by the Carpathian Mountaines, the Danube and the Black Sea.