Dubai College @ Space Camp Turkey 2013

Thursday 13 June 2013

Day 7 - Goodbye Space Camp!!

Goodbye and thank you(!!!!!) to everyone who made Space Camp Turkey the best time of our lives!!!!!

And Happy Birthday Space Camp Turkey!!!

Day 6 (12th June) – Graduation

The day has come! With three perfect flight missions Teams Mars, Jupiter and Saturn earned their wings and graduated Space Camp this morning. There were team prizes for best mission, best programming, best robot design, space jeopardy and an individual prize for leadership. Details of the winners will be appearing here on another blog along with photos of the robotics competition. The DC staff are very proud of the outstanding performances by our young astronauts. Miss Li Fook and Mr Hann watched from Mission Control as the Flight Directors and Commanders kept their crew ‘right on the line’ through every malfunction warning and crisis the simulator threw at them.

After graduation we piled onto the bus for our trip back in time to the Roman city of Ephesus. First stop was Şirince, a beautiful rustic village in the mountains up a twisting road that would have given Mr Hill a heart attack if knew about it. We walked/clambered/climbed up through the winding streets to the market at the top for yet more shopping. If you have a daughter you can possibly expect to receive some olive oil soaps or beautiful jewelry as a present. If you have a son……..you might see the genuine Turkish New York Yankees baseball cap he bought for himself. The DC staff quickly realised that if you want to know how to get a great deal then follow Angus. He’s recovered from his broken finger to become the bartering king of the trip. Lunch was at the top of the village and just as tasty as yesterday. But even the lovely kebabs were nothing on the amazing views from the open-air restaurant.

Back on the bus and we made our way to Mount Koressos high above Ephesus to visit the House of the Virgin Mary, an important shrine for both Catholics and Muslims. Just as importantly, it is a beautiful location and very peaceful. Those who wished to could visit the chapel or add a note on the wishing wall.

Down the hill to the Roman city of Ephesus. In a hyphenated word, mind-blowing. One of the most intact roman city ruins in existence, the scale of it and its restoration really allows you to imagine narrow city streets and vibrant life on the coast of the Aegean 2000 years ago. It’s not possible to describe every part of the city on this blog but there is time to highlight the huge Library of Celsus that was damaged in an earthquake and rebuilt within the roman period. Just when we were getting our breath back walking through the commercial agora (or Mall of the Ephesus?) we caught sight of the 25000(!) seat theatre. A fantastic short musical was put on by some of our girls that the Muppets couldn’t have done better themselves.

After drinks and ice cream it was time to drag our tired feet back to the coach and home for our last night at Space Camp. Dinner and into the Space Camp movie theatre for Apollo 13 (which is the reason Mr Hann is typing this so late at night – it gets better and better every time you watch it).

Tomorrow is our last day and although we will be sad to leave we will also be glad to get home…..actually no. None of us want to leave and quite frankly could stay here another week for more simulators, more robotics, more T-chair, more zero-G, more moonwalking, more astronomy, more skylab, more space missions and more everything!!!

Goodnight and see you tomorrow!!!

PS. I’ve been told off by Miss Li Fook for avoiding pictures of myself on the blog all week so just to get her off my back...

Tuesday 11 June 2013

Day 5 (11th June) - Rocket Launches and City Visit

Yet another early start but we're all getting used to 16 hour days! After breakfast we all got on minibuses to the rocket test range on another part of the Esbaş free zone to launch our rockets. All were successful launches but we've got a few Major Toms desperately calling ground control as they spun out of control on reentry. But the spectacle was fantastic.

At 11 o'clock it was off to draw our money from the Space Camp bank and head into Izmir for our City tour and shopping. First stop was the Clock Tower (a gift from German Kaiser Wilhelm II to the Ottoman Empire) and the First Bullet monument commemorating the first shot fired against the Greek occupation forces by Hasan Tahsin (duck Vicky S!). Next was genuine Turkish lunch of Iskender (kebab and yoghurt) or cheese-bread in the Karşıyaka area near the Agora (bazaar), very tasty and much needed. Staying in the bazaar everyone was let loose with their turkish lira and encouraged to spend it all on beautiful jewellery and souvenirs for they beloved and devoted parents. Don't blame the teachers if the only things the boys came back with was Turkish Delight (empty boxes by now) and fake Ray-Bans!

Finally we stopped off along the corniche for a trip up the oldest elevator in Izmir in the Ansansor Tower. Fantastic panoramic views of the city and bay. The street below is named after the famous Turkish musician and singer Dario Moreno and his music plays in the lift on the way up the tower (although Mr Hann thought it sounded like a track from Rapture, BioShock - in a good way).

Back at Space Camp the teams are straight into more activities and after dinner it's the Robotics Engineering Competition. High calibre field and too close to call from what we've seen in the design sessions.

Tomorrow we are off to Ephesus and back in time to the days of the Roman Empire.

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