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.
Yarın kadar...
No comments:
Post a Comment