Alexander Tours?

[Amy]

I have had a passion for Alexander since childhood and I was wondering if anyone knows any companies that offer tours following the route he traveled from Macedonia to Pakistan. Maybe not all in one tour but several seperate tours?
Any information would be appreciated

[nick]

Hi Amy -I know of none. The problem is that when following Alexander's route nowadays, you will be ending up in one political sensitive area after another. Let's see:problem 1: you can't cross from Lebanon into Israel. Frontier closed. You also may face problems entering Syria after your Israel-visit.problem 2: Iraq is off-limits in general. There are specialised tours doing Iraq, but no cross-border tourism.problem 3: Afghanistan. Need I say more?problem 4: India-Pakistan border.And these are just the highlights! Also, there is not really much to see about Alexander... He left little or no real objects for sightseeing.So, better do it bit by bit.Egypt - visit Alexandria, Siwa, Mersa Matruh, Cairo. Nice trip. Good culture shock every now and then.Greece - well, Pella, Mieza & the rest.Iran - difficult if you are a woman, but I only heard good reports of travellers willing to obey the dress restrictions. Persepolis, many other interesting places.Turkey - follow the Agean Coast from Istanbul down to Antakya. The eastern part of Alexander's Turkish route (Adana etc.) may not be that exciting to many tourists.Good luck. Maybe within the next few years peace will be restored (I do not think Bush is the man for that job). Then we'll start our own travel company doing Troy to India in, say, three or four months?Regards -
Nick

[HEPHAISTION]

NOT ISTABUL!
CONSTANTINOPLE PLEASE!

[Historian]

Istanbul (Not Constantinople)-Artists: The Four Lads
-peak Billboard position # 10 in 1953
-Words by Jimmy Kennedy and Music by Nat Simon
Istanbul was Constantinople
Now it's Istanbul not Constantinople
Been a long time gone
Old Constantinople's still has Turkish delight
On a moonlight nightEvr'y gal in Constantinople
Is a Miss-stanbul, not Constantinople
So if you've date in Constantinople
She'll be waiting in IstanbulEven old New York was once New Amsterdam
Why they changed it, I can't say
(People just liked it better that way)Take me back to Constantinople
No, you can't go back to Constantinople
Now it's Istanbul, not Constantinople
Why did Constantinople get the works?
That's nobody's business but the Turks' Istanbul!!
Istanbul!!Even old New York was once New Amsterdam
Why they changed it, I can't say
(People just liked it better that way)Take me back to Constantinople
No, you can't go back to Constantinople
Now it's Istanbul, not Constantinople
Why did Constantinople get the works?
That's nobody's business but the Turks''stanbul!!
Transcribed by Robin Hood

[Stavros]

Istanbul or Constantinople, it has no relevance.The name Istanbul as I was once told by a university professor, is derived from the Byzantine periods when the greeks refered to the sacred city of Konstantinopoli as (Stin poli), poli=city. Being such an important city at the time to the greeks and still is, when the term "Stinpoli" was used people autonomously connected the term to the sacred holy city of Konstantinopoli. "Stinpoli" according to this professor was then adopted by the turkish authority of the time giving the city its turkish translation of "Stinpoli", Istanbul.Please correct me if this is inaccurate or if you have a different view regarding this. I know, I know this is a site dedicated to ATG. kind regards,
Stavros

[HEPHAISTION]

CONSTANINOPLE IS THE RIGTH ONE THOUGH STAVROS HAS RIGHT. WE CAN'T CHANGE THE HISTORY BECAUSE OF THE BUISSINESS. WE DON'T LIKE HOLLYWOOD ALL HERE!!!

[marcus]

In Alexander's time, of course, the city was called Byzantion. So it's all rather academic...All the bestMarcus