My personal overview of the schedule and program for the EWBC conference, pre-, and post-trips in November
Have you signed up for the European Wine Bloggers Conference in Izmir in Turkey in November? I have.
I started to look at the planning for the event (prompted by the ominous message that registration for the add-on events would start at a certain date at 1900 hours GMT sharp; sounded like either military planning or as if they are expecting an avalanche of inscriptions).
Perhaps you too have started to look at how you should plan your trip. There are pre-trips, post-trips, seminars, conference programs (well, actually, there is no conference program at all published), dinners etc etc. I found it quite a challenge to get a good overview of how it is all planned. It almost feels as if the information is designed so as not to give you any concise information of what the whole event looks like. So I decided to do one for myself.
And as a public service I thought my overview might be useful also for other people, if anyone else is as totally confused as I am.
Once you have figured out what you want to do, then you have also to figure out how to get there.
Update: Personally, when I go on this kind of thing I want to make it as productive and useful as I can. It takes a lot of time so getting as much out of it is important. So my choice for the EWBC is:
- Pre-trip to Canakkale & Tekirdag
- There’s a rumour of a dinner in Istanbul on Nov 7 too that I’m likely to go to
- The conference
- Sunday full day trip to Ephesus
- Post-trip 3 to Cappadocia
- Perhaps something in Istanbul after that, but since the details of the end of the post trip is uncertain I am not sure
Overall planning of the EWBC
Pre-trips
See further down.
Thursday, November 8
- BYOB Dinner, Bring Your Own Bottle Dinner, Izmir, starting 19.00
Friday, November 9
- Conference (program still unknown as of time of writing )
There will be some guest speakers (speaking themes unknown), a wine exhibition, wine workshops, tastings, “technology” workshops, seminars, food. But what, when and how is not yet known.
Saturday, November 10
- Conference (program still unknown as of time of writing)
Sunday, November 11
Sunday wine trips:
- Sunday Vineyard Trip to Izmir, half day
- Sunday Vineyard Trip to Ephesus, full day
- unknown location – unknown duration
- perhaps more
Alternatively:
- ROI on Social Media workshop
Sunday November 11 or Monday November 12
Selection of post-trips. See below.
Pre-Trips
Pre trip #0 (?)
Istanbul: “A half day city walk and dinner will be announced in the future.” Not clear if this will be on the Wednesday or the Thursday.
No information available on this at the time of writing (June)
Pre-Trip: Çanakkale & Tekirdag, November 6-7
South-west of Istanbul
Tuesday, November 6
- Drive from Istanbul to Çanakkale-Suvla Vineyard
- Barbecue lunch at the vineyard
- War memorials from the Gallipoli war
Wednesday, November 7
- Gulor Winery (owned by Güler Sabanci) (~135 km from Tekirdag)
- Lunch in Tekirdag (135 km from Istanbul)
- Doluca Winery
- Drive back to Istanbul
Post-Trips
Post Trip #1: Manisa & Denizli, November 11-13
East of Izmir.
Important: this starts on the Sunday!
Sunday, November 11
- Bus to Selendi
- Cistern Vineyard
- Selendi Winery Akhisar
- hot springs and its ancient Lydia ancestry
- “a fabulously delicious dinner” at the hotel
Monday, November 12
- Acropolis, Temple of Artemis, Gymnasium-Bathhouse, Synagogue
- Kavaklidere Winery for a tour and lunch
- winery visit to Pamukkale Vineyard
Tuesday, November 13
- Hierapolis near Denizli, The “Holy City” (Apollon Temple, Middle Age (Selcuklu) Fortress, Greek Theater, Necropolis…
- Lunch in a local restaurant
- Drive to Izmir
EWBC 2012 Post Trip #2: Elazig, November 11-12
Eastern Turkey.
Important: this starts on the Sunday!
Sunday, November 11
- Plane to Elazig and transfer by bus to Harput
- Ulu Mosque, the Castle of Harput, the Cave of Buzluk and Assyrian churches.
- city center of Elazig, traditional Bazaar
Monday, November 12
- Kayra Elazig Vineyard
- Lunch
- To the Elazig Airport, where you will catch a plane to Ankara
EWBC 2012 Post Trip #3 – Cappadocia, November 12-14
Central Turkey, Central Anatolia
Monday, November 12, 2012
- flight to Nevsehir (Cappadocia Airport)
- Goreme National Park
- Lunch in the Pigeon Valley
- Zelve valley (abandoned ruin valley)
- Kavaklidere Cotes D’Avanos Winery
Tuesday, November 13
- Kocabag Cappadocian Wines is a family owned wine producer
- guided visit of the Pigeon Valley
- Goreme Open Air Museum
Wednesday, November 14
- Optional add-on very early balloon flight
- morning flight will head to Istanbul
EWBC 2012 Post Trip #4: Georgia, November 12-16
Monday November 12
- Flights will leave from Izmir
Tuesday November 13
- ??
Wednesday November 14
- ??
Thursday November 15
- ??
Friday November 16
- Flight return to Istanbul
And here’s some feedback from a previous #EWBC: ”European Wine Bloggers Conference. How was it for you? – BKWine TV”
