Day 77 - Farewell Turkey

Departure day and I am really sad to be leaving.  I do want to move onto other places but on the other hand would love to stay here as I’m only just getting a feel for Istanbul.  My Turkish has really improved, so given another week at least it would be so much better.  I have been using it as often as I can – generally the reaction is surprise that I am pronouncing it fairly well.  I love the language – if I thought I could even use it in the future I would go to classes.

After taking a few final photographs, buying my fridge magnets (buying one from every country I go to – small thing as a souvenir, cheap and easy to pack), saying goodbye to the people I met in the street, I then headed off via shuttle bus to Ataturk Airport.  I know I definitely will come back to Turkey and it won’t be as long as 18 years before I visit again.  I will also buy one of the gorgeous carpets!

Han Hotel, my accommodation in Istanbul

Sirkeci Train Station

Flights back were fairly uneventful except being astounded by the rudeness of some passengers on the flight.  It gave me an opportunity to download photos, type up notes for my blog, and make plans for the next countries I will visit. 

I am just about half way through my trip!!!!  Incredible how fast it is going.  I will be in London for the next 2 weeks, enjoying my birthday with friends, cricket at Lords, going to see Shakespeare at the Globe Theatre (has been a dream for a long time), see some sites in London, and have some down time in Farnham.  I can honestly say I am not homesick – travelling, especially solo is tiring but it is also invigorating.  I really do treasure the opportunities this trip is giving me. 

After London I go to Paris with Maria and her mother for a weekend (leaving 11 June), then looking at catching a train to Zurich Switzerland to see Christoph, his daughter and meet his partner.  Then, it is onto Prague and Cesky Krumlov, possibly via train, Hungary, and then playing with my friend Al from 25^th June in Slovenia and Croatia.  Al and I will then travel to Belgium to see Choc and Koen mid July.  I am not quite certain now when to fly out of Europe to Asia (I want to spend as much time in Europe as possible but not certain how finances will go), but the plan when I do is to visit Nic in Hong Kong and travel around Malaysia with her for a couple of weeks.  It is going to be fabulous travelling with friends!

I made it back safely to Farnham, Olly picked me up at the station and had a lamb roast waiting for dinner!  Yum.  It is great sharing my travels with Olly as she has been to many of the same places.

Day 76 - Gallipoli

- I really have trouble sleeping if I know I have to get up early the next morning, even if I have 2 alarm clocks set!!  Drives me crazy.  I was being picked up between 6.30-7am for my day tour to Gallipoli but was awake from about 4am. 

The Gallipoli site is a long bus ride from Istanbul – after picking up all the passengers from their various hotels, we didn’t really set off on the til about 8am.  We only had a stop of about 30min along the way, and arrived in the region after 12.30am.  I really wasn’t in the mood to talk on the bus – ipod great in those situations.

After lunch (pretty good meal), we were transported around the Gallipoli area via big bus.  Our guide was Mourat, and he was excellent, providing a really clear picture of the events leading up to ANZAC day, the Turkish perspective, a blow by blow description of what it was like at the time (as per letters and communication from people who were there), and all in a very sensitive manner. 

Places we visited in order were:

1. What is known as Brighton Beach
2. Hell’s Pit
3. Shrapnel Beach
4. ANZAC Cove
5. Site of Simpson’s grave (as in Simpson and his donkey)
6. Site of ANZAC day ceremony
7. Ari Burnu Cemetery (found the grave where a family member is buried)
8. Lone Pine Australia Memorial
9. Johnson Jolly – trenches still exist in the area
10. Turkish Cemetery
11.  Nek Cemetery
12. Chumuk Bair – first objective of the Allied landing in April 1915 because it is the highest point in the area, and site of NZ Memorial.

The whole took about 4.5 hours.  It was incredibly moving.  War sucks. 

Wild poppies at Brighton Beach

ANZAC Cove

Grave of Simpson

Tourists reading plagues outlining what occured in the area, against the backdrop of the rugged terrain

Statue from Lord Casey, Australian General honouring the bravery of a Turkish soldier who assisted an injured Allied soldier

Lone Pine

Trenches still clearly visible

Turkish memorial and cemetary

To give you an idea of the terrain

An amazing man - Ataturk

We then headed back to Istanbul on the bus, leaving at 6.30pm and again having a 30 min break on the way.  I did not get back to my hotel til midnight so was well and truly exhausted.  At least I had space on the bus on the way back to lie down and have a nap every now and again.

Day 75 - Cappadocia to Istanbul (more balloons and backgammon)

Again, hot air balloon wake up call. This time a balloon had landed in the space below our hotel, so it was right in front of me and I really got a sense of the size.  Passengers got off, others got on and then it took off.  It is really a magnificent site to see in the morning.

After breakfast I was picked up by the shuttle to take me to the airport.  It is a quick trip to Istanbul, about 1 hour 20 minutes.  I was talking to a couple on the shuttle who have a shuttle booked the other end to take them into central Istanbul from the airport.  Hoping to be able to access it too, instead of a bus and taxi – cheaper and more direct.  I shared my hand cream with a Turkish woman beside me on the plane.  She then proceeded to snort and cough (as if coughing up a fur ball!) the whole trip – pleasant!!

Back in crazy Istanbul, I felt as if I was coming home as all the staff in the hotel had smiles on their faces when they saw me.  What to do next in Istanbul – I have very little time left in this city.  After a shower I decided to head off and tackle the Grand Bazaar but on the way I bumped into a friend from the carpet shop who said he had time to take me out site seeing – I decided what I really wanted to do was play backgammon (a traditional Turkish board game) and smoke nargileh (water pipe), so that is what we did for the next few hours.  I really enjoy the game but am not good at concentrating on it...need to keep practicing.  Would love to buy a backgammon board here but would weight too much (buying a decent one that is).  I then went to the Grand Bazaar for a wander around and to purchase some drawings of whirling dervishes – my reminder of my time in this beautiful country.

Soccer supporters celebrating their teams win with flares, music and cheering

Dinner was at a local restaurant, followed by more backgammon and a couple of drinks.  It was great having company and being taken to places I didn’t even know existed.

Blue Mosque at night

Day 74 - Touring Cappadocia

I woke at 6.45am to the sound of big gushes.  Since I have heard it before when living with Bernie, I knew what it was so jumped out of bed and grabbed the camera.  One of the favourite things tourists do is have a hot air balloon ride over Cappadocia.  So, when I got out of bed and out of my bedroom, I was thrilled to find many hot air balloons floating in front of my hotel.  It really was a wonderful sight.  I’m not tempted to do it myself, it is expensive, and I really don’t think I could cope with the height.  Anyway, a great start to the day.

My stomach still wasn’t the best so I had a light breakfast (yoghurt with Pekmez – molasses, made of grapes) and apple tea (elma cay) before going on a tour that was the least strenuous of the two options. 

Overall the tour was good, but it really made me appreciate the tours I did with Intrepid.  Communication and coordination was lacking, so we wasted time at a couple of places which was unfortunate, and all the tours went to the one restaurant for lunch (rather than smaller groups supporting a variety of restaurants). 

Cappadocia means “land of the beautiful horses” as it was famous for the good quality horses that were used on the silk road during the Hittite Empire, and Goreme is a town in the Cappadocia region and the word means “hidden place”.  The area is famous because of the lunar looking landscape that came about after the eruption of 3 volcanoes at the same time, many millennia ago.  Ash then volcanic lava has led to layers over the area have been gradually eroded by wind and rain, resulting in huge stone mushrooms and fairy chimneys, soft ridges and deep valleys.  People carved out homes in these mushrooms and chimneys, and dug underground, to protect them from invaders.  Although it is really sad to see an obvious lack of building restrictions in some places (huge hotels being built), in some areas it really has retained a fascinating aura.  Against this backdrop is Mt Erciyes, which is snow-capped.  Because of the volcanic soil, the area is very fertile so there are many crops and vineyards in the area.

Yes, giant penis's

Wild iris grow everywhere in the area

If any of you come, or if I come back, I will definitely allow about 4/5 days for this place as there are a lot of hikes in the area, to get away from the tourist buses, and Goreme Open Air Museum deserves half a day, not the hour I had. 

The tour I went on had about 16 people, half Italians so there was an Italian guide, and the rest were Turkish except for myself and a girl Wendy from Hong Kong.  

After the tour I walked down to the town to buy water and go to the ATM (credit card wasn’t working).  I caught up with a couple from the tour, both from Istanbul, and they invited me for a beer.  They were lovely, and it was great talking about travel and Turkish life with them.

After a shower and a rest I then was taken by a driver (about 60, called “Black Snake”- very funny man), to a place to watch the Whirling Dervishes.  There were a lot of demonstrations available in Istanbul but always at a restaurant – this seemed a lot more traditional.  There were a lot of tourists at the performance, not photos allowed.  12 men came out in white capes and strange hats, 6 played music, 5 whirled, 1 supervised.  They started off with chanting, then music, then whirling, and it really was fascinating to watch.  How they don’t get dizzy I really don’t know, but it was so lovely watching the serene expressions on their faces as they turned, especially on 2 of them.  The music was really relaxing, and the whole event was quite spiritual. Some people looked bored stupid, I really enjoyed it.  As it is a religious ceremony, people aren't allowed to take photos which is fair enough.

Day 73 - Off to Cappadocia!

It wasn’t a good night sleep at all, I think I had a fever and there was a lot of noise on the street.  Therefore, it was a big effort getting up at 5am but it had to be done. 

I caught a taxi to a bus depot, so I could get out to Sabiha Gokchen Airport, all up it took about an hour.  I started eating a little of the almonds I had, and drinking loads of water.  I was feeling good after that so bought a coffee – bad move, I was in the toilet throwing up as they called my flight!

Anyway, I made it to Kayseri Airport after a flight of 1hr 20min (great variation on a plane safety video – children about 6 years acting in the roles of pilot, stewards and passengers so paid attention for the first time in ages), then jumped on the pre-arranged transfer to Goreme and my accommodation.  It was a long drive so I am pleased that I arranged the transfer – never quite know if I am getting value for money with transfers but on this occasion, it was excellent.

My accommodation, Goreme Suites, is just briliiant!  The room is huge, tastefully decorated, and I look out the windows at fairy chimneys. 

Fardi, the guy who manages the place is great, and really helpful.  I just couldn ‘t cope without sleep for any longer so for the first time in all my weeks away to date, I had a nap – wouldn’t have been able to function without it.

After the nap, I was game to try and find something to eat.  Fardi put me onto a local restaurant that serves clay pot casseroles – it was delicious, with chicken, eggplant, tomatoes, spices, served with rice, salad and bread.  Didn’t know if I could hold it down but willing to try.

I then wandered around the town for a couple of hours, taking photos.  It is incredible seeing a shop in the main street and just behind it are the fairy chimneys.  The town has a very relaxed atmosphere which is a great change after the chaos and noise of Istanbul.

I am going to do a tour of the area tomorrow as I only have one full day in Cappadocia...not certain which one to do.  I will have a very early night though and make the most of the incredible bedroom – size, bed incredibly comfortable, and the area so quiet.

Day 71 - Exploring Istanbul via red double decker bus (sorry, out of order!)

 It is Sunday in Istanbul.  I am now back to a land whereby driving is on the right side of the road - I forget to look left again!

I decided to do a city siteseeing tour of Istanbul via red double decker bus - I did it before in Marrakesh and Dublin, a good way to get oriented to the city and you can jump on and off at any time.  I did one whole loop of the city, just listening to the audio, and not really taking any photos.  We went from the Sultanahmet district (old Istanbul), where I am staying, down to the Golden Horn, across the Galata Bridge to the Northern part of the European side of Turkey (ie west of the Bosphorus), around a section then back over the Golden Horn via Ataturk Bridge, followed the Golden Horn quite a way then south following the city wall to the Sea of Marmara.  A short way from the end of the loop, I got off at the Fish Market and then walked back to central Istanbul along the promonade.  There weren't many people around at this stage.  It is a great day, about 27c.

Back in Istanbul I found myself around the back of Aya Sofya so had a look around.

A quick stop at my hotel then I went off on the citytour again (you can go on it as many times as you want in a day), this time I sat on the other side of the bus and took photos.

I got off at the furtherest stop as I heard and read about the Kariya Museum.  It was tucked away out of the way behind the city walls so I had to ask for directions a couple of times.  Once I found it, I was blown away.  Kariya Museum, as it is now known, was built as a church in the late 11th century, and after repairs and restructuring it was converted to a mosque at a later date.  It has the most amazing mosaic frescos!  The detail was unbelievable and like it said in Lonely Planet, not as many people venture out to this western side of Istanbul.

After meeting the bus again, I decided to get off at the Fish Market and walk along the promonade again as it was now afternoon and literally hundreds of people were out having bbq's on the grass - it was such a site to see, they had their own bbq, food, hammocks, toys, games etc with food stalls lining the promonade.  A number of men were sitting around on the rocks without their shirts on or swimming in the water (no females!), people eating seeds, playing board games, fishing and generally having fun together.   A large number of the women were covered - they wear a head scarf, and most have an overcoat on over their clothes that touches their ankles or the ground.  Food ranged fom fresh cucumbers, apples, fish sandwiches, seed and nut stalls, beer and water on ice, bread/pretzels, mussels and lemon...anything you could want just about.

A little like side-show alley, just set up on the promonade

Huge ships like this are all along the water

Once back at the hotel I had a shower then went downstairs to the restaurant attached to the hotel.  I grabbed a table on the street for dinner and a beer.  Whilst sitting there and writing notes for my blog, 3 people came over from the carpet shop across the road that I had met a couple of days before, and sat on the table next to me.  We all started talking (Halid, Yousef and Julie), and they invited me to their shop for a bbq that they put on every couple of weeks for customers.  The plan was to go out for a couple of drinks afterwards but we all ended up in the carpet shop drinking tea, talking and meeting other interesting characters that joined the group at different times, til quite late.

Notes:
- I never really got the opportunity to talk to any Turkish women.  Men work in the hospitality trade, the street stalls and shops, with few women to be seen in this employment.  There are a lot more women out and about in Turkey compared to Morocco
- Turkish men are generally charming and direct in their manner, but can just as easily be quite dismissive and overly passionate
- people have been tolerant, and some even quite encouraging of my attempts to speak Turkish
- I feel incredibly safe wandering around by myself, but admit I did not do this a lot after dark

Day 72 - Princes Islands

A few people had told me that I really should go on a ferry ride, either along the Bosphorus, Golden Horn, or Princes Islands.  I decided on the latter.  There are 9 islands in the group and it lies 20km southeast of the city in the Sea of Marmara.  Only 5 of the 9 islands are populated.  I’m going to Buyukada, the largest island of the group.  There are no vehicles on the island so getting around is walking or hiring a donkey or bicycle.

I left the hotel with cheese sandwich in hand and ran down to the ferry terminal, only to discover I was at the wrong place.  I then spent the next 25 minutes walking to the right on, and then had an hour wait before we departed. 

The ferry was an experience in itself, packed with a group of high school students who were having fun singing songs and generally being boisterous. 

There were loads of tourists as well, some who started feeding the seagulls who followed the ferry.

The seagull ended up coming and snatching the food out of his hand!

I met a couple on the ferry who were both born in Turkey but live in Sydney.  They asked if I wanted to share the cost of a horse and cart ride through the island to St George Monastery, that sits between Buyukada’s 2 highest hills.  So that is what we did, hired it for as far as we could go, then it was by foot along the steep path for 20 minutes.  It really was worth it, I didn’t go in the mosque but the view of the water and surrounding land and islands was gorgeous.  I had a beer with the couple then I left to walk down through the streets.  I was surprised how much the architecture reminded me of New Orleans.

On the way back people were going past in both directions either on foot, bicycles (that could be hired on the island), or via horse and cart.

I didn’t feel well in the stomach when I finished the walk and had an ice-cream, thinking it was hunger (not a good option in hindsight).  I got through the ferry trip back to Istanbul (lucky because and adolescent boy threw up not far from us – real OH&S issue but none of the ferry staff would clean it up!!), then decided to get a taxi directly to the hotel instead of wasting time with the tram.  I picked a bad time to not be paying attention as got ripped off by the taxi driver, not a lot of money but enough for me to be annoyed at myself – hope he chokes on his next kebab!

Got back to the hotel, threw up, arranged for my transport to the airport the next day then went right to bed...I really feel unwell.