We left Greece and after a long and annoying border check, we entered Turkey and drove to Instanbul. I had 3 days there to wander around and went to the Blue mosque and St Sofia and lots of museums (such as the archaeological museum, the museum of ceramic tiles and the museum of carpets and candlesticks) in the rain. That's culture for you.
Of course Istanbul is not complete without a visit to the Sultans palace and the Harem, which under the sultans mother and wives was the true seat of power of the Ottoman empire for hundreds of years. (yes yes, insert Sultana/Date joke here...)
Then it was off to Gallipoli on a beautiful sunny day, which is a quite unique place to be. Again we were the only people there, which made it even more special.
I wandered up from Anzac cove, climbed the hill to Plugges plateau, down into Shrapnel Gully and up to Lone Pine and Chunuk Bair: all names quite familiar to me, but so different when you are actually there. Really makes you think. Watched the sun set over the nice flat beach the Anzacs were meant to land on.
The next day, a short car ferry took us across the Dardenelles and into Asia minor (but still in Turkey).
Went in search of the fabled city of Troy - most people thought it was just a Greek legend until a German guy went digging for it at the place it was written (in the Illiad) to be - and found a bunch of ruins. Nine ancient cities built on top of each other. They reckon the legendary Troy that was fought over by the Greeks to rescue Helen of Sparta was city no. 6 (or 7). Apparently the sea was a lot closer then, as Troy is now a long way inland due to lower sea levels.
Troy is not that big but it's a dense mass of ruins and city walls. I never realised it was only about 2 dozen km away from where the Anzacs landed in WWI (though the French landing was right by it)
Saw the remnant of the temple of Artemis today, once one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world - now there is just one pillar standing. Also visited Esphesus, another huge ruined city (maybe I'm in Rome again)
I did buy everyone (part of) a huge amount of Turkish delight, every flavour imaginable (and then some) but it's really yummy & I have eaten almost all of it. Naturally, we spent a very pleasant evening watching traditional belly dancers and eating vast amounts of Turkish cuisine (other than kebabs).
Visited Termessos - a hilltop city that was never conquered by anyone. Alexander the Great tried & failed, and later the Romans had a look at the cities defenses and declared them allies instead of trying to take it over. Unfortunately, since then the city has had a major run-in with father Time and a couple of earthquakes, and the place is now a mass of overgrown ruins.
We went to Olimpos, a ruined roman (& other) city by the sea, and that night climbed the mountain to see the flames of Chimera spouting straight from the rocky mountainside. We also stayed the night in a treehouse (as you do), playing cards & drinking.
Well that's it for this installment. Heading east tomorrow i think, probably another 10 days in Turkey.
Take care all,
Stowaway
