Canukkale- Gallipole - Dardanelles - Istanbul

Wow.  Today is our last day.   I have to admit, I am looking forward to ridding myself of the clothing in my suitcase… the novelty has worn off most of what’s in there and I can’t wait to find some fresh ‘looks’. 

This morning we depart by ferryboat across the Dardanelles for the penninusla of Gallipoli and visit Anzac Cove, named after the acronym from the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) in World War I.  I had no idea how pivotal this was to the Turks and to WWI.  The Dardanelles offers access to the Black Sea and to Russia as well as offering potential for new fronts to be established.  We stop for a while to walk Anzac Cove and the air is thick with sadness and  remembrance of the lives of the young men lost... the truth is that many of them were boys, the youngest of which was 17.  Sobering to say the least.

Some local ladies in transit by ferry

Off the bow of the ferry

The European continent (still Turkey though)

Commemorative Plaque

A good view of the site

So young

Taking in nets close to shore

A message from MK Ataturk

  We continue to the Lone Pine Cemetery, which is another location of one of the five memorials on the Gallipoli Peninsula commemorating servicemen killed in the campaign from the former British Empire with no known grave.  The Turkish Government takes great care with this site and pays homage to all the soldiers, regardless of country of affiliation. 

Lone Pine

A Turkish Memorial

The bus now angles east along the north coast of the Marmaris Sea and we are on the final leg of our trip.  E-mails are being exchanged with there is a quietness on the bus as people reflect on the rich experience we have all shared over the last 11 days.  

• We have learned much about the history of this place and how it served as a crossroads for so many points in history, from Troy around 1200BC to Mustafa Kamel Ataturk in the 1920’s and even now with the current events of Syria.
• We learned in a personal way, so much more about the religion of Islam, standing independently of it’s political affiliations and the role it plays for everyday Muslims in their devotion to a faith that espouses peace and generosity to those with whom they share the planet. 
• We learned about the delicious food that serves not only as good nutrition but as a vehicle for socializing and a demonstration of the wealth of the earth through time. 
• We learned about the people of Turkey who demonstrated generosity with a consistent and fervent passion for their country and heritage. 

 Thank you to our tour guide Recep who exhibited patience and grace with the many questions and circumstances that he faced continually.  He shared his knowledge, his humor and his sincere passion for his country. 

Thank you to Haydar, our bus driver who manipulated a 40 passenger Mercedes Benz tour bus like it was a 2-seater jeep.  He negotiated hairpin corners on mountain roads, gridlocked parking lots, ensnared city traffic, hotel entrances, highway construction and broken air conditioning.  Not once did I glance at this man and without receiving a gentle smile in return.

Thank you to Zefir, the assistant bus driver, who was silently yet consistently ensuring that we kept hydrated with cool bottled water at the ready, keeping the bus utterly spotless inside and out.  He was always there to offering a helping hand on and off the bus and made sure that everyone was on board before signaling to Haydar that we were ready to pull out.   At times he had to backtrack into crowded spaces to gently prompt straglers to re-board the bus so we wouldn’t miss a thing.   Despite the language barrier, he was playful and endearing. 

Thank you to our travel mates from so many countries ... proof that learning and sharing creates understanding, understanding creates compassion and compassion creates peace.  

We enter the west side of the huge city of Istanbul and it isn’t until we spot the walls of the old city that we get our bearings and then notice the Blue Mosque and the Bosporus.  In the last few miles Recep shared some of the Turkish literature that he likes, one of which is a poem that he was set to music.  It is a romantic capstone of our trip.  Here is a link that is a lovely rendition of what he shared and it shows many scenes of the city we experienced.  I suggest you play in full screen (if you get a pop-up advertisement, you should be able to close without interfering in the video).

http://youtu.be/q9IYIvH4qTw

I hope you have enjoyed sharing our time in Greece and Turkey.  Please feel free to share with others if you wish.  

Kusadasi to Canukkalle

Another early start and we leave Kusadasi.  As we drive north I look back over my shoulder to see the port and then Samos in the distance across the Aegean and feel like I am now, for the first time, turning towards home.  We are going to Pergamum, where we visit the antiquity of Asclepeion which is what seems to be a wellness centre in which they had meditation rooms, music therapy, dream therapy and therapeutic baths.  They even have evidence of cosmetic surgery (a notable surgeon being Galen).  There are stories of gladiators having ears and noses repaired … the winners I expect.  The losers probably had little need of repair as they were likely killed in the process of doing whatever it is gladiators did.  It is thought that Hippocrates got his medical training at an Asclepeion in Kos and

Asclepeion

The snakes on this column may have been the precursor for the familiar medical symbol with a snake and a rod (Caduceus).  The snake was considered a symbol of healing as it shed its skin.  Also, the venom, albeit poisonous may have had some therapeutic use.  

A walk through the incubation rooms used for dream therapy.

 The bus takes a mountain road that quickly narrows as we travel to a small village for lunch.  Groves of cultivated pine trees look a lot like the miniature trees you would use with a model train set as they are shaped with globular crowns and trunks pruned several feet up.  We find out that these are for harvesting pine nuts as well as for producing they honey that we have enjoyed at our many breakfast buffets.  Getting off the bus, we are greeted by the town leader and we are arranged in groups of 5 or 6 to be escorted to various homes.  Our group of Tim, Marne, Liz, Chuck, Bruce and Vicky was led under a pergola, laden with drying grapes to a private home and are served a beautiful lunch.  Our hostess brings bread, warm from the oven, green olives and yogurt.  Then stuffed vine leaves (the best EVER), roasted aubergine (eggplant) with okra, and then a fried honey pastry for desert along with the sweetest of grapes.  Recep had given us a very quick lesson in speaking Turkish and with the 5 or so words and phrases, we are able to communicate with our hostess enough to discover a little bit more about what we are eating and to express our appreciation for her generosity. 

Pine nuts are harvested from these groves

Tim, Marne, Liz, Chuck and Vicky at lunch.  

We find out from one of our companions later on that they welcomed us in spite of a sadness that was cast on the town due to the death of one of its inhabitants very recently.  How gracious is that!?!

There’s no time to waste and we continue past Izmir, where it is understood that Homer was born (well, Izmir and several other places actually).  On to Troy, famous for its wooden horse, and to learn about its pivotal role during the Trojan War.  Homer’s account is understood by many to be an amalgamation of several battles, mixed with mythological characters  and legend.  The city itself is built layer upon layer over time and archeologists have defined 8 distinct sets of architecture or cities through time although each ‘borrows’ structure from the previous settlement.   Achilles, Paris, Helen, Alexander the Great, Cyclops, Zeus, Artemis and many others make this tangled tale difficult to track.  It doesn’t help that I haven’t read Homer’s Iliad.   Recep does a good job sorting it out for us and many of the group have studied history so offer sidebar tutorials for those of us who have trouble keeping the story straight.  Below us we see a herd of goats being ushered along by someone with a herd of cows following not too far behind.  We all have fun taking pictures of each other within the wooden horse that stands at the gate for the likes of us.  The design was taken from a piece of pottery about the fabled Trojan war.  We end our day at Canukkale at a hotel overlooking the Dardanelles straight which is the focus of tomorrow’s activity.  

A goat herder and his charges

The close quarters in Troy

Here you have a glimpse of the different layers and their proximity to one another

Vicky and Bruce in a 'replica' Trojan horse

Our first look at the Dardanelles

Kusadasi

We have and early start today so that we can beat the crowds from the 2 large cruise ships in port to the gate of Ephesus.  This is one of our favorite antiquities of all those that we have had the pleasure of experiencing over the years.   This marvellous place takes you back to Greek and Roman times as well as biblical history (St. Paul’s letters to the Ephesians).  At one time this place had a population of 250,000 people and the throngs of tourists make it feel like it has that many now!  We visited the Odeon (concert hall), the Fountain of Trajan and the steam-heat Baths of Scolastika and then continued to the majestic Temple of Hadrian, Latrines (public toilets) and the marble Library of Celsus, built to hold 12,000 scrolls.  From there, it was an easy walk to the Great Theatre, the largest in Asia Minor with a capacity of 24,000 seats (that’s how they estimate the population) where St. Paul preached and then along the Arcadian Way, the same path that Mark Antony and Cleopatra once rode in procession. 

Roadsign in Selcuk

A nice look down the Marble way where it was orginally lined with shops

A piece of an architrave showing  Nike, The Godess of Victory.
Her wings are the inspiration for the Nike swoosh logo

 ZJ and a feline tour guide

The Library of Celsus

The large theatre.  Some stories suggest that this is one place
that the Christians met their fate with Lions.

A look at Arcadian Way where there is a costumed re-enactment for the tourists.

We move from Ephesus to the house where it is believe that Mary, the mother of Jesus lived out her days, escorted by John the Apostle.  The site has been visited by several popes

The queue for a glimpse inside of the house of Mary

The many prayers of petition.

Consensus determines that we forgo our scheduled lunch stop to return to the hotel for free time, which we happily use in many ways.  Vicky and Bruce join Linda, Cindy, Frank and Pete for lunch by the harbour and a stroll through the Turkish Bazaar.  This is a fun place for souvenir shopping as well as the occasional artisan shop.  Bruce scores a pair of leather slippers and Cindy and Linda make off with some lovely linen that will find its way under the Christmas tree for family members.  Others stay behind and enjoy the hotel and all it has to offer or make their own way to the Bazaar for treasure hunting. 

Hamming it up at the hotel.

Another swim in the sea, which is likely our last for this trip and we watch the cruise ships leaving port by literally sailing into the sunset. One of them is the twin of the Celebrity ship we will be on next year to this very place on almost the same day next year.  How grand!

Celebrity Equinox leaving port  (we will be on the Silhouette next year)

Pamukkale to Kusadasi

The next day, we start with a visit to our first antiquity, Hieropolis.  It was founded in about 200 BC, likely because of the therapeutic value of the mineral pools and had passed through Roman, Christian and Ottoman hands through its history.  We pass through time as well walking through the Necropolis (graveyard) holding sarcophagi inscribed with Greek lettering, likely in respect of its occupant. 

Recep offering an orientation

A good view of the site of Hieropolis

Marvellous Arches

From the other side with Thomas and Robin

The marble roadway and ruts from the chariots

  

At the end, we catch sight of the marvellous white travertines holding bright blue spring waters flowing from one terrace to next 100 meters down to the plain below.  

Lots of people at the travertine pools

A good pairing!

A less populated view of the travertines with the edge of the town below.
This is more of what we expected.

After a visit there, the compass is set for Kusadasi.  We pass by a geothermal power generation plant that makes use of the same heated waters that created Pammukale.

Geothermal Plant

 If yesterday’s travel was through the bread basket then today we seem to be in the fruit basket.  Pomegranates, figs, oranges, lemons and strawberries all arranged row upon row, field upon field.  We stop at a roadside stand where we enjoyed yogurt with honey and poppyseed.  Yum!  Later we stop for fresh figs.  If you haven’t experienced fresh fig, I encourage you to give them a try as they are very different from their dried version with a mild tasting succulent flesh. 

Cotton Field

Strawberry Field (forever)

 We are escorted to a high end leather manufacturer where we are entertained with a fashion show … and some of the models were our travelmates Thomas and Linda.  What fun!  The goods were marvellous, but a little too rich for the likes of us. 

Linda and Thomas on the runway

In time we arrive at our hotel, one of the many that line the coast here in Kusadasi as it is a favorite vacation spot for many countries.  Beautiful hotel with a freshwater pool as well as access to the saltwater.  Our room has a fantastic view of the Agean sea and Samos where we of course had spent our time with Kathy.  A quick swim before dinner revives and refreshes us and Bruce indulges in a therapeutic massage.  

Cappadocia to Pammukale

We leave the enchantment of Fairy Chimneys and Beehive houses and travel westward on a very long trip to a place with it’s own special magic called Pammukale where the mineral salts from the natural springs deposit into a bizarre ‘frozen’ like state.

Before then, we pass through Aksaray, Konya and Denizli (Google Earth might help here) what could be termed as the bread basket of Turkey with its agricultural land that looks a lot like Southern Alberta. Staple crops like Corn as well as potatoes, sugar beet, pumpkin and watermelon, sunflowers and cotton.  The pumpkin here is grown as a rotation crop for the potatoes and the seeds are what are valued.  The flesh of the pumpkin is used for animal feed.  

Sheep in the meadow

We didn't see much irrigation 

Harvesting involved a lot of manual labor

Hay fields

Tomatoes!!!

More harvest

Lots of windmills.

When in Konya, we stopped at the shrine to Mevlana Celaleddin, a Muslim mystic and founder of the sect of the Whirling Dervishes we saw previously.  There is a crush of tourists mixed with Turks paying homage to Mevlana. 

The Gardens at the Mevlena Mausoleum

It’s a long day as we travelled approximately 750 Km on the bus.  It’s a pleasant and restful drive however, and the time passes quickly.  We have the opportunity to have a passing glimpse of everyday of everyday life in Turkey. 

Street vendors with produce

All kinds of traffic

Cartload of Watermelon

We traverse a pass into a different valley and as the climate changes, we feel the humidity rise.  Olives and Pomegranates appear as we turn north from Denizli to Pammukale, which means “Cotton Castle” because of the look of the mineral pools. 

Our group is losing some of its members now as some are transferring for passage further south.  At our dinner, we become aware that we will miss each other and it is then that we realize that friendships have formed through the shared experience of the country and culture.  Not just of Turkey, but also our respective home countries as well as the stories of other places visited.  In this group of 36 (a few were added along the way), I don’t think that there is a spot on the globe that one of us hasn't touched in some way, including Antarctica.  Quite amazing really. 

Hamming it up for the camera

My new friend Shae from New Zealand

After dinner many of us partake of the tiered pools at the hotel, each one getting cooler as it spills to the next level. You can grab a handful of the mineral mud at the bottom of the pool and massage it onto your skin … it really does feel fantastic.  We rest at the edge of the terrace and are able to look down on a belly dancing performance in the open air lounge below us … fabulous fun!!!