Turkey at last!

We had been planning to visit Turkey for a while. Finally, a self-made tour for Instanbul and a packaged trip to the main parts of Anatolia did the trick. I say 'packaged' because it was packaged with journeys, places, and interesting people along the way. Nice Indians, Italians and South Africans and of course Turkish people with a 'top gun' lenses style made our experience very nice.

First two days in Istanbul and as soon as we get our lonely planet guide out of the bag to check it, we are swamped with people inviting us to enter into their shops. Marvelous carpets, leather, ceramics, but they will have to wait...

AyaSofia (St Sophia) and the Blue Mosque: A must visit, together with the Museum of Turkish and Islamic arts. The city is very quiet, because of religious festivities. The sacrifice of Abraham is commemorated.

Off to Ankara on a night train. We cross to the Asian part of Istanbul. The city is immense really. Traffic is a nightmare but there are the boats and ferrys to help.

Ankara, Ataturk and the Museum of Anatolian Civilisations. This is now the center of the country. From paleolithic times we see evidence of settlements. Some superstition elements clarify to me that the 'moon' in Turkey's flag brings also the history of the past. Ankara, a growing city, regenerating abusive houses, excellent airport and roads. But wait to see where we go!!

Cappadocia. Long trip from here between mountains and steppes (estepas), typically from Russia but here we see that Anatolia flows from there. Goreme air museum, full of small chapels and houses on the rocks. Christians have settled there. The underground city of Kaymakli have provided them with shelter and protection against Seljuks. But the Seljuks are here to stay, they are here to become the Ottoman Empire. I am poised to see more Ottoman evidence here.

And I find it. The carpets (brought from Persia), the karavanserai (houses built on the silk road in Seljuk times); the bazaars. A mixture of cultures seen in the dancing (our friend saw the video and sees similarities with dances in Georgia and other countries from the Black see). Belly dancing for beginners like me (and I saw my belly, and I am now recovering from the shock!).

Turkey offers a lot. Pammukale and the city of Hierapolis from Greco-Roman times is a good appetiser for Ephesus (Efeso). The best preserved forums, houses, mosaics and library I have ever seen from the Greco-Romans (I have to go back to Greece to check more). The transition between these two becomes blurred, but so is the differences about stadiums, theatres and forums.



The West has retreated to the West, and now we have Turkey as a point of meeting with the East and much more. Will they be accepted in the European Union? I hope so, in fact, the Fiats and the others have made the country home in many respects. Lots of industry, lots of people willing to progress. Roads that take you everywhere, where everywhere there is a kebap shop and you can dine for as little as £1.50 (a tourist menu). Our bus back has two drivers and two waiters, Turkish music, the delight of crossing the sea by ferry and feel the breeze.

Imagine if you live in Turkey, or you live in the Asian part of Istanbul where we have returned. Traffic everywhere, boats everywhere, the city moves, they move, we move. The city bargains, we bargain. The city sweetens, we buy baklavas. We wake up to go home now, and our receptionist becomes our driver, thanks for dropping us, thanks for hosting us, wonderful country and experience.

Now reading Orhan Paumk's snow, indeed a good novel. But I also have my own experience of Istanbul Orhan, thank you!