90 Days in Turkey Spring 2022

[frwjd]

Day 103
Thursday 17th February
Good morning!
Another beautiful sunny day with 17C forecast, that's positively scorching and warm enough for anyone!
It's a shame that we didn't find anywhere central to park in Ayvalik yesterday, it's an old Ottoman town and I'd have liked to explore it. But, not to worry, as we drove on to the Ancient City of Pergamon in Bergama.
Possibilities for today include a taxi to the Acropolis over looking the city and a haircut from one of the four barbers very close by.
Also a visit to the Turkcell shop so they can show me how to add credit to the data SIM. We must buy some halva! Have you ever tried halva, it's a gift from the gods!
Finally a birthday cake and 68 candles!
Have a good day, the weekend is close

Day 103 - with apologies for it's lateness due to technology issues!
It's John's birthday today but, disappointingly, my ecard to him didn't arrive, nor did the Whatsapp message I sent straight after midnight.
The photos I'd posted to this page and emails and messages to family and friends had also failed! My laptop had gamely held out until I'd posted Day 102 and had then given a last gasp and died - no electricity to re-power it and it doesn't charge from a USB.
Breakfast over, we sidestepped the trucks that had parked tight up next to us last night and set off for the Red City Museum and ruins which are to our left, just a few metres away.
The walls are high above us and the fragments of masonry and marble columns scattered around have inscriptions on some of them. Health and safety aren't an issue here - the deep holes in the ground sometimes have metal grills haphazardly balanced across them - and sometimes don't.
The souvenir seller gamely tries to sell us all sorts of things but all we need is a Guide Book in English - which the museum shop doesn't have. Eventually, he finds one and it also covers the next stop for us - Pergamon Acropolis - the hilltop city towering above us.
We're unsure of distance so take a taxi from the town centre 35TL and worth every penny! The steepness of the climb would have defeated us! the view is amazing as it stretches far across the plains and I jab John in the ribs excitedly as I spot an ancient Aquaduct! We later found out it was built in 2c BC to bring water from Mount Madra, 45kms away to a reservoir utilised by the city's
(then) state of the art water system!
Our entrance tickets cost 68pence each plus extra for an audio guide - John's passport is kept as ransom for it's safe return! we set off around the information boards, stepping cautiously on the wooden ramps and walkways - many are rotten in places so you need to watch your step.
There's an awful lot to take in on this site - even with the audio guide. The overall feeling is one of sheer awe! You crisscross back and forth as something new catches your eye and draws you in. The silence is LOUD!
The Temple of Trajan still has 6 of it's 32 columns standing. At a height of 10mtrs even without it's roof, it's impressive and the carvings are still delicately and intricately detailed.
The Theatre was capable of holding 10,000 spectators and you can imagine the wall of noise from the roar of the crowd cheering and applauding! Or booing!
We reach a section where the artefacts are laid in rows on the ground, the hot sun beating down on them as we walk along the line. Pillars, columns, architraves, porticos. They were stored here when the excavation of the sight was abandoned and there is a wooden shed to one side with padlocked doors - by peering in through the bars you see wooden trays of fragments gathering dust.
We emerge onto a level raised platform and I can't help myself - spreading my arms wide I declare (in my best Cockney accent) "Muckers, Romans, Countrymen - lend us you lug'oles!" John is not amused!
Our attention is drawn to a well with a column nestled inside it, ending a few feet below the surface, it has a few tiny coins atop it and lots of them far below. A wishing well! John has a couple of attempts at tossing coins on but to no avail. I toss a stone - successfully. John hands me a coin and we both try again - I succeed and mentally hand him my wish as a birthday present.
We head back to the entrance for a cold drink, regretting it was so late in the day and we couldn't stay longer. There's a cable car - which we don't take, deciding to walk.
The hill is steep and curves back and forth. Parts of the road have slipped away down the hill and the metal fencing is unsupported in areas.
Every step we take is next to evidence of the hills history - 3ft lengths of marble columns poke out of the grass like pointing fingers. They're more or less at my head height so easily seen.
Great chunks of dressed stone litter our route and have been shoved aside by the road builders. High above us the ramparts and flying buttresses of even more city walls follow us downwards.
A double arch of dressed stone appears next to me with a recess into the darkness. I scramble off the road and poke my head in - it's only 3 ft high and 9 feet across with a paved floor! Why!
We reach the end of the hill and miss the turn by just a few metres and a car draws up to us. The teenage passenger leans across the driver (Dad) and asks where are we from? Our reply makes him grin - he's Turkish and here visiting family, but he lives near Gatwick Airport!
This site should not be missed if you have the chance to see it - it's absolutely wonderful. However, be prepared to take your time and enjoy as much of it as you can - it's enormous!

 

[paddymcc]

Great blog, thank you.

 

[Barryh]

Really enjoying your travels. Thanks for sharing.

 

[frwjd]

Day 104
Friday 18th February
Good morning!
We hope you are all ok and have escaped the ravages of the storms in the UK!? Needless to say another nice day here 15C but with showers.
Wendy had PC problems yesterday but will be posting soon.
We're back on the road today with a one and a half hour drive to Foca which is on the coast north of Izmir.
It's weekend stay safe!

Day 104.
We left our stopover and followed the Sat Nav's first instruction - turn left. Within 10 seconds she told us to make a U-turn - not a good start!
We're on our way to Foca, having decided to explore the area but also to book into a hotel for a couple of night's decent sleep. The continual planning and travelling have obviously been draining but add in the noisy nights disrupting our sleep - we're both exhausted!
The flat plains extend endlessly left and right when we leave town and then the olive trees take over the scenery once again when we reach Yenikent. Their grey and green is suddenly pierced by an explosive burst of colour! A solitary fruit tree stands resplendent in a ball gown of shimmering pink, defying their drabness!
The next long stretch of motorway is one long re-routing exercise. Temper is frayed!
We go through a town named Yenis Akran, full of a variety of shops and outlets, before reaching a long section of bustling construction works. The centre's of many of the towns are full of ramshackle and derelict houses and apartments with new buildings being thrown up on their outskirts - is it cheaper to build new than to repair old?
We reach Aliaga and can catch tantalising glimpses of the sea between the houses and restaurants along the beach. A well kept Promenade is being utilised by families strolling alongside the moored pleasure yachts, while tankers are at anchor in the bay.
A whole series of 9 storey apartment blocks with shops on the ground floor catch our eye - this height of buildings is unusual due to the sandy soil causing easy subsidence. What's different here for this to have been accomplished?
The air clarity has been steadily declining and up ahead we see a power station belching fumes into the air. The traffic explodes into a huge spread of tanker lorries almost without end, turning left and right with the signs to and from the port.
We squeeze through the press only to find row upon row of huge metal containers stacked 6 high atop each other. This continues on both sides of the road for miles and is uncountable. The only variation to them are the high electricity pylons marching in lines across the landscape. I begin to feel claustrophobic at the mass of metal pressing in around us.
A Motorhome comes towards us - the first one we've seen travelling on the road since we arrived in Turkey - we wave at each other in the split second we pass.
We enter Bagarasi - 16kms from Foca and are back into countryside once again. I know this due to the 30 cows in the field to my left and the 200 yard row of tatty houses, each with 2 sheep and 4 chickens in the garden - and the local bus with a cow catcher attached to it's front bumper!
We pass the signs for Izmir as we drop down towards the sea again and arrive in Foca with a sigh of relief.
We park at the Otopark but there's no attendant in the booth so John leaves a "Back in 30 mins" note on the window - in Turkish, of course. A short stroll around town confirms that we like this place. We return to Dippy - still no attendant and all the cars, vans, lorries drive in, lock up and walk away without a thought - so maybe there is no attendant?
John goes online and sources the Huri&Nuri Hotel, no answer to his email so we pack a rucksack with basics and risk it!
Our walk through the town centre has shown us that there are lovely little higgledy piggledy cobbled streets, shops of every kind you'd expect in a small town, a pretty harbour full of fishing boats and some small yachts, smiley people, restaurants and cafe's - in fact, it's lovely! It's only a first impression but it's a good one. The sort of place where you might say - I could live here!
The hotel is run on the theme of "Romance" and is a little OTT! The owner tells us this is day 7 of it's re-opening after 6 months renovation work.
The room is dazzlingly - GOLD! It's everywhere! The architraving round the ceiling, the mirror, the chairs, the wardrobe, the dressing table, the 2 bedside tables, the chandelier, the bedside lamps, the bed, the bed drapes, the bathroom sink, the taps - all gold trimmed foliate!
The shower is so small that I barely fit in it - I only weigh 8stone! There's a small balcony with table and chairs -(they weren't gold - I feel cheated!) However - everything in this room is shabby - apart from the gold paint trying to conceal the shabbiness.
We ate in the restaurant - the menu was good but the Lemon chicken we both ordered was too dry and rubbery, so a bit of a let down and VERY expensive for what we had. However, the restaurant was full and so was the outside terrace so it was obviously popular. The staff were helpful but still learning.
We'd been told free wifi - but it didn't work so has been very frustrating as you can imagine.
The toilets were 1 room with 2 toilets inside. 1 for men, 1 for women. No toilet roll in the ladies and we were the first guests so not a good start! Could it get any worse?
Yes!
The band arrived. My daughter and I went to Mexico a few years ago and the restaurant had a Mariachi Band. They'd obviously followed me to Turkey! The other diners loved them - but we have other tastes and their music and singing went unappreciated! You couldn't have a conversation with anyone above the noise of the music and singing - let alone asking the waiters for something! So - everyone shouted to make themselves heard, and the band played louder to drown them out!
We went to bed. Our room was directly under the restaurant! There's no escape from the Band! Plus, every chair scrape, every word spoken/shouted, every dropped piece of cutlery, every rattle of pot or pan - we heard. At 2.15am it was still going on!
We've had breakfast, olives, peppers, tomatoes, salad, cheese, cakes, bread and hard boiled eggs. Lots of everything! Having eaten, we're back at Dippy as we need to use the leisure battery to charge phones and laptop - Greek plugs in the hotel obviously so no use to us. No wifi last night meant this post has had to be held over for me to do - a day late. Apologies.
John is asleep in the drivers seat while I type! He'll post the cost of the hotel and meal in a while.

 

[frwjd]

Day 105
Saturday 19th February
Good morning!
I hope everyone survived the storms intact
Another beautiful day here with bright sunshine all day. Wendy will post her musings on yesterday as soon as we catch up on charging PC's etc!
As the weeks have gone by we've been feeling a bit jaded, travelling is tiring. So yesterday we found ourselves a little hotel overlooking the harbour here at Foca and booked in for the weekend!
It's a beautiful little town and we'll spend today exploring the harbours and narrow streets.
Have a great weekend!

Day 105
Leaving Dippy in control of charging various devices, we turn our footsteps to the beach to breathe in the fresh air and take some photos.
It's Saturday and time for families to enjoy getting together. Parents stroll along beside us with their children who suddenly dash forwards excitedly - Grandparents! Hugs and kisses all round and animated chattering. I grew up without Grandparents so for me it's a lovely sight!
Somehow, we find a Bar with a whole fridge full of cold Leffe Bruin - John's favourite! No driving today so he was able to sit in the shady bit of the beachside bar while I sat and slowly cooked in the sunny bit. I concede my Winter fleece to the sunshine though, and drape it over the back of my chair.
The beach is busy - but not crowded. There are very few people on the sand itself and one exception really stands out! A young man takes off all but his bright red swimming trunks and lays on a towel. Everyone around him is dressed for Winter in big jumpers topped with Puffa jackets.
Women's fashion at the moment trends towards trousers or knee length skirts and cowboy boots with everything! Teenage girls wear long sleeved tops and jeans mostly but even they have coats and thick jackets on. The fashion aims at being modest and covering up - not a bad thing but it makes me wonder how the local people feel when Western tourists descend in the summer season wearing as little as possible?
My knee is being gently nudged by the dog who belongs - we think - to the Bar. The regulars greet him fondly as they come in and ruffle his head and scratch behind his ears. There are dogs every few feet, some asleep in the middle of the road or pavement - pedestrians and traffic alike just go round them!
We amble slowly back in the general direction of the hotel and decide to stop at a restaurant that we found yesterday. We'd stopped to have a drink and a think about what to do and where to go and had ordered a cup of tea each. Chi (with a hard i ). When we'd tried to pay we'd been firmly told that Chi was free to all, with no obligation to buy anything else - it was communal welcoming thing!
We ordered a small pizza each and Coca Cola. After about 10 minutes a series of small dishes were brought to us - we tried to wave them away as we thought they's got the order wrong but No - it was all to go with the small pizza! The "small" pizza was dinner plate sized, with the thinnest, most delicate of crusty base - and delicious! So much wasted food though. The cost was 74TL.
The Leffe beer and Coffee at the earlier bar were 65TL.
Our slow amble back to the hotel continued via the collecting of charged up devices. I stepped out onto the balcony to watch the small flotilla of boats too-ing and fro-ing sedately below me. Blue sky above, blue water below. Three stone windmills stand like sentinels high on the hill above the harbour, sightless eyes watching on the town below. The call to prayers drifts slowly on the breeze. Idyllic!

Breakfast -

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[Jays2]

Day 104
Friday 18th February
Good morning!
We hope you are all ok and have escaped the ravages of the storms in the UK!? Needless to say another nice day here 15C but with showers.
Wendy had PC problems yesterday but will be posting soon.
We're back on the road today with a one and a half hour drive to Foca which is on the coast north of Izmir.
It's weekend stay safe!

Day 104.
We left our stopover and followed the Sat Nav's first instruction - turn left. Within 10 seconds she told us to make a U-turn - not a good start!
We're on our way to Foca, having decided to explore the area but also to book into a hotel for a couple of night's decent sleep. The continual planning and travelling have obviously been draining but add in the noisy nights disrupting our sleep - we're both exhausted!
The flat plains extend endlessly left and right when we leave town and then the olive trees take over the scenery once again when we reach Yenikent. Their grey and green is suddenly pierced by an explosive burst of colour! A solitary fruit tree stands resplendent in a ball gown of shimmering pink, defying their drabness!
The next long stretch of motorway is one long re-routing exercise. Temper is frayed!
We go through a town named Yenis Akran, full of a variety of shops and outlets, before reaching a long section of bustling construction works. The centre's of many of the towns are full of ramshackle and derelict houses and apartments with new buildings being thrown up on their outskirts - is it cheaper to build new than to repair old?
We reach Aliaga and can catch tantalising glimpses of the sea between the houses and restaurants along the beach. A well kept Promenade is being utilised by families strolling alongside the moored pleasure yachts, while tankers are at anchor in the bay.
A whole series of 9 storey apartment blocks with shops on the ground floor catch our eye - this height of buildings is unusual due to the sandy soil causing easy subsidence. What's different here for this to have been accomplished?
The air clarity has been steadily declining and up ahead we see a power station belching fumes into the air. The traffic explodes into a huge spread of tanker lorries almost without end, turning left and right with the signs to and from the port.
We squeeze through the press only to find row upon row of huge metal containers stacked 6 high atop each other. This continues on both sides of the road for miles and is uncountable. The only variation to them are the high electricity pylons marching in lines across the landscape. I begin to feel claustrophobic at the mass of metal pressing in around us.
A Motorhome comes towards us - the first one we've seen travelling on the road since we arrived in Turkey - we wave at each other in the split second we pass.
We enter Bagarasi - 16kms from Foca and are back into countryside once again. I know this due to the 30 cows in the field to my left and the 200 yard row of tatty houses, each with 2 sheep and 4 chickens in the garden - and the local bus with a cow catcher attached to it's front bumper!
We pass the signs for Izmir as we drop down towards the sea again and arrive in Foca with a sigh of relief.
We park at the Otopark but there's no attendant in the booth so John leaves a "Back in 30 mins" note on the window - in Turkish, of course. A short stroll around town confirms that we like this place. We return to Dippy - still no attendant and all the cars, vans, lorries drive in, lock up and walk away without a thought - so maybe there is no attendant?
John goes online and sources the Huri&Nuri Hotel, no answer to his email so we pack a rucksack with basics and risk it!
Our walk through the town centre has shown us that there are lovely little higgledy piggledy cobbled streets, shops of every kind you'd expect in a small town, a pretty harbour full of fishing boats and some small yachts, smiley people, restaurants and cafe's - in fact, it's lovely! It's only a first impression but it's a good one. The sort of place where you might say - I could live here!
The hotel is run on the theme of "Romance" and is a little OTT! The owner tells us this is day 7 of it's re-opening after 6 months renovation work.
The room is dazzlingly - GOLD! It's everywhere! The architraving round the ceiling, the mirror, the chairs, the wardrobe, the dressing table, the 2 bedside tables, the chandelier, the bedside lamps, the bed, the bed drapes, the bathroom sink, the taps - all gold trimmed foliate!
The shower is so small that I barely fit in it - I only weigh 8stone! There's a small balcony with table and chairs -(they weren't gold - I feel cheated!) However - everything in this room is shabby - apart from the gold paint trying to conceal the shabbiness.
We ate in the restaurant - the menu was good but the Lemon chicken we both ordered was too dry and rubbery, so a bit of a let down and VERY expensive for what we had. However, the restaurant was full and so was the outside terrace so it was obviously popular. The staff were helpful but still learning.
We'd been told free wifi - but it didn't work so has been very frustrating as you can imagine.
The toilets were 1 room with 2 toilets inside. 1 for men, 1 for women. No toilet roll in the ladies and we were the first guests so not a good start! Could it get any worse?
Yes!
The band arrived. My daughter and I went to Mexico a few years ago and the restaurant had a Mariachi Band. They'd obviously followed me to Turkey! The other diners loved them - but we have other tastes and their music and singing went unappreciated! You couldn't have a conversation with anyone above the noise of the music and singing - let alone asking the waiters for something! So - everyone shouted to make themselves heard, and the band played louder to drown them out!
We went to bed. Our room was directly under the restaurant! There's no escape from the Band! Plus, every chair scrape, every word spoken/shouted, every dropped piece of cutlery, every rattle of pot or pan - we heard. At 2.15am it was still going on!
We've had breakfast, olives, peppers, tomatoes, salad, cheese, cakes, bread and hard boiled eggs. Lots of everything! Having eaten, we're back at Dippy as we need to use the leisure battery to charge phones and laptop - Greek plugs in the hotel obviously so no use to us. No wifi last night meant this post has had to be held over for me to do - a day late. Apologies.
John is asleep in the drivers seat while I type! He'll post the cost of the hotel and meal in a while.

Sounds like you are finding turkey a bit challenging?

 

[Jays2]

Day 105
Saturday 19th February
Good morning!
I hope everyone survived the storms intact
Another beautiful day here with bright sunshine all day. Wendy will post her musings on yesterday as soon as we catch up on charging PC's etc!
As the weeks have gone by we've been feeling a bit jaded, travelling is tiring. So yesterday we found ourselves a little hotel overlooking the harbour here at Foca and booked in for the weekend!
It's a beautiful little town and we'll spend today exploring the harbours and narrow streets.
Have a great weekend!

Day 105
Leaving Dippy in control of charging various devices, we turn our footsteps to the beach to breathe in the fresh air and take some photos.
It's Saturday and time for families to enjoy getting together. Parents stroll along beside us with their children who suddenly dash forwards excitedly - Grandparents! Hugs and kisses all round and animated chattering. I grew up without Grandparents so for me it's a lovely sight!
Somehow, we find a Bar with a whole fridge full of cold Leffe Bruin - John's favourite! No driving today so he was able to sit in the shady bit of the beachside bar while I sat and slowly cooked in the sunny bit. I concede my Winter fleece to the sunshine though, and drape it over the back of my chair.
The beach is busy - but not crowded. There are very few people on the sand itself and one exception really stands out! A young man takes off all but his bright red swimming trunks and lays on a towel. Everyone around him is dressed for Winter in big jumpers topped with Puffa jackets.
Women's fashion at the moment trends towards trousers or knee length skirts and cowboy boots with everything! Teenage girls wear long sleeved tops and jeans mostly but even they have coats and thick jackets on. The fashion aims at being modest and covering up - not a bad thing but it makes me wonder how the local people feel when Western tourists descend in the summer season wearing as little as possible?
My knee is being gently nudged by the dog who belongs - we think - to the Bar. The regulars greet him fondly as they come in and ruffle his head and scratch behind his ears. There are dogs every few feet, some asleep in the middle of the road or pavement - pedestrians and traffic alike just go round them!
We amble slowly back in the general direction of the hotel and decide to stop at a restaurant that we found yesterday. We'd stopped to have a drink and a think about what to do and where to go and had ordered a cup of tea each. Chi (with a hard i ). When we'd tried to pay we'd been firmly told that Chi was free to all, with no obligation to buy anything else - it was communal welcoming thing!
We ordered a small pizza each and Coca Cola. After about 10 minutes a series of small dishes were brought to us - we tried to wave them away as we thought they's got the order wrong but No - it was all to go with the small pizza! The "small" pizza was dinner plate sized, with the thinnest, most delicate of crusty base - and delicious! So much wasted food though. The cost was 74TL.
The Leffe beer and Coffee at the earlier bar were 65TL.
Our slow amble back to the hotel continued via the collecting of charged up devices. I stepped out onto the balcony to watch the small flotilla of boats too-ing and fro-ing sedately below me. Blue sky above, blue water below. Three stone windmills stand like sentinels high on the hill above the harbour, sightless eyes watching on the town below. The call to prayers drifts slowly on the breeze. Idyllic!

Breakfast -

Sound like you are getting into the grove

 

[mitzimad]

Most of the Turks living in the U.K. started from my old manor, North London. They along with Greeks and Cypriots came in around the late 50s.
Great bunch and the food was amazing.
Phil

where did you live phil im from that way as well

 

[Jim lea]

Hi, we’re here at the moment (in another Rapido) 7 weeks into our 90 days. I was going to put a few words together when we return but you have covered most of them. I’ve cobbled together a list of stops (so far) that may help you, or anybody else for that matter. Bear in mind we’re keen on beaches, small towns and markets as opposed to the historical sites. I’m crap on Google maps etc so if someone could combine the maps that would be great.

As well as the usual suspects, Kas, Kalkan, Fethiye, Dalyan, I can recommend Akbuk cove, it’s a lovely stop right on the beach (we stayed 3 nights) together with Cirali beach (stay on the old football pitch) and visit the “flaming stone” and Pamukkale so far.

Even though they’re on the list I would avoid Akyarler and Akbuk (different place to the cove) as they’re literally construction sites and Koycegiz was hard work down to all the surrounding roads being closed for resurfacing.

If you haven’t already, have a look at “Our Bumble”blog on Turkey, it’s the best out there imv for Turkey and everywhere else they’ve been for that matter.

Hope this helps

All the best

 

[Gaston aires]

where did you live phil im from that way as well

Haringay Near Finsbury park. I still go back now and then for the food although I wouldn’t want to live there. I keep in touch with the area through Haringay lives website. I lived there from 1950/64
Phil

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[frwjd]

Sounds like you are finding turkey a bit challenging?

No, not at all. We love Turkey and are considering a 12 month visa application.
We were just a bit, a lot actually, tired and it had been building up for a while.

 

[frwjd]

Hi, we’re here at the moment (in another Rapido) 7 weeks into our 90 days. I was going to put a few words together when we return but you have covered most of them. I’ve cobbled together a list of stops (so far) that may help you, or anybody else for that matter. Bear in mind we’re keen on beaches, small towns and markets as opposed to the historical sites. I’m crap on Google maps etc so if someone could combine the maps that would be great.

As well as the usual suspects, Kas, Kalkan, Fethiye, Dalyan, I can recommend Akbuk cove, it’s a lovely stop right on the beach (we stayed 3 nights) together with Cirali beach (stay on the old football pitch) and visit the “flaming stone” and Pamukkale so far.

Even though they’re on the list I would avoid Akyarler and Akbuk (different place to the cove) as they’re literally construction sites and Koycegiz was hard work down to all the surrounding roads being closed for resurfacing.

If you haven’t already, have a look at “Our Bumble”blog on Turkey, it’s the best out there imv for Turkey and everywhere else they’ve been for that matter.

Hope this helps

All the best

View attachment 587624View attachment 587625View attachment 587626

Thanks, that's a great help!
Yes I like "Our Bumble" too
We also like beaches and market towns too, try to avaoid the bigger places.
Where are you off to after your 90 days and have you ever considered a 12 month visa (effectively 6 months)
Thanks again

 

[pjay]

Hiya, thoroughly enjoying following your trip around Turkey, thanks for posting it.
We visited Turkey in the van back in 2012 and the magbaz travel website kindly hosted our trip notes as I am rubbish at that sort of thing if its of any use, most places we stayed include location co-ords for the entire trip but its obviously going to be a bit out of date now.
Would love to go again but for now we'll just sit back and enjoy following your travels.

Tesekkur ederim

MagBaz Travels - PJ in Turkey 2012

www.magbaztravels.com

MagBaz Travels

www.magbaztravels.com

Pete

 

[nicholsong]

Hiya, thoroughly enjoying following your trip around Turkey, thanks for posting it.
We visited Turkey in the van back in 2012 and the magbaz travel website kindly hosted our trip notes as I am rubbish at that sort of thing if its of any use, most places we stayed include location co-ords for the entire trip but its obviously going to be a bit out of date now.
Would love to go again but for now we'll just sit back and enjoy following your travels.

Tesekkur ederim

MagBaz Travels - PJ in Turkey 2012

www.magbaztravels.com

MagBaz Travels

www.magbaztravels.com

Pete

Pete

When were you last in the E.Med? I am guessing it was probably 6-7 years ago? Do you miss Greece?

I think you saw our posts about our trip last year taking the ferries from Ancona-Patras and Piraeus-Patmos where the MH stayed while we flew back, so we were on Patmos for 4-5 weeks in total and Peloponnese for about 3 weeks. Great trip, to be done again. And thanks again for recommendation to Dale at ViaMare, who did a great job and was not phased by 3 changes we made to bookings, which he just took in his stride - but maybe helped by the fact that I had researched and knew exactly what changes we needed.

Sorry, I have digressed from Turkey to Greece.

Geoff

 

[nicholsong]

After my post above I am back onto Turkey.

Just one tip for eating in Turkey - I have often found nice little simple restaurants scattered around the edges of the markets, where the food is simple but excellent. Only drawback is that they are often alcohol-free, but I have never tried taking a bottle in, with permission.

Somebody mentioned earlier about a 12-month visa. It may be worth checking about how long the MH can stay there without being subject to tax. Also it used to be the case that since the MH is stamped into the passport, that one cannot leave Turkey without it, so flying home for a visit would not be possible. Check out that rule too.

Geoff

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[Jim lea]

Thanks, that's a great help!
Yes I like "Our Bumble" too
We also like beaches and market towns too, try to avaoid the bigger places.
Where are you off to after your 90 days and have you ever considered a 12 month visa (effectively 6 months)
Thanks again

We came in from Greece. However that was interrupted due to flying home for booster and a small issue with van. So we are going back there.
Yes we’re looking at the extended visa next year and have already spoken to an agent in Fethiye in that regard.
Happy to share details if it’s something you’re looking at.
All the best

 

[pjay]

Pete

When were you last in the E.Med? I am guessing it was probably 6-7 years ago? Do you miss Greece?

I think you saw our posts about our trip last year taking the ferries from Ancona-Patras and Piraeus-Patmos where the MH stayed while we flew back, so we were on Patmos for 4-5 weeks in total and Peloponnese for about 3 weeks. Great trip, to be done again. And thanks again for recommendation to Dale at ViaMare, who did a great job and was not phased by 3 changes we made to bookings, which he just took in his stride - but maybe helped by the fact that I had researched and knew exactly what changes we needed.

Sorry, I have digressed from Turkey to Greece.

Geoff

PM'd you Geoff.

Pete

 

[gus-lopez]

Finally a birthday cake and 68 candles!

Happy birthday .

 

[frwjd]

We came in from Greece. However that was interrupted due to flying home for booster and a small issue with van. So we are going back there.
Yes we’re looking at the extended visa next year and have already spoken to an agent in Fethiye in that regard.
Happy to share details if it’s something you’re looking at.
All the best

Yes please and thanks

 

[frwjd]

Hiya, thoroughly enjoying following your trip around Turkey, thanks for posting it.
We visited Turkey in the van back in 2012 and the magbaz travel website kindly hosted our trip notes as I am rubbish at that sort of thing if its of any use, most places we stayed include location co-ords for the entire trip but its obviously going to be a bit out of date now.
Would love to go again but for now we'll just sit back and enjoy following your travels.

Tesekkur ederim

MagBaz Travels - PJ in Turkey 2012

www.magbaztravels.com

MagBaz Travels

www.magbaztravels.com

Pete

Thank You!
I have been reading your magbaztravels!

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[frwjd]

After my post above I am back onto Turkey.

Just one tip for eating in Turkey - I have often found nice little simple restaurants scattered around the edges of the markets, where the food is simple but excellent. Only drawback is that they are often alcohol-free, but I have never tried taking a bottle in, with permission.

Somebody mentioned earlier about a 12-month visa. It may be worth checking about how long the MH can stay there without being subject to tax. Also it used to be the case that since the MH is stamped into the passport, that one cannot leave Turkey without it, so flying home for a visit would not be possible. Check out that rule too.

Geoff

Yes we have tried quite a few small restaurants, incredible value.
The 12 month visa is effectively a 6 month one for tax reasons exactly as you state, thanks.

 

[canopus]

Careful if you're tempted by the look and smell of Kokoreç. It’s char grilled lambs intestines . Lots of videos if you care to see how it’s prepared.

 

[frwjd]

We'll steer clear of that one thanks!!

 

[nicholsong]

Careful if you're tempted by the look and smell of Kokoreç. It’s char grilled lambs intestines . Lots of videos if you care to see how it’s prepared.

Reminds me of a Greek Easter Sunday.

I was on my boat with a mate in Vathi, a small fishing port on the back side of the Methana peninsula. We and the Brit family(who lived in Athens) on the boat next door had booked a table at the quayside taverna, whose family I knew well from previous visits.

Our table was literally on the quay, in beautiful sunshine, and of course the main course was the 'Easter lamb', which is is usually served with Kokorechi. Ours came without. I called Petros the son over - 'Pou eni...?.(where is) 5 mins later we had it.

It was one of the most memorable meals I have ever had - the food, the wine, the sunshine, the company, the Greeks. It will live in my heart forever.

Geoff

 

[frwjd]

Day 106
6 Pelicans drifted slowly into the harbour as we sat having breakfast. We've seen Pelicans a couple of times on our trip and I find them fascinating!
We're off to Sart today and our route takes us back to the D550 that the Sat Nav got in a pickle over a few days ago. This time we negotiate it easily and sail onwards.
We pass 2 herds of goats, 3 herds of cows, 4 flocks of sheep and 2 horses - I'm tempted to add "and a Partridge in a Pear tree" however there were no partridges - just a lone Hawk hovering above us as he searched the ground for breakfast.
We soon see signs popping up for Izmir, Turkey's 3rd largest city. The roadside verges are brimming with gaudy garden ornaments and the large terracotta pots, pizza ovens and other paraphernalia.
Petrol stations are two a penny, as are used car lots, tractor sales, builders merchants and an enormously long shop selling everything you could ever imagine in basketware.
Menemer is soon behind us with it's impression being one of cheap housing and shops. Everywhere is dry and stony and the river we pass over has a bare trickle of water washing it's rocks and stones.
Traffic increases rapidly on the outskirts and the air quality is affected by tractors and lorries belching out fumes. The fields left and right are used as tipping areas by the construction lorries and the people pick their way through, turning it all over to find anything salvageable.
Some private cars arrive and bring bags of rubbish from their boots, dump them on the ground - then drive away.
At the traffic lights a woman sits on the verge with a small child - possibly 2-3 years old. As the lights turn to red she picks the child up and approaches some of the cars, tapping on the windows and holding her hand out begging for money. We've not seen a lot of this on our trip but when we have seen it, people have always given something.
We go through Akcapina, the outskirts are filled with fruit stalls, gigantic rolls of plastic piping and yet more red pottery! The fields are turning away from the growing of olives and are showing more in the way of grapevines. Up ahead, I can see a grey blur that may be mountains in the distance, but again, the air quality is too poor to see far.
The Sat Nav takes us off the main road and through a town - we hold our breath and groan as the road starts to narrow - then we turn right and the road opens out again - thank goodness!
The vineyards have now taken over from the olive groves on both sides of us and as far as we can see. This goes on for miles, the road passable and in quite good condition.
We reach a narrow bridge - either 2 cars wide or 1 Dippy and a bike! As I look down at the river below I see a man wading in and out of knee deep pools, pulling fallen branches out from between the rocks.
We're following a tip off from someone about a parking spot near a garage, which has a restaurant and a view of a beautiful lake. It shows the lovely blue lake on the sat nav as being next to us - we see vineyards! We continue - no lake. We re-route - blue lake showing as next to us - no lake!
We find the garage and the restaurant - but there's NO LAKE! It's still on the sat nav screen, and is also on John's phone - but look out of the window across acre after of acre of flat vineyard - THERE IS NO LAKE! We tried sneaking up on it - No lake.
We give up. We need bread and milk so re-route to a town close by for provisions. The people are friendly - as have almost all of the people we've seen, and wave to us as we pass. If we spoke Turkish we would have asked them about the Lake - but it's now a sore subject!
We pass the vineyards in search of a parking spot. Women are chatting to each other across the rows as their fingers dexterously weave the vines into the supporting framework.
Soon we reach the narrow bridge again and search around for somewhere quiet and safe, however the road is too narrow to be easy - in fact it's so narrow that we drive for 10 miles before we find somewhere wide enough to turn round and come back!
So - we're now parked up opposite tomorrow's goal - the Archaeological Site of the Temple of Diana in Sart. It's not even a stone's throw from us - it's on the opposite side of the road! Roll out of bed and walk through the gate type of close!

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[frwjd]

Day 107
Monday 21st February
Good morning!
A grey day today but 17C and no rain forecast.
We're at The Ancient City of Sardis and aim to spend tonight at Pamukkale circa two hours away.
Have a good day and stay safe!
In 600 BC the first ever currency was minted in Sardis. It was made from electrum, a mixture of silver and gold that occurs naturally.
The coins were stamped with pictures that created denominations. A clay bowl might have cost two owls and a snake!
<Broken link removed>

Day 107
The road we were parked on last night was very busy - mostly large lorries that rocked Dippy as they sped past. I'd like to say the rocking movement was soothing but it really wasn't!
We packed up and drove across the road to the archaeological site - where modern day builders are erecting some sort of building just inside the entrance gate. It doesn't look like it's open for visitors.
There didn't seem to be another way in so we drove around the outskirts of the site - fencing all the way round - and then back to the entrance again.
This time, we locked Dippy up and strolled past the builders with their hard hats, cranes, pulleys and metal scaffolding. A man scuttled over to the ticket office and charged us the sum of 35TL for entrance to this site and to the Gymnasium.
The information boards tell us that the site is 3,000 years old and that in the 7th and 6th BC the area was fabulously wealthy due to gold deposits in the nearby stream!
There's an impressive 100mtr long stretch of wall that was the parade of Byzantine shops, each consisting of 2 rooms. One shop has Christian crosses on the wall - put there by the owner to protect the water supply he used for his Dye and Paint business.
Some of the shops are restaurants and there were even shelves projecting from the window sill where the equivalent of "fast Food" was collected. Place your order and come back for it when it was ready. Almost the equivalent of a McDonald's Drive Thru!
There's so much detail in everything that you feel as if you need to stop and really examine everything in minute details. Every little stone you step over or trip over seems to have ornate carving on it.
The Synagogue is 50 mtrs long and the names of shop owners and a description of their trade are detailed on the wall. A section of it's mosaic floor has been cleaned and set under a glass floor so you can see what it would have been like to walk on. Just opposite it is a 4ft high replica of an Urn shaped fountain.
We see 2 busloads of teenagers arriving with teachers on a school trip - time for us to leave! As we walk back through the gateway we can see fragments of carved marble on a spoil heap being shovelled out haphazardly by the builders using a digger for the foundations! Sacrilege!
Outside of the site you can see sections of the site that aren't enclosed within the fencing. As with other places we've been, there are walls, and columns and towers and arches - all in the olive groves! It's common here and no-one bats an eyelid!
Second stop today is at the Temple of Artemis, built in the 3rd century BC. It's a quiet site, tucked out of the way - but what an absolute GEM! Every field you look in is - again - full of ancient architecture.
The site nestles in a bowl of trees and hills and the white marble gleams out at you in all directions. The Temple originally had 20 columns which on various visits by archaeologists was reported as having reduced down to 12, then 6, and by 1907 there were only 2 columns left! The site was also buried under 10 metres of earth.
A mass of the architecture has been gathered up and just stacked in rows as if this was a B&Q where you go along the lines choosing which piece of pipe or guttering you want. Here, it's columns and architrave!
I run my hand over a beautifully carved piece of column and try to imagine the other hands that have touched it - the mason who dug it out of the ground and rough shaped it. The artist who drew plans for the Doric patterns, the sculptor who carried those plans to fruition - for us to see and marvel at!
There's a large area of field where things are more higgledy piggledy and scattered about. The impression is that someone picked up all the pieces and tried to put them back together again -rather like Humpty Dumpty! Every step you take you stub your toe or trip over something!
The walls of public buildings and temple were used as a public Noticeboard. I read on a modern day noticeboard here, that the north wall of the Temple had an inscription that stated that Mnesinachus was loaned 1325 gold staters by the Temple - it lists his collateral assets as surety for repayment of the loan.
This site is stunning - and I can't do it justice! If we had longer then we both would stay and just explore it more thoroughly but time is against us. This is a site not to be missed!
We head for our next stop - Pamukkale. The land to both sides of us is flat for miles, broken by the vineyards and occasionally by vegetable fields. Women crouch down planting brassicas, chatting to each other as they go.
The road rises steadily upwards with tankers and other large heavy vehicles struggling with the gradient. Two tracks have been scarified into the tarmac to help them grip the road. Then down the other side - not quite as steep this time!
We reach Willys State Camping and Pool and find a small site with a large water park! (Closed for Winter). The electric hookup needs help from the manager to persuade it to work and so does the wifi but eventually - we're done. 120TL per night.
The restaurant meal was good and the showers and toilets are too.
There are chickens on site - and Foghorn Leghorn! He may find himself in the cooking pot if he starts crowing too early tomorrow!

 

[frwjd]

Tonight we parked up and dashed across the road to an international style Bistro overlooking the sea and watched the sunset.
We stayed for over two hours because it poured down.

So, front row location, a litre of beer, two cappuccinos, a coke, chicken souvlaki and trimmings and a New York burger.

Very expensive from our experience £15.57

 

[frwjd]

Day 108
Tuesday 22nd February
Good morning!
Just 13C and the odd shower forecast today but we'll be moving back to the coast later.
We've had a peaceful night here at Pamukkale but don't care much for the very touristy and tacky sites around the thermal pools. They can't please everyone
We'll be visiting Hierapolis before the four hour drive to Kusadasi which will be our base for a few nights. Tomorrow, at last, we will be visiting Ephesus!
Hope you all survived the latest storm, Franklin!? Not as much in the news about this one so I assume it didn't hit the home counties
Have a good day!

Day 108
Foghorn Leghorn DID wake me up in the early hours this morning - however, he had the good sense to only crow 5 times and then stopped!
We made our way up to the Camp restaurant, where we were served a delicious cup of tea to start the day while we waited for the staff to start at 10am.
We ordered cheese toasties and enjoyed them in the almost hot sunshine, while we watched the visitors walking round the thermal springs opposite us. We've decided to give that walk a miss as neither of us like to walk around barefoot. We understand the reason for the rule - to protect the fragile infrastructure - but it's not for us.
The toasties arrive and are enormous! We do our best to do them justice admitting defeat and heading back to Dippy.
Once back, I decide to do a quick CV test as I woke up with a very sore throat and earache. I've been prone to throat infections since having a tumour removed many years ago - but better safe than sorry! The test is clear!
We got the first "Make a U Turn" out of the way before we'd even reached the road! It went downhill from there - we're on our way to Pamukkale Hieropolis and as we reach there - Dippy has a temper tantrum!!
She can sometimes be a bit temperamental with her state of the art alarm but this was a complete melt down! It took a while, but John coaxed her into behaving nicely.
This site was founded in the 2nd century BC as a healing spa and largely demolished by an earthquake in the 7th century. The first sign we see of that is an enormous slab of rock facing us in the car park - with 2 doorways on an impossible angle! It looks like the crazy house you see at the fairground!
As we reach the section above the thermal springs we get an even better appreciation of them than we did from the road below! This is by far the better view! They're stunning even though the pools are largely empty at the moment. When we move further round the site we see people bathing in one of the steaming, filled pools - changing rooms and towels provided!
There are row upon row of sarcophagi and headstones, some are beautifully carved with lion heads, winged angels/cherubs etc. A renovation area, such as we've seen on other, similar sites, holds rows of marble artefacts behind fencing. A second area holds the pottery objects waiting for similar treatment.
The Gymnasium was evidently 80metres long and lost in the Earthquake that destroyed a lot of the city - the main street was 1500 metres long and 13.5 metres wide. The Auditorium was capable of seating 15,000 people!
Everywhere you look there are sections of wall, paths, arches - It brings it home that this isn't just a Temple, or a Gymnasium or a town - it's a CITY!
The scale is such that we stand on a high point, turn in a big circle and heave a sigh of regret that we just don't have the time to do this place justice! It needs a day of total dedication, a compass and sturdy legs - or a picnic chair!
We set off for todays destination of Kusadasi - a 4 hour trip which took us along the usual route of towns dotted with roadside stalls of pots, fruit etc and fruit trees as much as olive groves this time. The railway track runs next to us for miles on end before we turn slowly onto roads that take us up and into the high country again.
The ever present retaining walls here are the highest we've seen - some 15-20ft! Some have rubble and large rocks that have beaten the wall's barrier and spilled on to the roadside.
We drop down on the other side to high rise tower blocks and the sea in the distance. The traffic is busy and the road layout confusing. We can see the sea between the buildings.
Yat Camping is found and we drive up to the entrance to be met by a man who speaks no English but has a beaming smile. He shows us to a pitch - we seem to be the only travellers here , but find another Camper a little later on.
The fee is 120TL per day and the electric is metred by the kw. A photo is taken by him and by us of the reading on the meter and will be checked when we leave to work out the cost.
The toilets and showers seem to be ok on the face of it - we'll see better in the morning!
The shopping centre is opposite the gate so we pop in to find a Bar and some hot food - a good price and very enjoyable. Chicken skewers and rice for me with Pitta bread and salad and John had an enormous burger and chips. 2 Beers, 2 Cappucinos and a Coca Cola for £15.57 total! Bargain!
The down side was the cats! Cats and dogs are everywhere in Greece and in Turkey too - every pavement, every shop, every cafe, every bar. I like cats and dogs too. However, I object to a cat trying to claw it's way up my leg and onto my lap so it can eat my chicken!

 

[canopus]

Should you require a dentist whilst in the Denizli area, our friends son Teoman Barut has his practice in the city. Hes a first class Dentist and speaks perfect English.

Teoman Barut Ağız ve Diş Sağlığı - Teoman Barut

Teoman Barut Ağız ve Diş Sağlığı

teomanbarut.com.tr

 

[canopus]

Be wary of cruise ships in Kuşadası, as prices often double when there’s one in port.
If your heading south from Kuşadası, be sure to stop at Bafa Gölü. The fish from the lake is a much loved meal for Turks especially on weekends. The shoreline adjacent to the main road is dotted with many reaturants.

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