pinkbirdflies

A unique landscape of small valleys, cones, peaks and ‘fairy chimneys’….Ancient Christian Byzantine cave chapels…Whirling Dervishes…local ceramics…cave houses and villages….the Red River…fruit and vegetables growing in all sorts of places…

Explored the Anatolian Civilisation Museum of Ankara exhibiting a rich collection of archaeological artifacts from Anatolia. We then visited the Mausoleum of Turkey’s much revered leader Ataturk responsible for secularisation of Turkey, kind of like the war memorial in Canberra with a good depiction of the battle of Gallipoli. We drove to the region of Cappadocia through treeless, hilly to flat country with a lot of wheat production. A highlight was the massive Tuz Golu, a salt lake and one of the richest salt producing beds in the world. We then entered Cappadocia which was formed a millennium ago as volcanic ash first settled then hardened into soft rock, finally eroding forming the strange but fascinating spires, domes, pinnacles, gorges and “fairy chimneys”. Tried out the Turkish Hammam which was an interesting experience of scrubbing, sauna, massage on a large circular stone slab and wash down followed by apple tea which is quite delicious. Went to a ‘cave’ restaurant for meze, a Turkish beer and the traditional Pottery Kebab which we all had to break open.

Walked through the old town area of Istanbul to the Hippodrome and its obelisk and snake pillar before visiting the iconic 17th century Blue Mosque with its unique six minarets and 20,000 Iznik tiles. We then journey in our little bus to the capital city of Ankara. The development and new infrastructure was incredible and extensive as we left Istanbul and finally entered some fertile agricultural land adjacent to a mountain range before crossing through forested area into flatter drier country and reaching Ankara late.

Istanbul is fascinating…geographically the Continent of Asia meets the Continent of Europe across a short stretch of water known as the Bosphorus so it has always been an exotic blend. We walked by the busy waterway to the old Spice Bazaar full of spices, turkish delight in all forms and flavours, dried fruits, nuts, tea and coffee making wares, earthen ware and ceramics, jewellry, lights, rugs and turkish paraphernalia…We stopped for coffee..thick strong Turkish style and fresh apple tea  with baklava then explored the Basilica Cisterna Yerebatan Sarnici a magnificent historical water storage structure built by a Byzantine Emperor on the site of an old Basilica. An amazing and elaborate underground structure….

Flew British Airways to Ataturk International airport in Istanbul, Turkey. Transferred to Hotel Prince which is the joining point for the Peregrine Tour. It was the end of Ramadan so everyone was out celebrating with picnics in the parks near the waterfront cooking shish kebab on tiny barbecues! The city is flanked by the Sea of Marmara which was filled with tanker ships of all description. The city is in a dry, barren landscape but vast and dotted with so many high-rise apartment blocks. The old walled city of course was immediately fascinating with stone streets and interesting shops and restaurants. The Hotel is somewhat above the ‘intrepid tour’ standard so a nice surprise! I met up with friends Joanne and Chris from Port Macquarie and Ros from Kingscliff who knows the girls through TAFE. Out for my first sample of Turkish cuisine…dips, hummus, breads, lamb shish kebab and a mixed meat dish spectacularly heated in front of us in a terracotta urn and ceremoniously opened and served at the table.

Caught the C2C train to London Fenchurch Street then the underground circle line to Padddington where I boarded the Heathrow Express for Terminal 5…very slick train and service! I managed to get a great deal online at the Sofitel (5 minutes covered walk to check in tomorrow morning) and guess what ..Iam their ‘Guest of the Day’ with a room upgrade to King size, breakfast and access to drinks and canapés in the ‘special’ lounge…all very nice so I proceeded with the ‘all things very nice’ theme and had a Perrier-jouet Champagne Afternoon Tea. as you can see it covered lunch and dinner!

Walked around the central city…very working class and filled with interesting characters and young people dressed in a mix of punk/emoh/grungy/scottish sort of style…lots of coloured hair??? Loving the Scottish accents and finding the people very friendly. Took a wee trip on the train to Bellshill which is a small town about 20 minutes out of Glasgow, aye…not a lot to see, aye….the Main street called ‘Main Street’ and the only real bit of history was St Andrews Church. Kind of glad they emigrated! 

On a train to Glasgow following the footsteps of my Grandfather Thomas Mackenzie…he and his family would have made the journey to London all those years ago to board the P&O ship “Borda” bound for Australia as Scottish emigrants. He was 7 years old and left Bellshill near Glasgow. I wonder what their journey was like? I’m in first class on a Virgin train speeding through the English Midlands…a glass of wine, cup of coffee, wonderful scenery….fields of wheat almost ready to Harvest, villages, sheep in green pastures, churches surrounded by graves, canals with wonderfully painted long houseboats, fresian dairy cows, rain clouds, dry stone walls… Arrived into Glasgow central and checked into my hotel which is just so nice…an old railway building transformed! Walked to the River Clyde and around the CBD.

Over thirty degrees and humid…you have to love the Brits as they flock to the beach at Leigh on Sea…yes, that IS mud!!! The good old Thames estuary with its briny salty mud flat smell near the cockle sheds… And, celebrating the birth of William and Kates’ baby…