Turkey
As part of our 2009 trip to Greece we spent a week in Turkey.
Stayed at Hotel Kum Camping, Kabatepe, in order to visit Gallipoli, Anzac Cove, Ataturk's Memorial, the trenches and Kilitbahir Fort.
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We watched in envy as our fellow motorhomers from France, Germany, The Netherlands, Austria..... continued their journeys into Aisiatic Turkey. Our insurance did not cover us to travel there!
We headed back into Greece, determined to see more of Turkey next year.
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Turkey 2010
Over the winter we had done our homework and arranged insurance for our return to Turkey. We had also discovered that, by providing ourselves with a Carnet de Passage, we could also visit Syria and Jordan.
The eight day journey to Turkey took us through France, Germany, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria. Camping Veliko Tarnevo in Bulgaria was a lovely new site owned and run by a young English couple, Nick and Nicky.
The eight day journey to Turkey took us through France, Germany, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria. Camping Veliko Tarnevo in Bulgaria was a lovely new site owned and run by a young English couple, Nick and Nicky.
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Our first night in Turkey was at Camping Mistic, Kilyos. We then visited Safranbolu. From the 13th century to the advent of the railway in the early 20th century, Safranbolu was an important caravan station on the Silk Road. The Old Mosque, Old Bath and Süleyman Pasha Medrese were built in 1322.
A market town in Essex, near to where we live is called Saffron Walden. It seemed to us that the two towns should be twinned. We visited the Tourist Office in Saffronbolu and suggested they contact the Tourist Office in Saffron Walden. We agreed to visit the Tourist Office in Saffron Waldon on our return home.
In the 16th century the saffron crocus was used in medicines, as a condiment, in perfume, as an aphrodisiac, and as an expensive yellow dye.
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The archaeological site of Hattusha, former capital of the Hittite Empire, is notable for its urban organization, the types of construction that have been preserved (temples, royal residences, fortifications), the rich ornamentation of the Lions' Gate and the Royal Gate, and the ensemble of rock art at Yazilikaya. The city enjoyed considerable influence in Anatolia and northern Syria in the 2nd millennium B.C.
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We stayed at Camping Panorama, Goreme, to see the amazing rock structures of Cappadocia. As we drove past the site the owner tried to flag us down! We drove on looking for other camping opportunities. On our return, the friendly owner said "You came back."
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We shared our campsite with two amazing overland trucks.
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Drove into Bpet Garage, Golbasi, and asked to stay the night. We were made most welcome and offered tea. A little while later, friends of the garage owner arrived. One had a wheelbarrow full of wood, which they used to cook their evening meal. We were offered a plate of meat. In return we sent over a homemade fruit cake.
Spent a couple of nights at Zeus Camping, Kahta in order to see the famous Nemrut Heads. Nemrut a 7,001 ft mountain is notable for its summit where a number of large statues are erected around what is assumed to be a royal tomb from the 1st century BC.These statues were once seated, with names of each god inscribed on them. The heads of the statues have at some stage been removed from their bodies, and they are now scattered throughout the site.
The western terrace contains a large slab with a lion, showing the arrangement of stars and the planets Jupiter, Mercury and Mars on 7 July 62 BC.
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Next two nights spent parked at Petrol Stations, Starpet Garage, Sanliurfa and Eren Petrol, Bespimar. Again made very welcome and, as always, we were served tea. Visited Harran to see the castle and houses with conical domes before heading to the Citadel and Walls of Diyarbakir.
Achieved a lifetime ambition by crossing the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. When we studied the early civilisations of the Tigris and Euphrates in Mesopotamia in Primary School I could only have been eight or nine years old. At that time, the prospect of actually visiting the area would have seemed totally impossible.
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Drove to Gazientop Airport to collect our daughter Alison. We then spent the next two weeks visiting Syria and Jordan.
[click] to read about our visit to Syria and Jordan
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After a very hectic two weeks we delivered Alison back to the airport. Sue and I then found a nice quiet campsite for a rest!
Akcakil Camping, Tasucu proved the perfect place, an idyllic beach site in a rocky cove with a restaurant providing entertainment. It was here that we met Sheila and Gilroy, who have now become firm friends. We meet up whenever possible, not always easy as we and they are always travelling.
We also met an Italian man, aged 86 who swam and exercised on the beach everyday. His "dolly bird" wife, a mere 72, sunbathed topless on the beach!
Akcakil Camping, Tasucu proved the perfect place, an idyllic beach site in a rocky cove with a restaurant providing entertainment. It was here that we met Sheila and Gilroy, who have now become firm friends. We meet up whenever possible, not always easy as we and they are always travelling.
We also met an Italian man, aged 86 who swam and exercised on the beach everyday. His "dolly bird" wife, a mere 72, sunbathed topless on the beach!
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Camping Paradies provided our base to visit the medieval town of Anamur and Mamure Castle.
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The ancient city of Aspendos is famous for having the best preserved theatre of antiquity.
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We visited Mount Chimaera, notable for its constantly burning fires, created by methane and other gases escaping from the rocks. Ancient sources consider it to be the origin of the myth of the Chimera, a fire-breathing female monster.
Mocamp Pamukkale was our base for visiting the hot springs and travertines, terraces of carbonate minerals left by the flowing water. Pamukkale means "cotton castle" in Turkish.
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Hierapolis, whose name means "sacred city," was believed by the ancients to have been founded by the god Apollo. It became a healing centre where doctors used the thermal springs as a treatment for their patients.
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Named after Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, the ancient city of Aphrodisias was built from white and blue grey Carian marble which was extensively quarried from the adjacent slopes. The amazing buildings include the Temple of Aphrodite, the bouleuterion, the Sebasteion, the stadium and the amphitheatre.
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Garden Camping, Selcuk, was our base for visiting Ephesus. Built in the 10th century BC, the city was famed for the nearby Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Library of Celsus and a theatre capable of holding 25,000 spectators.
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Caravan Camping Bergama was our base for visiting Pergamon. On our trip to Berlin in 2008 we had visited the Pergamon Museum and seen the incredible Pergamon Atar. We now wanted to see where it had come from. It seemed rather sad that so much had been removed from the site but at least they where being preserved in ideal conditions and saved for prosperity.
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Stayed two nights at Camping Pension, Helen Paris, Troy.
With 4,000 years of history, Troy is one of the most famous archaeological sites in the world. The siege of Troy in the 13th century B.C. is immortalized by Homer in the Iliad. Having been unable to break into the defensive walls of the city, Achaeans decided to set up a trick—they offered a huge wooden horse as a gift to Trojans, as an amend for the bother they caused with their war galleys on the city's beach. Trojans accepted the offer, but this resulted in them losing their city, as the inside of the horse was full of Achaean soldiers, ready to combat, and now right in the centre of the city.
With 4,000 years of history, Troy is one of the most famous archaeological sites in the world. The siege of Troy in the 13th century B.C. is immortalized by Homer in the Iliad. Having been unable to break into the defensive walls of the city, Achaeans decided to set up a trick—they offered a huge wooden horse as a gift to Trojans, as an amend for the bother they caused with their war galleys on the city's beach. Trojans accepted the offer, but this resulted in them losing their city, as the inside of the horse was full of Achaean soldiers, ready to combat, and now right in the centre of the city.
On the Fisherman's Quay, Istanbul, there is a guarded car park, by the Bospherus, very close to the old city. Motorhomes are welcome and overnight camping is allowed.
We were there for the weekend, locals came to picnic in the adjacent park. Barbecues were lit, huge amounts of meat were cooked and it was serious party time. We mingled and joined in the singing and dancing. Next morning we woke to silence and watched a council worker clearing up the rubbish whilst we had our early morning coffee. By breakfast time you wouldn't have known what had happened the previous two evenings!
Spent three days exploring the sites of Istanbul.
We were there for the weekend, locals came to picnic in the adjacent park. Barbecues were lit, huge amounts of meat were cooked and it was serious party time. We mingled and joined in the singing and dancing. Next morning we woke to silence and watched a council worker clearing up the rubbish whilst we had our early morning coffee. By breakfast time you wouldn't have known what had happened the previous two evenings!
Spent three days exploring the sites of Istanbul.
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Our journey home took us through Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Austria, Germany and France.
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