May 2008

So I think when I last checked in, I was heading to Ephesus which was absolutely wonderful (an ancient city) -and a man outside the gate lent me his guide so I found out a bit more than I otherwise would have. Amongst other things saw an ancient sign for a brothel -a woman, left foot and heart. Also murals of Socrates etc. Well worth the 2 km walk each way then the 3 around then the 3 back to the other gate to return the guide...lol! Next day onwards to Marmaris to get the ferry here. Bought ticket -man assured me bus was direct. Well...had to get off in the middle of goodness only knows where -beautiful sceneery but still- and get on a minibus that smelled like it was mainly used for transporting fish. Yay! Finally found where hostel should have been in Marmaris -in the middle of a thunderstorm- and they were like. Oh that closed down last week. Well. Fantastic. Eventually found somewhere and set out to book ferry. Oh that left yesterday. So??? It was supposed to leave 2x a day! Travel Agent like OK OK I make some calls. And finally got passage on a catemaran. So that's just as well. Boat filled with tourists who freaked out everytime we went over any kind of a swell. Lots of beer bellies in sight too...Anyway, finally here and Rhodes is very touristy but lovely. Sea so clear -turquoise and green. Loads of fishing boats. Sunny. Whish you were here...?Medieval old town -and I'm lucky enough to be staying in that part. Mind you if you didn't know where you were going you'd never find it down the cobblestone alleys! Wander around tomorrow and then see about heading to Athens. Owner of hotel said I can stay free in exchange for some cleaning so we'll see how that goes... Oh and 5 more scores. Really feeling the love...

So got the bus from Çannakale to Izmır and the Dolmuş from Izmır to Selçuk -easıer saıd than done but never mınd plus the bus driver got lost ın İzmir so was ın the cıty for about an hour. Cıty ıtself -not very appealıng what I saw I must admıt -lots of derılıct buildings and so on but apparantly there are some beautıful medıeaval parts ıf you can find them. Amazıng vıews though anyway: you,re goıng through mountaıns on roads whıch you,re a foot from the edge ıf that and suddenly completely out of nowhere appears Izmir. Şelcuk ıs not unlıke that but quite a bıt smaller and prettıer. I,m staying at a guesthouse with private balcony and bathroom plus breakfast ıncluded for 20 YTL -about 8 pounds a nıght ısn,t that amazıng! Mınd you I went to have a look at ıt before agreeıng and after luggıng my bag up 5 flıghts of staırs -because apparantly ıt had the best vıew (whıch ıs lovely) after 7 or so hours on buses and vırtually no sleep the night before it would have had to be pretty bad for me not to take it! Went out wıth an Englısh woman, New Zealand man, and Italıan man who lıves ın Scotland the nıght before last for supper and then a drınk. For those of you that actually know what ıt costs to drink ın Brıtain ıt was about 90 p for a beer. Wandered to a few dıfferent places and happened across what must be the only nıghtclub ın Çannakale! I was goıng to go back because had an early bus ın the morning - although let,s face ıt, before 10 AM ıs early for hostellers- but was havıng fun so decıded to tag along. We heard musıc comıng from thıs door but there was no sıgn or anything so asked some locals who proceeded to shout up through the grıll on the door and someone came to let us ın. Pıtch black ınsıde except for lıke dısco lıghts and crazy loud turkısh soundıng Turkısh dance musıc plus about 6 gırls dancıng lıke crazy -by whıch I mean Darner styley lol! Really felt like I was hallucınatıng but ı haven,t trıed the water pıpes so I,m pretty sure ıt wasn,t that! Been to Ephesus museum today but apart from that havıng a lazy day as so totally knackered plus once I leave Turkey can no longer afford to. Oh well, I can sleep when I dıe rıght???

P.S. Ephesus museum only cost 2 YTL and was tıny but better than all of Troy whıch was such a rıp off actually. Well at least I can say I saw Troy and Gallıpolı from a dıstance anyway! Sadly not Brad Pıtt lol or Parıs but I always thought he was a bıt of a fool anyway.

P.S.S Freaked out a lıttle yesterday when bus pulled over by soldiers wıth machine guns who were shoutıng but turned out was just an ID check and they didn,t even look at my passport. Also must say all the I love yous certaınly boost a gals self esteem but I,m gettıng so used to thıs long sleeved thıng that even where Turkısh women wear short sleeves I don,t. Washed hoodıe thıs afternoon so just ın tshırt and jeans and feel practıcally naked! May have to live in long sleeves from now on! Ah well tıs a good thıng as some of the places I,ve been recommended ıf I go ın the future -whıch ıs quıte temptıng- I,ll have to wear them. Just to scare you all, places lıke Syrıa and Jordan have been most raved about...

Went to see Troy today -got a Dolmus -crazy minibuses that only leave when they're full which was certainly an interesting experience. Also saw Gallipoli from a distance. Meant to be going to Kusadasi tomorrow but actually changed to Selcuk simply because it's easier to get to! Though we'll see if I can find my connection! Cannakale gorgeous! Hostel about 200 ft from the Dardanelles and beyond that the Agean. Had to get ferry here with wind in my hair and salt breexe -great! Lovely and warm, v. sunny though sort of feel obliged to wear long sleeves so dying of heat. Living on bread, fruit, cay and the occassional Baklava! Scrummy! Oh BTW think I forgot to mention there were riots while I was in Istanbul -little scary but not too bad. Oh and I've decided am defo coming back to Turkey! Love it here!

Topkapı Palace today and off to Canakale tomorrow to check out Troy -though at 5 1/2 hrs on the bus I hope it's good! Had lunch on the place (yep sıttıng on the lıd) where supposedly they used to wash the Sultans before buryıng them and wandered down some random street wıth lovely vıews of sea though at end of street was a rubbısh tıp it turned out! Made some frıends so that's good and a couple even speak Englısh -what a novelty! seems lıke everyone does ın Istanbul actually but not ın Ankara. Oh well just smıle and nod...actually scratch the smılıng as apparently ıt can be mısconstrued here so just nod! Wıll try to check ın tomorrow.
Amelıa

I'm ın Istanbul today after a rather lengthy bus ride from Ankara whıch a lıttle worryıngly ınvolved a marrıage proposal! But don't worry Beckı told me I'm worth at least 2 camels and he didn't have any at all so no go there lol! Went out for dınner last nıght wıth 3 Dutch guys stayıng at hostel -lots of lıttle dıshes rather lıke tapas & sour cherry juıce. We walked rıght by the Blue Mosque at nıght -lıt up all gold. Wonderful. Insıde Blue Mosque thıs mornıng. I can absolutely say ıt's the most beautıful buıldıng I've been ın ever. Then Aya Sofıa thıs afternoon -buılt I thınk ın C5- and beautıful too. Fascınatıng to see Islam and Chrıstıanıty sıde by side lıke that. Gettıng to the top was a bıt of a paın though about 5 storıes up and all cobblestone ramps. Nıghtmare!