Trains across Turkey

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June 2011
Batumi, Georgia to Erzurum, Turkey
Bus/marshrutka/taxi to Sarp at Turkey border (et 0:30),
on Turk side, dolmus from Sarp to Hopa (et 0:20)
bus Hopa- Erzurum, (et: 6:00)
Turkish Passport control reviewed passport and told me to walk forward a couple of hundred meters to get a visa, then return to have it stamped. Non-covered walk past lines of trucks up and back and up again, in the drizzle, not amused.
On Turkish side, one dolmus and one taxi waiting. The road is squeezed between a lushly covered cliff on the left and the Black Sea on the right. Dolmus doesn’t go to Hopa, told to take taxi. Driver wants 30 lira for 20 minute ride but will be less with more riders. He puts my pack in the trunk and we wait. I walk across the street and find an English speaking Turk to ask the traffic cop if there is a dolmus to Hopa. Cop confirms I must take taxi. A second guy comes which is good enough for me but he wants to wait too. Soon the second guy disappears. We wait. Finally three big husky Turkish businessmen come for the taxi. The driver puts my pack on the ground to leave me and pick up the three guys. I walk over and ask the guys if I can go. They motion yes and we squeeze into the tiny little taxi. The business men speak no English but say they will pay for my ride.

Except for this greedy little cab driver (who still tried to charge me after we got there), this was the beginning of a long line of v helpful people in Turkey.

At the Hopa bus station, I went form office to office to find a bus to Erzurum. The next one was over 4 hours later. I had apparently missed all the earlier ones. Finally one pushy ticket seller says I can get on a bus that is about to leave. The bus goes to Kars, further east then I need, but the seller promises I can change buses on the way and still get to Erzurum. I say okay, he throws my bag on and takes 40TL but gives me no ticket. I try to ask how I will get the second bus without a ticket and am told the bus driver will help me. It all sounded fishy, but I decided to go for the adventure of it and because I wanted to go not sit around.

The bus ride
The bus climbed a steep sub-tropically lined grade as we left the sea. Scenery is impressive, the thick foliage unexpected. After an hour or so we began to descend into a rocky desert-like terrain. Beautiful deep rugged canyons. After three hours we stopped for shashlik (meat kabobs) at roadside shops. Evidently not many tourists there as locals and some bus passengers wanted to know where I was from. I bought snacks and then went up a stairs to visit the 80sq ft mosque/bathroom.

Back on the bus, a young guy offered me some of his food and I talked a little to the only English speaker who turned out to be an Iranian tourist. Like every Iranian I have ever met, he promised people would give a welcoming visit if I ever went to Iran.

After another hour of dusty, dirt road through a river canyon, the bus stopped at a large mountainside construction site. The flagman said it’d be 45 minutes while they used dynamite to blast a new railway right-of-way (basically part of an international plan to spite Armenia by building a new, circuitous railway around Armenia from Turkey to Baku, Azerbaijan via Georgia).

As we sat in the heat under a tree, I tried to ask how I’d catch the second bus with this delay. The Iranian with his v limited English asked his Iranian friend who spoke some Turkish, who, with the help of a Turk, asked what they called the captain (the bus driver). No one was linguistically skilled enough for this question to penetrate the barriers of trilateral communication. The captain just slapped me on the back saying (I assume), “don’t worry,” but possibly, “we have no idea what your annoying little problem is,” passengers laughed. After an hour, the captain yelled at the flagman and we were allowed to proceed.

The bus change
After 45 minutes we emerged from the canyon into flat farmland. Soon the bus came to an intersection in the middle of the fertile fields and stopped. The captain rushed back and motioned me to get off. I said, “here? there is nothing here!” He patted my shoulder and nudged me out. My team of three interpreters also hopped out and tried to explain the transfer. The captain ran over to a military check point and explained my plight to the soldiers. All the guys reassured me and the captain gave me (back) the 15TL to pay for the next bus. All four grinned, shook my hand, climbed back on the bus, waved, and roared away. Very touching effort really.

The soldiers gave me an alcohol mix to clean my hands, and put a chair in the shade for me. I started reading a book. Not four minutes later, two of the soldiers yelled autobus and ran onto the highway to flag down a massive, gleaming white Mercedes highway cruise-liner. The coach attendant jumped out, grabbed my pack and stowed it below. I got on, sat in the front seat and paid the 15TL. With its v efficient AC, it was the most quiet, rattle free bus I have ever been on. They said two more hours to Erzurum.

The princess
The giant bus stopped at a station in the first city where dozens of conservative Muslims were seeing off a woman in a brightly colored veil and jewelry and (apparently) her ‘helpmeet.’ With a surprising sense of self-entitlement, she jabbered in Turkish that she would be taking my seat. I looked at her and shook my head, no. The ‘captain’ shrugged and motioned with his head for me to move over to the other side. So I did. Once on the road, the veiled, ¾-scale helpmeet provided the princess with water, snacks, wet-naps and an iPhone, so, whatever.

Erzurum
Got off the big bus in the center of a drab, characterless Erzurum. Took a cab to my hotel, a traditional but nice Renaissance. Unattractive exterior, the hotel was 15 minutes up the mountain at a ski resort complete with chairlifts close to the entrance. Didn’t have enough lira to pay the driver; he took what I had. I came down to the lobby to find a group of Turkish tourists migrating into the restaurant. I joined them for their buffet and then slipped up to my room. Nice view of the city at night, ineffective AC.

Monday
Erzurum to Ankara, (Dogu Express -daily)
Got up at 4:00am to make the 5:30 departure of the Dogu Express. This “express” has the reputation of a tired wanderer. The schedule called for an un-ambitious 27 hours from Erzurum to Ankara. The historic station was in good shape but full of people and smelled of the men’s room. Relief, when the ticket agent found my reservation. Surprise, when the train showed up on time. Satisfied, as most of the patrons filed into the chair-cars. I found my compartment in the last car and settled in.

The train was v relaxing. Some people like to lie on the beach to relax. With my own private compartment (no one ever came to use the second bed), a book, an iPod and the constantly changing view, it was a wonderful rest. I’d occasionally saunter up to the dining car for beer and a snack. The rear doors of my car had windows and I tried to photograph from there. At late morning, the train wound through a deep, all rock river canyon, beauty.

Hanging out
The only thing I missed was a window that opened enough to hang out. Then I noticed the open baggage car doors. I walked the length of the train, through the Lahore-like chair-cars and into the unlocked baggage car. It was mostly empty and a few guys were sitting around in the front beyond an open door. When they saw me sitting at the sliding door with my legs dangling out, one muttered and waved something like, ‘…just don’t fall off the train.’ Soon, the conductor motioned me to join them and offered me tea. With my digestive tract, undocumented water is always a risk, but you cannot turn down this hospitality. The baggage handler offered me his seat and we all drank the tea. Turks are exceptionally hospitable people in a pleasantly old-world sense, especially away from the tourist centers.

Later while sitting on my bed, watching the scenery, I saw a package fly past my window, then a pack of diapers, then a plastic soda bottle. I was incensed. I went next door, found two women and two young children. I asked if they were throwing their garbage out the window. The younger woman smiled and nodded yes. I put my hand on my heart and said, ‘please, Turkey is so beautiful. Please do not put the garbage out.’ She again smiled and said, ‘okay.’ So there.

Some disturbance from the toddler next door, but overall a very relaxing trip.

Tuesday
Ankara
The train was scheduled to arrive in Ankara at 3:50am. With nowhere to go there, I was counting on it being late. Obligingly, it arrived at 7:45. Having successfully avoided a sit-down session on the train’s questionable toilets for 27 hours, it was time to do something about it. I had all day in Ankara until my 19:50 train was to depart for Izmir. I walked out the back way through a market and starting looking for hotel;
found one a few blocks from the station. It was big, luxurious and clean, a good place for the bathroom and to keep my bag until later. I chatted up the hotel clerk, asked what to do for a day in the city and then asked if I could keep my bag there. She asked for my room number. I said I didn’t stay last night but a few months ago. She said it was okay, and the bell boy locked up my pack.

Ankara is nice, not so different from many US cities, though with uninspired architecture. Big boulevards, normal traffic, pretty clean -- not at all ancient like Istanbul.
I took the Ankara metro (v quiet), then a bus up to the TV tower and found several shops and cafes. I had some good lahmacun (non-cheese vegi-pizza) and walked around. I was looking for an internet café to write my daughter and confirm our meeting the next day at Ephesus. After several blocks, I asked a guy in a suit if he knew one. He invited me in to his office to use a computer at a vacant desk. So gracious, and really why not, but few people would do it.

Went to a large retail district, blocked off from traffic: several blocks for ped-only shopping, bought Kipling book.

In the afternoon, went to the Ataturk mausoleum/museum. Turkish and English descriptions, so it was pretty interesting. At the beginning of WWI, the Ottomans were ready to bend over for British and French warships/troops who planned to hand Turkey over to Russia after the war. Ataturk rallied the country and fought their war of independence. He was like George Washington. His famous quote is, ‘I don’t order you to fight, I order you to die.’
In spite of Ataturk’s ideals, secularism, education, a representative government, Turkey still seems a little third world in many respects. Not sure why, except I suspect the representative government is more Russia-like than US-like.

Went back to the big hotel to relax, have a drink and collect my luggage.

Ankara to Izmir: Izmir Mavi train
Thirteen hour train ride, equipment identical to first train, again had no roommate and got a good sleep. This train had no baggage car. Dinning car attendant had lived in NY and gave me an Efes beer on the house.


to Efes, er ah Ephesus
Scheduled to meet daughter at Ephesus at 11:30. Train didn’t arrive in Izmir until 11:00, and I got off one stop early with a family who said they’d take me to Ephesus. However, once off the train they said they had to meet a relative and have lunch with him, that he spoke English and that I’d be fine. I thanked them and left. I found the commuter train and took it to the main station to buy tickets for my later departure to Istanbul. After standing in line and with the help of the guy behind me, I got the tickets, then grabbed a cab for the bus station. I asked for autobus station, kept saying avtobus like in Russian but was saying Turkish ‘gar’ for station. Still I didn’t think the driver got it. I kept pointing to buses, ‘gar, gar.’ He stopped at a garage and asked an English speaker, then finally did get it.

Giant, hideous multi-level, concrete bus station, hundreds of buses, food stalls, herds of people, etc. I found the dolmus to Ephesus, got a sesame donut thing and took off within 15 minutes. An hour later we arrived in Selcuk, a few k from the ruins. With a pair of young couples from Europe, I got in a cab and went to the entrance at Ephesus. I was about two hours late to meet my daughter. I exited the cab, looked up and saw her walking across the street. She had just arrived as well having been misdirected at the Bodrum bus station. So Turkey was equally inefficient and we arrive simultaneously!

Wednesday
Ephesus
The usual: Greek, later Roman city, columns, amphitheaters, nicely restored residences, tourists all highlighted by two-story library façade. Fairly extensive. In the first century BC, it was second only to Rome in size. The Romans really got around. The weather was hot then (I assume); and it is hot now. A few hours later, we got a bus to Bodrum.

Bodrum
A resort city on the Aegean, Bodrum has a historic fort, yachts, restaurants, clubs and some Turks. I got a room at the small hotel where daughter was staying for the month. It had a peaceful café under large shade trees and some rabbits – presumably not to eat.

My daughter had just heard how big her tax refund was and was feeling generous. We ate at an upscale Spanish restaurant. Tapas, mm mmm good.

The next day it was extremely hot and so we did nothing. Sat under the shady trees, sipped beers and just got to talk to my daughter all day. Later in the afternoon, decided to try a hamam. Didn’t want a guy scrubbing me down, so, going against centuries of tradition, asked the helpful clerk to see if there were any hamams offering women for men. He found one at a small neighborhood resort. After I got there it turned out I’d get a woman for a massage, but that I still had to have a guy for the scrub down. The guy was big, muscular and tattooed; I’d have been his bitch in a Turkish prison. Nevertheless, I kept a wrap around my ‘loins’ and there was no incidental touching. They throw soapy water on a slab of stone, you lie there and they loofah you front and back. The massage was mediocre with too much noisy interruption. It could have been nice, but overall an un-enjoyable time.

Friday
bus Bodrum-Izmir
Got up, had breakfast near the harbor with daughter and a couple of her friends.
Walked to the bus station and took the first bus back to Izmir.

Izmir
Third biggest city in Turk, on the sea with little character except the colored houses on the hills and the seaside itself. Went for lahmacun dinner and took photos of the seaside. Noticed more wedding dress stores per block than ever before.
Park Hotel in kind of rough looking area but is centrally located and is nice inside, in a traditional hotel style. With the high capacity AC and 500 channels, I was done for the evening.



Saturday
Took advantage of the colossal breakfast offering at the Park Hotel, checked out and took the 25 minute walk to the train station.
train Izmir-Bandirma: ('6 Eylül Express' train, 9:00-14:14 -not Tuesdays), then 2-hour SeaCat fast ferry, Bandirma-Istanbul.
The all chair-car train was a pleasant ride through the beautiful Turkish countryside, stopping at many quiet, tree lined towns.
The train arrived in Bandirma on schedule, stopped briefly at the station then backed onto a pier. A large multi-deck ferry was waiting for us.
The ferry ride was uneventful. Nice views but passengers were not allowed on the outside of the boat.

I met a young guy on the ferry who was from Izmir and who told me to get a cheap bus to the airport at Taksim Sq. in Istanbul. As we got off the ferry he said he was going to Taksim Sq and that I could just tag along. We rode the city bus to the square; he showed me where to get the bus for 10TL then some restaurants he liked. I offered to buy him a drink in thanks, but he declined. I had dinner at a chee-chee place, somewhere all white with nice open doors to the crowd outside.

In reviewing my flight reservation, I noticed it only specified the airport as IST. I assumed this to be Ataturk airport but there are two airports in Istanbul and I wasn’t sure. I asked the guy at the next table if he could look up the airport codes for me. He said to just come over and use his laptop. Helpful and generous to the last.


Sunday
Istanbul-Moscow 1:20 AM, arr SVO 5:50AM
I had booked a red-eye flight on Aeroflot with a 2:00 am departure. Not only the cheapest flight, but it saved me a hotel stay in Istanbul. Then I thought I could just recover by sleeping all Sunday, which I did.

The End

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