On the explore in Anatolia

This journal from Van is dedicated to my brother and his new bride. Recently married in Sydney, they spent their honeymoon in Greece and Turkey and I’m now following in their footsteps. Despite my brother’s initial wish during the planning stage they made a joint decision not to visit Van during their honeymoon. But never mind, cause your travel-obsessed family member has made it to this exotic destination guys! Van is situated in South Eastern Anatolia close to the border with Iran. I’ve been going great guns in Turkey since last sharing travel adventures with you, dear reader, so let’s bring the journal up to date…

We left off in Kusadasi and it was time to head out for the second day touring the famous sights near the city. This time our guide had the job of informing a group of Japanese and myself, and it was good to be part of a team again after a solo tour yesterday. We stopped first at the famous ruins of Ephesus, which was an historically important city during Greco/Roman times. The library façade that features in so many postcards has been reconstructed and it’s a truly magnificent structure. During ancient times it was the third largest library in the world and we were lucky to arrive early as a cruise ship full of tourists completely overran the ruins by 11:00am. We then went on to the ruins at the Temple of Artemis, which was destroyed by arson, reconstructed and much later sacked and destroyed again by the Goths. There is practically nothing left aside from one reconstructed pillar and foundations. However the temple was four times the size of the Parthenon, and was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Our day concluded with the option of a trip to the museum, or the home of the Virgin Mary who is believed to have settled at Ephesus after travelling with St John following the death of Christ.

I then took the bus east to Pamukkale to view the world famous cotton castle and the ruins of the holy city at Hierapolis. I was met at the bus station by our guide, and joined an American girl for lunch before we headed off on the afternoon tour. The ruins of Hierapolis are spread over a vast area as the city had a population of 100,000 in ancient times, and it’s a fascinating site to wander around. The amazing Travertine terraces are right on the edge of the ancient holy city and still thrill visitors today as they did during ancient times. The calcium formations were not flowing at all when we visited, but it is still a unique place to visit. The glare is pretty intense so I’m glad to have been wearing sunglasses while happily snapping photos during the tour. The highlight was taking a path down the Travertines back to town at the conclusion of our tour.

Then I jumped on an overnight bus to Cappadocia where I was booked on a two-day tour. I was met at the terminal and taken to my hotel to check in. After a quick shower to recharge the batteries it was off on a tour with a large group; very ably led by a knowledgeable and charismatic local guide. This tour was one of the best I’ve experienced during my years of travel, there is so much awe inspiring scenery in the north and south of Cappadocia it could keep visitors gobsmacked for days. The lunar like terrain, fairy chimneys, many rock caves and other extraordinary rock formations seen from the vantage points during our tours is like nothing I’ve experienced, and it’s difficult to capture the stark beauty of the terrain in photos or on video. However that didn’t stop us madly clicking away for the duration of the two-day tour. We also went to visit an underground city where the locals would retreat to safety when faced with external threats. The Hittites, who along with the Egyptians are the two oldest civilisations in the world, settled the area around Cappadocia and some of the traditions here stretch back thousands of years. I can’t remember a more enjoyable tour destination, and as a bonus I got to hang out with a cool Canadian guy working in the oil industry in Libya.

It’s all go go go at the mo, and the evening after finishing the Cappadocia tour I boarded a bus to Ankara. The capital of Turkey is a modern city of four million people, and it was good to overnight in a centrally located hotel. The next day I took the airport bus to catch a flight to Van in South Eastern Anatolia. This city in the far east of Turkey is located on Lake Van and surrounded by snow-capped mountains. On arrival I checked into a somewhat sketchy hotel and entered my room to be assaulted by the smell. Oh well, I opened the windows up so the brisk air could get rid of the mould or whatever. But then I recognised the problem, there was a distinctive fragrance best described as eau de open sewer wafting out through the bathroom and the door wouldn't shut. I decided to forgo a shower and wedged the door shut using the towel provided, and quickly became a happy traveller again. After all, I’m in Van for goodness sakes and it’s great to be here! I ventured out onto the main street to promenade with the locals but would have fitted in a lot better with some company. Everyone walks with their hand nestled in the crook of the elbow of their partner while promenading, whether it is guy and guy, guy and girl, girl and girl, or even guy and guy and guy. They all partake in the local custom, and it’s great to be part of the experience.

I woke on the second day to heavy snow, and my busted shoes were no help at all while strolling around grumbling over increasingly wet socks. The persistent snow was quite dry and flaky, and the temperature wasn’t below freezing so I had a great day exploring despite a little discomfort from the clapped out shoes. Unfortunately the Van Museum was closed even though the guidebook advised to the contrary, it may just be due to the season. I always enjoy getting off the beaten track, and there is not a tourist to be seen or a word of English to be spoken for the most part here in Van ... just the way I like it! Anyway, I’m hoping the snow does not affect flight schedules for tomorrow but I’m comfortably ensconced in my room and the smell from the bathroom has largely dissipated. As a matter of fact,……… basically all of you should be here now!

"To awaken alone in a strange town is one of the pleasantest sensations in the world." Freya Stark

Top 3 Hotels/Restaurants
Cappadocia Palace Hotel - Urgup, Turkey
Spor Hotel - Ankara, Turkey
Otel Aslan - Van, Turkey

Top 3 Sights/Activities
Ephesus tour - Fez tours, Istanbul
Hierapolis and Travertine terraces tour - Fez tours, Pamukkale
Cappadocia two day tour - HTR tours, Urgup

As I continue my travels, until next time it’s signing off for now

Tom

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