"Absolute Turkey" - Absolutely

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It was time for another adventure and this year took me to Turkey. Turkey was the obvious choice – moving clockwise around the Mediterranean, having conquered Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, and Greece, it was time to begin the southern arc towards Africa. Of course, I had experienced a taste of Islam in the art and architecture of Spain, but Islamic traditions and customs were new to me, especially visiting the country during Ramadan. So, booking my fifth trip with GAP Adventures, “Absolute Turkey,” I flew from Toronto (via Frankfurt) to the one-time capital of Turkey, Istanbul.

I realized I wasn’t in Canada anymore when, upon leaving the airport, the taxi driver leaned back and offered me a cigarette. From the taxi’s windows, my first impressions of Turkey were formed from young couples arm-in-arm strolling along the stunning waterfront, a space groomed for enjoyment of sunsets over the city’s numerous minarets and domes. The streets were full - full of locals, tourists, and salesmen with tables filled with knock-off Lacoste, Burberry, and colognes. Studying Art History at university, there was no debate about my first stop – the Hagia Sophia. Begun nearly 1,400 years ago, this monument has seen Byzantine Emperors and Empresses enrich its walls with gold and spoils from around the world followed by the conquest of the Ottoman Sultans and its conversion into one of the world’s most famous mosques. Mosaics of Christ, Mary, the Christian saints and apostles are juxtaposed with roundels with the calligraphic forms of the Islamic faith. There was another icon of Art History which drew me around the corner from the Hagia Sophia to the Archaeological Museum. The “Alexander Sarcophagus” is a monument known to many Art History students – for its exemplary three-dimensional carving and for its subject matter of Alexander the Great in battle with the Persians. That evening saw the gathering of the “Absolute Turkey” group, composed of Canadians, Americans, Brits, and an Aussie and led by our local guide Ibo. We all realized that our tour coincided with Ramadan when we attempted to order beers – a request which was not answered favourably that evening.

We awoke the following day ready for Ibo to show us Istanbul on foot. The first stop was the Suleymaniye Mosque where shoes were removed before stepping onto the carpeted floor. What made this richly decorated mosque “human” were two gentlemen vacuuming the carpet, moving from top to bottom, ensuring that this site remained clean and holy. Walking through the Grand Bazaar, we reached the Hippodrome within which stand a number of spoils, such as the Egyptian obelisk and the Delphic serpentine column, erected after various conquests around the Mediterranean. The Blue Mosque, named for the thousands of blue-hued tiles which adorn the walls and domes, was the next stop. The group then split for the afternoon and a few of us visited the Topkapi Palace, built between 1459 and 1465 by Mehmet II, and known for its treasures and harem complex. Following a few hours touring the Palace, we visited what was one of the highlights of Istanbul for me, the Basilica Cistern. Descending a number of steps, we found a dark oasis upheld by Ionic and Corinthian columns engineered in 532 by the Emperor Justinian as a means of water supply for the main Palace. Within one corner are two columns with the head of Medusa carved on the bases – more examples of plunder from other monuments. My fundraising radar went up and I started to think of the fantastic events that could be held in this cavernous space. Meeting the group back at the hotel, we travelled by bus across the bridge to Asia and arrived at the train station where we would embark on an eight-hour trek to the centre, and capital, of the country, Ankara.

If I was planning on a good night’s sleep, it didn’t happen. It wasn’t a direct train from Istanbul to Ankara and stopped at least once an hour. After a journey of swaying back and forth on the top bunk and trying to put in my contacts on a moving train, we arrived at our destination where our driver Mathin was waiting with the minivan. Stopping at the second largest lake in Turkey, Lake Tuz, we stretched our legs on a sea of salt which has hardened atop of the water. Four hours later, we saw in the distance the piller-like geological formations of Goreme and after checking into the hotel and eating lunch, we went for one of the most Turkish of Turkish experiences – the Turkish bath. Sauna – good. Massage – good. Soapy water in a pillow case slopped on my back – good. Slaps on the back and douses of cold water – not expected! Dinner that night took us to a local family’s home where we were served soup, lamb, and baklava.

Before sunrise the next morning, eight of us arose at 4:15am to be picked up and taken to the site where our hot air balloon would fly us over central Turkey. Huddled together in the crisp morning we grasped warm cups of coffee and tea before we were divided up and taken to our balloons. Driving up, we saw enormous flames expanding the limp balloons, bringing them to life. Climbing into the baskets, we were off. The flight was more than smooth with panoramic views across the landscape. An hour later, finding a landing place was another story as we were one of at least 50 other balloons looking to land at the same time. “Ten more minutes” was said at least twice until we finally found a landing spot, interrupting the champagne celebration of another balloon group which had just landed. Toasting the flight with our own glasses of champs and we received our certificates (that we had survived?) and returned to the hotel and joined the rest of the group for a hike of the Red Valley. Our final day in the Cappadocia region began with a visit to Uchisar Castle which offered even more awe-inspiring views over the valleys. We were then treated to a display at a local carpet manufacturer before heading to the Open Air Museum of Goreme where churches and other habitations were built into the mountains. The day wasn’t complete without a trip to the Turkish Folk Night, which I equated to a combination of Medieval Times and So You Think You Can Dance: Turkey.

We left Cappadocia and piled back into the minibus where our next stop was the underground city of Derinkuyu. Once home to around 20,000 individuals, the city descends 197 feet and while we were on the eighth and lowest level, the power went out leaving us in complete darkness. Fortunately what felt like minutes were only seconds and the lights came back on, much to our relief. We then set out for a hike of the Ilhara Valley, which I compared to last year’s trek of the Samaria and Irini Gorges in terms of vegetation and the towering walls of stone around us. Four hours after completing our hike, we arrived in Konya and visited the Mevlana Museum, where the founder of the dervish (as in whirling dervishes) sect is buried. Arriving at our hotel in Kanlioglu, we set out for an authentic Ramadan dinner (pizza and Fanta, of course) and happened upon a local festival in the main square.

It had been far too long since seeing the sea, so we headed south to the Mediterranean coast and Antalya, navigating some very, very narrow streets along the way. Hoping on the tram, a few of us visited the National Archaeological Museum which had some fantastic sculptures and carved sarcophagi. After being cultured, we walked down to the beach where Efes beers were purchased and consumed under umbrellas between dips in the Mediterranean. More drinks were enjoyed on the hotel’s balcony overlooking the Sea before dinner.

We were allowed to sleep-in until 8am the next morning before boarding the bus and arriving in Myra where we visited the Church of St. Nicholas (yes, Santa Claus) and enjoyed a lunch in the Noel-Baba Restaurant/Cafeteria (if you can believe it, the chef was wearing a santa hat). Waiting for our overnight sleeper boat to arrive, a few of us jumped in the shallow waters to cool down before embarking the barge. We took advantage of both the boat and the warm waters by leaping off the sides and swimming into monstrous caves where dolphins were known to birth their young and bats circled above, out of site in the dark depths (yes, it sounds very dramatic). We then passed by a sunken city once inhabited by the Lycians and then climbed up numerous stairs to a castle built in the mid-fifteenth century. After docking at “Junk Harbour” (it wasn’t the most picturesque location, but made up for it later that night and early the next morning), we had another swim before the captain’s family prepared a seafood dinner. Discovering that vodka and Fanta was a great mix, we ended the evening dancing on the top deck, glasses in-hand, and enjoying a fantastic display of the Milky Way and thousands of stars before settling down on our mattresses and falling asleep under the Mediterranean stars.

The early fingers of the sun awoke a few of us in time to see the stunning sunrise which caused the surrounding landscape to morph into shades of purple, blue, and pink. After one more swim before breakfast (and a dolphin sighting), we disembarked and were driven to the captain’s brother’s restaurant on the beach where we swam, sunned, and ate a fantastic lunch of pizza, Fanta, and fries. Back aboard the minivan we drove to the seaside town of Kas where we checked into “quaint” cabins.

The next morning began with a five hour drive to Pamukkale. After a rest by the pool, Ibo took us on a tour of Heriopolis, a trendy spa city of the Hellenistic period, known for its thermal pools. After a walk around the agora, theatre, and necropolis, I dipped my feet in the thermal pool (watching out for security since I didn’t pay). We then visited the World Heritage Site of Pamukkale or “cotton castle” - terraces of white calcium carbonate from which we descended from the top to bottom while the sun set.

A three hour drive the next day saw us arrive at the town of Selcuk. We set out to explore the oldest mosque in Turkey, followed by the stunning ruins of the Basilica of St. John which, when completed, would have been the seventh largest cathedral in the world. After lunch, we visited the ruins of the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the local museum. When it had cooled off in the afternoon, we visited the site of Ephesus – walking down the main street of this historic city and ending at the iconic Library brought back fond memories of my first trip here in 2007.

The next morning began with a run alongside the Temple of Artemis before breakfast and then a 9am fashion show at a local leather factory and a stop at an onyx shop. Tonight’s accommodation in Kas was a restored Ottoman mansion converted into a pencion. The view from our room looked over the Aegean and in the distance the Greek Island of Lesbos was visible. A few of us explored the market which was filled with fruits, vegetables, home tools, and baked goods. Of course I found the Puma store in the town and fortunately it became a haven of safety as a knife fight broke out just outside the doors. A brilliant dinner of kalamari (and a vodka Fanta) was consumed before heading back to the hotel’s patio for a few glasses of wine to end the day.

After enjoying breakfast on the patio, we climbed back into our home-away-from-home, the minivan, and set off for Troy. Although the horse may not be real, the layers of civilization are – each one visible and identified by roman numerals marking significant events of history which destroyed the city or expanded it. We arrived in the university town of Canakkale and walked down to the waterfront to see the horse used in the Brad Pitt movie, “Troy.” We then visited the castle and naval museum which brought to life the story of Gallipoli.

Enriched by the story, the next morning we boarded the boat across the Dardanelles, the narrowest point of the Bosphorus which separates Europe and Asia, and drove to the sites of Gallipoli. A poignant and personal moment came to all of us when one member of our group found her relative’s name on the monument which honoured the British soldiers who died at Gallipoli. It was also a significant moment for our Aussie who reflected on those who died at ANZAC Cove. Walking amongst the graves and reading the messages carved into the stones was a poignant moment – many were formal, citing biblical passages, while others were personal, such as “Well, done, Ted.” We visited the war trenches where at moments the Turks and Aussies were mere feet apart for nearly nine months as the siege continued. Back on the minivan, our driver Mathin sang a haunting song about the siege which was believed to have been sung by a Turkish soldier every night. One night, an Aussie didn’t hear the song on the other side of the trench and thought perhaps it was his bullet which ended the song. Five hours later, we arrived back at our original hotel in Istanbul where Ramadan was set to end at sundown. Thousands of families filled the square between the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia. We all ended the tour at a fantastic restaurant where, seated on plush cushions, we toasted vodka Fantas and reminisced about our adventures. Leaving Istanbul the next morning was an experience that involved two guys, a minivan, and a pug dog – but that’s another story.

Turkey was everything I expected and more. Studying Classical Civilization at university, I always heard of the Persian Empire as “the others” or “the enemy,” but seeing first-hand Turkey’s vibrant culture, both today and over the centuries, it is evident that this country has flourished through its interactions with cultures from across the Mediterranean and Asia. Would I recommend this trip to anyone seeking an adventure filled with new experiences, traditions, and people – “absolutely.”

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It's good to see you are drinking plenty of fluids on your travels - Bob D.