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Published: November 7th 2007
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After being allowed a late checkout we quickly packed and paid for the nights stay. Without consulting a map we set off searching for a quiet place to eat our picnic purchased the day before, after a short walk we realised that Izmir is larger than Liverpool and it wouldn't quite be that easy. A quick look in the guidebook showed that we were heading towards the sea and that it would be a good place to look.
The road to the sea was bustling with people and shops; there were many clothes shops selling cheap items all along the road. Every so often there were little trains whizzing round plastic tracks at little stalls selling this and that. Izmir seems to have embraced the sandwich more than other Turkish towns with regular shops and vendors selling normal bread with non melted cheese, slices of tomato and a chili pepper. Quite tempting despite the fact that my staple vegetable is the chili pepper.
At the water front there were a strange number of school children around and as it wasn't during lunch or after school we couldn't work out where they had come from. Unable to spot somewhere quiet
Into The Bazaar
notice how Turkish; Minaret, Flag, Mustafa Kemal on the front we found some benches in a quieter area to prepare the sandwiches. An interesting character (smoking and seemed drunk) with a large turkey flag sat next to Steph and tried to communicate but even though we shook our heads not understanding he continued to talk and lean over, I hastily finished making the picnic and we moved on. As soon as we got up he told Steph that he loved her and got up too, fortunately he didn't follow us to the waterside.
Whilst eating we got to do some people watching. Immediately next to us was a guy who took photos and printed them for 1 lira, constantly calling out for people. In the time we were eating two groups of people had there picture taken, which surprised me, one of which was another large group of school kids. Further up there was a string of balloons in the water at which people were shooting with an air rifle.
Strolling up the promenade there were many of the picture taking and balloon shooting types and also just lots of people. At one point there are some posts in the ground for a reminder of
how the mayor stopped a motorway being built along the shoreline, looking at Izmir's shoreline you could never imagine this even being considered. Just behind a pier is a large plaza with a fancy clock tower and a mosque covered in tiles with lots of fountains and loads of people selling bags, wallets and even portable sowing machines which look like staplers.
Further inland still is another amazing market like Bursa only much busier. Anyone who only goes to Istanbul's Bazaar is greatly missing out! Walking in the only westerners we were pounced on with calls in English, locals were treated the same only I couldn't understand the calling. People thrust jeans in front of us telling us they were Armani and D&G and other such brands to which Steph has perfected a look which says "why would I buy that".
After covering most of the bazaar we went back to the hotel and picked up our bags and went to the convenient train station which was only 30m away; this being our reason for choosing the train over the 6km away bus station. Our guidebook suggested a train was in an hour but once inside we realised
it was indeed a trainless train station, although we did manage to get a ticket. This was unfortunately for a bus in two hours. With our baggage we couldn't really go anywhere and so were stuck. We waited and waited and no trains came to the station so we decided it must be a rail replacement service.
After a long uneventful wait we got onto a bus bound for Selcuk (or so we thought) and settled for an hour and a half long ride on a bus (not a coach). A mobile phone went off and half the bus shouted at the person whose phone it was; with mobiles banned on public transport although smoking isn't. The short bus journey was filled with screeching tires, manic beeping and our lives flashing before our eyes
and then we arrived in what we presumed was Izmirs second train station where we actually boarded a train. The train wasn't the best in the world but it wasn't a long journey so it didn't matter too much.
The hostel was within a minutes walk from the station in this quiet little place. Once inside the host, Jimmy, greeted us and showed us
our room and invited me to play football with him and his brother. I agreed but said that we needed to eat dinner and so he recommended and then drove us to a quaint restaurant and instructed the Turkish speaking owner of Steph's vegetarian diet. After Jimmy left Steph was encouraged to pick a variety of mezers which we then found out to be both our meals. The food was very colourful and came with a massive basket of bread and was thoroughly delicious although some of it far too spicy.
Back at the hostel Jimmy had already left but he sent his dad to pick us up and take us to the game. The pitch was a small distance out where everything was pitch black and the crickets were chirping. We watched them play for about an hour before I came on in place of Jimmy; it was so tiring after not playing in years and wearing massive trekking shoes but I set us up two goals and it was great to play again. Although I do have a nice sized Astroturf burn on my knee! After the game everyone had tea and sunflower seeds.
Before going to bed we noticed that there was a PS2 with Pro Evolution Soccer so Steph, Jimmy, Juju (Jimmy's brother) and I played a few games. Juju made me promise to write that I lost to Jimmy 4-1 and so it has now been immortalised in writing. Thoroughly knackered I then went to bed looking ahead to another long day!
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anonymous
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Izmir here I come! ( but not likely to be by a bus...!) Stob, this place sound absolutely lovely - nice and traditional. Your description conjurs up a magical picture - thank you! Keep up the good work you two - what an amazing array of experiences you are getting by doing things this way. It has to beat the 'hotel and organised trips' way of doing things that so many tourists follow. Talk again soon, love, Irene. xxx