Gallipoli Penisula

---

Took the morning ferry to Gallipoli today, which is the penisula on the other side of the Dardanelles from where I'm staying. This was where one of the most important battles of WWI took place: where the Turks and Germans stopped the Allies from bringing down Turkey in 1915. It was a huge defeat for the Allies, who were led by a very young Winston Churchill. Think of it as the D-Day of WWI, but where the Allies lost.

I made my way around the most important parts of the battlefield, from being right down on the water where the Allies first invaded, to hiking up to the cliffs above. It got a little intense after awhile, and I think I walked at least 10 or so miles today. Now my forearms are horribly burned. But it was definitely worth it - the views down to the sea from the cliffs were especially beautiful.

Also, I think on a cool note, the Prime Minister of Turkey, Tayyip Erdogan (who is great friends with the US), spoke at Gallipoli today, opening a brand new war museum. I didn't get to see him, but I thought it was a strange coincidence that the Prime Minister was just a few miles away.

Ended by taking the ferry back across the Dardanelles late in the day. Very tired... think I'll go to bed early tonight.

---

Photos

Walking down Anzac Cove
This is where the Allies landed.

Anzac Cove from the cliffs
The cliffs are where the Turks were firing down on the Allies below.

Lone Pine Cemetery
Why do you think it's called lone pine??