Saw this Turk in the bus station, while waiting for our bus. If you look close, you can see the “worry beads,” or “prayer beads” in his right hand. Almost every man in Turkey (and Greece for that matter) carries a set of these around, clicking them (somewhat neurotically) or otherwise fidgeting with them.
Hi Mom! Yes, we are indeed still alive and safe.
This morning we will be catching a Turkish minibus, or dolmus (pronounced dol-mush), to a place called Bergama, near the ancient site of Pergamon. There are some impressive archaeological remains there we’re looking forward to. We left Istanbul a few days ago and have already moved quite a ways away along the Aegean coast. We visited Troy and the Gallipoli peninsula, and will be hitting quite a few archeological sites in the next week or two. We are very much in the Turkish resort region now, but it is definitely the off-season. This has made our travel and accommodation plans a bit more challenging as buses are less frequent and several hotels and pensyones (sort of like private hotels, often in people’s homes) are closed, but we’re surviving just fine.
Laura has updated the “when” page linked above, and I have just put up a map on the “where” page. Hope everyone is doing well. Thanks for all the comments. It’s really great to know some people are checking out the site.
Here are a few pics for now.
Houses in Eceabat, on the Gallipoli Peninsula.
Australian grave stones from the First World War Gallipoli (Gelibolu in Turkish) Campaign. This was one of the bloodiest campaigns of the war, with over 500,000 casualties on both sides over 8 months.
Laura, at the Nek, scene of the final scene in the film Gallipoli.
Seagulls flying above our ferry as we crossed the Dardanelles. Marauding armies have been fighting over this extremely strategic position since antiquity, as the straits control access to the Sea of Marmara, Istanbul, and the Black Sea beyond. Alexander the Great brought his army across the strait on his way to conquer Asia in the 4th century BCE. .
Leaving cosmopolitan Istanbul behind has not been without its challenges. Squat toilets are the norm throughout rural Turkey, and the practice is to use the provided pitcher and tap to wash after doing your business. We prefer to bring along our own TP, for now...
hi guys...you not only sound still alive and well but sounds like you are having the time of your lives. good for you. enjoy it all and stay safe. love always...mom and dad.
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