Turkey - from Gallipoli to Cappadocia |
Our visit was in October 2007. On leaving Istanbul our first destination was the Gallipoli Peninsula where we toured the areas where the ANZAC troops were heavily involved. From there, across the Dardanelles to visit the site of Troy and on to Bergama, the town below the ruins of Pergamum. The following day we visited a very crowded Ephesus, the House of the Virgin Mary, the little hillop town of Sirince and, finally, the Temple of Artemis at Selcuk. Then, after stopping to visit the extensive site of Aphrodisiasto, on to Hierapolis and Pamukkale with its hot springs and mineral formations. The following day we crossed the Anatolian Steppes to Konya with its Mevlana Museum. Another long drive to us to the fascinating area of Cappadocia with its strange rock pillars. The long road to Ankara took us past the salt lakes of Tuz Golu. In Ankara a visit to the Ataturk Mausoleum was followed by a tour of the Museum of Anatolian Civilisations. From Ankara, another long drive took us past Gordion and on to Bursa with its Great Mosque and Silk Market. The final day of the tour brought us back to Istanbul after crossing one of the long bridges over the Bosphorus. Here are some of the pictures taken during the tour... |
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Ever hopeful fishermen by the Golded Horn, Eminonou, Istanbul |
The arrival platform of the Orient Express, Istanbul |
A first stop for the Orient Express passengers? |
A tablet marking the site of Anzac Cove |
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Lone Pine Memorial and the cemetery |
A preserved Turkish trench at Chunuk Bair |
Looking from Chunuk Bair towards Suvla Bay |
Where else but Troy? |
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An excavation showing the levels of Troy 1 to Troy 2 |
The ramp to the Citadel | The Council Chamber | Near the eastern gate |
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...and the Council Chamber at Ephesus |
The view from the top level of the Council Chamber |
One of the many beautiful carvings to be seen |
The remains of some of the shops and houses on the hillside |
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A very crowded Ephesus! | The front of the Library | From outside the main gateway |
The commercial Agora |
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The huge "Great Theatre" | Want a watch? Very cheap! |
The House of the Virgin Mary near Ephesus |
Messages and prayers on the wall below the shrine |
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The Temple of Artemis at Selcuk |
The Tetrapylon at Aphrodisias |
Looking down into the stadium at Aphrodisias |
How much longer? Near the Temple of Aphrodite |
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The Temple at Aphrodisias was once used as a church |
View from the top of Pamukkale |
Some of the many visitors enjoying the warm water springs |
These springs were out of bounds |
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Carvings on a gateway within the caravanserai |
Two local ladies | The central 'mescid' or covered area within the caravanserai |
A first sight of the strange rock formations of Cappadocia |
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The Outdoor Museum in the valley of Goreme |
The Goreme valley | Apprentice carpet weavers at Avanos |
Extracting the silk from cocoons |
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The view from our hotel room at Avanos |
A local craftsman carefully decorating a large platter |
There are vineyards planted on the lower areas |
Tops of the strangely rounded rock domes |
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This whole area is covered with these strange formations |
The holes are the entrances to troglodytic dwellings |
Some rock pillars at an earlier stage of development |
Strange indeed! |
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Yet more examples of these unusual formations |
The salt lake of Tuz Golu on the way to Ankara | The interior of the Great Mosque at Bursa |
A tea garden occupying the central area of the Silk Market at Bursa |