TOUR OF TURKEY 2007

A Journey of 4 ½ months and 8,000 miles

Cynthia and Martin Webb

February 2007

We first met Cindy and Martin whilst we were all settled on Camping Thines in the far south-western corner of the Greek Peloponnese in the winter of 2005/6. They were travelling in their Knaus Sunliner motorhome: we remember being impressed by its rear garage and wishing we had one for our bicycles.

Their account of a motorhome journey to, around and from Iceland and the Faroe Islands via the Orkney and Shetland Islands and northern Scotland, can be found on this website: Icelandic Saga.

We met this adventurous couple again in January 2007 as they were on their way for a first visit to Turkey. What follows are the emails we received from them as they made an anti-clockwise tour of this welcoming and fascinating country.

At the end of the text, you will find 23 excellent pictures taken on this journey.

12 February 2007 - Email from Kas

Here we are, 6 weeks into our trip and settled into the 'travelling mode'. For the third winter running we were aiming for Turkey: would it be third time lucky?

Unfortunately, on the first stop (just out of the Channel Tunnel) our driver's door blew off its hinges. At Brugge Martin fixed this. At the second stop, in Luxembourg for diesel and LPG, the gas pipe developed a nasty leak. Were things conspiring against us again? Were we just making excuses once again? We headed over the Alps via Switzerland and down through Italy, to cross from Brindisi to Igoumenitsa in the North of Greece, intending to head east and stop at the first campsite to get a new gas pipe sent out from UK. We knew of no campsites open anywhere in Northern Greece on our route.

So we headed south to the Peloponnese and, after deliberation, decided to sit and wait in Finikounda, where we spent the winter last year. Our chums Barry and Margaret were there for a month (training for another cycle trip around the world!) and we loved the scenery, cycling and fish. A very pleasant 10 days later, new gas pipe fitted, we set off once again heading to the north of Greece.

We detoured to Delphi and Meteora, both superb in their own way, and arrived at Alexandroupolis on the Greek/Turkish border. Less than an hour after arrival at the campsite, John and Linda, whom we had met last year on the Peloponnese, arrived heading in the same direction. They had intended to cross by ferry but found (as we had) that the cost was prohibitive. Coincidence or what! We spent a happy evening catching up on each other's travels over the summer. They headed off the next day; we took another 24 hours generally tidying up and battening down the hatches, ready for the rough roads we had been promised.

And so to the border crossing. Our first rude awakening – NO-ONE speaks English! That took us by surprise!!! And NO-ONE tells you what to do! A laborious tour of various offices and booths got the necessary paperwork and stamps ready for our entry. Having said that, everyone was courteous and smiled.

That was a week ago and we haven't bumped into John and Linda again yet. In fact, we haven't seen another camper or another northern European. Most unusual. We have visited Pergamon and Ephesus, toured a carpet factory (a co-operative of local weavers display their wares in an old farm building, with displays of the whole process including demonstrating the actual weaving – wool, cotton, silk – all locally produced and very interesting).

We stayed for a few days at Kusadasi, quoted in the Rough Guide as "Turkey's most bloated resort, a brash, mercenary and unpleasant Las Vegas-on-Sea …". We only went there because a camp site convenient for Ephesus had been highly recommended. Never take Guide Books at face value. We found a pleasant town with an excellent produce market, a local café with traditional food (occupied entirely by locals, except us), polite and friendly service and some good cycling. However, the Rough Guide had recommended the café.

Now we are ensconced on the harbour of Kas, just round the coast to the south: our first sight of the Mediterranean. It is a delightful fishing village and Martin has even plugged into the electric box provided for visiting yachts, so he is happy! And I have found a local wi-fi signal so I am happy! Our view is an absolute delight and the fish we chose to be grilled last night in the local restaurant lingers in our memory. Mmm.

So what are our impressions so far? First and foremost it has to be the friendly relaxed greeting we received everywhere: walking around a town, filling up with fuel, trying to find our way. Without exception, people come up and chat – Where you from? Do you like Turkey? Can I help you? - AND the inevitable chai. Tea with everything, yes, even when paying for the fuel it appears. We are now expert on chai from the Black Sea, apple chai, etc, etc, etc. Good thing we like chai!

Now, the roads. Again, don't believe everything you read in a Guide Book. Rough Guide warns of "dangerously narrow … poorly signed … typical hazards of overtaking left, right and centre, preferably on a curve … smashed windscreens and shredded tyres". AA Explorer says "the road network is extremely good and generally well maintained". We have found the latter, having driven the entire west coast (600 miles with some detours). We shake rattle and roll on the rough surface of the tarmac but wide roads and lack of potholes have heartened us. The standard of driving so far compares very favourably with Greece.

We shall spend a few days here, then meander along the south coast to Adana where we are hoping to head inland across the mountains to Ankara and Istanbul IF the snow allows.

28 February 2007 - Email from Tasucu

Since last writing, we have meandered along the south coast as planned. We've not reached Adana yet, though we are nearly at the extreme north-east corner of the Mediterranean. In fact when we looked at a map we found that, had we had the forethought to arm ourselves with Syrian and Saudi Arabian visas, we could easily have continued onwards to Qatar and visited with family!

However, we have parked our van on a pleasant campsite - by the sea, a good fish restaurant attached, empty and plenty of ancient sites to explore. AND the sun is shining. AND temperatures are in the mid-teens to early 20s (300 days of sunshine a year)! When we ventured 30 km inland yesterday to visit an ancient site, we reached 1200 metres above sea level where it was so much colder. Thick trousers and fleeces replaced shorts and shirts. At that stage we decided to stay for a while longer, since the next leg of our journey takes us across the interior of Turkey where the mountains keep the temperatures pretty cool. Last time we checked on the weather forecast there it was -9 at night!

We have gradually left the tourist trail behind, finding cheaper prices along with fewer and fewer people speaking English (although the Germans apparently flock here in the summer. But still we are greeted with smiles. A typical greeting is: "Hello, where are you from? Do you need any help? I would like to help you. I live over there in that house if you need anything at all." Curiosity from young and old but not at all threatening. Everyone is just interested.

We even had a trip out on a local fishing boat to see a sunken city, though unfortunately the sea was rather choppy and we didn't even get to see the rooftops. Oh well, an interesting trip. And the Lycean rock tombs are something else. So many of them. Wow.

As we wound along the unspoilt coastline (apart from one short stretch within reach of Alanya airport which was reminiscent of Spain at its worst), with a backdrop of mountains framing the turquoise coast, we have found a surfeit of ancient sites with so much still unexcavated. In fact, in parts where attempts have been made to maintain structures, marble has been used to good effect, rather than the concrete we have seen elsewhere. Marble seems to be plentiful here – even sea defences are piles of marble!

We find water taps regularly placed along the highway (pure mountain spring water), fresh fish and meat, fruit and vegetables. In fact, in every valley we find the Spanish cloche system of farming although, unlike Spain and Holland, they seem to use actual soil to grow their vegetables and there are no signs of chemical vats or spraying. The fruit and veg certainly taste good.

We have encountered only 2 other campervans. One British couple arrived when we were parked on a harbour and, would you believe it, we had met them last year in Sicily. Now a French camper has arrived to spoil our peace on this campsite.

And so ends our second month of travelling – 4,000 miles driven and a wealth of memories retained. AND we still get chai with everything! Even when bartering at a market stall, we drank the tea but didn't reach an agreeable price for the goods!

Yes, we are still here … after a week of lazing in glorious sunshine by an azure sea we decided to ask my sister to forward our mail and sit and wait – another factor is that it is still snow and -9 degrees at night at our next stop (Capadocia). Well, one out of 3 packages has arrived and we are happy to sit for another week or two – the weather forecast looks better in 10 days or so up north.

While here we have met a French couple who took their camper through into Syria (a Gaelic shrug of shoulders was the only response to our question regarding paperwork for both ourselves and the van) and a German couple who are on their way to Iran (in a very business-like 4WD battered Mercedes van) who told me in impeccable English that they sorted out all the paperwork before they left Germany. Vive la difference! We are still mulling those choices over and will investigate further on return to UK – probably British vehicle insurance etc will be somewhere between the two examples above. We are sited at the port for North Cyprus which we investigated but for the cost of the ferry we would want longer to explore than the week or two we feel we can spare at present. Another time?

After 10 days lounging around we took off for a week to visit the numerous archaeological sites in the close vicinity – only ventured 30 km in each direction but – oh boy – did we get our fill … chasms and caves, rock tombs and canyons … so much history is just laying waiting for investigation. One ravine proved just too steep and the "steps cut into the side" were so eroded we slid and slithered as far as we dared then turned back. One headland which we walked round kept exposing Doric columns jutting out of the sand dunes! We parked under a Zion Temple (what was left of it anyway). Villages are built on and around Greek, Roman and Byzantine buildings.

We found a remote bay (had read about it) where we parked for 2 nights with just a wreck for company, idyllic. The highlight was supposed to be the Gosku Delta, the largest designated area of outstanding environmental importance in Turkey with its bird reservation attracting birds of all shapes and sizes from February to May, even nesting turtles in the summer. We saw one tortoise, one booted eagle and 2 ducks on our 16 km cycle ride/walk … oh well.

Shopping has been exciting here – the bread is gorgeous (similar to light, softer French baguette); tea of course is plentiful (even Liptons Yellow Label loose tea is available in 3 kg sacks!); we feast on fresh fish and lamb that is so cheap and so tasty; BUT if you think Tesco value mild cheddar is strong you might like the strongest cheese available here. Also, funnily enough, we cannot find sea salt.

We still cause interest wherever we go, especially when filling up with water at a village tap – one chap brought us a bagful of lemons from his tree (no payment accepted) – young girls accost Martin to practise their English amidst lots of teenage giggling, young men call out and wave as they pass on their motorbikes. How refreshing. One thing that always surprises them is that we are travelling alone – "What, no children" is the most common response. The extended family continues to thrive in Turkey.

So we near our halfway point – both in time and distance – and both agree that so far it has exceeded all expectations … so – all for now, love from Turkey.

06 April 07: Email from Bran, Transylvania, Romania

Ten days ago we reluctantly bade farewell to Tasacu and all our new friends. We were given a parting gift of 2 bone china cups and saucers for our night-time cocoa! We shall miss everyone – and the chickens, ducks and rabbits running loose, and the explosive roadworks. But before we left, after 5 weeks of solitude, at mid-day (precisely) the German Wagon Train rolled in – 12 vans heading for Syria and Jordan. Two days later they left – at 8 am precisely. Some things never change.

We headed north to Cappadocia, land of rock chimneys, arriving in snow (the temperature dropped from 25 C daytime/16 C nights to barely 3 C daytime and minus 4 C at night). Imagine a wide valley littered with volcanic chimneys eroded over time. 7,000 years ago the inhabitants realised that the rock was fairly soft and scooped out the insides to turn these rock chimneys into dwellings. An amazing sight. We also explored one of the many underground cities, vast complexes dating back to 3,000 years BC and extended in later periods. Some of them were capable of housing 30,000 people, complete with stables, plazas and wine presses. We scrambled down seven levels, through narrow passages and stairways, approximately 50 metres underground. The trip was somewhat spoiled by the arrival of coaches disgorging hordes of large German tourists, each of whom individually completely filled the passages!

Next we drove to Istanbul and parked in a guarded car park (next to a disco which pounded until 6 am!) We had a good wander round, taking in the famous covered market, Topkapi Palace and Blue Mosque. Then it was time reluctantly to leave Turkey. The friendliest place we have ever been. Oh how we shall miss the smiles, the waves, the helpful assistance at every turn. Oh how we shall miss the chai! At one fuel stop we were even given hot stuffed vine leaves in a baguette – as usual, no charge!

And so we went from the friendly curiosity of Turks to the dour faces (although equally helpful when asked) of Bulgarians. Not so much to smile about maybe - potholes, cobbles, storks nesting! Although, having written all that, at one stop we were hopelessly lost in the maze of urbanization and we asked the way in a shop. A customer jumped in her car and led us to our destination. Appearances can be deceptive!

The drive through Bulgaria was drab in the extreme, with vast tracts of 1960 style communist flats that had not been maintained. We didn't find much to hold us in Bulgaria, though we visited the few 'sites' recommended by Lonely Planet en route. But we were soon in Romania.

My my my. What a difference 13 years makes! On my last visit the few practically derelict shops still had almost empty shelves and the queue for fuel was cut to 2 hours (from 2 days the previous year). This time we came across Carrefour supermarkets, smart fuel stations and consumerism as per the rest of the world. Between larger towns the way of life seems little changed, although of course motor vehicles have largely taken over from oxen and horse-drawn carts and (thank goodness) the children no longer rush up desperate for sweets. A very very pleasant comparison.

So we set off on the trail of Vlad the Impaler – reputed origin of the Dracula stories. Transylvania has caught on to the tourist hype and Bran was a fascinating stop – staying where else but at Vampire Camping. Picturesque castle and hand-knitted woollens at bargain prices. It is great to be tourists.

Now we intend heading further north to the Ukrainian border before heading west and homewards via Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

10 April 2007: Email from Eger, Hungary

You will note that we are aiming for the Japanese Tourist of the Year Certificate – today is Tuesday, this must be Hungary. Actually, as we came over the border there was a Tesco store, closed but with a huge empty car park, so we parked for the night and now will shop before heading west.

We left Bran Castle behind on Easter Saturday, heading for the famous Painted Monasteries of Bucovina in the Moldovia Region, arriving at the first of our chosen 3 in the evening and parking in a quiet corner for the night. Well, hundreds and hundreds of pilgrims filed through – on foot, in cars, police galore and the dreaded bells hourly. All very hushed and all very orderly. What an exciting night! Preferable to the discos of Istanbul!

Next morning and still they came in droves. We joined them before moving north and finding similar situations in other monasteries. We then drove a very slow route over the northern mountains, following the Ukrainian border to the Maramures Region, where time seems to have stood still, cars are still rare and national costumes abound among the many many pedestrians who all use the road as their right of way. Walking is about all it was good for, as 20 miles an hour was still bone-shuddering! Often cobbles were exposed under flaking tarmac, enormous potholes … the 200 mile journey took 2 days! But was worth it for the lovely views. And storks galore sitting in their nests high above the ground – a sure sign of Spring.

One slight problem was the sub-zero temperature at night. The LPG we bought at such a good price in Bulgaria is obviously higher in butane than we are used to and just refused to ignite at those temperatures, so we had a few cold nights – the old adage "you get what you pay for" eh?

The Maramures Region is cut off from the rest of Romania by a mountain range and as such still retains an almost mediaeval way of life. I think the whole of that region was out on foot on the roads that Easter Monday, all in local costume: flowing knee-length embroidered skirts and beautiful embroidered sheepskin jerkins for the women, and thick black woollen ones for the men, who also sported felt hats reminiscent of the Bavarian costume. There are old wooden churches beautifully decorated and one famous graveyard, the Merry Cemetery with brightly painted carved oak headstones.

Now that we have crossed the border into Hungary, dropping from the mountains, our night-time temperatures have at last risen by 10 degrees or so and we are heading for the wine-growing region for some wine tasting before making for Budapest.

30 April 2007: Email from Cheb, Czech Republic

We have just spent 5 days near Eger in northern Hungary, sampling gentle walking, cycling and the local wine and food. A restaurant was attached to the campsite with an excellent menu but the trouble is you had to like pork schnitzel with chips or rice. If you ask for the beef, the chicken, the ice cream, the pie, the answer is: "Sorry, we don't have any!"

We travelled the short distance to Budapest. As with Romania, 15 years makes a huge difference and we were greeted with Auchan, Decathlon, Ikea – they are all there. However, we had heard of excellent long-term free parking alongside the Danube in Pest, in the shadow of the beautiful Parliament building. Sure enough, there it was: a short walk or metro hop to beautiful Buda on the opposite bank. Sunny weather and lots of pavement cafes for coffee and beer halts made it a very pleasant stay.

Moving northwards through Hungary and across Slovakia, we encountered detour after detour. We were among streams of lorries and other vehicles, all trying unsuccessfully to travel northwards, but being pushed further and further west. At one point, we had to make an almost full circle back to within 12 kilometres of a town we had left 3 hours previously. We never did find out the reason, but it did incorporate 2 National Parks which were quite scenic.

Eventually, we crossed into Poland right in the corner where it abuts both the Czech Republic and Slovakia. At least we saw more of the countryside! Then we were back to pot-holed roads and a much slower pace of life. We paid our respects at Oswiecim (site of Auschwitz & Birkenau) before settling at an excellent campsite 4 km from Krakow. This was an easy cycle ride since Poland seems to be as cycle-friendly as Hungary was not.

In fact, we had some good tourist trips here: the largest Square in Europe, a Castle, a twirly mound to walk up, the war-time ghetto which has many commemorative plaques. We even found Oskar Schindler's Enamelware Factory (as in 'Schindler's List') which is being made into a superb museum. After the war, Schindler emigrated to Argentina, returned to Germany, started various ventures and throughout was funded by the Jews in Israel, where he finally settled. We also had our first rain for months, apart from one day in Istanbul. And we had a visit to the local salt mines – 300 metres deep at 7 levels. The 1% we saw took 2 hours for the guided tour plus another hour for the museum level. At the end, we zoomed upwards in a tiny lift (7 literally crammed in ). It was all quite spooky!

Time to move on. Generally, we resisted the Ikeas and Auchans and Carrefours and Tescos and Decathlons along the way but just could not pass E LeClerc without a foray into their wares.

Next stop, still in Poland and now going west, was Wroclaw, where our van was booked into a Knaus agent for its annual guarantee check. We got superb service, including a few jobs even we did not know about! The Poles can certainly give the UK dealers a few lessons in customer relations! After a night in their yard, we set off for the Czech border, finding some excellent walking in a National Park running along the border between Poland and Czech Republic before heading south-west to Prague.

Here we could choose from literally dozens of campsites and we settled on an island in the river, only 1 km from Wenceslas Square. Campers and caravans were packed tightly with literally no room to open our awning! What about the 6 metre rule, asks Martin! But it was a convenient and pleasant spot. Beautiful weather gave us a few lovely tourist days in Prague, which was even lovelier than my memories of 15 years ago.

Now we are ensconced near the German border, on the edge of a beautiful lake, with a huge choice of cycle routes and paths and we still have 3 weeks to stay here or meander to the Channel Tunnel – a relaxed end to a very successful 4 ½ month, 8,000-mile trip.

THE END!

Turkey: At Work in the Carpet Factory
Turkey: The Ampitheatre at Ephesus
Turkey: The View of Kas from the Webb's Motorhome
Turkey: The Market in Kusadasi
Turkey: Martin and the Bicycles on a Ride in Kusadasi
Turkey: On a local fishing boat hoping to find a sunken city
Turkey: Martin admires(?) an example of Necessity becoming the Mother of Invention
Turkey: Martin competes with the local fishing industry
Turkey: Rock Tombs
Turkey: Blind corner meets blind luck on a typical road
Turkey: Kiskalezi
Turkey: Night Halt
Turkey: One Ravine too many
Turkey: Temple tombs
Turkey: Uzuncaburc
Turkey: Cappadocia in the Snow
Turkey: Martin and Cindy enjoy their bedtime cocoa
Turkey: Fellow Travellers met along the Way
Romania: Bran Castle in Bran, Transylvania
Romania: One of several Painted Monasteries in Bucovina
Romania: The Maramures in the Far North
Romania: The Merry Cemetery in Sapanta, Maramures
Romania: Easter hats at the Merry Cemetery
Hungary: Buda from the motorhome, camping by the Parliament building on the Pest side of the Danube
Czech Republic: The centre of Prague
Slovakia: A Rocky Gorge in the Tatra Mountains
Poland: Salt Mine visited from Krakow
Poland: An early Stork feeling at Home