Central and Northern Turkey

In the 2 weeks I have seen many things. The battlefields of Gallipoli, with ferocious fighting that left bullets fused with each other in mid-flight, and hundreds of thousands of people dying in trenches separated only by the width of a road. I've visited the great ruins of Ephesus, with the magnificent buildings carefully restored. Nearby is the church of the Virgin Mary, and I made a short hike up to the church on a Sunday with many pilgrims praying and worshiping. Then on into central Turkey and to Pammukkale, with bright-white calcium flats overflowing with warm water, in which thousands of Russian and Kazakh tourists seemed determined to swim in. Continuing my penetration into central Turkey I reached Cappadocia, with the unique rock formations, forged by an earthquake and running water. Then finally north towards the black sea, exchanging the baking desert heat for a humid and temperate climate, and visiting Safranbolu, staying in a hostel that was 350 years old.

There are a number of reasons for the 2-week gap in updating this blog. I had an extended stay in Cappadocia; almost a week. Having suddenly received some potential job offers for after my travels, I was compelled to stay and look for jobs on the internet, as well as attend some skype interviews. Luckily I had brought a smart shirt for just an occasion; it didn't matter that I was wearing shorts and flip-flops underneath since this was not something you could see on the webcam. It was a pleasant place to stay while looking for work. Free wifi, a pool to dip in when the afternoon heat got too much, fresh local fruit, and all for less than my rent alone used to be in the UK.


Cappadocia


People lived in the rocks of Cappadocia, and built churches like this.

Prior to Cappadocia I had stopped off in Pammukkale, which was memorable for more than just the calcium deposits cascading down the mountain: the heat. It was hot. Very hot. Walking barefoot through the calcium pools, the burning sun beating down from above, the blinding white calcium beneath, the warm water running over my feet, the hot wind blowing across me. Taking photos was impossible; it was too bright. Point, click, hope for the best. Shutter speeds of 1/1500 still bright. Squinting through my sunglasses trying to not slip in the ankle-deep water. I returned later in the evening. The crowds were gone; the night was cool and it was dark except for the occasional calcium deposits lit in the coloured lights being cast on them. I enjoyed this far more...


Calcium despoits shaped by the water


And by night...

Heading north from Cappadocia towards the black sea, the climate changed noticeably. There is a line of mountains near the black sea, which serve to trap the moisture from the sea. Crossing ravines and travelling through tunnels, you emerge in a temperate climate. So temperate in fact, it was raining most of the time I was in Safranbolu. This old ottoman town is a UNESCO site, with building preserved from many hundreds of years ago. Walking through the streets, I came across an elderly Turk who had spent half his life in Germany, giving us a common language. He explained a lot to me about the area, and about the rising unemployment since the region was over-reliant on the nearby factory for work. Tourism is of course also a major employer in the town, but like many places in Turkey, although the main streets are full of the standard tourist stalls, get off the main road and you find normal life still ongoing, with farmers and people, like my new friend, who were retired.


The century-old ottoman houses of Safranbolu

North of Safranbolu is Amasra, a "pictureque town on the Black sea coast". Getting there proved impossible though; upon reaching the large town prior to Amasra, I asked the bus driver how to get there. "Problem", he replied, pointing to the road descending into the murkey overflowing river. Problem indeed. My hopes of seeing the black sea vanished in a brown river.


Problem

After this I have some time in Ankara, before, returning to Istanbul and then flying to the UK for a week. My destination after this is still undecided. I would like to go south through to Egypt, but the heat will be worse than that in Pamukkale. If I have time, I'd like to go after August when it's cooler. Until then though, I'm still considering the options...