Turkish Delight - Part 3

Olympos was more of a village than a town, and due to it now being low season for tourists the village was very quiet, fine by me, set in a valley surrounded by forested mountains with a long pebble beach at the end of a track the view was beautiful and the mountain walks were peaceful. Olympos was an ancient city in Lycia where I visited the ruins of the City Wall, North and South Necropolis, the Sarcophagus of Alkesetis, Roman Bath and Theatre.

Back in Antalya four (4) days later my motorcycle parts had arrived and the mechanic at Kosifler Oto completed repair and service work including fork seals, front and rear wheel bearings, fuel pump, housing and filters, chain and sprockets, oil change with filter and an air filter.

After picking up my motorcycle I rode back to the Pensyion to meet up with commercial airline pilot Emrah again, we spent the afternoon on the water sailing a ten (10) metre yacht with two (2) of his pilot friends. Being out on the water was great, sailing proved to be very calming and Emrah’s friend Ali discussed his desire and the possibility of one day setting out to sail beyond local waters, my only suggestion was that it would be a fantastic experience.

Now my motorcycle had been repaired and serviced it was time for me to make tracks west, I loaded up and rode to the coastal town of Oludeniz. Arriving mid-afternoon, it quickly became apparent that the peak tourist season in Turkey was over, Oludeniz was like a ghost town, there was very few shops, restaurants or businesses open and not many tourists on the ground. I settled into one of the few hotels still open then stretched my legs with a walk along the beach front. The following morning while riding back from a sightseeing visit to a nearby town I was waved over by a man on a motor scooter. Oz was a Turkish guy who married an Australian woman, became an Australian citizen, divorced, and now spends time in Turkey and Australia. Oludeniz is known as a great place for paragliding and Oz worked as a tandem pilot while in town, his season was over, he was heading to Australia in the coming days to visit his children and work during the off season. He also likes motorcycle travel and we discussed his plans and options to purchase a motorcycle and ride back to Turkey from Australia. He also recommended I experience paragliding while in town, I agreed so Oz tee’d me up with a local tandem pilot for a flight the following day.

 

The view while paragliding was spectacular and I am glad I experienced it, but I was definitely happy to have my feet firmly back on the ground, I think I will stick to motorcycling rather than jumping from mountain tops.

Back on the road I left the southern coast of Turkey behind and rode inland to Pamukkale for a couple of days and visited nearby sights. Within walking distance of my accommodation I joined the tourist trail to see the ancient city of Hierapolis, highlights included the museum and theatre. I also visit Pamukkale's hot spring terraces which are made of travertine, a sedimentary rock deposited by water from the hot springs.

 



While based in Pamukkale I rode 100 kilometre’s to visit the ruins of Aphrodiseus, walking around the ancient site and museum before setting off for the 100 kilometre return ride.

Continuing my journey northwest, I rode in the rain through the busy coastal city of Kusudasi before settling for a couple of nights in the smaller, quieter town of Selcuk using it as a base while visiting the ruins of the ancient city of Ephesus.
 

In Selcuk I visited the remains of the local castle and castle wall on a hill top, it also provided a great position to view surrounding Selcuk farmland.

The following morning I set off under overcast skies and in cooler weather, just missing or skirting rain storms several times during the 400 kilometre ride to Canakkale.

Canakkale was a pleasant little city on the Dardanelles, it is close to the ancient city of Troy, known as being the site of the Trojan War, and I visited the city ruins and a replica of the Trojan horse that became legend for its use to invade the city.

Troy was the subject of a Brad Pitt movie and Canakkale is home to the Trojan horse used in the movie. I also visit other local sights including Cimenlik Kalesi and the city Clock Tower.

I rode onto a vehicle ferry for my departure from Canakkale, and after a short time on the vehicle and passenger ferry I crossed the Dardanelles strait and set foot on the European side of Turkey. The town of Eceabat was my base to visit the Gallipoli peninsular.

In early 1915, attempting to seize a strategic advantage in World War 1 by capturing Constantinople (now known as Istanbul), the British authorized an attack on the peninsula. The first troops landed on 25 April 1915. After eight months of heavy fighting, the troops were withdrawn around the end of the year.

The campaign was the first major military action of Australia and New Zealand as independent dominions, and is often considered to mark the birth of national consciousness in those nations. The date of the landing, 25 April, is known as "Anzac Day". It remains the most significant commemoration of military casualties and veterans in Australia and New Zealand. I spent a solemn day reflecting on life while riding a loop around the peninsular. I rode through the town of Kilitbahir, Behramli Koyu village, Alcitepe Koyu village and the town of Sehitler Abidesi where I visited a Turkish Memorial, then on to Franiz Aniti, a French Memorial. I continue on to Cape Helles Aniti, visiting a British, Australian and New Zealand Monument.

I then rode back through Alcitepe Koyu to ANZAC Cove. ANZAC Cove became famous as the site of World Was 1 landing of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps on 25 April 1915. The cove is 600 metres long, bounded by the headlands of Arıburnu to the north and Little Arıburnu, known as Hell Spit to the south. Following the landing at Anzac Cove, the beach became the main base for the Australian and New Zealand troops for the eight months of the Gallipoli campaign. While in the area I visited several Australian, New Zealand and British war cemeteries at Ari Burnu and Lone Pine.

 

 

The visit to Gallipoli brought an end to a very enjoyable time in Turkey, I visited many ancient city ruin sites, walked along and rode through beautiful coastal scenery, visited spectacular castles and mosques, and met many friendly Turks. My original travel plans have changed again, so after one (1) more night in Eceabat I continued my ride northwest. Although it is getting cold in Europe, due to the situation in Syria and circumstances in many North African countries making it difficult to ride throughout Africa, I will now ride further into Europe and make plans on the road as to where I go in the New Year.

Turkish Delight - Part 2

An overcast sky provided a cool day for the ride towards the Mediterranean Sea coast, a dual lane road with multiple tunnels through mountains proved easy riding, though a brief down pour of rain leading to a wet cold crotch highlighted my need for new wet weather gear. Upon reaching the coast I passed through several tourist towns where hotels and resorts dotted the coast line. I settled for a hotel in the small town of Kizkalesi for an overnight stop, spending the afternoon walking the town’s coast side promenade from where I could view a castle just off the coast and visit ruins of the ancient city of Korylos.

The next morning I set off under a clear blue sky, not long into the ride a bug hit me just above my left eye, it was a small insect but the needle point sting and the instant and lasting pain it inflicted caused me concern as to what it may have been. I continued on, the Mediterranean Sea view was quite spectacular glistening under sunshine, the road swept along the coastal mountain side, small towns again dotted the coast line glass / sheet plastic enclosed greenhouse banana plantations as opposed to holiday resorts occupied the land. I stopped midway to refuel my motorcycle, I also removed my helmet and noticed there was a small black stinger imbedded in my forehead, I pulled out the stinger but the pain persisted.

After a six (6) hour 400 hundred kilometre ride I arrived in the sea side city of Antalya, first order of business was to get my motorcycle to the BMW dealer for some long awaited and necessary repair work and parts replacement. As luck would have it the dealer was located on the road into the city so I called in to book some service time. The service manager at Kosifler Otto was a very helpful gentleman by the name of Bahadir, he and the mechanic asked for the bike to be left till the following morning for further diagnosis and to check on parts availability. Before I left the workshop a guy rode in on a new F800 GS, we started to chat about motorcycles and the fact he was married to a Turkish Australian woman. With nationality and motorcycles in common we agreed to meet up for a meal later that evening, I then caught a taxi to a Pensiyon (hotel) in Antalya’s old town. After settling into the Pensiyon I met up with fellow F800 rider Emrah and his wife Emely for an enjoyable evening chatting about Australia, Turkey and motorcycle travel.

Waking the following morning my left eye was swollen closed, and my forehead was also swollen, it was not a good look, an allergic reaction to the insect sting to my head was a new experience, but at least bright sunny weather allowed for disguise behind dark sunglasses for the next couple of days. After breakfast I contacted Bahadir at Kosifler Otto regards my motorcycle, it had been inspected, required parts determined, and the news was I had a two (2) week wait for delivery of parts from Germany. I then spent the weekend wandering through the Old Town, visiting the sights, walking along the waterfront and nearby parks, and also enjoying the warm bright sunny weather before the Northern Hemisphere winter set in.

 

It was not all bad news about a two (2) week wait for bike parts, it provided me with an opportunity. I was dreading riding my motorcycle into Istanbul, with a population of about fourteen (14) million people and very limited parking in the old town area for my motorcycle, I made enquiries and decided to fly from Antalya to Istanbul for one (1) week. I booked a return ticket, left my bike at Kosifler Otto and a day or two later enjoyed a short flight to Istanbul.

Arriving in Istanbul immediately reinforced the benefit of not being on my motorcycle, vehicle movement was slow and congested, the streets of the old town were steep, narrow and paved with slippery when wet cobble stones. The city though was beautiful, old town buildings, tourist sights, the water front areas along the Marmara Sea and the Bosphorus all justify Istanbul’s popularity as a tourist destination.

My hotel accommodation served breakfast in there enclosed roof top café, providing a great view of the Strait that forms part of the boundary between Europe and Asia, known as the Bosphorus. The Bosporus, the Sea of Marmara, and the Dardanelles strait to the southwest together form the Turkish Straits. The world's narrowest strait used for international navigation, the Bosporus connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara which is connected by the Dardanelles to the Aegean Sea, and thereby to the Mediterranean Sea.

 

 

The list of sights in Istanbul is a long one, my highlight and possibly one of the most impressive structures I have been fortunate enough to see on my travels is the Hagia Sophia, rather plain on the outside, truly spectacular on the inside with its huge marble columns and dome ceilings, my photographic skills or lack thereof just don’t do it justice.

 

 

Other sights I visited within walking distance of my hotel were the Old Towns former water storage and supply structure the Basilica Cistern, the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace and Hagia Sophia Museum.

 

 

A short ferry ride along the Golden Horn, a major urban waterway and the primary inlet of the Bosphorus had me within walking distance of the Sultan Eyup Mosque and the city wall.

 

 

I then walked back to the old town spice market and bazaar via the Golden Horn water’s edge, a fish market and a large numbers of people fishing from a bridge. 

 

The last attractions on my list to visit in Istanbul was Taksim Square and Galata Tower.

 

After a great week in Istanbul with mostly fine yet cool weather, the final day was overcast, wet, and cold. It was good to arrive back in Antalya later in the afternoon to blue sky and warmer weather. I still had a week to wait for bike parts so after a one night stay back at the same Pensiyon in Antalya I picked up my motorcycle and set off on a short ride along the coast for a little sea side small town relaxation.