Izmir

We are back on the motor coach and heading for the port city of Izmir after spending the night in Çanakkale. As we head south from the Dardanelles we climb into the mountains.



After a couple of hours of traveling we make our first rest stop after leaving Çanakkale.



While stretching my legs at the rest area I noticed one of the refueling pumps was LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas). The price of gasoline is very high in Turkey and almost all of the service stations provide LPG which is about 60% of the cost of gasoline.



Refueling a car with LPG.



Rest area display.



Back on the motor coach and we continue south. The steep mountains have opened into wide valleys and we pass several large produce farms.



Large fields of sunflowers which will be used to make cooking oil.



Our next stop is the city of Bergama which is located near the ancient city of  Pergamon.



At the site of ancient Pergamon we visited the Asclepion, one of the most outstanding healing centers of the ancient world. The marble street bordered by columns, was once an active market street, with shops lining both sides of the street.



Pergamon's library on the Acropolis (on the hill in the background) was the second best in the ancient Greek civilization.




The main entrance to the ancient medical center.  Treatments included mud baths, the use of herbs, ointments and sometimes snakes.



The large theater of the Asclepion, in front of which are several stone-framed sacred pools.



A fire prevention sign at the Asclepion.



After our visit to Bergama and Pergamon we were back on the motor coach heading for Izmir. As we passed through the countryside, farm tractors were more common than cars.



A roadside stand, out side of Izmir, selling flower pots.



Entering the modern city of Izmir.







Izmir is a major port city and has a seaside walkway close to our hotel.



One of the many carriage rides along the walkway.



Vendors of all types can be found along the walkway. This vendor had rabbits, but we never did find out if they were trained or for sale.




Sunset along the walkway.





Our visit to Izmir is complete and as we leave the city and head for the Pamukkale hot springs we pass a large sculpture of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the first President and founder of the Republic of Turkey

Troy

After spending a couple of days in Instanbul, we boarded our motor coach and started the second leg of our Turkish Tour. We headed south along the European coast of the Sea of Marmara to the Dardanelles strait. We stopped for lunch at the town of Gelibolu where a pistachio vendor was glad to see a busload of tourists.




After lunch our motor coach was loaded on a ferry for a quick trip across the Dardanelles strait to the Asian side of Turkey.



A ferry leaves every hour and as we headed to Asia we meet another ferry heading for Europe.



After a 20 minute ferry ride we arrive in the port of Lapseki on the Asian side of the Dardanelles strait.



A statue of Pegasus, the winged horse, in the town of Lapeski.



We traveled a short distance from Lapeski, with winged horse, to the site of the ancient city of Troy, with a Trojan horse. 



In Greek mythology, Homer's Iliad relates the story of the last year of the siege of Troy.  The site of Troy was thought to be just a myth, but in  1868 German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann uncovered an ancient city that is now thought to be Troy.


Walls of the old city.

 

A ramp leading to the city gate.



The Amphitheater of Troy.




Mary inside a modern version of a Trojan Horse.


After a visit to the site of Troy, we are back on the motor coach and heading to our hotel. Some of the sights on our way to the hotel.





A welcome sign at Çanakkale where our hotel is located.

 

We are greeted at our hotel in Çanakkale by some very colorful people.



Çanakkale is the nearest major town to the site of ancient Troy. The "wooden horse" from the 2004 movie Troy is exhibited on the seafront.



Çanakkale has a beautiful seafront walkway that includes colorful figures for the young people (and some older tourists).







Finally, a real horse.




Fishing is a popular pastime along the seafront walkway.




The view from our hotel room as the sun sets over the Dardanelles.



We are greeted by  a beautiful morning in Çanakkale as we prepare to travel to Izmir on the next leg of our Turkish Tour.

Instanbul

Our 13 day tour of Turkey started in Instanbul and one of the "must see" places is the Grand Bazaar.



The Grand Bazaar is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, with over 3,000 shops.



The Grand Bazaar's shops have something for everybody, but most of the goods are targeted for the many tourists that visit Instanbul.









The Spice Bazaar is the second largest covered shopping complex in Instanbul after the Grand Bazaar.



Main Street of the Spice Bazaar.



The Spice Bazaar, as its name implies, is the center for spice trade in Istanbul.



While the Grand Bazaar has gold jewelry, clothing and items for tourists, the Spice Bazaar is dominated with shops specializing in food and food preparation. Many shops only carry one type of food item, such as nuts, all types of nuts.


Candy stores featuring "Turkish Delight"which consist largely of chopped dates, pistachios and hazelnuts or walnuts bound by the gel.



Olives.


The marble fountain located in the Spice Bazaar.



A trip to Instanbul isn't complete without a visit to the Blue Mosque. The correct name is the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, but popularly known as the Blue Mosque for the blue tiles on the  interior walls.


 

A scale model of the 400 year old Blue Mosque.



The interior of the Blue Mosque showing the massive support columns and the beautiful blue tiles. 



Looking up at the interior of the dome.



Fountains outside of the Blue Mosque are used of washing before entering the Mosque for prayer.



The Obelisk of Thutmose III at the Hippodrome. The 3,500 year old obelisk was carved from pink granite, it was originally erected at the Temple of Karnak in Luxor (Egypt). Theodosius had the obelisk cut into three pieces and brought to Instanbul in390AD.


The German Fountain, located at the Hippodrome.



View of the interior of the German Fountain.



Within walking distance and sight of the Blue Mosque is Hagia Sophia. Built in 360AD, Hagia Sophia was a former Orthodox patriarchal basilica, later a mosque, and now a museum in Istanbul.



Hagia Sophia is famous for its massive dome, and remained the world's largest cathedral for nearly a thousand years.



Interior views.







Some of the Christian iconographic mosaics






View from our hotel roof.


Istanbul University, located between our hotel and the Grand Bazaar.



Street signs



Beware of trees!








Found on the street